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http://www.archive.org/details/clictionaryofeverOOyoumiala 


DICTIONARY 


OF 


EVERY-DAY  WANTS 


CONTAINING 


TWENTY   THOUSAND    RECEIPTS 
In  Nearly  Every  Department  of  Human  Effort 


BY 


A.  E.  YOUMAN,  M.  D. 


I 


ST.  LOUIS,  MO., 

continental  publishing  CO., 

513  North  6th  Street, 

1872. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1872,  by 

ALEXANDER  E.  YOUMAN, 

in  the   office   of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,   at  Washington. 


All  rights  k£S£RV£d. 


URL 


PREFACE. 

In  these  days  of  steam  and  electricity,  when  every  man  is  jostling  and 
crowding  his  neighbor  in  the  race  for  wealth  and  independence,  every 
hour,  every  minute  has  its  money  value.  To  economise  time  by  its 
admirably  arranged  contents;  to  save  money  by  its  multitudinous  hints 
and  aids;  to  relieve  perplexities  that  are  ever  occurring  in  our  daily  plans 
of  life  by  its  numberless  suggestions ;  to  promptly  offer  remedies  when 
sudden  death  is  threatened,  as  in  accidental  poisoning,  will  be  found  to  be 
embodied  in  the  following  pages,  and  so  be  an  aid  to  the  progressive 
hurrying  spirit  of  the  age. 

In  its  editing  and  compiling,  the  principal  aim  has  been  to  render  it  as 
extensively  useful  as  possible,  and  no  exertion  has  been  spared  to  make 
the  work  a  correct,  comprehensive  and  conveniently  arranged  manual  of 
reference  to  the  Housekeeper,  Manufacturer,  Tradesman  and  Agriculturist. 
It  will  be  found  to  contain  directions  for  the  preparation  of  several  thou- 
sand articles  of  interest  and  utility,  many  of  which  have  never  appeared  in 
print  before. 

Care  has  been  taken  to  avoid  all  difficult,  technical  and  scientific  terms, 
and  to  make  It  so  simple  in  language  and  arrangement,  as  to  insure  its 
value  2LS  a  useful  and  reliable  work  for  every-day  reference. 

A.  E.  y. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Page 

Accidents  and  Emergencies 1 1 

Apiary .    ,  20 

Carpenter  and  Builder 24 

Cements,  Glues  and  Pastes 32 

Cooking  and  Baking ..,«.. 40 

Drttggist  and  Chemist 63 

Domestic  Animals , 87 

Farm,  Orchard,  Garden  and  Dairy    ., 118 

Household  Miscellany 15 1 

Household  Pets 164 

Household  Pests 173 

Hunting,  Trapping  and  Tanning 176 

Inks  and  Blacking 197 

Medical  and  Surgical 207 

Ornamental  Work 242 

Painting  and  Papering  (Includittg  Varnishing,  Polishing,  Staining 

and  Gilding) 250 

Photography  and  the  Fine  Arts 272 

Preserving  and  Storing 293 

Soap  and  Candles 312 

Toilet 323 

Wardrobe ,  333 

Washing,  Bleaching  and  Dyeing 338 

Wines,  Liquors  and  Vinegar 362 

Workers  in  Glass 389 

Workers  in  Metals ♦  397 

Miscellaneous 447 

When  an  article  cannot  be  found hy  its  proper  alphabetic  arrangement^ 
under  any  of  the  above  sections,  a  reference  to  the  very  copious  index  at  t/te 
tnd  of  the  tuork,  will  lead  to  its  discovery. 


/ 


to 


A  DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


ACCIDENTS    AND    EMERGENCIES. 


ACCIDENTS,  To  Avoid  and  Prroent.—ln 
walking  the  streets  keep  out  of  the  line  of  cellars, 
and  never  look  one  way  and  walk  another.  2. 
Never  ride  with  your  arm  or  elbow  outside  any 
vehicle.  3.  Never  alight  from  a  steam-car 
while  in  motion.  4.  In  stepping  from  any 
wheeled  vehicle  while  in  motion,  let  it  be  from 
the  rear,  and  not  in  front  of  the  wheels ;  for 
then,  if  you  fall,  the  wheels  cannot  run  over 
you.  5.  Never  attempt  to  cross  a  road  or  street 
m  a  hurry,  in  front  of  a  passing  vehicle ;  for  if 
you  stumble  or  slip  you  will  be  run  over.  Make 
up  the  half  minute  lost  in  waiting  until  the  ve- 
hicle has  passed  by  increased  diligence  in  some 
other  direction.  6.  In  a  run-away,  it  is  safer, 
as  a  rule,  to  keep  your  place  and  hold  fast  than 
to  jump  out.  Getting  out  of  a  carriage  over  the 
back,  provided  you  can  hold  on  a  little  while,  is 
safer  than  springing  from  the  side.  7.  Be  par- 
ticularly cautious  when  upon  or  in  the  vicinity  of 
water.  8.  During  a  time  of  lightning  avoid  the 
neighborhood  of  trees,  or  any  leaden  spout, 
iron  gate,  or  other  conductor  of  electricity.  9. 
Lay  loaded  guns  in  safe  places,  and  never  imi- 
tate firing  a  gun  in  jest.  10.  Never  sleep  near 
lighted  charcoal ;  if  drowsy  at  any  work  where 
charcoal  fires  are  used,  take  the  fresh  air.  11, 
Never  blorw  mit  the  gaslight,  but  turn  it  off,  and 
before  retiring  see  that  none  of  it  escapes.  12. 
"When  benumbed  with  cold  beware  of  sleeping 
out  of  doors ;  exercise  yourself  vigorously ;  rub 
yourself,  if  able,  with  snow,  and  do  not  hastily 
approach  the  fire.  13.  If  caught  in  a  drenching 
rain,  or  if  you  fall  in  the  water,  keep  in  motion 
sufficiently  vigorous  to  prevent  the  slightest 
chilly  sensation  until  you  reach  the  house;  then 
change  your  clothing  with  great  rapidity  before 
a  blazing  fire,  and  drink  instantly  a  pint  of  some 
hot  liquid,  not  spirituous.  14.  Before  entering 
vaults  or  dry  wells  see  if  a  lighted  candle  will 
bum  at  the  bottom ;  for  if  not,  animal  life  can- 
not exist,  and  the  foul  air  in  it  should  be  re- 
placed by  pure  air  before  entering  therein.  15. 
Never  leave  saddle  or  draught  horses,  while  in 
use,  by  themselves  ;  nor  go  immediately  behind 
a  led  horse,  as  he  is  apt  to  kick.  16.  Ride  not  on 
footways,  and  walk  not  on  carriage  roads  or  rail- 
road tracks.  17.  Be  wary  of  children,  whether 
they  are  up  or  in  bed,  and  particularly  when 
they  are  near  the  fire,  an  element  with  which 
they  are  very  apt  to  amuse  themselves.  18. 
Leave  nothing  poisonous  open  or  accessible,  and 
never  omit  to  write  the  word  •'  Poison"  in  large 
letters  upon  it,  wherever  it  may  be  placed.  19. 
Never  throw  pieces  of  orange  peel  on  the  side- 
walk, or  throw  broken  glass  bottles  into  the 
streets.  20.  Never  meddle  with  gunpowder  by 
candlelight.     21.  Never  trim  or  fill  a  kerosene 


lamp  while  lighted,  and  ttever  light  a  fire  with 
kerosene  or  coal  oil.  22.  Keep  lucifer  matches  in 
their  cases,  and  never  let  them  be  strewed 
about.  23.  During  frosty  weather  take  extra 
care  in  walking.  24.  Have  your  horses'  shoes 
roughed  directly  there  are  indications  of  frost. 
25.  Before  retiring  tor  the  night,  carefully  look 
through  the  house  to  see  that  everything  is  as  it 
ought  to  be. 

BITES,  Haivest  Bug. — The  most  effectual 
remedy  is  benzine,  which  immediately  kills  the 
insect. — A  minute  drop  of  tincture  of  iodine  has 
the  same  effect. — Many  sufferers  prevent  the  at- 
tacks by  sprinkling  a  little  benzine  over  the 
stockings  before  walking. 

BITES,  Insect. — Such  as  bees,  wasps,  hor- 
nets, scorpions,  etc.,  may  be  instantly  relieved 
by  the  immediate  and  free  application  of  spirits 
of  hartshorn  as  a  wash  to  the  part  bitten.  The 
part  may  afterward  be  covered  with  a  little  sweet 
oil.     See  Stings. 

BITES,  Mad  Dog. — I.  Take  immediately 
warm  vinegar  or  tepid  water ;  wash  the  wound 
clean  therewith  and  then  dry  it ;  pour  upon  the 
wound,  then,  ten  or  twelve  drops  of  muriatic 
acid.  Mineral  acids  destroy  the  poison  of  the 
saliva,  by  which  means  the  evil  efifects  of  the  lat- 
ter are  neutrahzed. — 2.  Many  think  that  the  only 
sure  preventive  of  evil  following  the  bite  of  a 
rabid  dog,  is  to  suck  the  wound  immediately, 
before  the  poison  has  had  time  to  circulate  with 
the  blood.  If  the  person  bit  cannot  get  to  the 
wound  to  suck  it,  he  must  persuade  or  pay  an- 
other to  do  it  for  him.  There  is  no  fear  of 
any  harm  following  this,  for  the  poison  entering 
by  the  stomach  cannot  hurt  a  person.  A  spoon- 
ful of  the  poison  might  be  swallowed  with  impu- 
nity, but  the  person  who  sucks  the  place  should 
have  no  wound  on  the  lip  or  tongue,  or  it  might 
be  dangerous.  The  precaution  alluded  to  is  a 
most  important  one,  and  should  never  be  omitted 
prior  to  an  excision  and  the  application  of  lunar 
caustic  in  every  part,  especially  the  interior  and 
deep-seated  portions.  No  injury  need  be  antici- 
pated if  this  treatment  is  adopted  promptly  and 
effectively.  The  poison  of  hydrophobia  remains 
latent  on  an  average  six  weeks ;  the  part  heals 
over,  but  there  is  a  pimple  or  wound,  more  or 
less  irritable ;  it  then  becomes  painful,  and  the 
germ,  whatever  it  is,  ripe  for  dissemiftation  into 
the  system,  and  then  all  hope  is  gone.  Never- 
theless, between  the  time  of  the  bite  and  the  ac- 
tivity of  the  wound  previous  to  dissemination, 
the  caustic  of  nitrate  of  silver  is  a  sure  prevent- 
ive ;  after  that  it  is  as  useless  as  all  the  other 
means.  The  best  mode  of  application  of  the  ni- 
trate of  silver,  is  by  introducing  it  solidly  into 
the  wound. 


12 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


BITES,  Snake. — ^The  poison  inserted  by  the 
stings  and  bites  of  many  venomous  reptiles  is  so 
rapidly  absorbed,  and  of  so  fatal  a  description,  as 
frequently  to  occasion  death  before  any  remedy 
or  antidote  can  be  applied ;  and  they  are  ren- 
dered yet  more  dangerous  from  the  fact  that  these 
wounds  are  inflicted  in  parts  of  the  country  and 
world  where  precautionary  measures  are  seldom 
thought  of,  and  generally  at  times  when  people 
are  least  prepared  to  meet  them.  I.  In  absence 
of  any  remedies,  the  first  best  plan  to  adopt  on 
being  bitten  by  any  of  the  poisonous  snakes  is  to 
do  as  recommended  above  in  Mad  Dog  Bites 
— viz.,  to  wash  off  the  place  immediately ;  if 
possible,  get  the  mouth  to  the  spot,  and  forcibly 
suck  out  all  the  poison,  first  applying  a  ligature 
above  the  wound  as  tightly  as  can  be  borne. — 2. 
A  remedy  promulgated  by  the  Smithsonian  In- 
stitute is  to  take  30  grs.  iodide  potassium,  30 
grs.  iodine,  I  oz.  water,  to  be  applied  externally 
to  the  wound  by  saturating  lint  or  batting — the 
same  to  be  kept  moist  with  the  antidote  until  the 
cure  be  effected,  which  will  be  in  one  hour,  and 
sometimes  instantly. — 3.  An  Austrahan  physi- 
cian has  tried  and  recommends  carbolic  acid,  di- 
luted and  administered  internally  every  few  min- 
utes until  recovery  is  certain. — 4.  Another  Aus- 
tralian physician,  Professor  Halford,  of  Mel- 
bourne University,  has  discovered  that  if  a  proper 
amount  of  dilute  ammonia  be  injected  into  the 
circulation  of  a  patient  suffering  from  snake-bite, 
the  curative  effect  is  usually  sudden  and  start- 
ling, so  that  in  many  cases  men  have  thus  been 
brought  back,  as  it  were,  by  magic,  from  the 
very  shadow  of  death.  The  method  finally 
adopted  by  Professor  Halford,  after  many  exper- 
iments, and  approved  by  his  associates,  is  this  : 
As  soon  as  possible  after  a  bite,  which,  without 
treatment,  threatens  life,  thirty  drops  of  the 
liquor  ammoniac  (not  liquid  ammonia)  in  water 
— one  part  of  the  ammonia  and  two  parts  water 
— are  injected,  by  a  hypodermic  syringe,  directly 
into  some  superficial  vein  of  the  patient.  Of 
course,  none  but  a  skilled  or  practiced  hand 
should  undertake  the  operation,  since  the  acci- 
dent of  injecting  a  small  bubble  of  air  with  the 
solution  might  be  fatal.  There  is  no  stage  of 
exhaustion,  so  long  as  life  remains,  in  which 
there  is  n.ot  hope  of  success  by  this  remedy.  A 
small  syringe  with  a  sharp  point,  for  the  purpose 
of  making  the  injection,  is  manufactured  and 
sold  in  Melbourne,  and  now  few  travel  in  that 
country  without  one. 

BITES,  Of  the  Cobra.— T\\^  bite  of  the  co- 
bra, says  an  experienced  surgeon  of  India,  or  of 
any  other  poisonous  snake  or  reptile,  can  be 
cured  by  administering  a  few  drops  of  a  prepa- 
ration of  the  gall  of  the  cobra,  which  should  be 
prepared  as  follows :  Pure  spirits  of  wine,  or  95 

f)er  cent,  alcohol,  or  the.  best  high  wines  that  can 
)e  procured,  200  drops ;  of  the  pure  gall,  20 
drops ;  in  a  clean  two-ounce  phial,  corked  with  a 
new  cork;  give  the  phial  150  or  200  shakes,  so 
that  the  gall  may  be  thoroughly  mixed  with  the 
spirits,  and  the  preparation  is  ready  for  use.  In 
case  of  a  bite  put  five  drops  (no  more)  of  the 
-preparation  into  half  a  tumblerful  6f  pure  water ; 
pour  the  water  from  one  tumbler  into  another, 
backwards  and  forwards,  several  times,  that  the 
preparation  may  be  thoroughly  mixed  with  the 
water,  and  administer  a  large  tablespoonful  of 
the  mixture  every  three  or  five  minutes  until  the 
whole  has  been  given.     In  case  the  violence  of 


the  pain  and  hemorrhage  or  swelling  of  the  bit- 
ten part  should  be  but  slightly  alleviated  after 
the  whole  has  been  taken,  repeat  the  dose,  pre- 
pared with  the  same  quantity  of  the  preparation, 
in  the  same  way,  and  administer  as  before.  In 
curing  upwards  of  fifty  cases  of  snake  bites  I 
have  never  been  obliged  to  repeat  the  dose  ex- 
cept in  two  instances,  and  have  never  lost  a  case. 
The  cobra  poison  is  no  more  deadly  than  that  of 
a  great  variety  of  snakes  found  in  South  Amer- 
ica, of  which  may  be  named  the  CascCtbel,  or 
Rattlesnake ;  Boqtii-dorada,  or  gilded  mouth ; 
Mapana-sapo,  or  frog-headed  Mapana;  Mapa- 
na-fina,  or  Lachesis ;  Niger,  Birri,  and  Verr»- 
gosa,  or  wart  snake.  The  poison  of  all  these 
varieties  produces  death  (under  certain  condi- 
tions— atmospherical,  physical,  climaterical,  and 
electrical)  in  from  fifteen  minutes  to  two  or  three 
hours  ;  but  it  is  found  that  the  gall  of  each  va- 
riety (administered  as  previously  indicated)  is 
the  perfect  antidote  for  its  own  poison.  The 
gall  of  the  most  deadly  kind  may  be  used  in 
cases  of  bites  of  those  less  virulent,  and  is  also 
applicable  in  cases  of  bites  of  the  centipede, 
scorpion,  stingray,  star-lizard,  or  lacerta  stella, 
and  IS  also  very  effective  in  dog-bites. 

BLEEDING  OF  WOUNDS.— Set  Cuts. 

BLEEDING  AT  THE  NOSE.—i.  Roll 
up  a  piece  of  paper,  and  press  it  up  under  the 
upper  lip. — 2.  In  obstinate  cases  blow  a  little 
gum  Arabic  up  the  nostrils  through  a  quill, 
which  will  immediately  stop  the  discharge ;  pow- 
dered alum  is  also  good. — 3.  Pressure  by  the 
finger  over  the  small  artery  near  the  ala  (wing) 
of  the  nose,  on  the  side  where  the  blood  is  flow- 
ing, is  said  to  arrest  the  hemorrhage  immedi- 
ately. 

BLEEDING  FROM  THE  LUNGS.— K 
New  York  physician  has  related  a  case  in  which 
inhalation  of  very  dry  persulphate  of  iron,  re- 
duced to  a  palpable  powder,  entirely  arrested 
bleeding  from  the  lungs,  after  all  the  usual  rem- 
edies, lead,  opium,  etc.,  had  failed.  A  small 
quantity  was  administered  by  drawing  into  the 
lungs  every  hour  during  part  of  the  night  and 
following  day. 

BURNS  AND  SCALDS.— 1.  By  putting 
the  burned  part  under  cold  water,  milk,  or  other 
bland  fluid,  instantaneous  and  perfect  relief  from 
all  pain  will  be  experienced.  On  withdrawal, 
the  burn  should  be  perfectly  covered  with  half  an 
inch  or  more  of  common  wheaten  flour,  put  on 
with  a  dredging  box,  or  in  any  other  way,  and 
allowed  to  remain  until  a  cure  is  effected,  when 
the  dry,  caked  flour  will  fall  off,  or  can  be  soft- 
ened with  water,  disclosing  a  beautiful,  new  and 
healthy  skin,  in  all  cases  where  the  burns  have 
been  superficial. — 2.  Dissolve  white  lead  in  flax- 
seed oil  to  the  consistency  of  milk,  and  apply 
over  the  entire  burn  or  scald  every  five  minutes. 
It  can  be  applied  with  a  soft  feather.  This  is 
said  to  give  relief  sooner,  and  to  be  more  per- 
manent in  its  effects,  than  any  other  application. 
— 3.  Make  a  saturated  solution  of  alum  (four 
ounces  to  a  quart  of  hot  water).  Dip  a  cotton 
cloth  in  this  solution  and  apply  immediately  on 
the  burn.  As  soon  as  it  becomes  hot  or  dry, 
replace  it  by  another,  and  continue  doing  so  as 
often  as  the  cloth  dries,  which  at  first  will  be 
every  few  minutes.  The  pain  will  immediately 
cease,  and  after  twenty-four  hours  of  this  treat- 
ment the  burn  will  be  healed,  especially  if  com- 
menced before  blisters  are  formed.     The  as- 


ACCIDENTS  AND   EMERGENCIES. 


n 


tringent  and  drying  qualities  of  the  alum  will  en- 
tirely prevent  their  formation. — 4.  Glycerine, 
five  ounces  ;  white  of  egg,  four  ounces  ;  tincture 
of  arnica,  three  ounces.  Mix  the  glycerine  and 
white  of  egg  thoroughly  in  a  mortar,  and  grad- 
ually add  the  arnica.  Apply  freely  on  linen  rags 
night  and  morning,  washing  previously  with 
warm  castile  soapsuds. — 5.  Take  i  drachm  of 
finely  powdered  alum,  and  mix  thoroughly  with 
the  white  of  2  eggs  and  i  teacup  of  fresh  lard ; 
spread  on  a  cloth,  and  apply  to  the  parts  burnt. 
It  gives  almost  instant  relief  from  pain,  and,  by 
excluding  the  air,  prevents  excessive  inflamma- 
tory action.  The  application  should  be  changed 
at  least  once  a  day. — 6.  M.  Joel,  of  the  Chil- 
dren's Hospital,  Lausanne,  finds  that  a  tepid 
bath,  containing  a  couple  of  pinches  of  sulphate 
of  iron,  gives  immediate  relief  to  young  children 
who  have  been  extensively  burned.  In  a  case  of 
a  child  four  years  old,  a  bath  repeated  twice  a 
day — 20  minutes  each  bath — the  suppuration  de- 
creased, lost  its  odor,  and  the  little  sufferer  was 
soon  convalescent. — 7.  For  severe  scalding,  car- 
bolic acid  has  recently  been  used  with  marked 
benefit.  It  is  to  be  mixed  with  30  parts  of  the 
ordinary  oil  and  lime  water  to  i  part  of  the  acid. 
Linen  rags  saturated  in  the  carbolic  emulsion 
are  to  be  spread  on  the  scalded  parts,  and  kept 
moist  by  frequently  smearing  with  a  feather 
dipped  in  the  liquid.  Two  advantages  of  this 
mode  of  treatment  are,  the  exclusion  of  air,  and 
the  rapid  healing  by  a  natural  restorative  action 
without  the  formation  of  pus,  thus  preserving 
unmarred  the  personal  appearance  of  the  pa- 
tient— a  matter  of  no  small  importance  to  some 
people. 

CRAMP. — Spasmodic  or  involuntary  contrac- 
tions of  the  muscles,  generally  of  the  extremi- 
iies,  accompanied  with  great  pain.  The  muscles 
of  the  legs  and  feet  are  those  most  commonly 
Affected  with  cramp,  especially  after  great  exer- 
tion. The  best  treatment  is  immediately  to 
stand  upright,  and  to  well  rub  the  part  with  the 
hand.  The  application  of  strong  stimulants,  as 
spirits  of  ammonia,  or  of  anodynes,  as  opiate 
liniments,  has  been  recommended.  When  cramp 
occurs  in  the  stomach,  a  teaspoonful  of  sal  vola- 
tile in  water,  or  a  dram  glassful  of  good  brandy, 
should  be  swallowed  immediately.  When  cramp 
comes  on  during  cold  bathing,  the  limb  should 
be  thrown  out  as  suddenly  and  violently  as  pos- 
sible, which  will  generally  remove  it,  care  being 
also  taken  not  to  become  flurried  nor  frightened ; 
as  presence  of  mind  is  very  essential  to  personal 
safety  on  such  an  occasion.  A  common  cause  of 
cramp  is  indigestion,  and  the  use  of  acescent 
liquor's ;  these  should  be  avoided. 

CUTS. — First  stop  the  bleeding,  by  bringing 
the  edges  of  the  wound  together,  if  the  flow  is 
but  trifling.  If,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  large,  of  a 
bright  Vermillion  color,  and  flows  in  spirts  or 
with  a  jerk,  an  artery  is  severed,  and  at  once 
should  pressure  be  made  on  the  parts  by  the 
finger,  (between  the  cut  and  the  heart, )  until  a 
compress  is  arranged  by  a  tight  ligature  above 
the  wounded  part.  Then  the  finger  may  be 
taken  off,  and  if  the  blood  still  flows,  tighten 
the  handkerchief,  or  other  article  that  forms  the 
ligature,  until  it  ceases.  If  at  this  point  the  at- 
tendance of  a  physician  or  surgeon  cannot  be 
secured,  take  strong  silk  thread,  or  wax  together 
three  or  four  threads,  and  cut  them  into  lengths 
of  about  a  foot  long.     W'ash  the  parts  with 


warm  water,  and  then  with  a  sharp  hook  or 
small  pair  of  pincers  in  your  hand,  fix  your  eye 
steadfastly  upon  the  wound,  and  directing  the 
ligature  to  be  slightly  released,  you  will  sec  the 
mouth  of  the  artery  from  which  the  blood 
springs.  At  once  seize  it,  draw  it  out  a  little, 
while  an  assistant  passes  a  ligature  round  it,  and 
ties  it  up  tight  with  a  double  knot.  In  this  way 
take  up  in  succession  every  bleeding  vessel  you 
can  see  or  get  hold  of.  If  the  wound  is  too  high 
up  in  a  limb  to  apply  the  ligature,  do  not  lose 
your  presence  of  mind.  If  it  is  the  thigh,  press 
firmly  on  the  groin ;  if  in  the  arm,  with  the 
hand-end  or  ring  of  a  common  door-key  make 
pressure  above  the  collar-bone,  and  about  its 
middle,  against  its  first  rib,  which  lies  under  it. 
The  pressure  should  be  continued  until  assist- 
ance is  procured  and  the  vessel  tied  up.  If  the 
wound  is  on  the  face,  or  other  place  where  pres- 
sure cannot  effectually  be  made,  place  a  piece  of 
ice  directly  over  the  wound,  allowing  it  to  re- 
main there  until  the  blood  coagulates,  when  it 
may  be  removed,  and  a  compress  and  bandage 
be  applied. 

After  the  bleeding  is  arrested  the  surrounding 
blood  should  be  cleared  away,  as  well  as  any  ex- 
traneous matter;  then  bring  the  sides  of  the 
wound  into  contact  throughout  the  whole  depth, 
in  order  that  they  may  grow  together  as  quickly 
as  possible,  retaining  them  in  their  position  by 
strips  of  adhesive  plaster.  If  the  wound  be 
deep  and  extensive,  the  wound  itself  and  the  ad- 
jacent parts  must  be  supported  by  proper  band- 
ages. The  position  of  the  patient  should  be 
such  as  will  relax  the  skin  and  muscles  of  the 
wounded  part.  Rest,  low  and  unstimulating 
diet,  will  complete  the  requirements  necessary  to 
a  speedy  recovery. 

DROWNING,  To  Restore  the  Apparently.— 
Lose  no  time.  Handle  the  body  gently,  carry- 
ing it  with  the  head  slightly  raised,  and  never 
holding  it  up  by  the  feet.  While  medical  assist- 
ance is  being  sent  for,  remove  the  clothing  from 
the  body,  rub  it  dry ;  then  roll  it  in  hot  blankets 
and  place  it  in  a  warm  bed  in  a  warm  room. 
Cleanse  away  the  froth  and  mucus  from  the  nose 
and  mouth.  Apply  warm  bricks,  bottles,  bags 
of  sand,  etc.,  to  the  arm-pits,  between  the  thighs 
and  at  the  soles  of  the  feet.  Rub  the  surface  of 
the  body  with  the  hands  inclosed  in  warm,  dry 
worsted  socks.  To  Restore  Breathing. — While 
the  patient  is  lying  with  the  face  downwards, 
place  one  of  the  arms  under  the  forehead,  as  in 
this  position  fluids  will  more  readily  escape  by 
the  mouth,  and  the  tongue  itself  will  fall  for- 
ward, leaving  the  entrance  to  the  windpipe  free. 
Assist  this  oi^eration  by  wiping  and  cleansing 
the  mouth.  If  there  be  only  slight  breathing, 
or  no  breathing,  turn  the  patient  on  the  side,  and 
excite  the  nostrils  with  snuff,  hartshorn,  or 
smelling  salts,  or  tickle  the  throat  with  a  feather, 
etc.  Rub  the  chest  and  face  well,  and  dash 
warm  and  cold  water  alternately  on  them.  If 
there  is  still  no  success,  try  to  imitate  breathing 
by  replacing  the  patient  with  face  downwards, 
raising  and  supporting  the  chest  on  a  folded  coat 
or  other  article.  Then  turn  the  body  very 
gently  on  one  side  and  a  little  beyond,  and 
briskly  back  again,  repeating  these  measures 
cautiously  and  perseveringly  about  15  times  a 
minute.  By  placing  the  patient  on  his  chest, 
the  weight  of  the  body  forces  the  air  out.  When 
turned  on  one  side  the  pressure  is  removed,  and 


«4 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


air  enters  the  chest.  When  the  body  is  replaced 
on  the  face,  use  uniform  pressure  between  the 
shoulder-blades  or  bones  on  each  side,  and  let 
one  person  attend  solely  to  the  movement  of  the 
head  and  of  the  arm  placed  under  it.  Dry  the 
hands  and  feet,  and  as  soon  as  dry  clothing  or 
blankets  can  be  procured,  strip  the  body  and  re- 
clothe  it,  taking  care  not  to  interfere  with  the  ef- 
forts to  restore  breathing. 

Should  these  efforts  not  prove  successful  in 
five  minutes,  grasp  the  arms  above  the  elbow, 
and  draw  them  gently  upwards  above  the  head, 
keeping  them  stretched  upwards  for  two  sec- 
onds. By  this  means  air  is  drawn  into  the 
lungs.  Then  turn  down  the  arms,  and  press 
them  gently  for  two  seconds  against  the  sides  of 
the  chest.  By  this  means  air  is  pressed  out  of 
the  lungs.  Repeat  these  motions  perseveringly, 
about  fifteen  times  in  a  minute,  until  a  spontane- 
ous effort  to  respire  is  perceived. 

After  the  natural  breathing  is  restored,  pro- 
mote warmth  and  circulation  by  rubbing  the 
limbs  upwards  by  means  of  flannels,  etc.  By 
this  process  the  blood  is  propelled  towards  the 
heart.  Apply  hot  flannels,  or  bottles  of  hot 
water,  to  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  the  arm-pits, 
thighs,  and  soles  of  the  feet.  If  the  power  of 
swallowing  be  restored,  small  quantities  of  wine, 
■warm  brandy  and  water,  or  colTee,  should  be  ad- 
ministered. Keep  the  patient  in  bed,  and  let 
sleep  be  encouraged.  This  treatment  should  be 
persevered  in  for  hours,  as  it  is  a  mistake  to 
fancy  that  persons  are  irrecoverable  because  life 
does  not  soon  make  its  appearance.  Do  not  al- 
low any  crowding  round  the  body,  and  under  no 
circumstances  hold  it  up  by  the  feet,  or  put  it  in 
a  warm  bath,  unless  under  medical  directions. 
Cautions. — Never  rub  the  body  with  salt  or 
spirits.  Never  roll  the  body  on  casks.  Con- 
tinue the  remedies  for  12  hours  without  ceasing. 
The  appearances  which  generally  accompany 
death  by  drowning  are  suspension  of  the  motion 
of  the  heart,  the  eyelids  half  closed  and  the  pu- 
pils dilated,  the  jaws  clenched,  the  fingers  half 
contracted,  the  tongue  approaches  to  the  under 
edge  of  the  lips,  and  these,  as  well  as  the  nos- 
trils, are  covered  with  a  frothy  mucus,  and  cold- 
ness and  pallor  incre  ase. 

DROWNING,  To  Afford  Assistance  to  a 
Person  in  Danger  of . — If  the  spectator  is  unable 
to  swim,  and  can  make  the  sufferer  hear,  he 
ought  to  direct  him  to  keep  his  hands  and  arms 
under  water  until  assistance  comes ;  in  the 
meantime  throw  towards  him  a  rope,  a  pole,  or 
anything  that  may  help  to  bring  him  ashore  or 
on  board ;  he  will  eagerly  seize  whatever  is  put 
within  his  reach  ;  thus  he  may,  perhaps,  be  res- 
cued from  his  perilous  situation. 

The  best  manner  in  which  an  expert  swimmer 
can  lay  hold  of  a  person  he  wishes  to  save  from 
sinking,  is  to  grasp  his  arm  firmly  between  the 
shoulder  and  the  elbow;  this  will  prevent  him 
from  clasping  the  swimmer  in  his  arms,  and  thus 
forcing  him  under  water,  and,  perhaps,  causing 
him  to  sink  with  him. 

DRUNKENNESS,  Apparent  Death  from. 
— Raise  tlie  head,  imloose  the  clothes,  maintain 
warmth  of  surface,  and  give  a  mustard  emetic  as 
soon  as  the  person  can  swallow. 

EYE,  Cinc.:^  or  Dirt  in  the. — The  cinder  or 
other  foreign  substance  will  usually  be  found  just 
underneath  the  margin  of  the  upper  lid,  where 
there  is  a  groove  or  gutter  for  the  flow  of  tears 


to  the  inner  angle  of  the  eye.  Foreign  bodies 
tend  to  fall  into  this  groove,  and  if  they  are  an- 
gular, like  a  cinder,  they  adhere  in  spite  of  the 
current  of  tears  which  now  flow  in  greater 
abundance,  and  sooner  or  later  carry  off  smooth 
substances.  To  remove  it,  take,  say  a  lead  pen- 
cil, in  the  fingers  of  the  right  hand,  and  with 
the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  left  hand  seize 
the  eyelashes  of  the  upper  lid,  and  drawing  the 
lid  gently  out  from  the  ball,  press  the  point  of 
the  pencil  downward  upon  the  upper  surface  of 
the  lid,  about  one-fourth  of  an  inch  from  its 
margin,  and  at  the  same  time  carry  the  margin 
upward  over  the  pencil  by  the  eyelashes,  when 
the  lid  will  readily  roll  over  the  pencil  so  as  to 
expose  completely  the  gutter  described,  when 
the  cinder  or  grain  of  sand  may  easily  be  re- 
moved with  the  point  of  a  pencil,  or  with  the 
finger  covered  by  a  handkerchief.  The  person 
operated  upon  should  look  downward  when  the 
lid  is  being  reverted,  and  upward  when  the  ope- 
rator wishes  to  restore  the  lid.  As  soon  as  the 
substance  is  removed,  bathe  the  eye  with  cold 
water,  and  exclude  the  light  for  a  day. 

FAINTING. — If  a  man  faint  away,  instead 
of  yelling  out  like  a  savage,  or  running  to  him 
to  lift  him  up,  lay  him  at  full  length  on  his  back 
on  the  floor,  loose  the  clothing,  push  the  crowd 
away,  so  as  to  allow  the  air  to  reach  him,  and 
let  him  alone.  Dashing  water  over  a  person  in  a 
simple  fainting  fit  is  a  barbarity.  The  philos- 
ophy of  a  fainting  fit  is  that  the  heart  fails  to 
send  the  proper  supply  of  blood  to  the  brain. 
If  the  person  is  erect,  that  blood  has  to  be 
thrown  up  hill ;  but  if  lying  down,  it  has  to  be 
projected  horizontally,  which  requires  less  pow- 
er, as  is  apparent. 

FROST-BITE.— TakQ  the  person  frost-bit- 
ten into  a  cold  room  in  which  there  is  no  fire, 
and  rub  the  parts  frozen  with  snow  or  cold  wa- 
ter. After  a  while  friction  with  flannels  and  the 
hand  is  to  be  used,  and  warmth  very  gradually 
applied.  If  a  limb  is  frozen,  the  cold  applica- 
tions should  be  continued  longer,  and  warmth 
be  more  gradually  applied  than  when  the  whole 
body  is  frozen.  Care  should  be  taken  to  handle 
the  parts  carefully,  so  as  not  to  break  off  any 
part,  as  can  so  easily  be  done  in  its  frozen  state. 
Frozen  Feet  are  said  to  be  permanently  relieved 
by  two  or  three  applications  of  a  boiled  lye  of 
wood  ashes,  made  so  strong  as  to  be  quite  slip- 
pery between  the  fingers.  This  lye  should  set- 
tle, be  drained  off,  and  have  a  large  handful  of 
salt  to  each  quart  of  lye  mixed  with  it.  It 
should  be  quite  warm,  and  the  limbs  be  sub- 
merged for  one  or  two  hours. 

FIRE  IN  A  CHIMNEY,  To  Extinguish. — 
One  of  the  simplest  methods  is  to  scatter  a  hand- 
ful of  flowers  of  sulphur  over  the  dullest  part  of 
the  burning  coals,  the  mephitic  vapors  arising 
from  which  will  not  support  combustion,  and 
consequently  extinguish  the  flames.  Another 
method  is  to  shut  the  doors  and  windows,  and 
to  stop  up  the  bottom  of  the  chimney  with  a 
piece  of  wet  carpet  or  blanket,  throwing  a  little 
water  or  flowers  of  ^ulphur,  or  salt,  on  the  fire 
immediately  before  doing  so.  By  this  means  the 
draught  is  stopped,  and  the  burning  soot  must 
be  extinguished  for  want  of  air.  If  the  chimney 
be  stopped  at  the  top,  instead  of  the  bottom,  the 
whole  of  the  smoke  must,  of  course,  be  driven 
into  the  apartment.  If  every  fireplace  were  pro- 
vided with  a  damper,  or  shutter  of  sheet-iron  or 


ACCIDENTS  AND   EMERGENCIES. 


IS 


tin  plate,  sufficiently  large  to  choke  it  thoroughly, 
fires  in  chimneys  would  become  of  little  conse- 
quence, as  it  would  only  be  necessary  to  apply 
this  damper  to  put  them  out. 

FIRE,  To  Bring  Horses  Out  of  a  Stable  on. 
— Throw  the  saddle  or  harness,  etc.,  over  them, 
and  they  will  come  out  immediately. 

FIRE,  Escaping  from. — i.  Be  careful  to 
acquaint  yourself  with  the  best  means  of  exit 
from  the  house,  both  at  the  top  and  bottom. — 2. 
On  the  first  alarm,  reflect  before  you  act.  If  in 
bed  at  the  time,  wrap  yourself  in  a  blanket  or 
bedside  carpet.  Open  no  more  doors  than  are 
absolutely  necessary,  and  shut  every  door  after 
you. — 3.  There  is  always  from  eight  to  twelve 
inches  of  pure  air  close  to  the  ground ;  if  you 
cannot,  therefore,  walk  upright  through  the 
smoke,  drop  on  your  hands  and  knees,  and  thus 
progress.  A  wetted  silk  handkerchief,  a  piece 
of  flannel,  or  a  worsted  stocking,  drawn  over 
the  face,  permits  breathing,  and  to  a  great  ex- 
tent excludes  the  smoke. — ^4.  If  you  can  neither 
make  your  way  up^vvard  or  downward,  get  into  a 
front  room;  if  there  is  a  family,  see  that  they 
are  all  collected  here,  and  keep  the  door  closed 
as  much  as  possible,  for  remember  that  smoke 
always  follows  a  draught,  and  fire  always  rushes 
after  smoke. — 5.  On  no  account  throw  yourself, 
or  allow  others  to  throw  themselves,  from  the 
window.  If  no  assistance  is  at  hand,  and  you 
are  in  extremity,  tie  the  sheets  together,  having 
fastened  one  side  to  some  heavy  piece  of  furni- 
ture, and  let  down  the  women  and  children  one 
by  one,  by  tying  the  end  of  the  line  of  sheets 
around  the  waist,  and  lowering  them  through 
the  window  that  is  over  the  door,  rather  than 
the  one  that  is  over  the  area.  You  can  easily 
let  yourself  down  after  the  helpless  are  saved. 

FIRE,  Clothing  on. — If  a  woman's  clothes 
catch  fire,  let  her  instantly  roll  herself  over  and 
over  on  the  ground.  If  a  man  be  present, 
let  him  throw  her  down  and  do  the  like,  and 
then  wrap  her  up  in  a  tablecloth,  rug,  coat,  or 
the  first  woollen  thing  that  is  at  hand. 

FIRES,  Suggestions  to  Prevent. — i.  Be  care- 
ful to  keep  lucifer  matches  in  metal  boxes,  out  of 
the  reach  of  children. — 2.  Wax  matches  are 
particularly  dangerous,  and  should  be  kept  out  of 
the  way  of  rats  and  mice  ;  be  careful  in  making 
fires  with  shavings  and  other  light  kindling. — 3. 
Do  not  deposit  coal  or  wood  ashes  in  a  wooden 
vessel,  and  be  sure  burning  cinders  are  extin- 
guished before  they  are  deposited. — 4.  Never 
put  firewood  upon  the  stove  to  dry. — 5.  Do  not 
put  ashes  or  a  light  under  a  staircase. — 6.  Fill 
kerosene  lamps  only  in  the  daytime,  and  never 
near  a  fire  or  light. — 7,  Be  cautious  in  extin- 
guishing matches,  and  never  throw  them  on  the 
floor. — 8.  Do  not  throw  a  cigar  stump  upon  the 
floor,  or  into  a  box  containing  sawdust,  without 
being  certain  that  it  is  not  on  fire. — 9.  Do  not 
blow  out  a  candle,  or  put  it  away  on  a  shelf  or 
anywhere  else,  until  sure  that  the  snuff  has  gone 
entirely  out. — 10.  A  lighted  candle  ought  not  to 
be  stuck  up  against  a  frame  wall,  or  placed  near 
any  portion  of  the  wood-work  in  a  stable,  man- 
ufactory, shop,  or  any  other  place. — II.  Never 
enter  a  barn  or  stable  at  night  with  an  uncovered 
light. — 12.  Ostlers  should  not  be  allowed  to 
smoke  about  stables. — 13.  Never  take  an  open 
light  to  examine  a  gas  meter,  or  to  search  for  an 
escape  of  gas. — 14.  Do  not  put  gas  or  other 
lights  near  curtains. — 15.  Do  not  read  in  bed. 


either  by  candle  or  lamp  light ;  place  glass  shades 
over  gaslights  in  shop  windows,  and  do  not 
crowd  goods  too  close  to  them. — 16.  No  smok- 
ing should  ever  be  permitted  in  warehouses,  es- 
pecially where  goods  are  packed  or  <jptton  stored. 
— 1 7.  Stove  pipes  should  be  at  least  four  inches 
from  woodwork,  and  well  guarded  by  tin  or 
zinc. — 18.  Rags  ought  never  to  be  stuffed  into 
stove-pipe  holes ;  openings  in  chimney  flues  for 
stove  pipes  which  are  not  used,  ought  always  to 
be  securely  protected  by  metallic  coverings. — 19. 
Never  close  up  a  place  of  business  in  the  eve- 
ning without  looking  well  to  the  extinguishment 
of  lights  and  the  proper  security  of  the  fires. — 
20.  When  retiring  to  bed  at  night,  always  take 
every  precaution  to  see  that  there  is  no  danger 
from  your  fires ;  that  the  gas,  if  you  use  it,  is 
properly  extinguished ;  and  take  care  that  your 
lights  are  safe. 

POISONS,  General,  Antidotes  and  Rules  to 
be  Observed. — ^The  first  thing  to  be  done,  when  a 
person  has  swallowed  a  poison  of  any  kind,  is 
to  empty  the  stomach,  by  taking  a  teaspoonful  of 
common  salt  and  the  same  quantity  of  ground 
mustard,  stirred  rapidly  in  a  teacup  of  water, 
warm  or  cold,  and  swallowed  instantly.  Next 
give  water  to  drink,  cold  or  warm,  as  fast  as 
possible,  a  gallon  or  more  at  a  time,  and  as  fast 
as  vomited  drink  more ;  tepid  water  is  best,  as 
it  opens  the  pores  of  the  skin,  and  thus  gives 
the  speediest  cure  to  the  poisonous  article.  If 
pains  begin  to  be  felt  in  the  bowels,  it  shows 
that  part  at  least  of  the  poison  has  passed 
downwards ;  then  large  and  repeated  injections 
of  tepid  water  should  be  given,  the  object  in 
both  cases  being  to  dilute  the  poison  as  quickly 
and  as  largely  as  possible.  Do  not  wait  for 
warm  water — take  that  which  is  nearest  at  hand, 
cold  or  warm,  for  every  second  of  time  saved  is 
of  immense  importance.  It  has  been  found 
that  there  is  hardly  any  poison  which,  being  di- 
luted in  a  sufficient  quantity  with  water,  may  not 
prove  inoffensive.  This  virtue,  coupled  with  its 
universal  availability,  makes  it  a  valuable  reme- 
dial agent  in  poisoning. 

POISONS,  Special,  and  their  Antidotes. — 
The  following  are  some  of  the  more  common  ar- 
ticles of  poison  by  which  human  life  is  endan- 
gered or  destroyed,  either  by  accident  or  design, 
together  with  the  symptoms  attending  their  use, 
and  the  articles  and  measures  which  may  be  used 
to  destroy  their  effects  and  save  life.  Alcohol. 
— Symptoms — Confusion  of  thought ;  inability  to 
walic  or  stand;  dizziness;  stupor;  highly  flushed 
or  pale  face ;  noisy  breathing.  Treatment. — Ex- 
cite vomiting  by  large  draughts  of  warm  water, 
by  tickling  the  throat,  and  by  emetics ;  use 
stomach  pump;  pour  cold  water  on  head  and 
back  of  the  neck ;  keep  up  motion ;  whip  the 
skin,  palms  of  the  hands  and  soles  of  the  feet, 
with  small  cords  or  rods ;  give  strong  stimulants, 
as  ammonia.  Ammonia. — Symptoms — Strong 
acrid  and  burning  taste  in  the  mouth ;  heat  in 
the  throat  and  stomach;  nausea;  vomiting; 
great  prostration;  cold,  clammy  skin;,  small, 
frequent  pulse.  Treatment — Antidote,  vinegar 
and  water,  or  any  dilute  vegetable  acid,  excite 
vomiting  ;  give  mucilages,  emetics,  cathartics, 
clysters,  opiates.  Aquafortis  or  Nitric  Acid. 
— Symptoms — Lips,  mouth  and  throat  of  yellow 
color ;  pain,  burning  and  strangulation  in  swal- 
lowing ;  retching ;  vomiting  of  dark-colored  flu- 
ids, with  shreds  of  mucous  membrane ;  swelling 


i6 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


of  the  throat;  difficulty  of  swallowing  and  of 
breathing ;  skin  cold  and  clammy ;  pulse  quick 
and  small.  Treatment — Calcined  magnesia, 
carbonate  of  magnesia,  chalk  or  whiting  in  wa- 
ter; soap  and  water;  ashes  and  water;  milk; 
white  of  eggs  ;  oil  and  mucilages.  Perhaps  use 
a  stomach  pump.  If  suffocation  is  threatened, 
open  the  windpipe.  Arsenic. — Symptoms— 
Sickness;  fainting;  burning  pain  in  the  stomach; 
vomiting;  excessive  thirst;  dryness,  heat  and 
tightness  of  the  throat ;  diarrhoea ;  slow  and  in- 
termitting pulse ;  palsy;  lethargy;  insensibility; 
convulsions,  etc.  Treatment — Hydrated  sesqui- 
oxide  of  iron ;  emetics  of  3  to  5  grs,  of  sulphate 
of  copper ;  10  to  15  grs.  sulphate  of  zinc ;  ipe- 
cac; mustard  seed;  tickle  the  throat  with  the 
finger  or  a  feather ;  white  of  eggs  ;  milk ;  gruel; 
flaxseed  tea ;  warm  water  largely ;  oil  and  lime- 
water  ;  calcined  magnesia ;  stomach  pump. 
Bismuth. — Symptoms — Metallic  taste  in  the 
mouth ;  heat  and  dryness  of  the  throat ;  severe 
burning  heat  in  the  stomach  and  bowels ;  violent 
vomiting,  sometimes  of  bloody  matter ;  profuse 
diarrhoea ;  pulse  small,  frequent  and  irregular ; 
skin  cold  and  clammy ;  respiration  difficult ; 
fainting;  convulsions,  etc.  Treatment — Large 
portions  of  milk,  white  of  eggs,  oil ;  promote 
vomiting  by  large  draughts  of  sickening  drinks, 
and  by  tickling  the  throatf  with  the  finger  or  a 
feather ;  use  stomach  pump.  Blistering 
Flies. — Symptoms — Burning  in  the  throat  and 
difficulty  of  swallowing;  violent  pains  in  the 
stomach  and  bowels  ;  nausea ;  vomiting  of 
bloody  mucus ;  pain  in  the  loins ;  desire  to  void 
urine,  and  passage  of  bloody  water,  with  great 
pain.  .  Treatment — Emetics  ;  copious  draughts 
of  warm  water,  milk,  mucilaginous  drinks ;  tick- 
ling the  throat  with  the  finger  or  a  feather. 
Blue  Vitriol  {Sulphate  of  Copper — Verdigris.) 
— Symptoms — Strong  metallic  taste  in  the  mouth ; 
belching,  violent  vomiting  and  purging ;  griping 
pains ;  cramps  in  the  thighs  and  legs ;  frothing 
at  the  mouth ;  headache,  giddiness,  convulsions, 
insensibility,  etc.  Treatment — Early  vomiting 
by  large  draughts  of  warm  Avater  and  by  tickling 
the  throat ;  strong  coffee,  milk,  white  of  eggs, 
wheat  flour  and  water,  mucilages;  stomach 
pump.  Carbolic  Acid. — ^The  best  antidote  for 
carbolic  acid,  after  the  stomach  pump,  is  large 
doses  of  olive  or  almond  oil,  with  a  httle  castor 
oil.  Carbonic  Acid  Gas. — Found  in  wells, 
cellars,  mines,  etc.,  and  largely  given  off  in  the 
burning  of  charcoal  in  close  rooms.  Symptoms 
— Drowsiness,  difficulty  of  respiration,  suffoca- 
tion ;  face  swelled  and  more  or  less  discolored ; 
sensation  of  great  weight  in  the  head ;  vertigo, 
loss  of  muscular  power,  and  insensibility. 
Treatment — Admission  of  fresh  air ;  friction,  es- 
pecially over  the  lungs  ;  artificial  respiration,  by 
inflating  the  lungs  by  the  mouth  or  bellows  ;  ap- 
plication of  strong  stimulants  to  the  mouth  or 
nose ;  cold  water  poured  upon  the  head  and  back 
of  the  neck.  If  the  body  be  cold,  a  warm  bath. 
Cobalt. — Of  importance  from  its  extensive  use 
as  fly-poison,  children  having  eaten  it  and  thereby 
been  poisoned.  Symptoms — Heat  and  pain  in 
the  throat  and  stomach  ;  violent  retching  and 
vomiting;  cold  and  clammy  skin  ;  small  and  fre- 

auent  pulse ;  respiration  hurried,  anxious  and 
ifficult ,  diarrhoea,  etc.  Treatment — Give  freely 
milk,  white  of  eggs,  wheat  flour  and  water,  nau- 
seating teas,  mucilages,  emetics  and  clysters 
Corrosive  Subumate. —Carelessly  noade  use  of 


in  many  families  as  a  bed-bug  poison.  Symp' 
toms — Strong  metallic  or  coppery  taste  in  the 
mouth;  burning  heat  and  constriction  of  the 
throat;  severe  pain  in  the  stomach  and  bowels; 
violent  vomiting  and  purging;  countenance 
swollen  and  flushed,  or  anxious  and  pale ;  pulse 
small,  frequent  and  irregular ;  skin  cold  and 
clammy ;  tongue  white  and  shriveled ;  respiration 
difficult ;  fainting,  convulsions  and  insensibility. 
Treatment — Albumen,  which  is  contained  in  the 
whites  of  eggs,  abundantly ;  wheat  flour  in  wa- 
ter ;  liquid  starch,  milk,  iron  filings  ;  excite  vom- 
iting early  by  large  draughts  of  warm  water ; 
mustard  seed,  tickling  the  throat,  and  emetics; 
use  stomach  pump.  Deadly  Nightshade. — 
Children  are  sometimes  poisoned  by  eating  the 
berries,  which  have  a  sweetish  taste.  Symptoms 
— Dryness  and  stricture  of  the  throat;  nausea, 
vertigo,  dilated  pupils,  dimness  of  sight,  laugh- 
ter, delirium  ;  redness  and  swelling  of  the  face ; 
convulsions,  general  paralysis,  and  insensibility. 
Treatment — Emetics  of  sulphate  of  zinc,  (10  to 
15  grs.,)  or  copper,  (3  to  5  grs.  ;)  large  purga- 
tives,  and  clysters ;  take  vinegar  and  water,  or 
other  vegetable  acids,  freely ;  bitter  infusions ; 
lime-water ;  stomach  pump ;  cold  water  poured 
on  the  head,  and  strong  stimulants.  Fool's 
Parsley. — Taken  by  mistake  for  common  pars- 
ley. Symptoms — Heat  of  throat,  and  thirst; 
oppression  at  the  stomach ;  nausea,  vomiting, 
and  occasionally  purging ;  cold  and  moist  skin  ; 
small  and  frequent  pulse  ;  headache,  vertigo  and 
delirium.  Treatment — Emetics  of  zinc  or  cop- 
per ;  warm  water ;  milk ;  flaxseed  or  chamo- 
mile tea ;  purgatives,  clysters,  warm  bath,  stim- 
ulants and  opiates.  Foxglove. — Symptoms — 
Intermitting  pulse,  vertigo,  indistinct  vision, 
nausea,  vomiting,  hiccough,  cold  sweats,  delir- 
ium, syncope  and  convulsions.  Treatment — 
Emetics,  followed  by  strong  stimulants,  (brandy, 
ether,  ammonia,)  opiates,  counter-irritation; 
mustard-seed  poultices  or  blisters  to  the  pit  of 
the  stomach ;  cold  effusions.  Funguses. — Or 
poisonous  mushrooms,  (Fungi,)  taken  by  mis- 
take for  eatable  mushrooms.  Symptoms — Pain 
in  the  stomach,  nausea,  vomiting  and  purging ; 
great  thirst,  colic  pains,  cramp,  convulsions, 
vertigo,  delirium.  Treatment — Emetics,  purga- 
tives, mucilages,  acid  drinks,  stimulants,  (ether, 
brandy,  ammonia,)  opiates,  bitters.  Hellebore 
(^Indian  Poke. ) — Sometimes  used  in  a  poisonous 
quantity  as  a  dressing  for  a  sore.  Symptoms — 
Violent  vomiting  and  purging;  bloody  stools; 
great  anxiety;  tremors,  vertigo,  fainting,  sinking 
of  the  pulse,  cold  sweats,  and  convulsions. 
Treatment — Excite  speedy  vomiting  by  large 
draughts  of  warm  water,  molasses  and  water, 
tickling  the  throat  with  the  finger  or  a  feather, 
and  emetics ;  give  oily  and  mucilaginous  drinks, 
oily  purgatives,  and  clysters,  acids,  strong  coffee, 
camphor  and  opium.  Hemlock. — Symptoms— 
Dimness  of  sight,  delirium  ;  swelling  of  the  ab- 
domen, with  pain,  vomiting  and  purging. 
Treatment — Emetics  of  sulphate  of  zinc  or  cop- 
per, assisted  by  copious  draughts  of  warm  water, 
milk,  flaxseed  tea,  chamomile,  etc. ;  stomach 
pump ;  pouring  cold  water  on  the  head  and 
back ;  stimulants  and  acids.  Henbane. — 
Symptoms — Appearance  of  intoxication ;  sickness, 
stupor,  dimness  of  sight,  delirium,  great  dila- 
tion of  the  pupils,  insensibility.  Treatment — 
Emetics,  with  strong  stimulants,  as  sulphate  of 
zinc  or  copper,   tartar  emetic  or  ipecac,   with 


ACCIDENTS  AND   EMERGENCIES. 


17 


mustard-seed  or  cayenne,  acid  drinks,  ammonia, 
brandy,  ether,  strong  coffee,  cold  affusion  ; 
stomach  pump  and  stimulating  the  skin.  Lime. 
— Symptoms — Heat  in  throat  and  stomach,  nau- 
sea, vomiting,  pain  in  the  stomach,  violent  colic 
pains,  diarrhcea,  sometimes  constipation.  Treat- 
vient — Vinegar,  lemon-juice,  or  any  vegetable 
acid,  freely ;  demulcent  drinks,  opiates,  warm 
bath,  etc.  Lunar  Caustic  {Nitraie  0/ Silver.) 
— Symptoms — Burning  pain  in  the  stomach,  nau- 
sea, retching,  vomiting ;  sometimes  extreme 
purging ;  cold  and  clammy  skin ;  small,  fre- 
quent, and  irregular  pulse ;  respiration  difficult ; 
fainting,  convulsions.  Treatment — Common 
salt  in  solution  abundantly ;  warm  water ;  irri- 
tation to  the  throat ;  emetics,  warm  bath,  pur- 
gatives, opiates.  Meadow  Saffron. — Symp- 
toms— Nausea,  vomiting,  pain  in  the  stomach, 
griping  pains  in  the  bowels,  with  violent  purg- 
ing ;  cold  sweats  ;  small,  frequent  and  irregular 
pulse.  Treatment — Excite  vomiting  (if  not  al- 
ready free  enough)  by  the  use  of  nauseating 
drinks,  tickling  the  throat,  and  emetics,  muci- 
lages, opiates,  with  stimulants.  Monk's  Hood 
{^see  Opium.) — Symptoms — Nausea,  violent  vom- 
iting and  purging;  vertigo,  cold  sweats,  delir- 
ium, convulsions.  Treatment — Excite  vomiting 
(if  not  already  free  enough)  by  emetics,  large 
quantities  of  warm  water,  molasses  and  water, 
milk,  flaxseed  and  chamomile  teas,  etc. ;  acid 
drinks,  stimulants,  brandy,  ether,  ammonia,  opi- 
ates. Mountain  Laurel. — Of  great  import- 
ance, as  honey  made  from  its  flowers  is  poison- 
ous, and  birds  which  feed  upon  its  buds  in  win- 
ter are  likewise  poisonous.  Symptoms — Giddi- 
ness, violent  flushings  of  heat  and  cold,  sickness 
at  the  stomach,  with  repeated  vomiting  and  purg- 
ing; delirium,  frequent  and  weak  pulse,  extreme 
debility,  profuse  perspiration,  convulsions,  etc. 
Treattnent — Emetics,  mucilaginous  and  nausea- 
ting drinks,  warm  water,  or  molasses  and  water, 
tickling  the  throat,  purgatives,  clysters,  strong 
stimulants,  ammonia,  coffee,  cold  affusion,  stom- 
ach pump.  Muriatic  Acid. — Symptoms — Ex- 
treme irritation  ;  burning  and  sense  of  strangu- 
lation in  swallowing;  discharge  of  shreds  of 
mucous  membrane;  swelling  of  the  throat;  dif- 
ficulty of  swallowing  and  breathing;  skin  cold 
and  covered  with  clammy  sweat ;  pulse  quick 
and  small ;  lining  membrane  of  the  mouth  and 
throat  partially  destroyed.  Treatment — Carbo- 
nate of  magnesia,  calcined  magnesia,  chalk,  or 
whiting  in  water ;  soap  and  water,  ashes  and 
water,  white  of  eggs,  milk,  oil,  etc.  Plaster 
from  the  wall  may  be  beaten  down  to  a  paste 
with  water  and  given ;  carbonate  of  soda,  with 
barley-water,  slippery  elm.  If  suffocation  is 
threatened,  open  the  windpipe.  Muriate  of 
Barytes. — Symptoms — Pain,  burning,  weight 
in  the  stomach ;  vertigo,  dimness  of  vision,  ring- 
ing in  the  ears,  pain  in  the  head,  throbbing  in 
the  temples,  paralysis,  convulsions.  Treatment 
Epsom  or  Glauber's  salts  in  solution,  emetics, 
large  draughts  of  warm  water,  tickling  the 
throat,  flaxseed  tea,  stomach  pump ;  opiates  in 
large  doses.  MuRlATE  of  Tin. — Symptoms — 
Strong  metallic  (coppery)  taste,  sense  of  tight- 
ness in  the  throat,  difficult  respiration,  violent 
vomiting,  with  cramp  in  the  stomach ;  severe 
colic  pains,  with  purging;  cold,  clammy  skin; 
small,  frequent  pulse;  paralysis,  convulsions, 
J  7-eatment — Milk,  largely  administered  ,  emet- 
ics, large  draughts  of  warm  water,  tickling  the 


throat,  hotr  cloths  to  the  stomach  and  bowels, 
soothing  and  opiate  clysters.  Nitre. — Some- 
times taken  by  mistake  for  some  other  salt. 
Symptoms — Intense  pain  in  the  stomach,  nausea, 
vomiting,  profuse  purging,  bloody  stools,  severe 
colic  pains  in  the  lower  part  of  the  bowels,  diffi- 
cult breathing,  great  prostration,  fainting,  con- 
vulsions. Treattnent — Flaxseed  tea,  barley-wa- 
ter, molasses  and  water,  tickhng  the  throat, 
emetics,  opiates,  stimulants,  brandy,  ether,  etc. 
Nux  Vomica  or  Strychnia. — Symptcms — An 
extremely  persistent  bitter  taste  in  the  mouth, 
muscular  spasms,  great  rigidity,  limits  fixed  and 
stretched  out,  jaws  spasmodically  shut,  drowsi- 
ness. If  the  symptoms  are  prolonged,  nausea, 
vomiting,  difficulty  of  respiration,  asphyxia. 
Treatment — The  Cannabis  India  (a  variety  of 
the  hemp  plant)  has  been  recommended  as  an 
antidote ;  emetics,  to  produce  immediate  vomit- 
ing ;  stomach  pump ;  vinegar,  and  other  vege- 
table acids,  in  water.  Oil  of  Cedar. — Symp- 
toms— Heat  in  the  stomach,  followed  immedi- 
ately by  convulsions,  with  frothing  at  the  mouth; 
pulsation  ceases  early.  The  body  is  warm  a 
long  time  after  death.  Treattnent — Vomiting  to 
be  excited  as  early  as  possible  by  large  draughts 
of  warm  M'ater  and  other  nauseating  drinks,  by 
ground  mustard-seed,  and  tickling  the  throat ; 
use  the  stomach  pump  as  early  as  possible.  Oil 
OF  Rue. — Sytnptoms — Dryness  of  mouth  and 
throat,  thirst,  heat  and  pain  in  the  stomach  and 
bowels,  headache  and  delirium.  Treatment — 
Vomiting  to  be  excited  as  quickly  as  possible  by 
large  draughts  of  warm  water  and  other  nause- 
ating drinks,  by  ground  mustard-seed,  tickling 
the  throat,  emetics,  acids,  stomach  pump.  OiL 
OF  Savin. — Symptoms — Headache,  strong  gen- 
eral excitement,  delirium,  acute  pain  in  the 
stomach  and  bowels,  nausea,  vomiting,  purging, 
convulsions.  Treatment — Vomiting  to  be  ex- 
cited by  copious  draughts  of  warm  water,  mus- 
tard-seed, tickling  the  throat,  and  emetics  of 
sulphate  of  zinc  or  copper ;  acid  drinks,  muci- 
lages, stomach  pump.  Oil  of  Tansy. — Symp- 
toms— Heat  in  the  stomach,  followed  immedi- 
ately by  convulsions  and  frothing  at  the  mcuth ; 
pulsation  feeble,  and  soon  lost.  Treattnent — 
Vomiting  to  be  instantly  excited  by  copious 
draughts  of  warm  water  and  other  nauseating 
drinks,  mustard  seed,  tickling  the  throat,  sul- 
phate of  zinc  or  copper,  acid  drinks,  mucilages, 
stomach  pump.  Oil  of  Tar. — Symptctns — 
Speedy  insensibility ;  laborious,  rattling  breath- 
ing ;  coldness  of  the  extremities ;  contracticn  of 
the  pupils;  suflusi(  n  of  the  eye;  feeble  pulse. 
Treatment — Vomiting  to  be  instantly  excited  by 
copious  draughts  of  warm  water,  etc.  Oil  of 
Vitriol. — Sytnptotns — Extreme  irritation,  pain, 
burning,  and  sense  of  strangulation  in  swallow- 
ing ;  retching,  vomiting,  discharge  of  dark-col- 
ored fluids  and  shreds  of  membrane  from  the 
stomach ;  swelhng  of  the  throat ;  difficulty  of 
swallowing  and  breathing;  cold,  clammy  skin  ; 
quick  and  small  pulse.  Ihe  lining  membrane  of 
the  mouth  and  throat  is  partially  destroyed,  and 
is  of  a  white  color.  Treattnent — Carbonate  of 
magnesia,  calcined  magnesia,  chalk  or  whiting, 
mixed  with  water,  soap,  or  ashes  and  water; 
lime  from  the  plastered  wall  beat  into  a  paste 
with  water,  white  of  eggs,  milk,  oil;  perhaps 
the  stomach  pump,  but  with  great  care.  If  suf- 
focation is  threatened,  open  the  windpipe. 
Opium. — Sytnptotns — Giddiness,  drowsiness,  in- 


l8 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


sensibility,  stupor ;  pulse  at  first  quick  and  ir- 
regular, and  breatHing  hurried;  afterwards 
breathing  is  slow  and  noisy,  and  the  pulse  slow 
and  full.  In  favorable  cases  there  is  early  nau- 
sea and  vomiting.  Tteatinent — Excite  instant 
vomiting  by  mustard-seed,  copious  draughts  of 
warm  water,  and  tickUng  the  throat ;  give  sul- 
phate of  zinc  (id  to  15  grs.)  or  copper  (3  to  5) ; 
use  the  stomach  pump  early.  Give  strong  stim- 
ulants, ether,  brandy,  ammonia,  strong  coffee 
and  tea.  Pour  cold  water  on  the  head  and  back 
of  the  neck,  and  whip  the  skin,  the  palms  of  the 
hands,  and  soles  of  the  feet  with  small  cords  or 
rods.  Phosphorous. — Hot  taste  of  garlic  or 
onions  in  the  mouth,  violent  pains  in  the  stom- 
ach, nausea  and  vomiting,  followed  by  great  ex- 
citement of  the  arterial  vessels  ;  convulsions. 
Treatment — Fill  up  the  stomach  with  magnesia 
and  water ;  give  emetics  and  nauseating  drinks 
to  keep  up  the  vomiting.  Oxalic  Acid. — Gen- 
erally taken  accidentally  from  its  resemblance  to 
Epsom  salts.  Symptoms — Hot,  burning  taste  in 
svyallowing ;  immediate  and  constant  vomiting, 
the  matter  thrown  up  being  of  a  greenish  or 
brownish  color,  and  extremely  acid  ;  sometimes 
severe  pain ;  collapse ;  pulse  small,  irregular, 
and  scarcely  perceptible ;  numbness  and  spasms. 
Treatment — Carbonate  of  magnesia,  calcined 
magnesia,  chalk  or  whiting,  made  into  a  cream 
with  water,  and  administered  freely ;  lime-water 
with  oil ;  emetics,  mucilages ;  stomach  pump. 
Potash. — Symptoms — Strong  acid  taste  in  the 
mouth ;  burning  heat  in  the  throat  and  stomach  ; 
sometimes  vomiting  and  purging,  with  colic 
pains;  cold,  clammy  skin;  small,  frequent 
pulse.  Treatment — Vegetable  acids,  vinegar, 
lemon-juice,  or  tartaric  acid  in  water ;  emetics, 
clysters,  opiates.  Prussic  Acid. — Symptoms — 
Instant  sensation  of  weight  and  pain  in  the 
head  ;  nausea,  quick  pulse.  In  large  doses,  in- 
stant insensibility,  stupor,  convulsions ;  loss  of 
pulsation,  very  slow  and  convulsive  breathing. 
Treatment — Application  of  strong  ammonia  to 
the  nostrils,  and  stimulating  liniments  to  the 
chest;  cold  water  poured  upon  the  head  and 
spine ;  chlorine  gas ;  a  dilute  solution  of  chlo- 
ride of  soda  or  lime.  Poison  Ivy. — A  running 
vine  which  is  found  covering  walls,  shrubs, 
trees,  and  in  meadows.  This  plant,  by  contact, 
and  upon  many  without  contact,  produces  vio- 
lent erysipelatous  inflammation,  particularly  with 
the  face  and  hands.  The  symptoms  are  itching, 
redness,  burning,  swelling,  watery  blisters,  and 
subsequently  peeling  of  the  skin.  These  effects 
are  experienced  soon  after  exposure,  and  usually 
begin  to  decline  within  a  week.  Treatment — 
Bathe  the  parts  freely  with  spirits  of  nitre.  If 
the  blisters  be  broken,  so  as  to  allow  the  nitre  to 
penetrate  the  cuticle,  more  than  a  single  applica- 
tion will  rarely  be  necessary.  Another  remedy 
is  to  take  a  handful  of  quick-lime,  dissolve  it  in 
water,  let  it  stand  half  an  hour,  and  then  paint 
the  poisoned  parts  with  it.  Three  or  four  ap- 
plications will  generally  cure.  Another  is  to 
bathe  the  affected  parts  well  with  sweet  (or  olive) 
oil,  taking  internally  2  tablcspoonfuls  3  times  a 
day.  Anointing  the  face  and  hands  with  sweet 
oil  will  prevent  poi-oning  by  the  ivy.  Poison 
Dogwood. — A  smill  but  beautiful  shrub  or 
tree,  from  10  to  15  feet  high,  having  a  dark  gray 
bark,  its  smaller  branches  of  a  lighter  color,  and 
its  extreme  twigs  red.  Its  effects  are  similar  to 
those  of  Poison  Ivy,  but  more  powerful.    The 


poisonous  principle  is  most  energetic  during  the 
burning  of  the  wood.  Symptoms  and  treatment 
the  same  as  for  the  ivy.  Sugar  of  Lead  or 
\Vhite  Lead. — Symptoms — A  burning,  prick- 
ling sensation  in  the  throat,  with  dryness  and 
thirsty  uneasiness  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach ; 
nausea,  vomiting;  colic  pains,  constipation  of 
the  bowels,  cold  skin,  feeble  and  irregular  pulse, 
great  prostration  of  the  strength,  cramps,  numb- 
ness, paralysis,  giddiness,  torpor,  insensibility. 
Treatment — Epsom  or  Glauber  salts,  (sulphates 
of  magnesia  and  soda, )  mucilages,  milk,  white  of 
eggs,  wheat  flour  with  water,  emetics ;  stomach 
pump.  Tartar  Emetic. — Symptoms — Nausea, 
severe  vomiting,  hiccough,  burning  heat  and 
pain  in  the  stomach,  colic  pains,  violent  purg- 
ing, small,  frequent  and  hard  pulse  ;  cramps, 
vertigo,  fainting,  and  great  prostration.  Treat- 
ment— Tea  made  of  oak  bark  or  Peruvian  bark, 
strong  green  tea,  mucilages,  warm  drinks,  opium, 
opiate  clysters.  Tobacco. — Symptoms — Severe 
nausea,  vomiting,  headache,  sudden  sinking  of 
the  strength,  cold  sweats,  convulsions.  Treat- 
ment— Emetics,  copious  draughts  of  warm  wa- 
ter, tickling  the  throat  with  the  finger  or  feather, 
purgatives,  acid  drinks,  stimulants,  brandy, 
camphor,  etc.  Thorn  Apple  or  Stramonium. 
Symptoms — Vertigo,  dehrium,  stupor,  convul- 
sions, paralysis,  cold  sweats,  feeble  and  irregular 
pulse.  Treatment — Emetics  of  sulphate  of  zinc 
or  copper,  mustard-seed,  tickling  the  throat, 
stomach  pump.  White  Vitriol  or  Sulphate 
of  Zinc. — Symptoms — Bitter  taste  in  the  mouth, 
with  sensation  of  choking;  nausea  and  severe 
vomiting ;  pain  in  the  stomach  and  bowels ; 
purging,  dilihcult  breathing,  quick  and  small 
pulse,  coldness  of  the  extremities.  Treatment — 
Albumen,  white  of  eggs,  \vheat  flour  and  water, 
milk  abundantly,  infusions  of  tea,  oak  bark,  etc. ; 
emetics,  purgatives,  and  opiate  clysters. 

POISONOUS  DRUGS,  Labels  for.—\exy 
many  cases  of  accidental  poisoning  would  be 
prevented  if  druggists  would  print  labels  that 
would  not  only  give  the  name  of  the  poison  and 
the  dose,  but  would  also  give  the  antidote.  A 
transcript  for  such  a  label  might  be  as  fol- 
lows : 

laudanum — ^POISON. 

Dose — For  an  adult,  from  twenty  to  forty 
drops.  Should  not  be  given  to  children  except 
in  very  small  doses. 

Antidote. — In  case  of  accident,  use  active 
stimulants.  Coffee,  tea,  brandy,  and  ammo- 
nia. 

THUNDER  STORMS,  Safety  During.— 
I.  The  opening  of  the  doors  and  windows  of  a 
house,  or  the  keeping  of  them  closed,  will  in 
neither  case  influence  the  passage  of  the  electric 
current. — 2.  Sitting  by  a  window  is  not  only  as 
safe,  but  probably  more  safe,  than  some  other 
parts  of  the  house.  It  is,  however,  less  safe  to 
sit  near  the  fireplace.  The  chimney,  being  the 
most  prominent  part  of  the  house,  is  the  point 
generally  on  which  the  lightning  strikes.  The 
best  place  is  to  sit  or  be  as  near  the  middle  of 
the  room  as  convenient. — 3.  If  in  bed,  and  the 
bed  be  as  far  as  any  other  part  of  the  room  from 
the  fireplace  or  its  metallic  furniture,  it  would 
probably  be  safer  to  remain  in  it  during  the 
storm. — 4.  It  is  often  recommended  to  go  down 
stairs,  it  being  supposed  that  a  cellar,  being  be- 
low the  surface  of  the  earth,  is  the  safest  place  of 


ACCIDENTS  AND   EMERGENCIES. 


19 


refuge.  This  is  a  popular  error,  for  it  must  be 
understood  that  the  lightning  rises  out  of  the 
earth  as  well  as  proceeds  from  the  clouds  ;  the 
cellar,  therefore,  or  the  ground  floor,  may  ac- 
cordingly, in  some  cases,  be  nearer  the  point  at 
which  the  electricity  ascends ;  and  the  effects  are 
as  violent  at  the  place  from  which  the  electricity 
takes  its  departure,  as  at  the  place  which  it  strikes 
on  its  arrival  at  the  earth. — 5.  Lying  down,  as  a 
general  rule,  is  a  safer  position  than  an  upright 
attitude.— 6.  When  out  of  doors,  avoid  standing 
under  trees,  especially  tall  trees,  to  escape  from 
the  rain  during  a  thunder  storm ;  but  boldly  ex- 
pose yourself  to  the  wet;  and  if  on  high  ground 
where  there  are  no  trees,  the  human  body  itself 
becomes  a  good  conductor,  and  the  safest  course 
under  these  circumstances,  however  inconvenient 
it  may  be,  is  to  lie  down,  instead  of  maintaining 
an  erect  position. — 7..  Avoid  standing  close  to 
any  metallic  bodies,  as  lead  pipes,  iron  rail- 
ings, etc. 

LOCKJAW.— T\iQ:  symptoms  are,  at  first, 
difficulty  and  uneasiness  in  turning  the  head, 
with  inability  to  open  the  mouth  easily ;  gradual 
closure  of  the  jaws  with  great  firmness,  followed 
by  difficulty  in  swallowing  and  pain  in  the  breast, 
shooting  to  the  back.  Remedies  for  the  prompt 
and  permanent  cure  of  this  disease  are  unknown. 
The  spasms  can  be  controlled  by  the  use  of 
chloroform  or  ether,  taken  into  the  stomach  or 
by  inhalation.  The  bowels  should  be  freely 
moved  by  warm-water  injections.  Rapid  friction 
of  the  whole  body  by  attendants  will  be  advan- 
tageous. It  is  said  that  the  application  of  spirits 
of  turpentine  to  the  face  and  neck  will  eflect  a 
cure.  When  the  jaws  are  firmly  closed,  the 
drawing  of  a  tooth  will  allow  the  passage  of 
food ;  but  failing  this,  food  in  a  fluid  state  can  be 
passed  by  injection  into  the  rectum.  These  re- 
quirements, necessary  to  the  nourishment  of  the 
patient,  can  be  avoided  if,  when  the  disease  is 
noticed  coming  on,  two  small  pieces  of  soft  wood 
are  placed  between  the  upper  and  lower  jaw,  one 
on  each  side,  so  that  they  may  be  kept  asun- 
der. 

SCALDS. — See  Bmns. 

STINGS  OF  BEES  AND  WASPS.— 
T.  These  stings,  though  very  painful,  are  not 
dangerous  to  a  healthy  person,  unless  in  the 
mouth,  throat,  or  eyelid.  The  sting  of  a  bee, 
being  barbed  at  the  end,  is  always  left  in  the 
wound,  and  should,  when  possible,  be  carefully 
removed.  That  of  a  wasp  is  pointed  only,  so 
that  they  can  sting  more  than  once,  which  a  bee 
cannot  do.  If,  after  the  sting  of  the  bee  is  ex- 
tracted, the  wound  be  sucked,  very  little  inflam- 
mation will  follow ;  and  if  spirits  of  ammonia  be 
then  applied,  a  prompt  healing  will  result. — 2. 
Common  whiting,  moistened  with  water,  and  ap- 
plied immediately,  and  in  a  few  minutes  washed 
off,  will  prevent  pain  and  swelling  from  following 
the  sting  of  a  bee  or  wasp. — 3.  The  slice  of  a 
common  onion  rubbed  on  the  sting  of  a  wasp,  or, 
if  in  the  throat,  chewed  slowly  and  the  piece 
swallowed,  will  result  in  a  certain  cure.  See 
Bites. 

SUFFOCATION     FROM    NOXIOUS 
GASES,  E    — Remove  to  the  fresh  air;  dash 


cold  vinegar  and  water  in  the  face,  neck,  and 
breast ;  keep  up  the  warmth  of  the  body ;  if  nec- 
essary apply  mustard  poultices  to  the  soles  of  the 
feet,  and  try  artificial  respiration  as  in  Drown- 
ing. 

SUNSTROKE. — In  every  instance  where 
ope  is  found  fainting  in  the  street  on  a  hot  day, 
the  first  thing  is  to  remove  the  person  to  as  cool 
and  shady  a  place  as  can  be  found,  and,  if  possi- 
ble, to  where  a  draft  of  air  is  blowing  at  the 
time.  Bystanders  and  mere  curious  idlers  should 
be  kept  from  crowding  around.  It  should  be 
understood  that  there  are  two  morbid  conditions 
resulting  from  excessive  heat.  These  differ 
somewhat  in  their  symptoms,  and  require  a 
somewhat  different  treatment.  The  first  of 
these  occurs  during  hot  weather,  after  undue  ex- 
ertion on  the  part  of  the  person  thus  affected. 
The  man  is  faint,  perhaps  unable  to  move,  al- 
though he  can  generally  be  roused;  he  has  a 
feeble  pulse  and  a  cool  and  moist  skin.  Here 
there  is  simply  a  loss  of  nervous  power,  and  re- 
lief is  promptly  aflbrdecl  by  removing  him  to  a 
cool,  shady  place,  applying  cold  water  or  ice  to 
the  head,  and  administering  iced  brandy  and 
water,  iced  wine  and  water,  or  other  stimulant. 
In  the  other  and  more  fatal  form  of  this  affection 
a  different  set  of  symptoms  show  themselves. 
Here  the  patient  suddenly  falls  to  the  ground, 
completely  unconscious,  his  skin  is  pungently 
hot  and  dry,  his  breathing  hurried,  convulsions 
are  not  uncommon,  and,  if  proper  treatment  be 
not  promptly  resorted  to,  death  soon  takes 
place.  In  this,  also,  the  patient  should  be 
promptly  removed  to  a  shady  and  cool  spot,  per- 
fectly private,  so  that  the  crowd  may  be  kept  off 
without  fail.  His  clothing  should  be  stripped 
off,  and  his  whole  body  should  be  rubbed  with 
ice  from  head  to  foot,  and  pieces  of  ice  should 
be  kept  under  the  arm-piis.  This  should  be 
steadily  persevered  with  until  the  patient  is  re- 
stored, or  until  a  doctor  arrives,  or  until  it  is 
plain  that  the  patient  is  beyond  recovery. 

THROA  T,  Forcigti  Bodies  in  ///^.—Persons 
are  frequently  in  danger  of  suffocation  from  fish- 
bones, pins,  etc.,  which  stick  to  the  throat. 
The  moment  an  accident  of  this  kind  occurs,  de- 
sire the  patient  to  be  perfectly  still;  open  his 
mouth,  and  look  into  it.  If  you  see  the  obstruc- 
tion, endeavor  to  seize  it  with  your  finger  and 
thumb,  or  a  long,  slender  pair  of  pincers.  If  it 
cannot  be  got  up,  and  is  not  of  a  nature  to  do 
any  injury  in  the  stomach,  push  it  down  with  the 
handle  of  a  spoon,  or  a  flexible,  round  piece  of 
whalebone,  the  end  of  which  is  neatly  covered 
with  a  roll  of  linen,  or  anything  that  may  be  at 
hand.  If  you  can  neither  get  it  up  or  down, 
place  six  grains  of  tartar  emetic  in  the  patient's 
mouth.  As  it  dissolves,  it  will  make  him  exces- 
sively sick,  and,  in  consequence  of  the  relaxa- 
tion, the  bone,  or  whatever  it  may  be,  will  de- 
scend into  the  stomach,  or  be  ejected  from  the 
mouth.  If  a  pin,  button,  or  other  metaUic  or 
pointed  body,  has  been  swallowed,  or  pushed 
into  the  stomach,  make  the  patient  eat  plentifully 
of  thick  rice  pudding,  and  endeavor  to  prevent 
him  from  going  to  stool  for  at  least  twelve 
hours. 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


APIARY. 


NATURAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  BEE. 
— ^A  community  or  family  of  bees  is  generally 
understood  to  contain  from  twelve  to  thirty  thou- 
sand individuals.  About  nine-tenths  of  the 
whole  number  are  common  or  working  bees,  and 
the  remaining  tenth  male  or  drone  bees,  and  at 
the  head  of  the  commonwealth  there  is  a  person- 
age who  is  entitled  "  the  queen"  or  mother 
bee. 

The  Queen,  or  the  Mother  Bee. — 
This  important  individual  differs  in  her  appear- 
ance and  her  functions  from  all  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  family.  She  is  darker,  longer,  and 
more  taper  in  figure  than  the  common  bee ;  her 
legs  are  longer,  although  her  wings  are  shorter, 
and  underneath  her  color  is  tawny  or  yellowish 
brown.  She  is  furnished  with  a  sting  like  the 
working  bees,  which,  however,  she  uses,  it  is 
said,  only  on  very  important  occasions.  She  is 
the  mother  of  the  whole  community;  all  the 
working  bees,  the  drones,  and  those  intended  to 
be  future  queens,  proceed  alike  from  her  eggs, 
of  which,  according  to  some  writers,  she  has 
sometimes  been  known  to  produce  a  hundred 
thousand  in  one  year ;  a  number  not  too  large 
when  new  swarms  are  considered,  as  well  as  the 
deaths  and  casualties  continually  occurring 
among  the  members  of  the  hive.  The  mother 
bee  not  only  occupies  the  maternal  relation  to 
her  immense  family,  but  exercises  over  them  an 
influence  analogous  to  that  of  a  sovereign,  a  cir- 
cumstance from  which  her  appellation  of  queen 

'  is  justly  derived.  On  her  presence  depends  not 
only  the  prosperity  but  the  very  existence  of  the 
bee  nation  ;  and  with  this  influence  exercised  by 
the  queen  herself,  a  corresponding  instinct  is  in 
operation  in  all  the  then  members  of  the  com- 
munity, which  may  justly  be  compared  with 
what  we  understand  by  the  term  "loyalty." 
The  absence  of  the  insect  monarch,  whether 
from  death  or  any  other  cause,  speedily  entails 
disorder,  confusion  and  anarchy ;  all  labor  is  ter- 
minated, and  the  bees  disperse. 

The  Working  Bees. — ^These  are  distinct, 
both  from  the  queen  and  the  drones,  being 
smaller,  and  having  the  charge  of  making  inces- 
sant provision  for  the  well-being  and  sustenance 
of  the  whole  family.     Their  daily  toils  are  an  il- 

■  lustration  of  what  is  called  the  "division  of  la- 
bor," the  value  of  which  was  unknown  to  man 
for  centuries  after  the  bee  had  been  taught  to 
avail  herself  of  the  system.  Some  of  the  work- 
ers occupy  themselves  in  making  the  combs 
from  the  vvax,  which  is  a  natural  secretion  ;  oth- 
ers keep  the  eggs  warm  which  are  to  produce 
future  members  of  the  hive ;  others  engage  in 
feeding  the  queen  and  the  larvae  or  young  brood; 
others  take  charge  of  the  ventilation  and  clean- 
sing of  the  hive ;  some  take  on  them  the  duty  ol 
guarding  the  common  habitation  from  attack, 
nnd  warning  its  inhabitants  of  impending  dan- 
ger ;  others  wing  their  way  to  the  fields  and 
gardens,  and  collect  with  indefatigable  industry 
the  farina  and  honey  that  are  so  imperatively  re- 
quired. 
The  Drone  Bees,— These  are  larger,  darker, 


and  more  hairy  than  the  workers  ;  they  have  no 
stings,  their  motions  on  the  wing  are  heavier, 
and  the  sound  of  their  humming  so  much  deeper 
as  to  give  rise  to  their  characteristic  appellation. 
The  drones  take  no  part  in  the  process  of  col- 
lecting or  storing  honey,  nor,  indeed,  in  any  of 
the  various  industrial  occupations  in  which  the 
workers  engage.  Neither  their  instincts  nor  or- 
ganization adapt  them  to  these  offices  ;  but  Infi- 
nite Wisdom  has  called  them  to  the  performance 
of  functions  no  less  important.  Some  highly  in- 
teresting and  marvelous  instincts  are  illustrated 
in  the  history  of  the  drones.  They  are,  as  al- 
ready stated,  unproductive — that  is  to  say,  they 
do  nothing  to  add  to  the  wealth  of  the  commu- 
nity. As  mere  consumers,  the  drones  seem  at 
certain  periods  to  be  regarded  by  the  working 
bees  as  an  expensive  as  well  as  a  useless  class, 
only  worthy  of  being  destroyed  or  expelled. 
Accordingly,  if  the  necessity  of  swarming  ceases, 
and  no  royal  cells  are  constructed,  or  the  royal 
brood  have  been  prematurely  destroyed,  the  in- 
stinct of  the  workers  prompts  them  to  the  ex- 
pulsion of  the  drones,  against  whom  a  fierce  war 
is  declared,  ending  in  their  extermination.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  the  queen  bee  is  forcibly  taken 
from  the  hive,  the  instinct  of  the  workers  leads 
them  to  spare  the  lives  of  the  drones,  who  con- 
tinue to  be  boarded  and  lodged  at  the  public  ex- 
pense, in  consequence,  apparently,  of  the  pre- 
sumption, that  although  the  cost  of  their  support 
may  be  considerable,  circumstances  may  arise  to 
render  the  very  existence  of  the  community  de- 
pendent upon  them. 

Swarming. — The  instinct  that  prompts  these 
wonderful  insects  to  issue  from  the  hive  and  es- 
tablish new  colonies,  is  called  into  exercise  when 
the  hive  contains  too  great  a  number  of  inhabi- 
tants, and  there  is  not  a  sufficient  space  either 
for  breeding  young  bees  or  storing  honey.  The 
crowded  state  of  the  hive  renders  emigration  in- 
dispensable, and  arrangements  are  made  for  the 
important  event.  Royal  cells  are  formed,  and 
young  queens  are  anxiously  and  tenderly  fostered 
in  them,  since  without  them  emigration  is  im- 
practicable. In  these  circumstances  the  bees 
cease  to  gather  honey,  and  a  period  of  idleness 
occurs  which  terminates  with  swarming.  The 
owner  of  the  bees,  therefore,  must  either  multi- 
ply the  number  of  his  hives,  by  allowing  them 
to  swarm,  or  he  may  prevent  the  swarming  by 
furnishing  additional  accommodation  for  breed- 
ing and  collecting  honey  ;  for  it  has  been  found 
that  bees  can  be  controlled  perfectly  in  this  mat- 
ter, divided  as  much  as  the  owner  finds  desir- 
able, or  swarming  prevented  entirely  if  he  wishes 
it. 

Artificial  Swarming. — This  should  be  un- 
dertaken only  when  honey  is  abundant  in  the 
fields  and  the  n'ghts  warm.  To  divide  them, 
have  a  hive  at  hand  of  the  same  size  and  pattern 
as  your  others.  Then  from  four  hives  take  each 
two  frames  and  pl.ice  them  in  the  new  hive,  sup- 
plying their  place  in  the  old  with  emptjr  frames. 
Then  move  a  hive  which  you  have  not  disturbed, 
a  rod  or  more  away  to  a  new  place,  and  place 


APIARY. 


21 


the  new  hive  where  that  one  stood.  This  should 
be  done  in  the  middle  of  a  fine  day,  when  many 
bees  are  absent  in  the  fields.  These  will  come 
in  loaded  to  their  old  place,  and  find  it  strange ; 
and  as  it  contains  stores  and  young  bees  hatch- 
ing, and  eggs  from  which  to  rear  another  queen, 
they  will  at  once  proceed  to  rear  one,  and  remain 
and  work  as  contented  as  ever.  This  process 
may  be  repeated  every  two  weeks  until  you  have 
secured  sufficient  increase.  The  hives  from 
which  you  take  the  combs,  and  the  ones  which 
you  move  to  a  new  place,  will  lose  so  many  bees 
that  they  will  not  think  of  swarming,  but  will 
energetically  make  up  their  loss,  and  be  better 
than  if  nothing  had  been  taken  from  them. 
This  is  the  safest  of  all  ways  to  divide  bees,  and 
can  be  safely  practiced  by  beginners. 

To  Prevent  Swarming. — Immediately  after 
the  issue  of  the  first  swarm  open  the  hives,  (you 
must  have  movable  frames  for  this,)  destroy  ev- 
ery royal  cell  but  one.  If  at  the  end  of  five  days 
this  has  not  hatched,  look  over  the  combs  again, 
and  destroy  every  royal  cell  that  may  now  ap- 
pear, excepting  the  one  saved  at  first.  But  if 
the  oldest  of  the  young  queens  is  allowed  to 
hatch  and  begin  piping  before  anything  is  done, 
the  fever  of  swarming  will  rise  to  such  a  pitch 
that  you  cannot  allay  it,  and  the  old  hive  may 
even  be  left  destitute.  The  best  way  is  to  make 
the  first  swarm  an  artificial  one  before  or  soon 
after  queen  cells  are  started.  Then  at  the  end 
of  nine  days,  destroy  all  cells  but  one,  as  above. 
To  prevent  first  swarms,  clip  the  wings  of  the 
queen,  and  put  a  "  queen  yard"  in  front  of  the 
hive — a  shallow  box  some  two  feet  square,  with 
edges  of  tin  projecting  inward,  so  that  no  bee 
can  get  out  and  away  from  the  hive  without  fly- 
ing. This  will,  of  course,  prevent  the  escape  of 
the  queen,  and  swarms  will  return. 

Swarms  Going  to  the  Woods — maybe  pre- 
vented from  doing  so  by  keeping  the  hive  shaded 
and  cool  and  close  to  ihs  bottom  board,  except  a 
half  inch  in  front.  If  a.  difficult  case,  set  in  the 
cellar  for  48  hours,  and  give,  perhaps,  a  pound 
of  honey. 

Establishment  of  an  Apiary. — The  proper 
time  for  this  purpose  is  about  February,  or  the 
beginning  of  March,  as  the  stocks  have  then 
passed  through  the  winter  in  safety;  the  combs 
are  then  empty  of  broods,  and  light  of  honey, 
and  may  be  removed  with  safety  and  ease. 
Stocks  should  be  selected  by  a  competent  judge, 
as  the  weight  alone  cannot  always  be  relied  on  ; 
such  as  weigh  12  lbs.  and  upwards,  the  number 
of  bees  being  also  observed,  and  that  they  are 
well  combed  to  near  the  bottom,  may  be  safely 
chosen.  As  soon  as  they  are  brought  home 
they  should  be  set  in  the  bee  house,  care  being 
taken  to  keep  them  dry  and  free  trom  the  attacks 
of  vermin.  The  best  time  for  removing  stocks 
is  in  the  evening.  S'lUaf'ms  should  be  brought 
home  the  same  evening  they  are  purchased,  for 
if  delayed  a  day  or  two  the  combs  will  be  worked, 
and  subject  to  be  broken  in  removing. 

How  TO  Make  a  Hive. — Take  any  good, 
soft  wood  lumber — pine  is  best — and  dress  it 
upon  both  sides.  The  boards  should  be  15 
inches  wide  and  a  plump  inch  in  thickness  after 
it  is  dressed.  For  the  sides  of  the  hive,  cut  the 
boards  into  pieces  21  in.  in  length  ;  for  the  back 
end,  I3_^  inches,  and  for  the  front  end  the  same 
length,  and  11  inches  wide.  The  end  pieces 
should  be  rabbeted  I  inch  by  yi  upon  the  inside 


of  their  top  edges  to  receive  the  frames.  Now 
nail  these  pieces  together,  and  we  have  a  box 
13^  ^y  19  inches  upon  the  inside,  with  neither 
top  nor  bottom.  The  bottom  board  is  12,%  by 
26  inches,  is  fitted  inside  the  hive,  the  back  end 
placed  4  inches  from  the  bottom,  forming  an  in- 
clined plane,  and  extending  in  front  of  the  hive, 
making  a  convenient  alighting  board  for  the  bees. 
An  inch  auger  hole  is  bored  in  each  upper  cor- 
ner of  the  bottom  board,  and  covered  upon  the 
under  side  with  wire  cloth,  for  ventilation.  A 
strip  13^  by  3  inches  is  fitted  in  the  aperture  at 
the  front  of  the  hive.  The  Movable  Frames  are 
each  composed  of  4  pieces — the  top  piece  being 
I  by  1J4  inches  by  20  inches  long;  the  end 
pieces  are  1%  hy  i  inch,  and  10^  inches  in 
length ;  the  bottom  piece  ihy  %  an  inch,  and 
18  inches  in  length.  The  bottom  edge  of  the 
top  piece  is  beveled  to  an  edge ;  the  end  pieces 
nailed  to  it  an  inch  from  each  end,  and  the  bot- 
tom piece  is  nailed  on  the  end  of  these.  This 
gives  us  a  frame  17  inches  long  by  10  deep,  in- 
side measurement.  Nine  of  these  will  go  into 
the  hive,  leaving  a  }i  inch  space  all  around,  and 
between  each  frame.  This  gives  us  a  hive  hold- 
ing 2,295  cubic  inches  in  the  main  apartment. 
The  Cap  0/  the  Hive  should  be  made  16  by  21^ 
inches  and  9  inches  in  depth;  nail  upon  top  of 
this  a  board  20  by  26  inches  for  a  cover.  Now 
we  have  a  cap  which  will  fit  over  the  top  of  the 
hive,  and  is  held  in  place  by  strips  an  inch 
square,  nailed  upon  the  outside  of  the  hive,  j^ 
an  inch  below  its  top.  The  form  of  this  hive  is 
similar  to  that  used  by  many  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful bee-keepers  in  our  country. 

Another  Excellent  Beehive. — The  prin- 
cipal object  in  making  a  beehive  should  be  to 
make  it  a  non-swarmer,  and  secure  the  largest 
amount  of  surplus  honey  in  the  best  shape  for 
the  market.  This  point  can  be  attained  by  the 
use  of  a  device  called  a  "  queen-yard,"  made  as 
follows  :  Nail  together  strips  of  boards  to  make 
a  box  18  or  20  inches  square,  by  3  or  4  inches 
deep,  with  a  floor  of  thin  boards,  except  a  strip 
4  inches  wide,  which  should  be  of  wire-cloth, 
for  sifting  out  dirt,  and  for  ventilation.  Fasten 
strips  of  tin  2  inches  wide  around  the  inside  at 
the  top,  parallel  to  the  floor ;  and  make  an 
opening  in  the  side  next  to  the  wire  cloth,  in  the 
floor,  corresponding  to  the  entrance  of  the  hive. 
Paint  the  upper  side  of  the  tin  some  light  color. 
In  swarming-time  place  this  yard  in  front  of  the 
hive.  Previously  examine  the  hive,  and  clip  the 
wings  of  the  queen.  When  a  swann  is  disposed 
to  issue,  all  the  bees  are  obliged  to  pass  through 
this  yard,  and  the  queen,  being  unable  to  fly,  or 
crawl  over  the  projecting  tins,  will  return  to  the 
hive,  where  the  bees  will  soon  follow  her.  To 
prevent  their  raising  a  young  queen  which  can 
fly,  the  hive  must  be  opened  and  all  queen  cells 
cut  out  once  a  week,  unless  it  is  desirable  to  su- 
persede the  old  queen,  in  which  case  one  cell 
may  be  left ;  and  after  she  has  hatched  and  com- 
menced laying,  which  will  be  in  about  10  days, 
find  her  and  clip  her  wings  as  above  directed. 
The  old  queen  should  be  removed  just  before 
the  young  one  hatches.  The  inside  of  the  hive 
is  simple,  consisting  of  8  movable  frames,  sup- 
ported by  a  device  which  clears  them  from  any 
patent.  The  frames  are  11  by  18  inches,  inside 
measurement,  and  are  held  in  place  by  a  piece  of 
hoop-iron  fastened  on  the  outside  of  one  of  the 
end  pieces,  near  the  bottom,  and  bent  at  a  right 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


angle  to  project  under  the  end  of  the  frame  ^ 
of  an  inch,  to  form  a  sort  of  hook.  There 
should  be  space  enough  between  the  hook  and 
end  of  frame  to  allow  it  to  slip  over  a  piece  of 
hoop-iron  fastened  across  the  bottom  board  of 
the  hive,  which  has  a  slight  channel  cut  under  it 
to  give  the  requisite  room.  One  end  of  each 
frame  being  thus  secured  they  remain  perpen- 
dicular, and  are  kept  at  the  right  distance  from 
each  other — ^  of  an  inch — by  nails  partially 
driven  in  the  sides  of  the  frames.  There  are  va- 
rious other  items  in  the  construction,  such  as 
ventilators,  etc.,  which  I  cannot  take  room  to 
describe.  At  the  sides  and  top  of  these  frames 
there  is  space  enough  to  place  surplus  boxes  of 
over  lOO  lbs.  capacity,  holding  from  2^  to  4  lbs. 
each.  Top  boxes  are  placed  directly  on  the 
frames  ;  side  boxes  with  the  partially  open  ends 
against  the  main  combs.  If  the  honey  is  de- 
signed for  home  consumption,  extra  frames  may 
be  used  instead  of  boxes.  A  large  box,  which 
is  joined  at  the  corners  with  hooks,  incloses  the 
whole,  and  can  be  readily  opened  at  any  time. 
The  space  devoted  to  boxes  in  summer  can  be 
filled  with  dry  hay  or  straw,  and  the  hives  re- 
main safely  on  the  summer  stand  during  winter. 
Those  who  prefer  to  increase  their  colonies  by 
natural  or  artificial  swarming  to  securing  large 
amounts  of  surplus  honey,  can  use  these  frames 
to  advantage  by  omitting  the  extra  space  designed 
for  boxes,  and  inclosing  with  a  box  just  large 
enough  to  accommodate  the  frames,  leaving  suf- 
ficient room  to  prevent  the  bee^from  waxing  the 
outside  combs  fast  to  the  hive. 

Position  of  the  Hives. — For  an  apiary,  or 
even  a  single  hive  of  bees,  the  best  position  is  a 
sheltered  place  on  a  low  level,  instead  of  an  el- 
evated and  exposed  situation,  and  as  free  as  pos- 
sible from  damp,  noxious  smells,  and  disturbing 
sounds.  A  plot  of  well-kept  grass,  or  a  space 
covered  with  dry  gravel,  is  frequently  very  de- 
sirable. There  seems  to  be  no  definite  rule  as 
to  the  best  position  for  the  hive  as  regards  the 
points  of  the  compass ;  the  bees  have  been 
found  to  thrive  whether  their  abode  fronts  the 
south,  the  north,  or  any  intermediate  point.  On 
this  subject  so  much  depends  on  the  locality,  the 
climate,  and  various  other  considerations,  that  it 
is  difficult,  or  rather  impossible,  to  prescrilje  any 
rule  of  universal  application. 

Changing  Hives. — The  best  time  to  change 
bees  without  loss  from  common  to  movable 
frame  hives  is  about  the  season  of  swarming, 
which  varies  with  the  latitude  and  climate. 
About  the  time  when  swarms  are  expected  nat- 
urally, take  the  hive  which  you  wish  to  transfer, 
and,  blowing  a  little  smoke  into  the  entrance, 
remove  it  a  rod  or  more  from  its  stand,  leaving 
an  empty  box  or  hive  in  its  place,  into  which  the 
bees  that  are  out  in  the  field  may  gather.  In- 
vert the  hive  which  you  liave  moved,  and  put 
over  it  an  empty  box  or  hive,  as  near  the  same 
size  and  shape  as  possible,  and  stop  all  holes  or 
cracks  between  the  two  with  grass  or  weeds  that 
may  be  at  hand,  leaving  no  hole  large  enough 
for  a  bee  to  escape.  Then  with  sticks  keep  up  a 
sharp  drumming  on  the  bottom  hive,  at  which 
the  bees,  alarmed,  will  fill  their  sacs  with  honey 
and  mount  into  the  upper  hive.  In  from  20  to  30 
minutes  most  of  the  bees,  with  their  queen,  will 
lie  in  the  empty  box  on  top.  The  beginner  need 
not  fear  driving  too  many ;  let  all  go  that  will. 
Then  carefully  set  tlie  box  containing  the  bees  in 


a  shady  place,  and  take  the  old  hive  back  to  the 
place  whera  it  stood.  While  you  have  been 
driving,  many  bees  will  have  come  back  to  their 
home,  and  finding  it  gone,  will  be  roaming  in 
and  out  of  the  empty  hive  in  distress.  These 
will  at  once  rush  into  the  old  hive  when  it  re- 
turns, and  gladly  adhere  to  it.  Then  remove  it 
to  a  location  some  yards  off,  when,  as  it  contains 
many  hatching  bees  and  eggs,  tlie  bees  will  at 
once  rear  a  new  queen  to  replace  the  one  just 
driven  out,  and  in  a  short  time  be  as  prosperous 
as  ever.  Now  place  your  new  movable  comb- 
hive,  with  its  entrances  all  open,  on  the  old 
stand,  and  spread  a  sheet  before  it ;  on  this  sheet 
empty  the  bees  you  have  driven  into  the  box, 
and  they  will  at  once  take  up  a  line  of  march  for 
the  entrance  of  the  new  hive;  if  they  gather 
there,  brush  a  few  in  with  a  wing  or  twig,  and 
they  will  call  the  others,  who  enter  in  a  body 
and  accept  the  new  hive  as  their  home. 

Food  for  Bees. — It  must  be  sufficiently  ob- 
vious that  no  artificial  food  can  be  so  acceptable 
or  suitable  to  the  bee  as  pure  honey — the  kind 
of  nutriment  which  the  instinct  of  the  creature 
itself  induces  it  to  provide  ;  refuse  honey  may 
therefore,  in  preference  to  any  other  kind  of 
food,  be  given  to  the  bees  whenever  it  is  really 
required ;  but  in  many  instances  artificial  food  is 
supplied.  In  spring  it  is  recommended  by  com- 
petent judges  that  even  strong  hives  be  fed,  in- 
asmuch as  they  are  stimulated  by  the  increased 
temperature  which  the  feeding  occasions ;  but 
that  tliere  ought  to  be  no  feeding — unless  there 
exists  an  unavoidable  necessity  for  it — till  the 
hive  exhibits  some  degree  of  animation ;  for  the 
bees  often  are  tempted  to  go  forth  prematurely 
in  quest  of  flowers,  and  numbers  in  this  way 
perish,  being  unable  to  return  home.  As  al- 
ready observed,  honey  furnishes  the  best  because 
the  most  natural  element,  and  it  may  very  prop- 
erly be  rendered  more  liquid  by  a  slight  admix- 
ture of  water  ;  but  various  substitutes  for  honey 
have  been  resorted  to,  and  by  no  means  unsuc- 
ces'fefully. 

Bee  Feeder. — An  excellent  bee  feeder,  and 
one  not  covered,  I  believe,  with  a  patent,  is  made 
thus:  Make  a  wooden  box  without  a  bottom, 
somewhere  about  8  by  10  inches,  and  2  inches 
deep.  Nail  over  the  top  a  piece  of  good  muslin, 
leaving  it  loose  enough  to  sag  down  in  the  mid- 
dle nearly  or  quite  to  the  lower  edges  of  the 
sides  of  the  box — if  intending  to  use  it  on  the 
top  of  box  hives,  it  ought  not  to  hang  down 
quite  so  low.  Now  you  can  set  this  feeder, 
muslin  side  uppermost,  on  the  top  of  a  box  hive, 
having  opened  the  holes,  or  directly  on  the  tops 
of  the  frames  of  a  movable  comb  hive.  Pour  the 
honey  or  syrup  on  the  concave  muslin,  and  the 
bees  will  take  It  from  the  under  side.  Cover  the 
whole  apparatus  so  as  to  secure  it  from  rob- 
bers. 

Pasturage  FOR  Bees. — Districts  of  country 
where  grain  is  extensively  cultivated  are  less  fa- 
vorable to  bees  than  those  in  which  fields  abound- 
ing with  wild  flowers  exist,  and  where  clover, 
peas,  beans  and  similar  plants  are  largely  grown. 
The  blossoms  of  fruit  trees  of  all  kinds,  and  the 
flowers  of  the  broom,  the  furze,  and  the  bram- 
ble, all  afford  the  bee  great  advantages  for  the 
collection  of  honey  and  farina.  The  planting, 
too,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  hives,  of  the  cro- 
cus, the  blue  hepatica,  the  black  hellebore,  and 
mignonette,  is  also  found  to  be  favorable. 


APIARY. 


23 


Supply  of  Water. — When  the  season  is  dry, 
and  during  the  period  of  breeding,  water  is  nec- 
essary to  the  bees,  in  order  not  only  to  the  se- 
cretion of  wax,  but  the  due  preparation  of  honey 
and  farina.  If  there  be  no  natural  supply  of  the 
needful  element  within  easy  reach  of  the  little 
architects,  a  shallow  vessel  must  be  placed  near 
them,  which  may  be  frequently  filled  to  the  brim. 
As  a  precaution  against  the  danger  of  drowning 
some  of  the  bees,  a  thin  piece  of  wood,  perforated 
vith  holes,  may  be  placed  so  as  to  float  on  the 
surface,  covering  every  part  of  it.  The  holes 
will  be  so  many  wells  from  which  the  bees  can 
draw  their  supphes  without  the  danger  of  their 
falling  into  the  water. 

Sunshine  and  Shadow. — Too  much  heat  is 
always  injurious  to  bees;  they  ought  not  to  be 
left  exposed  to  the  sun  in  sultry  weather.  It 
renders  the  insects  extremely  initable,  and  ex- 
poses the  combs  to  the  danger  of  being  more  or 
less  softened,  and  even  melted.  It  is  very  im- 
portant, therefore,  to  protect  the  hive  by  shelter- 
mg  it  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  A  screen 
adapted  to  the  purpose  is  very  suitable,  or  a  mat, 
which  may  be  thrown  over  the  hive.  In  our 
opinion  tlie  screen  is  to  be  preferred,  as  causing 
a  grateful  shade,  and  at  the  same  time  permitting 
a  better  ventilation.  On  this  subject  an  excellent 
writer  remarks,  that  bees  "delight  best  in  thick 
forests,  because  thei'e  they  find  a  imiform  tem- 
perature and  a  propitious  shade;"  and  he  adds, 
"  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  bees  exposed  to 
the  sun  produce  the  earliest  and  strongest 
swarms  ;  I  have  often  experienced  the  reverse. 
Bees  like  the  shade  when  working,  and  the  sun 
only  when  in  the  fields." 

Enemies  of  the  Bees. — Domestic  fowls  are 
destroyers  of  bees,  and  also  some  birds,'  from 
whose  attacks  as  they  range  the  fields  at  a  dis- 
tr.nce  from  the  hive  they  cannot  be  protected. 
Among  these  is  the  titmouse,  or  blue  tomtit, 
which  devours  the  bees,  and  feeds  his  young 
with  them ;  and  in  winter  is  said  to  endeavor  to 
force  his  way  into  the  hive  itself.  Mice  are  crften 
very  troublesome,  and  even  rats  sometimes  make 
their  way  into  the  hive.  Slugs  and  snails  often 
occasion  much  trouble ;  and  especially  in  warm 
summer  evenings,  the  attacks  of  wasps  and  hor- 
nets are  a  great  annoyance  to  the  bees.  In  all 
these  cases  care  and  vigilance  can  do  much. 
Wasps'  nests  ought  to  be  destroyed  wherever 
met  with ;  insects  of  all  kinds,  such  as  earwigs, 
woodlice,  ants,  etc.,  should  be  cleared  away. 
In  a  word,  the  hives  and  stands  for  them  ought 
to  be  kept  as  clean  and  neat  as  possible. 

Wintering  Bees. — A  good  plan  is  to  quilt  a 
mat  of  cotton  batting,  and  place  it  on  the  frames 
upoji  a  cross  strip,  so  securing  winter  passages 
each  side  between  the  frames,  and  the  quilt 
against  which  the  bees  cluster  and  winter  well 
out  of  doors,  the  side  honey-cases  filled  with  cut 
straw,  or  some  other  absorbing  material.  In 
box  hives  an  upper  chamber  or  box  should  be 
filled  with  straw,  and  the  entrance  contracted  to 
keep  out  mice.  To  winter  bees  successfully,  only 
three  things  are  necessary — ventilation  in  the 
right  place,  plenty  of  food  where  they  can  reach 
it,  and  sufficient  bees  in  number  to  maintain  the 
requisite  animal  heat.  In  colder  latitudes,  bees 
are  most  safely  wintered  in  dry,  dark  cellars,  and 
should  be  set  on  shelves,  with  the  entrance 
closed  with  wire  cloth.  The  holes  through  the 
tqp  of  bo.\  hives  should  be  covered  with  wire 


cloth,  and  the  hives  inverted  and  set  on  ^  inch 
strips.  They  should  not  be  put  into  the  cellar 
until  cold  weather  comes  on  in  earnest.  A  warm 
and  pleasant  day  should  be  chosen  to  put  them 
out  again,  for  they  will  be  attracted  by  the  light 
and  fly  out,  when,  if  it  be  chilly,  some  will  per- 
ish. 

Rearing  Queens. — Premising  that  you  use 
movable  frames,  make  a  number  of  small  frames, 
as  near  4  or  5  inches  square  as  may  be,  to  just 
fit  inside  one  of  your  large  ones.  Fill  with  clean 
worker  comb — that  which  has  been  frozen  is  the 
best,  because  the  eggs  of  the  moth  will  have 
been  thus  destroyed — and  put  the  large  frame 
containing  these  small  ones  in  the  middle  of  some 
stock  witli  a  fertile  queen  from  which  .you  wish 
to  breed.  Provide  also  some  small  boxes  on  the 
plan  of  a  simple  movable  frame  hive,  with  loose 
top  and  rabbeting  for  the  frames,  and  just  the 
size  to  accommodate  three  or  four  of  them. 
When  eggs  have  been  deposited  in  the  combs, 
set  up  one  of  your  small  boxes  with  them  as  a 
hive  in  miniature,  and  confine  in  it  between  a 
pint  and  quart  of  bees.  They  will  immediately 
construct  queen  cells,  and  may  then  be  opened. 
In  this  way  any  number  of  queens  may  be  pro- 
vided. 

How  TO  Change  Colonies  of  Black  Bees 
TO  Italian. — Since  the  queen  is  the  mpther  of 
all  the  bees  in  the  hive,  and  deposits  all  the  eggs, 
it  follows  that  they  will  all  be  like  her.  If  then 
the  queen  be  taken  from  a  colony  of  common 
bees,  and  an  Italian  queen  be  put  there  in  her 
stead,  all  the  eggs  thenceforth  laid  will  produce 
Italian  bees  ;  and  as  the  life  of  the  worker  bee  is 
short,  in  from  two  to  three  months  the  old  bees 
will  all  have  died  out,  and  be  replaced  in  greater 
numbers  by  the  beautiful  Italians.  These  Italian 
queens  are  now  reared  for  sale  by  scientific  api- 
arians, and  sent  to  any  part  of  the  world  with 
perfect  safety.  If  a  pure  queen  purely  impreg- 
nated is  purchased  and  introduced  to  any  colony  « 
of  black  bees,  an  Italian  stock  is  secured  in  the 
best  and  least  expensive  way. 

The  Safest  Way  TO  Introduce  an  Italian 
Colony. — Take  away  the  queen  of  the  colony  to 
Avhich  the  Italian  is  to  be  given.  To  find  her 
most  easily,  open  the  stand  in  the  middle  of  a 
fine  day,  when  many  bees  are  absent  from  the 
hive.  Disturb  the  bees  as  little  as  possible,  and 
have  an  assistant  to  look  on  one  side  of  the  frame 
while  you  examine  the  other.  Look  first  on  the 
combs  near  where  the  bees  cluster,  as  the  queen 
is  apt  to  be  there.  As  soon  as  you  have  found 
and  killed  her,  put  the  Italian  queen,  with  three 
or  more  of  the  bees  that  come  with  her,  into  a 
wire  cage  which  always  accompanies  her  when 
sent,  and  lay  this  over  the  frames  near  the  clus- 
ter, or,  if  the  weather  be  cool,  the  cage  may 
be  laid  between  two  frames.  Leave  her  there 
48  hours,  and  then,  without  disturbing  the  bees, 
withdraw  the  stopper,  and  allow  the  queen  to  go 
into  the  hive  at  her  pleasure. 

BEESWAX,  To  Whiten.— In  March  or 
April  melt  yellow  wax  without  boiling  ;  then 
having  several  pewter  dishes  ready,  dip  the  out- 
side bottom  of  each  dish  in  fair  watSr ;  then  dip 
them  into  the  wax,  and  take  up  a  very  thin  plate 
of  wax — the  thinner  the  better ;  take  them  off", 
and  expose  them  upon  the  grass  to  the  sun,  air, 
and  dews,  until  they  be  milk-white,  turning 
them  often. 

BEESWAX,  To  Bleach  {Italian  Method.)— 


24 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


The  yellow  wax  is  first  melted  in  a  kettle,  and 
then  is  dipped  out  into  a  long  tin  vessel  that  will 
hold  two  or  three  gallons,  and  which  has  a  row 
of  small  holes,  about  the  diameter  of  a  knitting- 
needle,  in  the  bottom.  Tliis  vessel  is  fixed  over 
a  cylinder  of  wood  2  feet  in  length  and  15  inches 
in  diameter,  which  is  made  to  revolve  like  a 
grindstone,  in  one  end  of  a  trough  of  water,  2% 
feet  in  width,  10  to  15  feet  in  length,  and  I  foot 


in  depth.  As  the  melted  wax  falls  in  small 
streams  on  this  wet  revolving  cylinder,  it  flattens 
out  into  a  thin  ribbon,  and  floats  off  toward  the 
other  end  of  the  trough  of  water.  It  is  then 
dipped  out  with  a  skimmer  (that  may  be  made 
of  osier  twigs,)  spread  on  a  table  with  a  top 
made  of  small  willow  rods,  covered  with  a  clean 
white  cloth,  and  then  exposed  in  this  way  to  the 
sun  until  bleached. 


CARPENTER    AND     BUILDER. 


BUILDING  HOUSES,  Hints  on.—x.  Build 
solid,  substantial  foundations  laid  up  in  cement 
or  mortar,  with  footing-course  projecting  6  inches 
on  either  side,  as  this  is  a  preventive  against  rats 
burrowing  under  the  foundation  and  entering  the 
house  from  the  outside.  Plaster  the  walls  on 
the  outside  flush  and  smooth  with  cement  where 
coming  against  the  earth ;  this  prevents  the  sur- 
face-water from  percolating  through  the  joints 
of  the  walls  and  making  your  cellar  wet  and  damp. 
If  it  is  a  clay  soil,  and  your  house  is  situated 
on  a  side  hill,  sub-drain  your  cellar,  lead  the 
drain  out  to  the  lowest  part  of  your  ground,  and 
let  it  discharge  on  the  surface.  If  your  ground 
slopes  in  all  directions  away  from  the  house,  the 
above  precaution  is  not  necessary. — 2.  Do  not 
support  the  interior  partitions  to  your  house  upon 
brick  piers  in  the  cellar,  with  a  timber  girder 
running  from  pier  to  pier,  and  the  floor-beams 
resting  thereon.  This  is  very  faulty  construc- 
tion, as  it  admits  of  the  shrinkage  of  the  timber 
girder  and  the  floor-beams  above  it,  producing 
setting  and  cracks  throughout  the  building. 
These  interior  partitions  sustain  full  as  much, 
if  not  more,  weight  than  the  exterior  walls,  and 
therefore  should  have  eight  or  twelve-inch  walls 
under  all  bearing  partitions.  Build  these  sup- 
porting walls  up  to  the  top  of  the  floor-beams, 
so  as  to  permit  the  stud  partitions  above  to  rest 
directly  on  the  brick- work,  and  thereby  avoid  the 
shrinkage  of  the  beams.  All  stud  partitions 
above  the  first  story  should,  if  possible,  rest  on 
the  heads  of  the  partitions  beneath,  thus  again 
avoiding  shrinkage  and  consequent  settling. — 3. 
It  is  false  economy  to  use  light  floor-beams,  as 
their  constant  vibration  when  walked  upon  is  ex- 
cessively annoying  and  unpleasant.  They  should 
never  be  placed  more  than  16  inches  apart  be- 
tween centres,  and  for  ordinary  spans  should  be 
at  least  2  by  10  inches,  and  2  by  1 1  and  2  by  12 
inches  for  spans  not  over  18  feet.  All  beams 
should  be  thoroughly  cross-bridged,  and  all 
floors  should  be  deafened.  This  deafening 
is  not  only  for  the  purpose  of  deadening  the 
sound,  but  it  also  prevents  any  water  that  may 
be  spilled  on  the  floor  above  staining  the  ceiling 
underneath.  It  also  prevents  the  rapid  spread 
of  fire. — ^4.  All  ceilings  should  be  cross-furred, 
the  purpose  of  which  is  to  bring  the  ceiling  to  a 
true  level  and  to  prevent  cracking. — 5.  It  is  a 
very  good  plan  to  have  all  doors  hung  on  loose- 
jointed  butts,  so  as  to  allow  of  their  being  easily 
lifted  off  the  hinges,  should  they  require  at  any 
time  to  .be  eased  or  planed  off.    This  is  also  a 


great  convenience  on  occasion  of  r.n  entertain- 
ment, as  the  doors  can  be  removed  and  stored 
away,  and  the  house  thoroughly  thrown  open  to 
the  company. — 6.  All  first-class  houses  should 
have  double  floors.  The  first  flooring  may  be  of 
mill-worked  boards,  and  the  finishing  floor 
(which  may  be  of  any  wood  desired)  should  not 
be  put  down  until  the  plastering  is  complete,  and 
the  base  and  casings  to  the  door  are  up;  by 
adopting  this  plan  a  very  thorough  floor  is  ob- 
tained, as  we  avoid  all  the  dirty  and  wet  work  of 
the  plasterer,  and  the  wear  and  tear  incident  to 
the  passing  to  and  fro  of  the  workmen.  The  ef- 
fect of  the  shrinkage  of  the  base  from  the  floor 
is  also  avoided,  giving  the  work  a  better  finish. 
It  makes  a  much  more  rigid  floor,  and  ties  the 
building  together  much  better,  to  lay  the  second 
floor  at  right  angles  with  the  first  floor. — 7.  Al- 
ways see  that  tlie  plastering  is  carried  down  to 
the  floor,  and  by  this  means  avoid  as  far  as  pos- 
sible having  any  space  at  the  back  of  the  base- 
board, wherein  cockroaches  and  other  vermin 
may  find  refuge.  Also  plaster  behind  panel- 
backs,  under  windows,  and  where  the  sub-sill 
rests  on  the  stone  sill,  to  prevent  the  cold  air  and 
snow  from  drifting  in. — Jj.  In  wooden  houses, 
be  careful  to  have  all  of  the  cappings  and  tops  to 
the  windows  and  doors  covered  with  tin,  the  tin 
to  be  carried  up  underneath  the  outside  covering 
or  clap-boarding.— g.  In  conclusion,  put  yourself 
at  the  outset  in  the  hands  of  a  good,  thorough 
architect,  and  be  governed  by  him  in  the  mode 
of  construction.  Listen  to  his  suggestions,  for 
he  has  had  much  more  experience  than  you.  Do 
not  desert  him  because  he  tells  you  candidly 
what  your  building  will  cost,  and  go  to  others 
who  seek  to  persuade  you  that  they  can  produce 
the  same  amount  of  room  at  much  less  cost ;  for 
this  can  only  be  done  by  the  process  oi  skinning, 
which  means  leaving  out  those  matters  which  are 
contained  in  the  above  suggestions,  and  very 
many  more,  all  of  which  greatly  contribute  to 
the  durability  of  the  house  and  the  actual  corQ- 
fort  of  existence  within  it.  In  this,  as  in  many 
other  cases,  the  best  economy  does  not  lie  in  the 
fancied  saving  of  money  at  the  outset,  but  in  the 
adoption  of  wise  plans. 

BRICK-MAKING,  Application  of  the  Ask 
and  Small  Coke  of  Gas  Works  for. — Mix  from 
10  to  12  parts  of  the  ash  and  cinders  with  i  part 
of  lime,  after  having  first  taken  care  to  break  up 
the  small  pieces  of  coke,  so  as  to  be  of  no  more 
than  about  5  centimetres  cubical  size.  The  mass 
is  mixed  with  some  water,  and  next  mixed  in  a 


CARPENTER    AND    BUILDER. 


2; 


pug-mill,  and,  after  having  become  stiff  enough, 
formed  into  bricks  by  a  brick-making  machine. 
The  bricks  are  slowly  but  carefully  dried,  and 
are,  after  drying,  fit  for  use,  making  very  solid 
walls,  while  the  material  is  very  light,  and  es- 
pecially suited  for  partition  walls. 

BRICKy  To  Wet. — Very  few  people,  even 
builders,  are  aware  of  the  advantage  of  wetting 
bricks  before  laying  them,  or,  if  aware  of  it,  too 
often  neglect  to  practice  it.  A  wall  12  inches 
thick,  built  of  good  mortar  and  bricks  well 
soaked,  is  stronger  than  one  16  inches  thick 
built  dry.  The  reason  of  this  is,  that  if  the 
bricks  are  well  saturated  with  water,  they  will 
not  abstract  from  the  mortar  the  moisture  neces- 
sary to  its  crystallization  ;  and,  on  the  contrary, 
they  will  unite  chemically,  and  become  as  solid 
as  a  rock.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  bricks  are 
put  up  dry,  they  immediately  take  up  all  the 
moisture  from  the  mortar,  leaving  it  to  dry  and 
harden,  and  the  consequence  is  that,  when  a 
building  of  this  description  is  taken  down,  or 
tumbles  down  of  its  own  accord,  the  mortar 
from  it  is  like  so  much  sand. 

BRICK  WALLS,  Coating  for.— \.  Take  of 
fresh  Rosendale  cement  3  parts,  and  of  clean, 
fine  sand  i  part;  mix  with  fresh  water  thor- 
oughly. This  gives  a  gray  or  granite  color, 
<lark  or  light,  according  to  the  color  of  the  ce- 
ment. If  brick  color  is  desired,  add  enough 
Venetian  red  to  the  mixture  to  produce  the  color. 
If  a  very  light  color  is  desired,  lime  may  be  used 
with  the  cement  and  sand.  Care  must  be  taken 
to  have  all  of  the  ingredients  well  mixed  to- 
gether. In  applying  the  wash,  the  vail  must 
be  wet  with  clean,  fresh  water,  then  follow  im- 
mediately with  the  cement  wash.  This  prevents 
the  bricks  from  absorbing  the  water  from  the 
Avash  too  rapidly,  and  gives  time  for  the  cement 
to  set.  The  wash  must  be  well  stirred  during 
the  application — the  admixture  to  be  made  as 
thick  as  can  be  applied  conveniently  with  awhite- 
Avash  brush.  It  is  stated  that  this  cement  wash 
will  stand  for  years,  that  it  is  admirably  suited 
for  brick  work,  fences,  etc. ,  that  it  is  nearly  wa- 
ter-proof, but  that  it  cannot  be  used  to  advantage 
over  paint  or  whitewash. — 2.  Sylvester's  process 
for  repeUing  moisture  from  external  walls,  is 
easy  of  application  and  very  effectual.  It  con- 
sists in  using  two  washes  or  solutions  for  cover- 
ing the  surface  of  brick  walls — one  composed  of 
Castile  soap  and  water,  and  one  of  alum  and  wa- 
ter. The  proportions  are :  ^/  of  a  lb.  of  soap 
to  I  gallon  of  water,  and  ^  a  lb.  of  alum  to  4 
gallons  of  water,  both  substances  to  be  perfectly 
dissolved  in  the  water  before  being  used.  The 
walls  should  be  perfectly  clean  and  dry,  and  the 
temperature  of  the  air  should  not  be  below  50° 
Fahrenheit,  when  the  compositions  are  to  be  ap- 
plied. 

The  first  or  soap-wash  should  be  laid  on  when 
at  boiling  heat,  with  a  flat  brush,  taking  care  not 
.to  form  a  froth  on  the  brick  work.  This  wash 
should  remain  24  hours,  so  as  to  become  dry  and 
hard  before  the  second  or  alum  wash  is  applied, 
which  should  be  applied  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  first.  Four  coatings  will  render  the  bricks 
impenetrable  imder  a  very  heavy  pressure. 

BRICK  OVENS,  How  to  Make.—\  brick 
'Oven  built  in  the  old  style,  out  of  doors,  entirely 
separated  from  the  dwelling-house,  is  more  de- 
sirable and  more  safe,  so  far  as  danger  from  fire 
•was  concerned,  than  if  built  by  the  side  of  the 


fireplace,  in  the  house.  A  good  brick  oven  for 
baking  bread,  pies,  and  cakes  is  worth  all  the 
ranges  and  cook-stoves  that  one  could  store  in 
his  kitchen.  In  such  an  oven  every  thing  will 
be  baked  just  right,  above  and  below,  through 
and  through.  After  a  foundation  has  been  pre- 
pared, let  two  courses  of  hard  bricks  be  laid  for 
the  bottom  of  the  oven.  Then  build  the  mouth 
and  part  of  the  sides,  until  it  is  desirable  to  be- 
gin to  draw  the  sides  inward,  when  sand  or  mel- 
low earth  may  be  placed  on  the  foundation,  and 
the  surface  smoothed  off  and  pressed  down  to 
the  desired  form  of  the  oven.  Now  let  the 
brick  work  be  built  over  this  form  of  sand.  Let 
two  courses  of  hard  bricks  be  laid  over  the  form 
with  the  best  mortar.  After  the  last  bricks  have 
been  laid  the  sand  may  be  removed.  The  bricks 
should  be  soaked  for  several  hours  previous  to 
being  laid,  so  that  they  will  not  absorb  the  mois- 
ture of  the  mortar  until  it  has  set.  Such  an  oven 
will  cost  but  a  few  dollars.  Many  people  can 
collect  a  sufficient  number  of  loose  bricks  and 
pieces  around  their  dwellings  to  build  a  brick 
oven.  Besides  this,  any  intelligent  man,  though 
only  half  a  mechanic,  can  build  such  an  oven 
about  as  well  as  a  mason. 

BRICK  BUILDINGS,  How  to  Famt.—lo 
prevent  the  disintegration  of  exterior  brick  sur- 
faces, caused  by  moisture  of  the  atmosphere  and 
change  of  temperature,  paint  should  be  used  to 
cover  the  surface ;  and  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  paints  are  durable  mainly  because  of  the 
water-proof  quality  of  the  oil  in  which  they  are 
used.  The  natural  pigments — called  ochres  cr 
earth-paints — do  not  in  any  degree  act  upon  the 
oil ;  while  others,  as  white  leads  and  the  chro- 
mates  of  lead,  do  affect  the  oil  chemically,  and 
impair  in  a  measure  its  tenacity  or  water-proof 
quality ;  for  these  reasons  it  follows  that  the  nat- 
ural pigments  are  not  only  the  most  economical, 
but  the  most  durable,  for  painting  brick  houses. 
It  has  been  demonstrated  that  the  most  durable 
paint  for  brick  painting  is  a  mixture  of  finely- 
ground  French  yellow  ochre,  mixed  with  an 
equal  quantity,  by  weight,  of  American  white 
zinc.  The  color  is  a  soft  shade  of  buff,  most 
pleasant  to  the  eye,  and  permanent  to  the  last 
degree,  both  in  color  and  material.  Venetian 
red,  an  artificial  ochre,  or  red  oxide  of  iron,  is 
in  common  use ;  but  it  does  not  hold  oil  like  the 
yellow  ochre,  and  makes  a  coating  far  less  water- 
proof. It  is  a  seemingly  durable  paint,  because 
the  stain  which  it  imparts  to  a  porous  surface  re- 
mains long  after  the  oil  has  been  washed  away. 
It  cannot  be  used  with  white  zinc,  because  of  the 
unsuitable  pink  tint  which  it  produces,  and  be- 
cause this  pigment,  (Venetian  red,)  when  tinted 
with  white,  becomes  highly  fugitive  in  color. 

The  condition  of  the  wall  is  also  very  import- 
ant in  painting  brick  surfaces.  The  work  should 
be  done  in  dry,  warm  weather,  when  the  moist- 
ure which  bricks  absorb  during  the  winter  and 
spring  seasons  has  dried  out;  otherwise  the 
paint  will  not  be  apt  to  adhere  tenaciously,  but 
wnll  scale  or  peel  off.  The  joints  in  the  stone 
coping  on  brick  walls  require  constant  looking 
after.  These  should  be  made  absolutely  imper- 
vious to  water  by  the  application  of  a  mass  of 
soft  paint-skins  both  on  the  top  and  edges;  and 
when  this  hardens  to  the  point  of  cracking,  it 
should  be  removed  and  renewed.  Mortar  and 
cement  for  such  purposes  are  altogether  useless. 
The  joint,  too,  between  the  wall  and  the  coping 


26 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


tinderneath  should  be  well  filled  with  paint- 
skins  before  painting ;  for,  no  matter  how  wa- 
ter-proof the  surface  may  be,  if  the  water  be  al- 
lowed to  percolate  through  the  joints  in  the  co- 
ping, the  integrity  of  the  wall  will  be  de- 
stroyed. 

CELLARS,  To  Keep  from  Freezing. — A  novel 
plan  for  this  purpose  is  to  take  either  old  news- 
papers or  coarse  brown  paper,  and  with  a  strong 
size  paste  them  four  or  five  thicknesses  down 
thoroughly  to  the  stone  walls  of  the  cellar  and 
to  the  bare  joists  overhead,  leaving  an  air  space 
between  them  and  the  floor.  Before  pasting,  it 
will  be  better  to  sweep  down  the  walls  and  joists 
thoroughly.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  press 
the  paper  down  into  all  the  depressions  of  the 
wall ;  every  air  space  is  an  additional  defence 
against  the  cold.  If  this  plan  is  adopted  and 
carefully  executed  the  cellar  will  be  frost-proof, 
even  if  it  is  left  unbanked. 

CHIMNEYS,  To  Build.— Y^vexy  chimney 
ought,  if  practicable,  to  extend  clear  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  cellar,  and  rest  there  on  a  substantial 
foundation,  covered  with  a  broad,  flat  stone,  to 

Erevent  the  absorption  of  dampness  by  the 
ricks.  This  will  not  only  prevent  accidents 
from  fire,  but  will  prevent  the  superincumbent 
weight  from  injuring  the  wall  in  any  way.  More 
than  this,  whcH  a  chimney  rests  on  a  foundation 
in  the  attic,  or  even  in  an  upper  room,  during 
long  and  severe  storms  such  a  large  volume  of 
water  usually  falls  directly  into  the  chimney  that 
the  bricks  at  the  bottom  become  thoroughly  sat- 
urated. Consequently,  the  surplus  water  soaks 
down  through  the  wall  below  ;  whereas,  if  the 
chimney  had  extended  to  the  bottom  of  the  cel- 
lar, the  walls  would  not  have  been  injured  by 
the  great  fall  of  rain. 

By  building  chimneys  ^vith  double  walls,  leav- 
ing an  air  space  between  them,  an  excellent 
means  of  ventilation  is  secured,  from  the  top  or 
bottom  of  rooms,  as  desired,  by  inserting  venti- 
lators in  the  outer  chimney.  The  heat  from  the 
inner,  when  fires  are  used,  will  always  make  a 
good  draft  upward. 

To  build  a  chimney  so  that  it  will  not  smoke, 
the  chief  point  is  to  make  the  throat  of  the 
chimney  not  less  than  4  inches  broad  and  12 
long;  then  the  chimney  should  be  abruptly  en- 
larged to  double  the  size,  and  so  continue  for  i 
foot  or  more ;  then  it  may  be  gradually  tapered 
off  as  desired.  But  the  inside  of  the  chimney, 
throughout  its  whole  length  to  the  top,  should 
be  plastered  very  smooth  with  good  mortar, 
which  will  harden  with  age.  If  salt  is  mixed 
pretty  freely  with  the  mortar  used,  moisture 
enough  will  be  imbibed  to  prevent  the  soot  from 
adhering.  The  area  of  a  chimney  should  be  at 
least  half  a  square  foot,  and  no  flue  less  than  60 
square  inches.  The  best  shape  for  a  chimney  is 
circular  or  many-sided,  as  giving  less  friction, 
(brick  is  the  best  material,  as  it  is  a  non-con- 
ductor,) and  the  higher  above  the  roof  the  bet- 
ter. 

CHIMNE  YS,  Remedy  for  Smoking.— From 
experience  it  has  been  found  that  by  the  use  of 
fine  wire  gauze  of  from  36  to  40  wires  to  the 
inch,  as  a  screen  blower,  or  guard,  judiciously 
applied  to  registers,  stoves,  ranges,  or  stove 
doors,  little  if  any  smoke  will  come  into  the 
room.  The  atmospheric  pressure  prevents  the 
smoke  entering  the  room  through  the  gauze,  and 
if  applied  immediately  to  the  fire  more  smoke 


will  be  consumed  than  by  any  other  means.  In 
that  case  the  wire  should  be  kept  two  inches 
from  immediate  contact  with  the  hot  fire. 

COVERING  BUILDINGS,  Few's  Compc 
sition  for. — Take  the  hardest  and  purest  lime- 
stone, (white  marble  is  to  be  preferred,)  free 
from  sand,  clay,  or  other  matter ;  calcine  it  in  a 
reverberatory  furnace,  pulverize  and  pass  it 
through  a  sieve.  One  part,  by  weight,  is  to  be 
mixed  with  two  parts  of  clay  well  baked  and 
similarly  pulverized,  conducting  the  whole  oper- 
ation with  great  care.  This  forms  the  first  pow- 
der. The  second  is  to  be  made  of  one  part  of 
calcined  and  pulverized  gypsum,  to  which  is  ad- 
ded two  parts  ©f  clay,  baked  and  pulverized. 
These  two  powders  are  to  be  combined,  and  in- 
timately incorporated,  so  as  to  form  a  perfect 
mixture.  When  it  is  to  be  used,  mix  it  with 
about  a  fourth  part  ot  its  weight  of  water,  added 
gradually,  stirring  the  mass  well  the  whole  time, 
until  it  forms  a  thick  paste,  in  which  state  it  is 
to  be  spread  like  mortar  upon  the  desired  sur- 
face. It  becomes  in  time  as  hard  as  stone,  al- 
lows no  moisture  to  penetrate,  and  is  not  cracked 
by  heat.  When  well  prepared  it  will  last  any 
length  of  time.  When  in  its  plastic  or  soft  state 
it  may  be  colored  of  any  desired  tint. 

DARK  ROOMS,  To  Lighten.— U  the  glass 
in  the  window  of  a  room — the  darkness  in  which 
is  caused  by  its  being  situated  in  a  narrow  street 
or  lane — is  placed  within  the  outer  face  of  the 
wall,  as  is  the  custom  in  building  houses,  it  will 
admit  but  very  little  light,  what  it  gets  being  only 
the  reflection  from  the  walls  of  the  opposite 
houses.  If,  however,  for  the  window  be  substi- 
tuted another  in  which  all  the  panes  of  glass  are 
roughly  ground  on  the  outside,  and  flush  with 
the  outer  wall,  the  light  from  the  whole  of  the 
visible  sky,  and  from  the  remotest  parts  of  the 
opposite  wall,  will  be  introduced  into  the  apart- 
ment, reflected  from  the  innumerable  faces  or 
facets  which  the  rough  grinding  of  the  glass  has 
produced.  The  whole  window  will  appear  as  if 
the  sky  were  beyond  it,  and  from  every  point  of 
this  luminous  surface  light  will  radiate  into  all 
parts  of  the  room. 

DOOR-STEPS,  of  Concrete.— Make  square 
boxes  at  the  door  where  the  steps  are  wanted. 
Then  mix  up  coarse  gravel  or  cement  and  make 
a  mortar  or  concrete,  mixing  in  cobble-stones, 
and  fill  the  boxes  or  moulds.  After  a  time  re- 
move the  moulds,  and  place  boards  on  the  steps 
for  people  to  walk  over  till  the  concrete  haj 
thoroughly  hardened.  If  rightly  made,  these 
cement  steps  will  remain  hard  and  perfect,  and 
neither  the  frost  nor  weather  will  injure  them. 
They  should  be  made  in  the  spring  of  the  year, 
so  that  they  can  have  the  summer  and  fall  to 
harden  in. 

FLOORS,  Oiled. — Oiling  improves  a  floor  in 
several  ways.  Grease-spots,  of  course,  will  not 
affect  the  wood  thus  treated;  and  much  less 
scrubbing  than  is  necessary  for  a  plain  floor  will 
suffice  to  keep  it  clean.  Moreover,  the  appear- 
ance is  improved  by  the  oil.  Many  of  our  na- 
tive woods,  prepared  in  this  manner,  become 
positively  handsome.  Finally,  it  gives  the  sur- 
face a  harder  texture,  which  makes  it  wear  longer 
and  more  uniformly. 

Paint  costs  more,   takes  longer  to  dry,   and 

cr  •\  •  ••II- 

wears  off  more  easily,  since  it  simply  forms  a 
crust  or  coating  upon  the  surface ;  while  oil  pen- 
etrates the  wood.     Hence  an  oiled  floor  looks 


CARPENTER    AND    BUILDER. 


27 


better  than  a  painted  one,  especially  if  a  little 
color,  such  as  Van  Dyke  brown,  umber,  or 
burned  sienna  is  added  to  the  oil. 

To  prepare  a  floor  in  this  manner,  take  raw 
linseed  oil,  or  some  cheap  oil,  not  offensive  in 
odor,  and  capable  of  drying ;  mix  it,  if  desired, 
•with  some  such  transparent  color  as  those  men- 
tioned above;  and  apply  it  with  a  common 
paint-brush.  Lay  it  on  smoothly,  so  that  it  will 
strike  in  uniformly  over  the  whole  surface,  and 
not  stand  in  spots.  This  may  be  done  at  night, 
after  the  day's  work ;  and  the  place  will  be  ready 
for  use  again  the  next  morning.  As  far  as  the 
oiled  surface  is  concerned,  it  might  be  stepped 
upon  at  once  without  injury  ;  but  there  would  be 
danger  in  that  case  of  tracking  the  grease  to 
other  parts  of  the  house.  A  new  coat  of  oil,  ap- 
plied in  this  way  once  or  twice  a  year,  is  suffi- 
cient to  keep  a  floor  in  perfect  order. 

FLOORS,  Soluble  Glass  for.— \n%\&zA  of  the 
old-fashioned  method  of  using  wax  for  polishing 
floors,  soluble  glass  is  now  employed  to  great 
advantage.  For  this  purpose  the  floor  is  first 
well  cleaned,  and  then  the  cracks  filled  up  with 
a  cement  of  water-glass  and  a  powdered  chalk  or 
g)-psum  ;  afterward  a  water-glass  of  60  to  65'', 
of  the  thickness  of  syrup,  is  applied  by  means  of 
a  stiff  brush.  Any  desired  color  is  to  be  im- 
parted to  the  floor  in  a  second  coat  of  the  water- 
glass,  and  additional  coats  are  to  be  given  until 
the  requisite  polish  is  obtained.  A  still  higher 
finish  may  be  given  by  pummicing  off  the  last 
layer,  and  then  putting  on  a  coating  of  oil. 

FLOORS,  Cellar.— When  it  is  inexpedient  to 
go  to  the  expense  of  cement,  an  excellent  sub- 
stitute is  secured  by  taking  coal-ashes  and  mix- 
ing it  with  water  to  the  ordinary  thickness  of 
mortar.  It  does  not  matter  how  many  lumps  or 
stones  there  are.  Put  it  on  about  4  inches 
thick;  let  it  lay  24  hours,  and  then  stamp  it 
with  a  heavy  block  of  Avood  3  or  4  times  a  day 
until  it  is  perfectly  hard.  It  will  be  found  to  be 
as  good,  if  not  better,  than  cement,  and  \vill  not 
crack  or  scale  off. 

FLOORS,  for  Basements. — In  the  prepara- 
tion for  laying  the  floor,  the  ground  underneath 
is  dug  out,  so  as  to  leave  what  is  termed  an  "air 
space"  between  it  and  the  joists.  The  airing  of 
the  under  side  of  the  floor  is  procured  at  the  ex- 
j>ense  of  the  comfort  of  the  upper  surface,  and 
consequently  of  that  of  the  house  itself;  for  the 
inch  flooring  is  but  shght  defence  against  the 
cold,  which  must  necessarily  find  its  way  be- 
neath. A  far  better  mode  of  flooring  basements, 
cottages,  dairies,  etc. ,  is  to  spread  on  the  ground 
a  bed  of  air-slacked  lime,  on  which  the  joists 
should  rest  and  be  sunk,  say  an  inch  or  two 
deep,  so  as  to  leave  no  chance  for  air  to  enter, 
and  at  the  same  time  effectually  keep  out  all  ver- 
min, as  they  will  not  attempt  to  burrow  in  lime. 
At  first  sight  this  seems  to  be  an  expensive  mode 
of  securing  comfort,  but  it  is  quite  the  contrary. 
Ten  bushels  of  lime  is  ample  for  a  square  of  10 
feet,  (100  square  feet,)  and  there  are  very  few 
localities  in  which  lime  is  not  cheap  and  plenty. 
Such  an  underlaying  of  lime  will  prove  a  most 
desirable  preservative  of  basement  floors,  and 
render  a  dwelling  sanitary,  warm  and  sound. 

GRA  VEL  COA^CRETE,  for  Houses.— TUs 
is  the  best  building  material  in  the  world. 
^Miere  gravel  is  abundant,  it  is  4  times  cheaper 
than  wood,  6  times  cheaper  than  stone,  and  im- 
mensely  superior  to  either.       Proportions  for 


mixing :  To  8  barrows  of  slacked  lime  well  del- 
uged with  water,  add  15  barrows  of  sand,  (do 
not  use  river  or  beach  sand,  as  I  have  observed 
this  will  absorb  damp  ; )  mix  these  to  a  creamy 
consistency,  and  then  add  60  barrows  of  coarse 
gravel,  which  must  be  worked  well  and  com- 
pletely. You  can  throw  stones  into  this  mixture 
of  any  shape  or  size,  to  9  or  10  inches  in  diam- 
eter. Form  moulds  for  the  walls  of  the  house 
by  fixing  boards  horizontally  against  upright 
standards,  which  must  be  immovably  braced,  so 
that  they  will  not  yield  to  the  immense  pressure 
of  the  material  as  it  settles  ;  set  the  standards  in 
pairs  around  the  building  where  the  walls  are  to 
stand,  from  6  to  8  feet  apart,  and  so  wide  that 
the  inner  space  shall  form  the  thickness  of  the 
wall.  Into  the  moulds  thus  formed  throw  the 
concrete  material  as  fast  as  you  choose,  and  the 
more  promiscuous  the  better.  In  a  short  time 
the  material  will  get  as  hard  as  the  solid  rock. 
If  the  gravel  is  free  of  dirt,  the  sand  also  clean, 
and  the  weather  dry,  the  walls  can  be  raised  one 
foot  each  day,  if  you  have  help  to  do  that  amount 
of  labor. 

Some  prefer  to  make  the  gravel  and  sand  into 
mortar  and  press  it  into  bricks,  and  then  lay  into 
walls ;  but  the  wall  must  be  stronger  if  laid  up 
solid  in  board  frames  made  to  raise  up  as  re- 
quired. 

Many  persons  argue  for  the  eight-square  or 
octagon  house  ;  but  I  like  the  square  form  much 
the  best,  carrying  up  the  hall  and  main  partition 
walls  of  the  same  material.  The  eight-square 
house  looks  like  an  old  fort  or  water-tank,  and  is 
very  expensive  to  finish,  costing  much  more 
than  the  same  room  with  square  angles  ;  for  me- 
chanics cannot  put  up  cornices,  outside  or  inside,  ' 
in  less  than  double  the  time  required  for  making 
the  common  square  mitre. 

HOUSES,  IVhen  to  Pa /«/.— Repeated  ex- 
periments prove  that  paint  applied  between  No- 
vember and  March  will  last  twice  as  long  as  that 
applied  in  warm  weather.  The  reason  is  tliat  in 
cold  weather  the  component  parts  of  the  paint 
form  a  hard  substance  on  the  surface,  as  hard  al- 
most as  glass.  But  in  warm  weather  the  oil 
penetrates  the  boards,  and  the  paint  soon  wears 
off". 

HOUSES,  Choice  of  Color  for.— Tht  choice 
of  color  for  country  houses  requires  the  exercise 
of  taste,  judgment,  and  an  eye  for  harmonious 
combinations.  It  is  laid  down  as  a  rule  by  Cal- 
vert Vaux,  that  every  building  requires  four  tints 
to  make  it  a  pleasant  object  in  the  way  of  color. 
"The  main  walls,"  he  remarks,  "should  be  of 
some  agreeable  shade  of  color,  the  roof-trim- 
mings, verandas,  and  other  wood-work,  being 
either  of  a  different  color,  or  of  a  different  shade 
of  the  same  color,  so  that  a  contrast,  but  not  a 
sharp  one,  may  be  established — a  third  and 
fourth  color,  not  widely  different  from  the  other 
wood- work,  should  be  applied  to  the  windows, 
blinds,  etc." 

The  greatest  defect  in  the  generality  of  coira- 
try  buildings  is  the  too  frequent  use  of  white. 
Another  most  decidedly  objectionable  color  is 
unmodified  red,  or  those  brown-stone  tints,  ap- 
proaching to  chocolate  color,  which  are  so  fre- 
quently used  in  the  construction  of  town  dwell- 
ings. 

The  simplest  practical  rule  in  the  painting  of 
houses,  is  to  choose  paint  of  some  neutral  tint 
that  is  quiet  and  satisfactory,  and  let  the  facings 


28 


DICTIONARY   OF   EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


of  the  windows,  cornices,  etc.,  be  painted  sev- 
eral shades  darker  of  the  same  color. 

LIGHTNING  RODS,  Haw  to  Erect— I. 
The  rod  should  consist  of  round  iron  of  about  I 
inch  in  diameter ;  its  parts,  throughout  its  whole 
length,  should  be  in  perfect  metallic  continuity, 
by  being  secured  together  by  coupling  ferrules. — 
2.  To  secure  it  from  rust  the  rod  should  be 
coated  with  black  paint,  itself  a  good  conductor. 
— 3.  It  should  terminate  in  a  single  platinum 
point. — ^4.  The  shorter  and  more  direct  the 
course  of  the  rod  to  the  earth  the  better ;  bend- 
ings  should  be  rounded,  av.d  not  formed  in  acute 
angles. — 5.  It  should  be  fastened  to  the  building 
by  iron  eyes,  and  may  be  insulated  from  these 
by  cylinders  of  glass,  (I  do  not,  however,  con- 
sider the  latter  of  much  importance.) — 6.  The 
rod  should  be  connected  with  the  earth  in  the 
most  perfect  manner  possible,  and  nothing  is 
better  for  this  purpose  than  to  place  it  in  metal- 
lic contact  with  the  gas  pipes,  or,  better,  the  wa- 
ter pipes,  of  the  city.  This  connection  may  be 
made  by  a  ribbon  of  copper  or  iron  soldered  to 
the  end  of  the  rod  at  one  of  its  extremities,  and 
wrapped  around  the  pipe  at  the  other.  If  a  con- 
nection of  this  kind  is  impracticable,  the  rod 
should  be  condnued  horizontally  to  the  nearest 
well,  and  then  turned  vertically  downward  until 
the  end  enters  the  water  as  deep  as  its  lowest 
level.  The  horizontal  part  of  the  rod  may  be 
buried  in  a  stratum  of  powdered  charcoal  and 
ashes.  The  rod  should  be  placed,  in  preference, 
on  the  west  side  of  the  building.  A  rod  of  this 
kind  may  be  put  up  by  an  ordinary  blacksmith. 
The  rod  in  question  is  in  accordance  with  our 
latest  knowledge  of  all  the  facts  of  electricity. 
Attempted  improvements  on  it  are  worthless, 
and,  as  a  general  thing,  are  proposed  by  those 
who  are  but  slightly  acquainted  with  the  subject. 

LIME,  to  Burn,  Without  a  Kiln. — Make  a 
pyramidal  heap  of  large  lime  stones,  with  arched 
furnace  next  the  ground  for  putting  in  the  fuel, 
leaving  a  narrow  vent  or  funnel  at  the  top ;  now 
cover  over  the  whole  pile  with  earth  and  turf,  in 
the  way  that  charcoal  heaps  are  covered,  and  put 
in  the  fire.  The  heat  will  be  more  completely 
diffused  through  the  pile  if  the  aperture  in  the 
top  is  partially  closed.  This  produces  a  superior 
article  of  lime. 

AfORTAR.—hiwch  of  the  mortar  used  in 
building  is  said  to  be  imperfectly  made.  Four 
parts  coarse  and  three  parts  fine  sand,  with  one 
part  of  quick-lime,  well  mixed  with  but  little 
water,  makes  mortar  which  soon  becomes  as 
hard  as  adamant ;  resisting  all  atmospheric  action 
as  durably  as  the  material  it  unites  ;  and  with  the 
addition  of  a  portion  of  manganese,  it  will  harden 
under  water. 

MORTAR,  HYDRAULIC— kn  ^a.sy  way 
of  making  hydraulic  mortar  out  of  ordinary  lime 
consists  in  adding  to  burned  lime  as  much  water 
as  it  will  take  up  without  becoming  pasty,  and 
allowing  it  to  stand  in  heaps  for  8  days,  and 
swell  up.  It  is  then  passed  through  a  wire 
sieve  with  meshes  about  the  fifteenth  of  an  inch 
in  diameter,  for  the  purpose  of  separating  the 
hard  particles.  The  residuum  of  preceding  sift- 
ings,  that  have  been  exposed  to  water  or  moist 
air,  are  to  be  rubbed  up  and  added  to  the  mass, 
the  whole  to  be  well  mixed  together  and  then 
piled  up  in  heaps,  protected  from  rain,  till 
needed.  It  may  be  preserved  thus  for  years, 
ready  for  use  at  any  moment. 


PARTITIONS. — There  is  nothing  so  con- 
cerns the  actual  strength  of  a  house,  internally, 
as  those  division  walls  which  are  called  ' '  parti- 
tions." They  relieve  the  external  walls  of  much 
of  their  burden,  and,  more  than  that,  they  act  as 
braces  or  binders  for  the  whole  skeleton  of  the 
house.  Even  the  roof  is  dependent  in  a  very 
great  degree  on  these  partitions,  as  it  is  owing  to 
their  presence  and  strength  that  the  general  con- 
struction of  a  dwelling  is  more  or  less  strong. 

In  view  of  permanency,  partitions  should  al- 
ways be  well  braced,  and  the  braces  so  disposed 
as  to  throw  the  superincumbent  weight  naturally 
toward  the  walls.  This  office  of  the  brace  is  one 
on  which  its  utility  chiefly  depends.  Economy 
is  a  reason  for  the  employment  of  the  brace  in 
parts  of  Europe,  and  in  all  countries  where  labor 
is  scarce  and  dear;  for  it  affords  a  chance  to  use 
up  stuff  that  might  otherwise  be  wasted.  Par- 
titions, after  being  put  up,  should  be  suffered  to 
remain  exposed  for  a  sufficient  time  to  the  action 
of  the  atmosphere  to  give  a  chance  for  shrinkage 
before  lathing  and  plastering  on  them.  The 
shrinkage  of  the  joists  on  each  floor,  though  but 
one-eighth  of  an  inch,  is  considerably  increased 
in  the  partition  up  through  the  house,  where  the 
joists  lie  on  the  partition-heads  ;  for  one-eighth 
of  an  inch  on  the  ground  floor  makes  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  on  the  next  floor,  and  so  on  in  the  same 
multiplying  ratio  ;  for  this  reason  some  builders 
have  considered  it  more  advisable  that  partitions 
should  have  no  sills,  but  the  studs  be  carried 
down  between  the  joists,  and  framed  into  the 
head  of  the  partition  immediately  below.  Al- 
though this  is  correct  in  theory,  nevertheless  the 
sill  is  advantageous  as  making  the  partition  much 
stronger.  This,  with  bridging,  is  apt  to  make 
strong  partitions.  Where  a  partition  is  to  be 
framed  so  as  to  have  a  door  leading  from  the 
stairs  into  the  drawing-room,  and  also  with  fold- 
ing or  sliding  doors  between  the  front  and  back 
parlors,  or  other  rooms,  the  head  of  the  parti- 
tion in  this  case  should  be  well  trussed  with  oak, 
having  a  straining  beam  in  the  middle,  two 
queen  posts,  and  two  braces,  with  lead  at  the 
abutment  joints ;  these  pieces  are  then  to  be 
forced  together  with  bench  screws,  and  kept  in 
their  places  by  wedges  passing  through  the  aux- 
iliary heads. 

Some  authorities  think  that  all  plates  and 
cross-ties  of  such  partitions  should  be  made  to 
camber  very  considerably,  the  curve  gradually 
increasing  as  the  stories  ascend;  and  all  the 
floors,  ceilings  and  door-heads  should  conform 
to  this  camber,  which  should  not  be  less  than 
half  an  inch  on  ihe  first  floor,  and  an  inch  on  the 
second  floor,  and  an  inch  and  a  half  on  the  third 
floor,  and  so  on  in  proportion.  If  this  precau- 
tion be  not  taken,  in  less  than  two  years  (think 
those  authorities)  the  floors  and  ceilings  must 
fall  out  of  level  at  their  centres,  as  much  both 
from  the  shrinkage  of  the  timber  as  from  the 
strain  upon  it  from  burden.  The  door-jambs 
fixed  in  such  partitions  invariably  strain  out  of 
square  at  their  angles,  more  or  less,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  dryness  of  the  timber,  the  skill  exer- 
cised in  trussing  the  work,  and  the  degree  of 
burden  cast  on  the  partition.  Therefore  all  such 
jambs  should  have  their  heads  fixed  somewhat 
out  of  level,  so  as  to  settle  permanently  to  a  cor- 
rect square  form,  instead  of^  being  level,  so  as  to 
settle  permanently  out  of  square.  In  general, 
plates  immediately  above  the  floors  should  be 


CARPENTER   AND   BUILDER. 


29 


omitted,  as  the  more  horizontal  timber  there  is, 
tlie  more  shrinkage  there  will  be,  and  conse- 
quently the  more  settlement ;  and  as  such  plates 
mostly  require  to  be  cut  through  for  doorways, 
they  are  rarely  of  use  as  ties  to  the  work.  Un- 
der each  end  of  each  truss  a  granite  or  any  hard 
stone  templet,  3  or  4  feet  long,  should  be  set ; 
these  should  be  strongest  and  longest  where  the 
trusses  act  with  most  energ)'. 

It  may  be  added  to  this,  that  in  many  houses, 
as  at  present  built,  the  shakiness  of  all  the  floors 
is  caused  by  the  cellar  having  no  partitions,  al- 
though its  ceiling  supports  all  the  partitions  and 
staircases  of  the  whole  house.  We  have  often 
corrected  this  entirely  by  placing  cross-beams 
and  props  in  the  cellar  under  the  beams  support- 
ing the  partitions,  and,  as  nearly  as  possible,  ex- 
actly under  the  partitions  and  staircases  them- 
selves, and  by  wedging  these  props  up  till  they 
had  raised  the  beams  one-half  or  one  whole 
inch,  and  even  more,  if  necessary.  Floors 
■which  were  so  shaky  before  that  they  vibrated 
at  every  step,  may  sometimes  be  made  solid  and 
firm  in  this  way.  Of  course,  the  effectiveness 
of  the  remedy  depends  a  great  deal  on  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  house  was  originally  built. 

PLASTERING,  Walls  and  Ceilings.— Pzr- 
ticular  care  should  be  used  in  selection  as  to  the 
strength  and  length  of  the  hair  to  be  used  in  the 
plaster  for  ceilings,  and  also  as  to  the  substance 
of  the  laths,  which  should  in  all  cases  be  double. 
The  plaster  should  be  laid  on  with  the  minimum 
of  thickness,  a  point  much  neglected. 

With  regard  to  the  quality  of  the  sand,  it  can- 
not be  too  good.  Sand  is  apt  to  make  the  plas- 
ter too  "  short"  only  when  there  has  been  too 
much  employed,  and  that  with  weak  chalk-lime. 
It  is  impossible  that  the  admixture  of  loamy 
earth  in  any  proportion  can  benefit  any  descrip- 
tiDU  of  mortar  or  plaster,  and  therefore  clean 
grit  must  be  preferable  to  either  pit  or  road 
sand,  for  loam  in  any  shape  is  detrimental  in 
proportion  to  its  amount. 

One  word  with  regard  to  a  possible  substitute 
for  hair,  as  hair  is  becoming  every  day  more  dif- 
ficult to  obtain.  In  the  pulling  down  of  portions 
of  old  work  for  the  reparation  of  the  Lollards' 
Tower  at  Lambeth  lately,  some  plaster  of  re- 
markable hardness  was  found ;  it  was  far  supe- 
rior to  any  of  the  rest,  and  upon  examination 
■was  discovered  to  have  been  mixed  with  chopped 
rye-straw  (recognized  by  several  of  the  heads 
■which  had  been  mixed  up)  instead  of  hair.     This 

Elaster  was  wonderfully  sound  and  firm.  Possi- 
ly  other  descriptions  of  straw  might  be  found 
equally  suitable  for  the  purpose,  and  at  any  rate 
it  would  be  quite  ■worth  while  making  some  ex- 
periments on  this  subject 

Having  obtained  a  really  good  plaster  to  work 
•with,  it  is  much  to  be  wished  that  it  might  be 
applied  in  a  somewhat  more  solid  and  durable 
manner  than  is  usual,  and  that  instead  of  flimsy 
laths  nailed  under  the  joists  or  on  each  side  of 
partitions  to  receive  it,  short  pieces  of  wood 
were  fixed  in  between  the  joists  or  quarters,  and 
the  plaster  trowelled  on  from  front  and  back,  so 
as  completely  to  envelope  these  pieces  of  wood. 
By  this  means  the  plastering  on  partitions  and 
ceilings  would  not  be  merely  suspended  coats, 
but  integral  portions  of  the  structure,  which, 
when  dry,  would  become  almost  imperishable 
and  incombustible.  Thus,  instead  of  being 
flimsy,  ill-connected  things,  inviting  fire  to  de- 


stroy them,  and  the  means  of  conducting  that 
destroying  element  to  all  the  other  portions  of 
the  building,  they  would  be,  as  it  were,  thin 
vertical  or  horizontal  shields  to  prevent  fire  from 
spreading  and  touching  the  timbers. 

PLASTER  ORNAMENTS,  Composition 
for, — Molds  for  casting  plaster  ornaments  for 
ceilings  maybe  made  of  a  composition  composed 
in  the  following  proportion  :  Rosin,  3^  of  a  lb. ; 
tallow,  ^  a  lb. ;  beeswax,  6  oz.  The  object  to 
be  copied  is  first  oiled,  and  this  composition 
poured  upon  it  until  there  is  enough  when  cooled 
to  make  a  strong  mold.  Or  a  mold  can  be  made 
from  plaster-of- Paris  itself,  by  pouring  it  upon 
the  object  to  be  copied.  If  the  latter  be  wood 
or  metal  it  should  be  well  oiled,  but  if  it  is  also 
made  of  plaster-of-Paris  it  should  be  moistened 
with  water,  but  no  drops  must  stand  on  it.  The 
plaster-of-Paris  may  be  colored,  while  being 
mixed,  with  oxide  of  copper  (dissolved)  for 
blue  ;  with  ashes  for  pearl  gray  ;  with  the  vari- 
ous ochres  for  red,  yellow  and  green.  Red  and 
yellow  oxides  of  lead  are  used  for  red  and  yel- 
low colors.  Real  mastic  is  made  of  say  14  parts, 
by  measure,  of  clean,  sharp  sand ;  14  parts,  by 
measure,  of  pulverized  limestone  or  marble  dust; 
of  litharge  one-fourteenth  in  weight  of  the  united 
weights  of  the  sand  and  stone,  and  one-seventh 
of  the  whole  weight  of  the  three  in  linseed  oil. 
The  sand,  marble  dust,  or  limestone  powder,  are 
well  dried  before  mixing.  Then  mixed  into  a 
mortar  or  plaster  and  applied  to  an  oiled  sur- 
face. 

ROOTS,  Composition  for. — Take  I  measure 
of  fine  sand,  2  of  sifted  wood-ashes,  and  3  of 
lime,  ground  up  with  oil.  Mix  thoroughly,  and 
lay  on  with  a  painter's  brush,  first  a  thin  coat 
and  then  a  thick  one.  Tliis  composition  is  not 
only  cheap,  but  it  strongly  resists  fire. 

ROOFING,  A  Cheap.— Y\x%\.  cover  the  roof 
with  ordinary  tongued  and  grooved  floor-boards, 
the  same  as  you  would  lay  a  floor ;  then  take 
roofing-paper,  to  be  obtained  in  any  large  town 
or  city,  and  cover  the  boards  with  that,  to  be 
laid  on  as  shingles  are  laid,  to  lap  over  each 
sheet  about  an  inch,  and  fastened  down  with 
large  tacks.  Over  the  paper  spread  raw  tar. 
Raw  tar  is  that  which  is  not  heated  to  render  it 
thicker.  It  can  be  spread  with  a  trowel  made 
of  a  shingle,  about  the  sixteenth  of  an  inch 
deep.  Next  take  a  sieve,  fill  it  with  sand,  and 
sprinkle  as  much  over  the  tar  as  it  will  absorb, 
sifting  on  the  sand  as  each  course  of  tar  is  laid 
on,  beginning  on  the  upper  side  of  the  roof, 
about  half  an  inch  thick. 

Such  a  roof  should  have  a  slight  descent — say 
I  foot  in  12,  more  or  less ;  and  the  tar  should 
be  laid  on  when  the  heat  of  the  sun  will  not 
cause  it  to  run  out  of  its  place  before  the  sand  is 
put  on  it. 

A  mortar  made  of  tar  and  sand,  like  a  thick 
paste,  will  stop  any  leaks  in  roofs,  especially 
around  chimneys,  that  can  be  covered  by  it. 

ROOFS  OF  TIN— Tot  a  flat  roof,  tin  is, 
beyond  question,  the  most  economical  covering 
that  can  be  applied.  If  not  neglected,  it  is  ab- 
solutely indestructible  by  external  influences, 
and  will  last  a  hundred  years,  in  as  good  condi- 
tion as  when  first  laid  on,  if  kept  well  painted. 
Tin  on  a  house-top  should  be  well  painted  once 
in  4  years. 

For  roofs,  light,  cool  colors  are  preferable,  be- 
cause they  reflect  the  warm  rays  of  light,  and 


30 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


thereby  lessen  the  expansion  and  contraction  of 
the  metal,  and  the  shrinking  of  the  boards  un- 
derneath, and  so  lessen  the  liability  of  the  tin  to 
crack  in  the  seams.  The  temperature  of  attic 
rooms  in  summer  will  be  materially  lower  if  the 
roof  be  painted  with  a  light  rather  than  with  a 
dark  color. 

The  writer  has  learned,  from  long  experience, 
that  the  finest  French  ochre  is  the  most  econom- 
ical pigment  that  can  be  used  for  that  purpose. 
If,  as  is  sometimes  the  case  in  country  houses, 
where  the  roof  is  a  conspicuous  object  in  the  ar- 
chitecture of  the  building,  a  dark  color  be  indis- 
pensable, the  use  of  pure  Venetian  red,  dark- 
ened with  lamp-black,  is  recommended  as  the 
most  durable  and  economical.  If,  by  some  pro- 
cess, the  oil  used  in  roof-painting  could  be  pre- 
vented from  becoming  hard  and  brittle,  it  would 
be  a  great  gain. 

The  poorest  oil-paint,  however,  is  better  than 
neglect ;  and  the  best  economy  consists  in  keep- 
ing tin  entirely  and  thoroughly  protected  from 
tlie  corroding  influence  of  dampness.  Old  paint, 
which  has  become  "  fatty"  from  exposure  to  the 
atmosphere,  is  better  than  new  for  roof-painting. 
Not  a  drop  of  turpentine  should  be  used  for 
such  work. 

ROOFS  OF  THATCH,  How  to  Make.— 
Rye  or  wheat  straw  only  should  be  used,  and 
must  be  carefully  threshed  with  a  flail  to  leave 
the  straws  unbroken.  Bind  in  bundles,  distrib- 
uting the  butts  of  the  straws  equally  to  each  end 
of  the  bundle.  A  good  roof  cannot  be  made  if 
the  straws  all  lie  one  way.  It  was  always  cus- 
tomary to  make  the  band  three  feet  long,  as  this 
gave  a  bundle  of  convenient  size  for  handling. 
In  a  dry  time  we  sat  the  bundles  on  end  and 
threw  water  upon  them  a  day  or  two  before  we 
used  them. 

The  rafters  are  placed  in  the  usual  way,  and 
crossed  by  slats  two  by  two,  nailed  14  inches 
apart,  though  12  inches  will  do  equally  well. 

Begin  at  the  eaves  and  lay  a  row  of  bundles 
across.  Have  an  iron  needle  18  inches  long  pre- 
pared and  threaded  with  oakum  8  feet  long. 
Fasten  the  thread  to  the  slat  and  pass  the  needle 
through  the  bundle  to  a  boy  stationed  under  the 
rafters,  making  3  to  4  stitches  to  the  bundle. 
The  boy  draws  the  cord  up  tight,  and  passes  the 
needle  up  through  again,  but  on  the  other  side 
of  the  slat.  By  this  means  the  first  course  is 
sewed  on.  Succeeding  courses  are  treated  in  the 
same  way,  being  laid  so  as  to  overlap  the  stitch- 
ing. Lay  the  heaviest  row  of  straw  at  the  eaves 
to  make  it  look  well.  When  you  come  to  the 
ridge,  fold  the  tops  of  the  straw  over  until  you 
bring  up  the  other  side,  then  get  some  thin 
sods,  10  by  14  inches,  and  lyi,  inches  thick,  and 
lay  them  neatly  upon  the  top,  using  a  small 
piece  of  board  to  clap  them  all  slick  and  smooth. 
Boards  put  on  like  ordinary  ridge  boards  will  do 
instead  of  sods,  if  preferred.  • 

Get  the  point  of  an  old  scythe,  about  18  inches 
long ;  attach  a  handle,  so  that  it  will  be  like  a 
long  knife,  and  with  it  "switch  down"  the  roof 
all  over,  to  carry  off  all  the  loose  straws,  and 
ti-im  the  others  off  smooth.  If  well  done,  the 
roof  will  be  as  smooth  as  a  board.  Stretch  a 
cord  along  the  eaves  the  whole  length  of  the 
building,  and  trim  off  straight  by  it,  leaving  the 
outside  a  little  lower  than  the  inside,  which  will 
prevent  its  looking  thick  and  heavy. 

A  roof  made  in  this  way  will  not  be  injured 


by  wind  or  rain,  and  it  will  last  from  25  to  30 
years. 

SCREWS  in  Soft  Wood. — Screws,  when 
subject  to  strain,  are  apt  to  work  loose  in  soft 
wood,  and  the  screw-hole  should  be  first  filled 
with  thick  glue.  '  If  no  glue  is  handy,  pui  pow- 
dered rosin  around  the  hole,  and  heat  tlie  screw 
before  driving. 

SHINGLES,  To  Prevent  Decay  of.— The 
following  is  said  to  effectually  prevent  the  decay 
of  shingles  :  Take  a  potash  kettle,  or  large  tub, 
and  put  into  it  1  barrel  of  lye  of  wood  ashes,  5 
lbs.  of  white  vitriol,  5  lbs.  of  alum,  and  as  much 
salt  as  will  dissolve  in  the  mixture.  Wake  the 
liquor  quite  warm,  and  put  as  many  shingles  in 
it  as  can  be  conveniently  wet  at  once.  Stir  them 
up  with  a  fork,  and,  when  well  soaked,  take 
them  out  and  put  in  more,  renewing  the  liquor 
as  necessary.  Then  lay  the  shingles  in  the  usual 
manner.  After  they  are  laid,  take  the  liquor 
that  was  left,  put  lime  enough  into  it  to  make 
whitewash,  and,  if  any  coloring  is  desirable,  add 
ochre,  Spanish  brown,  lamp-black,  etc.,  and  ap- 
ply to  the  roof  with  a  brush  or  an  old  broom. 
This  wash  may  be  renewed  from  time  to  time. 
Salt  and  lye  are  excellent  preservatives  of  wood. 
It  is  well  known  that  leach  tubs,  troughs,  and 
other  articles  used  in  the  manufacture  of  potash, 
never  rot.  They  become  saturated  with  the  al- 
kali, turn  yellowish  inside,  and  remain  impervi- 
ous to  the  weather. 

SHINGLES,  Fire-proof  Wash  for.— A  wash 
composed  of  lime,  salt,  and  fine  sand  or  wood 
ashes,  put  oh  in  the  ordinary  way  of  whitewas^h- 
ing,  renders  the  roof  50  per  cent,  more  secure 
against  taking  fire  from  falling  cinders,  in  case 
of  fire  in  the  vicinity.  It  pays  the  expense  a 
hundred  fold  in  its  preserving  influence  against 
the  effects  of  the  weather.  1  he  older  and  more 
weather-beaten  the  shingles,  the  more  benefit 
derived.  Such  shingles  generally  become  more 
or  less  warped,  rough  and  cracked;  the  applica- 
tion of  the  wash,  by  wetting  the  upper  surface, 
restores  them  at  once  to  their  original  or  first 
form,  thereby  closing  up  the  space  between  the 
shingles,  and  the  lime  and  sand,  by  filling  up  the 
cracks  and  pores  in  the  shingle  itself,  prevents 
its  warping. 

STONE,  Artificial. — The  new  process,  ac- 
cording to  the  method  of  Sorel,  of  making  arti- 
ficial stone,  consists  in  mixing  magnesia  cement 
with  suitable  material ;  with  sand  it  gives  brick  j 
with  flint,  whet-stones  and  oil-stones;  with  ka- 
olin, ornaments  of  all  kinds,  statuettes,  etc.  ; 
with  sawdust  it  gives  a  good  material  for  cover- 
ing floors ;  with  carbonate  of  lime  imitations  of 
marble. 

The  cement  is  applied  in  a  liquid  form,  and 
the  mass  sets  in  a  few  hours.  The  magnesia 
must  be  carefully  calcined  and  the  materials  well 
mixed. 

STONE,  Preseming  the  Surface  of. — The  use 
of  oil  for  this  purpose  is  not  only  difficult  of  ap- 
plication, but,  perishable  as  it  is,  it  would  quickly 
change  its  nature,  oxidize,  ard  thicken,  until  it 
attracted  the  floating  impurities  in  the  atmos- 
phere, and  would  only  conceal  the  hastening 
work  of  decay.  A  new  method,  devised  by  Mr. 
F.  Ransome,  aflTords  a  rapid  and  eiTectual  means 
of  successfully  preserving  the  stone,  hitherto  a 
thing  never  accomplished.  It  consists  in  the 
successive  application  ■  of  three  solutions — the 
first  containing  soluble  phosphate  of  lime ;  the 


CARPENTER    AND    BUILDER. 


31 


second,  baryta ;  and  die  third,  a  solution  of  sili- 
cate of  potash,  rendered  neutral  by  the  late  Pro- 
fessor Graham's  well-known  process  of  dialysis. 
These  solutions  successively  applied  combine, 
and  form  an  insoluble  and  imperishable  mineral 
compound,  which  effectually  resists  the  action  of 
the  atmosphere,  and,  by  indurating  the  stone, 
at  once  arrests  its  disintegration.  I'he  extensive 
experience  which  has  been  gained  by  the  adop- 
tion of  this  method  places  it  far  beyond  the  re- 
gion of  experiment,  and  justifies  its  recommend- 
ation under  nearly  all  circumstances. 

TOOLS,  To  Preserve  from  Rust. — A  coating 
of  3  parts  lard  and  i  part  resin,  applied  to  tools 
of  iron  or  steel,  will  effectually  prevent  rust. 

TOOLS,  Art  of  Grinding. — More  than  one- 
half  of  all  the  wear  and  tear,  and  breakage  and 
bother  of  dull  tools  comes  from  a  lack  of  proper 
knowledge  and  practice  in  grinding.  All  steel, 
however  refined,  is  composed  of  individual  fibres 
laid  lengthways  in  the  bar,  held  firmly  together 
by  cohesion  ;  and  in  almost  all  farm  implements 
of  the  cutting  kind  the  steel  portion  which  forms 
the  edge,  if  from  a  section  of  a  bar,  is  laid  in 
welded  to  the  bar  longitudinally,  so  that  it  is  the 
side  of  the  bundle  of  fibres  hammered  and 
ground  down  that  forms  the  edge.  Hence,  by 
holding  on  the  grindstone  all  edge-tools,  as  axes, 
drawing-knives,  knives  of  reapers,  scythes, 
knives  of  straw-cutters,  etc.,  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  action  of  the  stone  is  at  right  angles 
with  the  plane  of  the  edge,  or,  in  plainer  words, 
by  holding  the  edge  of  the  tools  square  across 
the  stone,  the  direction  of  the  fibres  will  be 
changed,  so  as  to  present  the  ends  instead  of  the 
side  as  a  cutting  edge.  By  grinding  in  this  man- 
ner a  finer,  smoother  edge  is  set,  the  tool  is 
ground  in  less  time,  holds  an  edge  a  great  deal 
longer,  and  is  far  less  liable  to  nick  out  and  to 
break. 

Plane  irons  should  be  ground  to  a  bevel  of 
about  35  degrees — chisels  and  gouges  to  30. 
Turning-chisels  may  sometimes  run  to  an  angle 
of  45.  Molding  tools,  such  as  are  used  for 
ivory  and  for  very  hard  wood,  are  made  at  from 
50  to  60  degrees.  Tools  for  working  iron  and 
steel  are  beveled  at  an  inclination  to  the  edge  of 
from  60  to  70  degrees,  and  for  cutting  gun  and 
similar  metal  range  from  80  to  90. 

WINDOIV  SASHES,  to  Prevefit  Rattling. 
— ^The  unwelcome  music  of  rattling  windows 
will  often  arouse  and  electrify  nervous  and  timor- 
ous persons  quite  as  effectually  as  if  a  band  of 
burglars  were  making  an  entrance  into  the  dwell- 
ing. 

The  remedy  is  by  no  means  difficult  or  expen- 
sive. Let  the  sashes  be  taken  out  of  the  window 
frames,  and  every  part  of  the  window  examined. 
If  the  jamb-casings  have  been  sprung,  or  are 
warped  and  twisted,  the  first  step  will  be  to  re- 
move the  stops  and  straighten  the  face  of  the 
casings,  which  may  be  done  more  conveniently 
with  a  large  rabbet;  plane  and  a  smoothing 
plane. 

In  case  the  sashes  should  be  much  too  naiTow 
for  the  frame,  let  one  edge  be  dressed  off  true, 
and  a  thin  strip  fitted  neatly  and  glued  and  nailed 
to  the  edge  of  one  stile.  See  that  the  outside 
edge  of  such  stile  is  not  tapering,  even  by  the 
thickness  of  a  heavy  shaving.  "When  the  stiles 
are  tapering  only  a  trifle,  the  sashes  cannot  be 
moved  up  and  do-wn  easily.  Now  put  the  upper 
sash  in  its  place,  and  fasten  the  central  stop  with 


two  or  three  long,  slender  wood-screws,  after 
which  remove  the  outside  stops,  and  place  them 
so  closely  to  the  stiles  of  the  sash  that  the  win- 
dow will  not  rattle.  Then  let  the  stops  be  se- 
cured on  the  inside  so  closely  to  the  stiles  of  the 
sash  that  it  will  move  up  and  down  easily,  with- 
out having  so  much  play  that  the  wind  will  rat- 
tle it.  When  ^he  sashes  have  been  fitted  as  di- 
rected, there  will  be  no  more  need  of  "  weather 
strips"  of  any  kind  to  exclude  dust  and  cold  air, 
and  the  expense  of  refitting  a  window  as  directed 
will  be  much  less  than  the  cost  of  weather 
strips.  '^ 

WOOD,  to  Prroent  Decay  in. — To  prevent 
the  common  occurrence  of  decay  in  wood,  take 
20  parts  of  resin,  46  parts  of  finely-powdered 
chalk,  some  hard  sand,  a  little  linseed  oil  and 
sulphuric  acid ;  mix  all  together,  and  boil  for  a 
short  time.  This  composition,  if  applied  while 
hot,  forms  a  kind  of  varnish,  thereby  preserving 
the  wood. 

WOOD,  SamueVs  Method  of  Presetving. — 
The  wood  to  be  operated  upon  is  first  placed  in 
an  air-tight  cylinder  and  thoroughly  steamed,  in 
order  to  vaporize  the  sap  in  the  wood ;  the  air 
is  then  withdrawn  from  the  cylinder,  by  means 
of  an  air  pump,  until  a  perfect  vacuum,  or  nearly 
so,  is  created,  which  opens  and  frees  the  pores 
in  the  wood,  when  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  iron 
is  forced  into  the  cylinder,  under  a  pressure  of 
175  lbs.  to  the  inch,  which  forces  the  solution 
through  the  pores.  This  pressure  is  kept  up  for 
half  an  hour,  giving  the  solution  time  to  perco- 
late or  permeate  every  portion  of  the  wood,  when 
a  solution  of  carbonate  of  lime  is  forced  into  the 
cylinder,  which  has  the  effect  to  precipitate  the 
iron,  and  in  this  manner  forming  a  sulphate 
of  lime,  thus  coating  or  filling  all  the  minute 
cells  of  the  wood  with  a  mixture  of  oxide  of  iron 
and  sulphate  of  lime.  The  wood  is  then  thor- 
oughly cleansed  and  dried,  when  it  is  found  to 
have  attained  an  extraordinary  degree  of  tough- 
ness, and  capable  of  receiving  a  beautiful  polish, 
besides  being  rendered  completely  impervious  to 
rot  of  any  kind,  and  impenetrable  to  insects. 

WOOD,  Stofie  Coating  for. — ^40  parts  of 
chalk,  50  of  resin,  and  4  of  linseed  oil,  melted 
together  ;  to  this  should  be  added  I  part  of  oxide 
of  copper,  and  afterward  I  part  of  sulphuric 
acid.  This  last  ingredient  must  be  added  circ- 
fully.  The  mixture,  while  hot,  is  applied  with  a 
brush. 

WOOD,  to  Render  Incombustible. — Many 
conflagrations  might  be  prevented,  and  much 
property  saved,  by  rendering  the  w'ood  work  of 
houses  secure  against  ignition.  This  can  be 
done  at  an  insignificant  cost,  and  with  little 
trouble.  Perfect  immunity  is  secured  by  saturat- 
ing the  wood-work  with  a  very  delicate  solution 
of  silicate  of  potash,  as  nearly  neutral  as  possi- 
ble, and  when  this  has  dried,  applying  one  or 
two  coats  of  a  stronger  solution.  Another 
method  is  to  simply  impregnate  the  wood  with 
a  concentrated  solution  of  rock  salt.  Water- 
glass  will  act  as  well,  but  it  is  expensive.  The 
salt  also  renders  the  wood  proof  against  dry  rot 
and  the  ravages  of  insects.  Another  method  is 
to  immerse  the  wood  in  a  saturated  solution  of 
borax,  heat  being  gradually  applied  until  the,  so- 
lution reaches  212"  Fahrenheit,  and  is  then  left 
for  10  or  12  hours,  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  wood  and  size  of  the  planks. 

WOOD,  to  Projent  its  Cracking. — Wooden 


32 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


stop-cocks,  and  other  objects  of  wood,  are  liable  i  its  point  of  congelation,  and  remove  the  wood 
to  crack.  To  prevent  this  lay  them  in  a  bath  of  I  and  wipe  off  the  adhering  wax.  Objects  treated 
fused  paraffine  heated  to  212'  Fahrenheit,  and  |  in  this  way  are  not  likely  to  crack.  The  process 
leave  them  as  long  as  bubbles  of  air  are  given  could  be  used  advantageously  for  inlaid  woods 
off.     Then  allow  the  paraffine  to  cool  down  to  j  and  fine  furniture. 


CEMENTS,     GLUES    AND     PASTES. 


CEMENTS. 

APPLYING  CEMENTS,  Manner  of— QmiQ 
as  much  depends  upon  the  manner  in  which  a 
cement  is  applied  as  upon  the  cement  itself. 
The  best  cement  that  was  ever  compounded 
would  prove  entirely  worthless  if  improperly  ap- 
plied. Good  common  glue  will  unite  two  pieces 
of  wood  so  firmly  that  the  fibres  will  part  from 
each  other  rather  than  from  the  cementing  ma- 
terial. Two  pieces  of  glass  can  be  so  joined 
that  they  will  part  anywhere  rather  than  on  the 
line  of  union.  Glass  can  be  united  to  metal,  or 
metal  to  metal,  or  stone  to  stone,  and  all  so 
strongly  that  the  joint  will  certainly  not  be  the 
weakest  part  of  the  resulting  mass.  The  rules 
to  be  observed  to  effect  this  are:  i.  Tlie  cement 
itself  is  to  be  brought  into  intimate  contact  with 
the  surface  to  be  united.  The  obstacles  to  this 
junction  are  air  and  dirt.  The  former  is  univer- 
sally present ;  the  latter  is  due  to  accident  or 
carelessness.  Unless  the  adhering  layer  of  air 
is  displaced,  the  cement  cannot  adhere  to  the 
surface  to  which  it  is  applied,  simply  because  it 
cannot  come  in  contact  with  it.  The  most  effi- 
cient agent  in  displacing  air  is  heat.  Therefore, 
the  two  surfaces  to  be  joined  are  to  be  thor- 
oughly heated  before  the  cement  is  applied.  2. 
Use  as  little  cement  as  possible.  When  the  sur- 
faces are  separated  by  a  large  mass  of  cement, 
we  have  to  depend  upon  the  strength  of  the  ce- 
ment itself,  and  not  upon  its  adhesion  to  the  sur- 
faces which  it  is  used  to  join ;  and,  in  general, 
cements  are  comparatively  brittle. 

ARMENIAN  CEMENT.— The  jewelers  of 
Turkey,  who  are  mostly  Armenians,  have  a  sin- 
gular method  of  ornamenting  watch-cases,  etc., 
with  diamonds  and  other  precious  stones,  by 
gluing  or  cementing  them  on.  The  stone  is  set 
in  silver  or  gold,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  metal 
made  flat,  or  to  correspond  with  the  part  to 
which  it  is  to  be  fixed ;  it  is  then  gently  warmed 
and  the  glue  is  applied,  which  is  so  very  strong 
that  the  parts  thus  cemented  never  separate. 
This  glue  will  strongly  unite  pieces  of  glass  and 
china,  and  even  polished  steel,  and  may  be  ap- 

J)lied  to  a  variety  of  useful  purposes.     Tlie  fol- 
owing  is  the  recipe  : 

Dissolve  5  or  D  bits  of  gum  mastic,  each  the 
size  of  a  large  pea,  in  as  much  rectified  spirits 
of  wine  as  will  suftice  to  render  it  liquid ;  and, 
in  another  vessel,  dissolve  as  much  isinglass, 
previously  a  little  softened  in  water,  (though 
none  of  the  water  must  be  used,)  in  French 
brandy  or  good  rum,  as  will  make  a  two-ounce 
vial  of  very  strong  glue,  adding  two  small  bits 
of  gum  galbanum  or  ammoniacum,  which  must 
be  rubbed   or   ground  till   they  are   dissolved. 


Then  mix  the  whole  with  a  sufficient  heat. 
Keep  the  glue  in  a  vial  closely  stopped,  and  ev- 
ery time  it  is  to  be  used  set  the  vial  in  boiling 
water. 

ALABASTER  CEMENT~-\.  Finely  pow- 
dered plaster-of-Paris,  made  into  a  cream  with 
water. — 2.  Melt  yellow  resin,  or  equal  parts  of 
yellow  resin  and  beeswax ;  then  stir  in  half  as 
much  finely  powdered  plaster-of-Paris.  The 
first  is  used  to  join  and  fit  together  pieces  of  al- 
abaster or  marble,  or  to  mend  broken  plaster 
figures.  The  second  is  used  to  join  alabaster, 
marble,  porphyry,  and  any  similar  substances 
that  will  bear  being  heated. 

ARCHITECTURAL  CEMENT— \.  Re- 
duce  paper  to  a  smooth  paste  by  boiling  it  in 
water ;  then  add  an  equal  weight  each  of  sifted 
whiting  and  good  size ;  boil  to  a  proper  consist- 
ence.— 2.  Paper  paste  and  size,  equal  parts; 
finely  powdered  plaster-of-Paris  to  make  it  of  a 
proper  consistence.  Use  it  as  soon  as  mixed. 
Can  be  used  in  making  architectural  busts,  stat- 
ues, columns,  etc.  It  is  very  light,  receives  a 
good  polish,  but  will  not  stand  the  weather. 

BRUYER'S  WATER  CEMENT— U\x 
3  gals,  of  clay  with  i  gal.  of  slacked  lime,  and 
expose  them  to  a  full  red  heat  for  3  hours. 

BUILDING  CEMENT— This  is  made  by 
exposing  a  mixture  of  clay  or  loam,  broken  pot- 
tery, flints,  silicious  sand,  or  broken  bottle-glass, 
with  wood-ashes,  to  a  considerable  heat  in  a  fur- 
nace, until  it  becomes  partially  vitrified.  It 
must  then  be  ground  to  a  fine  powder,  sifted, 
and  mixed  with  one-third  its  weight  of  quick- 
lime, also  in  fine  powder,  after  which  it  must  be 
packed  (tight)  in  casks  to  preserve  it  from  the 
air  and  moisture.  For  use  it  is  mixed  up  with 
water  and  applied  like  Roman  cement. 

BOTANY  BA  Y  CEMENT— \c\\ov.'  gum 
and  brick-dust  equal  parts,  melted  together.  It 
is  used  to  cement  coarse  earthenware,  etc. 

CEMENT  FOR  AQUARIA.— M^r\y  per- 
sons  have  attempted  to  make  aquarium,  but 
have  failed  on  account  of  the  extreme  diff.culty 
in  making  the  tank  resist  the  action  ot  water  for 
any  length  of  time.  The  following  is  a  recipe 
for  a  cement  that  can  be  relied  upon;  it  is  per- 
fectly free  from  anything  that  can  injure  the  ani- 
mal or  plants  ;  it  sticks  to  glass,  metal,  wood, 
stone,  etc.,  and  hardens  under  Mater.  A  hun- 
dred different  experiments  with  cements  have 
been  tried,  but  there  is  nothing  like  it.  It  is  the 
same  as  that  used  in  constructing  the  tanks  of 
the  Zoological  Gardens,  London,  and  is  almost 
unknown  in  this  country :  I  part,  by  measure, 
(say  a  gill,)  of  litharge;  I  gill  of  plaster-of- 
Paris  ;  1  gill  of  dry,  white  sand ;  ^  of  a  gill  of 
finely-powdered  rosin.     Sift  and  keep   corked 


CEMENTS,    GLUES   AND   PASTES. 


3J 


tight  until  required  for  use,  when  it  is  to  be 
made  into  a  putty  by  mixing  in  boiled  oil  (lin- 
seed) with  a  little  patent  dryer  added.  Never 
use  it  after  it  has  been  mixed  (that  is  with  the 
oil)  over  15  hours.  This  cement  can  be  used 
for  marine  as  well  as  fresh  water  aquaria,  as  it 
resists  the  action  of  salt  water.  The  tank  can  be 
used  immediately,  but  it  is  best  to  give  it  3  or  4 
hours  to  dry. 

CEMENT  for  Attaching  Metal  to  Glass.— 
Take  2  oz.  of  a  solution  of  glue,  and  mix  it  with 
I  oz.  of  linseed-oil  varnish,  and  ^  an  oz.  of  pure 
turpentine;  these  articles  are  then  boiled  to- 
gether in  a  close  vessel.  The  two  bodies  should 
be  clamped  and  held  together  for  about  2  days 
after  they  are  united,  to  allow  the  cement  to  be- 
come dry.  The  clamps  may  then  be  removed. 
CEMENTfor  A  ttaching  Brass  Work  to  Lamps. 
— A  cement  particularly  adapted  for  attaching 
the  brass  work  to  petroleum  lamps,  is  made  by 
boiling  3  parts  resin  with  i  of  caustic  soda  and  5 
of  water.  This  composition  is  then  mixed  with 
half  its  weight  of  plaster-of- Paris,  and  sets  in 
from  half  to  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  It  is  said 
to  be  of  great  adhesive  power,  not  permeable  to 
petroleum,  a  low  conductor  of  heat,  and  but  su- 
perficially attacked  by  .hot  water.  Zinc  white, 
white  lead,  or  precipitated  chalk  may  be  substi- 
tuted for  plaster,  but  they  harden  more  slowly. 
CEMENTfor  Broken  Marble.— Tskc  gum 
arable,  lib.;  make  into  a  thick  mucilage;  add 
to  it  powdered  plaster-of-Paris,  i^lbs. ;  sifted 
quick-lime,  5  oz.  ;  mix  well;  heat  the  marble 
and  apply  the  mixture. 

CEMENT  for  Brick  IFalls.— Cement  for 
the  outside  of  brick  walls,  to  imitate  stone,  is 
made  of  clean  sand,  90  parts  ;   litharge,  5  parts  ; 

f)laster-of- Paris,  5  parts,  moistened  with  boiled 
inseed  oil.  The  bricks  should  receive  2  or  3 
coats  of  oil  before  the  cement  is  applied. 

CEMENT  for  China,  Glass,  Crockery, 
Afetals  and  IVood. — i.  An  excellent  cement  for 
mending  china  may  be  made  as  follows :  Take 
the  white  of  an  egg  and  a  little  flour,  which 
make  into  a  light  paste ;  clear  the  parts  to  be 
joined  from  all  dust  and  dirt;  spread  some  of  the 
paste  on  each  piece  and  press  them  together; 
while  wet,  wipe  off  the  exuding  portions,  both 
inside  and  out ;  then  let  it  remain  until  quite 
dry. — 2.  The  following  recipe  we  know  from  ex- 
perience to  be  a  good  one,  and,  being  nearly 
colorless,  it  possesses  advantages  which  liquid 
glue  and  other  cements  do  not.  Dissolve  ^  an 
oz.  of  gum  acacia  in  a  wine-glass  of  boiling  wa- 
ter; add  plaster-of-Paris  sufficient  to  form  a  thick 
paste,  and  apply  it  with  a  brush  to  the  parts  re- 
quired to  be  cemented  together.  Eor  Mending 
Broken  China,  Glass,  etc. — 3.  Take  i  lb.  white 
shellac,  pulverized  ;  2  oz.  clean  gum  mastic ; 
put  these  into  a  bottle,  and  then  add  ^  a  lb. 
pure  sulphuric  ether.  Let  it  stand  /^  an  hour, 
and  then  add  ^  a  gal.  90  per  cent,  alcohol. 
Shake  occasionally  till  it  is  dissolved.  Heat  the 
edges  of  the  article  to  be  mended,  and  apply  the 
cement  with  a  pencil  brush ;  hold  the  article  to- 
gether until  the  cement  cools.  This  makes  a 
transparent  cement. — 4.  An  Indian  Cement  for 
Glass  and  Metals. — Dissolve  5  or  6  pieces  ot 
gum  mastic,  each  about  the  size  of  a  large  pea, 
in  just  as  much  spirit  as  will  render  it  liquid. 
Soften  some  isinglass  by  steeping  it  in  water ; 
having  dried  it,  dissolve  as  much  of  it  in  good 
brandy  as   will   fill  a  two-ounce  phial;    add  2 


small  bits  of  gum  ammoniacum,  previously  rub- 
bing them  until  they  are  dissolved.  Mix  the  2 
solutions  ;  keep  in  a  close  phial,  and  when  it  is 
to  be  used  set  the  phial  in  boiling  water. — 5. 
Take  a  thick  mucilage  of  gum  arable  and  stir 
into  it  plaster-of-Paris — the  broken  images  are 
best — made  very  fine,  to  form  a  thick  paste,  and 
apply  to  the  edges  with  a  brush,  and  press  firmly 
together  and  confine  there  two  or  three  days.  I 
have  pulled  over  30  pounds  with  a  wine-glass, 
the  stem  of  which  had  been  broken  and  mended 
with  the  cement. — 6.  Dissolve  i  oz.  common 
salt  in  I  quart  of  water ;  bring  to  a  boil,  and 
put  in  i^lbs.  gum  shellac.  When  it  shall  be 
dissolved  pour  into  cold  water  and  work  like 
wax.  Make  into  small  sticks.  This  will  make 
crockery  as  good  as  new. — 7.  Steep  Russian  isin- 
glass 24  hours  in  white  brandy ;  gently  boil  and 
stir  the  mixture  until  it  is  well  compounded,  and 
a  drop  of  it,  cooled,  will  become  a  very  thick 
jelly ;  then  strain  it  through  a  linen  cloth,  and 
cork  it  up  closely.  A  gentle  heat  will  dissolve  it 
into  a  colorless  fluid.  Broken  dishes,  united 
with  it,  will  break  elsewhere,  rather  than  sepa- 
rate in  the  old  fracture.  To  apply  it,  rub  the 
edges,  place  them  together,  and  hold  them  2  or 
3  minutes. — 8.  A  durable  cement  is  made  by 
burning  oyster  shells,  and  pulverizing  the  lime 
from  them  very  fine  ;  then  mixing  it  with  white 
of  egg  to  a  thick  paste,  and  applying  it  to  the 
china  or  glass,  and  securing  the  pieces  together 
until  dry. — 9.  Take  4  lbs.  of  white  glue,  ij^ 
lbs.  of  dry  white  lead,  J!^  a  lb.  of  isinglass,  I 
gal.  of  soft  water,  I  quart  of  alcohol,  and  ^  a 
pint  of  white  varnish.  Dissolve  the  glue  and 
isinglass  in  the  water  by  gentle  heat,  if  prefer- 
red; stir  in  the  lead,  put  the  alcohol  in  the  var- 
nish, and  mix  the  whole  together. — 10.  A  ce- 
ment that  will  mend  marble,  china,  and  orna- 
mental ware,  is  made  by  taking  water  I  gal., 
nice  glue  3  lbs.,  white  lead  4  oz.,  alcohol,  i 
quart.  Mix.  Directions — If  it  is  cold  weather, 
warm  the  bottle  until  the  cement  is  dissolved  ; 
then  with  the  finger  or  a  brush  rub  it  on  the 
broken  parts,  (both  edges,)  put  together,  and 
retain  in  their  places  until  dry. — 11.  A  cement 
withstanding  both  heat  and  moisture  is  simply 
pure  white  lead  or  zinc  white,  ground  in  oil,  and 
used  very  thick.  It  is  excellent  for  mending 
broken  crockeryware,  but  it  takes  a  very  long 
time  to  harden  sufficiently.  The  best  plan  is  to 
place  the  mended  object  in  some  store-room,  and 
not  to  look  after  it  for  several  weeks,  or  even 
months.  After  that  time  it  will  be  found  so 
firmly  united  that,  if  ever  again  broken,  it  will 
not  part  on  the  line  of  the  former  fracture. 

CEMENTfor  Chemical  Glasses. — Mix  equal 
parts  of  flour,  finely-powdered  Venice  glass, 
pulverized  chalk,  and  a  small  quantity  of  brick- 
dust,  finely  ground;  these  ingredients,  with  a 
little  scraped  lint,  are  to  be  mixed  and  ground 
up  with  the  whites  of  eggs  ;  it  must  then  be 
spread  upon  pieces  of  fine  linen  cloth,  and  ap- 
plied to  the  crack  of  the  glasses,  and  allowed  to 
get  thoroughly  dry  before  the  glasses  are  put  to 
the  fire. 

CEMENTfor  Coi'cring  the  Eroftts  of  Houses. 
— 50  parts,  by  measure,  of  clean,  dry  sand;  50 
of  limestone  (not  burned)  reduced  to  grains  like 
sand  or  marble  dust,  and  10  parts  of  red  lead, 
mixed  with  as  much  boiled  linseed  oil  as  will 
make  it  slightly  moist.  The  bricks,  to  receive  it, 
should  be  covered  with  3  coats  of  boiled  oil, 


34 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


laid  on  with  a  brush,  and  suffered  to  dry  before 
the  mastic  is  put  on.  It  is  laid  on  with  a  trowel 
like  plaster,  but  it  is  not  so  moist.  It  becomes 
hard  as  stone  in  a  few  months.  Care  must  be 
exercised  not  to  use  too  much  oil. 

CEMENT,  C^//^n-««V/4' J.— Bullock's  blood 
thickened  with  finely-powdered  quicklime.  It  is 
used  to  secure  the  edges  and  rivets  of  copper 
boilers,  and  to  mend  leaks  from  joints,  etc.  It 
must  be  used  as  soon  as  mixed,  as  it  rapidly 
gets  hard.  It  is  extremely  cheap  and  very  du- 
rable, and  is  suited  for  many  purposes  where  a 
strong  cement  is  required.  It  is  frequently 
called  blood  cement. 

CEMENT  for  Cloth  or  Belting.— Izkt  ale  I 
pt.  ;  best  Russia  isinglass  2  oz. ;  put  them  into 
a  common  glue  kettle  and  boil  until  the  isinglass 
is  dissolved ;  then  add  4  oz.  of  the  best  com- 
mon glue,  and  dissolve  it  with  the  other  ;  then 
slowly  add  i^  oz.  of  boiled  linseed  oil,  stir- 
ring all  the  time  ,while  adding,  and  until  well 
mixed.  When  cold  it  will  resemble  India-rub- 
ber. When  you  wish  to  use  this,  dissolve  what 
you  need  in  a  suitable  quantity  of  ale  to  have  the 
consistence  of  thick  glue.  It  is  applicable  for 
earthenware,  china,  glass,  or  leather;  for  har- 
ness ;  bands  for  machmery ;  cloth  belts  for 
cracker  machines  for  bakers,  etc.  If  for  leather, 
shave  off  as  if  for  sewing,  apply  the  cement  with 
a  brush  while  hot,  laying  a  weight  to  keep  each 
joint  firmly  for  6  to  10  hours,  or  over  night. 

CEMENT  for  Cutlers.— \.  A  material  for 
fastening  knives  or  forks  into  their  handles, 
when  they  have  become  loosened  by  use,  is 
a  much-needed  article.  The  best  cement  for 
this  purpose  consists  of  i  lb.  of  colophony,  (pur- 
chasable at  the  druggists,)  and  8  oz.  of  sulphur, 
which  are  to  be  melted  together,  and  either  kept 
in  bars  or  reduced  to  powder.  One  part  of  the 
powder  is  to  be  mixed  with  half  a  part  of  iron 
filings,  fine  sand,  or  brick-dust,  and  the  cavity  of 
the  handle  is  then  to  be  filled  with  this  mixture. 
The  stem  of  the  knife  or  fork  is  then  to  be 
heated  and  inserted  into  the  cavity ;  and  when 
cold  it  will  be  found  fixed  in  its  place  with  great 
tenacity. — 2.  Black  resin  4  lbs. ;  beeswax  i  lb. ; 
melt  them,  and  add  I  lb.  of  finely-powdered  and 
well-dried  brick-dust. 

CEMENT  for  Cisterns:'— Take  equal  parts 
of  red  and  white  lead,  and  wash  them  into  a 
paste  with  boiled  linseed  oil.  It  hardens  slowly, 
but  afterwards  acquires  a  flinty  hardness.  To 
be  applied  it  should  be  made  thin,  and  the  metal 
thoroughly  smeared  with  it. 

CEMENT  for  Engineers. — I.  Mix  ground 
white  lead  with  as  much  powdered  red  lead  as 
will  make  it  of  the  consistency  of  putty. — 2f 
Mix  equal  weights  of  red  and  white  lead,  with 
boiled  linseed  oil,  to  a  proper  consistence.  This 
is  employed  by  engineers  and  others  to  make 
metallic  joints.  A  washer  of  hemp,  yarn,  or 
canvas,  smeared  with  the  cement,  is  placed  in 
the  joint,  which  is  then  "brought  home"  or 
screwed  up  tight.     It  dries  as  hard  as  a  stone. 

CEMENT  for  Fastening  Chamois  and  other 
Leather  to  Iron  and  Steel — Dr.  Carl  W.  Hcin- 
ischen,  of  Dresden,  gives  the  following  recipe 
for  the  above  purpose  :  *'  Spread  over  the  metal 
a  thin,  hot  solution  of  good  glue ;  soak  your 
leather  with  a  warm  solution  of  gall-nuts  before 
placing  on  the  metal.  If  fastened  in  this  way  it  is 
impossible  to  separate  the  leather  from  the  metal 
without  tearing  it. 


CEMENT  for  Fastening  to  Metals.— Any 
fibrous  material  can  be  stuck  to  metal,  whether 
iron  or  other  metal,  by  an  amalgam  composed  of 
glue  dissolved  in  vinegar,  hot,  and  one-third  of 
its  volume  of  white  pitch  pine,  also  hot. 

CEMENT  for  Fastening  Rubber  to  Wood 
and  Metal. — As  rubber  plates  and  rings  are 
now-a-days  almost  exclusively  used  for  making 
connections  between  steam  and  other  pipes  and 
other  apparatus,  much  annoyance  is  often  expe- 
rienced by  the  impossibility  or  imperfectness  of 
an  air-tight  connection.  This  is  obviated  en- 
tirely by  employing  p.  cement  which  fastens  alike 
well  to  the  rubber  and  to  the  metal  or  wood. 
Such  a  cement  is  prepared  by  a  solution  of  shel- 
lac in  ammonia.  This  is  best  made  by  soaking 
pulverized  gum  shellac  in  10  times  its  weight  of 
strong  ammonia,  when  a  slimy  mass  is  obtained, 
which  in  from  3  to  4  weeks  will  become  liquid 
without  the  use  of  hot  water.  This  softens  the 
rubber,  and  becomes,  after  volatilization  of  the 
ammonia,  hard  and  impermeable  to  gases  and 
fluids. 

CEMENT  for  Floors.— Tskc  %  of  lime  and 
^  of  coal-ashes  welf  sifted  with  a  small  quantity 
of  loam  clay;  mix  the  whole  together,  and  tem- 
per it  well  with  water,  making  it  up  into  a  heap ; 
let  it  lie  a  week  or  10  days,  and  then  temper  it 
over  again.  After  this,  heap  it  up  for  3  or  4 
days,  and  repeat  the  tempering  very  high,  till  it 
becomes  smooth,  yielding,  tough  and  glossy. 
The  ground  being  then  levelled,  lay  the  floor 
therewith  about  2|^  or  3  inches  thick,  making  it 
smooth  with  a  trowel ;  the  hotter  the  season  is 
the  better ;  and  when  it  is  thoroughly  dried  it 
will  make  the  best  floor  for  houses,  especially 
for  malt-houses.  If  any  one  would  have  their 
floors  look  better,  let  them  take  lime  of  rag- 
stones,  well  tempered  with  whites  of  eggs,  cov- 
ering the  floor  about  %  an  inch  thick  with  it, 
before  the  under  flooring  is  too  dry.  If  this  be 
well  done,  and  thoroughly  dried,  it  will  look, 
when  rubbed  with  a  little  oil,  as  transparent  as 
metal  or  glass.  In  elegant  houses,  floors  of  this 
nature  are  made  of  stucco,  or  of  plaster-of  Paris 
beaten  and  sifted,  and  mixed  with  other  ingre- 
dients. 

CEMENT  for  Gas-Fitters.— Mix  together 
resin  4^  parts ;  wax  l  part,  and  Venetian  red  3 
parts. 

CEMENT  for  Gas  Retorts. — A  new  cement, 
especially  adapted  to  the  retorts  of  gas  works,  is 
very  warmly  recommended  in  a  German  gaslight 
journal.  It  consists  simply  of  finely  powdered 
barytes  and  soluble  water-glass ;  or  the  barytes 
and  a  solution  of  borax.  The  joints  are  to  be 
coated  several  times  with  this  cement  by  means 
of  a  brush.  The  addition  of  two-thirds  of  clay 
improves  the  cement,  and  the  retorts  will  then 
stand  a  red  heat  very  well.  Instead  of  the  wa- 
ter-glass a  solution  of  borax  may  be  used,  or 
even  finely  powdered  white  glass. 

CEMENT  for  Gutters  and  Leaky  Places.— 
A  good  cement  for  gutters  and  leaky  places  may 
be  made  of  boiled  paint-skins,  if  while  hot  and 
thick,  a  portion  of  sand  and  fine  lime  be  sifted 
in.  It  must  be  used  while  hot,  and  when  dry 
will  be  as  hard  as  iron,  and  as  durable. 

CEMENT  for  Iron.— Take  16  parts  of  steel 
filings,  3  parts  sal  ammoniac,  and  2  parts  flow- 
er of  sulphur.  This  mixture  can  be  preserved 
any  length  of  time  in  dry  packages.  In  order  to 
lute  with  it,  add  to  I  part  of  the  mixture   12 


CEMENTS,    GLUES  AND   PASTES. 


35 


parts  of  iron  filings,  and  enough  water,  previ- 
ously acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid,  to  form  a 
paste.  This  is  now  ready  to  be  applied  to  the 
perfectly  clean  surfaces  of  the  metal  to  be  luted. 
For  iron  castings  and  small  holes,  the  pulverized 
iron  (^etrum  pidveratuni  of  apothecaries)  can  be 
substituted  for  iron  fiHngs. — 2.  To  4  or  5  parts 
of  clay,  thoroughly  dried  and  pulverized,  add  2 
parts  of  iron  filings  free  from  oxide,  I  part  of 
peroxide  of  manganese,  \^  of  sea  salt,  and  y^  of 
borax.  Mingle  thoroughly,  and  render  as  fine 
as  possible ;  then  reduce  to  a  thick  paste  with 
the  necessary  quantity  of  water,  mixing  thor- 
oughly well.  It  must  be  used  immediately. 
After  application  it  should  be  exposed  to  warmth, 
gradually  increasing  to  almost  a  white  heat. 
This  cement  is  very  hard,  and  presents  complete 
resistance  alike  to  a  red  heat  and  boiling  water. 
— 3.  60  parts  of  pulverized  cast-iron  turnings 
are  mixed  with  2  parts  sal  ammoniac  and  i  part 
flower  of  sulphur  ;  and  water  is  added  till  a  paste 
is  formed.  A  cement  is  thus  obtained  which 
spontaneously  becomes  hot,  evolving  sulphureted 
hydrogen,  and  becoming*  soon  very  hard.  Of 
course  it  must  be  prepared  immediately  before. 
4.  Another  cement  is  to  mix  equal  parts  of  sifted 
peroxide  of  manganese  and  well  pulverized  zinc 
white ;  add  a  sufficient  quantity  of  commercial 
soluble  glass  to  form  a  thin  paste.  This  mix- 
ture, when  used  immediately,  forms  a  cement 
quite  equal  in  hardness  and  resistance  to  that 
obtained  in  any  other  way. 

CEMENT  for  Iron,  Mothcr-of- Pearly  etc.— 
Dissolve  I  part  of  isinglass  and  2  of  white  glue 
in  30  of  water  ;  strain  and  evaporate  to  6  parts. 
Add  one-thirtieth  part  of  gum  mastic,  dissolved 
in  ^  a  part  of  alcohol,  and  i  part  of  white  zinc. 
When  required  for  use,  warm  and  shake  up. 

CEMENT  for  Iron  Boilers. — This  cement  is 
used  to  stop  the  cracks  and  leaks  in  iron  boilers, 
stoves,  etc.  i.  Dried  clay  in  powder,  6  lbs, ; 
iron  filings,  i  lb.  Make  a  paste  with  boiled 
linseed  oil. — 2.  Take  2  oz.  of  muriate  of  ammo- 
nia, I  oz.  of  flower  of  sulphur,  and  16  oz.  of 
cast-iron  filings  or  turnings  ;  mix  them  well  in  a 
mortar,  and  keep  the  powder  dry.  When  the 
cement  is  wanted,  take  I  part  of  this  and  20 
parts  of  clean  iron  filings  or  borings,  grind  them 
together  in  a  mortar,  mix  them  with  water  to  a 
proper  consistence,  and  apply  them  between  the 
joints. 

CEMENT  for  Leather.— 1:0  10  parts  bisul- 
phide carbon  and  i  part  spirits  turpentine  add 
enough  gutta-percha  to  make  a  tough,  thickly- 
flowing  liquid.  The  surfaces  to  be  joined  must 
be  perfectly  free  from  grease,  which  is  accom- 
plished by  laying  a  cloth  upon  them  and  apply- 
ing a  hot  iron  for  a  time.  The  coat  is  applied 
to  both  surfaces,  and  pressure  made  till  the 
joints  are  dry. 

CEMENT  for  Leather  Belting.— Taks  of 
common  glue  and  American  isinglass,  equal 
parts  ;  place  them  in  a  boiler  and  add  water  suf- 
ficient to  just  cover  the  whole.  Let  it  soak  10 
hours,  then  bring  the  whole  to  a  boiling  heat, 
and  add  pure  tannin  until  the  whole  becomes 
ropey  or  appears  like  the  white  of  eggs.  Apply 
it  warm.  Buff  the  grain  off  the  leather  where 
it  is  to  be  cemented ;  rub  the  joint  surfaces  sol- 
idly together,  let  it  dry  a  few  hours,  and  it  is 
ready  for  practical  use ;  and,  if  properly  put  to- 
gether, it  will  not  need  riveting,  as  the  cement  is 
nearly  of  the  same  nature  as  the  leather  itself.      , 


CEMENT  for  Leather  and  Cloth.— An  ad- 
hesive material  for  uniting  the  parts  of  boots 
and  shoes,  and  for  the  seams  of  articles  of  cloth- 
ing, may  be  made  thus  :  Take  I  lb.  of  gutta- 
percha, 4  oz.  of  India  rubber,  2  oz.  of  pitch,  i 
oz.  of  shellac,  2  oz.  of  oil.  The  ingredients  are 
to  be  melted  together,  and  used  hot. 

CEMENT  for  Mahogany.— MqM  /^  ^axi%  of 
beeswax  or  shellac  with  I  of  Indian  red,  adding 
as  much  yellow  ochre  as  is  requisite  to  give 
color.  This  cement  will  be  found  most  suitable 
for  stopping  holes  and  rents  in  mahogany  furni- 
ture. 

CEMENT  for  Patent  Fuel,— On&  of  the  best 
cements  for  the  agglomeration  of  coal  dust  and 
the  manufacture  of  patent  fuel  is  that  used  in 
several  European  establishments,  consisting  of 
coal  tar,  gluten  and  starch.  The  quantities  of 
these  substances  are  altered  according  to  the 
quality  and  property  of  coal  dust ;  but  they  are 
very  easily  ascertained  by  a  few  experiments. 
About  2  per  cent,  of  this  mixture  (say  containing 
2^  parts  of  tar,  l  part  gluten,  and  yi  part  of 
starch,)  would  be  suitable  for  coal  dust  of  an 
average  quality  of  bituminous  coal. 

CEMENT  for  .  Preventing  Leaks  About 
Chitnneys. — Dry  sand,  I  part ;  ashes,  2  parts  ; 
clay,  dried  and  pulverized,  3  parts.  All  to  be 
pulverized  and  mixed  into  a  paste  with  linseed 
oil.  Apply  it  when  soft,  and  when  it  becomes 
hard  water  will  have  no  effect  upon  it. 

CEMENT  for  Roofs  of  Houses. — Slake  stone 
lime  in  a  large  tub  or  barrel  with  boiling  water, 
covering  the  tub  or  barrel  to  keep  in  the  steam. 
When  thus  slaked,  pass  6  quarts  through  a  fine 
sieve ;  it  will  then  be  in  a  state  of  fine  flour. 
To  this  add  I  quart  rock  salt  and  i  gal.  water. 
Boil  the  mixture  and  skim  it  clean.  To  every 
5  gals,  of  this  carefully  skimmed  mixture, 
add  1^  of  a  pound  of  potash,  and  4  quarts  of 
fine  sand  or  wood-ashes  sifted.  Both  of  the 
above  will  admit  of  any  coloring  you  please.  It 
looks  better  than  paint,  and  is  as  durable  as 
slate, 

CEMENT  for  Pooms.—M.  Sarel,  of  Paris, 
has  made  an  invention  which  is  pronounced  bet- 
ter than  plaster-of- Paris  for  coating  the  walls  of 
rooms.  It  is  used  thus :  A  coat  of  oxide  of 
zinc,  mixed  with  size,  made  up  like  a  wash,  is 
first  laid  on  the  wall,  ceiling,  or  wainscot,  and 
over  that  a  coat  of  chloride  of  zinc  applied,  pre- 
pared in  the  same  way  as  the  first  wash.  The 
oxide  and  chloride  effect  an  immediate  combina- 
tion, and  form  a  kind  of  cement,  smooth  and 
polished  as  glass,  and  possessing  the  advantages 
of  oil  paint  without  its  disadvantages  of  smell. 

CEMENT  for  Steam  Pipes.— i.  White  lead, 
mixed,  2  parts ;  red  lead,  dry,  i  part ;  grind  or 
otherwise  mix  them  to  a  consistence  of  thin 
putty ;  apply  interposed  layers  with  one  or  two 
thicknesses  of  canvas  or  gauze  wire,  as  the  ne- 
cessity of  the  case  may  be. — 2.  (Stephenson's.) 
If  2  parts  litliarge  are  mixed  with  i  part  dry- 
slaked  lime  and  i  part  fine  sand,  well  rubbed 
together,  and  mixed  with  such  a  quantity  of  hot 
linseed-oil  varnish  as  to  form  a  pasty  mai^s,  an 
excellent  cement  for  iron  steam-pipes  is  ob- 
tained, which  soon  sets  hard.  Conse(]uently,  it 
must  be  prepared  fresh  every  time,  and  applied 
when  still  hot. 

CEMENT  for  Stopping  Cracks  in  Jars.— Pi. 
good  cement  for  stopping  cracks  in  jars  may  be 
made  as  follows :  Take  equal  quantities  of  white 


/ 


36 


DICTIONARY    OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


lead  and  white  sand,  and  as  much  oil  as  will 
make  it  of  the  consistency  of  putty ;  in  a  few 
weeks  it  will  become  as  hard  as  stone. 

CEMENT  for  Stone. — Bottger  informs  us 
that  a  cement  of  extraordinary  binding  power  is 
made  by  using  infusorial  silica  in  place  of  quartz 
sand.  This  infusorial  earth  is  found  in  Germany 
onlyj  but  it  has  been  imported  into  this  country 
in  considerable  quantities.  It  consists  of  hy- 
drated  silica,  which  combines  with  bases  much 
more  readily  than  silica  in  the  anhydrous  condi- 
tion, as  in  quartz  sand.  The  infusorial  silica  is 
mixed  in  about  equal  proportions  with  oxide  of 
lead ;  about  ^  a  part  of  freshly  slaked  lime  is 
then  added,  and  the  whole  is  then  made  into  a 
paste  with  boiled  linseed  oil.  The  cement  thus 
made  quickly  becomes  as  hard  as  sandstone,  and 
will  be  found  extremely  useful  in  such  work  as 
fixing  iron  in  stone  for  balusters  and  railings. 
It  is  not  likely,  we  think,  to  expand  in  setting, 
and  thus  no  risk  of  splitting  the  stone  will  be 
incurred.  In  this  respect  alone  it  offers  a  great 
advantage  over  Portland  cement,  sometimes  used 
for  the  purpose  we  have  mentioned,  which,  ac- 
cording to  some  authorities,  does  expand,  and  in 
consequence  of  which  one  very  serious  accident 
is  supposed  to  have  resulted, 

CEMEN'T  for  Stoves. — i.  Good  wood-ashes 
are  to  be  sifted  through  a  fine  sieve,  to  which  is 
to  be  added  the  same  quantity  of  clay,  finely 
pulverized,  together  with  a  little  salt.  The  mix- 
ture is  to  be  moistened  with  water  enough  to 
make  a  paste,  and  the  crack  of  the  stove  filled 
with  it. — 2.  An  excellent  cement  for  iron  stoves 
or  furnaces  is  a  paste  of  soluble  glass  and  ba- 
rytes,  with  or  without  some  fine  fire-clay,  and 
the  soluble  glass  may  be  replaced  by  a  solution 
of  borax,  and  both  these  and  barytes  by  a  mix- 
ture of  clay  and  powdered  glass. 

CEMENT  for  Tile  ^^^/jr.— Equal  parts  of 
whiting  and  dry  sand,  and  25  per  cent,  of  lith- 
arge, made  into  the  consistency  of  putty  with 
linseed  oil.  It  is  not  liable  to  crack  when  cold, 
nor  melt,  like  coal  tar  and  asphalt,  with  the 
heat  of  the  sun. 

CEMENT,  Cast-iron. — Clean  borings,  or 
turnings,  of  cast  iron,  16 ;  sal  ammoniac,  2  parts ; 
flour  of  sulphur,  l  part ;  mix  them  well  together 
in  a  mortar,  and  keep  them  dry.  When  re- 
quired for  use,  take  ot  the  mixture,  i  ;  clean 
borings,  20  parts ;  mix  thoroughly,  and  add  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  water.  A  little  grindstone 
dust  added  improves  the  cement. 

CEMENT,  Colored.— Professor  Bottger  pre- 
pares cement  of  diverse  colors  and  great  hard- 
ness by  mixing  various  bases  with  soluble 
glass. 

Soluble  glass  of  ^3"  B.  is  to  be  thoroughly 
stirred  and  mixed  with  fine  chalk,  and  the  col- 
oring matter  well  incorporated.  In  the  course 
of  6  or  8  hours  a  hard  cement  will  set,  which  is 
capable  of  a  great  variety  of  uses.  Bottger 
recommends  the  following  coloring  matters  : 

1.  Well  sifted  sulphide  of  antimony  gives  a 
black  mass,  which,  after  solidifying,  can  be  pol- 
ished with  agate,  and  then  possesses  a  fine  me- 
tallic lustre. 

2.  Fine  iron  dust,  which  g^ves  a  gray-black 
cement. 

3.  Zinc  dust.  This  makes  a  gray  mass,  ex- 
ceedingly hard,  which,  on  polishing,  exhibits  a 
brilliant  metallic  lustre  of  zinc,  so  that  broken  or 
defective  zinc  castings  can  be  mended  and  re- 


stored by  a  cement  that  might  be  called  a  cold 
zinc  casting.  It  adheres  firmly  to  metal,  stone 
and  wood. 

4.  Carbonate  of  copper  gives  a  bright  green 
cement. 

5.  Sesquioxide  of  chromium  gives  a  dark 
green  cement. 

6.  Thenard's  blue,  a  blue  cement. 

7.  Litharge,  a  yellow. 

8.  Cinnabar,  a  bright  red. 

9.  Carmine,  a  violet  red. 

The  soluble  glass,  with  fine  chalk  alone,  gives 
a  white  cement  of  great  beauty  and  hardness. 

Sulphide  of  antimony  and  iron  dust,  in  equal 
proportions,  stirred  in  with  soluble  glass,  afford 
an  exceedingly,  black  cement ;  zinc  dust  and 
iron  in  equal  proportions  yield  a  hard,  dark- 
gray  cement. 

As  soluble  glass  can  be  kept  on  hand  in  liquid 
form,  and  the  chalk  and  coloring  matters  are 
permanent  and  cheap,  the  colored  cements  can 
be  readily  prepared  when  wanted,  and  the  ma- 
terial can  be  kept  in  stock,  ready  for  use,  at  lit- 
tle expense.  Soluble  glass  is  fast  becoming  one 
of  our  most  important  articles  of  cliemical  pro- 
duction. 

CEAIENT,  Curd. — Add  ^  a  pint  of  vinegar 
to  ^  a  pint  of  skimmed  milk;  mix  the  curd 
with  the  whites  of  5  eggs,  well  beaten,  and  suf- 
ficient powdered  quick-lime  to  form  a  paste. 
This  cement  will  resist  water  and  a  moderate 
degree  of  heat. 

CEMENT,  Chinese. — i.  Dissolve  shellac  in 
enough  rectified  spirit  to  make  a  liquid  of  the 
consistency  of  treacle. — 2.  Boil  borax,  i  oz.,  and 
shellac,  i  oz.,  in  water  until  dissolved, 

CEMENT,  Diamond. — i.  Isinglass,  i  oz. ; 
distilled  vinegar,  5^  oz. ;  spirits  of  wine,  2  oz. ; 
gum  ammoniacum,  ^  an  oz.  ;  gum  mastic,  Vz 
an  oz.  Mix  well. — 2.  Soak  isinglass  in  water 
till  it  is  soft ;  then  dissolve  it  in  the  smallest 
possible  quantity  of  proof  spirit,  by  the  aid  of  a 
gentle  heat ;  in  2  oz.  of  this  mixture  dissolve 
10  grains  of  ammoniacum,  while  still  liquid  add 
yi  a  drachm  of  mastic  dissolved  in  3  drachms  of 
rectified  spirit ;  stir  well  together.  When  to  be 
used,  liquify  the  cement  by  standing  the  bottle 
in  hot  water,  and  use  it  directly.  The  cement 
improves  the  oftener  the  bottle  is  thus  warmed, 
and  resists  the  action  of  water  and  moisture  per- 
fectly.— 3.  (Ure's. )  Take  I  oz.  of  isinglass,  6 
oz.  of  distilled  water,  boiled  down  to  3  oz.,  and 
l^  oz.  of  rectified  spirit.  Boil  for  2  minutes, 
strain,  and  add,  while  hot,  ^  oz.  of  milky  emul- 
sion of  ammoniac,  and  5  drachms  of  tincture  of 
gum  mastic.  This  recipe,  carefully  followed, 
results  in  an  excellent  cement. 

CEMENT,  English  Roman. — Take  a  bushel 
of  lime  slacked,  with  3%'  lbs.  of  green  cop- 
peras, 15  gals,  of  water,  and  j^  of  a  bushel  of 
fine  gravel  sand.  The  copperas  should  be  dis- 
solved in  hot  water ;  it  must  be  stirred  with  a 
stick,  and  kept  stirring  continually  while  in  use. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  mix  at  once  as  much  as 
may  be  requisite  for  one  entire  front,  as  it  is 
very  difficult  to  match  the  color  again ;  and  it 
ought  to  be  mixed  the  same  day  it  is  used. 

CEMENT,  Eniomolo^st's.—EQfi:>].  parts  of 
thick  mastic  varnish  and  isinglass  size. 

CEMENT,  Elastic  Collodion.— Ordmary 
collodion  is  made  by  dissolving  8  parts  of  gun- 
cotton  in  125  parts  of  ether  and  8  parts  of  al- 
cohol.    When  used  as  a  cemept  or  varnish,  it 


CEMENTS,    GLUES  AND   PASTES. 


37 


becomes  very  hard,  cracks  easily,  and  peels  off. 
It  may  be  rendered  elastic  by  the  addition  ot  4 
parts  of  Venetian  turpentine  and  2  parts  of  cas- 
tor oil.  \Vhen  intended  for  surgical  purposes, 
as  a  varnish,  which,  when  dry,  forms  a  perfectly 
close-fitting  plaster,  it  has  been  found  that  the 
addition  of  some  glycerine  to  the  ordinary  collo- 
dion, in  which  it  is  dissolved  to  a  small  extent, 
makes  a  varnisli  which  adheres  strongly  to  the 
skin,  does  not  crack,  and,  on  account  of  its  elas- 
ticity, does  not  crease  the  skin. 

CEMENT,  ^^^.— White  of  egg,  thickened 
with  finely-powdered  quick-lime.  Used  to  mend 
earthenware,  glass,  china,  marble,  alabaster, 
spar  ornaments,  etc.  It  does  not  resist  mois- 
ture. 

CEMENT,  Electrical  and  Chemical. — (Sing- 
er's.) I.  Resin,  5  lbs.  ;  wax  and  dry  red  ochre 
in  fine  powder,  of  each  i  lb. ;  plaster-of-Paris, 
4  oz. ;  melt  the  first  two,  then  add  the  ochre, 
and  lastly  the  plaster. — 2.  Black  resin,  7  lbs.  ; 
well  dried  red  ochre  and  plaster,  of  eacla  l  lb.  ; 
as  above.  Used  to  cement  the  plates  in  voltaic 
troughs,  join  chemical  vessels,  etc. 

CEMENT,  French. — Make  a  thick  mucilage 
vith  gum  arabic  and  water,  then  add  starch  in 
fine  powder  to  thicken  it.  Employed  by  natu- 
ralists and  French  artificial-flower  makers.  A 
little  lemon  juice  is  sometimes  added. 

CEMENT,  German. — For  glass  or  earthen- 
ware. I.  Take  2  parts  of  gum  shellac,  and  i 
part  of  Venice  turpentine ;  heat  them  together 
m  an  iron  pot,  taking  care  to  keep  the  lid  quite 
close,  as  the  turpentine  is  very  inflammable. 
When  partially  cool  form  into  sticks  ;  when  it  is 
•wanted  for  use  melt  near  a  gentle  fire. — 2.  2 
measures  of  litharge,  and  i  each  of  unslaked 
lime  and  flint  glass ;  each  to  be  pulverized  sep- 
arately before  mixing ;  then,  to  use  it,  wet  it  up 
with  old  drving  oil. 

CEMENT,  Glass-grinder's.— \.  Melt  pitch, 
and  add  thereto  ^^  of  its  weight  each  of  finely- 
powdered  wood-ashes  and  hard  tallow.  For 
coarse  work. — 2.  Melt  4  lbs.  of  black  resin,  and 
then  add  i  lb.  each  of  beeswax  and  whiting,  pre- 
viously heated  red  hot,  and  still  warm.  Intended 
to  fix  articles  while  grinding. 

CEMEA^T,  Glycerine. — Glycerine  and  lith- 
arge, stirred  to  a  paste,  hardens  rapidly,  and 
makes  a  durable  cement  for  iron  upon  iron,  for 
two  stone  surfaces,  and  especially  for  fastening 
iron  in  stone.  The  cement  is  insoluble,  and  is 
not  attacked  by  strong  acids. 
.'CEMENT,  Hani.— I.  To  4  or  5  parts  of 
clay,  thoroughly  dried  and  pulverized,  add  2 
parts  of  fine  iron  filings  free  from  oxide,  I  part 
of  peroxide  of  manganese,  yi.  of  sea  salt,  and  ^2 
of  borax.  Mingle  thoroughly  and  render  as 
fine  as  possible,  then  reduce  to  a  thick  paste 
with  the  necessary  quantity  of  water,  mixing 
thoroughly.  This  should  be  used  immediately. 
After  application  it  should  be  exposed  to  heat, 
gradually  increasing  almost  to  white  heat.  This 
cement  is  very  hard,  and  presents  a  complete  re- 
sistance alike  to  red  heat  and  boiling  water. — 2. 
To  equal  parts  of  sifted  peroxide  of  manganese 
and  well  pulverized  zinc  white,  add  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  commercial  soluble  glass  to  form  a 
thin  paste.  This  mixture,  when  used  immedi- 
ately, forms  a  cement  quite  equal  in  hardness 
and  resistance  to  that  obtained  by  the  first 
method. 

CEMENT,  IfydratiIk.—{Qa.(rs.)      Mix  3 


lbs.  of  well-dried  and  powdered  clay  with  i  lb. 
of  oxide  of  iron;  then  add  as  much  boiled  oil 
as  will  reduce  them  to  a  stiff  paste.  Used  for 
work  required  to  harden  under  water. 

CEMENT,  Ilatiielin^s. — To  any  given  weight 
of  the  earth  or  earths,  commonly  pit  sand,  river 
sand,  rock  sand,  or  any  other  sand  of  the  same 
or  the  like  nature,  or  pulverized  earthenware  or 
porcelain,  add  %  of  the  given  weight  of  the 
earth  or  earths,  commonly  called  Portland  stone, 
Bath  stone,  or  any  other  stone  of  the  same  or 
like  nature,  pulverized.  To  every  560  lbs.  of 
these  earths,  so  prepared,  add  40  lbs.  of  litharge, 
and  with  the  last-mentioned  given  weights  com- 
bine 2  lbs.  of  pulverized  glass  or  flint  stone. 
Then  join  to  this  mixture  i  lb.  of  mintum  and  2 
lbs.  of  grey  oxide  of  lead. 

When  this  composition  is  intendeH  to  be  made 
into  cement,  to  every  605  lbs.  of  the  composition 
are  added  5  gals,  of  vegetable  oil,  as  linseed  oil, 
walnut  oil,  or  pink  oil.  The  composition  is  then 
mixed  in  a  similar  way  to  mortar. 

When  this  cement  is  applied  to  the  piirpose  of 
covering  buildings  intended  to  resemble  stone, 
the  surface  of  the  building  is  washed  with  oil. 

CEMENT,  Iron-rust. — Take  100  parts  iron 
fiUngs,  pounded  and  sifted ;  add  i  part  sal  am- 
monia. When  it  is  applied,  give  it  suf&ciency 
of  water  to  make  it  of  paste  consistency.  This 
cement  is  used  for  filling  up  seams  of  iron. 

CEMENT,  Ii-on. — To  make  an  iron  cement 
suitable  for  making  rust  joints,  mix  thoroughly 
112  lbs.  of  clean  cast-iron  borings,  or  turnings, 
with  8  oz.  of  sal  ammonia,  and  i  oz.  of  flower 
of  sulphur,  and  add  sufficient  water.  Keep  wet 
when  not  to  be  immediately  used,  or  it  will  heat 
and  be  spoiled. 

CEMENT,  India  Rubhcr.—Tf\iio\s^  I  lb.  of 
pure  India  rubber,  divided  into  small  fragments, 
in  4  gals,  of  rectified  coal-tar  naphtha,  with  fre- 
quent stirring.  After  10  or  12  days  double  the 
quantity,  by  weight,  of  this  liquid  is  added  of 
shellac.  This  mixture  is  heated  in  an  iron  ves- 
sel having  a  discharge  pipe  at  the  bottom,  and 
when  the  whole  has  become  liquid  it  is  drawn 
out  upon  slabs  where  it  cools  in  the  form  of 
plates.  When  required  for  use  it  is  heated  in 
an  iron  vessel  to  a  temperature  of  258^*,  and  ap- 
plied with  a  brush  to  the  surfaces  to  be  joined. 
It  is  so  strong  that  wooden  beams  and  posts 
joined  with  it  will  break  elsewhere  before  being 
divided  at  the  place  of  splicing. 

CEMENT,  yapanese. — Intimately  mix  the 
best  powdered  rice  with  a  little  cold  water,  and 
then  gradually  add  boiling  water  until  a  proper 
consistence  is  acquired,  being  particularly  care- 
ful to  keep  it  well  stirred  all  the  time;  lastly,  it 
must  be  boiled  for  i  minute  in  a  clean  saucepan 
or  earthen  pipkin.  This  glue  is  beautifully 
white  and  transparent,  for  which  reason  it  is 
well  adapted  for  fancy  paper  work,  which  re- 
quires a  strong  and  colorless  cement. 

CEMENT,  Jeweller's. — Take  6  pieces  of 
gum  mastic  the  size  of  peas,  and  dissolve  in  the 
smallest  possible  quantity  of  alcohol.  Soften 
some  isinglass  in  water,  and  saturate  strong 
brandy  with  it  till  you  have  2  oz.  of  glue  ;  then 
rub  in  2  small  pieces  of  sal  ammoniac.  ^lix  the 
2  preparations  at  a  heat.  Keep  well  stoppered. 
Set  the  bottle  in  hot  water  before  using.  It  is 
said  by  the  Turks  that  this  preparation  will  unite 
2  metallic  surfaces,  even  polished  steel,  so  that 
they  cannot  be  separated. 


38 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


CEMENT,  Kourie. — A  new  gum,  obtained 
from  trees  in  New  Zealand,  has  been  introduced. 
It  is  called  kourie,  and  has  been  found  to  be  a 
most  excellent,,  strong,  and  waterproof  cement 
for  caulking  tanks  and  cementing  pieces  of  glass, 
stone  or  wood  together.  Before  using  it  is  fused 
and  mixed  with  ]A,  part  of  its  weight  of  castor 
oU. 

CEMENT,  Liquid.— Qax\.  gum  shellac  in  70 
per  cent,  alcohol ;  put  it  in  phials,  and  it  is 
ready  for  use.  Apply  it  to  the  edge  of  the 
broken  dish  with  a  feather,  and  hold  it  in  a  spirit 
lamp  as  long  as  the  cement  will  simmer,  then 
join  together  evenly,  and  when  cold  the  dish 
will  break  in  another  place  first,  and  is  as  strong 
as  when  new. 

CEMENT,  Microscopic. — ^Isinglass,  2  parts  ; 
gum,  I  part;  water,  2  parts.  Dissolve,  then 
mix  in  alcohol,  i  part. 

CEMENT,  Optician's.— \.  Shellac,  softened 
with  rectified  spirits  or  wood  naphtha.  For  fine 
work. — 2.  Melt  wax,  i  oz,  and  rosin,  15  oz. ; 
tlaen  add  whiting,  4  oz.,  previously  made  red 
hot,  and  still  warm.  Used  to  fix  glasses,  stones, 
etc.,  while  polishing  and  cutting. 

CEMENT,  Parabolic— Q,\xxS[t.  skim  milk, 
press  out  the  whey,  and  dry  the  curd  by  a  gen- 
tle heat,  but  as  quickly  as  possible.  When  it 
has  become  quite  dry,  grind  it  to  powder  in  a 
coffee  or  i>epper-  mill,  and  mix  it  with  one-six- 
teenth of  its  weight  of  finely-powdered  quick- 
lime, and  a  piece  of  camphor  the  size  of  a  pea, 
also  reduced  to  powder,  to  every  ounce  of  the 
mixture.  Keep  it  in  wide-mouth  I  oz.  phials, 
well  corked.  When  to  be  used,  make  it  into  a 
paste  with  a  little  water,  and  apply  it  immedi- 
ately. 

CEMENT,  Plumber's.— Wi.€lt  black  resin,  I 
lb. ;  then  stir  in  brick-dust,  I  to  2  lb. ;  some- 
times a  little  tallow  is  added. 

CEMENT,  Peasley. — Prepare  a  solution  of 
200  parts  of  white  glue  in  water ;  another  one 
of  50  parts  of  isinglass,  3  of  gum  arable,  and  3 
of  tragacanth ;  and  finally,  another  of  i  part  of 
bleached  shellac  in  alcohol.  Then  pour  these  3 
solutions  together,  mix  them  with  24  parts  of 
white  lead,  and,  at  the  last,  12  parts  of  the  best 
glycerine,  and  200  parts  of  alcohol.  The  mastic 
thus  obtained  should  be  immediately  put  up  in 
bottles  and  well  corked. 

CEMENT,  Rice  Flotcr. — An  admirable  ce- 
ment may  be  made  from  rice  flour,  which  is  at 
present  used  for  tTiat  purpose  in  China  and  Ja- 
jjan.  It  is  only  necessary  to  incorporate  the 
rice  flour  intimately  with  cold  water,  and  gently 
simmer  it  over  a  fire,  when  it  readily  forms  a 
delicate  and  durable  cement,  not  only  answering 
all  the  purposes  of  common  paste,  but  admirably 
adapted  for  joining  together  paper,  cards,  etc., 
in  forming  the  various  beautiful  and  tasteful  or- 
naments which  afford  much  employment  and 
amusement  to  the  ladies.  When  made  of  the 
consistence  of  plaster  clay,  models,  busts,  bas- 
relievos,  etc.,  may  be  formed  of  it,  and  the  ar- 
ticles, when  dry,  are  susceptible  of  a  liigh  poU 
ish,  and  are  also  very  durable. 

CEMENT^  Red. — ^This  cement,  which  is  em- 
ployed by  instrument  makers  for  cementing 
glass  to  metals,  and  which  is  very  cheap,  and  is 
very  useful  for  a  variety  of  purposes,  is  made  by 
melting  5  parts  of  black  resin,  i  part  of  yellow 
wax,  and  then  stirring  in  gradually  1  part  of  red 
ochre  or  Venetian  red,  in  fine  powder,  and  pre- 


viously well  dried.  This  cement  requires  to  be 
melted  before  use,  and  it  adheres  better  if  the 
objects  to  which  it  is  applied  are  warmed. 

CEMENT,  Roman. — Genuine  Roman  ce- 
ment consists  of  puzzolene,  (a  ferruginous  clay 
from  Puteoli,  calcined  by  the  fires  of  Vesuvius, ) 
lime  and  sand,  mixed  up  with  soft  water.  The 
only  preparation  which  the  puzzolene  undergoes 
is  that  of  pounding  and  sifting ;  but  the  ingredi- 
ents are  occasionally  incorporated  with  bullock's 
blood  and  oil,  to  give  the  composition  more  te- 
nacity. 

CEMENT,  Seal  Engraver' s. — Common  resin 
and  brick-dust  melted  together.  Used  to  fix  the 
pieces  of  metal  while  cutting,  and  also  to  secure 
seals  and  tools  in  their  handles.  The  older  it 
gets  the  harder  it  grows. 

SCHIOICA  O. — A  new  Chinese  composition, 
which  has  the  property  of  making  wood  and 
other  substances  perfectly  water-tight.  It  con- 
sists of  3  parts  of  blood,  (deprived  of  its  fibrine,) 
4  parts  of  lime,  and  a  little  alum. 

CEMENT,  Water  and  Fire-proof .—1:0  y^  a 
pint  of  milk  put  an  equal  quantity  of  vinegar,  in 
order  to  curdle  it ;  then  separate  the  curd  ■  from 
the  whey,  and  incorporate  the  whey  with  4  or  5 
eggs,  beating  the  whole  well  together.  When  it 
is  well  incorporated,  add  a  little  quick-lime 
through  a  sieve,  until  it  has  acquired  the  consist- 
ence of  a  thick  paste.  With  this  broken  vessels 
may  be  united.  It  resists  water  and,  in  a  meas- 
ure, fire. 

CEMENT,  Wafer.— Good  gray  clay,  4 
parts  ;  black  oxide  of  manganese,  6  parts  ;  good 
limestone,  reduced  to  powder  by  sprinkling  it 
with  water,  90  parts ;  incorporate,  calcine  and 
powder. 

GLUES. 

GLUE,  Cement. — Take  of  isinglass  and 
parchment  size,  each  i  oz.,  sugar  candy  and  gum 
tragacanth,  each  2  drachms ;  add  to  them  i  oz. 
water,  and  boil  the  whole  together  till  the  solu- 
tion appears  (when  cold)  of  the  consistency  of 
glue ;  then  pour  it  into  any  form  you  please.  If 
this  glue  be  wet  with  the  tongue,  and  rubbed  on 
the  edges  of  paper,  silk  or  leather  that  are  to  be 
cemented,  they  will,  being  laid  together,  pressed 
slightly,  and  suffered  to  dry,  be  as  firmly  united 
as  other  parts  of  the  substance. 

GLUE,  Flexible. — A  German  chemist  has 
discovered  that  if  glue  or  gelatine  be  incorpo- 
rated with  about  ]^  of  its  weight  of  glycerine, 
it  loses  its  brittleness,  and  becomes  useful  for 
many  purposes  for  which  it  is  otherwise  unfit, 
such  as  dressing  leather,  giving  elasticity  to  por- 
celain, parchment  or  enameled  paper,  and  for 
bookbinding. 

GLUE,  IIow  to  Use  It. — To  do  good  gluing, 
the  work  must  be  well  fitted,  the  parts  to  be 
glued  well  warmed,  and  the  glue  well  cooked 
and  brought  to  the  proper  consistency.  Having 
clamps,  hand-screws,  etc.,  ready,  after  applying 
the  glue  put  together  immediately,  l^ringing  the 
parts  firmly  together,  leaving  no  body  of  glue 
between.     Finally,  use  only  the  best  glue. 

GLUE,  its  Manufacture. — Glue  is  principally 
prepared  from  the  parings  and  waste-pieces  of 
hides  and  skins,  the  refuse  of  tanneries,  and  the 
tendons  and  other  offal  of  slaughter-houses. 
All  these  should  be  preferably  obtained  and  kept 
in  the  dry  state,  to  prevent  decomposition.  For 
use,  they  arc  first  steeped  for  14  or  15  days  in 


CEMENTS,     CLUES   AND  PASTES. 


39 


milk  of'  lime,  and  then  drained  and  dried  ;  this 
constitutes  the  cleaning  or  the  preparation.  Be- 
fore conversion  into  glue,  they  are  usually  again 
steeped  in  weak  milk  of  lime,  well  washed  in 
v/ater,  and  exposed  to  the  air  for  24  hours. 
They  are  then  placed  in  a  copper  boiler  ~/^  filled 
with  water,  and  furnished  with  a  perforated 
false  bottom,  to  prevent  them  from  burning,  and 
as  much  is  piled  on  as  will  fill  the  vessel  and 
rest  on  the  top  of  it.  Heat  is  next  applied,  and 
gentle  boiling  continued  until  the  liquor  on  cool- 
ing forms  a  firm  gelatinous  mass.  The  clear 
portion  is  then  run  off  into  another  vessel,  where 
it  is  kept  hot  by  a  water-bath,  and  allov/ed  to  re- 
pose for  some  hours  to  dqiosit,  when  it  is  run 
into  the  congealing  boxes,  and  placed  in  a  cool 
situation.  The  next  morning  the  cold  gelatinous 
masses  are  turned  out  upon  boards  wetted  with 
water,  and  are  cut  horizontally  into  thin  cakes 
with  a  stretched  piece  of  brass  wire,  and  then 
into  smaller  cakes  with  a  moistened  flat  knife. 
These  cakes  are  then  placed  upon  nettings  to 
dry,  after  which  they  are  dipped  one  by  one  into 
hot  water,  and  slightly  rubbed  with  a  brush 
wetted  with  boiling  water,  to  give  them  a  gloss  ; 
they  are  lastly  stove-dried  for  sale.  During  this 
time  the  undissolved  portion  of  skins,  etc.,  left 
in  the  copper  is  treated  with  fresh  water,  and  the 
w-hole  operation  is  repeated  again  and  again,  as 
long  as  any  gelatinous  matter  is  extracted.  The 
first  runnings  produce  the  palest  and  best  glue. 
The  refuse  matter  from  the  tanners  and  leather 
dressers  yields  on  the  average,  when  dried,  50 
per  cent,  of  its  weight  of  glue. 

LIQUID  GLUE.— I.  Dissolve  bruised  or- 
ange shellac  in  ^  of  its  weight  of  rectified 
spirit,  or  of  rectified  wood  naphtha,  by  a  gentle 
heat.  It  is  very  useful  as  a  general  cement  and 
substitute  for  glue. — 2.  Another  kind  may  be 
made  by  dissolving  i  oz.  of  borax  in  12  oz.  of 
st)ft  water,  adding  2  oz.  of  bruised  shellac,  and 
boiling  till  dissolved,  stirring  it  constantly. — 3. 
Dissolve  1000  parts  of  glue  in  looo  parts,  by 
weight,  of  water,  in  a  glazed  pot  over  a  gentle 
fire.  When  it  is  melted,  add  nitric  acid  (sp.  gr. 
I  "32)  200  parts,  pouring  it  in  very  gradually. 
An  effervescence  is  caused  by  the  escape  of  hy- 
ponitrous  acid.  When  all  the  acid  is  added,  al- 
low the  solution  to  cool. — ^4.  Dissolve  I  part  of 
powdered  alum  in  120  parts  of  water;  add  120 
parts  of  glue,  10  of  acetic  acid,  and  40  of  alco- 
hol, and  digest.  Prepared  glue  is  made  by  dis- 
solving common  glue  in  warm  water,  and  then 
adding  acetic  acid  (strong  vinegar)  to  keep  it. 
Dissolve  I  lb.  of  best  glue  m  1%  pint  of  water, 
and  add  i  pint  of  vinegar.     It  is  ready  for  use. 

LIQUID  GLUE,  for  Labeling  upon  7m.— 
Boiling  water,  i  quart;  borax,  pulverized,  2  oz.; 
put  in  the  borax  ;  then  add  gum  shellac,  4  oz., 
and  boil  until  dissolved. 

MARINE  GLUE. — Mix  together  gum  san- 
daric,  ^  lb.  ;  gum  mastic,  %  lb.,  and  methy- 
lated spirit,  8  lbs.  When  the  gums  are  dis- 
solved, add  ^  lb.  turpentine,  and  incorporate 
this  with  a  thick,  hot  solution  of  the  best  glue, 
(to  which  a  little  isinglass  has  been  added  to 
clarify  it,)'  and  filter  through  muslin.  The  ma- 
rine glue  will  be  impervious  to  moisture,  and 
will  not  soften  in  any  ordinarily  hot  weather. 

MOUTH  GLUE.—ThAS.  article  affords  a 
very  convenient  means  of  uniting  papers,  and 
other  small,  light  objects ;  it  is  made  by  dis- 
solving, with  the  aid  of  heat,  pure  glue  (as  gel- 


atine or  parchment  glue)  with  about  ^  of  its 
weight  of  coarse  brown  sugar,  in  as  small  a 
quantity  of  boiling  water  as  possible ;  this,  when 
perfectly  liquid,  should  be  cast  into  thin  cakes  on 
a  flat  surface  very  slightly  oiled,  and  as  it  cools 
cut  up  into  pieces  of  a  convenient  size.  When 
required  for  use,  one  end  may  be  moistened  by 
the  mouth,  and  it  is  then  ready  to  be  rubbed  on 
any  substances  it  may  be  wished  to  join  ;  a  piece 
kept  in  the  desk  or  work-box  is  very  convenient. 

PARCHMENT  CZC/^.— Parchment  shav- 
ings, I  lb. ;  water,  6  quarts.  Boil  until  dis- 
solved, then  strain  and  evaporate  slowly  to  the 
proper  consistence.  Use  a  water-bath  if  you 
want  it  very  light  colored. 

PORTABLE  GLUE,  for  Draughtsmen,  etc. 
— Glue,  5  parts  ;  sugar,  2  parts  ;  water,  8  parts. 
Melt  in  a  water-bath,  and  cast  it  in  moulds. 
For  use,  dissolve  in  warm  water. 

SPA  ULDING'S  GLUE.— First  soak  in  cold 
water  all  the  glue  you  wish  to  make  at  one  time, 
using  only  glass,  earthen  or  porcelain  dishes ; 
then  by  gentle  heat  dissolve  the  glue  in  the  same 
water,  and  pour  in  a  little  nitric  acid,  sufficient 
to  give  the  glue  a  sour  taste,  like  vinegar,  or  I 
oz.  to  each  lb.  of  glue. 

WA  TER-PROOF  GLUE.—i  oz.  of  gum 
sandarac  and  I  oz.  of  mastic  are  to  be  dissolved 
together  in  a  pint  of  alcohol,  to  which  i  oz.  of 
white  turpentine  is  to  be  added.  At  the  same 
time  a  very  thick  glue  is  to  be  kept  ready,  mixed 
with  a  little  isinglass.  The  solution  of  the  res- , 
ins  in  alcohol  is  to  be  heated  to  boiling  in  a  glue 
pot,  and  the  glue  added  gradually  with  constant 
stirring,  so  as  to  render  the  whole  mass  homo- 
geneous. After  the  solution  is  strained  through 
a  cloth,  it  is  ready  for  use,  and  is  to  be  applied 
hot.  It  dries  quickly  and  becomes  very  hard, 
and  surfaces  of  wood  united  by  it  do  not  sepa- 
rate when  immersed  in  water. 

MUCILAGES. 

MUCILAGE. — I.  Put  3  oz.  of  gum  arabic 
in  an  earthenware  vessel  containing  ^  a  pint  of 
cold  water.  If  the  liquid  is  occasionally  stirred, 
the  gum  in  24  hours  will  be  dissolved  and  the 
mixture  ready  for  use.  Cloves  will  keep  it  from 
moidding. — 2.  Fine  clean  glue,  i  lb.;  gum  ara- 
ble, 10  oz. ;  water,  I  quart ;  melt  by  heat  in  a 
glue  kettle  or  water-bath  ;  when  entirely  melted, 
add  slowly  10  oz.  strong  nitric  acid,  and  set  off 
to  cool.  Then  bottle,  adding  a  couple  of  cloves 
to  each  bottle. 

MUCILA  GE,  SALEP.—YoT  a  6  oz.  mixture, 
place  into  a  flask  i  oz.  of  cold  water,  and  30  grs. 
of  powdered  salep  ;  shake  well  together ;  then 
add  7  oz.  of  boiling  water,  with  which  the  whole 
is  shaken  until  nearly  cold. 

PASTES. 

PASTE,  That  Will  Keep  a  Year.—i.  Dis- 
solve a  teaspoonful  of  alum  in  a  quart  of  warm 
water.  When  cold,  stir  in  as  much  flour  as  will 
give  it  the  consistency  of  thick  cream,  being  par- 
ticular to  beat  up  all  the  lumps ;  stir  in  as  much 
powdered  resin  as  will  stand  on  a  dime,  and 
throw  in  half-a-dozen  cloves  to  give  a  pleasant 
odor.  Have  on  the  fire  a  teacupful  of  boiling 
water ;  pour  the  flour  mixture  into  it,  stirring 
well  all  the  time.  In  a  very  few  minutes  it  will 
be  of  the  consistency  of  mush.     Pour  it  into  an 


40 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


earthen  or  china  vessel ;  let  it  cool ;  lay  a  cover 
on,  and  put  it  in  a  cool  place.  When  needed  for 
use,  take  out  a  portion  and  soften  it  with  warm 
water.  Paste  thus  made  will  last  12  months. 
It  is  better  than  gum,  as  it  does  not  gloss  the 
paper,  and  can  be  written  upon. — 2.  Prepare  in 
the  ordinary  way  a  good  flour  or  starch  paste. 
It  can  be  preserved  by  adding  to  it  a  small  quan- 
tity of  brown  sugar,  then  corrosive  subhmate  in 
fine  powder  in  the  proportion  of  about  a  tea- 
spoonful  to  the  pint  of  paste ;  add  also  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  oil  of  lavender,  or  rosemary,  or 
cloves,  or  any  of  the  essential  oils,  and  a  few 
drops  of  carbolic  acid,  and  stir  well  with  a 
wooden  spaiula.  This  paste  will  keep  for  any 
length  of  time  perfectly  pure.  The  7-ationale  is 
this :  The  corrosive  sublimate  insures  it  against 
fermentation,  and  the  essential  oil  and  carbolic 
acid  against  mold.  Corrosive  subhmate  in  the 
above  is  a  poisonous  agent,  but  it  is  not  expected 
that  the  paste  is  to  be  eaten  because  of  its  con- 
taining sugar ;  and  in  the  use  of  it  as  paste  it  is 
not  in  the  least  dangerous,  as  we  all  handle  with 
impunity  many  things  more  poisonous  than  this. 

PASTE,  for  Scrap  ^^(?>&j.— Take  the  best 
of  laundry  starch  in  a  clean  dish,  wet  it  with 
sufficient  cold,  soft  water,  to  permit  it  being  stir- 
red smoothly.  Pour  on  boiling  water,  slowly 
stirring  until  the  starch  is  clear  and  jelly-like. 
Ready  for  use  as  soon  as  cool.  For  many  uses 
preferable  to  a  mucilage  of  gum  Arabic. 

PASTE,  That  Will  Adhere  to  Any  Substance. 
— Sugar-of-lead,  720  grs.,  and  alum,  720  grs. ; 
both  are  dissolved  in  water.  Take  2|^  oz.  of 
gum  arabic  and  dissolve  in  2  quarts  of  warm 
water.  Mix  in  a  dish  i  lb.  of  wheat  flour  with 
the  gum  water  cold,  till  in  pasty  consistence. 
Put  the  dish  on  the  fire,  pour  into  it  the  mixture 
of  alum  and  sugar-of-lead.  Shake  well,  and 
take  it  off  the  fire  when  it  shows  signs  of  ebul- 
lition. Let  the  whole  cool,  and  the  paste  is 
made.  If  the  paste  is  too  thick,  add  to  it  some 
gum  water,  till  in  proper  consistence. 

PUTTY. 

GLAZIER'S  PC/rrF.— Whiting,  70  lbs. ; 
boiled  oil,  30  lbs.  ;  water,  2  gals.  Mix.  If  too 
thin,  add  more  whiting;  if  too  thick  add  more  oil. 

PUTTY,  to  Soften. — To  remove  old  putty 
from  broken  windows,  dip  a  small  brush  in  nitro- 
muriatic  acid  or  caustic  soda,  (concentrated  lye,) 
and  with  it  anoint  or  paint  over  the  dry  putty 
that  adheres  to  the  broken  glass  and  frames  of 
your  windows  ;  after  an  hour's  interval,  the 
putty  will  have  become  so  soft  as  to  be  easily  re- 
movable. 


SEALING-WAX. 

SEALING-WAX.— {^&^.)  i.  Shellac  (very 
pale)  4  oz. ;  cautiously  melt  in  a  bright  copper 
pan  over  a  clear  charcoal  fire,  and  when  fused 
add  Venice  turpentine,  i^  oz. ;  mix,  and  further 
add  vermilion,  3  oz.  ;  remove  the  pan  from  the 
fire,  cool  a  little,  weigh  it  into  pieces,  and  roll 
them  into  circular  sticks  on  a  warm  marble  slab 
by  means  of  a  polished  wooden  block  ;  or  it  may 
be  poured  into  moulds  while  in  a  state  of  fusion. 
Some  persons  polish  the  sticks  with  a  rag  till 
quite  cold. — 2.  (Fine.)  Shellac,  3  lbs.  ;  Venice 
turpentine,  19  oz. ;  finest  cinnabar,  2  lbs. ;  mix 
as  before. — 3.  (Fine.)  As  the  last,  but  use  just 
half  as  much  vermilion. — 4.  Resin,  4  lbs. ;  shel- 
lac, 2  lbs.  ;  Venice  turpentine  and  red  lead,  of 
each  \y^  lbs.     Common. 

(Black.)  I.  Shellac,  60  parts  ;  very  fine  ivory- 
black,  reduced  to  an  impalpable  powder,  30 
parts;  Venice  turpentine,  20  parts. — 2.  (Fine.) 
As  the  last,  but  using  lamp-black  for  ivory- 
black. — 3.  (Fine.)  Rosin,  6  lbs.;  shellac  and 
Venice  turpentine,  of  each  2  lbs. ;  lamp-black 
q.  s.     Inferior. 

(Black  Bottle-Wax.)  1.  Black  resin  ()%  lbs. ; 
beeswax,  y%  lb.  ;  finely-powdered  ivory-black,  I 
lb.  ;  melt  together. — 2. (Red.)  As  the  last,  but 
substitute  Venetian  or  red  lead  for  ivory-black. 

(French.)  Shellac,  (pale,)  3  lbs.;  Venice 
turpentine,  l^  lb.  ;  vermillion,  3^^  lbs.  ;  di- 
vide into  sticks  12, 24,  36  or  40  to  the  lb.     Fine. 

(Gold.)  By  stirring  gold-colored  mica  span- 
gles or  talc,  or  aurum  musivum  into  the  melted 
resins  when  they  begin  to  cool.     Fine. 

( Marbled. )  By  mixing  2  or  3  different  col- 
ored kinds  just  as  they  begin  to  grow  solid. 

(Soft).  I.  (Red.)  Beeswax,  8  parts ;  olive 
oil,  5  parts;  melt,  and  add  Venice  turpentine  15 
parts;  red  lead  to  color. — 2.  (Green.)  As  the 
last,  iDut  substitute  powdered  verdigris  for  red 
lead.  Both  are  used  for  sealing  certain  official 
documents  kept  in  tin  boxes ;  also  as  a  cement. 

All  the  above  forms  for  "fine"  wax  produce 
"  superfine,"  by  employing  the  best  qualities  of 
the  ingredients  ;  and  "  extra-superfine,"  or 
"scented,"  by  adding  i  oz.  of  balsam  of  Peru  or 
liquid  storax  to  the  ingredients  when  consider- 
ably cooled.  The  variegated  and  fancy-colored 
kinds  are  commonly  scented  with  a  little  essence 
of  musk,  or  ambergris,  or  any  of  the  more  fra- 
grant essential  oils.  The  addition  of  a  little 
camphor  or  spirit  of  wine,  makes  sealing-wax 
burn  easier.  Sealing-wax  adulterated  with  rosin, 
or  which  contains  too  much  turpentine,  runs  into 
thin  drops  at  the  flame  of  a  candle. 


COOKING  AND    BAKING. 

COOKING    SUITABLE     FOR     INVALIDS     IS     MARKED* 


ANCHOVY  BUTTER.— ^cr3.-pe  the  skin 
from  a  dozen  fine  anchovies,  take  the  flesh  from 
the  bones,  pound  it  smooth  in  a  mortar ;  mb 
through  a  hair-sieve,  put  the  anchovies  into  the 
mortar  with  ^  of  a  pound  of  fresh  butter,  a 


small  quantity  of  cayenne,  and  a  saltspoonful  of 
grated  nutmeg  and  mace  ;  heat  together  until 
thoroughly  blended.  If  to  serve  cold,  mould 
the  butter  in  small  shapes,  and  turn  it  out.  For 
preservation,  press  the  butter  into  jars ;  keepcooL 


COOKING   AND   BAKING. 


41 


APPLE  BREAD.— K  very  light,  pleasant 
bread  is  made  in  France  by  a  mixture  ot  apples 
and  flour,  in  the  proportion  of  i  of  the  former 
to  2  of  the  latter.  The  usual  quantity  of  yeast 
is  employed  as  in  making  common  bread,  and  is 
beaten  with  flour  and  warm  pulp  of  the  apples 
after  they  have  boiled,  and  the  dough  is  then 
considered  as  set ;  it  is  then  put  in  a  proper  ves- 
sel, and  allowed  to  rise  for  8  or  12  hours,  and 
tlien  baked  in  long  loaves.  Very  little  water  is 
requisite — none,  generally,  if  the  apples  are  very 
fresh. 

APPLE  SAUCE. — Pare  and  core  3  good- 
sized  baking  apples,  and  put  them  into  a  well- 
tinned  pint  saucepan,  with  two  tables poonfuls  of 
cold  water ;  cover  the  saucepan  close,  and  set  it 
on  a  trivet  over  a  slow  fire  a  couple  of  hours  h&- 
fore  dinner ;  some  apples  will  take  a  long  time 
stewing — others  will  be  ready  in  15  minutes  ; 
when  the  apples  are  done  enough,  pour  off  the 
water,  let  them  stand  a  few  minutes  to  get  dry ; 
then  beat  them  up  with  a  fork,  with  a  bit  of  but- 
ter about  as  big  as  a  nutmeg,  and  a  teaspoonful 
of  powdered  sugar.  Some  add  lemon-peel, 
grated  or  minced  fine,  or  boil  a  bit  with  the  ap- 
ples. Some  are  fond  of  apple  sauce  with  cold 
pork. 

APPLE  PUDDINGS.— \  lb.  of  flour,  6  oz. 
of  very  finely-minced  beef  suet ;  roll  thin,  and 
fill  with  i^'lbs.  of  boihng  apples;  add  grated 
rind  and  strained  juice  of  a  small  lemon;  tie  it 
in  a  cloth;  boil  i  hour  and  20  minutes,  or  long- 
er, in  the  water.  A  small  slice  of  fresh  butter 
stirred  into  it  when  it  is  sweetened  will  be  an  ac- 
ceptable addition ;  grated  nutmeg,  or  cinnamon 
in  fine  powder,  may  be  substituted  for  lemon- 
rind.  For  a  richer  pudding  use  ^  a  lb.  of  but- 
ter for  the  crust,  and  add  to  the  apples  a  spoon- 
ful or  two  of  orange  or  quince  marmalade. — 2. 
Pare  4  or  5  large,  tart  apples,  and  gi-ate  them 
fine  ;  then  make  the  following  custard,  into 
which  stir  the  grated  apple:  Flour,  4tablespoon- 
fuls ;  I  pint  of  milk,  5  eggs,  and  a  little  grated 
orange-peel.  After  you  have  these  ingredients 
well  mixed,  pour  them  into  your  pudding-dish, 
and  bake  about  ij^  hours. 

APPLE  PUDDING,  Baked.— ^  large  ap- 
ples boiled,  some  grated  bread,  4  oz.  of  butter, 
4  yelks  and  2  whites  of  eggs  well  beaten,  sugar 
to  taste ;  edge  a  dish  with  puff-paste,  and  bake 
^  an  hour. 

APPLE  CAKE.— Take  2  cups  of  dried  ap- 
ples, stew  just  enough  to  cut  easily,  chop  about 
as  fine  as  raisins,  and  simmer  in  2  cups  of  mo- 
lasses 3  hours ;  I  cup  of  sugar,  I  cup  of  sour 
milk,  I  of  butter,  2  eggs,  5  cups  of  flour,  2  tea- 
spoonfuls  of  soda,  some  salt,  cloves  and  cinna- 
mon. Mix  with  molasses  warm.  Put  apples 
and  molasses  in  before  the  flour.  Bake  in  large 
cake  dishes ;  it  makes  I  large  one,  or  2  small 
ones. 

APPLE  CUSTA PD.— I  pintof  good  stewed 
apples,  a  X  of  a  lb.  of  butter,  J4  a  pint  of 
cream,  3  eggs  beaten  light,  sugar  and  grated 
nutmeg  to  taste.  Mix  the  ingredients  together, 
and  bake  in  a  puff-paste  in  a  moderate  stove. 

APPLE  CPEAAI.—BoW  12  apples  in  water 
till  soft ;  take  off  the  peel  and  press  the  pulp 
through  a  hair  sieve  upon  }4  ^  l^J-  of  pounded 
sugar ;  whip  the  whites  of  2  eggs,  add  them  to 
the  apples,  and  beat  all  together  till  it  becomes 
very  stiff  and  looks  quite  wltite.  Serve  it 
heaped  up  on  a  dish. 


APPLE  SNOW.—VvX  12  good  tart  apples  in 
cold  water,  and  set  them  on  a  slow  fire  ;  when 
soft,  drain  off  the  water,  strip  the  skins  from  the 
a]iples,  core  and  lay  them  in  a  large  glass  dish. 
Beat  the  whites  of  12  eggs  to  a  stift"  froth,  put  y^ 
a  pound  of  powdered  white  sugar  to  the  apples  ; 
heat  them  and  add  the  eggs.  Beat  the  whole  to 
a  stiff  snow,  and  turn  into  a  dessert-dish. 

APPLE  SLUM. — Pare  good  cooking  apples, 
put  in  an  earthen  dish  with  sugar,  butter,  and 
water  enough  for  juice.  Make  a  paste  as  for 
biscuit,  only  thin  enough  to  spread  easily  with  a 
spoon.  Spread  over  the  apples  and  bake  ^  of 
an  hour.  Berries  and  prunes  may  be  used  in- 
stead of  apples,  and  make  an  equally  palatable 
dish.     Serve  with  a  nice  sauce. 

APPLE  SOUFFLE.— d  or  8  apples,  some 
white  sugar,  yelks  and  whites  of  3  eggs,  ^  of  a 
pint  of  cream  or  new  milk,  sugar  to  taste.  Peel 
and  cut  the  apples ;  boil  them  with  a  little  white 
sugar,  and  mash  them  smooth.  Make  a  custard 
with  the  yelks  of  3  well-beaten  eggs,  a  ^  of  a 
pint  of  cream  or  new  milk,  and  white  sugar  to 
taste.  Have  the  apples  and  custard  ready;  make 
a  ring  rovmd  the  dish  with  the  apples,  and  put 
the  custard  in  the  middle.  Whisk  the  whites  of 
the  eggs  to  a  stiff  froth,  and  put  them  over  the 
custard  and  apples.  Sift  sugar  over  it,  and  bake 
it  in  a  moderate  oven. 

APPLE  FRITTERS.— Vote  and  core  some 
fine  large  pippins,  and  cut  them  into  round 
slices.  Soak  them  in  sugar,  moistened  with  wa- 
ter, and  nutmeg  for  2  or  3  hours.  Make  a  bat- 
ter of  4  eggs,  a  tablespoonful  of  rose-water,  and 
one  of  milk ;  thicken  with  enough  flour,  stirred 
in  by  degrees,  to  make  a  batter ;  mix  it  2  or  3 
hours  before  it  is  wanted,  that  it  may  be  light. 
Heat  some  butter  in  a  frying-pan  ;  dip  each  slice 
of  apple  separately  in  the  batter,  and  fry  them 
brown ;  sift  pounded  sugar  and  grate  nutmeg 
over  them. 

APPLE  TRIFLE.— Stew  6  large  apples; 
sift  them,  and  add  sugar,  butter  and  nutmeg  as 
for  pies.  Put  in  a  deep  dish.  Take  a  pint  of 
cream  and  i  of  milk  and  boil  them.  When 
boiling,  add  the  beaten  yelks  of  6  eggs,  and 
sugar.  Stir  until  thick.  When  cold,  pour  it 
over  the  apple,  bake,  and  when  nearly  done 
spread  the  whites  of  the  eggs,  beaten  with  lemon 
and  sugar,  on  the  top,  and  let  it  brown  deli- 
cately. 

APPLES,  Floating  Island  ^/— Bake  or 
scald  8  or  9  large  apples  ;  when  cold,  pare  them 
and  pulp  them  through  a  sieve.  Beat  up  this 
pulp  with  sugar,  and  add  to  it  the  whites  of  4 
or  5  eggs  previously  beaten  up  with  a  small 
quantity  of  rose-water.  Mix  this  into  the  pulp 
a  little  at  a  time,  and  beat  it  until  quite  light. 
Heap  it  up  on  a  dish^  with  a  rich  custard  or  jelly 
round  it. 

ARTICHOKES.— Soak  them  in  cold  water, 
and  wash  them  well ;  put  them  into  plenty  of 
boiling  water,  with  a  handful  of  salt,  and  let 
them  boil  gently  for  i^  or  2  hours  ;  trim  them 
and  drain  on  a  sieve ;  send  up  melted  butter 
with  them,  which  some  put  into  small  cups,  i 
for  each  guest. 

ARTICHOKES,  Boikd.—Twht  off  the 
stalks  and  wash  them  in  cold  water.  When  the 
water  boils  put  them  in  with  the  tops  down. 
They  will  be  done  in  l^  hours.  Serve  with 
melted  butter. 
ARROWROOT  BLANCMANGE —A.  tea- 


42 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


cupful  of  arrowroot  to  a  pint  of  milk ;  boil  the 
milk  with  12  sweet  and  6  bitter  almonds  blanched 
and  beaten  ;  sweeten  with  loaf  sugar,  and  strain 
it ;  break  the  arrowroot  with  a  little  of  the  milk 
as  smooth  as  possible ;  pour  the  boiling  milk 
upon  it  by  degrees,  stirring  the  while;  put  it 
back  into  the  pan,  and  boil  a  few  minutes,  still 
stirring ;  dip  the  shape  in  cold  water  before  you 
put  it  in,  and  turn  it  out  when  cold. 

ASPARAGUS.— ?,cra.^Q  the  stalks  till  they 
are  clean ;  throw  them  into  a  pan  of  cold  water  ; 
tie  them  up  in  bundles  of  about  25  each ;  cut  off 
the  stalks  at  the  bottom  all  of  a  length,  leaving 
enough  to  serve  as  a  handle  for  the  green  part ; 
put  them  into  a  stew-pan  of  boiling  water,  with 
a  handful  of  salt  in  it.  Let  it  boil,  and  skim  it. 
When  they  are  tender  at  the  stalk,  which  will  be 
in  from  20  to  30  minutes,  they  are  done  enough. 
Watch  the  exact  time  of  their  becoming  tender  ; 
take  them  up  that  instant.  If  too  much  boiled 
they  lose  both  color  and  taste.     While  the  as- 

I)aragus  is  boiling,  toast  a  round  of  a  quartern 
oaf,  about  ]4  an  inch  thick  ;  brown  it  delicately 
on  both  sides;  dip  it  lightly  in  the  liquor  the  as- 
paragus was  boiled  in,  and  lay  it  in  the  middle 
of  a  dish,  and  lay  the  asparagus  round  the  dish, 
the  tops  inwards. 

ASPARAGUS  SOUP.— 2  quarts  of  good 
beef  or  veal  steak,  4  onions,  2  or  3  turnips, 
some  sweet  herbs,  and  the  white  parts  of  lOO 

?roung  asparagus ;  if  old,  half  that  quantity ;  and 
et  them  simmer  till  fit  to  be  rubbed  through  a 
tammy ;  strain  and  season  it  ;  have  ready  the 
boiled  green  tops  of  the  asparagus,  and  add  them 
to  the  soup. 

BAKING  POWDER.— The  following  are 
the  baking  powders  in  general  use:  i.  Tartaric 
acid,  4^  oz.  ;  arrowroot  or  rice-flour,  5  oz. ; 
mix. — 2,  Alum,  5  oz. ;  bicarbonate  of  soda,  2% 
oz. ;  bicarbonate  of  ammonia,  ^  oz.  ;  arrow- 
root, 4  oz. 

BEANS,  To  Cook. — The  usual  way  p)eople 
cook  beans  is  to  parboil  them ;  put  them  in  a 
kettle  or  pan,  set  them  in  the  oven  to  bake,  with 
a  piece  of  fat  pork  in  them.  The  grease  oozes 
cut  into  the  beans,  causing  a  most  unwholesome 
and  indigestible  mass,  destroying  all  the  good 
flavor  of  the  beans.  Now  the  method  for  cook- 
ing them  (which  all  who  have  tried  it  pronounce 
excellent)  is  as  follows :  Parboil  as  usual,  putting 
•  in  salt  to  suit  the  taste.  Then  put  them  in  a 
pan  and  set  in  the  oven  to  bake,  put^.g  in  a 
piece  of  good,  sweet  butter — the  size  of  *a  butter- 
nut will  answer.  Bake  until  tender  and  nicely 
browned  over  on  top.  Beans  are  very  nutri- 
tious, and  cooked  in  this  way  are  palatable,  di- 
gestible, and  can  be  eaten  by  any  one.  If  you 
want  the  pork,  cook  it  in  a  dish  by  itself. 

BEANS,  Green. — (French  style.)  Choose 
small,  young  beans,  and  strip  off  the  ends  and 
stalks,  throwing  them,  as  prepared,  into  a  dish 
full  of  cold  spring  water,  and,  when  all  are  fin- 
ished, wash  and  drain  them  well.  Boil  them  in 
salted  boiling  water,  in  a  large  saucepan,  and 
drain  them,  after  which  put  them  into  an  enam- 
eled stewpan,  and  shake  them  over  the  fire  until 
they  are  quite  hot  and  dry;  then  add  about  3  oz. 
of  fresh  butter,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  veal  and 
chicken  broth ;  the  butter  must  be  broken  up 
into  small  lumps.  Season  with  white  pepper, 
salt,  and  the  juice  of  half  a  lemon  strained. 
Stir  them  well  over  a  hot  fire  for  5  minutes,  and 
serve  them  in  a  vegetable  dish  very  hot. 


BEEF,  To  Judge  of  its  Quality. — The  grain 
of  ox  beef,  when  good,  is  loose,  the  meat  red, 
and  the  fat  inclining  to  yellow.  Cow  beef,  on 
the  contrary,  has  a  closer  grain,  a  whiter  fat,  but 
meat  scarcely  as  red  as  that  of  ox  beef.  Infe- 
rior beef,  which  is  meat  obtained  from  ill-fed  an- 
imals, or  from  those  which  had  become  too  old 
for  food,  may  be  known  by  a  hard,  skinny  fat, 
a  dark,  red  lean,  and,  in  old  animals,  a  line  of 
homy  texture  running  through  the  meat  of  the 
ribs.  When  meat  pressed  by  the  finger  rises 
up  quickly,  it  may  be  considered  as  that  of  an 
animal  which  was  in  its  prime ;  when  the  dent 
made  by  pressure  returns  slowly,  or  remains 
visible,  the  animal  had  probably  passed  its 
prime,  and  the  meat  consequently  must  be  of 
inferior  quality. 

BEEF,  To  Roast.— The  noble  sirloin  of  about 
15  lbs.,  (if  much  thicker  the  outside  will  be  done 
too  much  before  the  inside  is  enough, )  will  re- 
quire to  be  befoVe  the  fire  alx)ut  3^  or  4  hours. 
Take  care  to  spit  it  evenly,  that  it  may  not  he 
heavier  on  one  side  than  the  other ;  put  a  little 
clean  dripping  into  the  dripping-pan  ;  (tie  a 
sheet  of  paper  over  it  to  preserve  the  fat ;)  baste 
it  well  as  soon  as  it  is  put  down,  and  every  % 
of  an  hour  all  the  time  it  is  roasting,  till  the 
last  }i  hour ;  then  take  off  the  paper  and  make 
some  gravy  for  it ;  stir  the  fire  and  make  it 
clear ;  to  brown  and  froth  it,  sprinkle  a  little 
salt  over  it,  baste  it  with  butter,  and  dredge  it 
with  flour ;  let  it  go  a  few  minutes  longer,  till 
the  froth  rises  ;  take  it  up,  put  it  on  the  dish,  etc 

BEEF,  Rump  of.  To  Bake.—QvX  out  the 
bone  and  break  it,  and  beat  the  flesh  with  a  rol- 
hng  pin ;  season  with  pepper,  salt,  and  cloves, 
and  lard  the  meat  across.  Put  the  meat  into  an 
earthen  pan,  with  the  broken  bones,  some  but- 
ter, bay  leaves,  whole  butter,  i  or  2  shalots,  and 
sweet  herbs ;  cover  it  close,  and  place  it  in  the 
oven ;  it  will  require  6  hours  to  bake.  Skim  off 
the  fat,  dish  the  meat,  and  serve  with  dried  sip- 
pets and  its  own  liquor. 

BEEF,  Leg  of.  To  Bake.—Cy\t  the  meat  off 
and  break  the  bones.  Put  them  all  into  an 
earthen  pan  with  2  onions  and  a  bundle  of  sweet 
herbs,  and  season  with  whole  pepper,  cloves, 
and  blades  of  mace.  Cover  it  witn  water,  tie 
the  top  close  w  ith  brown  paper,  and  put  it  in 
the  oven.  When  done,  take  out  the  pieces  of 
meat,  lay  them  in  a  dish,  and  return  them  to  the 
oven  to  keep  hot.  Skim  off  the  fat  and  strain 
the  liquor ;  pick  out  the  bones  and  sinews,  and 
put  them  in  a  saucepan  with  a  little  of  the  gravy, 
and  butter  rolled  in  flour.  WTien  hot  pour  it 
into  the  dish  with  the  meat. 

BEEF,  Fillet  of. — Take  the  sirloin  or  second 
cut  of  the  ribs ;  take  out  the  bones  with  a  shaqj 
knife,  and  skewer  it  round  in  good  shape ;  lay 
the  bones  in  a  large  saucepan,  with  2  onions,  I 
carrot,  and  12  cloves ;  add  the  meat,  just  cov- 
ered with  water.  Let  it  cook  slowly  2  hours  ; 
dish  the  meat ;  skim  all  the  fat  from  the  gravy, 
add  some  flour  mixed  with  cold  water,  and  2 
spoonfuls  of  walnut  catsup ;  give  all  a  boil. 
Turn  part  of  the  gravy  over  the  meat,  and  serve 
the  rest  in  a  gravy  tureen. 

BEEF  COLLOPS.—CvX  the  fillet  from  the 
under  part  of  a  rump  of  beef  into  thin  shces,  and 
broil  until  nearly  done ;  put  into  a  stew-pan 
with  a  little  beef  stock :  add  slices  of  lemon,  2 
tablespoons  of  catsup,  and  stew  till  tender ;  ^  a 
pint  of  oysters  is  an  improvement  to  this  dish. 


COOKING  A  ND  BAKING. 


43 


DRKF,  Fillet  of,  with  Mushrooms. — Cut  the 
fillet  into  slices,  and  pour  over  them  some 
melted  butter,  seasoned  with  pepper  and  salt; 
let  them  stand  for  an  hour ;  then  put  them  in  a 
frying-pan  over  a  quick  fire  to  brown  lightly ; 
take  them  out,  and  put  in  the  pan  flour  enough 
to  thicken  and  brown ;  mix  smoothly,  and  add 
some  stock. 

BEEF,  Cur7i£d.—{M3,(i.xz%  style.)  Place  2 
tablespoonfuls  of  butter  in  a  saucepan,  with  2 
small  onions  cut  in  thin  slices  ;  fry  until  brown ; 
add  a  tablespoonful  and  a  half  of  curry  powder, 
and  mix  all  together.  Take  3  pounds  of  beef; 
cut  in  pieces  an  inch  square ;  pour  over  them 
the  milk  of  a  cocoanut,  and  a  }l  of  the  meat  of 
the  nut  grated  fine  and  squeezed  through  muslin 
with  a  little  water ;  this  softens  the  taste  of  the 
curry,  and  no  curry  is  ever  made  without  it  in 
India.  If  there  is  not  liquor  enough,  add  yi  a 
teacupful  of  boiling  water;  let  the  whole  sim- 
mer for  30  minutes.  Serve  in  a  dish  with  sliced 
lemon,  and  a  wall  of  mashed  potatoes  or  boiled 
rice  around  it. 

BEEF  RISSOLES. — Mince  some  cold  roast 
beef  fine,  add  rather  more  than  %  as  much 
bread-crumbs  as  meat,  a  little  minced  lemon- 
peel  and  chopped  parsley,  with  salt,  pepper,  and 
sweet  herbs  minced,  to  taste.  IMake  into  a 
paste  with  2  or  more  eggs,  according  to  the 
quantity  of  meat ;  roll  up  into  balls,  and  fry  a 
rich  brown ;  thicken  a  little  good  brown  gravy ; 
add  to  it  a  dessert  spoonful  of  Worcester  sauce, 
and  pour  it  round  the  rissoles  in  a  very  hot 
dish. 

BEEF,  Steivcd  zoith  Onions. — Cut  some  ten- 
der beef  into  small  pieces,  and  season  with  salt 
and  pepper ;  slice  some  onions  and  add  to  it, 
with  water  enough  in  tlie  stew-pan  to  make  a 
gravy.  Let  it  stew  slowly  till  the  beef  is  thor- 
oughly cooked,  then  add  some  pieces  of  butter 
rolled  in  flour,  enough  to  make  a  rich  gravy. 
Cold  beef  may  be  cooked  before  adding  them  to 
the  meat.  Add  more  water  if  it  dries  too  fast, 
but  let  it  be  boiling  when  poured  in. 

BEEF  HASH. — Take  nice  slices  of  cold  sir- 
loin or  ribs  of  beef;  cut  off  all  the  outside 
brown  and  gristle  ;  make  with  these  and  the 
bones  a  brown  gravy  as  directed ;  cut  a  good- 
sized  carrot  and  turnip  in  small  pieces  ;  stew  till 
tender ;  lay  the  slices  of  meat  in  a  stew-pan 
with  the  carrot  and  turnip;  pour  over  a  pint  of 
the  gravy,  thickened  with  a  bit  of  butter  rolled 
in  flour,  6  pickled  mushrooms,  and  3  pickled 
walnuts  CUT  in  half.  Set  the  stew-pan  by  the 
fire  until  the  meat  is  thoroughly  heated,  but  do 
not  let  it  boil. 

BEEF,  CORNED,  To  Boil.— Wash  it  thor- 
oughly, and  put  it  in  a  pot  that  will  hold  plenty 
of  water.  The  water  should  boil  when  the  beef 
is  put  in,  and  great  care  should  be  taken  to  skim 
it  often  ;  ^4  an  hour  for  every  lb.  of  meat  is 
sufficient  time.  Corn  beef,  to  be  tender  and 
juicy,  should  boil  very  gently  and  long.  If  it  is 
to  be  eaten  cold,  take  it  from  the  pot  when 
boiled,  and  lay  it  in  an  earthen  dish  or  pan, 
with  a  piece  of  board  upon  it,  the  size  of  the 
meat.  Upon  this  put  a  heavy  stone  or  couple 
of  flat  irons.  It  greatly  improves  salt  meat  to 
press  it. 

BEEF,  FoUed—Salt  3  lbs.  of  lean  beef,  with 
J4  a  lb.  of  salt  and  }4  an  oz.  of  saltpetre.  Let 
it  stand  3  days.  Divide  it  into  pieces  weighing 
a  pound  each,  and  put  it  in  an  earthen  pan  of 


just  sufficient  size  to  contain  it;  pour  over  it  ^ 
a  pint  of  water,  cover  it  close  with  a  plate,  and 
set  it  in  a  slow  oven  for  4  hours.  When  taken 
from  the  oven,  pour  the  gravy  into  a  basin, 
shred  the  meat  fine,  moisten  it  with  the  gravy 
poured  from  the  meat,  and  pound  it  thoroughly 
in  a  marble  mortar,  with  fresh  butter,  until  it 
becomes  a  fine  paste ;  season  it  with  black  pep- 
per and  allspice,  ground  cloves,  or  grated  nut- 
meg; put  it  in  pots,  press  it  down  as  closely  as 
possible,  put  a  weight  on  it,  and  let  it  stand  all 
night;  next  day,  cover  it  a  X  of  an  inch  thick 
with  clarified  butter,  and  tie  paper  over  it. 

BEEF  CUTLETS.— Cut  the  inside  of  a  sir- 
loin or  rump  in  slices  }4  an  inch  thick ;  trim 
them  neatly ;  melt  a  little  butter  in  a  frying- 
pan  ;  season  the  cutlets ;  fry  them  lightly ;  serve 
with  tomato  sauce. 

*  BEEF  TEA. — Take  i  lb.  of  juicy  rump 
steak,  cut  into  oblong  pieces  an  inch  or  two 
long  by  about  ^  of  an  inch  wide,  place  them  in 
a  saucepan  and  just  cover  with  cold  water ;  set 
it  on  top  of  the  stove,  if  there  is  a  good  fire, 
and  with  an  iron  spoon  keep  pressing  out  the 
juice  from  the  meat,  which  at  the  end  of  10  min- 
utes will  be  almost  perfectly  white  and  tough  as 
leather.  3  to  5  minutes  boiling  will  finish  it ; 
then  draw  off"  the  broth  and  rinse  the  meat  with 
a  little  boiling  water,  to  get  off  the  nourishing 
particles  which  remain ;  add  salt  the  last  thing 
(on  no  account  do  this  while  the  meat  is  cooking) 
and  pepper  to  taste  if  allowed,  and  in  15  min- 
utes you  have  a  bowl  of  as  good  beef  tea  as  was 
ever  made. 

BEEF  BROTH.— Wash,  a  leg  or  shin  of 
beef;  crack  the  bone  well;  (desire  the  butcher 
to  do  it  for  you  ; )  add  any  trimmings  of  meat, 
game,  or  poultry,  heads,  necks,  gizzards,  feet, 
etc. ;  cover  them  with  cold  water;  stir  it  up  well 
from  the  bottom,  and  the  moment  it  begins  to 
simmer  skim  it  carefully.  Your  broth  must  be 
perfectly  clear  and  limpid,  for  on  this  depends 
the  goodness  of  the  soups,  sauces  and  gravies  of 
w^hich  it  is  the  basis.  Add  some  cold  water  to 
make  the  remaining  scum  rise,  and  skim  it  again. 
When  the  scum  has  done  rising,  and  the  surface 
of  the  broth  is  quite  clear ;  put  in  I  moderate- 
sized  carrot,  a  head  of  celery,  2  turnips,  and  2 
onions ;  it  should  not  have  any  taste  of  sweet 
herbs,  spice  or  garlic,  etc.  ;  either  of  these  fla- 
vors can  easily  be  added  after  if  desired ;  cover 
it  close,  set  it  by  the  side  of  the  fire,  and  let  it 
simmer  very  gently  (so  as  not  to  waste  the 
broth)  for  4  or  5  hours  or  more,  according  to 
the  weight  of  the  meat;  strain  it  through  a 
sieve  into  a  clean  and  dry  stone  pan,  and  set  it 
into  the  coldest  place  you  have,  if  for  after  use. 

BEEFSTEAK,  Hmo  to  Cook.—Tc^'^  frying- 
pan  being  wiped  dry,  place  it  upon  the  stove  and 
let  it  become  hot.  In  the  meantime  mangle  the 
steak — if  it  chance  to  be  sirloin,  so  much  the 
better — pepper  and  salt  it,  then  lay  it  on  the 
hot,  dry  pan,  which  instantly  cover  as  tight  as 
possible.  When  the  raw  flesh  touches  the 
heated  pan,  of  course  it  seethes  and  adheres  to  . 
it,  but  in  a  few  seconds  it  becomes  loosened  and  \ 
juicy.  Every  30  seconds  turn  the  steak  ;  but  be 
careful  to  keep  it  as  much  as  possible  under 
cover.  AMien  nearly  done  lay  a  small  piece  of 
butter  upon  it.  In  3  minutes  from  the  time  the 
steak  first  goes  into  the  pan  it  is  ready  for  the 
table. 

BEEFSTEAK  AND   ONIONS.— Q^x'i  the 


44 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


steaks  about  )^  of  an  inch  thick  ;  put  a  good 
lump  of  dripping  or  lard  into  your  pan,  and 
when  it  is  hot  lay  in  the  steaks  ;  turn  them  fre- 
quently, so  that  they  may  not  burn ;  let  them  be 
nicely  browned  all  over,  and  when  cooked  lay 
them  in  a  hot  dish  before  the  fire ;  meantime 
have  in  readiness  a  plateful  of  onions,  sliced 
very  thin,  and  sprinkled  with  pepper  and  salt ; 
put  them  into  the  pan,  and  lay  a  dish  over  them 
to  keep  in  the  steam ;  turn  them  about,  and  let 
them  be  cooked  thoroughly.  They  will  require 
along  time;  they  should  be  soft  and  brown; 
when  done,  pour  them  over  the  steaks  and  serve 
up  hot. 

BEEFSTEAK  ROLLS.— Qwt  nice,  small, 
thin  steaks,  anu  fry  them  shghtly ;  make  a  stuf- 
fing as  If  for  roast  veal  or  turkey ;  roll  up  the 
steaks,  putting  the  stuffing  inside  each  roll; 
skewer  or  tie  them  neatly,  stew  them  in  a  rich, 
brown  gravy  for  20  minutes,  and  serve. 

BREAD,  Yeast  for. — Take  9  medium- sized 
potatoes,  boil  in  2  quarts  of  water,  and  mash 
them  fine.  Steep  I  cup  of  hops  in  ^  a  pint  of 
hot  water,  and  strain  off,  pressing  the  hops. 
Add  together  the  potato-water,  hop-water,  the 
mashed  potatoes,  2  tablespoonfuls  of  salt,  2  of 
good  ground  ginger,  i  cup  of  sugar,  and  when 
blood-warm  add  i  cup  of  stock  yeast,  (such  as 
here  described, )  or  for  first  start  use  brewer's 
yeast;  put  in  a  jar  and  keep  in  a  cool  place, 
where  it  will  not  freeze,  and  it  will  keep  good 
about  2  weeks.  Let  it  stand  at  least  24  hours 
before  using. 

BREAD,  To  Make. — To  make  the  sponge, 
which  should  be  in  the  evening,  take  a  deep  ves- 
sel, put  in  3  quarts  of  warm  water,  i  cup  of  the 
above  yeast,  stir  in  flour  enough  to  make  a  stiff 
batter,  and  set  in  a  warm  place.  In  the  morn- 
ing put  in  2  quarts  of  warm  water,  salt  it  (if  the 
dough  inclines  to  be  running,  from  bad  flour, 
put  in  I  teaspoonful  of  powdered  alum  dissolved 
in  warm  water.)  Knead  the  dough  till  it  is 
smooth,  and  cover  it  with  a  cloth  in  a  deep  ves- 
sel; keep  it  warm,  (not  hot,)  let  it  rise,  and 
then  mold  into  6  loaves,  let  it  rise  again  till 
light,  and  then  bake.' 

BREAD,  French. — Put  I  pint  of  milk  into  3 
quarts  of  water.  In  winter  let  it  be  scalding 
hot,  but  in  summer  little  more  than  milk-warm ; 
put  in  salt  sufficient.  Take  i_^  pints  of  good 
ale-yeast,  free  from  bitterness,  and  lay  it  in  i 
gal.  of  water  the  night  before.  Pour  off  the 
yeast  into  the  milk  and  water,  and  then  break  in 
rather  more  than  %  lb.  of  butter.  Work  it  well 
till  it  is  dissolved ;  then  beat  up  2  eggs  in  a  ba- 
sin, and  stir  them  in.  Mix  about  l)^  pecks  of 
flour  with  the  liquor,  and,  in  winter,  make  the 
dough  pretty  stiff,  but  more  slack  in  summer ; 
mix  it  well,  and  the  less  it  is  worked  the  better. 
Stir  the  liquor  into  flour,  as  for  pie-crust,  and 
after  the  dough  is  made  cover  it  with  a  cloth, 
and  let  it  lie  to  rise  while  the  oven  is  heating. 
When  the  rolls  or  loaves  have  lain  in  a  quick 
oven  about  a  ^  of  an  hour,  turn  them  on  the 
other  side  for  about  a  ^  of  an  hour  longer. 
Then  take  them  out  and  chip  them  with  a  knife, 
which  will  make  them  look  spong)',  and  of  a 
fine  yellow,  whereas  rasping  takes  off  this  fine 
color,  and  renders  their  look  less  inviting. 

BREAD,  Un/cnuettted. — Take  the  iron  pans 
now  in  use,  and  which  can  be  obtained  at  almost 
any  hardware  store  ;  or,  if  not  obtainable,  com- 
mon patty  tins  will  do;  saturate  a  clean  cloth 


with  oil  or  butter,  with  which  rub  the  iron  or 
tins,  and  set  them  on  the  stove  to  heat ;  then 
take  sweet  skim  milk  (not  more  than  24  hours 
old)  warmed  to  the  temperature  of  new  milk  or 
warm  water,  with  2  spoonfuls  of  cream  to  i  pt. 
of  water,  and  stir  in  fine  flour  until  you  have  a 
batter  a  very  little  thicker  than  for  griddle  cakes  ; 
or  if  unbolted  flour  (which  is  much  better)  is 
used,  until  it  will  heap  up  slightly  on  the  spoon ; 
heat  your  dishes  so  that  they  will  siss  when  the 
batter  is  put  in,  and  have  your  oven  well  heated, 
until  the  cakes  are  puffed  up  and  Hghtly  browned. 
Then  close  the  draft  and  bake  slowly  for  15  or 
20  minutes,  and  you  will  have  the  best  bread 
made. 

BREAD,  Graham. — Take  I  qt.  of  warm  wa- 
ter, I  teacupful  of  good  yeast,  and  I  tablespoon- 
ful  of  salt.  Put  into  a  pan,  make  a  stiff  batter 
with  flour,  which  has  been  sifted,  and  keep  it 
very  warm  until  it  is  light ;  then  take  flour  which 
has  been  half  sifted  to  thicken  it ;  knead  it  well, 
but  do  not  let  it  get  cold;  let  it  rise  again. 
Then  work  it  down,  and  put  in  i  teacupful  of 
sugar  and  a  piece  of  butter  the  size  of  an  egg. 
Knead  it  ^  an  hour,  put  it  in  pans,  and  let  it 
rise  very  light.  Bake  ^  of  an  hour  in  a  mod- 
rate  oven. 

BREAD,  Oxygenated. — An  article  of  diet 
termed  oxygenated  bread  has  of  late  been  intro- 
duced into  England,  and  found  considerable  fa- 
vor. For  its  preparation  the  bread  is  placed  un- 
der an  air-pump,  and  the  carbonic  acid  gas  and 
atmospheric  air  exhausted,  and  then  oxygen  ad- 
mitted in  sufficient  quantity  to  fill  the  pores  of 
the  bread.  An  inconvenience  attending  its  use 
is  its  tendency  to  become  mouldy.'  This  can  be 
obviated  by  avoiding  the  use  of  yeast,  or  by 
placing  a  paper  saturated  with  a  solution  of  car- 
bonic acid  on  the  top  of  the  box  in  which  the 
bread  is  preserved,  this  scarcely  affecting  the 
taste  of  the  bread.  A  single  mouthful  of  oxy- 
genated bread  is  said  to  remove  the  want  of  ap- 
petite, and  to  induce  an  agreeable  sensation  m 
the  epigastrium  in  dyspeptic  attacks.  In  the 
case  of  gastric  disturbances  arising  from  nervous 
depression,  incomplete  assimilation,  or  scrofulous 
affections,  it  is  said  that  the  use  of  this  bread 
produces  a  very  sensible  improvement  in  the 
course  of  i  or  2  weeks. 

BREAD,  To  Make  Without  Flour.— \ 
Frenchman  named  Sezille  has  discovered  a  method 
of  making  bread  from  unground  wheat,  with- 
out first  grinding  and  bolting  it  into  flour.  The 
making  of  bread  by  this  new  system  is  a  three- 
fold process — namely,  washing  the  wheat,  fer- 
mentation, and  the  final  admixture  and  flavoring. 
The  grain  is  put  in  a  vessel,  covered  with  water, 
and  stirred  until  the  lighter  grains  and  extrane- 
ous particles  are  either  dissolved  or  left  floating 
on  the  surface.  The  mass  is  then  freed  from 
the  water  and  put  into  a  cylinder,  like  a  nutmeg- 
grater,  whose  revolutions  remove  the  outer  skin 
of  the  grain.  This  is  all  that  is  really  necessary 
to  remove.  Next,  the  wheat  thus  cleansed  is 
immersed  in  twice  its  own  weight  of  water, 
heated  to  75"',  to  which  has  been  added  i  part 
of  half-dry  yeast,  and  5  or  6  oz.  of  glucose  to 
200  parts  of  water.  A  day's  exposure  to  this 
bath  secures  the  necessary  degree  of  absorption 
and  fermentation,  and  the  color  will  also  have 
jjeen  extracted  from  the  exterior  surface  of  the 
grain.  The  water  being  then  removed,  the 
wheat  will  be  not  far  from  white  in  color.     Next 


COOKING   A.VD    BAKING. 


45 


the  stiffened  mass  is  put  through  rollers,  which 
mash  it  into  a  glutinous  pulp,  and  mix  regularly  j 
through  the  whole  bulk  all  the  remaining  par- 
ticles of  skin  or  bran.  Tlie  dough — for  such  it 
now  is — is  then  put  into  a  trough,  flavored  with 
salt  which  has  been  dissolved  in  water,  and  given 
an  opportunity  to  absorb  more  v/ater  if  neces- 
sary, and  then  thoroughly  kneaded  by  hand. 
Nothing,  now,  is  needed  but  to  treat  it  just  as 
flour-dough  is  treated,  and,  when  sufficiently 
light,  hand  it  over  to  the  oven.  It  is  claimed 
that  by  this  process  the  eater  secures  the  entire 
nutriment  of  the  wheat,  and  that  it  produces  ^ 
more  bread  than  under  the  present  system.  It 
is  probable  that  the  bread  thus  made  will  lack 
that  whiteness  which  is  so  much  sought  after  by 
modest  housewives,  but  then  the  result  will  be 
most  nutritious.  Owing,  however,  to  the  time 
consumed  in  preparing  the  grain  for  the  oven,  it 
is  not  likely  that  this  new  process  will  for  some 
time  to  come  supersede  the  old-fashioned  method 
of  setting  a  sponge  over-night  for  the  next  day's 
baking. 

BREAD,  To  Discover  luhether  it  is  Adulte- 
rated with  Alum. — The  bread  must  be  soaked 
in  water,  and  to  the  water  in  which  it  has  been 
soaked  a  little  of  the  solution  of  muriate  of  lime 
must  be  added,  upon  which,  if  any  alum  be 
present,  the  liquid  will  be  pervaded  with  milki- 
ness ;  but  if  the  bread  be  pure  the  liquid  will 
remain  limpid.  Rationale :  Sulphuric  acid  has  a 
stronger  affinity  for  lime  than  for  the  alumina 
and  potass,  with  which  it  forms  alum ;  it  there- 
fore quits  those  bodies  to  form  sulphate  of  lime 
■with  the  lime  of  the  test,  which  produces  the 
milkiness. 

BREAD,  Apple.— {Yxcndx  method.)  Put  >^ 
of  boiled  apple  pulp  to  %  of  wheat  flour,  and 
ferment  it  with  yeast  for  12  hours.  It  is  said  to 
be  light  and  palatable. 

BREAD,  Brozuji. — (Oneida.)  i  qt.  of  Indian 
meal,  i  qt.  of  rye  meal,  i  teaspoonful  of  soda,  ^ 
a  cup  of  molasses,  with  a  slight  sprinkling  of 
salt.  A  little  sour  milk  improves  it.  Mix  to 
the  consistency  of  pancake  batter.  Bake  from 
I  hour  to  1  j4  hours,  according  to  the  heat  of 
your  oven. 

BREAD,  Corn. — Take  I  pt.  of  com  meal 
(white  is  best,)  and  stir  into  it  I  teaspoonful  of 
dry  saleratus  and  ^  a  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  then 
add  2  eggs,  I  pt.  of  sour  milk,  and  3  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  sour  cream ;  beat  about  5  minutes,  and 
put  it  (about  }i  an  inch  deep)  in  the  pans  to 
bake.  Use  pie  pans  to  bake  it  in.  If  you  have 
no  cream,  use  about  a  tablespoonful  of  butter, 
drippings,  or  Jard. 

Bread,  Potato. — Tade  4  or  5  good  mealy 
potatoes,  and  after  boiling  peel  and  niash  well ; 
add  a  large  spoonful  of  flour  and  enough  hot 
water  to  make  a  thin  batter ;  when  cool  enough 
add  a  small  quantity  of  good  yeast-and  a  spoon- 
ful of  sugar;  set  to  rise  in  a  moderately  warm 
place,  say  by  the  stove  or  fireplace;  it  ris^es  very 
(^uiclky.  When  risen,  take  2  large  spoonfuls  of 
it  for  I  pt.  and  a  )4  of  flour,  a  small  spoonful  of 
lard  or  butter,  a  }^  pt.  of  milk,  and  hot  water 
enough  to  make  into  a  stiff  batter,  (over  night;) 
beat  well ;  next  morning  work  it  well  into  a 
smooth  dough  and  make  into  rolls  or  loaves ; 
set  in  a  warm  place  to  rise  again,  and  bake  in  a 
quick  oven.  Do  not  forget  a  teaspoonful  of  salt 
and  I  of  yeast  powder  sifted  in  the  dry  flour 
that  you  work  into  the  batter  in  the  morning ;  a 


tin  bucket  is  best,  with  a  tight  cover,  and  a 
towel  between  it  and  the  bucket.  If  your  flour 
is  good,  there  is  no  better  recipe  than  this ;  no 
hops  are  needed. 

BREAD,  RICE.— Take  I  lb.  of  rice,  and 
boil  it  gently  to  a  thick  paste,  which,  when 
mixed  with  the  usual  quantity  of  yeast,  will  be 
sufficient  to  make  5  pounds  of  wheat  or  barley 
meal  into  a  dough.  When  risen,  bake  it  in  the 
usual  way. 

BREAD,  RVE.-SctiU  I  cup  of  flour  with  i 
cup  of  boiling  water,  J^  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  4 
tablespoonfuls  of  molasses,  a  large  cup  of  yeast, 
3  cups  of  rye,  6  cups  of  flour,  3  cups  of  warm 
water  ;  stir  well  with  a  spoon,  set  it  to  rise  12 
hours. 

BREAD,  6'^G^C>.— This  light  and  nutritious 
article  for  invalids  is  made  in  the  following  man- 
ner :  2  lbs.  of  sago  to  be  well  soaked  in  water 
or  milk  for  several  hours ;  mix  it  with  as  much 
flour ;  add  saleratus  and  good  yeast,  (a  little  In- 
dian meal,  if  liked  ;)  when  well  raised  give  it  a 
handsome  bake.  It  is  delicious,  healthy  and 
cheap. 

BREAD,  IFILLO  IF.— The  leaves  of  our 
common  or  basket  willow,  {Salix  A'igra,  Mar- 
shall,) treated  the  same  as  is  usual  for  hops, 
make  an  excellent  yeast  or  leaven  for  light 
bread.  The  discovery  was  made  this  summer, 
and  after  thorough  trial  I  was  convinced  that 
there  is  nothing  equal  to  it,  as  it  rises  much 
quicker  than  hops — in  half  the  time — imparts 
none  of  that  hop  flavor  so  disagreeable  to  some, 
and,  in  fact,  makes  better  bread  every  way.  The 
thing  is  well  worthy  the  attention  of  every  good 
housewife;  and  lest  some  should  hesitate  in  con- 
sequence of  not  knowing  the  medical  properties 
of  the  willow  in  question,  I  will  add  that  it  is  a 
healthful  tonic  from  which  no  harm  can  possibly 
arise. 

BREAD,  To  Keep  3Ioist.—Vlace  in  the 
bread  pan  a  board  pierced  with  holes,  and  so 
supported  as  to  be  a  couple  of  inches  from  the 
bottom  of  the  pan ;  let  there  be  an  inch  depth  of 
water  in  the  pan  ;  put  the  bread  on  the  board, 
and  cover  the  pan  with  the  lid.  The  inclosed 
air  will  then  prevent  the  bread  from  becoming 
too  dry. 

BREAD,  To  Serc'e  at  Taile.—YiTst,  the 
bread-plate  should  be  of  wood,  perfectly  round, 
and  with  a  flat  surface.  They  cost  at  the  shops 
from  75  cts.  to  $6,  or  more.  The  high-priced 
ones  are  beautifully  carved.  Next  a  bread-knife, 
which  has  a  wooden  handle  to  match  the  plate. 
The  blade  should  be  thin  and  long,  and  the  edge 
ke]it  well  sharpened.  Bread  dulls  a  knife  very 
much. 

Place  on  the  table  the  bread-plate  with  a  loaf 
of  bread  on  it — 2  loaves  are  better,  I  of  white 
bread,  the  other  of  brown — and  the  knife. 
When  it  is  time  to  serve  the  bread,  the  one 
nearest  the  bread-plate  asks  each  one  what  kind 
is  preferred,  and  if  thick  or  thin  slices.  Where 
the  table  is  large,  a  small  plate  is  used  to  pass  it 
on.  In  this  way  every  one  at  the  table  has  the 
bread  cut  to  his  or  her  liking.  The  bread  is  cut 
only  as  wanted,  and  no  more  cut  than  is  used. 
The  outside  piece  of  either  bread  or  meat  must 
not  be  served,  unless  some  one  manifests  a  pref- 
erence for  it.  Not  much  strength  is  required  to 
cut  meat  and  bread.  The  muscles  of  the  wrist 
and  hand  should  do  the  work,  and  not  those  of 
the  arm,  elbow,  or  shoulder. 


46 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


BREAD  PUDDING.— I  pt.  of  grated  bread 
crumbs,  I  qt.  of  milk,  yelks  of  6  eggs  well 
beaten,  i  grated  lemon,  and  sugar  to  taste. 
Bake.  When  cold  spread  a  layer  of  jelly  over 
the  top,  then  make  an  icing  of  the  whites  of  the 
eggs  and  white  sugar,  and  spread  smoothly 
over  the  jelly.     To  be  eaten  cold  without  sauce. 

BROSE,  Athol. — This  is  a  beverage  peculiar 
to  the  Highlands  of  Scotland.  Honey  is  dis- 
solved in  whisky  to  the  consistence  of  cream ; 
the  drink  is  then  taken  with  a  teaspoon.  A 
quantity  sufficient  to  fill  a  wine-glass,  taken  at 
night,  will  be  found  of  benefit  in  colds  and  ca- 
tarrhs. In  preparing  Athol  Brose  oatmeal  is 
occasionally  added. 

BROSE,  Scotch. — Put  a  few  handfuls  of  oat- 
meal into  a  wooden  dish ;  then  pour  in  a  little 
boihng  water,  and  mix  thoroughly.  Add  a  lit- 
tle salt.  This  dish  is  frequently  used  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  porridge,  when  it  is  inconvenient  to 
cook  the  latter.  Fresh  milk  added  is  a  great 
improvement. 

BEETS,  Boi/ed.— Beets  must  not  be  cut  be- 
fore boiling,  as  the  juice  will  escape  and  the 
sweetness  be  destroyed.  Select  small- sized, 
smooth  roots,  wash  them  nicely,  and  boil  in 
clear  water  until  tender.  When  sufficiently 
cooked,  skim  them  into  a  pan  of  cold  water,  and 
slip  off  the  skin.  Cut  them  in  thin  slices,  and, 
while  hot,  season  with  butter,  salt,  pepper  and 
vinegar,  and  serve.  If  preferred  cold,  slice 
lengthwise  and  lay  in  strong,  cold  vinegar. 

BISCUITS,  mnc.—Take  2  lbs.  of  flour,  2 
lbs.  of  butter,  and  4  oz.  of  sifted  loaf  sugar. 
Rub  the  sugar  and  butter  into  the  flour,  and 
make  it  into  a  stiff  paste  with  milk ;  pound  it  in 
a  mortar,  roll  it  out  thin,  and  cut  into  sizes  or 
shapes  to  fancy.  Lay  them  on  buttered  paper  in 
a  warm  oven,  on  iron  plates,  having  first  brushed 
them  over  with  a  little  milk.  When  done,  you 
can  give  them  a  gloss  by  brushing  them  over 
with  a  brush  dipped  in  egg.  A  few  caraway 
seeds  may  be  added,  if  thought  proper. 

BISCUITS,  English  Seed.—i  lb.  of  flour,  % 
lb.  of  sugar,  %  lb.  of  butter,  yi  oz.  of  caraway 
seeds,  3  eggs.  Roll  out,  cut  round,  and  bake 
in  a  moderate  oven. 

BROTH  OF  FRAGMENTS.— W'hen  you 
dress  a  large  dinner,  you  may  make  good  broth, 
or  portable  soup,  at  a  very  small  cost,  by  taking 
care  of  all  the  trimmings  and  parings  of  the 
meat,  game  and  poultry  you  are  going  to  use; 
wash  them  well  and  put  them  in  a  stew-pan, 
with  as  much  cold  water  as  will  cover  them  ;  set 
your  stew-pan  on  a  hot  fire  ;  when  it  boils,  take 
off  all  the  scum,  and  set  it  on  again  to  simmer 
gently ;  put  in  2  carrots,  2  turnips,  a  large  onion, 
2  blades  of  pounded  mace,  and  I  head  of  celery ; 
some  mushroom  parings  will  be  an  addition. 
Let  it  continue  to  simmer  gently  for  4  or  5  hours, 
and  then  strain  it  through  a  sieve  into  a  clean 
basin.  This  saves  much  expense  in  buying 
gravy^meat. 

BROCOLI,  To  Boi/.— Strip  off  the  leaves 
till  you  come  to  the  top  ones ;  peel  oft  all  the 
outside  skin  from  the  stalks  and  small  branches, 
and  throw  them  into  water.  Boil  in  accordance 
with  the  general  directions.  When  the  stalks 
are  tender  it  is  done.  Serve  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  asparagus.  . 

BUNS. — ^  a  cup  of  butter,  %  a  cup  of 
yeast,  Y^  a  cup  of  sugar,  i  cup  of  milk,  and 
flour  enough  to  make  a  batter  like  griddle-cakes. 


Let  this  rise  till  light,  then  add  )^  oi  -x  cup  of 
sugar,  I  cup  of  currants  or  stoned  raisins,  cin- 
namon or  nutmeg  to  taste,  a  little  more  flour ; 
let  it  rise  again,  put  in  ^  of  a  teaspoonful  of 
soda,  cut  in  cakes,  let  them  rise  a  third  time, 
and  then  bake. 

BUNS,  Bath.—X  X  of  a  lb.  of  flour,  4 
yelks  and  3  whites  of  eggs,  with  4  spoonfuls  of 
solid,  fresh  yeast.  Beat  in  a  bowl,  and  set  be- 
fore the  fire  to  rise ;  then  rub  into  i  lb.  of  flour 
10  oz.  of  butter ;  put  in  ^  of  a  lb.  of  sugar  and 
caraway  comfits ;  when  the  eggs  and  yeast  are 
pretty  light,  mix  by  degrees  all  together,  throw 
a  cloth  over  it,  and  set  before  the  fire  to  rise. 
Make  the  buns,  and  when  on  the  tins  brush  over 
with  the  yelk  of  egg  and  milk ;  strew  them  with 
caraway  comfits  ;  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

BUTTER,  To  Clarify.— Tzike  butter,  melt  it 
in  a  warm  bath,  then  let  it  settle,  pour  off  the 
clear,  and  cool  as  quickly  as  possible.  Butter 
prepared  in  this  way  will  keep  a  long  time  good. 
BUTTER,  Rancid. — Rancid  butter,  if  boiled 
in  water  with  a  portion  of  charcoal,  (say  a  tenth 
part, )  will  be  entirely  divested  of  its  rancidity, 
and  may  be  used  for  cooking  purposes,  although 
its  fine  flavor  will  not  be  restored  for  the  table. 
CABBAGE,  ToStcw.—V^xhcM  in  milk  and 
water,  and  drain  it ;  then  shred  it,  put  it  into  a 
stew-pan,  with  a  small  piece  of  butter,  a  small 
teacupful  of  cream,  and  seasoning,  and  stew  till 
tender. 

CABBAGE  SALAD.— This  is  a  wholesome 
dish,  as  raw  cabbage  is  much  sooner  digested 
than  when  cooked ;  a  dressing  of  vinegar  or 
sweet  cream ;  shred  it  finely  as  for  slaw. 

CABBAGE  (Cold  Sla-u>.)—Toke  fresh  cab- 
bage— white  is  preferable — wash,  drain  it,  and 
cut  off  the  stalks.  Shave  the  head  into  very 
fine  shreds  with  a  cabbage  cutter  or  sharp  knife. 
Place  it  in  a  deep  china  or  earthen  dish,  and  pre- 
pare for  it  the  following  dressing :  To  ^  a  pt.  of 
cider  vinegar  add  a  X  of  a  lb.  of  butter,  cut  in 
5  or  6  bits  and  rolled  in  flour ;  add  a  small  salt- 
spoon  of  salt.  Stir  well  together,  and  boil  in  a 
saucepan.  Have  ready  the  yelks  of  4  eggs, 
well  beaten.  When  the  mixture  comes  to  a  boil, 
remove  it  from  the  fire,  and  stir  in  the  eggs. 
Pour  this  boiling  -hot  over  the  cabbage,  stir  it 
thoroughly  through  with  a  spoon,  and  set  it  in 
ice  or  snow,  or  some  cool  place,  to  get  thor- 
oughly cold  before  being  served  at  the  table. 

CAKES,  ALMOND.— \.  Take  some  sweet 
almonds,  flour,  and  powdered  sugar,  of  each  ]^ 
lb.,  7  eggs,  and  the  outside  yellow  peel  of  4 
lemons  shredded  small.  Pound  the  almonds, 
previously  blanched,  until  they  are  very  smooth, 
adding  gradually  the  sugar  and  lemon-peel ;  then 
take  them  out,  add  the  eggs,  and  beat  the  whole 
until  it  is  as  white  as  sponge-paste ;  next  add  the 
flour,  work  well,  put  it  into  well-buttered  pans, 
and  bake  in  a  slack  oven,  with  8  or  10  thick- 
nesses of  paper  under  them  and  I  over  them. 

CAKE,  APPLE  SHORT.— Tare  and  slice 
tart  apples  enough  to  fill  2  round  pie  plates  ;  then 
make  a  crust  of  i  teacupful  of  cream,  salt  and 
soda;  roll  an  upper  crust,  and  put  on  and  bake; 
when  done  turn  bottom  upwards ;  put  on  sugar 
enough  to  taste;  then  turn  again,  and  so  on. 
To  be  eaten  warm. 

CAKES,  BANBURY.— 'Work  I  lb.  of  but- 
ter into  the  same  weight  of  dough,  made  for 
white  bread,  as  in  rpaking  puff  paste;  then  roll 
it  out  very  thin,  and  cut  it  into  oval  pieces,  or  as 


COOKING   AND    BAKING, 


47 


the  cakes  are  wanted.  Mix  some  good  moist 
sugar  with  an  equal  weight  of  currants,  and  wet 
them  with  water ;  then  put  a  httle  upon  each 
piece  of  paste;  close  them  up,  and  place  them 
on  a  tin  with  the  closed  side  downwards  and 
bake  them.  Flavor  some  powdered  sugar  with 
candied  peel,  grated,  or  essence  of  lemon,  and 
sift  a  little  over  the  cakes  as  soon  as  they  come 
out  of  the  oven. 

CAKES,  BA  TH.—Uxx  well  together  %  a  lb. 
of  butter,  i  lb.  of  flour,  5  eggs,  and  a  cupful  of 
yeast.  Set  the  whole  before  the  fire  to  rise, 
which  effected,  add  4  oz.  of  finely-powdered 
sugar  and  l  oz.  of  caraways ;  roll  the  paste  out 
into  little  cakes.     Bake  them  on  tins. 

CAKE,  BREAKFAST.— \  cup  of  sour 
cream,  i  teaspoonful  of  soda,  I  egg,  i  lump  of 
butter  the  size  of  a  hen's  egg,  a  small  teacupful 
of  sugar,  I  cup  of  rye  flour,  and  I  cup  of  In- 
dian meal ;  make  and  bake  as  stifred  cake. 

CAKES,  CINNAMON.— \  cup  of  sugar; 
3^  of  a  cup  of  molasses;  I  cup  of  butter;  1^2 
tablespoonfuls  of  ground  cinnamon ;  2  level 
spoonsfuls  of  soda,  dissolved  in  6  large  table- 
spoonfuls  of  warm  water ;  stir  well,  and  add 
flour  enough  to  allow  to  roll  quite  thin  ;  cut  out 
with  a  biscuit-cutter,  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

CAKE,  CORN— I.  I  pt.  of  buttermilk,  i 
pt.  of  corn  meal,  2  beaten  eggs,  i  teaspoonful 
of  soda ;  beat  well  together  and  bake  in  shallow 
tin  pans.  Increase  quantities  for  more  than  4 
or  5  persons. — 2.  A  pt.  of  buttermilk  or  sour 
milk,  a  pt.  of  corn  meal,  I  egg,  a  teaspoonful  of 
soda,  I  of  salt,  2  of  sugar  or  molasses.  Dis- 
solve the  soda  in  a  little  warm  water,  and  add  it 
the  last  thing.     Bake  ^  an  hour  in  a  quick  oven. 

CAKE,  BREAD.— ly^  cups  of  dough,  i 
cup  of  sugar,  ^  a  cup  of  butter,  2  eggs,  ^  tea- 
spoonful of  soda.  Raisins  and  spice  to  suit  the 
taste.  Mix  with  the  hands  until  the  dough 
seems  thoroughly  worked  in,  adding  a  little  more 
flour  if  the  dough  is  thin.  Let  |it  rise  %  an 
hour.  It  rises  slowly  and  but  little  before  going 
into  the  oven, 

CAKES,  GRIDDLE  (IVAea/fnea/.)— 'Make 
a  porridge  with  about  3  heaping  spoonfuls  of 
oatmeal,  hominy,  rice,  or  very  coarse  corn  meal, 
in  a  pint  of  water.  Boil  20  or  30  minutes,  or  if 
you  have  either  of  these  articles  already  cooked, 
it  can  be  made  much  quicker.  Add  I  pint  of 
cold  water  and  wheat  meal,  sifting  it  slowly, 
enough  to  make  a  batter  a  little  thicker  than  for 
raised  griddle  cakes.  Bake  on  a  slightly  oiled 
or  a  soapstone  griddle,  spreading  out  with  the 
spoon  as  you  put  them  on.  Bake  them  brown, 
and  put  them  on  each  other  as  fast  as  cooked. 
Keep  them  close  and  warm,  and  let  them  stand 
10  or  15  minutes  before  serving.  If  soft  and 
sticky  after  standing,  you  have  made  them  too 
thin. 

CAKES,  GINGER.— Make  a  paste  with 
sugar,  I  lb.  ;  powdered  ginger,  4  oz. ;  flour,  2 
lbs. ;  water,  I  pt. ;  butter,  ^  lb.  ;  and  I  cup  of 
candied  orange  peel,  grated;  form  them  into 
cakes,  and  prick  them  with  a  fork  before  baking 
them. 

CAKE,  CHOCOLATE  PASTE.— 2  cups 
of  sugar,  I  cup  of  butter,  3  eggs,  3  cups  of  flour, 
%  of  a  cup  of  milk,  yl  a  teaspoonful  of  soda,  i 
teaspoonful  of  cream  of  tartar.  Paste :  Choco- 
late, 2  oz.,  I  cup  of  sugar,  Jijf  of  a  cup  of  sweet 
milk;  boil  half  down.  This  makes  I  cake  of  4 
layers  with  paste  between. 


CAKES,  ICING  FOR.—V.ea.\.  the  wjiite  of 
eggs  to  a  full  froth,  and  flavor  with  lemon  or 
rose  ;  then  add  gradually  as  much  finely  pow- 
dered sugar  as  will  make  it  thick  enough,  beat- 
ing it  well  all  the  time.  Dust  the  cake  over 
with  flour,  then  gently  rub  it  off,  lay  on  the 
icing  with  a  flat  knife,  stick  on  the  ornaments 
while  it  is  wet,  and  place  it  in  the  oven  for  a  few 
minutes  to  harden,  but  not  long  enough  to  dis- 
color it. 

CAKES,  yOi^AWK— Scald  a  quart  of  In- 
dian meal  with  water  enough  to  make  a  very 
thick  batter,  add  2  or  3  teaspoonfuls  of  salt,  andk* 
mould  it  into  small  cakes  with  the  hands.  The 
hands  must  be  well  floured,  or  the  batter  will 
stick.  Fry  them  in  nearly  sufficient  fat  to  cover 
them.  When  brown  on  the  under  side  turn 
them;  cook  them  about  20  minutes.  When 
done,  split  and  butter  them. 

CAKES,  LEMON.— Y\o\xx  and  sugar,  of 
each  I  lb. ;  eggs,  I  dozen ;  grated  peel  and  juice 
of  4  lemons ;  whisk  the  eggs  to  a  high  froth, 
and  then  gradually  add  the  rest.  Bake  in  small 
oval  tins,  well  buttered,  and  place  6  thicknesses 
of  i^aper  beneath  each  tin.     Thinly  ice  them. 

CAKE,  SPONGE.— Take  5  eggs,  and  >^  a 
lb.  of  loaf  sugar  sifted  ;  break  the  eggs  upon  the 
sugar,  and  beat  all  together  with  a  fork  for  yi 
an  hour.  Previously  take  the  weight  of  2j^ 
eggs,  in  their  shells,  ot  flour.  After  you  have 
beaten  the  eggs  and  sugar  the  time  specified, 
grate  in  the  rind  of  a  lemon,  (the  juice  may  be 
added  at  pleasure,)  stir  in  the  flour,  and  imme- 
diately pour  it  into  a  tin  lined  with  buttered  pa- 
per, and  let  it  be  instantly  put  into  rather  a  cool 
oven. 

CAKE,  SPONGE,  CHEAP.— i  cup  of 
white  sugar,  i  egg,  butter  the  size  of  a  walnut ;  _ 
beat  together ;  then  take  i  cup  of  sweet  milk; 
add  y^  teaspoonful  of  soda,  2  cups  of  flour,  I 
teaspoonful  of  cream  of  tartar  ;  flavor  with  any- 
thing you  wish ;  mix  well,  and  bake  in  pie  pans 
20  minutes, 

CAKE  SAADWICHES.—/[  eggs,  ^  a  lb. 
of  pounded  lump  sugar,  ^  a  lb.  of  fresh  butter, 
^  a  lb.  of  flour.  Beat  the  butter  to  cream, 
dust  in  the  flour,  and  add  the  eggs  well  whisked; 
beat  with  a  fork  for  a  J;^  of  an  hour,  butter  a  tin, 
and  pour  in  half  of  the  mixture.  Bake  from  a 
}l  of  an  hour  to  20  minutes.  Remove  from  the 
tin,  butter  again,  and  add  the  other  half  of  the 
mixture.  Bake  as  before.  When  cool,  spread 
jam  thickly  over  I  portion  of  the  cake,  place  the 
other  part  over  it,  and  cut  into  whatever  shape 
you  can. 

CAKE,  WEDDING.-/^  lbs,  of  fine  flour 
well  dried,  4  lbs.  of  fresh  butter,  2  lbs.  of  loaf 
sugar,  a  ^  of  a  lb.  of  mace  pounded  and  sifted 
fine,  and  the  same  c^  nutmegs.  To  every  lb. 
of  flour  add  8  eggs ;  wash  4  lbs,  of  currants, 
and  let  them  be  well  picked  and  dried  before  the 
fire ;  blanch  I  lb.  of  sweet  almonds,  and  cut 
them  lengthwise  very  thin  ;  a  lb.  of  citron,  I  lb. 
of  candied  orange,  the  same  of  candied  lemon ; 
%  a  pint  of  brandy.  WTien  these  are  made 
ready,  work  the  butter  with  your  hand  to  a  nice 
cream,  then  beat  in  your  sugar  for  a  ^  of  an 
hour ;  beat  the  whites  of  your  eggs  to  a  very 
strong  froth,  and  mix  tham  with  your  sugar  and 
butter  ;  beat  your  yelks  %  an  hour  at  least,  and 
mix  them  with  your  cake  ;  then  put  in  your 
flour,  mace  and  nutmeg;  keep  beating  it  well 
till  your  oven  is  ready;  pour  in  the  brandy,  and 


48 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


beat  the  currants  and  almonds  lightly  in.  Tie  3 
sheets  of  white  paper  round  the  bottom  of  your 
hoop  to  keep  it  from  running  out,  rub  it  well 
with  butter,  put  in  your  cake,  lay  the  sweetmeats 
in  layers,  with  cake  between  each  layer,  and  af- 
ter it  is  risen  and  colored  cover  it  with  paper 
before  your  oven  is  stopped  up  j  it  will  require 
3  hours  to  bake  properly. 

CAKE,  YEAST. — Good-sized  potatoes,  i 
dozen ;  hops,  i  large  handful ;  yeast,  ^  a  pint ; 
corn  meal,  a  sufficient  quantity.  Boil  the  pota- 
toes, after  peeling,  and  rub  them  through  a  cul- 
lender ;  boil  the  hops  in  2  quarts  of  water  and 
strain  into  the  potatoes ;  then  scald  sufficient  In- 
dian meal  to  make  them  the  consistence  of  emp- 
tyings, and  stir  in  the  yeast  and  let  rise  ;  then, 
with  unscalded  meal,  thicken  so  as  to  roll  out 
and  cut  into  cakes,  drying  quickly  at  first  to  pre- 
vent souring.  They  keep  betier,  and  soak  up 
quicker,  than  if  made  with  flour. 

CANDIES,  To  Clarify  Sugar /or.— To  ev- 
ery lb.  of  sugar  put  a  large  cup  of  water,  and 
put  it  in  a  brass  or  copper  kettle,  over  a  slow 
lire,  for  J4  an  hour ;  pour  into  it  a  small  quan- 
tity of  isinglass  and  gum  Arabic  dissolved  to- 
gether. This  will  cause  all  impurities  to  rise  to 
the  surface ;  skim  it  as  it  rises.  Flavor  accord- 
ing to  taste. 

All  kinds  of  sugar  for  candy  are  boiled  as 
above  directed.  When  boiling  loaf  sugar,  add 
a  tablespoonful  of  rum  or  vinegar,  to  prevent  its 
becoming  too  brittle  whilst  making. 

Loaf  sugar  when  boiled,  by  pulling  and  mak- 
ing into  small  rolls,  and  twisting  a  little,  will 
make  what  is  called  rock  or  snow.  By  pulling 
loaf  sugar  after  it  is  boiled,  you  can  make  it  as 
■white  as  snow. 

CANDY,  CHOCOLATE  CREAM.— Choc- 
■  elate,  scraped  fine,  ^  oz. ;  thick  cream,  I  pint ; 
best  sugar,  3  oz. ;  heat  it  nearly  to  boiling,  then 
remove  it  from  the  fire,  and  mill  it  well.  When 
cold  add  the  whites  of  4  or  5  eggs  ;  whisk  rap- 
idly and  take  up  the  froth  on  a  sieve ;  serve  the 
cream  in  glasses,  and  pile  up  the  froth  on  top  of 
them. 

CANDY,  GINGER.— '2,o\\  a  pint  of  clarified 
sugar  until,  upon  taking  out  a  drop  of  it  on  a 
piece  of  stick,  it  will  become  brittle  when  cold. 
Mix  and  stir  up  with  it,  for  a  common  article, 
about  a  teaspoonful  of  ground  ginger ;  if  for  a 
superior  article,  instead  of  the  ground  ginger, 
add  the  white  of  an  egg,  beaten  up  previously 
with  fine  sifted  loaf  sugar,  and  20  drops  of  the 
strong  essence  of  ginger. 

CANDY,  GINGER  LOZENGE.— Dissolve 
in  ^  of  a  pint  of  hot  water,  i  oz.  of  gum  Ara- 
bic ;  when  cold,  stir  it  up  with  ij^  lbs.  of  loaf 
sugar,  and  a  spoonful  of  powdered  ginger,  or  12 
drops  of  essence  of  ginger.  Roll  and  beat  the 
whole  up  into  a  paste ;  make  it  into  a  flat  cake, 
and  punch  out  the  lozenges  with  a  round  stamp. 
Dry  them  near  the  fire  or  in  an  oven. 

CANDY,  EVER  TON  TA  FEE.— To  make 
this  favorite  and  wholesome  candy,  take  I  %  lbs. 
of  moist  sugar,  3  oz.  of  butter,  a  teacup  of  wa- 
ter, and  I  lemon.  Boil  the  sugar,  butter,  water 
and  half  the  rind  of  the  lemon  tggether,  and 
when  done — which  will  be  known  by  dropping 
into  cold  water,  when  it  should  1^  quite  crisp ; 
let  it  stand  aside  till  the  boiling  has  ceased,  and 
then  stir  in  the  juice  of  the  lemon.  Butter  a 
dish,  and  pour  it  in  about  a.  %  oi  2x1  inch  in 


thickness.     The  fire  must  be  quick,  and  the  taf- 
fee  stirred  all  the  time. 

CAADY,  ER [/IT.— Take  i  lb.  of  the  best 
loaf  sugar ;  dip  each  lump  into  a  bowl  of  water, 
and  put  the  sugar  into  your  preserving  kettle. 
Boil  it  down  and  skim  it  until  perfectly  clear,  and 
in  a  candying  state.  When  sufficiently  boiled, 
have  ready  the  fruits  you  wish  to  preserve. 
Large  white  grapes,  oranges  separated  into  very 
small  pieces,  or  preserved  fruits,  taken  out  of 
their  syrup  and  dried,  are  very  nice.  Dip  the 
fruits  into  the  prepared  sugar  while  it  is  hot ; 
pu  t  them  in  a  cold  place,  and  they  will  soon  be- 
come hard. 

CAADY,  FIG.— Take  i  lb.  of  sugar  and  I 
pint  of  water,  and  set  over  a  slow  fire.  When 
done,  add  a  few  drops  of  vinegar  and  a  lump  of 
butter,  and  put  into  pans  in  which  split  figs  are 
laid. 

CANDY,  LEMON— TSke  3  lbs.  of  coarse, 
brown  sugar ;  add  to  it  3  teacupfuls  of  water, 
and  set  it  over  a  slow  fire  for  y^  an  hour ;  put 
to  it  a  little  gum  Arabic,  dissolved  in  hot  water ; 
this  is  to  clear  it.  Continue  to  take  off  the  scum 
as  long  as  any  rises.  WTien  perfectly  clear,  try 
it  by  dipping  a  pipe-stem  first  into  it  and  then 
into  cold  water,  or  by  taking  a  spoonful  of  it  into 
a  saucer ;  if  it  is  done  it  will  snap  like  glass. 
Flavor  with  the  essence  of  lemon,  and  cut  it  into 
sticks. 

CANDY,  MOLASSES.— \.  2  cups  of  mo- 
lasses, I  of  sugar,  I  tablespoonful  of  vinegar,  a 
piece  of  butter  the  size  of  walnut.  Boil  con- 
stantly for  20  minutes,  stirring  all  the  time; 
when  cool  enough  to  pull,  do  it  quickly,  as  it 
will  come  white  rapidly. — 2.  Take  a  clean  tin  or 
porcelain  kettle  of  large  size,  so  that  there  will 
be  no  danger  of  boiling  over ;  put  in  a  sufficient 

Quantity  of  good  molasses,  place  it  over  a  good 
re,  and  boil  briskly  until  it  will  be  brittle  when 
cooled — which  may  be  known  by  dipping  a  little 
of  it  into  a  dish  of  cold  water ;  then  pour  into 
well  buttered  pans  not  over  an  inch  thick.  Let 
it  cool  until  it  can  be  handled,  then  pull  smartly 
until  white.  Draw  out  on  a  clean  table  into 
sticks. 

CANDY,  Scotch  Butter.— Take  i  lb.  of  sugar, 
and  I  pint  of  water ;  dissolve  and  boil.  When 
done,  add  I  tablespoonful  of  butter,  and  enough 
lemon  juice  and  oil  of  lemon  to  flavor. 

CANDY,  Common  Twist.— Boil  3  lbs.  of 
common  sugar  and  i  pint  of  water  over  a  slow 
fire  for  ^  an  hour  without  skimming.  When 
boiled  enough  take  it  off;  rub  the  hands  over 
with  butter ;  take  that  which  is  a  little  cooled 
and  pull  it,  as  you  would  molasses  candy,  until 
it  is  white ;  then  twist  or  braid  it,  and  cut  it  up 
in  strips. 

*  CALF'S-FOOT  BROTH.— Boil  2  feet  in 
3  quarts  of  water  to  ^  ;  strain  and  set  it  by  for 
use.  WTien  required,  take  off  the  fat,  put  a 
large  teacupful  of  the  jelly  into  the  saucepan 
with  ^  of  a  glass  of  white  wine,  a  little  sugar 
and  nutmeg ;  heat  it  up  till  nearly  boiling ;  then 
with  a  little  of  it  beat  up  the  yelk  of  an  egg,  add 
a  bit  of  butter,  and  stir  all  together  without  al- 
lowing it  to  boil.  A  little  fresh  lemon  peel  may 
be  grated  into  it. 

CARROTS— Let  them  be  well  washed  and 
brushed,  not  scraped.  An  hour  is  enough  for 
young  spring  carrots.  Grown  carrots  must  be 
cut  in  half,  and  will  take  from  l^  to  2^  hours. 
When  done  rub  off  the  peels  with  a  clean, 


COOKING   AND   BAKING. 


49 


coarse  cloth,  and  slice  them  in  2  or  4,  according 
to  their  size.  The  best  way  to  try  if  they  are 
done  enough  is  to  pierce  them  with  a  fork. 

CA  ULIFLOVVER,  To  j^c?//.— Having  cut  off 
the  green  part,  divide  it  into  4  parts  ;  put  it  into 
boiling  milk  and  water,  and  skim  the  saucepan 
well.  When  the  stalks  are  tender,  take  them 
up  carefully  and  put  them  to  drain.  Then  put  a 
spoonful  of  water  into  a  stewpan,  with  a  little 
flour,  ^  ]ii  oi  z.  lb.  of  butter,  and  pepper  and 
salt  mixed  well  together.  Take  half  the  cauli- 
flower and  cut  it  as  for  pickling ;  put  it  into  the 
stewpan  for  10  minutes.  Place  the  stewed  caul- 
iflower in  the  middle,  and  the  boiled  round  it, 
and  pour  over  it  the  butter  in  which  the  one-half 
was  stewed. 

CA  ULIFLOWER,  in  Mili.— Choose  those 
that  are  close  and  white,  cut  off  the  green  leaves, 
and  look  carefully  that  there  are  no  caterpillars 
about  the  stalk ;  soak  an  hour  in  cold  water 
with  a  handful  of  salt  in  it ;  then  boil  them  in 
milk  and  water,  and  take  care  to  skim  the  sauce- 
pan, that  not  the  least  foulness  may  fall  on  the 
flower.  It  must  be  served  very  white  and  rather 
crimp. 

CHARLOTTE  DE  RUSSE.—TzkQ  a  little 
less  than  i  oz.  of  gelatine,  and  dissolve  in  I  pint 
of  new  milk.  Strain  into  i  pint  of  thick  cream 
made  very  sweet,  and  set  this  in  a  cool  place  or 
on  the  ice.  Take  the  whites  of  7  eggs  and  beat 
to  a  froth;  then  add  them  to  the  cream,  and 
beat  light.  Flavor  with  vanilla,  and  keep  on  the 
ice  until  wanted.  Line  the  moulds  with  very 
light  spotige  cake,  and  fill  with  the  above  when 
wanted. 

CHICKEN,  To  Fricasee. — Boil  a  chicken; 
joint  it ;  lay  it  in  a  saucepan  with  a  piece  of  but- 
ter the  size  of  an  egg,  a  tablespoonlul  of  flour, 
a  little  mace  or  nutmeg,  white  pepper,  and  salt. 
Add  a  pint  of  cream,  and  let  it  boil  up  once. 
Serve  hot  on  toast. 

CHICKEN,  BONELESS.— Tiiczssee  your 
chicken,  taking  care  to  brown  the  skin  nicely ; 
season  to  taste.  When  done  set  by  to  cool ; 
then  remove  all  the  bones;  put  back  into  the 
dish  in  which  it  was  cooked.  Take  a  chopping 
knife  and  chop  finely,  leaving  in  all  the  oil  of  the 
fowl ;  if  not  enough  of  that,  add  a  piece  of  but- 
ter. Then  pack  closely  in  a  dish,  as  yovi  wish  it 
to  go  to  the  table,  and  when  your  friends  come 
to  taste  it,  their  approbation  will  more  than  re- 
pay you  for  the  little  extra  trouble  it  has  taken  to 
prepare  it. 

CHICKENS,  To  Fry. — Cut  up  the  chickens 
and  lay  them  in  cold  water  to  extract  the  blood. 
Wipe  them  dry,  season  with  pepper  and  salt,  and 
dredge  them  with  flour.  Fry  in  lard  to  a  rich 
brown ;  take  them  out  and  keep  them  near  the 
fire ;  skim  the  gravy  carefully  in  which  the  chick- 
ens have  been  fried,  mix  with  it  ^2  a  pint  of 
cream;  season  with  mace,  pepper,  salt  and 
parsley. 

*  CHICKEN  BROTH.— Cxxt  a  chicken  into 
small  pieces,  and  remove  the  skin  and  any  fat 
that  is  visible  ;  boil  it  for  20  minutes  in  about  a 
quart  of  water,  with  a  blade  of  mace,  a  slice  of 
onion,  and  10  corns  of  white  pepper.  Simmer 
slowly  till  the  flavor  is  good.  Beat  a  ^  of  an 
oz.  of  sweet  almonds  with  a  little  water;  add  it 
to  the  broth,  strain  it,  and  when  cold  take  off  the 
fat. 

CHICKEN  POT-PIE.— Cle^n,  singe,  and 
joint  a  pair  of  cluckens.     Pare  and  slice  8  white 


potatoes ;  wash  the  slices,  and  put  with  the 
pieces  of  chicken  into  a  stewpan  lined  with  pie- 
crust ;  season  with  salt  and  pepper,  dredge  with 
flour,  and  cover  with  water.  Cover  with  paste, 
making  a  hole  in  the  centre ;  cover  the  kettle, 
and  either  hang  it  over  the  fire  or  set  it  in  the 
oven.  If  in  the  oven,  turn  occasionally  to 
brown  evenly.  2  hours'  cooking  is  sufiicient. 
When  done,  cut  the  upper  crust  into  moderate- 
sized  pieces  and  place  them  on  a  large  dish ; 
with  a  perforated  ladle  take  up  the  potato  and 
chicken,  and  put  it  upon  the  crust ;  cut  the  lower 
crust  and  put  on  the  top.  Serve  the  gravy  hot 
in  a  gravy  tureen. 

CHOCOLA  TE  BLANC-MANGE.— K  % 
of  lb.  of  sweet  German  chocolate,  ^  a  box  of 
gelatine,  i  quart  of  milk,  one  coffeecupful  of 
sugar.  Put  it  all  in  a  dish,  set  in  a  kettle  of 
water,  and  let  it  boil  an  hour.  When  nearly 
cold,  turn  into  the  mould. 

CHOCOLATE  CARAMEL.— Yz  a  lb.  of 
chocolate,  3  lbs.  of  dark  brown  sugar,  ^  of  a 
lb.  of  butter,  a  small  teacup  of  milk ;  season 
with  vanilla,  or  grated  lemon  or  orange-peel. 
Boil  it  very  quickly  over  a  hot  fire,  stirring  con- 
stantly. When  it  becomes  hard  on  being  drop- 
ped in  water,  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  stir  for  a 
few  moments  before  pouring  into  buttered  dishes. 
Before  it  is  quite  cool  cut  into  little  squares. 
Those  who  like  the  caramel  very  hard  need  not 
stir  it,  as  this  makes  it  "sugary."  The  grated 
peel  should  not  be  put  in  till  the  caramel  is  taken 
from  the  fire. 

CHOCOLATE  CREAMS.— Tttkefrtsh.  milk 
enough  to  fill  12  glasses,  and  boil  with  it  2  oz. 
of  grated  chocolate  and  6  oz.  of  white  sugar ; 
then  beat  the  yelks  of  6  eggs,  to  which  add 
slowly  the  chocolate  milk,  turning  slowly  one 
way.  Flavor  with  vanilla  boiled  in  milk ;  when 
quite  mixed,  fill  your  cups  and  place  in  water 
and  boil  for  an  hour.     Serve  when  cold. 

CHOWDER,  IVEBSTEKS.— Daniel  Web- 
ster was  famous  for  the  excellence  of  his  chow- 
der, and  the  following  is  his  recipe  for  making 
it :  4  tablespoonfuls  of  onions  fried  with  pork ;  i 
quart  of  boiled  potatoes,  well  mashed ;  i  }4  lbs. 
of  ship  biscuit,  broken  ;  i  teaspoonful  of  thyme ; 
^2  bottle  of  mushroom  catsup ;  i  bottle  of  port 
or  claret ;  ^  a  nutmeg,  grated ;  a  few  cloves, 
mace,  allspice,  and  slices  of  lemon,  and  some 
black  pepper ;  6  lbs.  of  blue  or  white  fish,  cut 
in  slices  ;  25  oysters.  The  whole  to  be  put  in  a 
pot,  covered  with  an  inch  of  water,  cooked 
slowly  and  stirred  gently. 

COCOA. — Boil  2  large  spoonfuls  of  ground 
cocoa  in  a  quart  of  water  %  of  an  hour ;  skim 
off  the  oil,  pour  in  3  gills  of  milk,  and  boil  it  up 
again.  It  is  the  best  way  to  make  it  the  day  be- 
fore it  is  used,  as  the  oily  substance  can  be  more 
perfectly  removed  when  the  cocoa  is  cold. 

COCOA  SHELLS.— Fut  a  heaping  teacupful 
to  a  quart  of  boiling  water.  Boil  them  a  great 
while — say  2  or  3  hours.  Scald  milk  as  for  cof- 
fee. If  there  is  not  time  enough  to  boil  the 
shells  long  enough  before  breakfast,  it  is  well  to 
soak  them  over  night  and  boil  them  in  the  same 
water  in  the  morning. 

COCOA NU^T  PIE.— Cut  off  the  brown  part 
of  the  cocoanut,  grate  the  white  part,  mix  it  with 
milk,  set  it  on  the  fire,  and  let  it  boil  slowly  8 
or  10  minutes.  To  I  lb.  of  the  grated  cocoanut 
allow  a  quart  of  milk,  8  eggs,  4  tablespoonfuls 
of  sifted  white  sugar,  a  glass  of  wine,  a  small 


50 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


cracker  pounded  fine,  2  spoonfuls  of  melted  but- 
ter, and  ^  a  nutmeg.  The  eggs  and  sugar 
should  be  beaten  together  to  a  froth,  then  the 
wine  stirred  in.  Put  them  into  the  milk  and 
cocoanut,  which  should  be  first  allowed  to  get 
quite  cool;  add  the  cracker  and  nutmeg,  turn 
the  whole  into  deep  pie-plates,  with  a  lining  and 
rim  of  puff  paste.  Bake  them  as  soon  as  turned 
into  plates, 

CODFISH  BALLS.— Vicliwp  as  fine  as  pos- 
sible a  teacup  of  nice  white  codfish.  Freshen 
all  night,  or,  if  wanted  for  any  other  meal  than 
breakfast,  from  the  morning.  Scald  it  once,  and 
drain  off  the  water.  Chop  and  work  it  until  en- 
tirely fine.  Put  it  in  a  basin  with  water,  a  bit 
of  butter  the  size  of  an  egg,  and  2  eggs.  Beat 
it  thoroughly,  and  heat  it  until  it  thickens  with- 
out boiling.  It  should,  when  all  is  mixed,  be 
about  I  quart.  Have  some  potatoes  ready  pre- 
pared and  nicely  mashed.  Work  the  fish  and 
potatoes  thoroughly  together  as  above,  make  it 
in  flat  cakes,  and  brown  both  sides. 

CODFiSII,  PICKED-UP.—Tm%  is  an  old- 
fashioned  dish  and  name,  but  none  the  less  to 
be  admired  on  that  account,  being  with  most 
persons,  when  properly  prepared,  a  great  favor- 
ite. Pick  up  the  fish  in  small  particles,  separat- 
ing the  fibres  as  near  as  possible,  the  finer  they 
are  the  better.  Freshen  by  leaving  it  in  water 
1  hour.  Pour  off  the  water  and  fill  up  with 
fresh.  Bring  it  to  a  scald,  pour  it  off,  and  put 
on  the  fish  just  water  enough  to  cover  it.  Add 
to  a  quart  of  the  soaked  fish  a  bit  of  butter  the 
size  of  half  an  egg,  a  very  little  flour,  and  a  dust 
of  pepper.  Beat  up  2  eggs,  and  after  taking  off 
the  fish  thicken  it  by  stirring  in  the  egg.  Some 
let  it  boil  after  the  egg  is  added,  but  if  this  is 
done  the  egg  will  be  curdled. 

COFFEE,  To  Make  Good. — In  order  to  make 
good  coffee,  a  practical  cook  says  that  the  first 
thing  necessary  is  to  never  allow  an  ounce  of 
ground  coffee  to  come  into  the  house.  If  no  one 
understands  the  art  of  roasting  coffee,  then  buy 
it  ready  roasted,  and  try  and  find  a  dealer  who 
has  not  soaked  all  the  essential  juices  from  the 
coffee  before  putting  it  into  his  oven.  If  the 
roasted  berry  is  qbout  twice  as  large  as  when 
in  its  green  state,  depend  upon  it  you  have  been 
defrauded.  Get  an  earthen  pot — you  cannot 
make  good'coffee  or  tea  in  a  tin  vessel — and  put 
the  ground  coffee  in  a  clean  white  flannel  bag, 
and  be  sure  to  put  enough  in,  and  drop  the  bag 
into  the  pot.  Pour  on  boiling  water  and  let  it 
steep ;  do  not  boil  it.  The  coffee  will  steep  in 
20  minutes.  Never  break  an  egg  into  coffee,  and 
never  fill  up  with  water  the  second  time.  Pour 
on  in  the  beginning  the  amount  of  water  needed. 
An  ordinary  teacupful  of  ground  coffee  is  suffi- 
cient for  3  persons.  Use  Java,  Mocha,  or  Java 
and  Rio  mixed.  Follow  this  recipe,  and  you 
will  never  complain  of  poor  coffee. 

COFFEE,  Substitutes  for. — Roasted  acorn, 
the  chick  pea,  beans,  rye,  and  other  grains; 
nuts,  almonds,  and  wheaten  bread ;  the  dried 
and  roasted  roots  of  turnip,  carrot,  and  dan- 
delion. 

CORN  STARCH  BLANC-MANGE.— V,o\\ 
I  quart  of  sweet  milk ;  stir  into  it  gradually  5 
tablespoonfuls  of  corn  starch,  mixed  with  milk; 
add  salt,  and  only  2  large  spoonfuls  of  loaf 
sugar,  and  stir  until  thoroughly  cooked.  When 
done,  take  it  from  the  fire,  and  when  cooled  add 
lemon  and  vanilla,  and  pour  it  into  moulds. 


Serve  with   jelly  or  fresh   fruit,    and  whipped 
cream  flavored  like  the  pudding. 

COOKIES. — I  large  cup  ol  butter ;  2  cups 
of  sugar ;  3  well  beaten  eggs  ;  Y^  a  cup  of  sour 
cream ;  I  level  teaspoonful  of  soda ;  cinnamon 
or  caraway  seeds,  and  flour  enough  to  roll. 

COLLOPS,  MINCED.— K  favorite  Scotch 
dish.  Take  2  lbs.  of  good  beefsteak,  mince  it 
quite  fine,  and  free  from  fat  or  skin  ;  put  into  a 
deep  frying-pan  with  a  good-sized  piece  of  but- 
ter. As  the  butter  melts,  stir  the  mince  about 
with  a  silver  fork,  so  as  to  separate  the  particles 
and  give  the  mince  a  granulated  appearance ;  as 
soon  as  the  meat  looks  white,  put  in  a  teacupful 
of  clear  gravy,  a  little  pepper  and  salt,  and  either 
mushroom  catsup  or  Worcester  sauce  enough  to 
flavor  it ;  a  minced  onion  may  be  used  if  there 
is  no  objection  to  its  taste.  Stir  the  mince 
about  till  the  gravy  begins  to  boil,  then  serve 
with  toasted  sippets. 

COOKING  UTENSILS,  Caution  About.— 
Cleanliness  has  been  aptly  styled  the  cardinal 
virtue  of  cooks.  Food  is  more  healthy  as  well 
as  palatable  when  cooked  in  a  cleanly  manner. 
Many  lives  have  been  lost  in  consequence  of 
carelessness  in  using  brass,  copper,  and  glazed 
earthen  cooking  utensils.  The  two  first  should 
be  thoroughly  cleansed  with  salt  and  hot  vine- 
gar before  cooking  in  them,  and  no  oily  or  acid 
substance,  after  being  cooked,  should  be  allowed 
to  cool  or  remain  in  any  of  them. 

COOKING,  Average  Loss  by.— It  is  we  11  to 
know  that  100  lb.  of  beef,  loses  6  lb.  in  boiling 
and  in  baking,  30  lbs.  Mutton,  by  boiling,  21 
lbs.  and  by  roasting,  24  lbs ;  or,  in  another  form 
of  statement,  a  leg  of  mutton  costing,  raw  25 
cents,  would  cost,  boiled  and  prepared  fo^f  the 
table,  28^  cents  per  lb;  boiled  fresh  beef  would, 
at  15  cents  per  lb.,  cost  19"^  cents;  a  sirloin  of 
raw  beef,  at  30  cents,  costs,  roasted,  42  cents; 
while  a  leg  of  mutton,  at  1 5  cents,  would  cost, 
roasted,  only  22  cents. 

CRANBERRY SA  UCE.—To  stew  cranber- 
ries,  a  quart  of  berries,  a  pint  of  brown  sugar, 
and  a  pint  of  water ;  place  all  in  a  porcelain 
kettle,  cover  closely,  and  allow  them  to  cook  8 
minutes  after  coming  to  a  boil,  without  stirring; 
remove  from  the  fire,  and  empty  into  an  earthen 
dish  to  cool. 

CRACKERS,  Wheat  Flour.— 1  qt.  of  flour, 
4  oz.  of  butter  or  lard,  ^  a  teaspoon  of  soda, 
and  the  same  of  salt;  sweet  milk.  Rub  the 
butter  thoroughly  into  the  flour  and  salt ;  dis- 
solve the  soda  in  the  milk,  and  enough  more  to 
take  up  the  flour,  which  should  be  made  into  a 
very  stiff  dough ;  the  more  the  dough  is  pounded 
or  kneaded  the  better  the  crackers ;  roll  out  to 
the  desired  thickness — ^  of  an  inch — and  bake 
quickly. 

CREAM,  ICE. — Have  rich,  sweet  cream, 
^2  a  lb.  of  loaf  sugar  to  each  quart  of  cream  or 
milk.  If  you  cannot  get  cream,  the  best  imita- 
tion is  to  boil  a  soft  custard,  6  eggs  to  each 
quart  of  milk,  (eggs  well  beat.)  Or  another  is 
made  as  follows :  Boil  I  quart  of  milk,  and  stir 
into  it,  while  boiling,  i  tablespoonful  of  arrow- 
root wet  with  cold  milk;  when  cool,  stir  into  it 
the  yelk  of  i  egg  to  give  it  a  rich  color.  5  min- 
utes' boiling  is  enough  for  either  plan.  Put  the 
sugar  in  after  they  cool ;  keep  the  same  propor- 
tions for  any' amount  desired.  Or  thus:  To  6 
qoarts  of  milk  add  %  lb.  of  Oswego  starch,  first 
dissolved;  put  the  starch  in  I  quart  of  the  milk; 


COOKING   AND   BAKING, 


51 


then  mix  altogether,  and  simmer  a  little  (not 
boil) ;  sweeten  and  flavor  to  your  taste ;  excel- 
lent. The  juice  of  strawberries  or  raspberries 
gives  a  beautiful  color  and  flavor  to  ice  creams, 
or  about  ^  oz.  essence  or  extracts  to  i  gallon, 
or  to  suit  the  taste.  Have  your  ice  well  broken; 
I  quart  of  salt  to  a  bucket  of  ice.  About  Y^,  an 
hour's  constant  stirring,  with  occasional  scraping 
down  and  beating  together,  will  freeze  it  suffi- 
ciently. 

CRULLERS,— Yz  a  lb.  of  butter,  %  of  a  lb. 
of  sugar,  2  lbs.  of  flour,  i  nutmeg,  _J^  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  soda  dissolved  in  ^  a  teacup  of  wa- 
ter or  milk  ;  6  eggs. 

CUCUMBER  SALAD.— To  100  cucumbers 
add  a  X  of  a  peck  of  small  onions.  Peel  both 
and  cut  them  into  thin  slices ;  cover  with  salt, 
and  stand  in  the  sun  for  6  hours ;  rinse  clean, 
and  stand  in  clear  cold  water  for  i  hour.  For 
the  dressing  take  a  box  of  the  best  mustard,  put 
into  it  a  little  salt,  pour  in  sufficient  olive  oil  to 
stir  it  easily,  and  add  vinegar  and  oil  alternately 
till  thin  enough  to  pour  smoothly.  Put  the  cu- 
cumbers in  jars,  cover  with  the  dressing,  and 
cover  closely.     Seal  the  jars. 

CUSTARD,  Bak^d.— Boil  in  a  pint  of  milk  a 
few  coriander  seeds,  a  little  cinnamon  and  lemon- 
peel  ;  sweeten  with  4  oz.  of  loaf  sugar ;  mix 
with  it  a  pint  of  cold  milk ;  beat  8  eggs  for  10 
minutes ;  add  the  other  ingredients ;  pour  it 
from  one  pan  into  another  6  or  8  times  ;  strain 
through  a  sieve ;  let  it  stand ;  skim  the  froth 
from  the  top,  fill  it  in  earthen  cups,  and  bake  im- 
mediatelyin  a  hot  oven;  give  them  a  good  color; 
15  minutes  will  do  them. 

CUSTARD,  Boiled.— BoW  a  quart  of  milk 
with  a  little  cinnamon,  and  half  a  lemon  peel ; 
sweeten  it  with  nice  white  sugar,  strain  it,  and 
when  a  httle  cooled  mix  in  gradually  7  well 
beaten  eggs  and  a  tablespoonful  of  rose-water ; 
stir  all  together  over  a  slow  fire  till  it  is  of  proper 
thickness,  and  then  pour  it  into  your  glasses. 
This  makes  good  boiled  custard. 

CUSTARD  FRITTERS.— Ben.t  the  yelks  of 
4  eggs  with  a  dessert  spoonful  of  flour,  a  little 
nutmeg,  salt  and  brandy ;  add  half  a  pint  of 
cream;  sweeten  it  to  taste,  and  bake  it  in  a 
small  dish  for  a  ^  of  an  hour.  When  cold,  cut 
it  into  quarters,  and  dip  them  into  a  batter  made 
with  a  X  of  a  pint  each  of  milk  and  cream,  the 
whites  of  the  4  eggs,  a  little  flour,  and  a  good 
bit  of  grated  ginger;  fry  them  brown;  grate 
sugar  over  them,  and  serve  them  as  hot  as  pos- 
sible. 

DOUGHNUTS.— UaXi  a  cup  of  butter,  234: 
cups  of  sugar  well  rolled  and  sifted,  4  eggs,  i 
teaspoonful  of  saleratus,  i  cup  of  sour  milk,  i 
nutmeg,  flour  enough  to  roll ;  cut  in  any  shape 
desired,  either  in  strips  or  twisted  ;  have  the 
lard  hot  enough  for  the  cakes  to  rise  to  the  sur- 
face as  soon  as  put  in.  This  is  an  excellent  fried 
cake. 

EGGS,  Hard  a>td  Soft  Boiled. — It  is  under- 
stood that  eggs  are  more  easily  digested  if  "  rare" 
than  "well"  done;  but  which  portion  of  the 
egg  resists  digestion — the  "white,"  which  is 
nearly  pure  albumen,  or  the  yelk  ?  Lately,  ex- 
periments have  been  made  in  tliis  direction,  with 
ample  opportunity  of  demonstrating  that  healthy 
gastric  juice,  which  the  stomach  secretes  for  pur- 
poses of  digestion,  will  not  act  readily  on  coag- 
I  ulated  white  of  egg,  even  if  cut  in  pieces  not 
larger  than  ordinary  peas,  (and  that  is  as  fine  as 


people  usually  chew  their  food, )  while  it  acts 
with  facility  upon  the  more  brittle  yelk.  The 
reason  is  that  the  coagulated  albumen  is  very 
compact  and  tenacious,  and  would  need  to  be 
"  ground  to  powder"  to  accept  the  chemical  af- 
finities of  the  gastric  juice. 

Pour  into  a  basin  boiling  water  sufficient  to 
cover  the  eggs,  put  the  eggs  into  the  water  and 
let  them  remain  10  or  15  minutes,  according  to 
circumstances  and  your  own  taste ;  keep  the  wa- 
ter nearly  up  to  boiling  temperature,  but  do  not 
boil  the  eggs.  Fresh  eggs  will  cook  more 
quickly  than  old  ones,  and,  of  coyrse,  small  ones 
quicker  than  large  ones.  By  this  process  you 
will  find  the  yelks  well  cooked,  while  the  white 
is  left  in  a  condition  to  digest  readily. 

EGGS,  BROILED.— Cut  a  large  round  of 
bread;  toast  it  on  both  sides,  and  butter  it. 
Carefully  break  6  eggs,  and  arrange  them  upon 
the  toast ;  sprinkle  over  them  some  salt  and  pep- 
per, and  slowly  pass  a  red-  hot  shovel  up  and 
down  over  them  until  they  are  well  set.  Squeeze 
upon  them  the  juice  of  an  orange,  and  strew 
over  a  little  grated  nutmeg.  Serve  as  quickly  as 
possible.  If  preferred,  the  toasted  bread  may 
be  dipped  into  some  warmed  cream,  and  some 
poached  eggs  placed  upon  it,  and  then  glazed 
with  a  red-hot  shovel. 

EGGS,  To  Poach. — The  beauty  of  a  poached 
egg>  like  a  fried  one,  consists  in  having  the 
white  just  sufficiently  hardened  to  form  a  trans- 
parent veil  for  the  yelk.  Pour  from  a  tea-kettle 
as  much  boiling  water  as  you  shall  need,  through 
a  clean  cloth  into  a  stew-pan;  it  should  be  half 
filled.  Break  the  eggs  separately  into  a  cup  or 
saucer,  and  when  the  water  boils  remove  the 
pan  from  thS  heat,  and  gently  slip  the  eggs  in  ; 
when  the  white  is  set  replace  the  pan  over  the 
fire,  (which  should  be  moderate,)  and  as^oon  as 
the  water  boils  the  eggs  are  done ;  remove  them 
with  a  slice  and  trim  off  the  ragged  edges.  If 
served  on  toast,  cut  the  bread  in  pieces  a  little 
larger  than  the  egg,  and  about  |^  of  an  inch 
thick;  brown  only  on  one  side,  and  just  enough 
to  give  a  yellow  color  ;  too  much  browning 
yields  a  bitter  flavor.  The  toast  may  be  moist- 
ened with  a  little  hot  water.  Some  sprinkle  on 
it  a  few  drops  of  vinegar  or  essence  of  anchovy 
sauce, 

EGG  OMELETTE.— \Jn\c?,s  a  great  omel- 
ette is  to  be  made,  a  small  frying  pan  should  be 
used,  so  as  to  insure  thickness.  5  or  6  eggs 
will  make  a  good  sized  omelette.  Beat  them 
well  with  a  fork  or  egg  beater ;  add  a  salt  spoon 
of  salt ;  put  2  oz.  of  butter  in  the  frying  pan ; 
when  melted  pour  in  the  omelette  (beaten  eggs,) 
stir  with  a  spoon  until  it  begins  to  set,  then  turn 
it  up  all  around  the  edges,  and  when  it  is  of  a 
nice  brown  it  is  done.  To  take  it  out,  turn  a  hot 
plate  over  the  omelette,  and  turn  the  pan  upside 
down.  Double  it  over  like  a  turn-over,  and 
serve  hot.  If  not  sufficiently  done  on  the  top, 
brown  with  a  salamander  or  a  heated  shovel. 
To  have  the  omelette  particularly  fine,  about  as 
many  whites  as  yelks  should  be  used. 

EGGS,  To  Test.— Owe  way  to  tell  good  eggs 
is  to  put  them  in  a  pail  of  water,  and  if  they  are 
good  they  will  lie  on  their  sides  always  ;  if  bad, 
they  will  stand  on  their  small  ends,  the  large 
end  always  uppermost,  unless  they  have  been  > 
shaken  considerably,  when  they  will  stand  either 
end  up.  Tlierefore,  a  l)ad  egg  can  be  told  by 
the  way  it  rests  in  the  water — always  up,  never 


.52 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


on  its  side.  Any  egg  that  lies  flat  is  good  to 
eat,  and  can  be  depended  upon.  An  ordinary 
way  is  to  take  them  into  a  room  moderately 
dark,  and  hold  them  between  the  eye  and  a  can- 
dle or  lamp.  If  the  egg  be  good — that  is  if  the 
albumen  is  still  unaffected — the  light  will  shine 
through  with  a  reddish  glow ;  while,  if  affected, 
-  it  will  be  opaque  or  dark. 

FISH,  To  Choose. — All  fish,  of  whatever  spe- 
cies, may  be  known  to  be  perfectly  fresh  by 
their  being  rigid  and  having  bright  eyes. 

FISH,  To  Boil. — The  proper  sign  that  fish  is 
done  by  boiling  is  that  the  flesh  separates  readily 
from  the  bone,  and  has  lost  all  appearance  of 
redness  and  transparency.  It  is  important  that 
this  should  be  kept  in  view,  as  fish  underdone  is 
unwholesome.  The  opposite  extreme,  however, 
must  also  be  carefully  guarded  against. 

FISH  SA  UCE.—TakQ  }i  a  pint  of  milk  and 
cream  together,  2  eggs  well  beaten,  salt,  a  little 
pepper,  and  part  of  the  juice  of  a  lemon-  Put 
it  over  the  fire  and  stir  it  constantly  until  it  be- 
gins to  thicken. 

FISH  CHOJVnER.— Haddock  and  Striped 
Bass  are  generally  considered  the  best  fish  for 
chowder.  Cut  the  fish  in  pieces  about  I  inch 
thick  and  2  inches  square.  Cut  5  or  6  good 
slices  of  the  best  salt  pork,  lay  them  in  the  bot- 
tom of  an  iron  pot  and  fry  till  crisped,  but  do 
not  scorch;  take  out  the  pork,  leaving  the  fat, 
and  chop  the  pork  in  small  pieces  ;  put  into  the 
pot  a  layer  of  fish,  a  layer  of  split  crackers  and 
some  of  the  chopped  pork  ;  a  little  red  and 
black  pepper;  a  little  chopped  onion;  then  an- 
other layer  of  split  crackers,  fish  and  seasoning, 
and  so  on  till  all  the  fish  is  used.  Then  just 
cover  all  with  water,  and  stew  slowly  till  all  is 
tender.  Thicken  the  gravy  with  cracker  crumbs 
r  and  catsup  it  you  like ;  take  out  the  fish,  boil  up 
the  gravy  once,  squeeze  in  the  juice  of  a  lemon, 
and  pour  the  gravy  over  the  fish.  Add  salt  if 
necessary. 

FISH,  To  Freshen  Salt. — Many  persons  who 
are  in  the  habit  of  freshening  mackerel,  or  other 
salt  fish,  never  dream  that  there  is  a  right  and 
wrong  way  to  do  it.  Any  person  who  has  seen 
the  process  of  evaporation  going  on  at  the  salt 
works,  knows  that  the  salt  falls  to  the  bottom. 
Just  so  it  is  in  the  pan  where  your  mackerel  or 
white  fish  lies  soaking;  and,  as  it  lies  with  the 
skin  side  down,  the  salt  will  fall  to  the  skin,  and 
there  remain ;  when,  if  placed  with  the  flesh 
side  down,  the  salt  falls  to  the  bottom  of  the  pan, 
and  the  fish  comes  out  freshened  as  it  should  be. 
In  the  other  case  it  is  nearly  as  salt  as  when  put 
in. 

FRUIT  CAKE.— I  lb.  of  flour,  i  of  sugar, 
I  of  butter,  12  eggs,  2  lbs.  of  currants,  2  of  rai- 
sins, I  of  citron ;  lemon,  nutmeg,  and  mace  to 
taste.  Beat  it  very  light.  The  fruit  should  be 
floured  and  stirred  in  last,  and  more  flour  added 
if  necessary.  Bake  in  I  large  pan  in  a  steady, 
well-heated  oven  for  4  or  5  hours,  letting  it  cool 
gradually  in  the  oven.  When  perfectly  cold  it 
may  be  frosted. 

FRUIT  AND  VEGETABLES,  To  Take 
Frost  out  of. — When  a  tliaw  approaches  put  the 
frozen  articles  in  cold  water,  allowing  them  to  re- 
main in  it  until,  by  their  plump,  fair  appearance, 
the  frost  seems  to  be  out. 

FRYING. — This  is  one  of  the  worst  methods 
,.  of  cookery  that  can  be  adopted.  It  cannot  be 
'    accomplished  without  the  aid  of  oil  or  fat,  which 


beyond  question  tends  to  render  the  meat  very 
indigestible.  It  is  no  less  injurious  to  vegeta- 
bles. As  an  example  of  this  it  may  be  stated 
that  the  potato  when  fried  becomes  waxy  in  its 
texture,  and  often  produces  derangement  of  the 
stomach  in  healthy  and  vigorous  persons. 

FLOUR,  Hffw  to  Know  Good. — i.  When 
flour  is  genuine  or  of  the  best  kind,  it  holds  to- 
gether in  a  mass  when  squeezed  by  the  hand, 
and  shows  the  impressions  of  the  fingers,  anj 
even  of  the  marks  of  the  skin,  much  longer  than 
when  it  is  bad  or  adulterated;  and  the  dough 
made  with  it  is  very  gluey,  ductile,  elastic,  and 
easy  to  be  kneaded ;  and  may  be  elongated,  flat- 
tened, and  drawn  in  every  direction  without 
breaking. — 2.  Adulterated  flour  will  be  found  to 
be  heavier  than  pure  flour — that  is  to  say,  a  pint 
of  pure  flour  would  be  overbalanced  in  the 
scales  by  a  pint  of  adulterated  flour. — 3.  Knead 
a  little  between  your  fingers ;  if  it  works  soft, 
sticky,  it  is  poor, — ^4.  Put  some  flour  on  a  table 
and  blow  it  gently  with  your  breath.  If  little 
heaps  remain  upon  the  table,  resisting  the  action 
of  your  breath,  and  differing  manifestly  from  the 
indications  given  by  other  portions  when  blown 
upon,  the  substance  thus  remaining  is  impure. — 
5.  Place  a  thimbleful  in  the  palm  of  your  hand 
and  rub  it  gently  with  the  finger.  If  the  flour 
smooths  down,  feeling  smooth  and  slippery,  it  is 
of  an  inferior  quality.'  But  if  the  flour  rubs 
rough  in  the  palm,  feeling  like  fine  sand,  and 
has  an  orange  tint,  purchase  confidently. — 6. 
Bake  a  small  quantity  of  the  suspected  flour  (in 
its  dry  state)  until  it  is  a  full  brown;  then  take 
it  and  rub  it  in  your  hands  or  on  a  table,  and 
white  particles  will  be  seen  if  either  chalk  or 
plaster-of-Paris  should  be  present  in  the  flour. 

FLOUR,  To  Restore  and  Improve  Alusty. — 
Carbonate  of  magnesia,  3  parts  ;  flour,  760 
parts.  Mix,  and  use  the  flour  in  the  usual  way. 
This  will  not  only  greatly  improve  bad  flour,  but 
the  bread  will  be  much  lighter,  more  wholesome, 
and  keep  longer  than  when  alum  is  used. 

FO  WLS,  Choice  of. — If  a  cock,  choose  with 
short  spurs,  observing  that  they  have  not  been 
pared  or  cut ;  if  a  hen,  her  comb  and  legs  must 
be  smooth;  when  old  they  are  rough,  and  on 
the  breast  long  hairs  are  found  instead  of  feath- 
ers; smell  them  whether  they  are  fresh,  and  feel 
whether  the  breast-bone  is  well-covered ;  if  not, 
they  have  probably  died  from  disease. 

FOWL,  To  Broil.— Slit  the  fowl  down  the 
back,  and  score  to  the  bone  all  the  thicker  parts, 
as  the  thighs  and  breast,  in  order  to  its  being  all 
equally  done.  Brush  over  the  inside  and  the 
places  scored  with  catsup  and  pepper,  and  broil 
over  a  clear  fire.  A  sauce  should  be  made  of 
butter  and  flour  melted  brown,  into  which,  when 
taken  from  the  fire,  should  be  put  capers  or  but- 
ton mushrooms. 

FOWL  AND  CHICKENS,  To  Roast.— 
Put  them  down  to  a  good  fire,  and  baste  them 
well  with  butter.  A  fowl  will  require  nearly  an 
hour  to  roast,  and  a  chicken  about  a  ^  of  an 
hour  or  20  minutes.  For  the  fowl  let  a  gravy 
be  made  of  the  neck  and  gizzard,  and  when 
strained  put  in  a  spoonful  of  browning.  Serve 
the  chicken  with  parsley  and  butter. 

FOWLS,  Haw  to  Cook  <9A/.— Prepare  as  for 
roasting ;  then  boil  3  hours  in  a  covered  pot, 
with  I  quart  of  water,  to  which  add  2  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  vinegar ;  after  which  put  into  a  pan  in  a 
hot  oven  for  about  l  hour  to  brown.     The  liquor 


COOKING  A  ND  BAKING. 


53 


in  the  pot  is  to  be  prepared  for  gravy  ;  should 
the  water  boil  away  too  much  more  must  be  ad- 
ded. The  result  is,  the  meat  is  as  tender  as 
young  chicken,  and  some  think  richer  and  bet- 
ter. 

FOWLS,  Saiue  for. — An  excellent  white 
sauce  for  fowls  may  be  made  of  2  oz.  of  butter, 
2  small  onions,  I  carrot,  ^  a  teacupful  of  flour, 
I  pint  of  new  milk,  salt  and  pepper  to  taste. 
Cut  up  the  onions  and  carrots  very  small,  and 
put  them  into  a  stew-pan  with  the  butter  ;  sim- 
mer them  until  the  butter  is  nearly  dried  up ; 
then  stir  in  the  flour  and  add  the  milk.  Boil 
the  whole  gently  until  it  thickens,  strain  it,  sea- 
son with  salt  and  Cayenne,  and  serve. 

FOWLS,  Slewed  with.  Onion. — Wash  it  clean, 
dry  and  truss  it  as  for  boiling ;  put  a  little  pep- 
per and  salt  into  it,  and  rub  it  with  butter ;  but- 
ter a  saucepan ;  put  the  fowl  in  the  pan  with  a 
pint  of  veal  stock  or  water,  seasoned  with  pep- 
per and  salt.  Turn  it  while  stewing,  and  when 
quite  tender  add  I2  small  onions,  split.  Stew 
all  together  for  ^  an  hour.  A  young  fowl  will 
take  I  hour,  an  old  one  3  hours  to  stew. 

GEESE,  To  Choose. — A  young  goose  has  a 
yellow  bill ;  if  red,  it  is  a  sign  of  age  ;  if  fresh, 
the  feet  will  be  pliable,  but  stale  if  stiff  and 
dry. 

GOOSE,  7?(9.'f  .97".— Presuming  that  the  bird 
is  carefully  plucked,  singed,  washed,  and  dried, 
put  into  it  a  seasoning  of  onions,  sage,  pepper, 
and  salt,  fastening  tightly  the  neck  and  rump. 
Put  it  at  first  at  a  distance  from  the  fire  ;  paper 
the  breast-bone ;  baste  well,  and  when  the  breast 
is  rising  take  the  paper  off.  Let  good  gravy  be 
sent  in  the  dish.  Serve  with  potatoes,  gravy, 
and  apple  sauce. 

GOOSE,  BOILED.— Havmcr  singed  the 
goose,  pour  over  it  a  quart  of  boiling  milk ;  let 
it  lie  all  night  in  the  milk,  after  which  take  it  out 
and  dry  it  well;  stuff  it  with  sage  and  onion, 
cut  small ;  sew  up  the  openings,  and  hang  it  up 
for  a  day.  Boil  for  l  hour,  and  serve  vi^ith  onion 
sauce. 

GEMS. — They  are  cheap,  easily  made,  whole- 
some and  palatable.  Graham  flour  and  water 
are  stirred  together  to  the  consistency  of  a  thick 
pancake  batter,  and  baked  in  the  iron  or  tin  gem 
pans.  Gems,  whether  of  Graham  meal,  fine 
flour,  or  corn  meal,  should  be  put  into  a  /lot 
oven.  Success  depends  on  this.  Fine  flour  and 
sweet  milk,  (skimmed  milk  is  good  enough,) 
well  beaten  together,  rather  thicker  than  the  bat- 
ter, makes  a  very  sweet  and  good  kind  of  warm 
bread.  Corn  bread  of  the  best  kind  can  be  made 
without  eggs  or  shortening,  or  sweetening. 
Simply  scald  the  meal  with  boiling  water,  add  a 
little  salt,  stir  well  and  bake  quickly  in  the  gem 
pans.  We  thought  the  Graham  and  white  gems 
must  have  salt,  until  we  found  that  its  absence 
was  not  observed,  and  then  we  discarded  it,  as 
it  seems  an  unreasonable  amount  of  salt  is  eaten 
under  the  plea  of  a  little  salt  being  necessary. 

GINGERBREAD. — 2  cups  of  molasses  and 
I  of  butter  ;  2  teaspoons  of  ginger,  and  i  even 
full  of  bi -carbonate  of  soda;  I  tea-cup  of  warm 
water;  flour  enough  to  make  a  soft  dough.  Af- 
ter it  is  placed  in  the  bake  tin,  flour  your  hands 
to  pat  it  into  shape,  and  with  a  knife  cross-cut 
the  top  into  squares  or  diamonds.  Bake  until 
done. 

GINGERBREAD,  SPICE.— TskQ  3  lbs.  of 
flour,  I  lb.  of  butter,  I  lb.  of  moist  sugar,  4  oz. 


of  candied  orange  or  lemon  peel,  cut  small ;  i 
oz.  of  powdered  ginger,  2  oz.  of  powdered  all- 
spice, yi  an  oz.  of  powdered  cinnamon,  a  hand- 
ful of  caraway  seeds,  and  3  lbs.  of  treacle;  rub 
the  butter  with  your  hand  into  the  flour,  then 
add  the  other  ingredients,  and  mix  it  in  the 
dough  with  the  treacle ;  make  it  into  cakes  or 
nuts,  and  bake  it  in  a  warm  oven. 

GINGER  SNAPS.— I  pint  of  baking  mo- 
lasses, I  lb.  of  sugar,  %  lb.  of  lard,  y^  oz.  of 
ginger,  and  i  tablespoonful  of  cinnamon.  Work 
the  lard,  molasses  and  sugar  together,  and  add 
flour  enough  to  make  a  stiff  dough.  Roll  out 
thin,  cut  with  a  round  cake-cutter,  and  bake 
quickly. 

GINGER  PISCUIT.—R.Mh  V^  a  lb.  of  fresh 
butter  into  2  lbs.  of  fine  flour ;  add  %  Ih.  of 
sifted  sugar,  and  3  oz.  of  pounded  ginger.  Beat 
up  the  yelks  of  3  eggs,  and  take  a  little  milk 
with  which  to  make  the  above  ingredients  into  a 
paste.  Knead  it  all  well  together,  and  roll  it 
out  extremely  thin,  and  cut  it  into  the  form  of 
round  biscuits  with  a  paste-cutter.  Bake  them 
in  a  slow  oven  until  crisp,  taking  care  that  they 
are  a  pale  brown  color. 

GRAVY,  BROWN— -^  onions,  sliced  and 
fried  in  butter  to  a  nice  brown ;  toast  a  large, 
thin  slice  of  bread  a  considerable  time  until  very 
hard  and  of  a  deep  brown.  Take  these,  with 
any  piece  of  meat,  bone,  etc. ,  and  some  herbs, 
and  set  them  on  the  fire,  with  water  according  to 
judgment,  and  stew  down  until  a  thick  gravy  is 
produced.     Season,  strain,  and  keep  cool. 

GREEN-CORN  CAA'ES.— Grate  the  corn, 
make  a  rich  batter  with  cream,  or  according  to 
directions  given  for  batter  cakes.  Use  just  suf- 
ficient of  the  batter  to  hold  the  corn  together, 
and  lay  the  cakes  on  the  griddle  as  you  would  a 
common  griddle  cake.     Serve  with  butter. 

GREEN-CORN  PUDDING.— 12  ears  of 
corn,  grated ;  3  eggs,  well  beaten ;  i  pint  of 
sweet  milk,  ^  a  cupful  of  butter,  i  large  spoon- 
ful of  sugar,  pepper  and  salt.  Bake  in  a  large 
pudding-pan  2  hours. 

GREEN  PEAS,  To  Stnv.—Vv,t  into  the 
stew-pan  a  quart  of  peas,  a  lettuce,  and  an  onion 
sliced,  butter,  pepper,  salt,  but  no  more  water 
than  remains  about  the  lettuce  after  washing. 
Stew  2  hours  very  gently.  When  to  be  served, 
beat  up  an  egg  and  stir  it  into  them,  or  a  little 
flour  and  water. 

*  GRUEL,  WATER.— Take  of  the  coarse 
part  of  corn  meal  or  grist,  2  handsful ;  water,  3 
quarts ;  boil  it  till  only  2  quarts  remain,  then 
strain  off  the  liquor,  and  season  it  to  the  palate 
with  salt,  sugar  and  nutmeg,  to  which  may  be 
added  a  spoonful  or  two  of  wine. — 2.  Take 
of  oatmeal  2  large  spoonfuls ;  water,  i  quart. 
Mix  them  well,  and  boil  them  about  10  or  15 
minutes,  stirring  often ;  then  strain  the  gruel 
through  a  sieve,  and  add  sugar  and  salt  enough 
to  make  it  agreeable  'to  the  taste.  When  it  is 
designed  as  a  meal,  dissolve  in  it  a  little  butter, 
and  then  add  bread  and  nutmeg,  as  occasion  re- 
quires. 

HADDOCK,  To  T^rj/.— Skin  the  fish,  cover 
it  with  bread-crumb  and  egg,  seasoned  with  salt 
and  pepper,  and  fry  with  boiling  lard  or  butter. 
IIOTCII-POTCII.—{\  favorite  Scotch  soup.) 
Boil  a  good-sized  neck  or  breast  of  lamb  for  j^ 
an  hour ;  take  out  of  the  soup  pot  6  of  the  best 
chops,  and  lay  them  aside  ;  then  boil  the  rest  to 
a  good  stoclc     Wash  and  cut  into  small  piece^        j. 


54 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


freshly  pulled  young  turnips,  4  young  carrots^  12 
young  onions,  a  good-sized  lettuce,  and  a  small 
bunch  of  parsley ;  boil  all  these  in  the  stock  i 
hour.  20  minutes  before  the  soup  is  required, 
cut  up  a  fresh  cauliflower  and  put  it  in,  together 
with  a  quart  of  green  peas,  a  pint  of  young 
beans,  and  a  little  pepper  and  salt ;  heat  the 
chops  that  have  been  laid  aside,  and  pour  the 
soup  over  them  in  the  tureen.  A  sprig  of  mint 
is  an  improvement. 

HOPS,  To  Choose. — ^WTien  rubbed  between 
the  fingers,  or  on  the  palm  of  the  hand,  good 
hops  will  feel  glutinous,  have  a  fragrant  smell, 
and  develop  a  fine  yellow  dust.  The  seeds 
should  be  ripe,  and  the  leaves  full  and  unbroken, 
and  of  a  fine  brownish-yellow  green.  Avoid 
yearlings,  unless  you  can  get  them  in  good  con- 
dition, and  %  the  price  of  new  hops. 

ICE  CREAM,  STRAWBERRY.— TaVe  i 
pint  of  strawberries,  I  pint  of  cream,  nearly  y^ 
a  lb.  of  powdered  white  sugar,  and  the  juice  of 
a  lemon ;  mash  the  fruit  through  a  sieve,  and 
take  out  the  seeds,  mix  with  the  other  articles, 
and  freeze ;  a  little  new  milk  added  makes  the 
whole  freeze  more  quickly. 

ICE  CREAM,  RASPBERRY.— The  same 
as  strawberry.  These  ices  are  oiten  colored  by 
cochineal,  but  the  addition  is  not  advantageous 
to  the  flavor.  Strawberry  or  raspberry  jam  may 
be  used  instead  of  the  fresh  fruit,  or  equal  quan- 
tities of  jam  and  fruit  employed.  Of  course  the 
quantity  of  sugar  must  be  proportionately  di- 
minished. 

ICE,  lemon  Water. — Lemon  juice  and  wa- 
ter, each  y^  a  pint;  strong  syrup,  i  pint;  the 
rind  of  the  lemon  should  be  rasped  off"  before 
squeezing  \vith  lump  sugar,  which  is  to  be  ad- 
ded to  the  juice;  mix  the  whole;  strain  after 
standing  an  hour,  and  freeze.  Beat  up  with  a 
little  sugar  the  whites  of  2  or  3  eggs,  and  as  the 
ice  is  beginning  to  set,  work  this  in  with  the 
spatula,  which  will  much  improve  the  consist- 
ence and  taste. 

ITALIAN  CREAM.— To  a  pint  of  rich 
milk  add  as  much  fine  white  sugar  as  will  sweet- 
en it,  tjie  rind  of  a  large  lemon  pared  thin,  a 
small  piece  of  cinnamon,  and  ^  ol  an  oz.  of 
isinglass  ;  put  all  these  ingredients  into  a  lined 
saucepan,  and  boil  till  the  isinglass  is  perfectly 
dissolved ;  beat  the  yelks  of  6  eggs  very  well  in 
a  large  basin,  and  strain  the  milk  while  boiling 
hot  to  the  eggs,  stirring  them  rapidly  all  the 
time ;  continue  to  stir  till  the  mixture  is  nearly 
cold ;  before  putting  it  into  the  shape  add  a  des- 
sert spoonful  of  strained  lemon  juice;  it  will 
turn  out  in  a  few  hours. 

INDIAN-MEAL  CAKES.— To  3  pints  of 
Indian  meal,  a  piece  of  butter  as  large  as  an  egg, 
and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Put  2  tea-cupfuls  of 
boiling  water,  stir  it  in,  then  add  3  eggs,  and 
milk  to  make  it  to  the  consistency  of  batter. 

INDIAN-  MEAL  PUDDING.— Into  i 
quart  of  boiling  milk  stir  i  quart  of  sifted  fine 
meal;  then  add  I  quart  of  cold  milk,  2  well 
beaten  eggs,  ^  of  a  cup  of  sugar,  and  i  cup  of 
flour.  Stir  well  and  pour  it  into  a  buttered  dish. 
Bake  2  hours,  and  serve  with  butter. 

INDIAN  PONE.—YmX.  i  quart  of  water  in 
a  pot ;  as  soon  as  it  boils  stir  in  as  much  Indian' 
meal  as  will  make  a  very  thin  batter.  Beat  it 
frequently  wl\ile  it  is  boiling,  which  will  require 
10  minutes  ;  then  take  it  off,  pour  it  in  a  pan, 
and  add  \  oz.  of  butter,  and  salt  to  taste.    When 


the  batter  is  lukewarm,  stir  in  as  much  Indian 
meal  as  will  make  it  quite  thick  ;  set  it  away  to 
rise  in  the  evening;  in  the  morning  make  it  out 
in  small  cakes,  butter  your  tins,  and  bake  in  a 
moderate  oven.  Or  the  more  common  way  is  to 
butter  pans,  fill  them  3  parts  full,  and  bake  them. 
This  cake  requires  no  yeast. 

*  JELLY,  Arrowroot. — Put  half  a  pint  of 
water,  a  glass  of  sherry,  a  little  grated  nutmeg 
and  fine  sugar  into  a  saucepan ;  and  when  boil- 
ing mix  gradually  with  them  a  dessert-spoonful 
of  arrowroot  already  rubbed  smooth  in  a  table- 
spoonful  of  cold  water.  Boil  all  together  for  3 
minutes,  and  pour  into  glasses  or  small  cups. 
This  jelly  may  be  flavored  with  the  juice  of  any 
fruit  that  is  in  season,  or  with  orange  or  lemon 
juice. 

*  JELLY,  APPLE.— Slice  whole  apples— 
(cores,  parings  and  all) — cook  them  with  just 
water  enough  to  cover  them  till  reduced  to  a  soft 
pulp.  Take  the  rind  and  juice  of  4  lemons; 
strain  this  pulp,  (not  squeezing  much,  or  going 
over  it  twice ; )  slice  the  lemons,  measure  a  pint 
for  a  lb.  of  white  sugar ;  let  it  boil  for  half  an 
hour,  and  turn  into  forms.  Quince,  etc.,  the 
same  way. 

""  JELLY,  CALVES'  FEET— Y or  each 
foot  take  3  pints  of  Avater,  and  boil  it  to  half  that 
quantity ;  then  let  it  cool,  and  skim  off  the  fat. 
It  must  now  be  boiled  for  2  or  3  minutes  with 
the  peel  of  a  lemon  and  a  little  spice,  when  it 
should  be  removed  from  the  fire,  strained  through 
a  flannel  bag,  and  the  juice  of  a  lemon  and  a 
glass  of  wine  added ;  when  cooled  a  little,  it 
may  be  put  into  glasses  or  forms. 

*  JELLY,  CHICKEN.— T^e  i  large  fowl, 
put  It  into  a  saucepan  with  2  quarts  of  water,  I 
large  onion,  i  blade  of  mace,  and  i  teaspoonful 
of  salt ;  boil  all  till  reduced  to  3.  pints,  then  strain 
it,  and  let  it  stand  till  the  next  day ;  then  take  off 
the  fat  very  clean,  take  the  whites  of  6  eggs, 
half  an  oz.  of  isinglass,  the  juice  of  i  or  2  lem- 
ons, beat  them  well  altogether,  and  boil  it  till 
the  scum  rises  to  the  top.  Let  it  stand  a  few 
minutes,  then  strain  it  through  a  jelly-bag.  The 
above  is  a  very  strengthening  preparation,  and 
may  be  taken  cold  or  hot,  as  best  suits  the  pa- 
tient's taste. 

*  JELLY,  SAGO.—lSo\\  a  teacupful  of  sago 
in  4  pints  of  water,  till  quite  thick  ;  when  cold, 
add  a  pint  of  raspberry  juice,  pressed  from  fresh 
fruit,  or  half  the  quantity  of  raspberry  syrup  ; 
add  enough  loaf  sugar  to  sweeten  it,  boil  it  fast 
for  5  minutes,  and  put  it  into  a  shape  which  has 
been  steeped  in  cold  water ;  pour  a  little  cream 
over  the  jellv  in  the  dish. 

JELL  Y  ORANGE.— Sf\yxe<ize  the  juice  from 
10  sweet  and  I  Seville  orange  ;  add  the  juice  of 
2  and  the  rind  of  i  lemon  pared  thin ;  loaf  sugar 
enough  to  sweeten  the  juice,  i  quart  of  water, 
and  4  oz.  of  isinglass.  Boil  all  these  ingredients 
for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  strain  through  a 
jelly-bag  till  clear,  and  put  it  into  shapes.  Add 
a  little  saffron  if  the  color  is  too  pale. 

LAMB,  To  Judge  of  its  Quality.— li  fresh, 
the  vein  in  the  neck  of  a  fore-quarter  is  bluish ; 
if  green  or  yellow,  stale.  In  the  hind-quarter, 
if  the  knuckle  is  limp,  and  the  part  under  the 
kidney  smells  slightly  disagreeable,  avoid  it.  If 
the  eyes  are  sunken,  do  not  buy  the  head. 

LAMB,  To  Roast. — The  hind  quarter  of  lamb 
usually  weighs  from  7  to  10  lbs.  ;  this  size  will 
take  about  2  hours  to  roast  it.     Have  a  brisk 


COOKING   AND   BAKING. 


55 


fire.  It  must  be  very  frequently  basted  while 
roasting,  and  sprinkled  with  a  little  salt,  and 
dredged  all  over  with  flour,  about  /^  an  hour  be- 
fore  it  is  done. 

LAMB,  Leg  of,  To  Boil.—li  must  be  put  into 
boiling  water,  then  the  saucepan  (or  deep  fish- 
kettle  with  a  drainer  is  best)  drawn  back,  and 
the  water  allowed  to  simmer  gently,  reckoning 
iS  minutes  to  each  lb. ;  if  it  boils  fast,  the  meat 
will  be  hard  and  the  skin  broken.  It  should  be 
lifted  out  of  the  water  with  the  drainer,  and  no 
fork  be  stuck  into  it ;  if  the  scum  has  settled 
upon  it,  wash  it  off  with  some  of  the  liquor  be- 
fore sending  to  table.  Parsley  and  butter  are 
served  with  this,  or  delicate  caper  sauce  and 
young  carrots. 

LEMON  C^A'iS'.— Beat  6  eggs,  the  yelks 
and  whites  separately,  till  in  a  solid  froth  ;  add 
to  the  yelks  the  grated  rind  of  a  fine  lemon  and 
6  oz.  of  sugar  dried  and  sifted  ;  beat  this  a  % 
of  an  hour;  shake  in  with  the  left  hand  6  oz.  of 
dried  flour  ;  then  add  the  whites  of  the  eggs  and 
the  juice  of  the  lemon ;  when  these  are  well 
beaten  in,  put  it  immediately  into  tins,  and  bake 
it  about  an  hour  in  a  moderately  hot  oven. 

LEMON  FIE. — 2  lemons  ;  squeeze  out  the 
juice,  and  chop  the  lemons  fine,  (take  out  the 
seeds  ; )  3  cups  of  water,  3  cups  of  sugar,  i  egg, 
y(  oi  z.  cup  of  flour  ;  beat  the  egg  well  with  a 
cup  of  water  and  the  flour ;  then  stir  lemons, 
juice,  and  all  together ;  this  will  be  sufficient  for 
3  pies. 

LEMON  SA  l/CE.—T^lelt  2  oz.  of  butter  in 
a  little  water ;  put  in  2  oz.  of  sugar,  the  juice 
and  grated  rind  of  half  a  lemon,  and  the  pulp 
and  juice  of  the  other  half.  Boil  together  5 
minutes,  and  serve  hot  for  cold  puddings. 

»  LEMON  JVA  TEH.—Vvii  2  or  3  slices  of 
lemon,  with  a  lump  of  sugar  and  a  spoonful  of 
capillaire,  into  a  covered  jug,  and  pour  mto  it  a 
pint  of  boiling  water.  Cover  it  closely  for  2  or 
3  hours.  It  will  thus  form  a  very  agreeable 
drink  for  a  feverish  patient. 

MACKEREL,  To  />y.— Divide  the  fish  into 
pieces ;  remove  the  skin ;  dip  them  in  beaten 
egg ;  strew  on  them  chopped  parsley  and  bread 
crumbs,  and  fry  them.  For  sauce  melt  some 
butter  with  a  little  flour,  put  into  it  the  roes  of 
the  fish,  pounded ;  season  with  salt  and  Cay- 
enne, and  a  little  catsup,  and  pour  it  hot  over 
the  fish. 

■MACARONI,  Boiled.— Sodk  and  boil  the 
macaroni  in  plenty  of  milk  and  water ;  throw  in 
a  little  salt.  Boil  until  tender,  but  not  until  the 
form  is  lost,  ^^"hen  soft,  turn  into  a  baking 
dish,  pour  over  the  top  the  contents  of  a  whisked 
egg,  and  bake  until  brown.  This  process  ren- 
ders it  a  more  attractive  dish  than  when  simply 
boiled.  Macaroni,  with  cream,  sugar  and  cin- 
namon, makes  a  very  nice,  sweet  dish. 

ME  A  T,  Test  of  Bad. — i.  Good  meat  is  nei- 
ther of  a  pale  pink  color,  nor  of  a  deep  purple 
tint ;  for  the  former  is  a  sign  of  disease,  and  the 
latter  indicates  that  the  animal  has  not  been  duly 
slaughtered,  but  has  died  with  the  blood  in  it,  or 
has  suffered  from  acute  disease. — 2.  It  has  the 
appearance  of  marble,  from  the  ramifications  of 
little  veins  of  fat  among  the  muscles. — 3.  It 
should  be  firm  and  elastic  to  the  touch,  and  win 
scarcely  moisten  the  fingers — bad  meat  being 
wet,  sodden  and  flabby,  with  the  fat  looking  like 
jelly  or  wet  parchment. — 4.  It  should  have  lit- 
tle or  no  odor,  and  the  odor  should  not  be  disa- 


greeable ;  for  diseased  meat  has  a  sickly,  cadav- 
erous smell,  and  sometimes  a  smell  of  physic 
This  is  very  discoverable  when  the  meat  is  cut 
up  and  drenched  with  warm  water. — 5.  It  must 
not  shrink  or  waste  much  in  cooking. — 6.  It 
should  not  run  to  water,  or  become  very  wet  on 
standing  for  a  day  or  so,  but  should,  upon  the 
contrary,  dry  upon  the  surface. — 7.  When  dried 
at  a  temperature  of  212",  or  thereabouts,  it  will 
not  lose  more  than  from  70  to  74  per  cent,  of  its 
weight,  whereas  bad  meat  will  often  lose  as  much 
as  80  per  cent.  Other  properties  of  a  more  re- 
fined character  will  also  serve  for  the  recognition 
of  bad  meat — as  that  the  iuice  of  the  flesh  is  al- 
kaline or  neutral  to  test  paper,  instead  of  being 
distinctly  acid ,  and  the  muscular  fibre,  when  ex- 
amined under  the  microscope,  is  found  to  be 
sodden  and  ill-defined. 

MEA  T,  Slewed.  — Stewing  is  undoubtedly  the 
most  economical  mode  of  cooking  meat ;  by  its 
use  every  part  of  the  meat  is  retained,  and  noth- 
ing is  lost  or  wasted.  Joints,  too  tough  or  sin- 
ewy to  be  used  in  any  other  way,  may  be  stewed 
with  advantage.  Stewing  consists  in  subjecting 
meat  for  a  considerable  time  to  a  very  moderate 
heat  in  a  small  quantity  of  water.  No  good 
stew  for  an  early  dinner  can  be  made  the  day  it 
is  wanted.  The  plan  recommended  is  to  cut  the 
meat  in  pieces  of  the  required  size,  pack  them 
closely  together,  covering  them  with  cold  water, 
or  what  is  preferable,  broth ;  place  the  stew-pan 
where  it  will  gradually  warm,  and  keep  it  for 
some  hours  at  a  heat  considerably  short  of  boil- 
ing. The  albumen  is  thus  dissolved,  and  the 
fibres  so  far  softened  and  separated  that  the  very 
toughest  parts  become  tender  and  digestible. 
The  stew  should  be  put  away  in  an  open  vessel 
until  the  next  day,  when  the  fat  should  be  re- 
moved from  the  top,  and  vegetables  and  season- 
ing added. 

MEA  T,  Strasbourg  Potted.— Take  3  lbs.  of 
the  rump  of  beef,  cut  into  small  bits,  and  put  it 
in  an  earthen  jar  with  a  ^  of  a  lb.  of  butter  at 
the  bottom  ;  make  a  paste  of  flour  and  water ; 
cover  the  jar  closely,  and  set  it  in  a  pot  of  boil- 
ing water.  In  2  hours  take  it  out,  and  add  I 
teaspoonfid  of  allspice,  the  same  of  pepper,  and 
2  of  salt ;  then  boil  another  hour.  Let  it  stand 
until  cold ;  pound  the  meat  with  a  pestle  until  it 
is  entirely  broken  up ;  add  to  it  the  liquor  in  the 
pot,  and  3  large  tablespoonfuls  of  tomato  catsup. 
Press  into  small  pots  and  cover  with  melted  but- 
ter. It  will  keep  2  or  3  months  in  a  cold,  dry 
place,  and  is  a  delicious  relish  for  breakfast,  tea 
or  lunch. 

*  MEAT FANADA.-Tokeihs  inside  of  a 
loin  of  mutton  or  of  part  of  a  sirloin  of  beef; 
pound  it  until  it  will  pass  through  a  sieve  M-hen 
mixed  with  hot  water  or  with  broth,  as  it  is  re- 
quired to  be  more  or  less  rich.  The  most  proper 
seasoning  is  a  little  salt.  It  ought  to  be  kept  in 
an  earthen  ressel  in  a  cool  place.  WTien  a  little 
of  it  is  required  it  should  be  warmed  up  and 
served  with  thin  slices  of  bread. 

MILK  BISCUIT— Take  I  lb,  of  flour,  % 
of  a  lb.  of  butter,  8  tablespoonfuls  of  yeast,  and 
%  a  pint  of  new  milk.  Melt  the  butter  in  the 
milk,  put  in  the  yeast  .ind  some  salt,  and  work 
into  a  stiff  paste.  When  light,  knead  it  well, 
roll  it  out  .an  inch  thick,  cut  out  with  a  tumbler, 
prick  them  with  a  fork,  and  bake  in  a  quick 
oven. 

*  MILK  ;FJ7£"F.— Place  a  small  piece   of 


56 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


rennet  in  a  cup  of  hot  water  for  4  or  5  hours. 
Pour  the  water  into  2  quarts  of  new  milk,  and 
when  the  curd  appears,  strain  the  whole  through 
a  hair  sieve  into  a  jug.  The  whey  may  be  given 
to  a  patient  either  cool  or  lukewarm. 

MOLASSES. — When  molasses  is  used  in 
cooking,  it  is  a  very  great  improvement  to  boil 
and  skim  it  before  you  use  it.  It  takes  out  the 
unpleasant  raw  taste,  and  makes  it  almost  as 
good  as  sugar.  Where  molasses  is  used  much 
for  cooking,  it  is  well  to  prepare  i  or  2  gallons 
in  this  way  at  a  time. 

MUFFINS. — I  pint  of  milk,  I  tablespoon  of 
butter,  I  pint  of  flour,  a  small  teaspoon  of  salt, 
3  eggs,  the  whites  and  yelks  beaten  separately 
and  very  stiif;  a  small  teaspoon  even  full  of 
soda ;  add  the  whites  last,  beat  smartly  and  per- 
fectly free  from  lumps.  Butter  the  griddle,  and 
bake  in  well-buttered  rings.  When  the  bottom 
is  done,  turn  over  the  rings  and  bake  the  top,  or 
put  the  rings  on  a  well-buttered  bake-pan,  and 
bake  in  a  quick  oven. 

*  MULLED  EGG.— Eca-t  the  yelk  of  a  fresh 
egg  in  a  tea  or  coffee  cup,  put  in  a  little  milk  or 
cream  and  sugar,  and  then  pour  into  it  as  much 
tea  or  coffee  as  will  fill  the  cup,  taking  care  to 
stir  it  well  at  the  same  time  to  prevent  the  egg 
from  curdling.  This  makes  a  good  breakfast  for 
an  invalid.  It  is  light  and  nourishing  without 
being  heating. 

MUSHROOMS,  To  Distinguish  from  Poi- 
sonous Fungi. — I.  Sprinkle  a  little  salt  on  the 
spongy  part  or  gills  of  the  sample  to  be  tried. 
If  they  turn  yellow  they  are  poisonous — if  black 
they  are  wholesome.  Allow  the  salt  to  act  be- 
fore you  decide  on  the  question. — 2.  False 
mushrooms  have  a  warty  cap,  or  else  fragments 
ot  membrane,  adhering  to  the  upper  surface; 
they  are  also  heavy,  and  emerge  from  a  vulva  or 
bag ;  they  grow  in  tufts  or  clusters  in  woods,  on 
the  stumps  of  trees,  etc.,  whereas  the  true  mush- 
rooms grow  in  pastures. — 3.  False  mushrooms 
have  an  astringent,  styptic,  and  disagreeable 
taste. — ^4.  When  cut  they  turn  blue. — 5.  They 
are  moist  on  the  surface,  and  generally,^ — 6.  Ot 
a  rose  or  orange  color. — 7.  The  gills  of  the  true 
mushroom  are  of  a  pinky  red,  changing  to  a 
liver  color. — 8.  The  flesh  is  white. — 9.  The 
stem  is  white,  solid  and  cylindrical. 

MUSHROOMS,  ^?^?7^^.— Mushroom-flaps, 
pepper  and  salt  to  taste,  butter,  lemon-juice. 
Cleanse  the  mushrooms  by  wiping  with  a  piece 
of  flannel  and  a  little  salt ;  cut  off  a  portion  of 
the  stalk,  and  peel  the  tops ;  broil  them  over  a 
clear  fire,  turning  them  once,  and  arrange  them 
on  a  very  hot  dish.  Put  a  small  piece  of  butter 
on  each  mushroom,  season  with  pepper  and 
salt,  and  squeeze  over  them  a  few  drops  of  lem- 
on-juice. Place  the  dish  before  the  fire,  and 
when  the  butter  is  melted  serve  very  hot  and 
quickly.  Moderate-sized  flaps  are  better  suited 
to  this  mode  of  cooking  than  the  buttons;  the 
latter  are  better  in  stews. 

MUSHROOMS,  ToStew.—Uxxva.  and  rub 
clean  with  a  bit  of  flannel  dipped  in  salt,  %  a 
pint  of  large  button  mushrooms  ;  put  into  a 
stewpan  2  oz.  of  butter ;  shake  it  over  the  fire 
till  thoroughly  melted ;  put  in  the  mushrooms,  a 
teaspoonful  of  salt,  half  as  much  pepper,  and  a 
blade  of  mace  pounded;  stew  till  the  mush- 
rooms are  tender,  then  serve  them  on  a  very  hot 
dish. 

MUSHROOM  CATSUP.— Ga.ther   mush- 


rooms in  dry  weather;  take  the  large,  fully- 
grown  flaps,  and  see  that  they  are  free  from  in- 
sects and  earth.  Add  to  each  peck  of  mush- 
rooms }4  a  lb.  of  salt;  break  them  up  into  a 
large  earthenware  pan,  strew  the  salt  over  them, 
and  let  them  stand  for  3  days,  stirring  and 
mashing  them  up  each  day,  then  strain  out  all 
the  juice.  To  every  quart  of  juice  put  ^  an 
oz.  of  whole  black  pepper,  J4  an  oz,  of  bruised 
ginger,  ^  of  an  oz.  of  allspice,  }^  of  an  oz.  of 
Cayenne,  and  the  same  quantity  of  pounded 
mace.  Put  all  the  spices  with  the  juice  into  a 
large  earthenware  jar,  (standing  in  a  pot  of  wa- 
ter, )  and  boil  for  3  hours ;  or  the  catsup  may 
be  boiled  in  a  preser%'ing  pan.  Let  the  spices 
remain  in  it  when  bottled. 

MUSTARD,  Superior  Table.— Take  of  best 
flour  of  mustard,  2  lbs. ;  fresh  parsley,  yi.  oz. ; 
chervil,  %  oz.  ;  celery,  ^(  oz.  ;  'I'arragon,  }^ 
oz. ;  garlic,  i  clove  ;  and  12  salt  anchovies,  (all 
well  chopped;)  grind  well  together;  add  of  salt 
I  oz.,  and  sufficient  grape  juice  or  sugar  to 
sweeten,  with  sufficient  water  to  form  the  mass 
into  a  thinnish  paste  by  trituration  in  a  mortar. 
When  put  into  pots,  a  red-hot  poker  is  to  be 
thrust  into  each,  and  a  little  vinegar  afterwards 
poured  upon  the  surface. 

MUSTARD,    FRENCH— Salt,    1%  lbs.; 
scraped    horse-radish,  i  lb. ;    garlic,  2  cloves 
boiling  vinegar,  2  gallons ;  macerate  in  a  cov- 
ered vessel  for  24  hours;  strain,  and  add  suffi- 
cient flour  of  mustard. 

MUTTON,  To  Judge  its  Quality.— Tuq 
meat  should  be  firm  and  close  in  grain,  and  red 
in  color ;  the  fat  white  and  firm.  Mutton  is  in 
its  prime  when  the  sheep  is  about  5  years  old, 
though  it  is  often  killed  much  younger.  If  too 
young,  the  flesh  feels  tender  when  pinched ;  if 
too  old,  on  being  pinched  it  wrinkles  up,  and  so 
remains-  In  young  mutton,  the  fat  readily  sep- 
arates ;  in  old,  it  is  held  together  by  strings  of 
skin.  In  sheep  diseased  of  the  rot,  the  flesh  is 
very  pale-colored,  the  fat  inclining  to  yellow; 
the  meat  appears  loose  from  the  bone,  and,  if 
squeezed,  drops  of  water  ooze  out  from  the 
grains ;  after  cooking,  the  meat  drops  clean 
away  from  the  bones.  Wether  mutton  is  pre- 
ferred to  that  of  the  ewe;  it  may  be  known  by 
the  lump  of  fat  on  the  inside  of  the  thigh. 

MUTTON,  To  Roast  a  Saddle  <?/.— Take 
lean  ham,  truffles,  green  onions,  parsley,  thyme, 
and  sweet  herbs,  all  chopped  small,  with  some 
spice,  pepper  and  salt.  Strew  them  over  the 
mutton  when  the  skin  is  taken  off,  put  the  skin 
over  it  neatly,  and  before  roasting  it  tie  over  it 
white  paper  well  buttered.  When  the  meat  is 
nearly  done  take  off  the  paper,  in  order  that  the 
surface  of  the  meat  may  be  nicely  browned. 

MUTTON,  Stewed  Leg  c/.—Vni  it  into  the 
stew-pan  with  either  broth  or  water,  2  or  3  car- 
rots, a  turnip,  an  onion,  and  a  few  black  pepper- 
corns. After  coming  to  a  boil,  simmer  for  2% 
hours,  take  out  the  broth  and  vegetables,  dredge 
the  meat  with  flour,  and  put  it  again  on  the  fire 
to  brown,  leaving  off  the  cover.  Pulp  the  vege- 
tables through  a  sieve,  and  boil  them  up  with 
the  gravy,  adding  a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar, 
i'our  part  of  the  sauce  on  the  meat  and  send  the 
rest  to  table  in  a  tureen. 

"  MUTTON  BROTH— 2  lbs.  of  a  neck  of 
mutton,  a  large  handful  of  chervil ;  put  these 
into  2  quarts  of  water  and  boil  down  to  i  quart. 
All  of  the  fat  should  be  removed.     A  pint  may 


COOKING   AND    BAKING. 


57 


be  taken  2  or  3  times  a  day.     It  affords  excel- 
lent nutriment  to  the  weak. 

NUTMEGS,  7b  &-/^^/.— Prick  them  with  a 
pin.  If  they  are  good  the  oil  will  instantly 
spread  around  the  puncture. 

OYSTERS— Are  They  Healthy  f—O-^xv  an 
oyster,  retain  the  liquor  in  the  lower  or  deep 
shell,  and,  if  viewed  through  a  microscope,  it 
will  be  found  to  contain  multitudes  of  small  oys- 
ters, covered  with  shells  and  swimming  nimbly 
about — 120  of  which  extend  but  I  inch.  Be- 
sides these  young  oysters,  the  liquor  contains  a 
variety  of  animalcules,  and  myriads  of  3  distinct 
species  of  worms.  Sometimes  their  light  rep- 
resents a  bluish  star  about  the  centre  of  the 
shell,  which  will  be  beautifully  luminous  in  a 
dark  room. 

OYSTER  STEir.—Stew  the  oysters  in 
their  own  liquor,  and  season  to  the  taste  with  a 
little  salt  and  pepper;  butter  may  be  added. 
Stews  are  often  improved,  in  the  opinion  of 
many,  by  the  addition  of  milk  or  cream,  and 
condiments  in  the  way  of  mace,  parsley  or  nut- 
meg. If  thickening  of  the  soup  is  desired, 
grated  cracker  is  preferable  to  flour.  The  best 
cooks  omit  flour  entirely.  A  piece  of  butter 
rolled  in  grated  cracker  may  be  added.  Pour 
the  oysters,  when  done,  over  a  dish  floored  with 
crackers,  or  covered  with  layers  of  crispy  toasted 
bread. 

OYSTERS,  To  Fry.— After  they  are  taken 
from  the  shell,  dry  them  on  a  clean  cloth  or  nap- 
kin. Beat  up  the  yelks  of  eggs  with  thick, 
sweet  cream — I  yelk  to  2  tablespoons  of  cream. 
Rub  together  some  grated  bread  crumbs  or 
cracker,  and  a  little  salt  and  pepper.  Have  hot 
in  a  skillet  ^(  of  a  lb.  of  melted  butter.  Dip 
each  oyster  in  the  beaten  yelk  and  cream,  and 
then  roll  it  in  the  crumbs,  coaxing  them  to  ad- 
here to  it.  Drop  into  the  skillet,  and  fry  until 
of  a  light  brown  color  on  both  sides.  They 
ought  to  be  crisp  and  light.  Never  pour  over 
them  the  melted  grease  that  may  remain. 

OYSTERS,  To  Bake,  Roast  or  Boil.— Bvit  a 
few  minutes  are  required  for  this.  Wash  the 
shells  clean.  To  roast,  lay  the  shells  on  a  grid- 
iron, over  a  bed  of  live  coals.  When  the  shells 
open  they  are  done.  Lift  off  the  top,  and  serve 
in  the  under  shell.  To  bake  them,  put  in  a  pan 
in  hot  oven ;  otherwise  follow  the  same  direc- 
tions as  for  roasting.  To  boil,  put  them  in  a 
pot  of  boiling  water.     Serve  in  the  shell. 

OYSTER  SOUP.— To  each  dozen  or  dish  of 
oysters  put  half  a  pint  of  water ;  milk  I  gill ; 
butter  half  an  oz. ;  powdered  crackers  to  thicken. 
Bring  the  oysters  and  water  to  a  boil,  then  add 
the  other  ingredients  previously  mixed  together, 
and  boil  from  3  to  5  minutes  only. 

O  YSTER  FA  TTIES.—Take  of  oysters  suf- 
ficient for  the  patties  you  may  chance  to  want, 
strain  the  liquor  and  return  it  to  them ;  mix 
them  with  very  fine  bread  crumbs  until  they  are 
of  a  proper  thickness ;  add  a  little  scalded  cream, 
and  season  the  whole  with  pepper,  salt,  and  cay- 
enne pepper  ;  warm  the  whole  in  a  saucepan  till 
it  begins  to  simmer ;  when  cold,  put  it  in  the 
paste,  and  bake  it  in  the  shape  of  small  mince 
pies,  3  inches  in  diameter.  The  beards  and 
horny  part  should  be  cut  off,  and  the  oysters 
cut  in  2  or  3  pieces. 

OYSTERS,  ARTIFICIAL.— Take  young 
green  corn,  and  grate  it  in  a  dish ;  to  i  pint  of 
this  add  I  egg  well  beaten,  a  small  teacup  of 


flour,  }4  a  cup  of  butter,  some  salt  and  pepper, 
and  mix  them  well  together.  A  tablespoonful 
of  the  batter  will  make  the  size  of  an  oyster. 
Fry  them  a  light  brown,  and  when  done  butter 
them.  Cream,  if  it  can  be  procured,  is  better 
than  butter. 

OAT  CAKES,  SCOTCH.— Vxxt  3  handfuls 
of  best  Scotch  ( atmeal  into  a  basin,  with  a  bit  of 
butter  the  size  of  a  nutmeg ;  add  as  much  cold 
water  as  will  form  it  into  a  cake.  Press  the 
cake  out  with  the  hands  until  it  is  thin,  then  roll 
with  the  rolling  pin  till  it  is  almost  as  thin  as  a 
silver  dollar.  Have  the  griddle  already  heated, 
sift  a  little  meal  over  it,  and  lay  on  the  cake. 
When  the  under  side  is  brown,  toast  the  upper 
side  in  a  toaster  before  the  fire  to  make  it  crisp. 
These  cakes  should  be  kept  in  the  meal  chest 
among  the  dry  meal  to  preserve  their  crispness, 
which  is  their  peculiarity.  They  are  extremely 
nice  to  eat  w  ith  cheese. 

OMELETTE.— Btdit  separately  the  yelks 
and  whites  of  4  fresh  eggs;  to  the  yelks  add  as 
much  powdered  white  sugar  as  will  sweeten  it, 
and  a  small  dessert-spoonful  of  corn  flour,  very 
smoothly  blended  in  a  spoonful  of  cream  or  good 
milk.  Beat  the  whites  to  a  stiff  froth,  add  the 
flour  to  the  yelks,  and  gently  stir  in  the  whites, 
taking  care  to  break  the  froth  as  little  as  possi- 
ble ;  pour  the  whole  into  a  clean  frying-pan 
from  which  the  butter  has  been  drained ;  2  or  3 
minutes  over  a  clear  fire  is  enough  to  cook  the 
under  side  ;  hold  the  pan  to  the  fire  till  the  up- 
per side  looks  firm ;  spread  raspberry  or  straw- 
berry jam  over  one  half,  turn  the  other  side  over 
it,  and  serve  immediately. 

ONIONS,  BOILED.— Tak^  the  outside  skin 
from  white  onions  as  uniform  in  size  as  possible, 
lay  them  in  cold  salt  and  water  for  i  hour,  and 
then  boil  them  in  milk  and  water  unjil  thor- 
oughly tender ;  lay  them  in  a  deep  dish,  and 
pour  over  them  melted  butter. 

ONIONS,  ROASTED.— These  should  be 
cooked  in  their  skins ;  but  before  putting  them 
into  the  oven  brush  off  all  grittiness.  Place  in  a 
moderate  oven,  cooking  gradually  until  nearly 
done ;  then  quicken  the  oven  and  brown.  Serve 
with  plenty  of  fresh  butter. 

PASTE  for  Fruit  or  Meat  Pies. — This  paste 
may  be  made  with  %  of  wheat  flour,  %  of  the 
flour  of  boiled  potatoes,  and  some  butter  or 
dripping ;  the  whole  being  brought  to  a  consist- 
ence with  warm  water,  and  a  small  quantity  of 
yeast  added  when  lightness  is  desired. 

PARTRIDGES,  To  i^^^jA— Rightly  to  look 
well  there  should  be  a  leash  (3  birds)  in  the 
dish  ;  pluck,  singe,  draw  and  truss  them  ;  roast 
them  for  about  20  minutes ;  baste  them  with 
butter,  and  when  the  gravy  begins  to  run  from 
them  you  may  safely  assume  that  the  partridges 
are  done ;  place  them  in  a  dish,  together  with 
bread  crumbs,  fried  nicely  brown  and  arranged 
in  small  heaps.  Gravy  should  be  served  in  a 
tureen  apart. 

PARTRIDGES,  To  Broil.  —Cut  them  in 
half,  dip  them  in  a  butter  previously  melted,  and 
cover  them  thickly  with  crumbs  of  bread.  A 
^  of  an  hour  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  cook  them 
oveiwa  clear  fire. 

PARTRIDGE  PIE.— 2  braces  of  partridges 
are  required  to  make  a  handsome  pie.  Truss 
them  as  for  boiling ;  pound  in  a  mortar  the  liv- 
ers of  the  birds,  a  ^  of  a  lb.  of  fat  bacon,  and 
some  shred  parsley ;  lay  part  of  this  forcemeat 


58 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


at  the  bottom  of  a  raised  crust ;  put  in  the  part- 
ridges, add  the  remainder  of  the  forcemeat  and  a 
few  mushrooms ;  put  some  shoes  of  bacon  fat 
on  the  top,  cover  with  a  hd  of  crust,  and  bake  it 
for  2^  hours.  Before  serving  the  pie  remove 
the  lid,  take  out  the  bacon,  and  add  sufficient 
rich  gravy  and  orange  juice.  Partridge  pie  may 
also  be  made  in  a  dish  in  the  ordinary  way. 

PASTE,  Rich  and  Light.— To  I  lb.  of  flour, 
dried  and  sifted,  take  yi  a  lb.  of  good  fresh  but- 
ter and  ^  a  lb.  of  lard ;  divide  the  flour  into  2 
equal  portions  ;  put  ^  on  the  paste-board ;  cut 
the  butter  (from  which  the  water  should  be 
squeezed)  into  slices  about  ^  an  inch  thick ;  do 
the  same  with  the  lard;  cover  the  slices  \vith 
'  flour,  roll  them  out  thin  with  the  rolling-pin  and 
lay  them  aside ;  put  the  other  ^  of  the  flour 
into  a  basin,  work  into  it  with  a  spoon  a  j^  of 
a  pint  of  water,  or  enough  to  make  the  flour  into 
a  stiff  dough — too  wet  a  dough  will  make  tough 
paste — lay  this  upon  the  paste-board,  and  roll  it 
out  till  it  is  ^  an  inch  thick,  then  lay  the  fourth 
part  of  the  butter  and  lard  all  over  it,  fold  it  up 
and  roll  it  again ;  put  on  another  fourth  of  the 
butter,  and  repeat  the  buttering  and  rolling  till 
all  the  rolled  butter  is  mixed  in.  Then  cover 
the  tart,  and  bake  it  in  a  brisk  oven.  Always 
handle  pastry  as  lightly  as  possible,  particularly 
after  the  butter  has  been  put  in. 

PASTE,  POTATO.— A.  %  of  a  lb.  of  cold 
boiled  potatoes  to  |^  a  lb.  of  flour,  rubbed  well 
together,  wet  with  very  little  water,  and  add  6 
oz.  of  good  lard  or  butter.  For  a  sweet  paste, 
add  a  tablespoonful  of  powdered  sugar ;  for  a 
meat  paste  the  same  quantity  of  salt. 

PARSNIPS,  To  Boil.  Wash  the  parsnips, 
scrape,  boil  tender,  and  then  slice  and  brown  on 
a  griddle,  with  butter  to  prevent  sticking.  Car- 
rots are  good,  cooked  in  the  same  way. 

'  PANADA,  BREAD.— 'iozk  a  few  thin 
slices  of  stale,  light,  and  well-baked  bread  in 
hot  water,  so  as  to  form  a  pulp  of  suitable  con- 
sistence. Simmer  it  gently,  with  some  little  ad- 
dition of  water  from  time  to  time  as  it  thickens ; 
then  add  2  or  3  tablespoonfuls  of  warm  milk,  a 
httle  loaf  sugar,  and  a  few  grains  of  salt.  The 
objection  to  this  bread-pap,  as  commonly  used, 
is  that  nurses  are  sometimes  apt  to  make  it  too 
thick. 

*  PANADA,  CmCR-EN-Skm  a  fowl;  cut 
it  in  pieces,  leaving  the  breast  whole ;  boil  it  in 
3  pints  of  water  till  perfectly  tender,  pick  off  the 
meat,  and  pound  it  finely  in  a  mortar,  and  mix 
it  with  the  liquor  it  was  boiled  in;  rub  it  through 
a  sieve,  and  season  it  with  salt. 

PEARS,  To  Bake. — Take  ripe  pears  and 
•wipe  them  carefully  ;  place  a  layer  stem  upward 
in  a  stone  jar;  sprinkle  over  sugar;  then  set  in 
another  layer  of  pears,  and  so  on  till  the  jar  is 
filled.  To  every  gallon  put  in  1^  pints  of  wa- 
ter. Cover  the  top  of  the  jar  with  pie  crust, 
and  set  in  a  slow  oven  for  2  hours. 

PEACHES,  To  Peel. — In  peeling  small 
peaches  with  a  knife,  too  much  of  the  peach  is 
wasted ;  but  by  having  a  wire  cage  similar  to 
those  made  for  popping  corn  this  waste  is  obvi- 
ated. Fill  the  cage  with  peaches,  and  dip  it  into 
boiling  water  for  a  moment,  then  into  cold  wa- 
ter for  a  moment,  and  empty  out — going  on  in 
the  same  way  for  all  you  wish  to  peel.  This 
toughens  the  skin  and  enables  you  to  strip  it  off, 
saving  much  in  labor,  as  also  the  waste  of  the 
peach. 


PEAS,  To  Stew. — ^Take  a  quart  of  shelled 
peas,  a  large  onion,  or  two  of  middling  size,  and 
2  lettuces  cut  small ;  put  them  into  a  saucepan 
with  ^  a  pint  of  water ;  season  them  with  a  lit- 
tle salt,  a  little  pepper,  mace  and  nutmeg. 
Cover  them  close,  and  let  them  stew  a  X  of  an 
hour ;  then  put  in  a  X  oi  a.  lb.  of  fresh  butter 
rolled  in  a  little  flour,  a  spoonful  of  catsup,  and 
a  small  piece  of  butter  as  big  as  a  nutmeg;  cover 
them  close,  and  simmer  gently  an  hour,  often 
shaking  the  pan. 

PIE,  CREAM.— Yox  I  pie,  take  2  eggs,  yz 
cup  of  sugar,  3  tablespoonfuls  of  flour,  i  pint  of 
sweet  milk ;  heat  your  milk ;  beat  sugar,  eggs 
and  flour  together ;  add  to  the  scalded  milk,  and 
cook  to  a  thick  custard;  flavor  with  lemons; 
bake  your  crust,  and  when  cold  fill  with  the 
custard. 

PIE,  LEMON.-Grz.ie  %  of  the  outside  of 
a  lemon,  and  squeeze  out  the  juice ;  yelks  of  2 
sggs;  2  tablespoonfuls,  heaped,  of  sugar;  ^ 
cup  of  water ;  I  teaspoonful  of  butter ;  stir  well, 
and  bake  in  a  deep  dish  lined  with  crust.  Beat 
the  whites  of  the  eggs  to  a  stiff"  froth ;  stir  in  2 
tablespoonfuls  of  pulverized  sugar,  and  spread 
over  the  top  of  the  pie,  as  soon  as  it  is  baked.. 
Set  in  the  oven  till  the  top  is  nice  browned. 

PIE,  MINCE.— Take  of  boiled  beef,,  chop- 
ped fine  and  salted,  I  pint;  apples,,  chopped 
fine,  I  quart ;  butter  or  suet,  i  teacupful ;  I  tea- 
cup sugar,  I  pint  each  of  boiled  cider  and  water. 
Stew  all  together  until  the  apples  are  done,  and 
when  cold  add  i  pint  of  canned  or  stewed  rasp- 
berries or  blackberries,  i  teaspoonful  of  pepper, 
I  of  cloves,  2  of  cinnamon,  and  2  of  allspice. 

PIE,  ORANGE. — Take  the  juice  and  pulp 
of  6  large,  sour  oranges,  and  the  grated  rind  of 
4,  a  little  salt,  3  cupfuls  of  sugar,  3  eggs,  4  cup- 
fuls  of  water,  6  spoonfuls  of  rice  flour.  Mix 
these  ingredients  well  together,  make  a  good 
crust,  and  bake  like  other  pies. 

PIE,  PEACH. — ^Take  good  ripe  peaches, 
halve  and  stone  them ;  make  a  good  short  crust, 
and  lay  it  in  your  pie-plates.  Lay  your  peaches 
evenly  to  cover  it ;  tlien  add  to  each  moderate- 
sized  pie  about  3  spoonfuls  of  white  sugar,  and  a 
few  drops  of  essence  of  lemon  or  rose,  and  ^  a 
teacupful  of  water ;  cover,  and  bake  like  other 
pies. 

PIE,  PUMPKIN— Cnoo%z  the  best  pump- 
kins that  can  be  found.  Take  out  the  seeds^cut 
the  rind  carefully  away,  and  then  cut  the  pump- 
kin into  thin  and  narrow  bits.  Stew  over  a 
moderate  fire  in  a  little  water — just  enough  to 
keep  the  mass  from  burning — until  soft.  Turn 
off"  the  water,  if  any  remains,  and  let  the  pump- 
kin steam  over  a  slow  fire  about  10  minutes. 
When  sufficiently  cooled,  strain  through  a  sieve. 
Sweeten  the  pumpkin  with  sugar  and  a  little  mo- 
lasses. The  sugar  and  eggs  should  be  beaten 
together.  The  flavoring  requires  ginger,  the 
grated  rind  of  a  lemon  or  nutmeg,  and  salt.  To 
I  quart  of  pumpkin  add  I  quart  of  milk  and  4 
eggs  for  ordinary  richness. 

Heat  the  pumpkin  scalding  hot  before  putting 
it  upon  the  crust  to  bake,  otherwise  the  crust 
will  be  scalded.     Bake  in  a  very  hot  oven. 

PIGEONS. — Pigeons  are  very  indiff"erent 
food  when  they  are  too  long  kept.  Suppleness 
of  the  feet  show  them  to  be  young ;  the  state  ot 
the  flesh  is  flaccid  when  they  are  getting  bad 
from  keeping,  Tame  pigeons  are  larger  thaa 
the  wild. 


COOKING  AND  BAKING. 


59 


PIGEONS,  J/«£;^^.— Make  a  seasoning  of 
pepper,  salt,  cloves,  mace,  sweet  herbs,  and  a 
piece  of  butter  rolled  in  flour,  and  put  it  into 
them,  closing  the  opening.  Half  roast  them ; 
then  stew  them  in  good  gravy,  with  whole  pep- 
per, mace,  lemon,  sweet  herbs,  and  a  small 
onion.  Take  them  out  when  done,  strain  the 
liquor,  skim  it,  and  thicken  it  with  a  piece  of 
butter  rolled  in  flour;  then  put  in  the  pigeons 
with  some  pickled  mushrooms,  and  stew  them 
for  5  minutes.  Pour  the  sauce  over  them  in  the 
dish. 

PORK  AS  FOOD.— Is  the  prohibition  of 
pork  to  the  Jews,  as  unclean  food,  founded  on 
intrinsic  unhealthfulness  of  the  food  itself?  An 
article  in  one  of  our  prominent  monthlies  ex- 
presses the  opinion  that  it  is,  and  gives  a  most 
disgusting  picture  of  the  diseased  constitution  of 
the  hog.  It  says  that  "  Vermont,  New  Hamp- 
shire, Slaine,  and  other  New  England  States, 
where  the  inhabitants  send  their  beef  cattle  to 
Boston  market,  and  live  principally  on  pork  as 
meat  the  year  round,  myriads  of  them  are  af- 
flicted with  scrofula,  salt-rheum,  tetter,  ring- 
worm, 'humors  in  the  blood,'  consumption,  etc. 
In  the  Far  West  pork  is  the  principal  meat  con- 
sumed by  the  farmers  and  laboring  classes ;  ham 
for  breakfast,  roast  pig  for  dinner,  and  sausage 
for  supper,  and  '  hog  all  the  time !'  And  what 
is  the  effect  of  this  unclean  diet  upon  their  con- 
stitution, health,  etc.  ?  Look  at  many  of  their 
wretched  wives  and  children,  with  their  rheumed 
eyes  and  enlarged  glands,  sore  ears,  etc.,  for  an 
answer.  While  the  Western  farmer  works  in 
his  fields  in  the  open  air,  he  is  comparatively  ex- 
empt from  its  baneful  influence,  and  it  is  chiefly 
upon  the  health  of  his  wife  and  children  that  its 
terrible  effects  may  be  seen.  The  late  Doctor 
Brainard,  of  Chicago,  told  the  author  a  few  years 
since  that  it  was  estimated,  by  competent  medi- 
cal authority,  that  nearly  ^  of  the  entire  popu- 
lation of  the  State  were  afflicted  with  scrofulous 
sore  eyes,  with  enlargement  of  the  glands  at  the 
edges  of  the  lids,  etc.  This  form  of  chronic 
ophthalmia  is  very  common  throughout  the  en- 
tire West."  Do  not  raise  or  eat  pork,  or  have, 
in  the  remotest  way,  any  thing  to  do  with  the 
disease-engendering,  body-corrupting,  health- 
destroying,  unclean  thing. 

POTATOES,  To  Boil.— Put  them  into  a 
saucepan  with  scarcely  sufficient  water  to  cover 
them.  Directly  the  skins  begin  to  break,  lift 
them  from  the  fire,  and  as  rapidly  as  possible 
pour  off  every  drop  of  the  water.  Then  place  a 
coarse  (we  need  not  say  clean)  towel  over  them, 
and  return  them  to  the  fire  again  until  they  are 
thoroughly  done,  and  quite  dry. 

POTATOES,  To  Fry. — To  fry  raw  potatoes 
properly,  they  should  be  pared,  cut  lengthwise 
into  slices  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness, 
dropped  into  a  pan  over  the  fire  containing  hot 
beef  drippings,  turned  frequently,  nicely  browned 
all  over,  but  never  burned. 

POTATO  SCONES.— ^■i.%\\  boiled  potatoes 
till  they  are  quite  smooth,  adding  a  little  salt; 
then  knead  out  with  flour,  or  barley-meal,  to  the 
thickness  required ;  toast  on  the  griddle,  prick- 
ing with  a  fork  to  prevent  them  blistering. 

POTATOES,  MASHED.— VoisXoes  for 
mashing  should  be  as  nicely  boiled  as  if  they 
were  intended  to  be  eaten  without  further  prep- 
aration; only  they  should  be  dressed  a  little 
more,  though  care  should  be  taken  not  to  let  the 


water  get  into  them.  The  farinaceous  part  must 
be  pounded  up,  with  a  small  quantity  of  the 
freshest  butter,  the  yelk  of  an  egg  well  beaten, 
and  a  little  pepper  and  salt ;  add,  if  possible,  a 
little  cream,  and  put  the  mashed  potatoes  into 
the  oven  to  brown  them. 

POTATO  SN01V.—V\c]^  out  the  whitest  po- 
tatoes, and  put  them  on  in  cold  water ;  when 
they  begin  to  crack,  strain  and  put  them  in  a 
clean  stewpan  before  the  fire  till  they  are  quite 
dry,  and  fall  to  pieces  ;  rub  them  through  a 
wire  sieve  on  the  dish  they  are  to  be  sent  up  in, 
and  do  not  disturb  them  afterwards. 

*  PUDDING,  Arrowroot. — Mix  a  tablespoon- 
ful  in  cold  milk,  and  pour  it  into  boiling  milk. 
When  cool,  add  the  yelk  of  an  egg  well  beaten 
and  a  little  sugar ;  put  it  into  a  basin,  and  boil 
10  minutes. 

PUDDING,  BIPD'S-NEST.—Veel  tart 
apples,  take  out  the  cores,  leaving  the  apples 
whole.  Make  a  custard  of  8  well  beaten  eggs, 
^  a  pint  of  cream,  and  i}4  pints  of  scalded 
milk,  thickened  with  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of 
flour  and  a  little  salt,  but  no  sugar.  Bake  20 
minutes.  When  the  apples  are  tender  the  pud- 
ding is  done.  Serve  immediately  with  butter 
and  sugar  stirred  to  a  cream. 

PUDDING,  HALF-PA  V.—%  of  a  lb.  of 
suet,  %  oi  a.  lb.  of  currants,  ^  of  a  lb.  of  rais- 
ins, )4  of  a  lb.  of  flour,  ^  of  a  lb.  of  bread 
crumbs,  2  tablespoonfuls  of  molasses,  }^  a  pint 
of  milk.  Chop  the  suet  finely ;  mix  with  it  the 
currants,  (which  should  be  nicely  washed  and 
dried,)  the  raisins,  (which  should  be  stoned,) 
the  flour,  bread  crumbs  and  molasses ;  moisten 
with  the  milk,  beat  up  the  ingredients  until  all 
are  thoroughly  mixed,  put  them  into  a  buttered 
basin,  and  boil  the  pudding  for  3^  hours. 

PUDDING,  Pice  and  Apple.— Y\z\i  over  and 
wash  a  teacupful  of  the  best  rice.  Steam  it  un- 
til tender  in  2  cups  of  cold  water ;  spread  it  over 
a  quart  or  3  pints  of  good  ripe  apples,  quartered ; 
pour  over  I  or  2  cups  of  milk,  if  preferred,  or 
omit  the  milk  and  add  a  little  water  to  the  ap- 
ples. Half  a  cup  of  white  sugar  may  be  sprink- 
led over  the  apples,  or  sugar  may  be  added  at 
the  table,  if  preferred. 

PUDDING,  PLUM.—Ar  eggs,  12  crackers, 
I  pint  of  new  milk,  i  teacup  of  butter,  half  a 
lb.  of  sugar,  I  lb.  of  raisins,  i  lb.  of  prunes, 
with  a  finely  grated  nutmeg.  Bake  about  an 
hour. 

PUDDING,  Potato.— \  lb.  of  potatoes,  boiled 
half  a  lb.  of  fresh  butter,  half  a  lb.  of  sugar,  the 
yelks  of  6  eggs  and  the  whites  of  3,  I  gill  of 
cream,  I  teaspoonful  of  mace,  and  i  nutmeg. 
Bake  in  puff-paste. 

PUDDING,  PICE,— Halt  a  pint  of  rice,  I 
quart  of  milk,  ^  of  a  pint  of  sugar,  nutmeg  or 
cinnamon.  Bake  it  slowly  2  hours.  Tapioca 
may  be  cooked  in  the  same  way,  after  soaking 
in  warm  milk  for  an  hour  or  two ;  and  sago,  al- 
ter thoroughly  washing  and  soaking  over  night, 
is  good  in  the  same  fashion.  It  is  possible  to 
dilute  the  milk  one-half  and  yet  have  the  pud- 
ding good,  if  care  is  exercised  in  soaking  and 
cooking. 

PABBITS.—Rahhits,  when  old,  have  the 
haunches  thick,  the  ears  dry  and  tough,  and  the 
claws  blunt  and  ragged.  A  young  hare  has 
claws  smooth  and  sharp,  ears  tliat  easily  tear, 
and  a  narrow  cleft  in  the  cheek. 

RABBITS,    To  Cook.—Mi\&x  skinning  they 


6o 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


are  thorouglily  freed  from  blood  with  cold  water. 
They  are  left  over  night  in  weak  salt  water, 
which  is  poured  off  in  the  morning,  and  new 
salt  water  added,  in  which  they  stand  until  ready 
for  cooking.  This  water  is  made  just  sufficiently 
salt  to  fit  the  flesh  for  eating.  They  are  then 
boiled  until  tender,  when  the  meat  is  taken  out, 
and  flour  and  butter,  first  rubbed  together,  is 
stirred  in  and  well  peppered,  and  the  whole 
poured  over  toast,  upon  which  the  meat  is  laid. 
A  few  sprigs  of  parsley  added  improve  the  taste 
for  many  persons. 

SAUCE,  SHIRLEY.— \2  good-sized,  ripe 
tomatoes ;  2  bell  peppers  (large  ones  ; )  2  onions 
(many  omit  these,  and  like  the  sauce  better — 
consult  your  own  taste.)  Scald  and  skin  the  to- 
matoes ;  chop  the  peppers  and  onions  (if  used) 
very  fine.  Then  add  i  cup  of  vinegar  and  ^  of 
a  cup  of  sugar,  and  boil  2  hours ;  then  put  in 
another  cup  of  vinegar  and  boil  I  hour — or  un- 
til the  mixture  does  not  separate.  Then  stir  in 
I  teaspoonful  of  cloves,  i  dessert-spoonful  of 
cinnamon,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  pimento  (all- 
spice. ) 

SAUCE,  WORCESTERSHIRE.— K\\  the 
English  sauces  in  popular  use  are  founded  upon 
walnut  catsup — that  is  of  English  walnuts — or 
upon  mushroom  catsup.  To  make  a  catsup  of 
■walnuts,  the  green  shells  are  taken  in  these  pro- 
portions: 2  gals,  walnut  juice,  5  lbs.  salt,  mixed 
and  bruised,  and  allowed  to  lie  a  week  ;  the 
liquor  is  then  pressed  out,  and  to  every  gallon  is 
added  4  oz.  of  allspice,  3  oz.  of  ginger,  and  of 
pepper  and  cloves  2  oz.  each,  all  bruised.  The 
■whole  is  then  simmered  for  30  minutes,  and  is 
then  set  aside  to  clear.  This  is  the  catsup.  To 
make  a  sauce  of  this  similar  to  Worcestershire, 
take  I  gal.  port  wine,  ^  gal.  catsup,  2  lbs.  an- 
chovies, with  their  liquor,  8  lemons,  48  shallots 
or  small  onions,  scraped  horse-radish  i^  lbs., 
mace  1  oz.,  Cayenne  2  oz.,  mustard  8  oz.  Boil 
the  whole  gently,  and  then  strain  and  bottle. 

SAUCE,  CHUTNEY.— ?!iiQ  and  core  sour 
apples.  Then  take  of  these  apples,  tomatoes, 
brown  sugar,  and  best  raisins,  each  8  oz.  ;  salt, 

4  oz. ;  red  peppers  (chilies)  and  powdered  gin- 
ger, 2  oz.  each ;  garlic  and  small  onions,  i  oz. 
each.  Pound  the  whole  well,  and  add  3  quarts 
of  best  cider  or  wine  vinegar — or  vinegar  made 
from  beer — and  I  quart  of  lemon  juice.  Let  it 
stand  in  the  vessel  a  month,  but  give  it  a  good 
shake  daily.  Then  pour  off  the  clear  liquid  and 
bottle  it.  The  residue  may  be  used  in  aid  of  a 
second  batch  of  sauce,  or,  rubbed  up  into  a  very 
smooth  paste,  may  form  a  constituent  of  French 
mustard. 

*  SHANK  JELL  K— Scour  and  brush  very 
clean  12  shanks  of  mutton,  after  soaking  them 
in  water  for  4  hours.     Simmer  them  gently  for 

5  hours  in  3  quarts  of  water,  putting  with  them 
3  blades  of  mace,  2  onions,  20  Jamaica  and  30 
black  peppercorns,  some  sweet  herbs,  and  a 
crust  of  bread  toasted  brown ;  then  strain  off  the 
liquor  and  keep  it  in  a  cool  place.  This  is  well 
adapted  to  delicate  and  debilitated  persons. 

SNIPES,  ROASTED.— Y>o  not  draw  them, 
but  spit  on  a  bird-spit ;  flour  and  baste  well 
with  butter ;  prepare  a  slice  of  toasted  bread, 
lay  it  in  a  plate  under  the  birds ;  roast  for  about 
30  minutes ;  place  them  on  the  toast ;  butter, 
garnish  with  slices  of  lemon  and  parsley,  and 
serve. 

SOUP,  Stock  for. — ^4  lbs.  of  shin-bone,  and 


I  lb.  of  lean  neck  of  beef,  4  carrots,  I  turnip,  r 
stick  of  celery,  2  parsnips,  2  leeks,  I  onion,  6 
cloves,  6  peppers,  a  bunch  of  sweet  herbs,  i  gal. 
of  water.  Cut  the  meat  into  slices,  crack  the 
bone,  and  put  it  into  an  earthen  pipkin  that  will 
stand  the  fire,  as  this  makes  far  better  soup  than 
a  metal  saucepan ;  add  the  water,  and  let  it  stew 
slowly  till  the  scum  rises,  and  skim  it  clear ; 
stick  the  cloves  into  the  onion  and  then  add  the 
vegetables,  and  let  the  whole  stew  slowly  till  the 
meat  is  in  rags,  which  will  be  in  about  8  hours. 
It  must  simmer  very  slowly,  for  if  it  boils  the 
meat  will  not  yield  the  gravy  so  well,  and  the 
stock  will  be  thick  in  place  of  being  clear.  Af- 
ter it  is  cold  it  should  be  strained  through  a  cul- 
lender, and  kept  in  a  covered  pan  or  jar  for 
use. 

SOUP,  Coloring  for. — As  soups  often  require 
coloring,  it  is  well  to  prepare  browning  for  that 
purpose.  2  baked  onions,  well  browned  in  the 
oven  and  then  chopped  fine,  make  an  excellent 
coloring  and  flavoring.  The  shells  of  green 
peas,  dried  in  the  oven  until  they  are  brown,  but 
not  black,  will  also  answer  to  brown  soup,  and 
will  keep  all  winter  if  hung  in  a  perfectly  dry 
place. 

SOUP,  Prof.  Boyd's.— Take  the  shank  of 
beef,  or  pieces  of  beef  or  veal  left  from  a  roast- 
ing piece,  and  boil  in  water  sufficient  for  the 
soup  ;  if  the  meat  has  not  been  previously 
cooked,  it  must  be  boiled  4  or  5  hours,  or  till  it 
will  separate  from  the  bone  easily.  Pare  pota- 
toes, 3  or  4  good  sized  onions,  part  of  a  yellow 
turnip,  and  2  or  3  carrots,  if  desired  ;  slice,  not 
very  thin,  and  boil  in  the  soup  after  seasoning 
with  salt  and  pepper  to  the  taste.  Boil  the  tur- 
nips about  l^  hours  ;  the  other  vegetables  will 
cook  sooner. 

SOUP,  Vegetable. — Peel  and  slice  6  large 
onions,  6  potatoes,  6  carrots,  and  4  turnips  ;  fry 
them  in  ^  a  lb.  of  butter,  and  pour  on  them  4 
quarts  of  boiling  water.  Toast  a  crust  of  bread 
as  brown  and  hard  as  possible — but  do  not  burn 
it — and  put  it  in,  with  some  celery,  sweet  herbs, 
white  pepper  and  salt.  Stew  it  all  gently  for  4 
hours,  and  then  strain  it  through  a  coarse  cloth. 
Have  ready  thinly  sliced  carrot,  celery  and  a  lit- 
tle turnip.  Add  them  to  your  liking,  and  stew 
them  tender  in  the  soup.  If  approved  of,  a 
spoonful  of  tomato  catsup  may  be  added. 

SOUP,  Gumbo. — Fry  a  light  brown  2  lbs.  of 
the  round  of  beef  with  4  sliced  onions  ;  put  into 
the  soup  pot  wit"h  4  quarts  of  water,  ^  a  can  of 
tomatoes  or  12  fresh  ones,  I  teacupful  of  sliced 
okra  and  I  green  pepper ;  boil  slowly  5  hours 
and  put  through  the  cullender.  Throw  into  the 
tureen  some  sippets  of  fried  bread  and  serve  at 
once. 

SODA  CAITES.—Mix  a  teaspoonful  of  soda 
and  I  of  tartaric  acid  with  |^  a  teaspoonful  of 
salt ;  melt  5  oz.  of  butter  in  a  large  cupful  of 
milk;  add  these  ingredients  to  I  lb.  of  flour,  l^ 
a  lb.  of  moist  sugar,  and  2  oz.  of  caraway  seeds. 
Work  into  a  soft  dough,  and,  if  not  wet  enough, 
add  more  milk ;  put  into  mince-pie  pans  to 
bake. 

SPONCE-CAR'E.— Beat  12  eggs  as  light  as 
possible,  (for  sponge  and  almond  cake  they  re- 
quire more  beating  than  for  anything  else  ;)  beat 
I  lb.  of  loaf  sugar,  powdered  and  sifted  by  de- 
grees, into  the  eggs,  continuing  to  beat  some 
time  very  hard  after  all  the  sugar  is  in,  (none 
but  loaf  sugar  will  make  light   sponge  -  cake. ) 


COOKING   AND   BAKING. 


6i 


Stir  in  gradually  a  teaspoonful  of  powdered, 
mixed  cinnamon  and  mace,  a  grated  nutmeg,  and 
12  drops  of  lemon  essence ;  lastly,  by  degrees, 
put  in  lo  oz.  of  sifted  flour,  dried  near  the  fire, 
stirring  round  the  mixture  very  slowly  with  a 
knife.  If  the  flour  is  stirred  too  hard  the  ccke 
will  be  tough.  It  must  be  done  gently  and 
lightly,  so  that  the  top  of  the  mixture  will  be 
covered  with  bubbles.  As  soon  as  the  flour  is 
all  in  begin  to  bake,  as  setting  will  hurt  it.  Put 
it  in  smdl  tins,  well  buttered,  or  in  i  large  tin 
pan.  The  thinner  the  pans  the  better  the  sponge- 
cake. Fill  the  small  tins  about  half  full.  Grate 
loaf  sugar  over  the  top  of  each  before  setting  it 
in  the  oven. 

SUGAR,  To  Clarify.— Take  a  little  gum  Ara- 
bic and  a  little  isinglass  dissolved  in  hot  water  ; 
Eour  it,  when  dissolved,  into  your  sugar  when 
oiling,  and  it  will  clear  all  the  sediment  to  the 
top  of  the  pan,  which  you  must  skim  off  as  often 
as  it  rises.  Loaf  sugar  may  be  cleared  with  the 
white  of  an  egg,  isinglass  or  gum  Arabic.  A 
little  of  either  will  suffice. 

S[/£r  DUMPLINGS.— lo  I  quart  of  flour 
add  half  a  lb.  of  beef  suet  broken  in  very  small 
pieces,  i  cupful  of  peach  marmalade,  a  little  salt, 
I  teaspoonful  of  soda.  Knead  it  with  butter- 
milk, and  make  the  dough  out  into  dumplings 
larger  than  biscuit,  and  boil  them  till  done. 
Serve  up  while  hot  with  a  rich  sauce. 

SUMMER  SQUASH,  To  Cook.—Tzke  them 
before  the  seeds  begin  to  harden,  wash  or  wipe 
them  clean,  remove  the  stem  and  cut  in  pieces  ; 
boil  till  quite  soft ;  pour  off  all  the  water  you 
can ;  mash  as  fine  as  possible,  after  which  put 
it  into  a  clean  cloth  or  bag,  and  squeeze  out  the 
rest  of  the  water.  Turn  out  into  a  dish,  and 
season  with  salt,  butter,  or  thick,  sweet  cream, 
Rnd  pepper,  to  your  taste. 

TAFFEE. — Put  into  a  pan,  or  some  shallow 
vessel,  a  X  of  ^  ^-  of  butter  and  I  lb.  of  brown 
sugar ;  set  it  upon  the  stove,  and  stir  together 
for  15  minutes,  or  until  a  little  of  the  mixture 
dropped  into  a  basin  of  water  will  break  clean 
between  the  teeth  without  sticking  to  them. 
Any  flavoring  that  is  desired — as  lemon,  pine- 
apple, or  vanilla — should  be  added  just  before 
the  cooking  is  completed.  The  taffee,  when 
done,  should  be  poured  into  a  shallow  dish, 
which  is  buttered  on  the  bottom  and  edges.  By 
drawing  a  knife  across  it  when  partially  cool,  it 
can  easily  be  broken  into  squares.  Molasses 
may  be  used  instead  of  sugar,  but  it  is  not  so 
brittle. 

*  TAPIOCA  PUDDING.— s^  large  table- 
spoonfuls  of  tapioca  soaked  over  night  in  i  quart 
of  new  milk  ;  grated  rind  of  i  lemon  ;  I  tumbler 
of  sweet  milk;  one-half  of  a  tumbler  of  wine, 
with  sugar  enough  in  it  to  fill  the  glass.  Stir 
the  tapioca  and  milk  over  the  fire  until  it  comes 
to  a  boil,  before  adding  any  of  tlie  other  ingre- 
dients ;  4  eggs,  beaten  separately,  and  added 
just  before  baking ;  it  bakes  in  about  5  minutes. 
To  be  eaten  cold. 

TEA,  How  to  Make. — The  best  way  to  make 
tea  is  by  pouring  a  little  boiling  water  on  the 
leaves,  and  after  they  have  become  thoroughly 
saturated,  which  requires  I  to  2  minutes,  by 
pouring  it  off  again.  This  water  contains  most 
of  the  tannic  acid,  and  the  acrid  and  disagree- 
able principles  of  the  tea,  without  depriving  it  of 
its  flavor  or  strength.  Now  pour  suiticient  hot 
water  over  the  leaves,  and  let  them  infuse  for  10 


or  15  minutes,  when  the  beverage  will  be  ready 
for  use.  This  scalding  with  hot  water  is  quite 
necessary  with  inferior  tea,  in  which  case  boiling 
the  leaves  must  especially  be  avoided. 

TEA,  Healthy  Substitutes  for. — The  first 
leaves  of  the  currant  bush  dried  on  tin  cannot  be 
known  from  green  tea.  Good  meadow  hay — 
fourth  ounce  to  each  person — infused  in  boiling 
water,  is  an  aromatic,  anti- bilious,  nourishing 
and  soothing  narcotic  to  the  nerves  at  all  times ; 
it  promotes  digestion  and  creates  appetite.  The 
unfolded  petals  of  the  red  rose,  dried,  5  parts; 
rosemary  leaves,  I  part,  and  balm  leaves,  2 
parts,  mixed,  is  also  excellent.  This  far  excels 
any  imported  tea,  and  sells  at  75  cents  per  lb., 
and  I  lb.  will  last  as  long  as  2  lbs.  of  common 
tea.  The  young  leaves  of  the  pea  plant,  or  the 
young  leaves  and  flowers  of  the  common  straw- 
berry, dried  in  the  air  out  of  the  sun,  furnish  de- 
lectable draughts  when  infused  and  taken  with 
cream  and  sugar  like  tea. 

TEA-KETTLES,  To  Prez'ent  the  Formation 
of  Rust  in. — Keep  an  oyster-shell  in  your  tea- 
kettle. By  attracting  the  stony  particles  to  it- 
self, it  will  prevent  the  formation  of  a  crust. 

*  TEA,  BEEF.— Take  \}i  lbs.  of  the  best 
steak ;  cut  it  into  very  small  pieces,  and  put 
them  into  an  earthenware  jar,  with  enough  cold 
water  to  cover  the  meat ;  tie  the  top  of  the  jar 
on,  and  put  it  into  a  saucepan  full  of  hot  water  ; 
place  the  saucepan  on  the  fire,  and  allow  it  to 
boil  for  3  hours,  by  which  time  all  the  goodness 
of  the  meat  will  be  extracted.  TJiis  is  the  pure 
essence  of  beef. 

*  TOAST-IVATER.—Cut  a  slice  off  a  stale 
loaf,  about  twice  as  thick  as  toast  is  usually  cut. 
Toast  it  carefully  until  it  is  deep  brown  all  over, 
but  not  blackened  or  burnt ;  lay  it  in  the  bottom 
of  a  jug  with  a  thin  slice  of  lemon-peel ;  fill  the 
jug  with  boiling  water,  and  let  it  stand  till  cold. 

TOMATOES,  BROIVNED.—Take  large, 
round  tomatoes  and  halve  them ;  place  them,  the 
skin  side  down,  in  a  frying-pan  in  which  a  very 
small  quantity  of  butter  has  been  previously 
melted  ;  sprinkle  them  with  salt  and  pepper  and 
dredge  them  well  with  flour ;  place  the  pan  on  a 
hot  part  of  the  fire,  and  let  them  brown  thor- 
oughly; then  stir  them  and  let  them  brown 
again,  and  so  on  until  they  are  quite  done. 
They  lose  their  acidity,  and  the  flavor  is  superior 
to  stewed  tomatoes. 

TOMA  TO  CA  TSUP.—?>co\A  ripe  tomatoes, 
and  remove  the  skin.  Let  them  stand  a  day, 
covered  with  salt ;  strain  thoroughly  to  remove 
the  seeds.  To  every  2  quarts  of  the  liquor  add 
3  oz.  of  cloves,  2  of  black  pepper,  2  grated  nut- 
megs, a  little  Cayenne  pepper,  and  salt.  Boil 
all  together  for  }4  an  hour,  then  let  the  mixture 
cool  and  settle ;  add  a  pint  of  the  best  cider  \'in- 
egar ;  bottle,  cork  tightly,  and  se^.  Keep  in  a 
cool  place. 

TOMA  TO  FRITTERS.— Take  i  quart  of 
stewed  tomatoes ;  stir  in  I  egg,  i  small  teaspoon- 
ful of  saleratus  or  soda,  and  flour  enough  to, 
make  it  of  the  consistency  of  pancakes. 

TOMA  2  O  MA RAIA LADE.— Take  fine  and 
ripe  tomatoes,  cut  them  in  halves,  and  squeeze 
out  ihe  juice.  Put  them  in  a  preserving  pan, 
with  a  few  peach-leaves,  a  clove  of  garlic,  some 
slices  of  onion  or  shalot,  and  a  bundle  of  pars- 
ley. Stew  them  until  they  are  sufficiently  done, 
pulp  them  through  a  sieve,  and  boil  them  down 
like  other  marmalade,  adding  salt.      Put  them 


62 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


into  small  jars,  pepper  the  tops,  and  pour  clari- 
fied butter  over.  Eat  it  with  fish,  etc.,  or  stir 
the  contents  of  a  small  pot  into  the  gravy  of 
stews  or  fricassees. 

TOMA  TO  PUDDING.— VowT  boiling  water 
on  tomatoes,  remove  the  skins,  put  in  the  bottom 
of  the  pudding-dish  some  bread  crumbs,  then 
slice  the  tomatoes  on  them,  season  with  sugar, 
butter,  pepper,  and  salt ;  add  some  more  bread 
crumbs,  then  the  sliced  tomatoes  and  seasoning, 
and  if  the  tomato  does  not  wet  the  bread  crumbs 
add  a  little  water ;  then,  for  a  small  pudding, 
beat  up  2  eggs  and  pour  over  the  top.  Bake 
about  20  minutes. 

TOMATO  SO UT.— Wash,  scrape,  and  cut 
small  the  red  part  of  3  large  carrots,  3  heads  of 
celery,  4  large  onions,  and  2  large  turnips;  put 
them  into  a  saucepan,  with  a  tablespoonful  of 
butter  and  }4  a  lb.  of  lean  new  ham  ;  let  them 
stew  very  gently  for  an  hour ;  then  add  3  quarts 
of  brown  gravy  soup  and  some  whole  black  pep- 

Eer,  with  8  or  10  ripe  tomatoes ;  let  it  boil  an 
our  and  a  half,  and  pulp  it  through  a  sieve; 
serve  it  with  fried  bread  cut  in  dice. 

TURKEY,  To  Choose. — In  choosing  a  turkey, 
the  age  of  the  bird  is  the  chief  point  to  be  at- 
tended to.  An  old  turkey  has  rough  and  red- 
dish legs  ;  a  young  one  smooth  and  black. 
Fresh  killed,  the  eyes  are  full  and  clear,  and  the 
feet  moist.  When  it  has  been  kept  too  long,  the 
parts  about  the  vent  begin  to  wear  a  greenish, 
discolored  appearance. 

TURKE  Y,  Stuffing  />r.— Take  some  bread 
crumbs  and  turn  on  just  enough  hot  water  to 
soften  them ;  put  in  a  piece  of  butter,  not  melted, 
the  size  of  a  hen's  egg,  and  a  spoonful  of  pul- 
verized sage,  a  teaspoonful  of  ground  pepper, 
and  a  teaspoonful  of  salt ;  there  may  be  some  of 
the  bread  crumbs  that  need  to  be  chopped ;  then 
mix  thoroughly  and  stuff  your  turkey. 

TURKEY,  To  Baie.- Let  the  turkey  be 
picked,  singed,  and  washed  and  wiped  dry,  in- 
side and  out ;  joint  only  to  the  first  joints  in  the 
legs,  and  cut  some  of  the  neck  off  if  it  is  all 
bloody ;  then  cut  12  small  gashes  in  the  fleshy 
parts  of  the  turkey,  on  the  outside  and  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  turkey,  and  press  i  whole  oys- 
ter in  each  gash ;  then  close  the  skin  and  flesh 
over  each  oyster  as  tightly  as  possible ;  then  stuff 
your  turkey,  leaving  a  little  room  for  the  stuffing 
to  swell.  When  stuffed  sew  it  up  with  a  stout 
cord,  rub  over  lightly  with  flour,  sprinkle  a  little 
salt  and  pepper  on  it,  put  some  water  in  your 
dripping  pan,  put  in  your  turkey,  baste  it  often 
with  its  own  drippings;  bake  to  a  nice  brown  ; 
thicken  your  gravy  with  a  little  flour  and  water. 
Be  sure  and  keep  the  bottom  of  the  dripping 
pan  covered  with  water,  or  it  will  burn  the  gravy 
and  make  it  bitter. 

TURA^IPS,  To  Cook. — Full-grown  turnips 
will  take  about  i^  hours'  gentle  boiling;  if  you 
slice  them,  which  most  people  do,  they  will  be 
done  sooner  ;  try  them  with  a  fork ;  when  ten- 
der, take  them  up  and  lay  them  on  a  sieve  till 
the  water  is  thoroughly  drained  from  them. 
Send  them  up  whole  ;  do  not  slice  them. 

VEAL,  To  Roast, — Season  a  breast  of  veal 
with  pepper  and  salt ;  skewer  the  sweet-bread 
firmly  in  its  place ;  flour  the  meat  and  roast  it 
slowly  for  about  4  hours  before  a  moderate  fire ; 
it  should  be  of  a  fine  brown,  but  not  dry  ;  baste 
it  with  butter.  When  done,  put  the  gravy  in  a 
stew-pan,  add  a  piece  of  butter  rolled  in  brown 


flour,  and  if  there  should  not  be  quite  enough 
gravy,  add  a  little  more  water,  with  pepper  and 
salt  to  taste.     The  gravy  should  be  brown. 

VEAL  CUTLETS,  Broiled.— Cwt  the  pieces 
of  veal  of  an  equal  thickness;  dip  them  into 
beaten  egg,  and  sprinkle  them  with  chopped 
herbs,  parsley,  mushrooms,  grated  lemon-peel, 
and  crumbs  of  bread ;  broil  them  to  a  fine  brown 
color.  Make  a  sauce  of  butter  and  flour  melted 
brown,  moistened  with  veal  gravy ;  put  into  it 
some  button  mushrooms,  and  pour  the  sauce  hot 
over  the  cutlets. 

VEAL,  Stcivcd. — Divide  into  portions  part  of 
a  breast  of  veal,  and  fry  it  of  a  nice  brown  in 
butter.  Put  into  a  stew-pan  a  quart  of  green 
peas,  together  with  onions  and  parsley.  \Vhen 
they  are  tender  add  some  veal  gravy,  and  put  in 
the  pieces  of  veal  already  fried,  and  stew  the 
whole  gently.  Season  with  salt,  pepper,  and  a 
teaspoonful  of  powdered  sugar. 

VEAL  CHOPS,  Breaded.— Take  6  or  7 
handsomely  cut  chops,  season  them  with  salt 
and  pepper,  and  put  them  into  melted  butter. 
When  sufficiently  soaked  put  them  into  beaten 
eggs,  take  them  out,  and  roll  each  separately  in 
bread  crumbs  ;  make  the  chops  as  round  as  you 
can  with  your  hand,  and  lay  them  in  a  dish. 
When  all  are  breaded,  broil  them  slowly  over  a 
moderate  fire,  that  the  bread  may  not  be  too 
highly  colored.     Serve  with  clear  gravy. 

*  VEAL  SHERBET— Wash  a goodkriMcUe 
of  veal,  and  put  it  to  boil  in  9  pints  of  water. 
Let  it  boil  until  reduced  to  2  pints.  Run  it 
through  a  fine  sieve,  and  when  nearly  cold,  add 
to  it  2  pints  of  clarified  syrup,  and  i^  pints  ol 
clear  lemon  juice.  Mix  well,  and  serve  as  re- 
freshment. It  will  be  found  very  nutritious,  as 
well  as  pleasant. 

*  VEAL  BROTH.— Tut  a  knuckle  of  a  leg 
or  shoulder  of  veal,  an  old  fowl,  and  4  shank 
bones  of  mutton,  3  blades  of  mace,  10  pepper- 
corns, an  onion,  a  piece  of  bread,  and  3  quarts 
of  water  into  a  soup  pot ;  cover  it  close,  and  af- 
ter it  has  boiled  up  and  been  skimmed,  strain, 
take  off  the  fat,  and  add  salt. 

VEGETABLES,  To  .fft?*/.— Vegetables  must 
be  carefully  cleaned  from  insects  and  very  nicely 
washed.  Boil  them  in  plenty  of  water,  the  wa- 
ter to  be  boiling  before  they  are  put  into  it,  and 
they  should  be  drained  the  moment  they  are 
cooked  enough.  If  over-boiled  they  will  lose 
their  beauty  and  crispness.  Bad  cooks  some- 
times dress  them  with  meat,  which  is  wrong — 
except  carrots  or  cabbage  with  boiling  beef. 

In  order  to  boil  vegetables  of  a  good  green 
color,  take  care  that  the  water  boils  when  they 
are  put  in.  Make  them  boil  very  fast.  Do  not 
cover,  but  watch  them,  and  if  the  water  has  not 
slackened,  you  may  be  sure  they  are  done  when 
they  begin  to  sink.  Then  take  them  out  imme- 
diately, or  the  color  will  change.  Hard  water, 
especially  if  chalybeate,  spoils  the  color  of  such 
vegetables  as  should  be  green.  To  boil  them 
green  in  hard  water,  put  a  teaspoonful  of  carbon- 
ate  of  soda  or  potash  into  the  water  when  boil- 
ing, before  the  vegetables  are  put  in. 

VEGETABLES,  To  Clean  of  Insects.— 
Make  a  strong  brine  ol  \y%  lbs.  of  salt  to  i  gal. 
of  water ;  into  this  place  the  vegetables  with  the 
stalk  ends  uppermost  for  2  or  3  hours ;  this  will 
destroy  all  the  insects  which  cluster  in  the  leaves, 
and  they  will  fall  out  and  sink  to  the  bottom  of 
the  water. 


DRUGGIST  AND    CHEMIST. 


63 


VEGETABLE  OYSTERS.— V,6\\  salsify, 
or  vegetable  oysters,  till  the  skin  will  come  off 
easily.  When  you  have  taken  it  off  neatly,  cut 
the  root  in  bits  as  long  as  an  oyster ;  put  into  a 
deep  vegetable  dish  a  layer  of  crumbs  of  bread 
or  crackers,  a  little  salt,  pepper  and  nutmeg,  and 
a  covering  of  butter  as  thin  as  you  can  cut  it ; 
then  a  layer  of  oysters,  and  so  on  till  your  dish 
is  filled,  having  crumbs  at  the  top.  Fill  the 
dish  with  water,  and  brown  them  handsomely. 
They  can  remain  2  hours  in  the  oven  without 
injury,  or  be  eaten  in  %  an  hour, 

VENISON,  To  AWj/.— Spit  a  haunch  of 
venison,  and  butter  well  4  sheets  of  paper,  2  of 
which  put  on  the  haunch.  Then  make  a  paste 
of  flour,  butter,  and  water ;  roll  it  out  half  as 
big  as  the  haunch,  and  put  it  over  the  fat  part ; 
then  put  the  other  2  sheets  of  paper  on,  and  tie 
them  with  pack-thread.  Lay  it  to  a  brisk  fire, 
and  baste  it  well  all  the  time  of  roasting.  If  a 
large  haunch  of  24  lbs.,  it  will  take  3^  hours  ; 
smaller  in  proportion. 

VENISON  STEAKS,  Broiled.— Vf  ash  them 
and  wipe  them  dry.  Put  them  on  the  gridiron, 
over  a  clear  fire,  and  broil  them ;  then  season 
with  salt  and  pepper,  and  baste  them  with  but- 
ter.    Serve  with  currant  jelly. 

IVATER,  To  Make  Co/d.— Water  may  be 
kept  nearly  as  cold  as  ice  water,  by  surrounding 
the  pitcher  or  jar  with  several  folds  of  coarse 
cotton,  to  be  kept  constantly  wet.  The  evapo- 
ration carries  off  the  heat  inside,  and  it  will  be 
reduced  almost  to  freezing.  In  India  and  other 
tropical  regions  this  is  common. 

IVATER,  To  Soften  Hard.—K  yi  oz.  of 
quick-lime  dipped  in  9  quarts  of  water,  and  the 
clear  solution  put  into  a  barrel  of  hard  water ; 
the  whole  will  be  soft  water  as  it  settles. 

WATER,  To  Purify.—.^  tablespoonful  of 
powdered  alum  sprinkled  into  a  hogshead  of 
water,  and  stirred,  will  in  the  course  of  a  few 
hours  precipitate  to  the  bottom  all  the  impure 
particles,  and  leave  the  water  as  clean  and  pure 
as  spring  water.  4  gallons  would  need  but  a 
teaspoonful. 

WILD  DUCKS,  To  Roast.— ¥ox  roasting  a 
wild  duck  you  must  have  a  clear,  brisk  fire  and 


a  hot  spit.  It  must  be  browned  upon  the  out- 
side without  being  sodden  within.  To  have  it 
well  frothed  and  full  of  gravy  is  the  nicety. 
Prepare  the  fire  by  stirring  and  raking  it  just  be- 
fore the  bird  is  laid  down,  and  15  or  20  minutes 
will  do  it  in  the  fashionable  way ;  but  if  you  like 
it  a  little  more  done  allow  it  a  few  minutes  long- 
er ;  if  it  is  too  much  done  it  will  lose  much  of  its 
flavor. 

YEAST. — I.  In  2  quarts  of  water  let  2  oz. 
of  hops  boil  for  ^  an  hour ;  strain  the  liquor, 
and  let  it  stand  in  a  wide  earthenware  bowl. 
When  lukewarm  add  a  small  quantity  of  salt —  . 
say  yi  handful — and  %  of  a  lb.  of  sugar.  Take 
some  of  the  liquor,  and  well  mix  up  in  it  ^  a 
lb.  of  the  best  flour,  beating  this  up  thoroughly 
in  the  whole  afterwards.  The  next  day  but  one 
put  in  i^  lbs.  of  boiled  and  mashed  potatoes; 
let  it  stand  one  more  day,  after  which  it  may  be 
bottled  for  use.  It  should  be  kept  near  the  fire 
while  making,  so  as  to  keep  it  about  the  tem- 
perature of  new  milk,  and  it  should  also  be  fre- 
quently stirred  during  the  process  of  making. 
When  bottled,  it  should  be  kept  in  a  cool  place. 
— 2.  Take  12  large  potatoes,  a  pint  of  hops 
boiled  in  a  gallon  of  water ;  mash  the  potatoes 
well,  add  a  teacupful  of  sugar  and  I  of  salt,  and 
I  pint  of  yeast.  Let  it  rise  a  day,  then  put  it  in 
a  jug  and  cork  it  loosely;  put  about  yi  a  pint  to 
a  gallon  of  bread-raising.  — 3.  Boil  i  lb.  of  good 
flour,  a  ^  of  a  lb.  of  brown  sugar,  and  a  little 
salt,  in  2  gallons  of  water  for  an  hour.  When 
milk  warm,  bottle  it  and  cork  close.  It  will  be 
fit  for  use  in  24  hours.  I  pint  of  the  yeast  will 
make  18  lbs.  of  bread. 

YEAST  CAKES.— Vni  into  3  pints  of  water 
a  handful  of  hops,  and  nearly  a  quart  of  pared 
potatoes,  cut  into  small  pieces.  Boil  for  }^  an 
hour,  and  strain,  while  scalding  hot,  into  suffi- 
cient flour  to  make  a  stiff  batter.  Stir  it  well, 
adding  i  tablespoonful  of  fresh  yeast,  and  set  in 
a  warm  place  to  rise.  When  light,  mix  it  stiff 
with  Indian  meal,  roll  out  thin,  and  cut  into 
round  cakes  or  square  pieces  about  2^  inches 
in  diameter.  Dry  these  thoroughly,  and  keep 
them  in  a  bag  in  a  dry  place.  They  will  remain 
good  for  months. 


DRUGGIST    AND    CHEMIST. 


ACID,  CITRIC. — Juice  of  lemons,  4  pints  ; 
prepared  chalk,  ^}i  oz. ;  diluted  sulphuric  acid, 
2^%  oz.  ;  distilled  water,  2  pints.  Heat  the 
juice,  add  the  chalk ;  let  the  powder  subside,  and 
pour  off  the  liquor.  Wash  the  citrate  of  lime 
frequently  with  warm  water,  pour  on  it  the  sul- 
phuric acid  and  water,  and  boil  for  15  minutes; 
express  the  liquor,  filter  it,  and  evaporate  with 
a  gentle  heat ;  then  set  it  by  to  crystallize.  To 
obtain  the  crystals  pure,  dissolve  them  a  second 
and  third  time,  filter  each  solution,  evaporate, 
and  set  it  aside  to  crystallize. 

ADHESIVE  CLOTH  {for  Surgeons.)— ^ 
oz.  of  gum  Arabic  are  dissolved  in  half  a  pint  ot 
hot  water,  and  glycerine  is  added  to  give  the 
mixture  a  syrupy  consistence.     The  muslin  or 


linen  cloth,  spread  out  on  a  frame,  is  first  coated 
with  thin  gum  water,  and,  when  nearly  dry, 
with  the  glycerine  mixture  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
Several  coats  are  generally  required.  When 
needed  for  use,  it  is  cut  into  strips  and  moistened 
with  water. 

ARTIFICIAL  SKIN,  for  Bmns,  Bruises, 
Abrasions,  etc. — (Proof  against  water.)  Take 
gun  cotton  and  Venice  turpentine,  equal  parts  of 
each,  and  dissolve  them  in  20  times  as  much  sul- 
phuric ether,  dissolving  the  cotton  first,  then  ad- 
ding the  turpentine ;  keep  it  corked  tightly. 
Water  does  not  affect  it,  hence  its  value  for 
cracked  nipples,  chapped  hands,  surface  bruises, 
and  things  of  a  like  nature. 

ARSENIC,  Test  for. — i.  Dr.  Baumann  rec- 


64 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


ommends,  for  detecting  small  quantities  of  ar- 
senic, the  suspected  body  to  be  triturated  with 
from  3  to  6  times  its  amount  of  iron  filings, 
which  have  been  exposed  to  a  red  heat,  and  are 
known  to  be  free  from  arsenic,  and  heating  the 
mixture  on  charcoal  in  the  reducing  flame  of  the 
blow-pipe.  Even  with  the  smallest  quantity  of 
arsenic,  the  odor,  at  least,  is  disengaged. — 2.  A 
new  and  very  delicate  test  for  arsenic  has  been 
discovered  by  Bettendorff.  Its  sensibility  is  so 
great  that  it  is  said  to  be  capable  of  detecting  i 
part  of  arsenic  in  a  million  parts  of  solution,  and 
the  presence  of  antimony  does  not  affect  it.  In 
order  to  apply  this  test,  the  arsenious  or  arsenic 
liquid  is  mixed  with  aqueous  hydric-chloride 
(hydrochloric  acid)  until  fumes  are  apparent; 
thereupon  stannous  chloride  is  added,  which 
produces  a  bassic  precipitate  containing  the 
greater  part  of  the  arsenic  as  metal,  mixed  with 
stannic  oxide. 

ALTERATIVE  {for Purifying  the  Blood.) 
— Sarsaparilla,  I2  oz. ;  guaiacum  shavings,  6 
oz.  ;  winter-green  leaf,  4  oz.  ;  sassafras- root 
bark,  4  oz. ;  elder  flowers,  4  oz.  ;  yellow  dock, 
3  oz. ;  burdock  root,  4  oz. ;  dandelion  root,  6 
oz. ;  bitter-sweet  root,  2  oz. ;  all  bruised ;  place 
these  ingredients  in  a  suitable  vessel,  and  add  I 
pint  of  alcohol,  with  water  sufficient  to  cover  the 
whole  handsomely.  Set  them  in  a  moderately 
■warm  place  for  3  or  4  days,  pour  off  I  pint  of 
the  tincture  and  set  it  aside,  until  you  add  wa- 
ter to  the  ingredients  and  boil  to  obtain  the  full 
strength ;  pour  off,  add  more  water,  and  boil 
again  ;  then  boil  the  2  waters  down  to  i  quart ; 
strain,  and  add  the  liquor  first  poured  off,  and 
add  zYz  lbs.  crushed  or  coffee  sugar,  and  simmer 
to  form  a  syrup  ;  when  cool  bottle  and  seal  up 
for  use.  Dose — l  to  2  tablespoonfuls,  according 
«to  the  age  and  strength  of  the  patient,  ^  an 
hour  before  meals  and  at  bed-time. 

ALTERATIVE,  RHEUMATIC— CoXe^i- 
cum  seed  and  black  cohosh  root,  of  each  half  an 
oz.,  the  root  to  be  bruised;  best  rye  whisky,  I 
pint ;  put  it  together,  and  let  it  stand  for  3  or  4 
days.  Dose — From  i  teaspoonful  to  a  table- 
spoonful  3  times  daily  before  meals. 

ANODYNE,  HOFFMAN'S.— (d{%w\^\m\c 
ether,  2  oz. ;  alcohol,  4  oz.,  and  etherial  oil  %" 
of  a  dr. ;  mix.  Dose — From  one-half  to  2  tea- 
spoonfuls,  (one-half  to  2  drachms, )  according  to 
the  urgency  or  pain  for  which  it  is  given. 

APERIENT,  MAGNESIAN  EFFER- 
VESCING.— Sulphate  of  magnesia,  12  oz.  ; 
tartaric  acid,  8  oz. ;  calcined  magnesia,  3  oz. ; 
pure  sugar,  18  oz. ;  bicarbonate  of  soda,  6  oz.  ; 
essence  of  lemon,  30  drops.  Dry  the  powders 
separately,  mix  and  sieve  them,  tnen  bottle  se- 
curely. 2  or  3  teaspoonfuls  in  water  is  sufficient 
for  a  dose. 

ASTHMA  REMEDIES.— \.  Elecampane 
angelica,  comfrey  and  spikenard  roots,  with  hoar- 
hound  tops,  of  each  I  oz. ;  bruise  and  steep  in 
I  pint  of  honey.  Dose — i  tablespoonful,  taken 
hot  every  few  minutes  until  relief  is  obtained ; 
then  several  times  daily  until  a  cure  is  effected. 
— 2.  Oil  of  tar,  i  dr. ;  tincture  of  veratrum  vir- 
ide,  2  dr.  ;  simple  syrup,  2  dr.  ;  mix.  Dose — 
for  adults,  15  drops  3  or  4  times  daily.  Iodide 
of  potassium  has  cured  a  bad  case  of  asthma  by 
taking  5  gr.  doses  3  times  daily.  Take  half  an 
oz.  and  put  into  a  phial,  and  add  32  teaspoonfuls 
of  water;  then  I  teaspoonful  of  it  will  contain 
the  5  grs,,  which  is  to  be  put  into  half  a  gill 


more    of    water,    and  is  to  be  drank   a   short 
time  before  each  meal. 

BALSAM,  GLYCERINE.— -^^W.^  wax  and 
spermaceti,  of  each  i  oz. ;  almond  oil,  8  oz. ; 
glycerine,  2  oz.  ;  otto  of  roses,  15  drops. 

BALSAM  OF  HONEY.— Ii3.hz.m  of  tolu,  I 
oz. ;  gum  storax,  I  dr. ;  purified  opium,  16  gr.  ; 
best  honey,  4  oz. ;  rectified  spirits  of  wine,  I 
pint.  Digest  them  together  for  a  week,  and 
strain  the  liquor.  This  prescription  is  of  great 
use  in  colds  and  habitual  coughs,  unaccompanied 
by  feverish  symptoms.  The  dose  is  from  I  to  3 
teaspoonfuls  occasionally. 

BALSAM,  INDIAN— C\s&r,  pale  resin,  3 
lbs.,  and  melt  it,  adding  spirits  of  turpentine,  i 
quart ;  balsam  of  tolu,  I  oz.  ;  balsam  of  fir,  4 
oz.  ;  oil  of  hemlock,  origanum,  with  Venice 
turpentine,  of  each,  i  oz. ;  strained  honey,  4  oz. 
Mix  well  and  bottle.  Dose — 6  to  12  drops,  for 
an  adult ;  for  a  child  of  6  years,  3  to  5  drops  on 
a  little  sugar.  The  dose  can  be  varied  according 
to  the  ability  of  the  stomach  to  bear  it,  and  the 
necessity  of"^  the  case.  This  is  a  valuable  prepa- 
tion  for  coughs  or  internal  pains. 

BALSAM,  MITCHELLS,  for  Bruises, 
Cuts,  etc. — Fenugreek  seed  and  gum  myrrh,  of 
each,  about  i  oz. ;  sassafras-root  bark,  a  good 
handful ;  alcohol,  I  quart.  Put  all  into  a  bottle, 
and  keep  warm  for  5  days. 

BALSAM  OF  TOLU.-TvAie  of  balsam  of 
tolu,  6  oz. ;  white  resin,  16  oz.  ;  sheep's  suet, 
1%  oz.,  or  sufficient  to  make  it  soft  enough,  ac- 
cording to  climate  or  season. 

BALM  OF  GILEAD.—The  genuine  balsam 
of  Mecca  is  the  juice  of  the  Amyris  Gileadensis, 
and  is  obtained  by  cutting  the  bark  of  the  tree 
with  an  axe.  It  is  both  scarce  and  costly,  and 
none  of  it  ever  reaches  this  country  as  an  article 
of  commerce.  That  which  is  exported  is  ob- 
tained by  boiling  the  twigs  of  the  balsam  tree  in 
water.  The  real  balsam  of  Mecca  is  of  a  clear 
gold  color,  and  possesses  a  penetrating  and  deli- 
cate fragrance,  and  a  sharp,  bitter,  astringent 
taste.  A  drop  let  fall  on  the  surface  of  hot  wa- 
ter spreads  itself  over  the  whole  surface,  like  a 
thin  film  of  oil,  and  again  contracts  on  the  water 
cooling.  It  dissolves  completely  in  fatty  and  es- 
sential oils,  which  then  assume  the  peculiar  fla- 
vor of  the  balsam. 

BALM  OF  GILEAD,  Imitation. —Benzoin, 
I  lb.  ;  yellow  resin,  14  lbs.  Melt,  and  add  oil 
of  lemon,  4  oz. ;  oil  of  rosemary,  4  oz. ;  oil  of 
caraway,  4  oz. ;  spirit  to  reduce  it  to  a  proper 
consistence. 

BALM  OF  A  THOUSAND  FLOWERS. 
— Deodorized  alcohol,  l  pint;  nice,  white  bar- 
soap,  4  oz. ;  shave  the  soap  when  put  in  ;  stand 
in  a  warm  place  until  dissolved ;  then  add  oil  of 
citronella,  l  dr. ;  oils  of  neroli  and  rosemary,  of 
each  %  a  dr. 

BALM  OF  BEAUTY.— Vme  soft  water,  I 
quart ;  pulverized  castile  soap,  4  oz. ;  emulsion 
of  bitter  almonds,  6  oz. ;  rose  and  orange  flower 
water,  of  each  8  oz. ;  tincture  of  benzoin,  2  dr.  ; 
borax,  I  dr. ;  to  use,  apply  on  a  cotton  or  linen 
cloth  to  the  face,  etc. 

BALLS  for  Removing  Grease  and  Paint 
Spots  from  Cloth,  ^-/r.— Fuller's  earth,  30  parts  ; 
French  chalk,  I  part ;  yellow  soap,  20  parts ; 
pearlash,  15  parts.  Make  into  a  paste  with 
spirits  of  turpentine,  and  give  it  a  slight  color 
with  a  little  yellow  ochre,  and  then  cut  it  into 
cakes.     This  form,  omitting  the  French  chalk,  is 


DRUGGIST  AND    CHEMIST. 


65 


that  which  is  so  very  generally  sold  about  the 
streets. 

BALLS,  CAMPHOR  {for  Chapped  Hands, 
etc. ) — I.  Spermaceti,  white  wax,  each  ^  oz.  ; 
almond  oil,  i  oz. ;  alkanet  to  color.  Melt, 
strain,  and  add  3  drs.  of  powdered  camphor. — 
2.  Lard,  wax,  and  almond  or  olive  oil,  equal 
parts,  with  a  little  powdered  camphor.  Used  to 
rub  over  the  hands  after  washing  to  prevent 
chaps. 

BALMONY  HERB.—Thxs  is  a  tonic  and 
laxative,  and  is  employed  to  good  advantage  in 
jaundice,  dyspepsia,  diseases  of  the  liver,  loss  of 
appetite,  and  general  debility. 

BANDOLINE,  A  Compound  for  Siiffining 
the  Hair. — i.  Quince  seed,  ^  of  a  teaspoonful ; 
linseed,  I  tablespoonful,  and  a  pinch  of  white 
mustard  seed.  Boil  in  a  pint  of  soft  water  to 
half  a  pint,  and  scent  wth  oil  of  almonds. — 2. 
Isinglass,  i  oz.  ;  water,  I  pint ;  proof  spirit,  2 
fluid  oz.  Dissolve  the  isinglass  in  the  water  by 
heat,  add  the  spirit,  and  scent  with  almond  oil. 
— 3.  Tragacanth,  i  oz.  ;  rose  water,  i  pint. 
Bruise  the  gum,  digest  for  3  days,  and  strain. 

Any  of  these  may  be  colored  with  cochineal, 
if  required. 

BANDOLINE,  ROSE.—Qvm.  tragacanth, 
6  oz.  ;  rose-water,  i  gal. ;  otto  of  roses,  ^  of 
an  oz.  Steep  the  gum  in  the  water  for  a  day  or 
so.  As  it  swells  and  forms  a  thick,  gelatinous 
mass,  it  must  ■''rom  time  to  time  be  well  agitated. 
After  about  48  hours'  maceration  it  is  to  be 
squeezed  through  a  coarse,  clean  linen  cloth,  and 
again  left  to  stand  for  a  few  days,  and  passed 
through  ri  'nen  cloth  a  second  time,  to  insure 
uniformity  .1  consistency;  when  this  is  the  case 
the  otto  of  rose  is  to  be  thoroughly  incorporated 
with  it. 

BARK,  AMERICAN  POPLAR.— K  tea 
made  of  this  bark  is  very  useful  in  cases  of  de- 
bility, especially  those  of  long  standing,  and  also 
for  feeble  digestion,  worms,  and  a  diseased  con- 
dition of  the  urinary  organs.  Consumptive 
people  have  received  great  benefit  from  its  em- 
ployment. 

BARK,  WILD  CHERRY.— The  bark  of 
the  tree  and  kernels  of  the  cherry  contain  a 
great  deal  of  prussic  acid,  to  which  their  medici- 
nal virtues  are  to  be  attributed.  The  bark  is  a 
very  powerful  antiseptic,  and  is  very  useful  in 
the  preparation  of  dentrifice.  It  is  also  useful 
in  diarrhea,  jaundice,  and  for  worms.  Gener- 
ally taken  in  infusion,  an  oz.  of  the  powder  to  a 
quart  of  boiling  water.  The  cherries  also  are 
used  in  medicine,  and  may  be  employed  with  or 
without  peach-kernels.  They  are  useful  as  a 
tonic  and  a  remedy  for  indigestion,  and  particu- 
larly as  a  restorative  for  convalescents  from 
dysentery.  Made  in  a  syrup,  or  bruised  and 
given  in  decoction. 

BARKS,  To  Preserve. — Barks  may  be  con- 
veniently preserved  by  placing  them  in  coarse 
brown  paper  bags,  and  hanging  them  up,  in  a 
dry  and  airy  situation,  until  all  extraneous  mois- 
ture has  evaporated. 

BAY  RUM.— This  is  a  spirit  distilled  over 
the  leaves  of  Myrciacris,  and  perhaps,  also  some 
other  species  of  the  same  genus.  The  trees 
grow  in  the  West  India  Islands,  and  the  genu- 
ine bay  rum  is  imported  from  there  into  this 
country.  It  is  made  elsewhere,  sometimes,  by 
taking  the  tincture  of  bay  leaves,  5  oz.,  oil  of 
bay,  I  dr.,  bicarbonate  of  ammonia,  I  oz.,  bo- 


rax, I  oz.,  rose-water,  2  pints.      Mix  and  filter 
carefully. 

BEARS'  GREASE  (Aftifcial.)— Bears' 
grease  is  imitated  by  a  mixture  of  prepared  veal 
suet  and  beef  marrow.  It  may  be  scented  at 
pleasure. 

BITTERS,  AGUE.— Qamine,  40  grs. ;  cap- 
sicum, 20  grs.  ;  cloves,  ^  oz. ;  cream  of  tartar, 
I  oz. ;  whiskey,  i  pint ;  mix.  Dose — I  to  2 
tablespoonfuls  every  2  hours,  beginning  8  hours 
before  the  chill  comes  on,  and  3  times  daily. 

BITTERS,  Cathartic  and  Tonic. — Best  rye 
whiskey,  and  water,  of  each  I  quart ;  best  un- 
ground  Peruvian  bark,  Colombo  root  and  prickly 
ash  berries,  of  each  2  oz.  ;  prickly  ash,  blacK 
cherry  and  poplar  barks,  of  each  i  oz.  ;  poke- 
root,  mandrake-root,  and  cloves,  of  each  ^  an 
oz  ;  all  to  be  the  dry  articles,  and  all  to  be  pul- 
verized before  they  are  put  into  the  spirits ;  they 
should  be  well  shaken  every  day  for  a  week,  by 
which  time  the  bitters  will  be  ready  for  use. 
Dose — i  to  2  tablespoonfuls  at  morning  and 
evening  meals. 

BITTERS,  BLACKBERRY.— The  berry, 
when  ripe,  is  known  to  be  pleasant  and  whole- 
some, and  2  handsful  of  the  root,  in  3  pints  of 
milk  or  water,  boiled  down  to  a  quart,  in  the 
dose  of  a  teacupful  every  2  or  3  hours,  has  often 
cured  diarrhea  and  dysentery  when  other  things 
have  failed. 

BLADDERS,  PREPARED.— Cni  off  the 
loose  fat,  wash  in  a  weak  solution  of  chloride  of 
lime,  and  rinse  in  clear  water.  When  drying, 
blow  them  tight  and  keep  them  expanded.  Used 
to  tie  over  jars,  pots,  etc.,  and  to  contain  pow- 
dered pigments. 

BLISTERING  TISSUE.— A  solution  of 
cantharides  is  made  in  alcohol,  acetic  acid,  or 
ether,  strained  and  evaporated  to  an  extract, 
which  is  then  mixed  with  twice  its  weight  of 
wax,  and  spread  on  silk  or  thin  paper. 

BLOOD,  Tests  for. — Iodide  of  potassium 
dissolves  traces  of  blood,  even  from  clothing 
which  has  been  thoroughly  washed,  but  haemin 
crystals  cannot  be  obtained  from  the  solution. 

Gunning  has  discovered,  in  the  acetate  of  zinc, 
a  reagent  that  precipitates  the  slightest  traces  of 
the  coloring  matter  of  blood  from  solutions,  even 
where  the  liquids  are  so  dilute  as  to  be  colorless. 
Blood,  washed  from  the  hands  in  a  pail  of  water, 
can  readily  be  detected  in  this  way.  The  floc- 
culent  precipitate,  thrown  down  by  the  acetate  of 
zinc,  must  be  washed  by  decantation,  and  finally 
collected  on  a  watch  glass,  and  allowed  to  dry, 
when  the  microscope  will  readily  reveal  hsemin 
crystals,  if  any  blood  be  present.  This  test  has  - 
been  repeatedly  tried,  with  entire  success. 

A  lately  discovered  method  consists  in  the  ap- 
plication of  tincture  of  guaiacum  and  ozonized 
ether,  which  produces  a  beautiful  blue  tint  with 
blood  or  blood-stains.  This  test  is  excessively 
delicate.  Ozonized  ether  is  merely  a  solution  of 
per-oxide  of  hydrogen  in  ether. 

BLOOM  OF  ROSES.— Strong  liquid  am- 
monia, ^  oz. ;  finest  carmine,  }{  oz. ;  rose- 
water,  I  pint ;  triple  extract  of  roses,  ^  oz. 
Put  the  carmine  into  a  pint  bottle,  and  pour  the 
ammonia  on  it ;  allow  them  to  remain  together, 
with  occasional  agitation,  for  2  days  ;  then  add 
the  rose-water  and  esprit,  and  well  mix.  Place 
the  bottle  in  a  quiet  situation  for  a  week ;  any 
precipitate  of  impurities  from  the  carmine  will 
subside ;  the  supernatant  Bloom  of  roses  is  then 


66 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


to  be  bottled.  If  the  carmine  was  perfectly 
pure  there  would  be  no  precipitate ;  nearly  all 
the  carmine  purchased  from  the  makers  is  more 
or  less  sophisticated,  its  enormous  price  being  a 
premium  to  its  adulteration. 

BLOOM,  ALMOND.— BoW  i  oz.  of  Brazil 
wood  in  3  pints  of  water  for  15  minutes  ;  strain, 
add  ^  of  an  oz.  of  isinglass,  ^  of  an  oz.  of 
cochineal,  I  oz.  of  alum,  and  ^  of  an  oz.  of  bo- 
rax ;  dissolve  by  heat,  and  strain. 

BLUE  FLAG. — Blue  flag  grows  by  the  brink 
of  rivers,  and  in  swamps  and  meadows.  It 
blossoms  in  July,  and  has  blue  flowers,  varie- 
gated with  white,  yellow,  and  purple.  A  tea- 
spoonful  of  the  juice,  diluted  with  water,  is  an 
active  cathartic,  and  the  decoction  for  constant 
drink  is  used  in  venereal  complaints. 

BROMIDE  OF  POTASSIUM,  its  Prepara- 
tion.— The  commercial  bromide  of  potassium  is 
very  rarely  pure.  The  impurities  consist  prin- 
cipally of  chloride  of  potassium,  (up  to  30  p.  c.,) 
sulphate  of  potassa,  (up  to  3.3  p.  c,)  free  or  car- 
bonate of  alkali,  (up  to  4  per  c.,)  iodide  of  po- 
tassium, and  bromate  of  potassa.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  produce  from  such  a  mixtyre,  by  simple 
operations,  a  perfectly  pure  article,  and  the  puri- 
fication of  the  bromine  employed  to  this  end  is 
rendered  necessary.  This  is  effected  best  by 
shaking  the  commercial  bromine  with  water  and 
a  little  ether. 

The  chloride  of  bromine,  being  easily  soluble 
in  ether,  is  dissolved,  and,  by  the  agency  of  the 
water,  converted  into  hydrochloric  acid  and  bro- 
mine. By  washing  in  this  way  several  times, 
each  time  remo\4ng  the  aqueous  solution,  chlo- 
rine may  be  separated  entirely  from  the  bromine. 
Shaking  then  the  resulting  bromine  with  a  little 
starch  paste,  which  removes  the  iodine,  and  dis- 
tilling it,  an  article  is  obtained  free  from  chlorine 
and  iodine.  This  is  dissolved  in  a  solution  of 
caustic  potassa,  free  from  sulphuric  and  hydro- 
chloric acid,  and  the  resulting  liquor,  a  mixture 
of  bromide  of  potassium  with  bromate  of  potas- 
sa, evaporated  to  dryness  and  ignited.  The  mass 
is  then  dissolved  in  water  and  crystallized,  when 
it  will  be  of  sufficient  purity  to  serve  for  all  med- 
ical purp(»es. 

Robierre  and  Herbelin  recommend  a  method 
by  which  bromide  of  potassium  may  be  freed 
from  iodine.  They  dissolve  it  to  this  end  in, 
very  little  water,  add  gradually  bromine  water, 
and  heat  the  solution  to  boiling.  After  each  ad- 
dition of  bromine  water,  the  fluid  is  tested  with 
starch  paper,  which  will  indicate  th^  disappear- 
ance of  the  iodine  by  not  turning  blue.  An  ex- 
cess of  bromine  must  be  avoided.  Bromine  will 
displace  iodine  in  all  its  compounds.  The  solu- 
tion is  then  evaporated  to  dryness,  and  the  dry 
mass  re-crystallized. 

BROWNS  BRONCHIAL  TROCHES.— 
Take  l  lb.  of  pulverized  extract  of  licorice,  \% 
lbs.  of  pulverized  sugar,  4  oz.  of  pulverized  cu- 
bebs,  4  oz.  of  pulverized  gum  Arabic,  and  I  oz. 
of  pulverized  extract  of  conium.     Mix. 

BURDOCK. — Burdock  operates  gently  on 
the  bowels,  sweetens  the  blood,  promotes  sweat 
and  urine,  and  is  used  in  rheumatic,  scorbutic, 
scrofula,  and  vcnerer.l  diseases.  Dose — Of  the 
juice,  a  wine-glassful ;  of  the  decoction,  half  a 
pint  3  times  a  day. 

CAD  A  VER,  Presetration  cf. — According  to 
M.  Devergie,  of  the  Paris  School  of  Practical 
Anatomy,  a  mixture  of  3  parts  of  glycerine  and 


1  of  carbolic  acid,  injected  into  dead  bodies,  will 
prevent  any  unpleasant  odor  emanating  from 
them  for  several  months. 

CAMPHOR,  To  Pulverize. — Take  camphor, 

2  oz. ;  alcohol,  3  oz. ;  water  sufficient ;  carbo- 
nate of  magnesia,  i  drachm.  Dissolve  the  cam- 
phor in  the  alcohol  with  the  aid  of  heat  and  fil- 
ter. Rub  the  magnesise  carbonas  with  water, 
mix  with  the  solution,  and  catch  on  a  filter;  dry 
the  mass  before  the  sun,  and  pass  through  a 
sieve  No.  60. 

CAMPHOR  /C^.— Spermaceti,  1%  oz. ; 
gum  camphor,  3^  of  an  oz. ;  oil  of  sweet 
almonds,  4  teaspoonsful ;  set  on  the  stove  in  an 
earthenware  dish  till  dissolved;  heat  just  enough 
to  dissolve  it.  ^Yhile  warm  pour  into  small 
moulds,  then  paper,  and  put  into  tinfoil;  used 
for  chaps  on  hands  and  lips. 

CARBONATE  OF  MAGNESIA.— Snl- 
phate  of  magnesia,  4  lbs. ;  carbonate  of  soda,  4 
lbs.  9  oz.  ;  boiHng,  distilled  water,  4  gallons. 
Dissolve  separately  the  carbonate  and  sulphate 
in  2  gallons  of  water  ;  filter  and  mix.  Boil  and 
stir  for  2  hours,  adding  distilled  water  as  re- 
quired ;  pour  off  the  fluid,  wash  the  powder 
with  boiling,  distilled  w«iter,  and  dry  it. 

CARMINA  TIVE,  DALB  F'.S-.— Carbonate 
ot  magnesia,  2  scruples ;  oil  of  peppermint,  i 
drop ;  oil  of  nutmeg,  2  drops  ;  oil  of  aniseed,  3 
drops  ;  tincture  of  castor,  30  drops ;  tincture  of 
assafoetida,  15  drops;  tincture  of  opium,  5 
drops;  spirit  of  pennyroyal,  15  drops;  com- 
pound tincture  of  cardamons,  30  drops ;  pep- 
permint water,  2  oz.     Mix. 

CARMIA'E. — I  lb.  of  powdered  ctichineal  is 
boiled  in  a  tin  or  enameled  vessel  for  2  hours 
with  9^  gallons  of  rain  or  ice  water ;  i  oz.  of 
saltpetre  is  then  added,  and  4  minutes  afterward 
2  oz.  of  bionscalate  of  potassa,  the  whole  being 
kept  boiling  for  10  minutes  longer.  A  very 
small  quantity  of  gelatine,  in  the  solution,  is 
then  stirred  in,  and  the  mixture  allowed  to  rest 
for  4  hours,  upon  which  the  clear  liquid  is  de- 
canted into  flat  porcelain  dishes  there  to  deposit. 
The  latter  operation  requires  several  weeks. 
The  sediment,  which  ought  to  be  pure  carmine, 
is  then  dried  in  the  shade. 

CATHARTIC  SYRUP.— Best  senna  leaf, 
I  oz.  ;  butternut,  the  inner  bark  of  the  root, 
dried  and  bruised,  2  oz. ;  peppermint  leaf,  I  oz.  ; 
fennel  seed,  i  oz. ;  alcohol,  i  pint ;  water,  2 
pints;  sugar,  2  lbs. ;  put  all  into  the  spirit  and 
water,  except  the  sugar,  and  let  it  stand  2  weeks, 
then  strain,  pressing  out  from  the  dregs,  adding 
the  sugar,  and  simmering  a  few  minutes  only,  to 
form  the  syrup.  If  it  should  cause  griping  in 
any  case,  increase  the  fennel  seed  and  pepper- 
mint leaf.  Dose — i  tablespoonful,  once  a  day, 
or  less  often,  if  the  bowels  become  too  loose. 

CATAPLASM,  PRADJER'S.— Balm  of 
Mecca,  6  drs.  ;  rectified  spirit,  16  oz. ;  dissolve ; 
red  bark,  sarsaparilla,  and  sage,  of  each  i  oz.  ; 
saffron,  3^  of  an  oz. ;  rectified  spirit,  32  oz. ;  di- 
gest for  48  hours  ;  filter  ;  mix  the  two  liquors, 
and  add  twice  their  weight  of  hme  water.  Used 
in  gout,  by  sprinkling  2  oz.  on  the  surface  of  a 
hot  linseed-meal  poultice. 

CAUSTIC  PASTE,  /or  Surgeons'  Use.— 
Melt  together  equal  parts  of  caustic  potash  and 
gutta  percha,  and  cast  in  molds  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  pure  potash  or  nitrate  of  silver.  In  order 
to  produce  a  serviceable  article,  great  care  is  nec- 
essary that  the  ingredients  be  pure. 


DRUGGIST.  A  KTD  CHEMIST. 


67 


CA  USTIC,  Velpeaii's  Black.— 'Y^A^xxzX.Q  in  a 
porcelain  mortar  30  grammes  powdered  licorice 
root,  and  add  sulphuric  acid  in  small  quantities, 
until  a  mass  of  suitable  consistence  is  obtained, 
which  must  be  neither  too  hard  nor  too  liquid. 

CERA  TE,  CAMPHOR.— Fresh,  hog's  lard, 
3^  oz.  ;  grated  camphor,  I  oz.  Dissolve  the 
lard  by  boiling  water  round  a  cup ;  then  gradu- 
ally add  the  camphor ;  stir  well,  and  when  cool- 
ing pour  off  the  sediment. 

CERATE  OE  ACETATE  OF  LEAD.— 
Powdered  acetate  of  lead,  5  drachms ;  white 
wax,  5  oz.  ;  olive  oil,  i  pint.  Dissolve  the  wax 
in  18  oz.  of  the  oil;  add  to  this  the  lead  mixed 
with  the  remainder  of  the  oil,  and  stir  with  a 
spatula  until  they  are  thoroughly  mixed.  Ap- 
plied to  burns,  excoriations,  irritable  ulcers,  and 
sores  generally, 

CERATE  OF  CANTHARIDES.—Cixn. 
tharides  rubbed  to  fine  powder,  I  oz. ;  sperma- 
ceti cerate,  6  oz.  Melt  the  cerate,  and  add  the 
cantharides.  Employed  to  promote  the  dis- 
charge from  a  blistered  surface. 

CERATE  OF  LEAD,  Compound.— So\\x^ou 
of  diacetate  of  lead,  6  oz.  ;  wax,  8  oz. ;  olive 
oil,  I  pint ;  camphor,  I  drachm.  Mix  the  wax, 
when  melted,  with  16  oz,  of  the  oil,  and  when 
cooling  add  the  lead ;  stir  until  cool,  and  then 
add  the  camphor  dissolved  in  the  rest  of  the  oil. 
Used  as  the  former  lead  cerate. 

CHARCOAL  OF  WOOD.— In  15  or  16  cases 
of  obstinate  constipation  of  the  bowels.  Dr.  Dan- 
iel, of  Georgia,  administered  3  tablespoonfuls  of 
pulverized  charcoal  every  ^  hour,  and  in  about 
1 7  hours  the  bowels  were  freely  evacuated.  It 
is  slow,  but  sure.  A  tablespoonful  2  or  3  times 
a  day  will  remove  costiveness.  In  smaller  doses 
it  corrects  bad  breath,  and  also  prevents  putrid 
belching  of  wind  from  the  stomach.  It  is  a  very 
powerful  antiseptic,  or  anti-mortification  remedy. 

CHARCOAL,  PREPARED.  —Fresh-made 
charcoal  in  fine  powder,  7  lbs. ;  prepared  chalk, 
I  lb. ;  orris  root,  I  lb.  ;  catechu,  yi  lb.  ;  cassia 
bark,  %  lb.  ;  myrrh,  %  lb.     Sift. 

CHAMOMILE. — A  warm  decoction  of  the 
flowers  in  large  quantities  will  act  as  an  emetic  ; 
in  small  doses,  taken  cold,  it  is  an  excellent  tonic 
to  strengthen  the  stomach. 

CHERRY  PECTORAL,  AVER'S.— TskQ 
4  grains  of  acetate  of  morphia,  2  fluid  drachms 
of  tincture  of  blood-root,  3  fluid  drachms  each 
of  antimonial  wine  and  wine  of  ipecacuanha,  and 
3  fluid  oz.  of  svrup  of  wild  cherry.     Mix. 

CHLOROFORM.— QhXonn^lQA  lime,  4  lb.; 
rectified  spirit,  ^  pint;  water,  10  pints;  chloride 
of  calcium,  in  pieces,  I  drachm.  Put  the  mixed 
lime  and  water  into  a  retort ;  add  the  spirit  so 
that  all  occupies  only  one-third  of  the  retort. 
Heat  it  in  a  sand-bath,  and  when  ebullition  com- 
mences at  once  withdraw  the  heat,  lest  the  retort 
be  broken.  Let  the  liquid  distill  into  the  re- 
ceiver, while  heating  subsides,  and  applying 
heat  again  when  necessary.  To  the  distilled 
liquid  add  one-fourth  of  the  water,  and  mix  well. 
Separate  the  heavier  portion,  which  subsides, 
and  add  the  chloride  to  it ;  frequently  shake  du- 
ring half  an  hour,  and  re-distill  from  a  glass  re- 
tort into  a  glass  receiver. 

CHLOROFORM.— ?xoL  Xussbaum  has  suc- 
ceeded in  prolonging  the  ancesthesia  induced  by 
chloroform,  by  the  sub-cutaneous  injection  of  a 
solution  containing  i  grain  of  acetate  of  morphia. 
In  one  case  the  patient  slept  12  hours,  and  un- 


derwent a  painful  operation  without  experiencing 
any  sensation  whatever.  The  injection,  per- 
formed without  the  previous  inhalation  of  tilo- 
roform,  produced  no  such  effect. 

CHLORODYNE,  J.  Collis Br(nvne's.—'^\xxrA 
sugar,  I  drachm;  hydrochlorate  of  morphia,  y^ 
grain ;  distilled  water,  2  drachms  ;  oil  of  pep- 
permint, 6 minims;  diluted  prussicacid,  (Ph,  L.) 
5  minims ;  tine,  capsicum,  7  minims ;  chloro- 
form, I  drachm.     Mix. 

CHOLAGOGUE,  /A'Z'/^.— Quinine,  20 gr.  ; 
Peruvian  bark,  (pulverized,)  i  oz. ;  tartaric  acid, 
I  scruple ;  brandy,  I  gill ;  water  enough  to 
make  I  pint.  Dose — 5  teaspoonfuls  every  2 
hours,  in  the  absence  of  fever. 

CHLORAL,  HYDRATE  O/".— The  use  of 
this  new  remedy,  either  as  an  anodyne,  a  seda- 
tive, or  a  hypnotic,  has,  at  this  writing,  become 
very  prevalent,  and  there  is  danger  that  not  a 
little  harm  may  result  therefrom.  Eminent  phy- 
sicians say  that  it  aggravates  many  diseases — as 
rheumatism  and  skin  diseases — and  causes  irri- 
tation of  the  mucus  surfaces  of  the  nose  and 
throat.  It  also  causes  dimness  of  sight.  One 
case  is  reported  where  a  man  took  an  over-dose, 
slept  for  24  hours,  and,  on  awaking,  found  his 
legs  and  arms  paralyzed.  Its  effects  are,  of 
course,  various  in  different  individuals.  A  pe- 
culiar diagnostic  sign  of  its  effects  is  a  black 
streak  on  the  tongue,  like  that  caused  by  ink, 
extending  its  whole  length  in  the  centre. 

For  these  reasons  its  use  should  be  discarded, 
especially  so  because  the  habit  of  using  it,  when 
once  formed,  is  exceedingly  hard  to  break  off, 
and  attempts  to  do  so  have  resulted  in  symptoms 
not  unlike  those  of  delirium  tremens. 

It  has  been  found  on  trial  to  be  an  excellent 
suppurative  Sgent.  According  to  the  time  it  is 
left  on  the  skin,  it  becomes  a  perfect  rubefacient, 
irritant,  suppurative,  or  even  escharotic.  The 
mode  of  application  is  to  take  a  piece  of  fresh 
adhesive  plaster,  of  the  size  wanted,  and  crush 
fine,  on  its  surface,  with  an  ivory  spatula,  enough 
of  the  crystals  of  the  chloral  to  powder  the  piece 
of  adhesive  plaster  quite  evenly ;  use  the  edge 
of  the  spatula  to  take  off  the  chloral  where  it  is 
more  than  a  mere  dust  in  thickness,  but  distrib- 
ute evenly,  leaving  ]A,  of  an  inch  margin  for  ad- 
hesion ;  heat  the  back  of  the  plaster  for  an  in- 
stant only,  and  apply.  Leave  it  on  about  %  an 
hour  as  a  rubefacient,  6  hours  as  an  irritant. 
To  produce  suppuration,  put  the  chloral  on  the 
plaster  in  larger  quantities,  and  leave  on  from 
24  to  36  haurs ;  on  its  withdrawal  apply  a  stimu- 
lating salve,  and  afterwards  heal  with  cerate. 
For  an  escharotic  effect  apply  the  chloral,  thickly 
spread,  and  after  12  hours  repeat  the  application, 
if  necessary. 

COAL-GAS,  Detection  of  Sulphur  m.— The 
presence  of  sulphur  in  coal-gas  can  be  proved  in 
the  following  simple  manner :  Let  a  platinum 
basin  be  filled  with  half  a  litre  of  water,  and 
the  basin  be  heated  over  a  Bunsen  burner  until 
all  the  liquid  has  evaporated  ;  the  basin  will  be 
lound  to  be  coated  on  the  outside,  where  it  has 
been  struck  by  the  flame,  with  a  dirty,  greasy- 
looking  substance,  which,  on  being  waslied  off' 
with  pure  distilled  water  and  tested  proves  to  be 
sulphuric  acid.  The  glass  chimneys  used  with  , 
Argand  gas-burners  soon  become  coated  over  J 
internally  with  a  white  subst:\nce,  which,  on  be- 
ing washed  off  with  distilled  water,  will  be 
found  to  be,  on  testing,  sulphate  of  ammonia. 


68 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


The  glass  panes  of  a  room  wherein  gas  is 
burned  for  a  few  evenings  consecutively  will, 
•when  rubbed  with  the  fingers  of  a  clean  hand, 
impart  to  it  a  substance  which,  on  the  hand  be- 
ing rinsed  ;n  distilled  water,  will  yield  a'precip- 
itate  of  sulphate  of  baryta  with  chloride  of  ba- 
rium, and  a  brick-red  precipitate  with  potassio- 
iodide  of  mercury. 

COLORS,  DRUGGISTS'.— Yellou'.—TzkQ 
iron  filings,  hydrochloric  acid  to  dissolve.  Di- 
lute with  water.  Red. — Solution  of  sal  ammo- 
niac, cochineal  to  color.  Bhie. — i.  Sulphate  of 
copper,  I  part  J  alum,  I  part;  water,  lo  parts; 
oil  of  vitriol,  q.  s. — 2.  Indigo,  i  part ;  oil  of 
vitriol,  3  parts.  Dissolve,  and  then  dilute  with 
water.  Green. — i.  Verdigris  ;  dilute  sulphuric 
acid  to  dissolve.  Dilute  with  water. — 2.  Ver- 
digris, I  part ;  acetic  acid,  3  parts,  Dissolve, 
and  dilute  with  water.  Purple. — I.  Sugar-of- 
lead,  I  oz.  ;  cochineal,  25  grains. — 2.  Infusion 
of  logwood,  water  of  ammonia,  q.  s. 

COMFREY. — Corafrey  boiled  in  milk  is  ex- 
cellent in  dysentery  and  bowel  complaints,  im- 
moderate courses,  and  other  diseases.  It  is 
beneficial  in  all  cases  attended  with  burning 
heat  in  urinary  evacuations.  A  poultice  of  the 
pounded  root  is  good  for  wounds  and  inflamma- 
tory swellings. 

COTTON  /or  Staunching  Hemorrhage — \A. 
new  preparation. ) — American  cotton  of  the  best 
quality  should  be  cleansed  by  boiling  it  for  an 
hour  in  a  weak  solution  of  soda,  (about  4  per 
cent.,)  then  repeatedly  washed  in  cold  water, 
pressed  out  and  dried.  By  this  process  it  will 
be  perfectly  disinfected,  and  adapted  to  more 
r^ady  absorption.  After  this  it  should  also  be 
steeped  once  or  twice,  according  to  the  degree  of 
strength  required,  in  liquid  chloride  of  iron,  di- 
luted with  ^  water,  presssed,  and  thoroughly 
dried  in  the  air — neither  in  the  sun  nor  by  the 
fire — then  lightly  pulled  out.  The  cotton  so 
prepared  will  be  of  a  yellowish-brown  color.  It 
must  be  kept  very  dry,  as  it  is  affected  by  the 
damp.  Lint  may  be  similarly  treated,  but  the 
fine  texture  of  the  cotton  renders  it  preferable. 
When  placed  on  a  fresh  wound,  it  causes  a  mod- 
erate contraction  of  the  tissue,  and  gradually 
coagulates  the  blood  in  and  beyond  the  injured 
veins,  thus  closing  the  source  of  the  effusion. 
This  property  of  the  chloride  of  iron  is  increased 
by  the  dryn,ess  of  the  cotton  and  the  extended 
surface  offered  for  the  development  of  the  chem- 
ical action. 

CORDIAL,  GODFREY'S.— S^LSsafras,  6 
cz ;  seeds  of  coriander,  caraway,  and  anise,  of 
each  I  oz.  ;  infuse  in  6  pints  of  water ;  simmer 
the  mixture  till  reduced  to  4  pints,  and  then  add 
6  lbs.  of  molasses;  boil  a  few  minutes;  when 
cold,  add  3  fluid  oz.  of  tincture  of  opium. 

CORDIAL,  G^Ot/T:— Rhubarb,  i  oz.;  senna 
and  red  sanders,  of  each  2  drachms  ;  coriander 
and  fennel  seeds,  of  each  i  drachm ;  saffron  and 
licorice,  of  each  ^  drachm ;  stoned  raisins,  6 
oz. ;  proof  spirit,  48  oz. ;  macerate  for  14  days, 
express  and  filter.     Dose — ^  to  l^  oz. 

COUGH  CANDY,  Medicated.— i:o  5  lbs.  of 
J  candy  just  ready  to  j)our  on  the  slab,  add  the 
following  mixture,  and  form  it  into  sticks  :  Tinc- 
ture of  scjuills,  2  oz. ;  camphorated  tincture  of 
opium  aiul  tincture  of  tolu,  of  each  ^  oz.  ;  wine 
of  ipecr.c,  ^  oz.  ;  oils  of  gaultheria,  4  drops ; 
sassafras,  3  drops,  and  of  anise  seed  oil,  2  drops. 
Use  this  freely  in  common  coughs. 


COUGH  COMPOUND— YoT  the  cure  of 
coughs,  colds,  asthma,  whooping  cough,  and  all 
diseases  of  the  lungs :  I  spoonful  of  common 
tar,  3  spoonfuls  of  honey,  the  yelks  of  3  hen's 
eggs,  and  half  a  pint  of  wine;  beat  the  tar,  the 
eggs,  and  the  honey  well  together  with  a  knife, 
and  bottle  for  use.  A  teaspoonful  every  morn- 
ing, noon  and  night,  before  eating. 

COURT  PLASTER.— Sook  bruised  isinglass 
in  a  little  warm  water  for  24  hours,  then  evapo- 
rate nearly  all  the  water  by  gentle  heat ;  dis- 
solve the  residue  in  a  little  proof  spirits  of  wine, 
and  strain  the  whole  through  a  piece  of  open 
linen.  The  strained  mass  should  be  a  stiff  jelly 
when  cool.  Now  extend  a  piece  of  silk  on  a 
wooden  frame,  and  fix  it  tight  with  tacks  or  pack 
thread.  Melt  the  jelly,  and  apply  to  the  silk 
thinly  and  evenly  with  a  badger  hair  brush. 

A  second  coating  must  be  applied  when  the 
first  has  dried.  When  both  are  dry,  cover  the 
whole  surface  with  coatings  of  balsam  of  Peru, 
applied  in  the  same  way.  Plaster  thus  made  is 
very  pliable,  and  never  breaks. 

CREAM,  COLD.— Oil  of  almonds,  4  oz.; 
white  wax  and  spermaceti,  of  each  2  drachms  ; 
melt ;  add  rose  water,  4  oz.  ;  orange-flower  wa- 
ter, I  oz.     Used  to  soften  the  skin. 

CREAM,  COLD,  VIOLET- Almond  oil, 
^  lb. ;  oil  of  cassie,  }^  lb. ;  rose  water,  i  lb.  ; 
sperm,  i  oz. ;  wax,  i  oz. ;  otto  of  almonds,  % 
drachm. 

CREAM,  CIRCASSIAN— Olive  oil,  i  pint ; 
white  wax,  3  oz. ;  spermaceti,  2  oz.  ;  alkanet 
root,  ^  oz.  Warm  the  oil  and  alkanet,  then 
strain,  and  add  it  to  the  melted  spermaceti  and 
wax.  Scent  with  3  drachms  of  English  oil  of 
lavender,  and  I  drachm  of  essence  of  amber- 
gris.    Used  for  the  hair. 

CREAM,  CRYSTALLINE.— Olive  oil,  3 
lbs. ;  spermaceti,  4  to  6  oz. ;  melt,  cool,  and  add 
essence  of  bergamotte  and  essence  of  lemon,  of 
each  6  drachms;  oil  of  cinnamon,  20  drops; 
otto  of  rose,  I  drachm.  Mix.  Fragrant.  Used 
for  the  hair. 

CREAM,  SHA  VING.— White  wax,  sperm- 
aceti, and  almond  oil,  of  each  ^  oz. ;  and  while 
warm  beat  in  2  squares  of  Windsor  soap,  pre- 
viously reduced  to  a  paste  with  rose  water. 

CREAM  OF  ROSES.— Oil  of  almonds,  I 
lb. ;  rose  •water,  i  pint ;  white  wax  and  sperm- 
aceti, each  I  oz.  Slix  in  a  pipkin  with  a  little 
heat,  then  add  essence  of  neroli,  20  drops  ;  otto 
of  roses,  15  drops.  Put  it  into  pots,  and  tie  it 
over  with  skin  or  oiled  leather. 

CEPHALIC  SNUFF. — i.  Asarabacca  leaves 
(dried,)  3  parts;  marjoram  and  lavender  flow- 
ers, of  each  I  part.  Mix  in  fine  powder. — 2. 
(Boeli's.)  Valerian  and  snuff,  of  each  2  drs. ; 
oil  of  lavender  and  oil  of  marjoram,  of  each  3 
drops.     Mix. 

DANDELION. — A  decoction  of  dandelion 
will  correct  an  unhealthy  state  of  the  stomach 
and  liver,  and  procure  an  appetite.  It  is  diu- 
retic, and  very  beneficial  in  jaundice.  Given  in 
the  form  of  extract,  in  from  3  to  5  grain  doses,  3 
times  a  day,  and  continued  for  a  long  time,  it 
has  the  happiest  effect  upon  the  liver  when  its 
disease  has  assumed  a  chronic  form.  The  best 
way  of  preparing  it,  is  to  gather  the  roots  in 
August  and  September,  press  out  the  juice,  and 
evaporate  in  shallow  dishes  exposed  to  a  dry, 
warm  air. 

DENTIFRICE,  Circassian.—Viepaied  harts- 


DRUGGIST  AND    CHEMIST. 


69 


horn,  2  oz. ;  sulphate  of  potash,  2  oz.  ;  cuttle- 
fish bone,  8  oz. ;  orris  root,  4  oz. ;  yellow  san- 
dal wood,  I  oz. ;  rose  pink,  3  oz. ;  oil  of  rho- 
dium, 30  drops.  Mix  the  powdered  ingredients, 
and  add  the  rhodium, 

DENTIFRICE,  Myrrh.— 'Myxx\  I  oz.  ; 
cuttle-fish  bone,  4  oz.  ;  orris,  3  oz.     Mix. 

DENTIFRICE,  Carhariglif s.—Ol  prepared 
chalk,  I  oz. ;  orris,  i  oz.  ;  castile  soap,  I  drachm. 

DENTIFRICE,  Camphorated.— ?r&c\^\\.zXe:A. 
chalk,  I  lb.  ;  powdered  orris  root,  ^4^  lb. ;  pow- 
dered camphor,  ^  lb. 

DENTIFRICE,  Charcoal.— Yx&%\\.  charcoal 
in  fine  powder,  7  lbs.  ;  prepared  chalk,  I  lb. ; 
orris  root,  I  lb. ;  catechu,  i  lb. ;  cassia  bark,  I 
lb. ;  myrrh,  \i  lb.     Sift. 

DENTIFRICE,  Cuttle  /^«//.— Powdered 
cuttle  fish,  I  lb. ;  precipitated  chalk,  I  lb. ;  pow- 
dered orris,  I  lb. ;  otto  of  lemons,  i  ounce ;  ot- 
to of  neroli,  i  drachm. 

DEPILATORIES.— V>i^\\7Aoxy  is  a  term 
which  is  apphed  to  any  application  that  removes 
hair  from  the  human  skin.  Depilatories  act 
either  mechanically  or  chemically.  To  the  first 
belong  adhesive  plasters,  that  on  their  removal 
from  the  skin  bring  away  the  hair  with  them ; 
equal  parts  of  pitch  and  resin  have  been  used 
for  this  purpose.  To  the  second  class  belong 
those  substances  which  act  upon  the  bulbous 
roots  of  the  hairs,  and  destroy  their  vitality. 
The  former  method  is  more  painful,  but  less 
dangerous,  than  the  latter  one.  The  following 
are  the  principal  depilatories  at  present  employed 
in  the  fashionable  world:  I.  (^Delcroix' s  Poiidre 
Subtile.) — Orpiment,  I  part  ;  finely  powdered 
quicklime  and  starch,  of  each  il  parts;  mix.  It 
should  be  kept  from  the  air.  For  use,  make  it 
into  a  paste  with  a  little  warm  water,  and  apply 
it  to  the  part,  previously  shaved  close.  As  soon 
as  it  has  become  thoroughly  dry,  it  may  be 
washed  off  with  a  little  warm  water.  2.  {Ori- 
ental Rusma.) — Quicklime,  2  oz.  ;  orpiment, 
j^  oz.  ;  strong  alkaline  lye,  I  lb.  ;  boil  together 
until  a  feather  dipped  into  it  loses  its  flue.  It  is 
applied  to  the  skin,  previously  soaked  in  warm 
water,  by  gentle  friction,  for  a  very  short  time, 
followed  by  washing  with  warm  water.  This  is 
one  of  the  most  certain  and  powerful  depilato- 
ries made,  but  rapidly  loses  its  strength  unless 
kept  in  a  well-stoppered  glass  bottle.  3.  {Chi- 
nese Depilatory.) — Quicklime,  I  lb.  ;  pearlash 
and  sulphuret  of  potassium,  of  each  2  oz.  ;  re- 
duce them  to  a  fine  powder,  and  keep  it  in  well- 
corked  bottles.  Use  like  Poudre  Subtile.  4. 
{Payer's  Depilatory.)— lAmt,  I  oz. ;  carbonate 
of  potash,  2  oz. ;  charcoal  powder,  I  drachm. 
This  and  No.  3  are  preferred  by  those  persons 
who  do  not  approve  of  the  use  of  arsenic.  5. 
{Depilatory  Paste.) — Quicklime,  I  oz.  ;  orpi- 
ment and  orris  root,  of  each  3  drachms ;  salt- 
petre and  sulphur,  of  each  i  drachm  ;  soap-lees, 
%  a  pint ;  evaporate  to  a  proper  consistence.  It 
should  be  kept  from  the  air. 

DR,  KITTREDGE'S  REMED  Y for  Rheu- 
vtaiism  and  Stiff  yoints. — Strong  camphor  spir- 
its, I  pint;  neats-foot,  coon,  bear,  or  skunk's 
oil,  I  pint ;  spirits  of  turpentine,  i  pint.  Shake 
the  bottle  when  used,  and  apply  3  times  daily, 
by  pouring  on  a  little  at  a  time,  and  rubbing  in 
all  you  can  for  20  to  30  minutes. 

DR.  PEA  BODY'S  CURE  for  Neuralgia 
(Tmernal  Remedy.) — Sal  ammoniac,  %  drachm; 
dissolve  in  water,  i  oz.     Dose — i   tablespoonful  | 


every  3  minutes  for  20  minutes,  at  the  end  of 
which  time,  if  not  before,  the  pain  will  have 
disappeared. 

DROPS  OF  LIFE,  Welford's.—Gnmo^xMra., 
I  oz.  ;  gum  kino,  I  drachm ;  gum  camphor,  40 
grains;  powdered  nutmegs  i  oz.  ;  French  brandy 
or  Jamaica  spirits,  i  pint ;  color  with  cochineal 
or  saffron.  Before  taking  cleanse  the  bowels 
with  castor  oil.  For  a  grown  person  20  to  40 
drops  3  or  4  times  per  day.  For  children,  4  to 
6  drops ;  administer  in  a  little  warm  mint  tea,  in 
which  is  mixed  as  much  prepared  chalk  as  will 
lie  on  the  handle  of  a  teaspoon. 

DROPS,  IMPERIAL,  for  Gravel  and  Kid- 
ney CoJiiplaints. — Oil  of  origanum,  I  oz.  ;  oil  of 
hemlock,  ^  oz.  ;  oil  of  sassafras,  ^  oz.  ;  oil  of 
anise,  i  oz. ;  alcohol,  I  pint ;  mix.  Dose — i 
teaspoonful  3  times  a  day,  in  sweetened  water; 
this  will  soon  give  relief  when  constant  weak- 
ness is  felt  across  the  small  of  the  back,  as  well 
as  gravelly  affections  causing  pain  about  the  kid- 
neys. 

DROPS,  DIURETIC— Oil  of  cubebs,  i  oz; 
sweet  spirits  of  nitre,  I  oz. ;  balsam  of  copaiba, 
I  oz. ;  Harlem  oil,  i  bottle ;  oil  of  lavender,  20 
drops ;  spirits  of  turpentine,  20  drops ;  mix. 
Dose — 10  to  25  drops,  as  the  stomach  will  bear, 
3  times  daily. 

DROPS,  PEtTORAL  (Bateman's.)— Pare- 
goric, 10  oz. ;  tincture  of  castor,  4  oz. ;  lauda- 
num, I  oz. ;  tincture  of  safifron,  I  oz. ;  oil  of  an- 
iseed, 15  drops.  Mix.  Dose — l  teaspoonful  in 
case  of  couglis  or  colds. 

DROPS,  Z>f/rC//'(or  Harlem.)— Take  bal- 
sam of  turpentine,  2  oz. ;  oil  of  turpentine,  10 
oz.     Mix. 

EA  U  DE  CHYPRE.—Extxact  of  musk,  I 
pint;  ambergris,  vanilla,  tonquin  bean,  orris,  of 
each  half  a  pint;  triple  extract  of  rose,  2  pints. 
The  mixture  thus  formed  is  one  of  the  most 
lasting  odors  that  can  be  made. 

EAUDE  BOTOT,  for  the  71y^/^.— Tincture 
of  cedar  wood,  i  pint ;  tincture  of  myrrh,  i  oz. ; 
oil  of  peppermint,  half  a  drachm ;  oil  of  spear- 
mint, half  a  drachm ;  oil  of  cloves,  10  drops ; 
oil  of  roses,  10  drops.     Mix. 

EAUPOUR  LES  DENTS.— C\xm2iXxvorv,  2 
ounces ;  cloves,  6  drachms ;  fresh  lemon  peel,  2 
ounces ;  dried  rose  petals,  i  ounce ;  scurvy 
grass,  8  ounces  ;  spirits,  3  pounds  ;  macerate,  24 
hours,  and  distil  in  a  water-bath. 

EA  UDE  MILLEFLEURS.-S^ixit  of  cum- 
min seed,  oils  of  sassafras  and  rosemary,  of  each 
10  drops  ;  oil  of  lavender,  and  otto  of  roses,  of 
each  2  drachms ;  neroli,  half  a  drachm ;  oils  of 
pimento  and  cloves,  of  each  20  drops ;  essence 
of  bergamotte,  4  drachms ;  oil  of  orange,  i 
drachm ;  essence  of  lemon,  8  ounces  ;  vanilla,  i 
scruple  ;  elder-flower  water,  4  ounces ;  rectified 
spirit,  30  ounces  ;  mix  and  filter, 

EAU  DE  BOUQUET— 1.  Spirit  of  rose- 
mary and  essence  of  violets,  of  each  i  ounce; 
essence  of  bergamotte  and  jasmine,  of  each  i 
drachm ;  oils  of  verbena  and  lavender,  each  i 
scruple ;  eau  de  rose,  half  a  pint;  orange-flower 
water,  i  ounce ;  rectified  spirit,  2  pints ;  mix, 
digest  and  filter. — 2.  Honey-water,  2  ounces; 
tincture  of  cloves,  I  ounce ;  tinctures  of  cala- 
mus, of  lavender,  and  of  long  cypress,  each  half 
an  ounce ;  eau  sans  pareille,  4  ounces  ;  spirit  of 
jessamine,  9  drachms;  tincture  of  orris,  i  ounce; 
tincture  of  neroli,  20  drops;  mix  and  filter. 

EAU  DE  ROSIERES.-SpixiU  of  roses,  4 


70 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


pints ;  spirits  of  jessamine,  I  pint ;  spirits  of  or- 
ange flowers,  I  pint ;  spirits  of  cucumber,  2% 
pints  ;  spirits  of  celery  seed,  2J2^  pints. 

EAU  DE  VIOLETTES.—'Slz.z^xzX.Q  5  oz. 
of  fine  orris  root  in  a  quart  of  rectified  spirits, 
for  some  days,  and  filter. 

ERGOT. — The  diseased  production  of  rye; 
on  some  occasions,  when  the  grain  has  been 
spurred  or  covered  with  ergot,  it  has  caused 
death  frequently  to  the  partakers ;  medically  it  is 
administered  to  contrcct  the  uterus  in  labor,  and 
it  is  very  powerful  in  this  case.  The  active 
property  appears  to  reside  in  the  oil,  which  is 
taken  up  by  hot  water,  j(tea,  etc.,)  alcohol,  and 
ether,  and  these  preparations  are  generally  ad- 
ministered uncombined  with  other  medicines. 
Powdered  ergot  is  given  in  repeated  doses  of  10 
to  20  grains,  or  in  one  dose  of  half  a  drachm,  in 
which  case  it  generally  acts  in  less  than  20  min- 
utes. 

MRGOT,  Ethereal  Tincture  ^Z".— Powdered 
ergot,  15  ounces;  ether,  2  pints;  macerate  7 
days;  express  and  strain.  Dose — 15  to  60 
drops,  according  to  the  object  in  view. 

ERGOT,  Tincture  ^.—Powdered  ergot,  8 
ounces ;  proof  spirit,  2  pints;  macerate  14  days ; 
strain,  express  and  filter.  Dose — 15  drops  to  2 
drachms,  as  required, 

ERGOT,  To  Preserve. — Ergot  is  injured  from 
being  eaten  by  a  minute  insect  of  the  acarus  ge- 
nus, that  appears  to  have  a  liking  for  damaged 
rye,  among,  perhaps,  many  other  things  to  it 
not  less  palatable.  As  it  has  an  aversion  to 
many  pungent  things,  it  may  be  kept  away  by 
putting  in  the  vessel  containing  the  ergot  a  few 
drops  of  the  oil  of  cloves,  or  a  few  cloves  them- 
selves, or  seeds  of  cardamons,  or  camphor,  etc. 
If  well  dried  before  corking  it  up,  by  treating  it 
after  this  manner  it  may  be  preserved  for  a  long 
time,  probably  several  years. 

ELDER. — An  infusion  of  elder  flowers  is 
good  for  feverishness  and  sore  mouth  in  chil- 
dren ;  add  a  pmt  of  boiling  waiter  to  a  table- 
spoonful  of  the  flowers. 

The  inner  bark,  with  cream,  fresh  butter,  or 
sweet  oil,  makes  a  nice  cooling  ointment  for 
burns,  and  other  inflamed  sores. 

ELIXIR,  Antiscorbutic,  for  the  Teeth. — 
Cinchona,  3  ounces ;  guaiacum,  5  ounces ;  pel- 
litory  3  ounces ;  orange  peel,  2  drachms  ;  cloves, 
5  drachms ;  saffron,  half  a  drachm ;  benzoin,  2 
drachms ;  spirits  of  wine  or  brandy,  32  ounces  ; 
digest  and  filter. 

ELIXIR,  REED'S,  for  the  Teeth.— Yx^%\i 
roots  of  horse-radish,  fresh  leaves  of  scurvy 
grass  and  mint,  each  6  drachms ;  guaiacum, 
cinchona,  pellitory,  calamus,  and  rhatany,  each 
5  drachms;  proof  spirits,  i  quart;  macerate  for 
16  days,  and  strain. 

ELIXIR,  ODONTALGIC— PeWxiory  root, 
2  ounces:  simple  spirits  of  lavender,  16  ounces; 
muriate  of  ammonia,  half  a  drachm;  digest  24 
hours  and  filter. 

ELIXIR  OF  ROSES,  for  the  Teeth.— 
Cloves,  I  drachm  ;  cinnamon,  3  ounces  ;  ginger, 
2  ounces  ;  spirits  of  wine,  2  pints  ;  oil  of  orange, 
I  drachm;  otto  of  roses  15  drops;  essence  of 
peppermint,  I  ounce.  Mix.  Digest  15  days, 
and  filter. 

ELIXIR  of  Pyrophosphate  of  Iron  and  Bark. 
— Pyrophosphate  of  iron  128  grains,  simple 
sjTup  2  ounces,  water  6  ounces,  tincture  of  bit- 
ter orange  peel  2    ounces,  alcohol,  dilute,  6 


ounces,  sulphate  of  quinia  6  grains,  sulphate  of 
cinchona  3  grains,  sulphate  of  quinidia  3  graihs. 
Put  the  water,  pyrophosphate  of  iron,  and  half 
an  oimce  of  the  simple  syrup  into  a  pint  bottle, 
and  shake  occasionally  till  the  pyrophosphate  of 
iron  is  dissolved.  Into  another  pint  bottle  put 
the  diluted  alcohol,  tincture  of  bitter  orange  peel, 
and  the  sulphates  of  quinia,  cinchona,  and  quin- 
idia, and  shake  occasionally  till  these  salts  of 
bark  are  dissolved — then  add  the  whole  to  the 
bottle  containing  the  pyrophosphate  of  iron,  and 
shake  till  mixed,  after  which  filter  through  pa- 
per, and  add  the  remainder  of  the  syrup ;  mix  by 
shaking,  and  the  preparation  is  ready  for  use. 

ELIXIR  OF  CALISA  YA  BARK  AND 
IRON. — Take  calisaya  bark  in  powder  4  ounces. 
Cinnamon  water  2  pints,  caraway  water  i  pint, 
tincture  of  orange  peel  ^  a  pint,  alcohol  ^2  a 
pint,  brandy  2  pints,  syrup  3  pints,  soluble  py- 
rophosphate of  iron  2  ounces.  Mix  the  cinna- 
mon and  caraway  waters  with  the  tincture  of  or- 
ange peel,  and  percolate  the  bark  with  the  mix- 
ture. Dissolve  the  pyrophosphate  of  iron  in  the 
percolate,  add  the  other  ingredients,  and  filter. 
This  contains  about  i  grain  of  pyrophosphate  of 
iron  and  2  grains  of  cinchona  bark  to  a  drachm. 
ESSENCE  of  Bitter  Almonds. — Essential 
oil  of  almonds  I  part,  and  rectified  spirit  20 
parts.  Used  to  flavor  wine,  cordials,  liquors, 
perfumery,  pastry,  etc.  It  is  poisonous  in  large 
quantity,  and,  having  a  strong  taste,  very  little 
serves  to  impart  flavor. 

ESSE2VCE  of  Lavender. — Essential  oil  of 
lavender  3  ounces,  rectified  spirit  2  quarts,  rose 
water  half  a  pint,  tincture  of  orris  half  a  pint. 

ESSENCE  of  Roses.— I.  Otto  of  roses  7 
drachms,  spirit  I  gallon.  Mix. — 2.  Rose  leaves 
4  parts,  water  12  parts.  Distill  off"  one-half. 
When  a  sufficient  quantity  of  this  water  has  been 
obtained,  it  must  be  used  as  water  upon  fresh 
rose  leaves,  and  the  same  process  must  be  re- 
peated to  the  fourth,  fifth,  or  even  the  sixth 
time,  according  to  the  quality  desired. 

ESSENCE  of  Neroli. — Spirits  of  wine  half 
a  pint,  orange  peel,  cut  small,  3  ounces,  orris 
root,  in  powder,  i  drachm,  musk  2  grains.  Let 
it  stand  m  a  warm  place  for  3  days,  and  filter. 

ESSEN^cE  of  Rondelette. — Spirit  (brandy, 
60  o.  p.)  I  gallon,  otto  of  lavender  2  ounces, 
otto  of  cloves  I  ounce,  otto  of  roses  3  drachms, 
otto  of  bergamot  I  ounce,  extract  of  musk,  va- 
nilla and  ambergris  each  ^  pint.  The  mixture 
must  be  made  at  least  a  month  before  it  is  fit  for 
use. 

ESSENCE  of  Mush.— I.  Bladder  musk,  cut 
small,  5  parts,  civet  I  part,  spirit  of  ambrette  100 
parts,  strongest  alcohol,  35  parts.  Put  them  into 
a  close  vessel,  and  digest  for  a  time  in  a  heat 
of  from  100  to  150"  Fahrenheit. — 2.  Grain  musk 
2  drachms  ;  alcohol,  l  lb.     Mix.     As  before. 

ESSEN^LE  of  Peppermint. — Oil  of  pepper- 
mint I  ounce,  rectified  spirit  I  ounce,  carbonate 
of  magnesia  half  an  ounce,  water  7  ounces.  Mix 
the  oil  and  magnesia  intimately,  put  them  in  the 
filter,  pour  on  the  spirit,  and  afterwards  the  wa- 
ter. Mixes  with  water ;  it  may  be  filtered  again 
if  not  quite  clear. 

ESSE  ACE  OF  VIOLETS.— \.  Orris  root, 
2  ounces ;  rectified  spirit,  8  ounces ;  digest,  ex- 
press and  filter,  or  proceed  by  percolation. — 2. 
Alcoholic  extract  of  cassie  I  pint,  esprit  de  rose, 
tincture  of  orris  and  of  tuberose,  of  each  half  a 
pint,  oil  of  almonds,  3  drops. 


DRUGGIST   AND    CHEMIST. 


71 


ESSENCE  of  Verbena.— \,  Oil  of  verbena, 

1  drachm ;  rectified  spirit,  I  ounce ;  mix,  and 
add  essence  of  vanilla,  10  drops. — 2.  Oil  of  lem- 
on-grass, 3  drachms ;  of  lemon  peel,  2  ounces  ; 
of  orange  peel,  4  drachms ;  spirit  I  pint ;  mix 
and  filter. 

ESSENCE  for  Smelling  Bottles. — Essence 
of  ambergris,  I  ounce ;  otto  of  roses  and  oil  of 
lavender,  of  each  20  drops  ;  essence  of  berga- 
motte,  2  drachms ;  mix,  and  add  $  ounces  of  the 
strongest  solution  of  ammonia.  Fragrant  and 
refreshing. 

ESPRIT DE  BOUQUET.— 0\\  of  lavender, 
oil  ot  cloves,  and  oil  of  bergamotte,  each  2 
drachms  ;  otto  of  rose  and  oil  of  cinnamon,  each 
20  drops ;  essence  of  musk,  I  drachm ;  rectified 
spirits,  I  pint.     Mix. 

ETHER,  ACETIC— Take  strong  alcohol, 
3  parts ;  acetate  of  potass,  3  parts ;  concen- 
trated sulphuric  acid,  2  parts.  Mix  and  distill ; 
then  take  of  the  product  4  parts,  and  sulphuric 
acid  I  part,  and  draw  over  a  quantity  equal  in 
weight  to  the  alcohol  employed. 

EXTRACTS,  TO  MAI^E.—Take  of  the 
plant,  root  or  leaves  you  wish  to  make  the  ex- 
tract from,  any  quantity ;  add  sufficient  water, 
and  boil  them  gradually;  then  pour  off  the  wa- 
ter, and  add  a  second  quantity ;  repeat  the  pro- 
cess until  all  the  virtue  is  extracted,  then  mix 
the  several  decoctions,  and  evaporate  at  as  low 
a  temperature  as  possible,  to  the  consistence  of 
an  extract.  Extracts  are  Ijetter  made  in  a  water 
bath,  and  in  close  vessels,  and  for  some  very 
delicate  articles,  the  evaporation  may  be  carried 
on  at  a  very  low  temperature,  in  a  vacuum,  by 
surrounding  the  vessel  with  another  containing 
sulphuric  acid.  Manufacturing  druggists  usually 
add  to  every  7  lbs.  of  extract  4  ounces  of  gum 
arable,  i  ounce  of  alcohol,  and  i  ounce  of  olive 
oil.  This  mixture  gives  the  extract  a  gloss  and 
keeps  it  soft. 

EXTRACT  OF BUCHU.—BndivL  leaves  i 
lb.,  boiling  distilled  water  3  gals. ;  boil  the  leaves 
in  2  gals,  of  the  water  down  to  6  quarts  ;  then 
boil  it  again  in  the  remaining  water  till  reduced 
to  2  quarts.  Evaporate  the  mixed  liquor  down 
to  6  quarts,  and  add  I  quart  of  strong  sage  tea, 

2  drachms  of  bicarbonate  of  potassa,  2  drachms 
of  cannabis  indica,  5  ounces  of  rectified  spirit,  2 
ounces  of  balsam  copaiba  and  Harlem  oil;  then 
bottle. 

EXTRACT  OF  ELDERFLOWERS,  for 
the  Complexion. — Take  gum  benzoin  i  drachm, 
a  wine-glassful  of  spirits  of  wine,  and  i  pint  of 
elder-flower  water.  Powder  the  gum,  and  put 
it  into  the  spirit.  In  a  short  time  it  will  be  dis- 
solved. Now  put  this  mixture  into  a  jug,  and 
then  gradually  add  the  elder-flower  water.  If 
there  be  any  particles  of  benzoin  not  dissolved, 
the  extract  must  be  strained  through  fine  muslin 
prior  to  its  being  put  into  the  toilet  bottle.  On 
account  of  the  milky  appearance  of  this  prepara- 
tion, the  French  perfumers  call  it  lait  virgi- 
nal. 

EXTRACT  OF  OPIUM.— O^mm  sliced 
1%  lbs.,  distilled  water  5  pints.  Macerate  the 
opium  in  ^  the  water  for  24  hours,  frequently 
stirring ;  then  strain,  macerate  for  24  hours  in 
the  remaining  water,  and  strain  and  evaporate 
the  mixed  liquors  to  an  extract.  Used  as  a  mild 
preparation  of  opium.     Dose — I  to  6  grains. 

EXTRACT  OF  /'O/'T^K— Poppies  bruised 
and  freed  from  the  seeds  15  ounces,  boihng  dis- 


tilled water  I  gallon  ;  macerate  for  24  hours, 
boil  to  4  pints,  strain  while  hot,  and  evaporate 
to  an  extract.  Anodyne  narcotic.  Dose — 2  to 
20  grains. 

EXTRACT  OF  SARSAPARILLA,  Fluid. 
— Sliced  sarsaparilla  2)%  lbs.,  boiling  distilled 
water  5  gallons,  rectified  spirit,  2  ounces.  Boil 
the  sarsaparilla  in  3  gallons  of  water  to  12  pints, 
and  strain.  Evaporate  the  mixed  liquors  to  18 
ounces,  and  when  cold  add  the  spirit.  Dose — I 
to  2  drachms,  or  more. 

EXTRACT  OF  SENNA,  Fluid— Senna,  15 
lbs.  av.,  boiling  water,  q.  s. ;  concentrate  the  in- 
fusion to  ID  lbs.  av.,  dissolve  in  it  6  lbs.  of  thick 
treacle,  add  24  fluid  ounces  of  rectified  spirit, 
and  water  sufficient  to  make  15  pints.  Dose — 2 
drachms.  Each  ounce  represents  i  ounce  of  the 
senna. 

EXTRACT  OF  VANILLA.— Take  of  va- 
nilla in  the  pods  I  ounce,  fine  washed  sand  I 
ounce,  95  per  cent,  alcohol  3  ounces,  45  per  cent, 
alcohol  13  ounces,  syrup  2  drachms;  cut  the  va- 
nilla into  short  pieces  and  bruise  well  with  the 
sand,  then  pack  in  a  displacer ;  add  first  the 
strong  and  afterwards  the  diluted  alcohol ;  after 
24  hours  filter. 

FEBRIFUGE,  for  Fer>ers  in  General. — 
Carbonate  of  ammonia  2  drachms,  alum  I  drachm, 
capsicum,  foreign  gentian,  Colombo  root,  and 
prussiate  of  iron,  all  pulverized,  of  each  %  a 
drachm ;  mix  by  putting  into  a  bottle,  and  adding 
4  ounces  of  cold  water.  Dose — I  teaspoonful  to 
a  grown  person,  every  2  hours,  in  common  cases 
of  fever.  It  may  be  sweetened,  if  preferred. 
Shake  well  each  time  before  giving,  and  keep  the 
bottle  tightly  corked. 

FEBRIFUGE  TEA.— Take  Virginia  snake- 
root  and  valerian  root,  of  each  2  drachms,  and  of 
boiling  water  i  pint.  Pour  the  boiling  water  on 
the  roots  and  steep  %  an  hour,  and  give  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  the  febrifuge  and  a  tablespoonful  of 
this  tea  together,  every  2  hours,  and  after  the  pa- 
tient has  been  24  hours  without  fever,  give  it  ev- 
ery 3  or  4  hours,  until  the  patient  has  good  ap- 
petite and  digestion;  then  3  times  daily,  just  be- 
fore meals,  until  the  patient  has  gained  consid- 
erable strength,  when  it  may  be  entirely  discon- 
tinued ;  or  he  may  continue  the  simple  infusion 
to  aid  digestion. 

FEBRIFUGE  WYyV^?.— Quinine  25  grains, 
water  l  pint,  sulphuric  acid  15  drops,  epsom 
salts  2  ounces,  color  with  tincture  of  red  Sand- 
ers. Dose — A  wineglassful  3  times  per  day. 
This  is  a  world-renowned  medicine. 

FRENCH  IVHITE.—Yxench  white  is  levi- 
gated talc  passed  through  a  silk  sieve.  This  is 
the  best  face-powder  made,  particularly  as  it  does 
not  discolor  from  action  of  the  skin  or  impure 
atmosphere. 

FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  VANILLA.— Vai- 
nilla  beans  4  ounces,  sugar  2  ounces,  alcohol  4 
fluid  ounces,  simple  syrup  4  ounces,  brandy  I 
pint.  Cut  the  beans  finely,  and  rub  thoroughly 
with  the  sugar,  put  all  together  in  a  strong  stone 
bottle  ;  secure  the  cork  with  twine,  and  boil  in  a 
water-bath  for  %  ^^  hour ;  then  transfer  to  a 
percolator,  and  add  brandy  sufficient  to  make  4 
pints. 

FL  UID,  GERMAN  RHE  UMA  TIC.  —Oils 
of  hemlock  and  cedar,  of  each  half  an  ounce,  oils 
of  origanum  and  sassafras,  each  I  ounce,  aqua 
ammonia  I  ounce,  pulverized  capsicum  I  ounce, 
spirits  of  turpentine  and  gum  camphor,  of  each  a 


72 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


half  onnce ;  put  all  into  a  quart  bottle,  and  fill  it 
with  95  per  cent,  alcohol. 

FLUID,  BOGLE'S  HYPERION.— To  8 
ounces  of  90  or  95  per  cent,  alcohol,  colored  with 
red  alkanet,  add  i  ounce  of  castor  oil ;  perfume 
with  geranium  and  verbena. 

GARGLES. — Gargles  are  very  simple  reme- 
dies, and  well  suited  to  domestic  practice  in  sore 
throats  of  various  kinds.  According  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  ingredients  of  which  they  are  made, 
they  allay  irritation  and  inflammation,  invigorate 
the  membrane  lining  the  mouth  and  throat,  and 
promote  suppuration.  The  particular  purpose 
for  which  they  are  required  ought  to  be  kept  in 
view  in  their  preparation. 

GARGLE,  For  Inflamed  Throat. — Purified 
nitre  2  drachms,  barley  water  7  ounces,  acetate 
of  honey  7  drachms.  Mix  the  ingredients,  and 
use  frequently. 

GARGLE,  for  Domestic  Use. — 3  teaspoonfuls 
of  vinegar,  2  teaspoonfuls  of  tincture  of  myrrh,  2 
of  honey,  a  glass  of  port  wine,  and  3  or  4  wine- 
glasses of  warm  water  ;  mix  all  these  ingredients, 
and  the  gargle  is  ready  for  use.  A  decoction  of 
the  leaves  of  the  currant  may,  with  good  effect, 
be  added  instead  of  the  warm  water.  This  makes 
both  a  pleasant  and  useful  gargle. 

GARGLE,  MUCILAGINOUS,  for  Inflamed 
Throat. — Tincture  ot  myrrh  2  drachms,  mucilage 
of  gum  Arabic  7  ounces.  Mix.  This  gargle  is 
of  use  in  defending  the  parts  when  the  sahva  is 
of  an  acrid  character. 

GARGLE,  to  Promote  Suppuration. — Barley 
water  and  infusion  of  linseed.  This  gargle  is  to 
be  used  warm.  It  must  be  kept  in  view  that 
'  this  mild  gargle  acts  by  softening  the  parts  of  the 
throat,  and  hastening  the  suppuration  by  its  heat 
— it  is  requisite,  therefore,  that  the  temperature 
of  the  gargle  be  kept  up. 

CHEWING  GUM.—TokQ  of  prepared  bal- 
sam of  tolu  2  ounces,  white  sugar  I  ounce,  oat- 
meal 3  ounces.  Soften  the  gum  in  a  water  bath, 
and  mix  in  the  ingredients ;  then  roll  in  finely- 
powdered  sugar  or  flour  to  form  sticks  to  suit. 

GL  YCERINE. — Glycerine  is  derived  from  a 
residuum  left  after  the  making  of  soap  and  stear- 
ine  candles,  and  which  for  ages  was  considered 
of  no  value.  The  medicinal  properties  of  gly- 
cerine are  of  the  most  striking  kind,  but  it  is  not 
valuable  in  pharmacy  only ;  its  antiseptic  prop- 
erties are  marvelous.  It  is  capable  of  preserv- 
ing animal  substances  from  decay  ;  leather  is 
preserved  by  it  in  a  soft  and  pliable  condition ; 
wooden  vessels  saturated  with  it  neither  shrink 
nor  dry  up  ;  it  is  used  for  extracting  the  odor  of 
flowers,  and  is  of  great  value  in  the  processes  of 
dyeing,  brewing,  liqueur  making  and  wine  keep- 
ing; its  power  in  nealing  sores  and  removing 
pains,  such  as  ear-ache,  is  wonderful.  With  ni- 
tric acid  it  forms  nitro-glycerine,  a  substance 
whose  explosive  force  is  many  degrees  greater 
than  that  of  gunpowder. 

GL  YCONINE.—TV\%  is  the  name  of  a  new 
glycerine  preparation,  which  is  recommended  as 
a  nealing  ointment  for  wounds,  and  broken  sur- 
faces of  all  kinds,  erysipelas,  cutaneous  affections 
—of  which  it  allays  the  itching — as  it  forms  a 
sort  of  varnish  over  the  skin,  and  thus  excludes 
the  air.  For  its  preparation  5  parts  of  glycerine 
are  mixed  with  4  parts  of  the  yelk  of  eggs.  It 
has  the  consistency  of  honey,  feels  like  salve,  and 
is  not  changed  in  the  air. 

D  YES,  HAIR. — Hair  dyes  color  the  hair  only 


as  far  as  the  roots,  and  require  to  be  applied  as 
frequently  as  the  growth  of  hair  shows  both  the 
false  and  real  color,  i.  Dr.  Hanman's. — Lith- 
arge half  an  ounce,  quicklime  3  ounces,  starch  2 
ounces  ;  mix  in  powder.  P'or  use,  mix  in  warm 
water,  and  rub  on  the  hair  to  the  roots.  Cover 
the  hair  with  oil-skin  or  wadding  for  the  night. 
— 2.  Orfila's. — Litharge  6  parts,  quicklime  5 
parts,  starch  I  part ;  mix  and  apply  as  above. — 

3.  Spencer's. — Sap  green  half  a  drachm,  nitrate 
of  silver  i  drachm,  hot  water  i  ounce ;  dissolve. 
Combed  in  the  hair  for  use.— -4.  Chrjaliet^s. — 
Mix  5  drachms  of  fresh-slaked  lime  with  2  ounces 
of  water  ;  strain  and  bottle.  Dissolve  5  drachms 
of  acetate  of  lead  in  water,  add  enough  slaked 
lime  to  saturate  the  acetic  acid,  wash  the  precip- 
itate, and  mix  it  with  the  milk  of  lime. — 5.  War- 
ren's.— Lime  4  ounces,  Avhite  ^  an  ounce,  lith- 
arge I  drachm;  mix  in  powder.  Used  with  a 
sponge  and  water,  to  dye  tlack,  or  with  milk  to 
dye  brown. — Delcroix's. — Acetate  of  lead  2 
ounces,  prepared  chalk  3  ounces,  quicklime  4 
ounces.  As  No.  I. — 7.  Gen.  Twiggs. — l  drachm 
of  sulphur,  ^  a  drachm  of  sugar  of  lead,  4 
ounces  of  rose  water.  Mix  them  well ;  shake 
the  phial  on  using  it,  and  bathe  the  hair  twice  a 
day  for  a  week  or  longer  if  necessary.  It  does 
not  dye  the  hair,  but  seems  to  restore  the  origi- 
nal color. — 8.  Batchelot's. — No.  I.  To  i  ounce 
of  gallic  acid,  dissolved  in  8  ounces  ot  alcohol, 
add  y^  a  gallon  of  soft  water. — To  i  ounce  of 
nitrate  of  silver,  dissolved  in  I  ounce  of  concen- 
trated ammonia  and  3  ounces  of  soft  water,  add 
I  ounce  of  gum  Arabic  and  4  ounces  of  soft 
water. 

HAIR  DYES,  Leadin.—ThtxG  is  no  doubt 
that  the  lead  which  forms  so  large  a  part  of  the 
various  hair  dyes  in  general  use  is  injurious,  if 
not  actually  dangerous,  to  the  system.  Head- 
ache, neuralgia,  paralysis,  etc.,  have  in  number- 
less cases  been  caused  by  the  use  of  lead  prepa- 
rations for  the  hair,  and  for  this  reason  they 
should  never  be  used.  Gray  hairs,  whether  on 
the  head  of  a  middle-aged  or  old  person,  are  in- 
variably becoming,  and  are,  or  should  be,  "a 
crown  of  glory."  Another  objection  to  the  dye- 
ing of  the  hair  is,  that  it  can  be  detected  by  the 
most  casual  observer,  and,  in  fact,  deceives  no 
one. 

HAIR  INVIGORA  TOR.—i.  Take  bay  rum 
I  pint,  alcohol  |^  a  pint,  castor  oil  i  ounce,  car- 
bonate of  ammonia  ^  of  an  ounce,  tincture  of 
cantharides  ^  of  an  ounce.  Mix,  and  shake 
when  used.  To  be  used  daily. — 2.  Vinegar  of 
cantharides  I  ounce,  Cologne  water  I  ounce,  and 
rose  water  l  ounce,  mixed  and  rubbed  to  the 
roots  of  the  hair,  until  the  scalp  smarts,  twice 
daily,  has  been  very  highly  recommended  for 
bald  heads,  or  where  the  hair  is  falling  out. — 3. 
Carbonate  of  ammonia  I  ounce,  rubbed  up  in  I 
pint  of  sweet  oil.  Apply  daily  until  the  hair 
stops  falling  out,  or  is  sufficiently  grown  out. — 

4.  Strong  sage  tea,  as  a  daily  wash,  will  be  found 
to  promptly  stop  the  hair  from  falling  out,  and, 
if  Its  use  is  persevered  in,  it  will  make  it  grow 
thick  and  strong. 

HAIR  RESTORA  TIVES—Mrs.  Allen's — 
To  16  ounces  of  rose  water,  diluted  with  an 
equal  part  of  soft  water,  add  %  of  an  ounce  of 
sulphur  and  ^  of  an  ounce  of  sugar  of  lead;  let 
the  compound  stand  5  days  before  using. — 
Wood's. — Take  4  drachms  of  lac  sulphur,  2 
of  sugar  of  lead,  and  i  pint  of  rose  water ;  mix. 


DRUGGIST  AND  CHEMIST. 


73 


— Phaloii's. — To  8  ounces  of  90  per  cent,  alco- 
hol, colored  by  a  few  drops  of  tincture  of  alkanet 
root,  add  I  ounce  of  castor-oil,  and  perfume  with 
a  compound  of  bergamotte,  neroli,  verbena,  and 
orange. 

HAIR,  Saponaceous  Wash  for  the. — Rectified 
spirit  I  puit,  rose  water  I  gallon,  extract  of  ron- 
deletia  %  a  pint,  transparent  soap  ^  of  an  ounce, 
hay  saffron  ^;(  of  a  drachm.  Shave  up  the  soap 
very  fine ;  boil  it  and  the  saffron  in  a  quart  of  the 
rose  water ;  when  dissolved,  add  the  remainder 
of  the  water,  then  the  spirit,  and  finally  the  ron- 
deletia,  which  is  used  by  way  of  perfume.  After 
standing  for  2  or  3  days,  it  is  fit  for  bottling. 

HAIR  WASH,  Rosemary. — Rosemary  water 
t  gallon,  spirit  10  ounces,  pearlash  i  ounce. 

HOREHOUND.—.K  bitter  pectoral  herb, 
used  mostly  in  syrup  or  candy.  The  syrup  is 
made  by  adding  i  lb.  of  good  lump  sugar  to  each 
■pint  of  a  strong  infusion;  the  candy,  with  10  lb. 
of  lump  sugar  to  each  pint,  and  boiling  until  it 
will  candy  on  cooling.  Used  in  severe  coughs 
and  colds. 

HORSE-RADISH— Thxs  is  an  anti-scor- 
butic and  stimulating  medicine.  It  may  be  taken 
either  in  substance  or  infused  in  wine,  for  the 
scurvy,  dropsy,  palsy,  chronic  rheumatism,  and 
like  affections. 

HYDROGEN  GAS,  An  Improved  Method  oj 
Producing, — Alkaline  and  earthy  alkaline  hy- 
drates, such  as  the  hydrate  of  potash,  soda, 
strontium,  baryta,  chalk,  etc.,  mixed  with  char- 
coal, coke,  anthracite,  pit-coal,  peat,  etc.,  and 
heated  to  a  red  heat,  are  decomposed  into  car- 
bonic acid  and  hydrogen  without  further  loss  of 
heat  than  that  due  to  the  production  of  the  car- 
bonic acid  and  hydrogen.  The  hydrates  of  pot- 
ash, soda,  etc.,  and  more  especially  the  hydrates 
of  chalk  or  lime,  decomposed  by  the  coal  into 
hydrogen  and  carbonic  acid,  can  be  used  indefi- 
nitely in  this  process,  provided  they  are  moist- 
ened each  time  with  water,  so  as  to  reproduce 
the  decomposed  hydrates.  In  this  operation  the 
hydrogen  gas  is  generated  without  any  special 
production  of  steam,  and  may  thus  be  produced 
without  any  other  generating  apparatus  than  the 
retorts  themselves.  These  retorts,  not  being 
exposed  to  the  direct  action  of  the  steam,  are 
not  subject  to  any  interior  alteration  or  damage. 
It  follows,  therefore,  that  the  hydrogen  gas  pro- 
duced by  the  decomposition  of  the  above-named 
hydrates,  by  means  of  carbon,  can  be  generated 
at  a  very  small  cost,  and  with  the  same  facility 
as  carburetted  hydrogens,  from  the  distillation  of 
pit-coal  or  other  organic  hydrocarbon  matter. 
These  alkaline  and  earthy  alkaline  hydrates  may 
be  mixed  with  the  different  mineral  or  vegetable 
combustibles,  either  in  a  definite  chemical  pro- 
portion, or  without  a  fixed  or  determinate  pro- 
portion, and  in  any  suitable  distilling  or  heating 
apparatus,  in  order  to  produce,  when  heated  to 
a  red  heat,  hydrogen  gas  for  illuminating  and 
heating  purposes.  The  advantage  of  the  pro- 
duction of  hydrogen  as  cheaply  as  oxygen,  and 
which  has  been  obtained,  is  likely  to  create  a 
revolution  in  many  industries,  and  especially  in 
metallurgy.  A  cheap  method  of  producing  a 
great  heat  in  order  to  reduce  metals,  such  as  pla- 
tinum, gold,  silver,  and  iron,  has  long  been 
sought  for  in  Europe,  where  the  oxyhydric  blow- 
pipe is  now  used  to  melt  the  platinum  in  a  cal- 
cium crucible.  By  this  discovery  it  becomes 
possible  to  obtain  any  immense  heat  which  may 


(and  this  is  a  most  important  point)  be  regulated 
by  a  simple  tap. 

ICE,  CAMPHOR.— McM  of  spermaceti  I 
drachm,  with  almond  oil  i  ounce,  and  add  of 
powdered  camphor  i  drachm. 

IRON,  Bitter  Wine  ^.—Citrate  of  iron  128 
grains,  extract  of  calisaya  16  grains.  Hot  water, 
sugar,  and  tincture  of  orange  peel  to  flavor,  and 
sherry  wine  to  make  I  pint.  Dissolve  the  cit-  ^ 
rate  of  iron  and  extract  of  cinchona  separately  in  '' 
hot  water,  adding  a  small  excess  of  citric  acid ; 
then  add  the  sugar  and  tincture  of  orange  peel, 
and  lastly  the  wine. 

INEUSION  OEBUCHU.—T^nchvi  i  ounce, 
boiling  distilled  water  I  pint.  Macerate  for  4 
hours  in  a  tightly-closed  vessel,  and  strain. 
Used  in  affections  of  the  bladder  or  urinary  or- 
gans. Dose — I  to  2  ounces,  generally  combined 
with  alkalies,  as  liquor  potassa,  etc. 

INCENSE. — Powdered  cascarilla  2  ounces ; 
myrrh,  styrax,  benzoin,  and  Burgundy  pitch,  of 
each  r  ounce. 

IODINE,  Stains  of. — By  adding  a  few  drops 
of  liquid  carbolic  acid  to  the  iodine  tincture,  the 
latter  will  not  stain.  Carbolic  acid  also  renders 
the  efficacy  of  tincture  of  iodine  more  certain. 
The  following  formula  is  recommended  when- 
ever injections  of  the  latter  are  indicated  :  Alco- 
holic tincture  of  iodine  45  drops,  pure  liquid 
carbolic  acid  6  drops,  glycerine  i  ounce,  distilled 
water  5  ounces.  In  blenorrhea  and  leucorrhea 
this  mixture  is  said  to  be  much  superior  to  tar 
water. 

KATHAIRON  for  the  7%/r.— (Lyon's.) 
2  gallons  of  castor  oil,  and  3  gallons  of  alcohol. 
Mix  first.  10  ozs.  of  tincture  cantharides,  (of- 
ficinal,) 12  ounces  oil  of  bergamotte ;  dissolve 
in  a  small  quantity  of  alcohol.  Tincture  of  red 
Sander — proportions  say  I  lb.  to  5  gallons,  95 
per  cent,  alcohol  to  suit — 4  ounces  color  30  gal- 
lons. 

KALYDOR,  for  the  Complexion. — ^Take  of 
blanched  bitter  almonds  i  part,  and  rose-water 
16  parts.  Mix  and  strain,  then  add  5  grains  of 
bichloride  of  mercury  to  every  8  ounces  of  the 
mixture,  and  scent  with  rose  or  violet. 

LARD,  To  Prepare  Pure. — Take  good  white 
lard,  and  melt  it  in  a  water  bath  ;  then  put  it  into 
water,  and  agitate  them  well  together  to  wash 
out  all  the  salt ;  let  them  cool,  and  then  col- 
lect the  lard  from  the  top  of  the  water,  drain  it, 
melt  it  again  in  a  water  bath,  let  it  remain  melted 
for  ^  of  an  hour,  and  lastly  pour  off  the  clearest 
portion,  and  be  careful  to  preserve  it  from  the 
air. 

LA  C/DA NUM.— Take  best  Turkey  opium  I 
ounce ;  slice  it,  and  pour  upon  it  i  gill  of  boiling 
water,  and  work  it  in  a  bowl  or  mortar  until  it  is 
dissolved;  then  pour  it  into  the  bottle,  and  with 
half  a  pint  of  76  per  cent,  alcohol,  rinse  the  dish, 
adding  the  alcohol  to  the  preparation,  shaking 
well,  and  in  24  hours  it  will  be  ready  for  use. 
Dose — From  10  to  30  drops  for  adults,  according 
to  the  strength  of  the  patient  or  the  severity  of 
the  pain.  30  drops  of  this  laudanum  will  be 
equal  to  i  grain  of  opium. 

LEECHES.— ^hecches  are  best  preserved  in 
clean  rain  or  pond  water  ;  in  spring  water  they 
soon  die.  The  water  should  not  be  changed  too 
often ;  once  each  week  in  summer,  and  once 
each  month  in  winter,  being  sufficient,  unless  it 
becomes  foul.  Leeches,  when  applied,  do  not 
probe  the  skin  like  a  lancet-point,  but  act  by  a 


74 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY     WANTS. 


saw-like  motion  until  the  skin  is  pierced ;  they 
then  suck,  if  undisturbed,  until  the  cascal  pouches 
are  full,  and  finally  drop  off.  A  little  salt  is 
usually  sprinkled  on  to  cause  them  to  disgorge 
the  blood,  and  they  are  gently  pressed  between 
the  fingers  to  facilitate  this  effect.  When  leeches 
do  not  readily  bite,  means  are  used  to  induce 
them.  The  skin  in  all  cases  should  be  well 
washed  and  dried,  and  the  leech  gently  dried  in 
a  soft  cloth ;  it  may  then  be  put  in  a  pill-box  or 
wine-glass,  which  is  pressed  on  the  part  to  be 
operated  on.  Wljen  they  do  not  yet  bite,  a 
small  puncture  should  be  made  with  a  lancet,  to 
draw  blood,  and  they  will  then  mostly  take 
hold.  This  mode  is  also  used  when  the  spot  to 
be  drawn  from  is  near  the  eye,  etc.  ;  or,  if  the 
leech  is  lively,  it  may  be  put  in  a  large  quill,  and 
the  head  placed  toward  the  part,  while  the  thumb 
prevents  its  retreat  at  the  opposite  end.  As  the 
amount  of  blood  drawn  by  leeches  is  not  large, 
hot  poultices  or  fomentations  are  applied  to  in- 
crease the  discharge,  or  the  cupping-glasses  may 
be  used.  When  sufficient  is  drawn,  the  bites 
mostly  close  without  much  attention,  but  in  some 
rare  cases  they  are  very  troublesome  ;  they  then 
should  be  pressed  with  lint  soaked  in  a  solution 
of  alum  or  the  tincture  of  sesquichloride  of  iron, 
or  a  fine  point  of  nitrate  of  silver  should  be  in- 
serted a  minute  distance.  If  the  bleeding  still 
continues,  the  skin  must  have  a  needle  passed 
through  the  edges,  and  silk  twisted  round  it. 

LIME-JUICE  AND  GLYCONINE.— 
Lime  or  lemon -juice  ^  a  pint ;  heat  in  a  por- 
celain mortar  to  near  the  boihng  point,  and  add 
gradually  rose  water,  elder-flower  water,  and 
rectified  spirits,  of  each  2  ounces.  Agitate  the 
whole  well  together.  After  24  hours'  repose, 
decant  or  filter  through  calico  or  muslin,  then 
add  of  pure  glycerine  2^  ounces,  and  oil  of 
lemons  ^  a  drachm.  Again  agitate  them  to- 
gether for  some  time,  and  by  careful  manipula- 
tion you  will  have  a  somewhat  milky  liquid ;  but 
it  should  be  quite  free  from  any  coarse  floating 
matter  or  sediment. 

_  LINIMENTS.— h.  liniment  is  a  semi-fluid 
ointment,  found  or  supposed  to  be  useful  in 
painful  joints,  swellings,  burns,  etc.  It  is  gen- 
erally applied  by  rubbing  on  with  the  hand,  or  a 
flannel,  and  sometimes  both,  the  flannel  being 
used  first  to  irritate  the  skin.  There  are  many 
who  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  rub- 
bing is  more  beneficial  than  the  liniment. 

LINIMENT,  Ar7tica.—\A6.  to  l  pint  of 
sweet  oil  2  tablespoonfuls  of  tincture  of  arnica ; 
or  the  leaves  may  be  heated  in  the  oil  over  a  slow 
fire.  Good  for  wounds,  stiff  joints,  rheumatism, 
and  all  injuries. 

LINIMENT,  Chilblain.— I  ounce  of  cam- 
phorated spirit  of  wine,  ^  an  ounce  of  the  sub- 
acetate  of  lead,  (liquor.)  Mix,  and  apply  3  or 
4  times  a  day. 

LINIMENT,  CVzw//5^r.— Rectified  spirits  17 
fluid  ounces,  strong  water  of  ammonia  2^  oz., 
camphor  2  ounces,  oil  of  lavender  5  drops. 

LINIMENT,  Electro-Magnetic— V,t%\.  alco- 
hol I  gallon,  oil  of  amber  8  ounces,  gum  cam- 
Ehor  8  ounces,  castile  soap  shaved  fine  2  ounces, 
eefs  gall  4  ounces,  ammonia  3  F.'s  strong  12 
ounces ;  mix,  and  shake  occasionally  for  12 
hours,  and  it  is  fit  for  use. 

LINIMENT,  Good  ^'dwanAr;;.— Take  of  98 

{)er  cent,  alcohol  2  quarts,  and  add  to  it  the  fol- 
owing    articles  :    Oils  of   sassafras,    hemlock. 


spirits  of  turpentine,  tinctures  of  cayenne,  cate- 
chu, guaicaci,  (guac,)  and  laudanum,  of  each  i 
ounce;  tincture  of  myrrh  4  ounces,  oil  of  ori- 
ganum 2  ounces,  oil  of  wintergreen  y^  ounce, 
gum  camphor  2  ounces,  and  chloroform  i^ 
ounces. 

LINIMENT,  Rheumatic— OXwe.  oil,  spirits 
of  camphor,  and  chloroform,  of  each  2  ounces ; 
sassafras  oil  i  teaspoonful.  First  add  the  oil  of 
sassafras  to  the  ohve  oil,  then  the  spirits  of  cam- 
phor, and  shake  well  before  putting  in  the  chlo- 
roform, shaking  when  used,  keeping  it  corked, 
as  the  chloroform  evaporates  very  fast  if  it  is 
left  open.  Apply  3  or  4  times  daily,  rubbing  it 
well,  and  always  toward  the  body. 

LINIMENT,  Sore  Throat.— Gum  camphor, 
2  ounces,  castile  soap  shaved  fine  1  drachm,  oil 
of  turpentine  i  tablespoonful,  oil  of  origanum  ^ 
an  ounce,  opium  %  of  an  ounce,  alcohol  1  pint. 
In  a  week  or  10  days  it  will  be  fit  for  use ;  then 
bathe  the  parts  freely  2  or  3  times  daily  until  re- 
lief is  obtained. 

LINIMENT  for  Spinal  Affections.— Take  a 
pint  bottle  and  put  into  it  oil  of  origanum, 
wormwood,  spirits  of  turpentine,  and  gum  cam- 
phor, of  each  i  ounce,  and  fill  it  with  the  best 
alcohol. 

LIP-SALVE,  Carnation.— OWvt  oil  I  lb.,' 
alkanet  root  i  ounce  or  less.  Macerate  with 
heat  until  the  oil  is  well  colored ;  then  add  of 
white  wax  6  ounces,  spermaceti  6  ounces,  oil  of 
lavender  30  drops,  essence  of  bergamotte  i 
drachm. 

LIP-SALVE,  Red.— I.  Olive  oil  i  lb.,  alka- 
net root  2  ounces  or  less.  Macerate  with  heat 
until  the  oil  is  well  colored ;  then  add  of  sper- 
maceti 2  ounces,  white  wax  8  ounces,  suet  (pre- 
pared) 12  ounces.  When  nearly  cold  stir  in  or- 
ange-flower water  i  ounce,  oil  of  lavender  ^  a 
drachm. — 2.   Prepared  suet  I  lb.,  prepared  lard 

1  lb.,  alkanet  root  2  ounces.  Macerate  in  a  gen- 
tle heat  until  suflkiently  colored,  then  cool  a  lit- 
tle, and  stir  in  of  rose  water  6  ounces,  oil  of  lav- 
ender 10  drops,  essence  of  neroli  10  drops,  es- 
sence of  lemon  ID  drops,  essence  of  bergamotte 
10  drops. 

LIP-SALVE,  White.— \.  Prepared  suet  .1 
lb.,  prepared  lard  I  lb.  Melt,  and  when  cool- 
ing stir  in  rose  water  4  ounces,  oil  of  rhodium 

2  drops,  oil  of  cloves  5  drops — or  other  scent  to 
taste. — 2,  Olive  oil  i  lb.,  spermaceti  I  lb.,  white 
wax  I  lb.,  prepared  lard  i  lb.  Melt,  and  while 
cooling  stir  in  rose  water  8  ounces,  essence  of 
lemon  2  drachms,  bergamotte  2  drachms. 

LIQUID  BLUE,  To  Prepare.— TaVe  of  pure 
Prussian  blue  l  part,  and  gradually  add  2  parts 
of  concentrated  hydrochloric  acid.  Leave  the 
paste  to  stand  for  24  hours,  and  then  add  9  parts 
of  water,  and  bottle  it. 

LOTION,  GONLAUDS.—mmchcA  bitter 
almonds  I  ounce,  blanched  sweet  almonds  _J^  an 
ounce  ;  beat  to  a  paste,  add  pure  water  I  pint ; 
mix  well,  strain  through  a  piece  of  coarse  cloth, 
put  it  into  a  bottle,  and  add  of  corrosive  subli- 
mate in  powder  10  to  12  grains,  dissolved  in  a 
teaspoonful  or  two  of  spirit  of  wine,  and  shake 
well.  Used  as  a  cosmetic  to  improve  the  com- 
plexion, and  also  as  a  wash  for  obstinate  erup- 
tions. 

LOTION,  i^/?^CA'Z£'.— Muriate  of  ammo- 
nia  I  drachm,  spring  water  i  pint,  lavender  wa- 
ter 2  drachms  ;  apply  with  a  sponge  2  or  3  times 
a  day. 


DRUGGIST  AND    CHEMIST. 


75 


LOTION  of  Chlorinated  Soda.—T\i\%  lotion 
is  used  for  purifying  the  breath,  cleansing  the 
mouth,  removing  unpleasant  odors,  etc  Liquid 
chlorinated  soda  I  ounce,  distilled  water  about 
19  ounces.  Mix.  A  teaspoonful  in  a  glass  of 
water. 

LOTION  for  Itching  Chilblains.— Izk'i  hy- 
drochloric acid  I  part,  and  water  8  parts.  Mix. 
Apply  on  going  to  bed.  This  must  not  be  used 
if  the  skin  is  broken. 

LOZENGES,  Carminative. — Bicarbonate  of 
soda  2  drachms,  refined  sugar  14  ounces,  oil  of 
peppermint  4  drops ;  made  into  lozenges  with 
mucilage  of  tragacanth.  Used  in  flatulency, 
heartburn,  etc. 

LOZENGES,  Cough.— \.  Extract  of  blood- 
root,  licorice,  and  black  cohosh,  of  each  ]^  of  an 
ounce ;  tinctures  of  ipecac  and  lobelia,  with 
laudanum,  of  each  ^  of  an  ounce ;  cayenne, 
powdered,  10  grains ;  pulverized  gum  arabic  and 
starch,  of  each  ^  of  an  ounce ;  mix  all  together, 
and  add  pulverized  sugar  3  ounces.  If  this 
should  be  too  dry  to  roll  into  lozenges,  add  a 
thick  solution  of  gum  arabic  to  give  it  that  con- 
sistence ;  and  if  it  should  be  yet  too  moist,  at 
any  time,  add  more  sugar.  Divide  into  320  loz- 
enges. Dose — I  lozenge  3  to  6  times  daily,  as 
needed. — 2.  Keatittg's. — Lactucarium2  drachms, 
ipecacuanha  i  drachm,  squills  %  drachm,  ex;- 
tract  of  licorice  2  drachms,  sugar  6  ounces. 
Made  into  a  mass  with  mucilage  of  tragacanth, 
and  then  to  be  divided  into  twenty-grain  lozenges 
for  use. 

LOZENGES,  Ginger.— HtC^q  8  lbs.  of  loaf 
sugar  in  fine  powder,  and  8  ounces  of  the  best 
ground  ginger.  Mix  them  into  a  paste  with  dis- 
solved gum.  If  gum  tragacanth  be  preferred, 
the  proportion  is  i  pint  of  water  to  I  ounce  of 
gum;  when  properly  dissolved,  it  must  be  forc- 
ibly passed  through  the  interstices  of  a  coarse 
towel  or  cloth,  i  ounce  of  this  dissolved  gum 
is  sufficient  for  4  or  5  lbs.  of  sugar ;  or  i  ounce 
of  dissolved  gum  Arabic  to  12  ounces  of  sugar. 
Essence  may  be  used  instead  of  powdered  gin- 
ger, coloring  it  with  saffron.  A  stimulant  and 
stomachic. 

.  LOZENGES,  Santonin. — Santonin  60  grains, 
pulverized  sugar  5  ounces,  mucilage  of  gum 
tragacanth  sufficient  to  make  it  into  a  thick  paste, 
■worked  carefully  together,  that  the  santonin 
shall  be  evenly  mixed  throughout  the  whole 
mass ;  then  cover  up  the  mortar  in  which  you 
have  rubbed  them,  and  let  it  stand  from  12  to  14 
hours  to  temper,  at  which  time  they  will  turn 
out  better  than  if  done  immediately  ;  divide  into 
120  lozenges.  Dose — For  a  child  i  year  old  I 
lozenge  night  and  morning  ;  for  a  child  2  years 
old,  2  lozenges ;  for  a  child  of  4  years  old,  3 
lozenges  ;  for  a  child  of  8  years  old,  4  lozenges ; 
for  a  child  of  10  years  old,  or  more,  5  to  7  loz- 
enges ;  in  all  cases  to  be  taken  twice  daily,  and 
continuing  until  the  worms  start  on  a  voyage  of 
discovery. 

LOZENGES,  Steel— ^vlZ^x  2  lbs.,  starch  i 
lb.,  carbonate  or  oxide  of  iron  6  ounces,  pow- 
dered cassia  5  ounces.     Mix  with  mucilage. 

MANDRAKE,  or  May  ^///.'.— This  is  an 
excellent  purgative,  in  doses  of  from  10  to  30 
grains,  or  double  that  quantity,  in  a  gill  of  wa- 
.  ter ;  or  equal  quantities  of  the  mandrake  juice 
tind  molasses  may  be  mixed,  and  a  tablespoonful 
taken  every  hour  or  two  till  it  operates.  The 
Indians  gather  the  root  in  autumn,  when  the 


leaves  turn  yellow,  dry  it  in  the  shade,  and  pul- 
verize it  for  use. 

AIILK  OF  ALMONDS.— TskG  of  blanched 
Jordan  almonds  i  ounce,  blanched  bitter  almonds 
2  drachms,  distilled  water  ^  a  pint.  Make  an 
emulsion  with  them,  then  strain  and  add  gradu- 
ally corrosive  sublimate  (in  coarse  powder)  15 
grains,  previously  dissolved  in  _J^  a  pint  of  dis- 
tilled water.  If  necessary  add  as  much  more 
water  as  will  make  the  whole  measure  about  i 
pint. 

MILK  OF  ROSES.— Jn  making  the  milk  of 
roses,  the  chief  object  should  be  to  produce  a 
perfect  emulsion,  or  one  at  least  which,  if  it  sep- 
arates after  long  repose,  may  be  restored  to  a 
homogeneous  state  by  slight  agitation.  It  must 
also  be  recollected  that,  though  other  perfumes 
may  be  and  are  commonly  added  to  it  almost  at 
will,  the  scent  of  roses  should  predominate  and 
form  its  characteristic  one. 

A/ILK  OF  IFAX.— White  wax  and  alcohol 
equal  parts.  Mix  with  heat  in  a  porcelain  ves- 
sel, then  pour  it  on  a  slab,  grind  to  a  paste  with 
more  alcohol,  and  as  soon  as  it  appears  of  a  per- 
fectly even  consistence,  add  water  gradually  to 
the  amount  of  3  or  4  times  the  weight  of  the 
wax ;  grind  to  a  fine  emulsion,  and  strain  through 
canvass. 

MIXTURE,  CO  UGIf. —Ta\ie  I  teacupful  of 
molasses,  and  add  2  tablespoonfuls  of  vinegar ; 
simmer  this  over  the  fire ;  then,  when  taken  off, 
add  3  teaspoonfuls  of  paregoric,  and  as  much  re- 
fined nitre  as  can  be  put  upon  the  point  of  a 
small  breakfast  knife.  Of  this  mixture  take  2 
or  3  teaspoonfuls  on  going  to  bed,  and  i  or  2 
during  the  day  when  you  have  a  disposition  to 
cough. 

MIXTURE,  Copaiba. — Balsam  of  copaiba 
l^  ounces,  nitric  ether  I  ounce,  tincture  of 
henbane  3  drachms,  liquor  of  potash  2  drachms, 
cinnamon  water  sufficient  to  make  the  mixture  8 
ounces.  Dose — 2  tablespoonfuls  twice  a  day  in 
case  of  gonorrhea. 

MIXTURE,  Goiit.—'^me  of  colchicum  I 
ounce,  spirit  of  nitrous  ether  I  ounce,  iodide  of 
potassium  2  scruples,  distilled  water  2  ounces. 
Mix.  A  teaspoonful  in  chamomile  tea  2  or  3 
times  a  day. 

MISTURA  Spiritus  Vini  Galliei.— Best 
brandy  and  cinnamon  water,  of  each  4  fluid 
ounces ;  the  yelks  of  2  eggs  well  beaten ;  loaf 
sugar  14  an  ounce;  oil  of  cinnamon  2  drops; 
mix.  Dose — From  X  t°  ^  ^'■"^  ounce,  as  often 
as  required.  This  makes  both  eat  and  drink. 
Of  course  any  other  flavoring  oils  can  be  used, 
if  preferred,  in  place  of  the  cinnamon. 

NITRATE  OF  SILVER.— Fme  silver  i^ 
ounces,  nitric  acid  i  ounce,  diluted  with  2  ounces 
of  water ;  heat  by  a  sand-bath  until  ebullition 
ceases  and  the  water  is  expelled;  then  pour  into 
moulds.     Must  be  kept  from  the  light. 

ODOR  OF  FLOWERS,  To  Obtain  the.— 
The  method  pursued  in  the  south  of  Frafice,  by 
which  all  the  better  qualities  of  pomatum  are 
obtained,  consists  in  the  preparation  of  a  pure 
fat  or  lard,  and  in  impregnating  this  with  the 
odoriferous  principles  of  the  flowers.  The  pu- 
rifying of  the  lard  has  to  be  done  with  the  iit- 
most  care,  as  almost  everything  depends  on  it. 
The  lard  is  for  this  purpose  washed  on  an  in- 
clined board  with  water,  rubbing  and  working  it 
all  the  while  by  means  of  a  smooth,  large  stone, 
until  the  water  runs  off  pure  and  clear.     This 


76 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


fat  is  then  filled  into  shallow  pans  on  which  are 
thrown  the  flowers  freshly  cut;  they  are  re- 
moved after  12  or  24  hours  and  replaced  by  fresh 
ones,  until  the  lard  is  considered  saturated.  The 
pomatum  is  then  filled  into  pots  or  bottles,  and 
the  bottles  are  tightly  corked.  If  the  fat  is 
slightly  rancid,  a  very  much  larger  amount  of 
flowers  is  required  to  render  it  fragrant,  and  the 
odor  never  attains  that  fineness  and  dehcacy  that 
it  does  with  pure  lead. 

OIL,  ESSENTIAL,  To  Extract  from  Flow- 
ers. — Take  any  flowers  desired,  which  stratify 
with  common  salt,  and  put  them  in  a  clean 
earthen  glazed  pot.  When  thus  filled  to  the 
top,  cover  it  well  and  carry  it  to  the  cellar.  40 
days  afterwards,  put  a  crape  over  a  pan,  and 
empty  the  whole  to  strain  the  essence  from  the 
flowers  by  pressure.  Bottle  the  essence  and  ex- 
pose it  4  or  5  weeks  in  the  sun,  and  dew  of  the 
evening,  to  purify,  A  single  drop  of  this  es- 
sence, if  rightly  prepared,  is  enough  to  perfume 
a  quart  of  water. 

OIL,  BRITISH. — Linseed  and  turpentine 
oils  of  each  2  ounces,  oils  of  amber  and  juniper 
of  each  4  ounces,  Barbadoes  tar  3  ounces,  sen- 
eca  oil  i  ounce.     Mix. 

OIL  OF  HARLEM.— Sublimed  or  flowers 
of  sulphur  and  oil  of  amber  of  each  2  ounces, 
linseed  oil  i  lb.,  spirits  of  turpentine  sufficient 
to  reduce  all  to  the  consistence  of  thin  molasses. 
Boil  the  sulphur  in  the  linseed  oil  until  it  is  dis- 
solved, then  add  the  oil  of  amber  and  turpen- 
tine. 

OIL,  HAIR,  {Rosemary.) — Take  castor  oil 
I  pint,  sweet  oil  ^  pint,  lard  oil  ^  pint,  alcohol 
a  tablespoonful.     Perfumed  with  rosemary. 

OIL,  HAIR.—(?h3.\on's.)  Cocoanut  oil, 
perfumed  with  oil  of  almonds. 

OIL,  Rowland'' s  Macassar. — Take  sweet  oil  4 
ounces,  cantharides  30  drops,  oil  of  rose  5  drops, 
oil  of  bergamotte  and  oil  of  lemon  of  each  30 
drops,  and  alkanet  sufficient  to  color  it. 

OILS,  KING  <9/".— Burning  fluid  i  pint,  oils 
of  cedar,  hemlock,  sassafras  and  origanum  of 
each  2  ounces,  carbonate  of  ammonia  pulverized 
I  ounce;  mix.  To  use — Apply  freely  to  the 
nerve  and  gums  around  the  tooth,  and  to  the 
face  in  neuralgic  pains,  by  wetting  brown  paper 
and  laying  on  the  parts — not  too  long,  for  fear  of 
blistering  ;  to  the  nerves  of  teeth  by  lint. 

OIL  OF  CASSIA.— Yinest  oil  of  cloves  3 
parts,  ground  cassia  I  part.  Pour  the  oil  warm 
on  the  cassia,  macerate  for  3  or  4  days  or  more, 
and  then  strain  with  expression. 

OIL  OF  RIIOL>I[/M.— This  oil  is  derived 
from  a  species  of  Rhodoriza;  very  fluid  and 
limpid ;  pale  yellow ;  soon  darkens  by  age  and 
exposure ;  tastes  bitter  and  aromatic ;  has  a  mod- 
ified odor  of  roses.  Chiefly  used  as  a  substitute 
for  ottar  of  roses  in  cheap  perfumery,  and  also 
to  adulterate  it.  Oil  of  sandal  wood  is  very  fre- 
quently sold  for  it. 

OIL  OF  ROSES,  (for  t/ie  Hair.)— Tine  oYivc 
oil  1  pint,  otto  of  roses  16  drops,  oil  of  rose- 
mary }'2  a  drachm.  If  required  to  be  red,  color 
with  alkanet  root,  and  strain  before  adding  the 
otto. 

OIL  OF  ORANGE  FLOIVERS.— Orange 
flowers  I  part,  blanched  almonds  bruised  2  parts, 
olive  oil  I  part.  Mix,  and  let  them  remain  to- 
gether for  a  week,  then  express  the  oil.  More 
flowers  may  be  used  to  increase  the  perfume,  if 
desired. 


OIL  OF  SPIKE. — The  genuine  oil  of  spike 
is  made  from  the  lavendula  spica,  (broad-leaved 
lavender,)  but  the  commercial  oil  of  spike  is  al- 
ways made  by  taking  the  rock  oil,  and  adding  2 
ounces  of  spirits  of  turpentine  to  each  pint. 

OIL  OF  TURPENTINE,  for  Purifying 
Purposes. — However  carefully  the  oil  of  turpen- 
tine may  have  been  distilled,  it  always  leaves  af- 
ter evaporation  a  disagreeable  odor,  firmly  ad- 
hering to  the  goods  that  have  been  treated  with 
it.  The  same  is  the  case  with  benzine  and  the 
lighter  petroleum  oils.  This  may  be  obviated, 
according  to  Bremer,  by  distillation  over  tannin. 
Articles  treated  with  oil  of  turpentine  that  has 
been  distilled  in  this  way,  are  heated  to  150*', 
when  they  lose  every  trace  of  odor.  Bremer 
adds  that  this  preparation  is  less  inflammable, 
cheaper,  and  more  agreeable  to  the  workman 
than  benzine. 

OIL  CREAM,  Cod  Liver.— VizV  out  a  ^  of 
an  ounce  of  nice,  clean  pieces  of  gum  tragacanth, 
and  steep  them  in  a  pint  of  water  for  24  hours, 
stirring  or  shaking  up  occasionally  so  as  to  in- 
sure a  fine,  even  mucilage.  Now  mix  a  pint  of 
oil  with  a  pint  of  this  mucilage,  and  put  them 
into  a  bottle  capable  of  holding  more  than  a 
quart,  so  as  to  give  good  "shaking  room,"  and 
give  a  good  shaking,  until  the  particles  of  the 
oil  are  thoroughly  divided.  They  cannot  get  to- 
gether again,  even  if  the  mixture  stands  several 
days.  To  guard  against  any  souring,  add  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  best  brandy,  and  i  or  2  drops  of  es- 
sence of  lemon,  almonds,  vanilla,  or  whatever 
flavor  is  most  desired.  The  brandy  may  be  sub- 
stituted by  20  drops  of  spirit  of  wine. 

OINTMENT,  CREAM.— Obl^lm  a  pint  of 
pure  cream,  let  it  simmer  over  the  fire  till  it  re- 
sembles butter,  and  forms  a  thick,  oily  substance, 
which  may  be  used  as  ointment  for  fresh  or  old 
wounds,  cracked  lips  or  hands. 

OINTMENT,  GREEN— Uonty  and  bees- 
wax each  yi  a  lb.,  spirits  of  turpentine  I  ounce, 
wintergreen  oil  and  laudanum  each  2  ounces, 
finely  powdered  verdigris  }^  of  an  ounce,  lard 
I  ^^  lbs. ;  mix  by  a  stove  fire,  in  a  copper  kettle, 
heating  slowly. 

OINTMENT,  GLYCERINE.— Sizxch.  3 
parts,  glycerine  10  parts.  The  starch,  finely 
pulverized,  is  digested  for  about  an  hour  with  the 
glycerine,  at  the  heat  of  a  water-bath. 

OINTMENT,  Hollocvays.—TokQ  butter  12 
ounces,  beeswax  4  ounces,  yellow  resin  3  ounces. 
Melt,  and  add  vinegar  of  cantharides  I  ounce ; 
evaporate,  and  add  Canada  balsam  I  ounce,  oil 
of  mace  I  drachm,  and  balsam  of  Peru  15 
drops. 

OINTMENT,  ITCH—Sweet  oil  i  lb.,  suet 
I  lb.,  alkanet  root  2  ounces.  Melt  and  macerate 
until  sufficiently  colored,  and  then  add  powdered 
nitre  3  ounces,  powdered  alum  3  ounces,  pow- 
dered sulphate  of  zinc  3  ounces,  powdered  ver- 
milion sufficient  to  color,  and  oil  of  origanum 
sufficient  to  perfume. — 2.  Carbonate  of  potash  I 
ounce,  rose  water  i  ounce,  v'ermilion  i  drachm, 
sulphur  II  ounces,  oil  of  bergamotte  i  drachm, 
lard  II  ounces.  Mix. — 3.  Unsalted  butter  I  lb., 
Burgundy  pitch  2  ounces,  spirits  of  turpentine  2 
ounces,  pulverized  red  precipitate  i}-{  ounces; 
melt  the  pitch  and  add  the  butter,  stirring  well 
together  ;  then  remove  from  the  fire,  and  when 
a  little  cool  add  the  spirits  of  turpentine,  and 
lastly  add  the  precipitate,  stirring  the  mixture 
until  cold. 


DRUGGIST  AND    CHEMIST. 


77 


PRECIPITA  TE,  RED,  for  Old  Sores.— 
Red  precipitate  ]4.  ounce,  sugar  of  lead  ^  ounce, 
burnt  alum  I  ounce,  white  vitriol  ]4t  ounce,  or  a 
little  less ;  all  to  be  very  finely  pulverized  ;  have 
mutton  tallow  made  warm  l  lb. ;  stir  all  in,  and 
stir  until  cool. 

OINTMENT,  MARSHMALLOW.— Yel- 
low resin  and  yellow  wax  each  56  lbs.  Melt 
and  reduce  them  to  a  proper  consistence  with 
rape  oil,  then  add  of  thick  mucilage  i  gallon  ; 
turmeric  to  color  if  required.  Stir  until  it  be- 
comes cold. 

OINTMENT,  TILE.— Powdered  nut-gall 
2  drachms,  camphor  I  drachm,  melted  wax  I 
ounce,  tincture  of  opium  2  drachms.     Mix. 

OINTMENT,  SISSONS.— Best  brandy  |i 
a  pint,  turpentine  I  gill,  camphor  gum  I  ounce, 
beefs  gall  ^  a  pint,  neats-foot  oil  i  pint;  mix. 
Excellent  for  bruises  or  swellings  of  long  stand- 
ing. 

OINTMENT,  STRAMONIUM.— Take  of 
the  leaves  of  the  stramonium,  while  yet  green, 
about  I  bushel,  and  place  them  in  a  suitable 
iron  kettle  over  a  slow  fire.  Put  in  a  few  of  the 
leaves  at  a  time,  washing  them  as  you  keep  ad- 
ding, until  a  pulpy  mass  results,  when  add  lard 
5  lbs.,  and  stew  to  a  crisp ;  then  strain  and  box 
for  use.  Or  take  a  drachm  of  the  soft  extract, 
and  rub  it  into  an  ointment  with  i  ounce  of 
lard. 

OINTMENT  OF  BELLADONNA.— K^i- 
tract  of  belladonna  l  drachm,  lard  i  ounce,  and 
mix.     Used  to  allay  the  pain  of  rheumatism,  etc. 

OPIUM,  POWELL S.—T2ke  opium  i  part, 
spirit  9  parts.  Macerate  until  the  spirit  will 
take  up  no  more,  decant,  and  reserve  the  tinc- 
ture ;  then  pour  6  parts  of  water  on  the  residu- 
um and  repeat  the  process.  Strain  and  mix  the 
2  solutions ;  next  put  them  into  a  retort  and  dis- 
til over,  spirit  9  parts,  and  evaporate  the  remain- 
der to  a  proper  consistence. 

OPODELDOC,  Liquid.— T\iehe%t  brandy,  i 
quart ;  warm  it  and  add  gum  camphor  I  ounce, 
sal  ammoniac  and  oil  of  wormwood,  of  each  % 
ounce ;  oils  of  origanum  and  rosemary,  of  each 
^  an  ounce ;  when  the  oils  are  dissolved  by  the 
aid  of  the  heat,  add  6  ounces  of  soft  soap. 

OTTO  OF  ROSES.— YiM  a  large  glazed 
earthen  jar  with  rose  leaves,  carefully  separated 
from  the  cups;  pour  upon  them  spring  water, 
just  sufficient  to  cover  them,  and  set  the  jar  with 
its  contents  in  the  sun  for  2  or  3  days,  taking  it 
under  cover  at  night.  At  the  end  of  the  third 
or  fourth  day,  small  particles  of  yellow  oil  will 
be  seen  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  and 
which,  in  the  course  of  a  week,  will  have  in- 
creased to  a  thin  scum.  The  scum  is  the  otto  of 
roses  ;  take  it  up  with  a  little  cotton  tied  to  the 
end  of  a  stick,  and  squeeze  it  into  a  phial. 

OXYGEN,  Method  of  Preparing.— Take  a 
strong  solution  of  chloride  of  lime,  and  gently 
heat  it  with  only  a  trace  of  freshly  prepared 
peroxide  of  cobalt;  a  stream  of  oxygen  is  thus 
evolved,  and  chloride  of  calcium  is  formed.  The 
evolution  of  the  gas  is  very  regular  when  the 
liquid  is  heated  to  70  or  80'.  All  the  oxygen  is 
given  off,  no  chlorine  being  liberated.  The 
chief  point  is  to  use  a  perfectly  clear  solution  of 
chloride  of  lime ;  if  a  milky  or  thick  solution  be 
used,  it  will  froth. 

PAIN-KILLER,  Perry  Davis\—Mc6ho\l 
quart,  gum  guaiac  I  ounce,  gums  myrrh  and 
camphor,  and   Cayenne,   (pulverized,)  of  each 


^  ounce.  Mix.  Shake  occasionally  for  a  week 
or  10  days,  and  filter  or  let  settle  for  use.  Ap- 
ply freely  to  surface  pains,  or  it  may  be  taken  in 
teaspoon  doses  for  internal  pains,  and  repeat  ac- 
cording to  necessities. 

PAIN  EX  T/i  AC  TOR.— S^mis  of  ammonia 
I  ounce,  laudanum  i  ounce,  oil  of  organum  I 
ounce,  mutton  tallow  |^  a  lb. ;  combine  the  ar- 
ticles with  the  tallow  when  it  is  nearly  cool. 

PAREGORIC— Best  opium  >^  a  drachm; 
dissolve  it  in  about  2  tablespoons  of  boiling  wa- 
ter ;  then  add  benzoic  acid  j4.  a  drachm,  oil  of 
aniseed  ^  of  a  fluid  drachm,  clarified  honey  I 
ounce,  camphor  gum  I  scruple,  76  per  cent,  al- 
cohol II  fluid  ounces,  distilled  water  4  fluid 
ounces,  macerate  (keep  warm)  for  2  weeks. 
Dose — For  children  5  to  20  drops,  adults  i  to  2 
teaspoons. 

PAPER,  FUMIGATING.— Tzke  sheets  of 
light  cartridge  paper,  and  dip  them  into  a  solu- 
tion of  alum — say,  alum  I  ounce,  water  l  pint. 
After  they  are  thoroughly  moistened,  let  them 
be  well  dried ;  upon  one  side  of  this  paper  spread 
a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  gum  benzoin,  oliba- 
num,  and  either  balm  of  Tolu  or  Peruvian  bal- 
sam, or  the  benzoin  may  be  used  alone.  To 
spread  the  gum,  etc.,  it  is  necessary  that  they  be 
melted  in  an  earthenware  vessel  and  poured 
thinly  over  the  paper,  finally  smoothing  the  sur- 
face with  a  hot  spatula.  When  required  for  use, 
slips  of  this  paper  are  held  over  a  candle  or  a 
lamp,  in  order  to  evaporate  the  odorous  matter, 
but  not  to  ignite  it.  The  alum  in  the  paper  pre- 
vents it  to  a  certain  extent  from  burning. 

PASTE,  German. — Blanched  sweet  almonds 
I  lb.,  pea-meal  2  lbs.,  butter  3  ounces,  saffron  4 
grains,  the  yelks  of  2  eggs,  honey  sufficient  to 
make  a  paste,  which  must  be  passed  through  a 
sieve.  Used  to  feed  larks,  nightingales,  and 
other  insectivorous  singing  birds. 

PASTE,  Phosphorous. — Put  into  a  Florence 
flask  I  drachm  of  phosphorous  and  I  ounce  of 
rectified  spirits.  Dip  the  flask  into  hot  water 
until  the  phosphorous  is  melted,  then  cork  the 
flask  and  agitate  it  until  the  contents  are  cold. 
Pour  off  the  spirit,  and  mix  the  phosphorous 
with  \}^  ounces  of  lard,  then  add  a  mixture  of 
flour  5  ounces,  sugar  or  cheese  1 3^  ounces,  and 
make  the  whole  into  a  paste  with  a  little  water. 
Used  to  destroy  vermin. 

PA  STILES,  Fumigating.— I.  Benzoin  I 
drachm,  cascarilla  ^  of  a  drachm,  myrrh  i  scru- 
ple, oils  of  nutmegs  and  cloves  of  each  10  drops, 
nitrate  of  potash  |^  of  a  drachm,  charcoal  6 
drachms  ;  mix  with  mucilage  of  tragacanth. — 2. 
Benzoin  2  ounces,  balsam  of  Tolu  and  yellow 
sandal  wood  of  each  ^  of  an  ounce,  laudanum 
I  drachm,  nitre  2  drachms,  charcoal  6  ounces ; 
mix  with  mucilage  of  tragacanth. — 3.  Santal 
wood  in  powder  l  lb.,  gum  benzoin  i  lb.,  gum 
Tolu  %  lb.,  otto  of  Santal,  cassia  and  cloves,  of 
each  3  drachms ;  nitrate  of  potass  I  ounce,  mu- 
cilage or  tragacanth  sufficient  to  make  the  whole 
into  a  stiff  paste. 

PA  STILES,  MOUTH,  for  Perfutning  the 
Breath. — I.  Chocolate  powder  and  ground  cof- 
fee each  I  ounce,  prepared  charcoal  I  ounce,  su- 
gar 1  ounce,  vanilla  (pulverized  with  the  sugar) 
I  ounce,  and  sufficient  mucilage  to  mix.  I\Iake 
into  lozenges  of  any  form,  6  or  8  to  be  used  ev- 
ery day  to  disinfect  the  breath. — 2.  Catechu  7 
drachms,  orris  powder  40  grams,  sugar  3  ounces, 
oil  of  rosemary,  (or  of  cloves,   peppermint,  or 


78 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


cinnamon,)  4  drops.  Mix,  and  roll  flat  on  an 
oiled  marble  slab,  and  cut  into  very  small  lozen- 
ges.— 3.  {For  Disinfecting  the  Breath.) — Dry 
chloride  of  lime  2  drachms,  sugar  8  ounces,  and 
gum  tragacanth  I  drachm ;  carmine  2  grains. 
Form  into  small  lozenges. 

PEAU nESPAGNE.—Vtz.M  d'Espagne,  or 
Spanish  skin,  is  nothing  more  than  highly  per- 
fumed leather.  Good  and  sound  pieces  of  wash 
leather  are  to  be  steeped  in  a  mixture  of  ottos,  in 
which  are  dissolved  some  odoriferous  gum  res- 
ins, thus  :  Otto  of  neroli,  otto  of  rose,  santal,  of 
each  y^  an  ounce ;  otto  of  lavender,  verbena, 
bergamotte,  of  each  a  ^  of  an  ounce ;  otto  of 
cloves  and  cinnamon,  of  each  2  drachms;  with 
any  others  thought  fit.  In  this  mixture  dissolve 
about  2  ounces  of  gum  benzoin ;  now  place  the 
skin  to  steep  in  it  for  a  day  or  so,  then  hang  it 
over  a  line  to  dry.  A  paste  is  now  to  be  made 
by  rubbing  in  a  mortar  i  drachm  of  civet  with  I 
drachm  of  grain  musk,  and  enough  solution  of 
gum  acacia  or  gum  tragacantha  to  give  it  A  spread- 
ing consistence  ;  a  little  of  any  of  the  ottos  that 
may  be  lett  from  the  steep  stirred  in  with  the 
civet,  etc.,  greatly  assists  in  making  the  whole 
of  an  equal  body;  the  skin,  being  cut  up  into 
pieces  of  about  4  inches  square,  is  then  to  be 
spread  over,  plaster-fashion,  with  the  last-named 
compost;  2  pieces  being  put  together,  having 
the  civet  plaster  inside  of  them,  are  then  to  be 
placed  between  sheets  of  paper,  weighed  or 
pressed,  and  left  to  dry  thus  for  a  week ;  finally, 
each  double  skin,  now  called  peau  d'Espagne,  is 
to  be  enveloped  in  some  pretty  silk  or  satin,  and 
finished  off  to  the  taste  of  the  vender.  Skin  or 
leather  thus  prepared  will  evolve  a  pleasant  odor 
for  years. 

PERFUME  OF  FLOWERS,  To  Extract.— 
Procure  a  quantity  of  the  petals  of  any  flower 
which  has  an  agreeable  flavor ;  card  thin  layers 
of  cotton  wool,  which  dip  into  the  finest  Flor- 
ence oil ;  sprinkle  a  small  quantity  of  fine  salt  on 
the  flowers,  and  place  layers  of  cotton  and  flow- 
ers alternately,  until  an  earthen  or  wide-mouthed 
glass  vessel  is  quite  full.  Tie  the  top  close  with 
a  bladder,  and  lay  the  vessel  in  a  south  aspect, 
exposed  to  the  sun,  and  in  15  days,  when  opened, 
a  fragrant  oil  may  be  squeezed  away  from  the 
whole  mass,  and  but  little  inferior  (if  roses  are 
used)  to  the  dear  and  highly  valued  otto  or  odor 
of  roses. 

PERFUME  for  Sachets.— Or^s  root  in  pow- 
der I  lb.,  musk  12  grains,  essence  of  lavender  l 
drachm,  essence  of  ambergris  i  drachm,  essence 
of  bergamotte  %  a  drachm,  essence  of  lemon  ^ 
a  drachm. — 2.  Take  any  quantity  of  pure  starch 
in  powder,  color  it  with  a  little  finely-powdered 
rose-pink,  and  perfume  it  with  otto  of  roses,  oil 
of  rosemary,  lavender,  and  neroli,  letting  the 
rose  predominate. — 3.  |4^  of  a  lb.  lavender  flow- 
ers, ^  of  an  ounce  of  dried  thyme,  '^^  of  an 
ounce  of  dried  mint,  j!^^  of  an  ounce  of  cloves, 
^  of  an  ounce  of  caraway  seeds,  I  ounce  of  fine 
salt.  The  lavender  flowers  must  be  rubbed  from 
the  stalk,  the  thyme  and  mint  reduced  to  pow- 
der, and  the  cloves  and  caraway  seeds  bruised  in 
a  mortar.  The  whole  should  then  be  mixed 
with  the  salt,  which  must  be  well  dried  before  it 
is  used.  When  the  ingredients  have  been  thor- 
oughly mixed,  the  compound  may  be  put  into 
silk  or  muslin  bags  for  use. 

PERFUME  Powder  for  Boxes  and  Drawers. 
— I.  Coriander  powder,  Florentine  orris  pow- 


der, powdered  rose  leaves,  powdered  sweet- 
scented  flag-root  of  each  2  ounces ;  lavender 
flowers  powdered  4  ounces,  musk  i  scruple, 
powder  of  sandal-wood  i  drachm.  Mix. — 2. 
Take  of  cloves,  caraway  seeds,  nutmeg,  mace, 
cinnamon,  and  Tonquin  beans,  of  each  i  ounce  ; 
then  add  as  much  Florentine  orris  root  as  will 
equal  the  other  ingredients  put  together.  Grind 
the  whole  well  together,  and  then  put  it  in  little 
bags  among  your  clothes,  etc. 

PERFUME  for  Glomes.— 0\\  of  lavender  20 
drops,  neroli  10  drops,  essence  of  musk  5  drops, 
otto  of  roses  2  drops,  alcohol  2  ounces.  Mix. 
'  PILLS,  Ague. — Quinine  20  grains,  Dover's 
powders,  10  grains,  subcarbonate  of  iron  10 
grains ;  mix  with  mucilage  of  gum  Arabic  and 
form  into  20  pills.  Dose — 2  each  hour,  com- 
mencing 5  hours  before  the  chill  should  set  in. 
Then  take  I  night  and  morning  imtil  all  of  them 
are  taken. 

PILLS,  Anti-Bilious. — Aloes  28  parts,  colo- 
cynth  12  parts,  rhubarb  7  parts,  myrrh  and 
scammony  of  each  3^2  parts,  ipecacuanha  3 
parts,  cardamom  seed  2  parts,  soft  soap  9  parts, 
oil  of  juniper  7  parts,  and  treacle  q.  s.  Divide 
into  4-grain  pills,  of  which  2  or  3  are  a  dose. 

PILL  of  Aloes,  Compound. — Socotrine  aloes 
in  powder  I  ounce,  extract  of  gentian  _J^  ounce, 
oil  of  caraways  40  drops,  and  treacle  a  sufficient 
quantity.  Beat  together  to  a  pill  mass.  Purga- 
tive, stomachic.  Used  in  habitual  costiveness. 
Dose — 5  to  20  grains.  Aloes  are  more  easily 
powdered  by  adding  2  or  3  drops  of  olive  oil  to 
each  ounce. 

PILL  of  Aloes  with  Myrrh. — Powdered  So- 
cotrine aloes  %,  ounce,  saffron,  powdered  myrrh 
and  soft  soap,  of  each  2  drachms,  and  ot  treacle 
a  sufficient  quantity.  Beat  together  to  a  pill 
mass.  Purgative  emenagogue.  Used  in  chlo- 
rosis and  amenorrhea.     Dose — 5  to  15  gi-ains. 

PILL  of  Aloes  with  Soap. — Extract  of  Bar- 
badoes  aloes  powdered,  soft  soap,  and  extract  of 
licorice  equal  parts,  and  of  treacle  a  sufficient 
quantity.  Beat  the  aloes  with  the  soap,  add  the 
other  ingredients,  and  make  a  pill  mass.  Pur- 
gative.    Dose — 5  to  15  grains. 

PILLS,  Brands eth''s — Take  2  lbs.  of  aloes,  I 
lb.  of  gamboge,  4  ounces  of  extract  of  colocynth, 
Yz  a  lb.  of  Castile  soap,  2  fluid  drachms  of  oil  of 
peppermint,  and  i  fluid  drachm  of  cinnamon. 
Mix,  and  form  into  pills. 

PILLS,  Carbonate  of  Iron. — Sulphate  of  iron 
4  ounces,  carbonate  of  soda  5  ounces,  clarified 
honey  2^  ounces,  of  syrup  and  boiling  water  a 
sufficient  quantity.  Dissolve  the  sulphate  of 
iron  and  carbonate  of  soda  each  in  a  pint  of  wa- 
ter, and  to  each  solution  add  a  fluid  ounce  of 
syrup ;  then  mix  the  two  solutions  in  a  bottle 
just  large  enough  to  contain  them,  close  it  accu^ 
rately  with  a  stopper,  and  set  it  by  that  the  car- 
bonate of  iron  may  subside.  Pour  off"  the  su- 
pernatant fluid ;  and,  having  washed  the  precip- 
tate  with  warm  water,  sweetened  with  syrup,  in 
the  proportion  of  a  fluid  ounce  of  the  latter  to  a 
pint  of  the  former,  until  the  washings  no  longer 
have  a  saline  taste,  place  it  upon  a  flannel  cloth, 
and  express  as  much  of  the  water  as  possible ; 
then  immediately  mix  it  with  the  honey.  Lastly, 
heat  the  mixture,  by  means  of  a  water-bath,  un- 
til it  attains  a  pilular  consistence. 

PILLS,  Cathartic. — Aloes  and  gamboge  of 
each  I  ounce,  mandrake  and  blood-root  with 
gum  myrrh,  of  each  ^  ounce ;   gum  camphor 


DRUGGIST  AND    CHEMIST. 


79 


and  Cayenne  of  each  \yi  drachms,  and  ginger  4 
ounces ;  all  to  be  finely  pulverized  and  thor- 
oughly mixed  with  thick  mucilage  (made  by  put- 
ting a  little  water  upon  equal  quantities  of  gum 
Arabic  and  gum  tragacanth)  into  pill  mass  ;  then 
formed  into  common-sized  pills.  Dose — 2  to  4 
pills,  according  to  the  robustness  of  the  patient. 
PILLS,    Chalybeate,   for    Leucorrhea. — Sul- 

f)hate  of  iron  I  scruple,  balsam  of  copaiba  and 
icorice  powder  to  mix.  Divide  into  40  pills. 
Dose — 3  or  4,  3  times  daily. 

PILLS,  Chamomile. — Aloes  12  grains,  extract 
chamomile  36  grains,  oil  of  chamomile  3  drops  ; 
make  into  12  pills  ;  take  2  every  night,  or  twice 
a  day. 

PILLS,  Cough. — Of  extract  of  hyoscyamus, 
balm  of  Gilead  buds,  with  pulverized  ipecac  or 
lobelia,  and  balsam  of  fir,  each  ^  oz.  ;  oil  of  an- 
ise a  few  drops  to  form  into  common-sized  pills. 
Dose — r  or  2  pills,  3  or  4  times  daily. 

PILLS,  Digestive. — Rhubarb  2  ounces,  ipe- 
cacuanha %,  ounce,  Cayenne  pepper  ^  ounce, 
soap  ^  ounce,  ginger  ^  ounce,  gamboge  y^, 
ounce.     Mix,  and  divide  into  4-grain  pills. 

PILLS,  Dinner. — Aloes  20  grains,  ginger  ^ 
drachm ;  add  syrup  sufficient  to  mix.  Divide 
into  20  pills.     I  to  be  taken  daily  before  dinner. 

PILL,Emmaiagogtte. — Precipitated  carbonate 
of  iron  and  gum  myrrh  of  each  2  drachms,  aloes 
and  tincture  of  Spanish  flies  of  each  I  drachm, 
and  oil  of  savin  i  drachm ;  all  to  be  pulverized, 
and  made  into  100  pills  by  using  thick  gum  so- 
lution.    Dose — I  pill,  from  I  to  3  times  daily. 

PILL,  Female  Laxative. — Aloes,  macrotin, 
and  cream  of  tartar,  of  each  2  drachms  ;  podo- 
phylin  and  ground  ginger  i  drachm  each  ;  make 
into  common-sized  pills  by  using  15  or  20  drops 
of  oil  of  peppermint,  and  a  thick  solution  of 
gum  Arabic  mucilage.  Dose — I  pill  at  bedtime, 
or  2  if  found  necessary,  and  sufficiently  often 
to  keep  the  bowels  just  in  a  solvent  condition, 
but  not  less  often  than  once  a  week. 

PILLS,  for  Gravel — Castile  soap  8  parts, 
caustic  soda  4  parts,  oil  of  tartar  to  mix.  Di- 
vide into  3-grain  pills,  I  to  be  taken  every  2  or  3 
hours. 

PILLS,  Hollmvay's. — Aloes  4  parts,  myrrh, 
jalap,  and  ginger,  of  each  2  parts,  and  mucilage 
to  mix. 

PILL  of  Irort. — Powdered  myrrh  2  drachms, 
carbonate  of  soda, sulphate  of  iron  and  treacle, 
of  each  i  drachm.  In  a  warm  vessel  rub  the 
myrrh  with  the  soda,  add  the  iron,  and  rub 
again ;  mix  in  the  treacle,  and  form  a  mass. 
Tonic.  Used  in  chlorosis.  Dose — From  $  to  10 
grains. 

PILL,  Liver. — Leptandrin  40  grains,  podo- 
phyllin  and  Cayenne  30  grains  each,  sanguina- 
rin,  iridin,  and  ipecac,  15  grains  each ;  see  that 
all  are  pulverized  and  well  mixed ;  then  form  into 
pill  mass  by  using  ^  of  a  drachm  of  the  soft 
extract  of  mandrake  and  a  few  drops  of  anise 
oil,  and  then  roll  out  into  3-grain  pills. 

PILLS  for  Obstructed  Menstruation.— Ta!^^ 
sulphate  of  iron  30  grains,  potassa  (subcarb. )  30 
grains,  white  sugar  30  grains,  myrrh  i  drachm. 
Make  them  into  3-grain  pills,  2  to  be  taken  3 
times  a  day  when  there  is  no  fever  present. 

PILLS  to  Promote  Mensttual  Secretion. — I. 
Take  pills  of  aloes  and  myrrh  I  drachm,  com- 
pound iron  pills  70  grains.  Mix  and  form  into 
25  pills.  Dose — 2  pills  twice  a  day. — 2.  Take 
compound   galbanum  pill  i  drachm;  Socotrine 


aloes  I   drachm.     Mix.     Dose — 2  pills,  twice  a 
day. 

PILL,  Nervous. — Alcoholic  extract  of  the  Ig- 
natia  Amara  (St.  Ignatius  bean)  30  grains,  pow- 
dered gum  Arabic  10  grains.  Make  into  40 
pills.  Dose — I  pill  to  be  taken  an  hour  after 
breakfast,  and  I  an  hour  before  retiring  at  night. 

PILL,  Rhubarb. — Fine  powdered  rhubarb  4 
drachms,  powdered  aloes  3  drachms,  powdered 
myrrh  2  drachms,  soft  soap  ],(.  drachm,  oil  of 
caraway  15  drops,  and  of  treacle  a  sufficient 
quantity.  Mix  the  powders,  add  the  other  in- 
gredients, and  form  a  mass.  Stomachic,  pur-  \ 
gative.     Dose — 5  to  20  grains. 

PILLS  for  Sick  Headache. — I  drachm  of 
castile  soap,  40  grains  of  rhubarb,  20  drops  oil 
of  juniper,  and  syrup  of  ginger  enough  to  fjarm 
20  pills.     Take  2  or  3  occasionally. 

PILLS  for  Shortness  of  Breath. — Take  %  of 
an  ounce  of  powder  of  elecampane  root,  %  of 
an  ounce  of  powder  of  licorice,  as  much  flower 
of  brimstone  and  powder  of  aniseed,  and  2 
ounces  of  sugar  candy  powdered.  Make  all  into 
pills,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  tar ;  take  4 
large  pills  when  going  to  rest. 

PILLS,  To  Sugar  Coat. — Pills,  to  be  sugar- 
coated,  must  be  very  dry,  otherwise  they  will 
shrink  away  from  the  coating,  and  leave  it  a 
shell  easily  crushed  off".  When  they  are  dry  you 
will  take  starch,  gum  Arabic,  and  white  sugar, 
equal  parts,  rubbing  them  very  fine  in  a  marble 
mortar,  and  if  damp  they  must  be  dried  before 
rubbing  together ;  then  put  the  powder  into  a 
suitable  pan,  or  box,  for  shaking;  now  put  a 
few  pills  into  a  small  tin  box  having  a  cover,  and 
pour  on  them  just  a  little  simple  syrup,  shaking 
well  to  moisten  the  surface  only;  then  throw 
into  the  box  of  powder,  and  keep  in  motion  un- 
til completely  coated,  dry  and  smooth. 

If  you  are  not  very  careful,  you  will  get  too 
much  syrup  upon  the  pills  ;  if  you  do,  put  in 
more,  and  be  quick  about  it  to  prevent  moisten- 
ing the  pill  too  much,  getting  them  into  the 
powder  as  soon  as  possible. 

PINK  SA  UCERS.-  Safflower  or  carthamus, 
(washed,)  8  ounces,  subcarbonate  of  soda  3 
ounces,  water  2  gallons.  Macerate,  strain,  and 
add  French  chalk  (scraped  fine  with  Dutch 
rushes)  3  lbs.,  and  precipitate  the  color  on  it 
with  tartaric  acid,  a  sufficient  quantity. 

PLASTER,  C^rw.— Yellow  wax  i  lb.,  Venice 
turpentine  2  ounces,  verdigris  i  ounce;  melt  to- 
gether and  spread  on  leather. 

PLASTER,  <7^«r/.— Soak  bruised  isinglass 
in  a  little  warm  water  for  24  hours ;  then  evapo- 
rate nearly  all  the  water  by  gentle  heat ;  dissolve 
the  residue  in  a  little  proof  spirits  of  wine,  and 
strain  the  whole  through  a  piece  of  open  linen. 
The  strained  mass  should  be  a  stiff  jelly  when 
cool.  Now  extend  a  piece  of  silk  on  a  wooden 
frame,  and  fix  it  tight  with  tacks  or  pack-thread. 
Melt  the  jelly,  and  apply  to  the  silk  thinly  and 
evenly  with  a  badger  hair  brush.  A  second 
coating  must' be  appHed  when  the  first  has  dried, 
\\Tien  both  are  dry,  cover  the  whole  surface 
with  coatings  of  balsam  of  Peru,  applied  in  this 
way.  Plaster  thus  made  is  very  pliable,  and 
never  breaks. 

PLASTER,  Irritating.— 'V^r  I  lb.,  Bur- 
gundy pitch  %  ounce,  white  pine  turpentine  t 
ounce,  rosin  2  oiyices.  Boil  the  tar,  rosin  and 
gum  together  a  short  time,  and  then  remove 
from  the  fire,  and  stir  in  finely  pulverized  man- 


8o 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


drake  root,  blood  root,  poke  root,  and  Indian 
turnip,  of  each  i  ounce. 

PLASTER,  Mustard. — Take  a  piece  of  waste 
linen,  and,  if  crumpled,  iron  it  smooth ;  or  pa- 
per will  do.  Procure  a  small  quantity  of  black 
mustard  seed,  and  bruise  it  to  a  coarse  powder, 
in  a  pestle  and  mortar  or  otherwise.  Be  par- 
ticular not  to  have  it  too  fine.  Spread  over 
the  linen  a  thin  solution  of  gum,  and  sprinkle 
the  powder  equally  over  it.  Dry  in  a  warm 
place.  ^Vhen  wanted,  plasters  may  be  cut  any 
size  or  shape  ;  and  when  applied  should  be  mo- 
mentarily dipped  in  tepid  water,  and  tied  over 
the  affected  part  with  a  bandage.  These  plasters 
are  more  simple,  cleanly  and  effective  than  the 
ordinary  mustard  poultices. 

PLASTER,  /'//<r/4.— Burgundy  pitch  6  parts, 
yellow  resin  8  parts,  yellow  wax  3  parts,  lard  7 
parts,  turpentine  I  part,  palm  oil  I  part,  linseed 
oil  I  part.     Mix. 

PLASTER,  Poor  vl/anV.— Take  of  beeswax 
I  ounce,  tar  3  ounces,  resin  3  ounces ;  to  be 
melted  together,  and  spread  on  paper  or  muslin. 
PLASTER,  Rheumatic— %  lb.  of  resin,  and 
"%.  lb.  of  sulphur;  melt  them  by  a  slow  fire; 
then  add  i  ounce  of  Cayenne  pepper,  and  ^  of 
an  ounce  of  camphor  gum  ;  stir  well  till  mixed, 
and  temper  with  neats-foot  oil. 

PLASTER,  Strengthening.— IX'Casxg^  plas- 
ter 24  parts,  white  resin  6  parts,  yellow  wax  and 
olive  oil  of  each  3  parts,  and  red  oxide  of  iron 
8  parts.  Let  the  oxide  be  rubbed  with  oil,  and 
the  other  ingredients  added  melted,  and  mix  the 
whole  well  together.  This  is  an  excellent  plas- 
ter for  relaxation  of  the  muscles  and  weakness  of 
the  joints  arising  from  sprains  and  bruises.  The 
plaster,  after  being  spread  over  leather,  should 
be  cut  into  strips  2  inches  wide,  and  strapped 
Ifirmly  round  the  joint. 

'I  PLASTER,  Styptic.— Tas.  property  of  chlo- 
ride of  iron  to  stop  bleeding  is  well  known,  but 
the  inconvenience  of  carrying  it  about  often  pre- 
vents its  application  when  wanted.  The  French 
have  a  way  of  preparing  a  paper  saturated  with 
it  that  answers  every  purpose,  and  can  easily  be 
transported.  This  paper  is  immersed  in  a  liquid 
prepared  as  follows :  I  lb.  of  finely  pulverized 
gum  benzoin,  I  lb.  of  alum,  and  4  gallons  of 
water  are  boiled  in  a  well-tinned  vessel,  and  fil- 
tered after  cooling.  The  paper  is  well  saturated 
with  this  mixture,  and  when  it  is  dry  a  tolerably 
concentrated  solution  of  chloride  of  iron  is  spread 
over  it  with  a  brush.  It  can  be  kept  indefinitely 
when  protected  by  wax  cloth,  and  is  admirably 
adapted  for  stopping  the  bleeding  of  small  flesh 
wounds. 

POMADE,  Castor  Oil. — Castor  oil  4  ounces, 
prepared  lard  2  ounces,  white  wax  2  drachms, 
bergamotte  2  drachms,  oil  of  lavender  20  drops. 
Melt  the  fat  together,  and  on  cooling  add  the 
scents,  and  stir  till  cold. 

POMADE,  Cream. — Melt  together  I  drachm 
each  ot  white  wax  and  spermaceti,  and  add  oil 
of  sweet  almonds  2  ounces  ;  pour  it  into  a  warm 
mortar,  and  gradually  stir  in  I  ounce  of  rose  or 
other  perfumed  water,  and  I  drachm  of  tincture 
of  Tolu. 

POMADE,  Marrow. — Beef  marrow  I  ounce, 
castor  oil  \^  of  an  ounce,  tincture  of  cantharides 
I  drachm,  essential  oil  of  bitter  almonds  and  of 
lemon  of  each  12  drops.  This  will  be  found 
very  beneficial  if  the  hair  should  show  symptoms 
of  falling  off. 


POMADE,  Transparent.—!.  Take  of  castor 
oil  I  lb.,  spermaceti  ^^  lb.,  and  sufficient  of  any 
desired  perfume. — 2.  Fatty  oil  of  almonds  2  lbs ., 
Spermaceti  ^  of  a  lb.,  oil  of  lemon  3  ounces. 
The  spermaceti  is  melted  in  a  water  bath,  the 
oils  are  then  added,  and  the  heat  kept  up  until  a 
uniform  mass  is  obtained,  in  which  no  floating 
particles  of  spermaceti  can  be  distinguished. 
The  pomade  is  then  poured  into  glasses  ;  if  it  is 
desired  to  obtain  the  pomade  crystallized,  the 
glasses  must  be  heated  beforehand,  and  cooled 
down  very  slowly. 

POMADE  DYE,  for  the  i%;r.— Nitrate  of 
silver  i  part,  nitric  acid  2  parts,  iron  filings  2 
pr.rts.  Mix,  and  let  them  stand  together  lor  4 
or  5  hours,  then  pour  them  on  oatmeal  2  parts. 
Next  add  lard  3  parts,  and  mix  well  together. 

POMATUM,  Black  .S-/;V>^.— Prepared  lard, 
melted,  with  one-third  in  winter,  and  one-half 
its  weight  in  summer,  of  wax,  and  colored  with 
powdered  ivory-black,  and  strained  through  tam- 
my, or  any  substance  that  will  permit  the  fine 
particles  of  ivory-black  to  pass  through.  Stir  it 
constantly,  and  when  it  begins  to  thicken  pour  it 
into  paper  moulds. 

POM  A  TUM,  East  India.— Take  suet  7  lbs., 
lard  7  lbs.,  beeswax  I  lb.  Melt,  then  add  es- 
sence of  lemon  4  ounces,  gum  benzoin  3  ounces, 
musk  2  scruples,  oil  of  cloves  25  drops,  oil  of 
rhodium  25  drops.     Mix  well. 

POMA  TUM,  Marrow.— ?yxx\^tA  lard  4  lbs., 
purified  suet  2  lbs.,  otto  of  lemon  i  ounce,  otto 
of  bergamotte  I  ounce,  otto  of  cloves  3  drachms. 
Melt  the  greases,  then  beat  them  up  with  a  whisk 
or  flat  wooden  spatula  for  a  ^  of  an  hour  or 
more ;  as  the  grease  cools,  minute  vessels  of  air 
are  inclosed  by  the  pomatun,  which  not  only  in- 
crease the  bulk  of  the  mixtures,  but  impart  a  pe- 
culiar mechanical  aggregation,  rendering  the  po- 
matum light  and  spongy;  in  this  state  it  is  ob- 
vious that  it  fills  out  more  profitably  than  other- 
wise. 

POMATUM,  Philocome.— White  wax  10 
ounces,  fresh  rose  oil  i  lb.,  fresh  acacia  oil  % 
lb.,  fresh  jasmine  oil  ^  lb.,  fresh  fleur  d'orange 
oil  I  lb. ,  fresh  tuberose  oil  i  lb.  Melt  the  wax 
in  the  oils  by  a  water-bath  at  the  lowest  possible 
temperature.  Stir  the  mixture  as  it  cools ;  do 
not  pour  out  the  philocome  until  it  is  nearly  cool 
enough  to  set ;  let  the  jars,  bottles,  or  pots  into 
which  it  is  filled  for  sale  be  slightly  warmed,  or 
at  least  of  the  same  temperature  as  the  philo- 
come, otherwise  the  bottles  chill  the  material  as 
it  is  poured  in,  and  make  it  appear  of  an  uneven 
texture. 

POMATUM,  Rose.— Of  prepared  lard  16 
ounces,  prepared  suet  2  ounces;  melt  with  a 
gentle  heat,  and  add  2  ounces  of  otto  of  water, 
and  6  drops  of  otto  of  roses.  Beat  them  well  to- 
gether, and  pour  into  pots  before  it  is  cold.  For 
making  jessamine,  violet,  and  orange  pomade, 
put  the  same  quantity  of  water,  and  I  drachm  of 
the  required  essence. 

POSOLOGICAL  TABLE  /  or.  Rules  fot 
Administering  Medicines,  having  reference  to 
Age  and  Sex. — For  an  adult,  (a  person  of  40 
years)  the  dose  is  allowed  to  be  about  I  drachm, 
60  grains. 

Those  at  20  years,      2-3  of  a  drachm,  40  grains. 
"  13      •<  1-2  "        30      " 

"  7      «'  1-3  «'        20      " 

"  4      «'  1-4  "        IS      " 

«  2         K  j.g  «  JO         « 


DRUGGIST  AND    CHEMIST. 


8i 


Those  at  2  years,  1-8  of  a  drachm,  7  to  8  grains. 
«  I       <(     1. 12  <•         5  " 

For  babes,  under  I  year,  the  dose  should  go 
down  by  months,  at  the  same  rate  as  by  years, 
for  those  over  a  year. 

Again,  for  persons  in  advanced  life,  say  from 
60  years,  the  dose  must  begin  to  lessen  about  5 
grains,  and,  from  that  on,  5  grains  for  each  ad- 
ditional ID  years. 

Females,  however,  need  a  little  less,  generally, 
than  males. 

The  above  rules  hold  good  in  all  medicines 
except  castor  oil,  the  proportion  of  which  cannot 
be  reduced  so  much,  and  opium  and  its  various 
preparations,  which  must  be  reduced,  generally, 
in  a  little  greater  proportion. 

POULTICE,  Charcoal. — Linseed  meal  ^^  of 
a  lb.,  charcoal  powder  2  ounces,  hot  water  suffi- 
cient to  give  it  the  necessary  consistence.  This 
poultice  is  highly  antiseptic — that  is  to  say,  it 
has  great  power  in  cleansing  ulcers,  and  correct- 
ing a  tendency  to  mortification. 

POULTICE,  Goulard's.— Tzks  a  drachm 
and  a  half  of  extract  of  lead,  rectified  spirit  of 
wine  2  ounces,  water  12  ounces,  and  bread  or 
cracker  crumbs  sufficient  to  make  the  whole  into 
a  proper  consistence.  This  poultice  is  an  excel- 
lent application  to  reduce  swelling  and  inflamma- 
tion, and  to  allay  irritation. 

POULTICE,  Hemlock.— ?om  2  pints  of 
water  on  2  ounces  of  hemlock  leaves,  boil  it 
down  to  a  pint,  and  add  as  much  linseed  meal  as 
may  be  necessary  for  the  due  consistency  of  the 
poultice.  This  is  an  excellent  application  to 
cancerous  and  other  malignant  sores.  It  greatly 
diminishes  the  existing  pain.  The  fresh  herb 
forms  the  best  poultice. 

POULTICE,  Yeasi.— Flour  I  lb.,  yeast  of 
beer  ^  of  a  pint.  Mix,  and  expose  the  mixture 
to  a  gentle  heat  till  it  begins  to  swell,  when  it  is 
ready  for  use.  This  poultice  is  well  adapted  as 
an  application  to  painful,  foul,  or  gangrenous  ul- 
cers. It  is  a  gentle  stimulant  to  such  ulcerations, 
corrects  any  tendency  to  mortification,  cleanses 
the  sore,  and  removes  the  fetid  odor. 

POWDER,  Ag2ie. — Quinine  10  grains,  cap- 
sicum 4  grains ;  mix  and  divide  into  3  powders. 
Directions — Take  I  about  4  hours  before  the 
chill,  I  about  2  hours  before  the  chill,  and  the 
third  I  hour  before  the  chill  should  commence. 
POWDER,  Composition. — Bayberry  bark  2 
lbs.,  hemlock  bark  i  lb.,  ginger  root  I  lb.,  Cay- 
enne pepper  2  ounces,  cloves  2  ounces  ;  all  very 
finely  pulverized  and  well  mixed.  Dose — One- 
half  of  a  teaspoon  of  it,  and  a  spoon  of  sugar ; 
Eut  them  into  a  tea-cup,  and  pour  it  half  full  of 
oiling  water  ;  let  it  stand  a  few  minutes,  then 
fill  the  cup  with  hot  water,  and  drink  freely. 

POWDERS,  Condition.— B\a.cV.  awtimony  4 
ounces,  flour  of  sulphur  2  ounces,  bean  flour  or 
.barley  meal  }^  of  a  lb.  A  tablespoonful  to  be 
given  with  the  feed. — 2.  Sulphur  2  lbs.,  fenu- 
greek 4  lbs.,  cream  of  tartar  i  lb.,  licorice  l  lb., 
nitre  i  lb.,  black  antimony  3^  of  a  lb.,  gentian 
!^  of  a  lb.,  anisQed  ^  of  a  lb.,  common  salt  I 
lb.     Dose — I  ounce  daily  for  2  or  3  weeks. 

POWDERS,  Dover's. — Ipecacuanha  in  pow- 
der I  drachm,  opium  in  powder  i  drachm,  salt- 
petre in  powder  I  ounce.  The  above  ingredi- 
ents should  be  reduced  to  a  very  fine  powder. 
Dose — For  an  adult  from  10  to  20  grains. 

POWDER,  Filtering.— YnWcx's,  earth,  puri- 
fied and  powdered,  mixed  with  animal  charcoal. 


Used  to  filter  oils,  etc.,  and  to  render  various 
liquids  whiter. 

POWDERS,  Lemonade.— White  sugar  36 
drachms,  carbonate  of  soda  4  drachms,  essence 
of  lemon  15  drops;  divide  into  12  blue  papers. 
In  12  white  papers  divide  6  drachms  of  tartaric 
acid.  Mix  the  first  well  in  water,  and  add  the 
last.  Each  powder  contains  3  drachms  of  su- 
gar, 20  grains  of  soda,  2  drops  of  essence  of 
lemon,  and  30  grains  of  acid.  Pleasant  refrig- 
erant drink. 

POWDER,  Pearl,  for  the  Complexion.— 
Take  pearl  or  bismuth  white  and  French  chalk, 
equal  parts.  Reduce  them  to  a  fine  powder,  and 
sift  through  lawn. 

POWDER,  Rose  ivr^r^— Wheat  starch  7  lbs., 
rose  pink  i  drachm,  otto  of  rose  2  drachms,  otto 
of  santal  2  drachms. 

POWDERS,  Seidlitz.—Skoz\ift\\e  salts  2  drs., 
bicarbonate  of  soda  2  scruples ;  put  these  into  a 
blue  paper,  and  put  tartartic  acid  35  grains  into 
a  white  paper.  To  use,  put  each  into  different 
tumblers,  fill  ]^  with  water,  and  put  a  little  loaf 
sugar  in  with  the  acid,  then  pour  together  and 
drink. 

POWDER,  Tooth.— \.  Take  powdered  char- 
coal and  white  sugar  of  each  i  ounce ;  Peruvian 
bark  %,  an  ounce,  cream  of  tartar  iJS^  drachms, 
carnella  24  grains.  Rub  them  well  together  and 
pulverize  in  a  mortar.  The  above  powder  will 
cleanse  the  teeth,  strengthen  the  gums,  sweeten 
the  breath,  and  prevent  the  toothache. — 2.  Take 
pumice  stone  and  cuttle-fish  bone  of  each  ^2  an 
ounce,  vitriolated  tartar  and  mastic  of  each  I 
drachm,  oil  of  rhodium  4  drops.  Mix  all  into  a 
fine  powder. — 3.  (Antiseptic.)  Prepared  chalk  2 
ounces,  dry  chloride  of  lime  10  grains,  oil  of  . 
cloves  5  drops.  It  may  be  colored,  if  preferred, 
by  a  little  levigated  bole. — ^4.  (Anti-scorbutic.) 
Extract  of  rhatany  yi  ounce,  prepared  charcoal 

2  ounces,  cinnamon  ^  ounce,  cloves  %.  ounce. 
— 5.  (Rhatany.)  Rhatany  root  2  ounces,  cuttle- 
fish bone  4  ounces,  prepared  chalk  8  ounces, 
borax  I  drachm. — 5.  (Violet.)  Orris  root  2 
ounces,  cuttle-fish  bone  4  ounces,  precipitated^ 
chalk  12  ounces,  bicarbonate  of  soda  yz  ounce, 
essence  of  violets  I  drachm,  and  rose  pink 
enough  to  give  it  a  pale  violet  color. — 6.  (Char- 
coal. )  Prepared  charcoal  I  ounce,  sugar  i  ounce, 
oil  of  cloves  3  drops.  Mix. — 7.  (Paste.)  Pum- 
ice stone  \yi,  ounce,  alum  yl  drachm,  bitartrate 
of  potash  I  ounce,  cochmeal  2  scruples,  bicar- 
bonate of  potash  I  drachm,  orris  i  ounce,  syrup 

3  ounces,  essence  of  lemon  i  drachm,  oil  of 
cloves  and  essence  of  bergamotte  of  each  I 
drachm,  otto  of  roses  8  drops.     Mix. 

QUININE,  Substitute  /^n— Signor  Pavia 
has  extracted  from  the  leaves  and  roots  of  the 
box  {Buxus  sempervirens)  an  alkaloid,  which  he 
calls  buxina,  that  has  been  found  most  efficacious 
in  a  large  number  of  cases  treated  by  7  different 
Italian  physicians.  It  is  in  the  severe  intermit- 
tent fevers  that  prevail  in  the  marshy  parts  of 
Italy  that  the  new  drug  has  been  put  to  the  test. 
Out  of  608  cases  submitted  to  the  new  alkaloid, 
535  were  completely  cured — nearly  80  per  cent. 
—  enough  to  permit  the  claim  for  it  as  a  specific 
to  be  entertained. 

In  a  single  dose  of  15  grains,  sulphate  of  bux- 
ine  generally  prevents  the  next  paroxysm  from 
appearing.  In  a  few  cases  it  only  diminishes 
the  intensity  of  the  paroxysm.  It  is  only  in 
rare  cases  that  a  second  dose  has  had  to  be  given. 


82 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


The  drug  seems  effectual  in  every  type  of  dis- 
ease attributed  to  marsh  miasms. 

RED  RASPBERRY.— This  is  an  astringent. 
A  tea  made  of  the  leaves  is  an  excellent  remedy 
for  the  bowel  complaints  of  children.  A  little 
of  the  bark  of  slippery  elm  improves  its  efficacy. 
It  should  also  be  given  in  the  form  of  an  injec- 
tion. The  tea  is  used  as  a  wash  and  gargle ;  and 
if  drank  freely  it  has  a  good  effect  in  a  cancerous 
state  of  the  mouth,  throat  and  stomach. 

RED  ERECIFITATE.— Quicksilver,  ni- 
tric acid,  equal  parts.  Dissolve,  decant,  and 
evaporate  to  dryness,  in  a  sand  heat,  until  it  as- 
sumes the  proper  color. 

REMED  Y  for  Drunkenness. — ^Tartar  emetic 
8  grains,  and  rose-water  4  ounces.  Mix.  Put 
a  tablespoonful  into  the  whole  quantity  of  liquor 
drank  each  day  by  the  patient,  and  let  him  take 
it  as  usual.  Be  careful  not  to  exceed  a  table- 
spoonful  or  %  an  ounce. 

REMED  Yfor  Gout  and  Rheumatism. — Gum 
guaiacum  i  ounce,  rhubarb  in  powder  2  drachms, 
flour  of  sulphur  2  ounces,  cream  of  tartar  I 
ounce,  ginger  powder  i  ounce.  Make  them  into 
an  electuary  with  treacle.  Dose — 2  teaspoonfuls 
night  and  morning. 

REVA LENTA  A RABICA.— This  article 
for  dyspepsia  and  constipation  is  what  is  some- 
times called  Ervalenta,  and  is  said  to  be  com- 
pounded mainly  from  a  species  of  lentil.  A  pop- 
ular kind  is  made  by  taking  lentil  meal  i  part, 
and  Turkey  millet  flour  2  parts.  It  is  some- 
times prepared  by  mixing  Indian  meal  and  bean 
flour,  equal  parts  of  each,  with  a  little  salt  and 
sugar,  and  mingling  all  together  by  passing  it 
through  a  sieve.  This  preparation  (as  an  article 
of  food  for  dyspeptics)  instead  of  being  nutri- 
tious, is  only  an  irritant  to  the  bowels,  because 
of  the  difficulty  experienced  in  digesting  the 
lentil  meal. 

FINK,  ROSE. — Take  a  strong  decoction  of 
Brazil  wood,  to  which  add  a  little  pearlash,  and 
then  pour  it  over  finely-sifted  whiting,  and  re- 
duce it  to  a  thick  paste  ;  then  dry  slowly. 

ROOT,  Alkanet. — This  root  gives  a  fine  red 
tinge  to  oils,  fats,  wax,  turpentine,  spirits,  es- 
sences, etc.,  and  is  used  to  color  hair  oil,  poma- 
tums, ointments,  varnishes,  etc.  The  spirituous 
solution  stains  marble  of  a  deep  red  ;  wax  tinged 
with  alkanet,  and  applied  to  warm  marble,  leaves 
a  flesh  color, 

ROOT,  Gold  Thread. — ^The  root,  chewed,  is 
good  for  canker,  or  other  sore  mouth ;  and,  pre- 

?ared  by  decoction,  as  a  gargle  in  sore  throat, 
he  tea  is  useful  in  cases  of  general  debility  and 
loss  of  appetite. 

ROOT,  Golden  Seal. — This  is  an  admirable 
remedy  in  case  of  dyspepsia.  A  half  teaspoonful 
of  the  powder,  with  a  half  teacupful  of  boiling 
water,  taken  immediately  after  eating,  when  the 
food  distresses  one,  often  gives  relief. 

ROOT,  Rhubarb. — Rhubarb  is  generally  cul- 
tivated in  our  gardens  for  the  sake  of  the  stalks, 
■which  are  made  into  excellent  pies ;  the  root, 
however,  is  of  great  efficacy  in  some  diseases. 
6  to  10  grains  are  astringent  and  strengthening 
to  the  stomach.  In  larger  doses — from  a  scru- 
ple to  half  a  drachm — it  is  first  purgative  and 
then  astringent.  It  is,  therefore,  an  excellent 
medicine  for  diarrhea  and  dysentery,  because  it 
evacuates  any  acrid  matter  that  mav  be  offending 
the  bowels,  before  it  acts  as  an  astringent. 

ROOT^    Yellow  Dock.— This  is  one  of  the 


most  valuable  remedies  known  in  diseases  of  the 
skin.  The  best  preparation  is  to  bruise  the 
fresh  roots  in  a  mortar,  and  add  cream  or  fresh 
butter  enough  to  make  an  ointment ;  and  it  may 
also  be  taken  internally  at  the  same  time,  either 
in  decoction  or  combined  with  such  articles  as 
are  useful  for  the  internal  treatment  of  bad  hu- 
mors and  scrofulous  conditions  of  the  system. 
It  is  a  certain  and  safe  remedy  for  the  trouble- 
some disease  known  as  the  itch. 

ROUGE. — Wash  safflowers  until  the  water 
comes  away  colorless ;  dry  the  flowers,  powder 
them,  and  digest  in  a  weak  solution  of  carbonate 
of  soda.  Place  some  cotton  wool  at  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel,  then  add  white  vinegar  till  it  ceases 
to  produce  a  precipitate  ;  wash  the  wool  in  cold 
water,  dissolve  the  color  in  a  fresh  solution  of 
soda,  add  some  finely  powdered  French  chalk, 
mix  well,  precipitate  with  vinegar  as  before, 
dry  the  powder  carefully,  and  triturate  it  with  a 
little  olive  oil,  to  render  it  smooth  and  adhesive. 
— 2.  Take  I  lb.  of  best  Brazil  wood,  fine,  and 
of  golden  color,  infuse  4  days  in  4  quarts  of  best 
white  wine  vinegar ;  then  boil  them  together  for 
I  hour;  strain  through  a  linen  cloth,  and  place 
the  liquid  in  i  pint  of  white  vinegar ;  mix  the  2 
liquids  and  stir  them  v/ell  together.  The  scum 
which  now  arises  should  be  carefully  taken  off, 
and  gradually  dried  and  powdered. — 3.  Mix  ver- 
milion with  enough  of  gum  tragacanth  dissolved 
in  water  to  form  a  thin  paste ;  add  a  few  drops 
of  almond  oil,  place  the  mixture  in  rouge  pots, 
and  dry  by  a  very  gentle  heat. — 4.  Ti»ke  I  pint 
of  alcohol,  and  I  ounce  of  alkanet ;  macerate  10 
days,  and  pour  off  the  liquid,  which  should  be 
bottled.  This  is  the  simplest  and  one  of  the 
best  articles  of  the  kind. — 5.  Boil  I  ounce  of 
Brazil  dust  in  3  pints  of  distilled  water,  and  then 
strain ;  add  6  drachms  of  isinglass,  2  drachms  of 
cochineal,  I  ounce  of  alum,  and  8  drachms  of 
borax;  boil  again,  and  strain  through  a  fine 
cloth. 

SACHET  A  LA  FRANGIFANNE.— Orris 
root  powder  3  lbs.,  vitivert  powder  }{  of  a  lb., 
sandalwood  powder  ^  of  alb.,  otto  of  neroli  I 
drachm,  otto  of  rose  I  drachm,  otto  of  santal  I 
drachm,  musk-pods,  ground,  i  ounce. 

SA  CHE  T  HE  Lid  TR  ORE.— Foddered  or- 
ris 2  lbs.,  rose  leaves,  ground,  i  lb.,  tonquin 
beans  ground  l^  a  lb.,  vanilla  beans  }{  of  a  lb., 
grain  musk  %  of  an  ounce,  otto  of  almonds  5 
drops.  Well  mixed  by  sifting  in  a  coarse  sieve, 
it  is  readv  for  use. 

SACHET  ROSE.— Rose  heels  or  leaves  i 
lb.,  sandalwood  ground  }4  lb.,  otto  of  roses  ^ 
of  an  ounce. 

SALVE,  Black. — Lard  24  parts,  white  oxide 
of  zinc  3  parts,  Peruvian  balsam  3  parts,  nitrate 
of  silver  (finely  pulverized)  I  part. 

SALVE,  Brown. — Take  of  rosin  5  lbs.,  Bur- 
gimdy  pitch,  beeswax  and  mutton  tallow,  each  % 
of  a  lb. ;  oil  of  hemlock,  balsam  of  fir,  oil  of 
origanum,  oil  of  red  cedar,  and  Venice  turpen- 
tine, each  I  ounce;  oil  of  wormwood  yi  an 
ounce.  Melt  the  first  articles  together,  and  then 
add  the  oils,  stirring  well ;  pour  into  cold  water, 
and  work  like  wax  until  it  is  cool  enough  to 
roll. 

SALVE,  Balm  of  Gilead.— Mutton  tallow  >(f 
lb.,  balm  of  Gilean  buds  2  ounces,  white  pine 
gum  I  ounce,  red  precipitate  l  ounce,  hard  soap 
I  ounce,  white  sugar  I  tablespoon fi\l.  Stew  the 
buds  in  the  tallow  until  the  strength  is  obtained. 


DRUGGIST  AND  CHEMIST. 


83 


and  press  out  or  strain  ;  scrape  the  soap,  and 
add  it  with  the  other  articles  to  the  tallow,  using 
sufficient  unsalted  butter  or  sweet  oil  to  bring  it 
to  a  proper  consistence  to  spread  easily  upon 
cloth.  When  nearly  cool,  stir  in  the  red  pre- 
cipitate, mixing  thoroughly. 

SALVE,  Felon. — A  salve  made  by  burning  I 
tablespoonful  of  copperas,  then  pulverizing  it 
and  mixing  with  the  yelk  of  an  egg,  is  said  to 
relieve  the  pain,  and  cure  the  felon  in  24  hours  ; 
then  heal  with  cream  2  parts,  and  soft  soap  I 
part.  Apply  the  healing  salve  daily  after  soak- 
ing the  part  in  warm  water. 

SALVE,  Green  Mountain. — Rosin  $  lbs., 
Burgundy  pitch,  beeswax,  and  mutton  tallow,  of 
each  %  lb.  ;  oil  of  hemlock,  balsam  of  fir,  oil 
of  origanum,  oil  of  red  cedar,  and  Venice  tur- 
pentine, of  each  I  ounce;  oil  of  wormwood  Yz 
an  ounce,  verdigris  very  finely  pulverized  I 
ounce ;  raelt  the  first  articles  together,  and  add 
the  oils,  having  rubbed  the  verdigris  up  with  a 
little  of  the  oils,  and  put  it  in  with  the  other  ar- 
ticles, stirring  well;  then  pour  into  cold  water, 
and  work  as  wax  until  cool  enough  to  roll. 

SALVE,  Conklitt's. — Rosin  4  lbs.,  beeswax. 
Burgundy  pitch,  white  pine  turpentine  and  mut- 
ton tallow,  each  %  lb. ;  camphor  gum  and  bal- 
sam of  fir,  of  each  ^^  of  an  ounce ;  sweet  oil  i 
ounce,  and  alcohol  I  pint.  Melt,  mix,  roll  out, 
and  use  as  other  salves. 

SALVE,  Kitridge^s. — Bitter-sweet  and  sweet 
elder  roots  of  each  I  lb.,  hop  vines  and  leaves. 
and  garden  plantain,  top  and  root,  of  each  ^ 
lb. ;  tobacco,  about  2  ounces.  Boil  all  in  rain 
%vater  to  get  out  the  strength  ;  then  put  the 
herbs  in  a  thick  cloth,  press  out  the  juice,  and 
boil  down  carefully  to  one  half  a  pint ;  then  add 
unsalted  butter  I  lb.,  beeswax  and  rosin  of  each 
I  ounce,  and  simmer  over  a  slow  fire  until  the 
water  is  all  out. 

SALVE,  LIP.—TzkQ  I  ounce  of  the  oil  of 
almonds,  %  ounce  of  spermaceti,  and  %  drachm 
of  prepared  suet,  with  any  simple  vegetable  col- 
oring to  fancy ;  simmer  these  until  thoroughly 
mingled ;  as  soon  as  taken  off  the  fire,  stir  into 
the  mixture  3  or  4  drops  of  tincture  of  capsicum, 
and  when  nearly  cold  5  or  6  drops  of  oil  of  rho- 
dium.— 2.  Butter  of  cocoa  i  ounce,  oil  of 
almonds  l  ounce;;  melt  together  with  a  gentle 
heat,  and  add  6  drops  of  essence  of  lemon. — 3. 
Put  into  an  earthen  pipkin  i  lb.  of  fresh  butter, 
1  lb.  of  fine  yellow  wax,  i  ounce  of  alkanet,  and 
3  bunches  of  black  grapes  ;  boil  together,  and 
strain  without  pressure,  through  linen. — 4.  Of 
almond  oil,  ^  lb.,  spermaceti  and  wax  each  2 
ounces,  alkanet  root  2  ounces,  otto  of  roses  I 
drachm.  Place  the  wax,  sperm  and  oil  on  the 
alkanet  root,  in  a  vessel  heated  by  a  steam  or 
water  bath ;  after  the  materials  are  melted,  they 
must  digest  on  the  alkanet,  to  extract  its  color, 
for  at  least  4  or  5  hours  ;  finally,  strain  through 
fine  muslin,  and  then  add  the  perfume  just  be- 
fore it  cools. 

SALVE,  Russia. — Take  equal  parts  of  yellow 
wax  and  sweet  oil,  and  melt  slowly,  at  the  same 
time  carefully  stirring;  when  cooling,  stir  in  a 
small  quantity  of  glycerine.  Good  for  all  kinds 
of  wounds,  etc. 

SARSAPARILLA,  Decoction  r^/:— Take  2 
ounces  of  sarsaparilla  root,  sliced,  and  bruise  it, 
then  add  i  ounce  of  guaiacum  wood;  boil  over  a 
slow  fire  in  3  quarts  of  water  till  reduced  to  I 
quart ;     shortly   before    removing  it   from   the 


saucepan,  add  y^   an  ounce  of  sassafras  wood 
and  3  drams  of  licorice  ;  afterward  strain  it. 

SASSAFRAS. — It  is  an  aromatic  or  pleasant 
tonic.  Sassafras,  prickly  ash,  dogwood,  and 
American  gentian,  make  as  powerful  and  as 
pleasant  a  bitter  as  the  foreign  gentian,  Colombo, 
Peruvian  bark,  cloves,  and  cinnamon,  that  we 
buy  at  the  drug  store. 

SHOW  COLORS,  for  Druggists'  Windows. 
— A  beautiful  blue  is  obtained  by  dissolving  a 
few  crystals  of  sulphate  of  copper  in  water,  and 
supersaturating  the  solution  with  ammonia.  A 
green  color  is  obtained  by  dissolving  nitrate  or 
chloride  of  nickel  in  water.  Nitrate  of  cobalt 
will  give  a  rose  color.  Other  tints  may  be  se- 
lected from  the  different  aniline  dyes,  those  sol- 
uble in  alcohol  being  preferable.  They  should 
be  renewed  every  3  or  6  months,  as  they  will 
gradually  lose  their  brightness.     {^See  page  68.) 

S.4LTS,  Inexhaustible  for  Smelling  Bottles. 
— Liquid  ammonia  I  pint,  otto  of  rosemary  i 
drachm,  otto  of  English  lavender  I  drachm,  otto 
of  bergamotte  ^  a  drachm,  otto  of  cloves  %  a 
drachm.  Mix  the  whole  together  with  agitatioa 
in  a  very  strong  and  well-stoppered  bottle. 

This  mixture  is  used  by  filling  the  smelling 
bottles  with  any  porous  absorbent  material,  such 
as  asbestos,  or,  what  is  better,  sponge  cuttings, 
that  have  been  well  beaten,  washed  and  dried. 
(^See  page  71.) 

SNUFF,  Catarrh. — Scotch  snuff  I  ounce, 
chloride  of  lime  dried  and  pulverized  I  rounding 
teaspoonful ;  mix  and  bottle,  corking  tightly. 

SNUFF,  Cephalic. — Dried  asarbacca  leaves 
3  parts,  marjoram  I  part,  lavender  flowers  I 
part ;  rub  together  to  a  powder, 

SPONGE,  To  Bleach. — Soak  the  sponge  in 
very  dilute  muriatic  acid  to  remove  calcareous 
matter;  then  in  cold  water,  changing  it  fre- 
quently, and  squeezing  the  sponge  out  each  time. 
Then  soak  it  in  water,  holding  a  little  sulphuric 
or  sulphurous  acid,  or  chlorine  in  solution,  and 
changing  the  acid  frequently  till  the  sponge  is 
sufficiently  bleached.  Last,  repeatedly  wash  and 
soak  in  clean  water,  and  scent  with  rose  or  or- 
ange-flower water. 

SPONGE  TENT,  To  Prepare.— The  old 
way  was  by  saturating  the  sponge  with  warm 
melted  wax,  and  compressing  it  until  the  wax 
solidified,  and  then  getting  it  into  a  suitable 
shape.  The  method  of  Dr.  Sympson,  of  Edin- 
burg,  is  to  saturate  sponge,  previously  cleaned, 
with  thick  gum  mucilage,  and  then  having  put 
an  awl  through  its  centre,  a  cord  is  forcily  wound 
round  it  so  as  to  expel  most  of  the  mucilage, 
and  reduce  the  size  of  the  sponge  to  a  small  di- 
ameter ;  it  is  then  dried,  the  cord  is  removed, 
and  the  outside  of  the  tent  rubbed  down  with 
sand-paper  to  the  proper  shape. 

Dr.  H.  Nott,  of  New  York,  prepares  antisep- 
tic sponge  tent  by  saturating  the  prepared  sponge 
with  an  antiseptic  paste  composed  of  alum,  ace- 
tate of  lead,  wheat  flour  and  gum  water,  heated 
to  the  boiling  point,  and  wrapped  in  goldbeater's 
skin.  It  is  then  punctured  with  a  small  knife- 
blade. 

SPECIFIC  for  Dysentery.— Take  I  lb.  of 
gum  Arabic,  I  ounce  of  gum  tragacanth,  dis- 
solved in  2  quarts  of  soft  water,  and  strained. 
Then  take  i  lb.  of  cloves,  ^  a  lb.  of  cinnamon, 
and  the  same  quantity  of  allsjiice,  and  boil  in  2 
quarts  of  soft  water,  and  strain.  Add  it  to  the 
gums,  and  boil  all  together  over  a  moderate 


84 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY     WANTS. 


fire,  and  stir  into  it  2  lbs.  of  loaf  sugar.  Strain 
the  whole  again  when  you  take  it  off,  and  when 
it  is  cool  add  to  it  ^  a  pint  of  sweet  tincture  of 
rhubarb,  and  i^  pints  of  best  brandy.  Cork 
it  tight  in  bottles,  as  the  gums  will  sour  if  ex- 
posed ;  if  corked  properly  it  will  keep  for  years. 

SYRUP,  Cough. — Put  I  quart  of  horehound 
to  I  quart  of  water,  and  boil  it  down  to  a  pint; 
add  2  or  3  sticks  of  licorice  and  a  tablespoonful 
of  essence  of  lemon.  Take  a  tablespoonful  of 
the  syrup  3  times  a  day,  or  as  often  as  the  cough 
may  be  troublesome. 

SYRUP  for  Consumptives. — Take  tamarack 
bark,  without  rossing,  (the  moss  may  be  brushed 
off,)  I  peck,  spikenard  root  ^  a  lb.,  dandelion 
root  ^4  of  a  lb.,  hops  2  ounces.  Boil  these  suf- 
ficiently to  get  the  strength  in  2  or  3  gallons  of 
water;  strain  and  boil  down  to  i  gallon;  when 
blood  warm  add  3  lbs.  of  honey  and  3  pints  of 
the  best  brandy ;  bottle,  and  keep  in  a  very  cool 
place.  Dose — A  wine-glassful,  of  a  little  less, 
as  the  stomach  will  bear,  3  or  4  times  daily,  be- 
fore meals  and  at  bed-time. 

SYRUP,  Hive. — Squill  and  seneka  bruised 
of  each  4  ounces,  tartrate  of  antimony  and  po- 
tassa  48  grains,  water  4  pints,  sugar  3^  lbs. 
Pour  the  water  on  the  squill  and  seneka,  and 
boil  to  half  the  original  quantity.  Strain  and 
add  the  sugar;  then  evaporate  to  3  pints,  and, 
while  the  syrup  is  still  hot,  dissolve  in  it  the  tar- 
trate of  antimony  and  potassa. 

SYRUP,  Soothing. — Take  I  lb.  of  honey,  add 
2  tablespoonfuls  of  paregoric,  and  the  same  of 
oil  of  aniseseed,  add  enough  water  to  make  a 
thick  syrup,  and  bottle.  Dose — For  children 
teething,  a  teaspoonful  occasionally. 

SYRUPUS,  Stillingia  Compound. — Queen's 
root  2  lbs.,  root  of  Turkey-corn  2  lbs.,  blue  flag 
root  I  lb.,  elder  flowers  I  lb.,  pipsissewa  leaves 
I  lb.,  coriander  seed  ^  lb.,  prickly  ash  berries 
%  lb.  Grind  and  mix  the  articles  together ; 
place  the  whole  8  lbs.  in  a  convenient  vessel, 
cover  them  with  76  per  cent,  alcohol,  and  macer- 
ate for  3  days.  Then  convey  the  whole  to  a  dis- 
placement apparatus,  and  gradually  add  alcohol 
until  4  pints  of  the  alcoholic  tincture  have  been 
obtained,  which  retain  and  set  aside.  Then 
continue  the  percolation  with  water,  and  of  this 
second  solution  reserve  so  much  as  contains  a 
sensible  amount  of  spirit,  and  distil  or  evaporate 
the  alcohol  from  it.  Continue  the  displacement 
by  water  until  the  solution  obtained  is  almost 
tasteless,  and  boil  down  this  weaker  infusion 
until,  when  added  to  the  second  solution  after 
the  evaporation  of  its  alcohol,  it  will  make  24 

f)ints.  To  these  2  solutions  combined  add  24 
bs.  of  refined  sugar,  and  dissolve  it  by  heat, 
carefully  removing  any  scum  which  arises  as  it 
comes  to  the  point  of  boiling ;  and  if  it  exceeds 
28  pints,  evaporate  to  that  point  with  constant 
stirring.  Then  remove  from  the  fire,  and  when 
nearly  cold  add  the  4  pints  of  reserved  alcoholic 
tincture,  and  make  4  gallons  of  syrup,  each  pint 
of  which  will  be  equal  to  4  ounces  of  the  ingre- 
dients in  medical  virtue. 

SYRUP  of  Tar. — Tincture  of  tar  2  ounces, 
carbonate  of  magnesia  i  ounce,  water  a  sufficient 
quantity,  sugar  i  lb.  Rub  the  tincture  with  the 
carbonate,  add  gradually  |^  of  a  pint  of  water ; 
then  filler,  and  pour  on  water  through  the  filter 
to  make  the  liquid  measure  ^  of  a  pint ;  lastly, 
add  tlie  sugar,  and  dissolve  with  the  aid  of  gen- 
tle heat. 


SYRUPS  for  Mineral  Waters.— \.  Simple. 
White  sugar  10  lbs.,  water  i  gallon,  best  isin- 
glass %  of  an  ounce.  Dissolve  the  isinglass  in 
hot  water,  and  add  it  to  the  hot  syrup.  The 
syrup  is  to  be  made  with  gentle  heat,  and  then 
strained. — 2.  Lemon — a.  Grate  off  the  yellow 
rind  of  lemons,  and  beat  it  up  with  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  granulated  sugar.  Express  the  lem- 
on-juice, add  to  each  pint  of  juice  i  pint  of  wa- 
ter, and  3  lbs.  of  granulated  sugar,  including 
that  rubbed  up  with  the  rind ;  warm  until  the 
sugar  is  dissolved,  and  strain. — 3.  Lemon — b. 
Simple  syrup  l  gallon,  oil  of  lemon  25  drops, 
citric  acid  10  drachms.  Rub  the  oil  of  lemon 
with  the  acid,  add  a  small  portion  of  syrup,  and 
mix. — ^4.  Strawberry — a.  Strawberry  juic»  I 
pint,  simple  syrup  3  pints,  solution  of  citric  acid 
2  drachms. — 5.  Strawberry — b.  Fresh  straw- 
berries 5  quarts,  white  sugar  12  lbs.,  water  i 
pint.  Sprinkle  some  of  the  sugar  over  the  fruit 
in  layers,  and  allow  the  whole  to  stand  for  sev- 
eral hours ;  express  the  juice  and  strain,  wash- 
ing out  the  pulp  with  water  ;  add  the  remainder 
of  the  sugar  and  water,  bring  the  fluid  to  the 
point  of  boiling,  and  then  strain.  This  will  keep 
for  a  long  time. — 6.  Raspberry.  Raspberry 
iuice  I  pint,  simple  syrup  3  pints,  solution  of  cit- 
ric acid  2  drachms.  Raspberry  syrup  may  also 
be  made  in  a  way  similar  to  No.  5  for  strawberry. 
— 7.  Vanilla.  Fluid  extract  of  vanilla  i  ounce. 
Citric  acid  ^  of  an  ounce,  simple  syrnp  I  gal- 
lon. Rub  the  acid  with  some  of  the  syrup,  add 
the  extract  of  vanilla,  and  mix. — 8.  Vanilla 
Cream.  Fluid  extract  of  vanilla  i  ounce,  sim- 
ple syrup  3  pints,  cream  or  condensed  milk  I 
pint ;  may  be  colored  with  carmine. — 9.  Cream, 
Fresh  cream  i  pint,  fresh  milk  I  pint,  powdered 
sugar  I  lb.  Mix  by  shaking,  and  keep  in  a  cool 
place.  The  addition  of  a  few  grains  of  bicar- 
bonate of  soda  will  for  some  time  retard  souring. 
10.  Ginger.  Tincture  of  ginger  2  fluid  ounces, 
simple  syrup  4  pints. — il.  Orange.  Oil  of  or- 
ange 30  drops,  tartaric  acid  4  drachms,  simple 
syrup  I  gallon.  Rub  the  oil  with  the  acid,  and 
mix. — 12.  Pineapple.  Oil  of  pineapple  i  drachm, 
Tartaric  acid  l  drachm,  simple  syrup  6  pints. — 
13.  Orgeat.  Cream  syrup  I  pint.  Vanilla  syrup 
I  pint,  oil  of  bitter  almonds  4  drops. — 14.  A'ec- 
tar.  Vanilla  syrup  5  pints,  pineapple -syrup  I 
pint,  strawberry,  raspberry  or  lemon  2  pints. — 
15.  Sherbet.  Vanilla  syrup  3  pints,  pineapple 
syrup  I  pint,  lemon  syrup  i  pint. — 16.  Crape. 
Brandy  ^  of  a  pint,  spirits  of  lemon  %  of  an 
ounce,  tincture  of  red  sanders  2  ounces,  simple 
syrup  I  gallon. — 17.  Banana.  Oil  of  banana  2 
drachms,  tartaric  acid  I  drachm,  simple  syrup  6 
pints. — 18.  Coffee.  Coffee  roasted  ^  of  a  lb., 
boiling  water  I  gallon.  Enough  is  filtered  to 
make  about  one-half  gallon  of  the  infusion,  to 
which  add  granulated  sugar  7  lbs. — 19.  IVild 
Cherry-  Wild  cherry  bark  in  coarse  powder  5 
ounces.  Moisten  the  bark  with  water,  and  let 
it  stand  for  24  hours  in  a  close  vessel.  Then 
pack  it  firmly  in  a  percolator,  and  pour  water 
upon  it  until  I  pint  of  fluid  is  obtained.  To  this 
add  28  ounces  of  sugar. — 20.  II  intergreen. 
Oil  of  wintergreen  25  drops,  simple  syrup  5 
pints,  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  burnt  sugar  to 
color. — 21.  Sarsaparilla — a.  Oil  wintergreen  IC 
drops,  oil  of  anise  10  drops,  oil  of  sassafras  10 
drops,  fluid  extract  of  sarsaparilla  2  ounces,  sim- 
ple syrup  5  pints,  powdered  extract  of  licorice  I 
ounce. — 22.   Sarsaparilla — b.    Simple    syrup  4 


DRUGGIST  AND    CHEMIST. 


85 


pjuts,   compound  syrup   of  sarsaparilla  4 
ounces,  caramel  ih^  ounces,  oil  of  winterj 


fluid 
1^-5  uuin,cb,  uii  yii.  >vintergreen 
6  drops,  oil  of  sassafras  6  drops. — 23.  Maple. 
Maple  sugar  4  lbs.,  water  2  pints. — 24.  Choco- 
late, Best  chocolate  8  ounces,  water  2  pints, 
white  sugar  4  pounds.  Mix  the  chocolate  in 
water,  and  stir  thoroughly  over  a  slow  fire. 
Strain,  and  add  the  sugar. — 25.  Coffee  Cteam. 
Coffee  syrup  2  pints,  cream  i  pint. — 26.  Am- 
brosia. Raspberry  syrup  2  pints,  vanilla  syrup 
2  pints,  hock  wine  4  ounces. — 27.  Hock  and 
Claret.  Hock  or  claret  wine  I  pint,  simple 
sjTup  2  pints. — 28.  Solferino.  Brandy  I  pint, 
simple  syrup  2  pints. — 29.  Fruit  Acid  (used  in 
some  of  the  syrups.)  Citric  acid  4  ounces,  wa- 
ter 8  ounces.  ^lost  of  the  syrups  not  made 
from  fruits  may  have  a  little  gum  Arabic  added 
in  order  to  produce  a  rich  froth. 

SWEET  FERN. — Sweet  fern  grows  in  the 
woods  and  in  stony  places,  flowers  from  June  to 
October,  and  is  well  known.  It  is  a  powerful 
medicine  to  expel  the  tapeworm,  in  the  dose  of 
a  pint  a  day  of  the  decoction,  or  i  or  2  teaspoon- 
fals  of  the  powder,  to  be  followed  on  the  fifth 
day  by  a  dose  of  some  kind  of  physic.  It  is 
also  good  in  chronic  rheumatism,  and  a  wash  of 
it  is  considered  beneficial  in  St.  Anthony's  fire, 
and  other  cutaneous  affections. 

TAA'NIN,  Purification  of. — In  order  to  free 
commercial  tannin  from  the  peculiar  odor  which 
it  derives  from  a  greenish-colored  resin,  Deinz 
recommends  to  dissolve  6  parts  of  it  in  12  parts 
of  hot  water  in  a  porcelain  mortar,  to  pour  the 
fluid  into  a  bottle,  and  after  the  addition  of  ^2  to 
I  part  of  ether,  to  shake  it  vigorously.  The 
mixture  appears  cloudy  and  very  greenish,  but 
becomes  clear  after  a  few  hours'  standing,  v.-hile 
the  resinous  coloring  matter  separates  in  flakes 
of  coagulated  albumen.  The  fluid  is  then  fil- 
tered, and  the  filtrate  evaporated  to  dryness. 
Tannin  treated  in  this  way  is  colorless,  and 
forms  a  perfectly  clear  solution. 

TINCTURE  of  C,7«//wr/y<-j.— Cantharides 
bruised  y^  an  ounce,  proof  spirit  2  pints.  Ma- 
cerate 6  or  7  days,  express  and  strain.  Stimu- 
lant, diuretic,  and  must  be  used  with  caution. 
Dose — 10  drops,  gradually  increased  to  i  drachm, 
given  in  any  mucilaginous  fluid.  Externally 
used,  combined  with  compound  camphor  lini- 
ment, as  a  rubefacient  in  rheumatism,  frost-bites 
or  unbroken  chilblains.  An  ingredient  in  reme- 
dies for  baldness. 

_  TINCTURE,  C/wA-ra.— Select  the  thinnest 
cinnamon  bark,  cloves,  guaiac,  all  pulverized,  of 
each  I  ounce ;  very  best  brandy  i  quart.  ^lix, 
and  shake  occasionally  for  a  week  or  two.  Dose 
— ^Teaspoonful  to  tablespoonful  for  an  adult,  ac- 
cording to  the  condition  and  robustness  of  the 
system.  It  may  be  repeated  at  intervals  of  I  to 
4  hours,  if  necessary,  or  much  more  often,  ac- 
cording to  the  condition  of  the  bowels. — 2.  Sul- 
phuric ether  2  ounces,  and  put  into  it  castor  and 
gentian,  of  each  ^4  of  an  ounce ;  opium  and 
agaric  eacn  I  drachm,  gum  camphor  3_^  of  an 
ounce;  let  them  stand  2  days,  then  add  i  quart 
of  alcohol,  and  let  it  stand  14  days,  when  it  is 
ready  for  use.  Dose — I  teaspoonful  every  15  or 
20  minutes,  according  to  the  urgency  of  the 
case. 

TINCTURE,  Diarrhea. — Compound  tinc- 
ture of  myrrh  6  ounces,  tincture  of  rhubarb  and 
spirits  of  lavender  of  each  5  ounces,  tincture  of 
opium  3  ounces/  oils  of  anise  and  cinnamon. 


with  gum  camphor  and  tartaric  acid,  of  each  % 
of  an  ounce.  Mix.  Dose — I  teaspoonful  in 
half  a  tea-cupful  of  warm  water,  sweetened  with 
loaf  sugar ;  repeat  after  each  passage. 

TIN^CTURE,  Gout. — Veratrum  viride  (swamp 
hellebore)  l  ounce,  opium  ^  of  an  ounce,  wine 

1  pint ;  let  them  stand  for  several  days.  Dose 
— 15  to  30  drops,  according  to  the  robustness  of 
the  patient,  at  intervals  of  2  to  4  hours. 

TINCTURE  {S'weet)  of  Rhubarb.— Take 
of  rhubarb  bruised  2  ounces,  licorice  root  bruised 

2  ounces,  aniseed  bruised  I  ounce,  sugar  i 
ounce,  diluted  alcohol  2  pints.  Macerate  for  14 
davs,  express  and  filter. 

'tincture  of  J/«j/&.— Powdered  musk  I 
ounce,  civet  30  grains,  otto  of  roses  25  drops, 
oil  of  cloves  10  drops,  alcohol  4  pints.     Digest. 

TINCTURE  of  Opium. — Opium  3  ounces, 
proof  spirit  2  pints.  Macerate  for  7  days,  ex- 
press and  strain.     Dose :  From  2  drops  to  i  or 

2  drachms.  I  grain  of  opium  is  contained  in  19 
drops. 

TINCTURE  of  Pearls  {for  the  Complexion.) 
Blanched  almonds  I  lb.,  acetate  of  lead  4  ounces, 
water  7  pints.  Reduce  them  to  a  milk  and  then 
strain  ;  add  spirit  3  pints,  essence  of  neroli  and 
essence  of  lavender  each  I  drachm.  This  is 
used  for  removing  freckles. 

TINCTURES  for  the  Teeth.— \.  Camphor 
4  ounces,  myrrh  2  ounces,  rectified  spirits  36 
fluid  ounces,  distilled  water  8  ounces. — 2.  Spirit 
of  nutmegs  I  drachm,  tincture  of  rhatany  2 
drachms,  compound  tincture  of  cardamons  3 
drachms,  compound  spirit  of  lavender  and  spirit 
of  cinnamon  of  each  I  drachm,  otto  of  roses  3 
drops.     Mix. — {Myrrh.')  Choice  Turkey  myrrh 

3  ounces,  eau  de  Cologne  i  quart.  Digest  for 
7  days,  and  then  filter. — ^4.  {Myrrh  and  Borax.) 
Take  spirits  of  wine  I  quart,  borax  I  ounce, 
honey  I  ounce,  gum  myrrh  i  ounce,  red  sanders 
wood  I  ounce.  Rub  the  honey  and  borax  well 
together  in  a  mortar,  then  gradually  add  the 
proof  spirit,  the  myrrh  and  sanders  wood,  and 
macerate  for  14  days. 

VACCINE  VIRUS,  To  A'^^'/.— Immerse  it 
in  the  fresh  state  in  glycerine,  of  which  the  best 
quality  only  should  be  used.  It  should  be  kept 
in  a  cool  place,  and  never  at  a  temperature  higher 
than  84"  Fahrenheit. 

VERMIFUGE  {Swain's.)— Qi  wormseed  2 
ounces,  valerian,  rhubarb,  pink-root,  white  aga- 
ric, of  each  i  ounce ;  boil  in  sufficient  water  to 
yield  3  quarts  of  decoction,  and  add  to  it  30 
drops  of  oil  of  tansy,  and  45  drops  of  oil  of 
cloves,  dissolved  in  a  quart  of  rectified  spirits. 
Dose:  I  tablespoonful  at  night. — 2.  {Fahnes- 
tock's. )  Castor  oil  I  ounce,  oil  of  wormseed  I 
ounce,  oil  of  anise  i  ounce,  tincture  of  myrrh  I 
oil  of  turpentine  10  minims.     Mix. 

VINEGAR,  Toilet— \.  {Aromatic.)  Acetic 
acid  I  pint,  camphor  2  ounces,  oil  of  lavender  I 
drachm,  oil  of  cinnamon  20  drops,  oil  of  cloves 
and  oil  of  rosemary  each  30  drops ;  mix  thor- 
oughly. To  be  used  as  a  reviving  perfume  in 
fainting,  etc.  As  it  is  corrosive  it  should  not  be 
allowed  to  come  in  contact  with  the  skin  or  the 
clothes. — 2.  {Henrfs.)  Dried  leaves  of  rose- 
mary, rue,  wormwood,  sage,  mint,  and  lavender 
flowers,  each  i  ounce  ;  bruised  nutmeg,  cloves, 
angelica  root,  and  camphor,  each  i  ounce  ;  alco- 
hol, 4  ounces,  concentrated  acetic  acid  16  ounces. 
Macerate  the  materials  for  a  day  in  the  spirit, 
then  add  the  acid,  and  digest  for  a  week  longer 


85 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


at  a  temperature  of  about  14  or  15"  C.  Finally, 
press  out  the  new  aromatized  acid,  and  filter  it. 
WATER,  Carlsbad,  (^Artificial.)— Yi^^ao- 
chlorate  of  lime  8  grains,  tincture  of  sesqui- 
chloride  of  iron  i  drop,  sulphate  of  soda  50 
grains,  carbonate  of  soda  60  grains,  hydrochlo- 
ride of  soda  8  grains,  carbonated  water  l  pint. 
IVATER,  Cologne. — I.  The  recipes  for  Co- 
logne water  are  innumerable  ;  the  quality  of  the 
preparation  depends  altogether  on  the  purity  of 
the  oils,  and  greatly  on  the  quality  of  the  alco- 
hol. {First  Quality.) — Pure  alcohol  6  gallons, 
oil  of  neroli  4  ounces,  oil  of  rosemary  2  ounces, 
oil  of  orange  5  ounces,  oil  of  citron  5  ounces, 
oil  of  bergamotte  2  ounces.  Mix  with  agitation, 
and  then  allow  it  to  stand  for  a  few  days  per- 
fectly quiet  before  bottling. — 2.  {Second  Quality) 
Pure  alcohol  6  gallons,  oil  of  neroli  2  ounces, 
oil  of  rosemary  2  ounces,  oil  of  orange  peel  4 
ounces,  oil  of  lemon  4  ounces,  oil  of  bergamotte 
4  ounces.  To  be  treated  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  first. 

WATER,  Congress. — ^Take  of  supercarbon- 
ate  of  soda  2  drachms,  Epsom  salts  l  drachm, 
table  salt  i  drachm,  well  water  (soft)  i  quart ; 
mix  the  powders  in  a  black  bottle,  and  pour  on 
the  water ;  then  add  of  tartaric  acid  l  drachm 
to  each  bottle,  and  cork  tight  immediately.  Fit 
for  use  in  12  hours. 

WATER,  Congress  {/or Fountains.) — Com- 
mon salt  7^  ounces,  hydrate  of  soda  20  grains, 
bicarbonate  of  soda  20  grains,  calcined  magnesia 
I  ounce.  Add  to  10  gallons  of  water,  and  then 
charge  with  gas. 

WATER,  Eye.—l.  Soft  water  I  pint,  gum 
Arabic  I  ounce,  white  vitriol  i  ounce,  fine  salt 
^  of  a  teaspoonful ;  put  all  into  a  bottle  and 
shake  until  dissolved.  Put  into  the  eye  just  as 
you  retire  to  bed. — 2.  Take  i  pint  of  rose-water, 
and  add  i  teaspoonful  each  of  spirits  of  camphor 
and  laudanum.  Mix  and  bottle.  To  be  shaken 
and  applied  to  the  eyes  as  often  as  necessary. — 
3.  Sulphate  of  copper  15  grains,  French  bole  15 
grains,  camphor  4  grains,  boiling  water  4  ounces. 
Infuse,  strain,  and  dilute  with  2  quarts  of  cold 
water. 

WATER,  Florida.. — Take  oil  of  bergamotte 
3  ounces,  oil  of  cinnamon  4  drachms,  tincture  of 
benzoin  2  ounces,  alcohol  30  per  cent.  Baume  I 
gallon.     Mix  and  filter. 

WA  TER,  Goulard. — Extract  lead  I  drachm, 
and  of  distilled  vinegar  2  ounces,  proof  spirit 
of  wine  ^  of  an  ounce,  water  i  pint.  Mix 
these  ingredients  together. 

WATER,  Honey. — Rectified  spirits  8  pints, 
oil  of  cloves,  oil  of  lavender,  oil  of  bergamotte, 
each  3^  of  an  ounce ;  musk  8  grains,  yellow 
Sanders  shavings  4  ounces;  digest  for  8  days, 
and  add  2  pints  each  of  orange  flower  and  rose- 
water.  . 

JVA  TER,  Hungary. — ^Take  oil  of  rosemary  2 
ounces,  of  balm  and  lemon  peel  of  each  I  ounce, 
mint  30  drops,  essence  of  orange  flowers  and  es- 
sence of  roses  of  each  i  pint,  alcohol  i  gallon. 
WATER,  Kissingen,  {for  Fountains.) — Bi- 
carbonate of  soda  I  drachm,  carbonate  of  lime  2 
drachms  and  2  scruples,  precipitated  carbonate 
of  lime  2  scruples,  common  salt  8  ounces,  muri- 
ate of  ammonia  4  grains,  sulphate  of  soda  2 
drachms  and  2  scruples,  sulphate  of  magnesia  2 
ounces,  phosphate  of  soda  13  grains,  phosphate 
of  lime  2  drachms  and  2  scruples.  Mix.  Add 
water  ^^  of  a  gallon.     Let  it  stand  for  6  hours, 


filter,  add  carbonate  of  magnesia  3  drachms  and 
I  scruple,  and  charge  with  10  gallons  of  water. 
WATER,  Lavender. — I.  Oil  of  lavender  4 
ounces,  proof  spirit  3  quarts,  rose  water  i  pint. 
Mix  and  filter. — 2.  {Odoriferous.) — Oil  of  lav- 
ender 3  drachms,  oil  of  bergamotte  20  drops, 
oil  of  neroli  6  drops,  otto  of  rose  6  drops,  es- 
sence of  cedrat  8  drops,  essence  of  musk  20 
drops,  rectified  spirit  28  fluid  ounces,  distilled 
water  4  ounces. 

WA  TER,  Livie.—UmG  %  of  a  lb.,  distilled 
water  12  pints.  Slake  the  lime  with  a  httle  wa- 
ter, add  the  remaining  water,  and  shake:  set 
the  covered  vessel  aside  for  3  hours,  keep  the 
liquor  and  lime  in  stopped  glass  vessels,  and 
when  it  is  required  decant  the  clear  portion  for 
use.  Antacid,  lithontriptic.  Allays  obstinate 
vomiting,  is  used  as  an  astringent  in  dysentery, 
and,  with  sarsaparilla,  as  an  alterative  in  cuta- 
neous diseases  or  impaired  digestion.  Dose — 
I  to  3  ounces,  combined  with  an  equal  quantity 
of  milk. 

WATER,  Rose. — Otto  of  roses  12  drops, 
white  sugar  l  ounce,  magnesia  2  drachms,  pure 
soft  water  i  quart,  alcohol  2  ounces.  Rut  the 
otto  of  roses  with  the  sugar  and  magnesia,  and 
gradually  add  the  water  and  alcohol,  previously 
mixed,  and  filter  the  whole  through  paper. 

WA  TER,  Vichy  {for  Fountains)  —  Sulphate 
of  potass  2  drachms,  sulphate  of  soda  4  scru- 
ples, phosphate  of  soda  25  grains,  common  salt 
6  drachms,  bicarbonate  of  soda  5  ounces,  car- 
bonate of  ammonia  10  grains.  Mix.  Add  wa- 
ter I  gallon.  Let  it  stand  i  day,  filler,  and  then 
change  with  10  gallons  of  water. 

WASH  BALL,  Perfumed.— IzSa^  of  the  best 
white  soap,  shaved  into  slices,  3  ounces;  of  Flo- 
rentine orris  I  ounce,  of  calamus  aromaticus  the 
same,  of  elder-flowers,  cloves  and  dried  rose- 
leaves,  each  I  ounce ;  corriander  seeds,  lavender, 
and  bay  leaves,  each  i  drachm;  with  3  drachms 
of  storax.  Reduce  the  whole  to  a  fine  powder, 
which  knead  into  a  paste  with  the  scrap,  adding 
a  few  grains  of  soap  or  ambergris.  A\'hen  you 
rnake  this  paste  into  washballs,  soften  it  with  a 
little  oil  of  almonds  to  render  the  composition 
more  lenient.  This  soap  has  excellent  cleansing 
and  cosmetic  properties. 

WAFERS,  Bryan's  Pulmonic— Takft  white 
sugar  7  lbs.,  tincture  of  syrup  of  ipecac 4  ounces, 
antimonial  wine  2  ounces,  morphine  10  grains, 
dissolved  in  a  tablespoonful  of  water,  with  10  or 
15  drops  of  sulphuric  acid;  tincture  of  blood 
root  I  ounce,  syrup  of  tolu  2  ounces;  add  these 
to  the  sugar,  and  mix  the  whole  mass  as  confec- 
tioners do  for  lozenges,  and  cut  into  lozenges  the 
ordinary  size. 

WINTERGREEN.  —  It  is  useful  in  spas- 
modic asthma,  in  urinary,  and  in  female  weak- 
nesses. It  relieves  cramp  from  wind  in  the 
stomach  ;  and  the  juice,  boiled  with  sweet  oil, 
wax  and  turpentine,  makes  a  salve  which  is  used 
to  heal  wounds. 

WITCH  HAZEL.— K  tea  of  the  leaves  and 
bark  is  useful  to  wash  putrid  sores ;  and  it  will 
also  remove  that  diseased  or  dead  substance 
known  as  "proud  flesh."  For  this  purpose  a 
poultice  should  be  made  of  a  strong  inmsion  and 
applied  to  the  sore,  or  it  may  be  washed  gently 
with  the  tea. 

WRIGHl  'S  CURE  for  Inflavwratory  Rheu- 
maiistn. — Sulphur  and  saltpetre  of  each  i  ounce, 
gum  guaiac  i  ounce,   colchicum  root,   or  seed. 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— CATTLE. 


87 


and  nutmegs,  of  each  %  of  an  ounce  all  to  be 

f)ulverized  and  mixed  with  simple  syrup,  or  mo- 
asses,  2  ounces.  Dose — I  teaspoonful  every  2 
hours  until  it  moves  the  bowels  rather  freely ; 
then  3  or  4  times  daily  until  cured. 

iVORMi,EED  {Oak  of  yerttsalem.)—Th\%  is 
a  vermifuge  or  anthelmintic  medicine,  that  is 
good  to  destroy  worms.    A  tablespoonful  of  the 


juice  of  the  plant  expressed  or  squeezed  out  is  a 
dose.  The  seed  may  be  boiled  in  milk  ;  give  a 
wineglassful.  Or  l  or  2  teaspoonfuls  oi  the  seed 
itself  may  be  mixed  with  molasses  or  honey, 
and  given  to  a  child  2  or  3  years  old,  on  an 
empty  stomach,  twice  a  day  and  continued  sev- 
eral days.  This  is  very  highly  prized  for  bowel 
complaints. 


DOMESTIC    ANIMALS. 


ANIMALS,  Effects  of  Kindness  <w.— The 
law  that  is  to  usher  in  the  advent  of  the  Golden 
Age  is  the  law  of  kindness — the  law  of  love  be- 
tween man  and  man.  If  this  law,  or  even  a 
portion  of  it,  be  applied  by  man  to  the  govern- 
ment, or  rather  the  directing  of  the  so-called 
"brute"  creation,  it  will  be  wonderful  how  eas- 
ily they  can  be  brought  under  subjection  and 
control.  The  efficacy  of  the  soothing  word,  the 
gentle  touch,  has  only  to  be  honestly  tried  to  be 
fully  appreciated.  It  may  be  set  down  as  a  fixed 
fact  that  whenever  a  horse  or  a  cow  or  an  ox  is 
timid  and  shy — will  not  allow  a  person  to  ap- 
proach or  handle,  unless  it  is  so  situated  that  it 
cannot  escape — a  wrong  system  of  treatment 
has  been  pursued.  The  animals  of  the  farmer 
are  naturally  disposed  to  be  docile  and  affection- 
ate. They  recognize  the  voice  and  hand  of  a 
friend  almost  as  soon  as  a  human  being  would, 
and  manifest  their  affection  in  a  variety  of  ways, 
which  none  but  the  kind  master  or  keeper  will 
observe.  Have  you  not  seen  teamsters  who 
could  manage  their  teams  by  a  soft  word  far  bet- 
ter than  others  could  do  by  blows  and  harsh 
words  ?  I  have.  Have  you  not  seen  a  milk- 
maid approach  a  cow  with  a  bucket  without  the 
slightest  evidence  of  a  disposition  on  the  part  of 
tlie  animal  to  evade  her  ?  And  have  you  not 
seen  the  same  cow  make  every  effort  to  escape 
from  the  next  milkmaid  who  approaches  her  ? 
I  have,  and  the  reason  was  that  the  first  had  al- 
ways treated  her  kindly  and  gently,  while  the 
latter  had  pursued  the  opposite  method.  Ani 
mals  almost  invariably  partake  of  the  character 
of  their  masters.  The  kind,  gentle  and  consid- 
erate master  will  generally  have  kind,  gentle 
animals;  while  the  rude,  impetuous  and  cruel 
master  will  rarely  fail  to  have  animals  whose 
dispositions  will  mate  with  his  own.  Is  not 
gentleness  the  true  method  ?  I  think  so.  God 
has  given  those  poor  brutes  for  our  use  ;  they 
minister  to  our  wants,  are  patient  and  uncom- 
plaining, and  certainly  deserve  such  treatment 
at  our  hands  as  will  show  that  we  properly  ap- 
preciate the  kindness  of  the  Almighty  in  giving 
them  to  us  for  the  purpose  of  adding  to  our 
comfort. 

CATTLE. 

CA  TTLE,AGE  OF,  How  to  Te/l.— The  age 
of  the  ox  or  cow  is  told  chiefly  by  the  teeth,  and 
less  perfectly  by  the  horns.  The  temporary 
teeth  are  in  part  through  at  birth,  and  all  the  in- 
cisors are  through  in  20  days ;  the  first,  second, 
and  third  pairs  of  molars  are  through  in  30 


days ;  the  teeth  have  grown  large  enough  to 
touch  each  other  by  the  sixth  month ;  they  grad- 
ually wear  and  fall  in  18  months ;  the  fourth 
permanent  molars  are  through  at  the  fourth 
month ;  the  fifth  at  the  fifteenth  month ;  the 
sixth  at  2  years.  The  temporary  teeth  begin  to 
fall  at  21  months,  and  are  entirely  replaced  by 
the  thirty-ninth  to  the  forty-fifth  month.  The 
development  is  quite  complete  at  from  5  to  6 
years.  At  that  time  the  border  of  the  incisors 
has  been  worn  away  a  little  below  the  level  of 
the  grinders.  At  6  years  the  first  grinders  are 
beginning  to  wear,  and  are  on  a  level  with  the 
incisors.  At  8  years  the  wear  of  the  first  grind- 
ers is  very  apparent.  At  10  or  II  years,  used 
surfaces  of  the  teeth  bear  a  square  mark,  sur- 
rounded by  a  white  line  ;  and  this  is  perceived 
on  all  the  teeth  by  the  twelfth  year ;  between 
the  twelfth  and  the  fourteenth  year,  this  mark 
takes  a  round  form.  The  rings  on  the  horns 
are  less  useful  as  guides.  At  10  or  12  months 
the  first  ring  appears  ;  at  20  months  to  2  years 
the  second ;  at  30  to  32  months  the  third  ;  at  40 
to  46  months  the  fourth ;  at  54  to  60  months  the 
fifth  ring,  and  so  on.  But,  at  the  fifth  year,  the 
3  first  rings  are  indistinguishable,  and  at  the 
eighth  year  all  the  rings ;  beside,  the  dealers 
file  the  horns. 

CA  TTLE,  BREACHY.—'Yo  prevent  bore  a 
hole  through  each  end  of  the  board,  where  they 
will  exactly  fit  the  horns  without  stretching  or 
pressing.  Let  the  holes  be  small  enough  not  to 
go  too  far  down  on  the  horns.  Leave  about  an 
inch  of  the  horn  sticking  through  the  board,; 
drill  a  small  hole  through  it,  large  enough  to 
admit  a  horse-nail  as  a  key.  The  board,  reach- 
ing from  this  cross-piece  to  the  nose,  may  be 
screwed  fast  to  it ;  there  will  be  play  enough  on 
the  horns  to  give  the  necessary  swing.  If  nails 
are  used,  which  is  seldom  necessary,  they  should 
be  very  smoothly  blunted. 

CATTLE,  Catarrh  m.— Malignant  catarrh, 
or  coryza,  has  been  confounded  with  the  cattle 
plague  or  rinderpest,  in  some  points  of  which 
there  is  a  resemblance.  Symptoms. — In  first 
stage  a  shivering  fit  may  be  observed ;  dullness, 
head  held  low,  ears  pendulous,  the  visible  mem- 
branes of  which  are  of  a  bluish-red  color  and 
dry;  eyes  closed  and  swollen,  tears  flow,  and 
light  cannot  be  endured;  muzzle  dry  and  hot, 
saliva  discharged  abundantly ;  painful  cough, 
pulse  frequent  and  full,  heart's  action  feeble, 
bowels  costive,  feces  black  and  l»ard,  but  after 
a  short  time  diarrhea  ensues ;  urine  scanty,  of- 
fensive, and  of  a  high  color ;  is  tliirsty,  but  eats 


88 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


eats  nothing.  The  second  stage  occurs  within 
l8  or  24  hours  from  the  appearance  of  the  first 
signs  of  disturbance,  and  is  denoted  by  a  very 
marked  change  in  the  character  of  the  discharges. 
The  membranes  of  the  eyes  and  nose  now  fur- 
nish a  purulent  secretion,  having  an  admixture 
of  blood  and  ichor,  which  irritates  and  makes 
sore  the  skin  over  which  it  flows.  Within  the 
sinuses  of  the  head  large  accumulations  of  pus 
occur,  and  when  the  bones  over  them  are  tapped 
by  the  fingers  (percussed)  a  dull  sound  is  emit- 
ted. If  the  mouth  is  opened,  red  patches  will 
be  observed,  which  in  some  places  will  have 
fallen  off,  exposing  a  foul  ulcer  beneath,  and  the 
membranes  are  now  of  a  deeper  purple  hue,  and 
the  breath  fetid.  The  animal  is  lame,  and  expe- 
riences great  pain  when  urine  or  dung  is  dis- 
charged. Pregnant  animals  are  almost  sure  'to 
cast  their  young  (abort.)  In  the  third  stage 
great  prostration  is  evident.  Sloughing  of  mem- 
branes extensive,  and  probably  the  horns  and 
hoofs  have  come  off.  The  pulse  has  become 
imperceptible,  and  convulsions  ensue,  with  gen- 
eral coldness.  The.  thermometer  indicates  a 
rapid  and  unusual  fall,  90  to  95'  F.  being  the 
amount  of  heat  that  can  be  registered  at  the  rec- 
tum. Sometimes  ulceration  of  the  cornea  is  ef- 
fected before  death,  and  the  contents  of  the  eye- 
ball discharged,  giving  rise  to  a  great  amount  of 
additional  pain.  Duration. — From  4  to  9  or  11 
days.  Treatment. — Remove  the  animal  from 
the  pasture,  and  place  it  in  a  comfortable,  cool 
place,  with  good  bedding.  Cooling  or  evapo- 
rating lotions,  water,  etc.,  should  be  constantly 
applied  to  the  head.  Injections  of  warm  water 
should  be  thrown  up.  The  following  laxative 
drink  may  be  administered : 

Take  of  Epsom  salts  12  oz.,  ground  ginger  2 
oz.,  treacle  ^  lb.,  and  warm  ale  1%  pts.  Mix 
and  give  to  a  2-year  old  beast ;  ^  for  I  year 
old ;  ^  at  6  months,  and  %  for  lesser  animals, 
as  calves,  sheep,  and  large  pigs.  2  or  4  drs.  of 
nitre  in  water  may  be  given  3  or  4  times  a  day. 
Solutions  of  carbolic  acid,  or  sulphurous  acid 
gas  and  chlorine  in  water,  should  be  used  for  the 
purpose  of  dressing  the  wounds  and  cleansing 
the  points  of  discharge,  etc.  It  may  also  be 
necessary  to  open  the  sinuses  and  sponge  them, 
using  the  same  solutions. 

CATTLE,  CHOKED,  To  Relieve.~ln 
choking,  the  accumulation  of  gas  (chiefly  sul- 
phuretted hydrogen)  is  the  cause  of  the  animal's 
death.  This  gas  can  be  decomposed  by  the 
forcing  of  chloride  of  lime  down  the  animal's 
throat.  A  strong  solution  of  salt  and  water  will 
also  effect  the  same  object.  Another  mode  of 
relief  is  to  force  the  animal  to  jump  over  the 
bars  of  a  gate  or  fence,  as  high  as  she  will  jump, 
and  when  she  touches  ground  on  the  opposite 
side  the  obstruction  will  be  ejected.  Another 
plan  is  to  take  a  loaded  gun,  slip  up  by  the  side 
of  the  animal,  place  the  muzzle  directly  between 
the  horns,  about  3  inches  forward  of  them,  and 
discharge  the  piece.  A  sudden  spring  of  the 
animal  backward  results,  and  the  obstruction  is 
removed.  And  yet  another  is  to  use  4  or  5  feet 
of  %  rubber  hose,  and  push  the  obstruction 
down. 

CA  TTLE,  BLACK' LEG  /JV.— This  can  be 
cured  by  thoroughly  washing  the  diseased  leg  in 
strong  soap  suds  ;  rub  till  dry ;  then  scrape  the 
knots  with  a  dull  knife ;  then  take  I  ounce  of 
vitriol  and   dissolve  in   strong  vinegar,  after 


which  the  leg  must  be  very  thoroughly  bathed 
and  dried. 

CA  TTLE,  Feeding  and  Care  of. — The  two 
great  points  in  the  feeding  of  cattle  are  regular- 
ity and  a  particular  care  to  the  weaker  individu- 
als. On  this  last  account  there  ought  to  be 
plenty  of  rack  or  trough  room,  that  too  many 
may  not  feed  together;  in  which  very  common 
case  the  weaker  are  not  only  trampled  down  by 
the  stronger,  but  they  are  worried,  cowed  and 
spiritless ;  than  which  there  cannot  be  a  more 
unfavorable  state  for  thrift  ;  beside,  they  are 
ever  compelled  to  shift  with  the  worst  of  the 
fodder.  To  prevent  this  the  weaker  animals 
should  be  kept  and  fed  apart.  The  barn  or  sta- 
ble should  be  kept  warm  in  winter.  During 
the  winter  months,  whenever  the  sun  shines, 
turn  them  into  the  yard,  and  they  will  soon  find 
the  sunny  side,  and  begin  to  stretch  themselves 
and  show  increased  comfort.  A  good  plan  is  to 
feed  them  meal  or  roots  early  in  the  morning, 
without  any  hay,  and  turn  them  out  a  little  after 
sunrise,  and  then  feed  hay,  either  in  the  yard  or 
at  the  adjoining  stack,  putting  them  back  in  the 
Stalls  as  early  as  4  P.  M.,  stormy  or  extreme  cold 
weather  excepted,  when  they  should  be  kept 
comfortably  housed  the  most  of  the  time.  In 
Fattening,  the  farmer  should  remember  that  it 
does  not  pay  to  feed  grain  to  a  poor  creature — 
one  that  does  not  take  on  flesh  rapidly.  This 
kind  of  stock  should  at  once  be  disposed  of  for 
what  it  will  bring.  The  next  important  point  is 
to  feed  plentifully,  without  stint,  and  to  do  this 
regularly  and  not  too  often,  as  the  stock  will  eat 
and  lie  down  and  ruminate. 

CA  TTLE,  Film  on  Eyes  of. — To  remove  it 
apply  clean  lard,  warm  or  cold,  which  ever  way 
it  can  be  got  into  the  eye  best.  Its  application 
will  cause  no  pain,  and  should  be  applied  until 
the  film  is  removed.  Another  method  is  to  ap- 
ply powdered  sugar. 

CA  TTLE,  Foot  and  Mouth  Disease  in. — On 
the  first  indication  of  this  disease,  the  affected 
cattle  should  at  once  be  separated  from  the 
healthy,  so  as  to  secure  against  the  spreading  of 
the  disorder.  Next  make  a  mixture  composed 
of  5  lbs.  of  alum  to  12  gals,  of  soft  water,  4 
qts.  of  salt,  and  a  small  quantity  of  tar,  and 
with  a  sponge  or  rag  wash  the  inside  of  the 
mouths  thoroughly  of  those  not  affected.  Next 
bathe  the  lower  portion  of  the  legs  with  suds 
formed  from  carbolic  disinfecting  soap,  to  which 
is  added  i  qt.  of  salt  to  about  I  gal.  suds.  Re- 
peat the  bathing  and  washing  once  a  day  for  7 
days.  Tlie  affected  animals  should  be  treated 
in  the  same  manner,  with  the  exception  of  wash- 
ing the  inside  of  the  mouth  twice  a  day — once 
with  the  mixture  given  above,  and  once  with 
wormwood  steeped  in  vinegar.  To  the  division 
of  the  hoof  apply  suds  at  first,  and  afterwards 
apply  a  mixture  of  pitch  and  tar.  The  buildings 
should  be  thoroughly  disinfected  by  carbolic 
acid,  chloride  of  lime,  and  other  disinfectants, 
and  if  the  cattle  themselves  be  treated  with  the 
fumes  of  burning  sulphur,  it  will  help  to  prevent 
further  infection,  for  which  purpose  drop  small 
pieces  of  brimstone  upon  live  coals,  contained  in 
suitable  metallic  vessels,  (so  as  to  avoid  all  risk 
of  communicating  fire,)  and  allow  the  fumes  to 
mingle  with  the  air  of^  the  lean-to,  or  building 
containing  the  cattle,  and  to  penetrate  the  coats 
of  the  beasts,  and  to  be  inhaled  to  such  extent 
as  can  be  borne  by  the  attendant  without  serious 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS^CATTLE. 


89 


discomfort.  Let  this  be  regularly  repeated, 
daily  or  twice  daily  while  the  danger  continues, 
using  from  I  to  2  ounces  each  time,  according  to 
the  extent  of  the  danger.  Finally,  the  animals 
should  be  kept  in  a  dry,  comfortable  jilace,  suit- 
ably ventilated,  and  receive  good  nursing,  inclu- 
ding the  utmost  cleanliness.  No  bleeding  must 
be  allowed,  nor  should  active  purgatives  be  given 
them.  If  unable  to  take  their  usual  food,  their 
strength  should  be  sustained  by  giving  mashes 
of  coarse-ground  wheat,  with  bran  or  other  sim- 
ilar diet. 

CATTLE,  'HOOF  ROT  IN.—Yor  a  cure, 
take  I  teacupful  of  sharp  cider  vinegar,  l^  ta- 
blespoonfuls  of  copperas,  ij^  tablespoonfuls  of 
salt.  Dissolve  gradually  on  the  hot  stove,  but 
do  not  let  it  boil.  ^Vhen  cool,  apply  it  on  the 
affected  limb  and  hoof,  and  also  swab  out  the 
mouth  of  the  animal  with  the  mixture.  2  or  3 
applications  generally  effects  a  cure.  This  prep- 
aration can  be  used  in  the  foot  and  mouth  dis- 
ease in  connection  with  the  above  treatment. 

CATTLE,  Hoven  or  Bloat  in.— A  certain 
remedy  for  this  is  to  take  a  pail  of  water,  fresh 
from  the  stream,  and  pour  it  from  a  jug  forward 
cf  the  hip  bones,  rubbing  it  on  with  the  hands. 
It  will  be  found  that  the  bloat  will  at  once  com- 
mence to  go  down,  and  by  applying  2  or  3  more 
pailsful  complete  restoration  will  result. 

CATTLE,  LICE  ON,  To  Destroy.— \. 
Camphor  dissolved  in  spirits  is  an  effectual  rem- 
edy.— 2.  I  part  lard  and  2  parts  coal  oil,  melted 
together  and  applied,  will  kill  lice  without  fail. 
— 3.  A  strong  brine,  thickened  with  soft  soap, 
will  also  kill. — 4.  2  or  3  applications  of  kerosene 
oil,  appHed  by  carding  the  animal,  and  dipping 
the  teeth  of  the  card  in  the  oil,  is  convenient, 
harmless  and  effectual. — 5.  Feeding  onions  to 
the  animal  will  make  the  lice  travel  in  from  10 
to  15  hours. 

CA  TTLE,  MANGE  /iV.— This  is  caused 
by  improper  treatment  of  the  animal  through  the 
winter,  rendering  it  debilitated  and  unable  to 
support  the  change  when  the  grass  comes  on. 
Nature,  overloaded,  will  relieve  herself  by  this 
eruption  on  the  skin,  which,  once  introduced, 
will  quickly  spread  through  an  entire  dairy. 
The  treatment  required  is  proper  attention  to 
cleanliness,  food,  drink,  and  plenty  of  sun- 
light. 

CATTLE  PLAGCrE.— Chloride  of  copper 
is  now.  extensively  used  in  Germany  as  a  pre- 
ventive against  the  cattle  plague.  The  mode  of 
administering  the  specific  is  as  follows  :  A  solu- 
tion is  first  made  by  dissolving  ^(  of  an  oz.  of 
the  green  crystallized  salts  in  spirits  of  wine.  In 
this  solution  a  pad  of  cotton  is  soaked  for  a  lit- 
tle while,  and  is  then  laid  on  a  plate  and  set  on 
fire  in  the  centre  of  the  stable,  the  animals' 
heads  being  turned  toward  the  flame,  so  as  to 
make  them  breathe  the  fumes.  The  operation 
is  performed  morning  and  evening,  and  a  spirit 
lamp  filled  with  the  solution  left  burning  in  the 
stable  every  night.  The  liquid  is  also  adminis- 
tered internally,  with  the  addition  of  %  an  oz. 
of  chloroform  for  the  above  quantity,  a  teaspoon- 
ful  being  put  into  the  animal's  drink  3  times  a 
day. 

CA  TTLE'S  HORNS,  Sawing  Off.—K  cel- 
ebrated professor  of  a  London  Veterinary  Col- 
lege has  said,  concerning  this  practice :  I  con- 
sider this  to  be  a  very  gross  act  of  cruelty,  and 
for  this  reason — that  the  horns  of  oxen  are  very 


unlike  those  of  the  deer  species.  They  have  a 
large  proportion  of  bone  growing  out  from  the 
bone  of  the  head,  and  that  is  surrounded  by  a 
heavy  sensitive  structure,  so  that,  to  cut  the  an- 
imal's horns,  they  had  to  go  below  where  it  was 
simply  horny,  and  the  animal  had  to  suffer  much 
pain.  The  nearer  the  operation  was  performed 
to  the  skull,  the  greater  the  suffering.  That 
bone  was  hollow — that  is  to  say,  it  had  not  one 
single  horned  cavity — but  it  had  several  cells 
which  extended  into  the  head,  though  not  to  the 
brain,  but  close  to  it.  These  cavities  were  ex- 
posed, by  the  removal  of  the  horns,  to  the  air ; 
and  as  they  are  lined  with  a  delicate,  sensitive 
membrane — there  being,  beside,  a  delicate,  sen- 
sitive covering  outside — great  suffering  must  be 
caused.  The  cavities  were  never  intended  by 
Nature  to  be  exposed  to  the  air,  which  brought 
on  an  inflammatory  condition.  These  cavities 
were  very  apt  to  be  inflamed,  and  the  inflam- 
mation was  very  likely  to  be  extended  to  the 
membranes  of  the  brain,  causing  madness,  lock- 
jaw, or  other  dangerous  results.  This  operation 
is  one  of  the  most  painful  and  unwarrantable 
that  could  possibly  be  performed  on  cattle. 

CA  TTLE,  SNAKE-BITTEN,  Remedy  for. 
— Cattle  or  horses  are  usually  bitten  in  the  feet. 
When  this  is  the  case,  all  that  is  necessary  to  do 
is  to  drive  them  into  a  mud-hole  and  keep  them 
there  for  a  few  hours ;  if  upon  the  nose,  bind 
the  mud  upon  the  place  in  such  a  manner  as  not 
to  interfere  with  their  breathing. 

CA  TTLE,  Sore  Mouth  in. — Take  a  weak  so- 
lution of  carbolic  acid — say  i  to  5  drops  to  the 
ounce  of  water — washing  the  mouth  every  few 
hours,  allowing  a  little  to  be  swallowed,  and 
following  this  with  mild  tonics  and  food  that 
will  not  irritate  the  mouth. 

CA  TTLE,  Warts  on. — I.  To  remove  warts 
from  cattle,  mix  equal  parts  of  blue  vitriol,  lard 
and  honey,  and  anoint  them  once  in  4  or  5  days; 
they  will  be  removed  without  making  a  sore. — 
2.  Wash  with  a  strong  ley  made  of  pearlash  and 
water  3  times  a  day. — 3.  Or  make  2  or  3  appli- 
cations of  lunar  caustic. 

CATTLE,  WENS  ON.—W&ns.  cannot  be 
cured,  except  by  a  surgeon's  removing  them  al- 
together with  a  scalpel,  followed  by  the  applica- 
tion of  a  healing  ointment. 

COWS,  ABORTION  IN— The  predispos- 
ing cause  for  this  disease  is  constitutional  in  the 
animal,  while  the  exciting  cause  may  be  ill-treat- 
ment at  the  time  of  pregnancy,  damp  surround- 
ings, food  in  which  ergot  of  rye  may  be  found, 
impure  water,  etc.  The  predisposing  cause  can 
be  avoided  by  giving  the  generative  organs  of 
the  animal  a  rest.  The  doing  of  this,  by  a  free- 
dom of  from  six  months  to  a  year  from  preg- 
nancy, will  almost  insure  freedom  from  abortion 
— especially  so  if  care  is  taken  in  the  avoiding  of 
all  supposable  exciting  causes.  Many  farmers 
may  not  be  willing  to  endure  the  loss  involved 
in  this  suggestion ;  but  it  will  be  a  gain  in  the 
end,  because  no  animal  aborts  without,  in  a 
greater  or  less  measure  experiencing  such  a 
shock  to  her  system  as  will  tell  on  her  future 
health  and  value. 

COWS,  Care  of.— \.  Cows  should  run  dry  6 
weeks  before  calving ;  if  milked  closely  toward 
calving,  the  calves  will  be  poorer. 

2.  A  cow  newly  come  in  should  not  drink 

cold  water  in  cold  weather,  but  moderately  warm 

1  water.     Calves,  intended  for  raising,  should  be 


90 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


taken  from  the  cow  within  a  few  days,  and  they 
will  be  less  liable  to  suck  when  they  are  old. 
Feed  them  first  on  new  milk  for  a  short  time, 
and  then  on  skim  milk,  taking  care  that  all  the 
changes  are  gradual,  by  adding  only  a  portion  at 
first. 

3.  Hearty  eaters  are  desirable  for  cows,  and 
may  usually  be  selected  while  calves.  A  dainty 
calf  will  be  a  dainty  cow. 

4.  Heifers  dried  up  too  early  after  calving, 
will  always  run  dry  about  the  same  time  in  after 
years — therefore,  be  careful  to  milk  closely  the 
first  year,  until  about  6  weeks  previous  to  the 
time  for  calving. 

5.  Spring  cows  should  come  in  while  they  are 
yet  fed  on  hay,  and  before  they  are  turned  to 
grass,  which  will  be  more  likely  to  prevent  caked 
bag  and  milk  fever. 

6.  The  best  times  for  feeding  the  cow  are  early 
in  the  morning,  at  noon,  and  a  little  before  sun- 
set. 

7.  Abundance  of  the  purest  water  must  al- 
ways be  supplied,  and  it  ought  in  all  cases,  when 
practicable,  be  what  is  understood  as  soft  water. 
In  winter  the  water  given  should  be  warmed  to 
the  temperature  of  the  air  on  a  summer  day. 

8.  The  food  given  should  be  as  nearly  in  its 
natural  state  as  possible.  Cooking  food,  slops, 
brewers'  grains,  etc.,  are  all  objectionable,  where 
either  firm,  healthy  flesh  or  pure  rich  milk  is  de- 
sired. 

COIVS,  DAIRY,  To  Select.— Cqvi%  of  extra- 
ordinary milking  qualities  are  as  often  found 
among  the  native  as  among  grade  and  thorough- 
bred aninlals ;  and,  as  a  rule,  the  progeny  of 
these  extra-milkers  become  the  best  cows,  and 
every  heifer-calf  from  such  should  be  raised,  ex- 
cept it  fails  to  carry  the  mark  indicating  a  good 
milker.  This  mark  is  the  upward  growth  of  the 
hair  on  the  inside  of  the  thighs  of  the  calf  from 
immediately  behind  the  udder,  as  high  as  the 
hair  goes.  If  it  be  found  running  up  in  a  very 
smooth  and  unbroken  column — all  other  things 
being  equal — with  good  care  and  continued  fine 
growth,  there  will  scarcely  be  a  failure.  But 
whatever  extraordinary  qualities  the  cow  may 
possess,  unless  this  mark  is  found  on  the  calf,  it 
is  not  worth  raising  for  a  dairy  cow.  There  are 
several  other  signs  and  conditions  indicative  of 
valuable  milking  qualities,  some  of  which  attend 
the  first  described.  Smooth  and  fair-sized  teats  ; 
a  large  and  long  milk  vein  ;  slim  neck ;  and 
sometimes  6  teats  ;  a  yellow  skin,  apparent 
about  the  eyes  and  nose,  and  other  bare  spots, 
are  indications  of  rich  milk,  and  one  of  the  indi- 
cations of  a  good  cow. 

COIVS,  FARROW,  What  to  Do  With.— 
Feed  them  liberally  and  they  will  give  rich  milk, 
though,  perhaps,  not  much  of  it.  Let  them 
have  3  or  4  quarts  of  meal  a  day  through  the 
winter  and  spring,  and  do  not  stop  giving  it  to 
them  when  grass  comes.  As  soon  as  it  dries 
them  up  they  will  be  fit  for  the  butcher. 

COWS,  BLOODY  MILK  IN— To  cure, 
give  a  tablespoonful  of  milk  in  a  little  bran  or 
meal,  and  renewing  the  dose  the  second  or  third 
day.  Another  remedy  is  to  give  a  tablespoonful 
of  sulphur  in  a  little  dry  bran  once  a  day — in 
very  bad  cases,  twice  a  day. 

COWS,  GARGET  IN— This  disorder  is 
very  frequent  in  cows  after  ceasing  to  be  milked; 
it  affects  the  glands  of  the  udder  with  hard 
swellings,  and  often  arises  from  the  animal  not 


being  clean  milked.  It  may  be  removed  by  giv- 
ing a  pint  of  beans  a  day  for  4  or  5  days.  The 
beans  should  be  soaked  and  mixed  with  meal  to 
make  the  cow  eat  them ;  but  the  better  way  is  to 
grind  the  beans  and  feed  a  pint  a  day  with  other 
meal.  This  wiil  be  found  a  sure  remedy.  An- 
other plan  is  to  give  the  cow  l  teaspoonful  of  the 
tincture  of  arnica,  in  bran  or  shorts,  three  times 
a  day,  and  bathe  the  bag  thoroughly  with  it  as 
often.  The  arnica  for  bathing  should  be  reduced 
14  in  warm  water,  and  bathe  with  the  hand. 

COWS,  HARD-MILKING.— T\vQ  causes 
for  cows  holding  up  their  milk  are  various — ir- 
regularity in  time  of  milking,  imperfect  milking, 
and  lack  of  water  in  pastures ;  over-driving  in 
bringing  animals  home ;  the  taking  of  the  calf 
away — and  especially  will  this  be  the  case  where 
the  calf,  while  being  reared,  is  kept  in  a  situa- 
tion where  the  mother  can  keep  up  an  acquaint- 
ance with  it ;  and  finally  the  presence  of  a  vi- 
cious or  sulky  disposition  in  the  cow,  the  slight- 
est dissatisfaction  making  them  hold  up  their 
milk.  These  last  are  unprofitable  and  only  fit 
for  the  shambles.  The  remedy  in  usual  cases  is, 
besides  the  avoidance  of  the  apparent  cause, 
gentleness,  kind  words,  and  a  system  ot  petting 
the  animals,  so  as  to  gain  their  confidence  and 
affection,  coupled  with  plenty  of  good  water  and 
feed. 

COWS,  KICKING.— Cows  seldom  kick 
without  some  good  reason  for  it.  Teats  some- 
times are  chapped  or  the  udder  tender ;  harsh 
handUng  hurts  them,  and  they  kick.  Sometimes 
long  and  sharp  finger  nails  cut  their  teats,  and 
sometimes  the  milker  pulls  the  long  hairs  on  the 
udder,  while  milking.  Shear  off  the  long  hairs, 
cut  long  finger  nails  close,  bathe  chapped  teats 
with  warm  water,  and  grease  them  well  with 
lard,  and  always  treat  a  cow  gently.  She  never 
will  kick  unless  something  hurts  her,  or  she  fears 
a  repetition  of  former  hurts.  When  handled 
gently  cows  like  to  be  milked.  When  treated 
otherwise,  they  will  kick  and  hold  up  their  milk. 
Occasionally  a  cow  is  found  that,  like  some  men, 
has  a  bad,  ungovernable  temper  that  flies  at 
merely  imaginary  offences.  For  this  class  take 
a  small  strap  long  enough  for  the  purpose,  and 
bend  the  foreleg  so  as  to  bring  the  foot  up  to 
the  body.  Then  put  the  strap  round  the  arm 
and  small  part  of  the  leg,  near  the  hoof,  crossin<| 
between  so  as  not  to  slip  off  over  the  knee,  and 
buckle.  In  this  condition  it  is  an  impossibility 
for  a  cow  to  kick  ;  they  may  come  to  the  knee  a 
few  times,  but  are  soon  quiet.  Never,  as  some 
do,  confine  the  hind  legs,  either  singly  or  to- 
gether, for  in  doing  this  there  is  danger  of  spoil- 
ing the  animal.  Milkers  should  study  the  tem- 
per of  the  cows  they  milk,  and  find  out  whether 
a  cow  kicks  on  account  of  pain  or  willfulness. 
If  it  is  from  bad  temper,  the  strap  applied  to  the 
foot  is  a  very  good  way  to  subdue  her,  but  you 
should  avoid  whipping  and  beating  in  all  cases. 

COWS,  RHEUMATISM  IN— The  treat- 
ment  of  rheumatism  should  consist  in  placing  the 
animal  in  a  moderately  warm  place,  and  giving 
diet  of  a  generous  character.  In  cases  where 
the  pain  is  severe,  the  tincture  of  aconite  in  20 
drop  doses  may  be  given  with  advantage.  Fric- 
tion to  the  joints  will  be  found  beneficial;  ami, 
where  much  swelling  exists,  the  liniment  of  am- 
monia may  be  rubbed  in  daily.  Cooling  appli- 
ances do  not  seem  to  suit  this  complaint.  Tlie 
enlargements  in  the  joints  sometimes  becom« 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— CATTLE. 


91 


chronic,  and  should  then  be  treated  with  appli- 
cations of  the  tincture  of  iodine. 

COWS,  MILKING,  The  Right  Method  of.— 
Some  persons  in  milking  seize  the  root  of  the 
teat  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger,  and  then 
drag  upon  it  until  it  slips  out  of  their  grasp.  In 
this  way  teat  and  udder  are  subjected  to  severe 
traction  for  an  indefinite  number  of  times,  and  in 
rude  hands  are  often  severely  injured.  Others, 
again,  by  carelessness  and  want  of  thoroughness, 
will  cause  the  usual  quantity  of  milk  to  shrink 
one-third  in  2  weeks.  In  many  localities  more 
cows  are  ruined  from  faults  of  bad  milking  than 
from  all  other  causes  that  act  specially  on  the 
udder.  The  proper  mode  of  milking  is  to  take 
the  teat  in  the  entire  hand,  and,  after  pressing  it 
upward,  that  it  may  be  well  filled  from  the  capa- 
cious milk  reservoir  above,  to  compress  it  first 
at  the  base  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger, 
then  successively  by  each  of  the  3  succeeding 
fingers,  until  completely  emptied.  The  teat  is 
at  the  same  time  gently  drawn  upon,  but  any  se- 
vere traction  is  altogether  unnecessary,  and 
highly  injurious. 

COWS,  To  Increase  their  Milk — Give  your 
cows,  3  times  a  day,  water  slightly  warm,  slightly 
salted,  in  which  bran  has  been  stirred  at  the  rate 
of  I  quart  to  2  gallons  of  water.  You  will  find, 
if  you  have  not  tried  this  daily  practice,  that  ^le 
cow  will  give  25  per  cent,  more  milk,  and  she 
will  become  so  much  attached  to  the  diet  that 
she  will  refuse  to  drink  clear  water  unless  very 
thirsty,  but  this  mess  she  will  drink  almost  any 
time  and  ask  for  more.  The  amount  of  this 
drink  necessary  is  an  ordinary  water-pail  full 
each  time,  morning,  noon  and  night.  Avoid 
giving  cows  "  slops,"  as  they  are  no  more  fit  for 
the  animal  than  the  human. 

COWS,  Milk  Fever  in. — Immediately  there 
are  indications  of  milk  fever,  the  animal  should 
be  restricted  to  an  exclusive  hay  diet.  This 
treatment  should  be  followed,  even  in  summer 
time,  unless  the  animal  is  kept  in  very  close  pas- 
ture and  shows  no  tendency  to  fatten.  This 
moderate  feeding  of  hay  only  should  be  contin- 
ued until  the  fourth  or  fifth  day  after  calving,  at 
which  time  the  full  flow  of  milk  is  established, 
and  the  danger  of  puerperal  fever  has  become 
slight, 

COWS,  OLD,  When  to  Kill.— li  is  a  ques- 
tion among  farmers  as  to  what  age  cows  can  be 
Eroperly  used  for  dairy  purposes,  and  when  it  is 
est  to  dispose  of  them  on  account  of  age.  It 
will  depend  somewhat  oh  the  breed  of  the  ani- 
imals  and  the  usage  they  have  received.  As  a 
general  rule,  when  a  cow  has  entered  her  teens, 
she  has  approximated  closely  the  limit  of  her 
usefulness  in  the  dairy  line.  A  good  farmer  has 
remarked  that  a  cow  was  never  worn  out  so  long 
as  there  was  any  room  on  her  horns  for  a  new 
wrinkle. 

COWS,  SELF-SUCKING.— X  good,  sim- 
ple and  cheap  arrangement  to  prevent  cows  from 
sucking  themselves,  or  each  other,  may  be  made 
by  making  a  halter  as  follows :  Take  2  or  3 
straps  2  inches  wide,  and  long  enough  to  reach 
around  the  cow's  nose.  Stitch  the  edges  to- 
gether, and  the  ends  also,  with  sharp  nails  in- 
serted every  ly^  inches,  so  that  the  points  will 
stand  outward.  The  heads  of  the  nails  should 
be  very  large,  and  should  be  between  the  two 
straps  when  sewed  together.  Now  fasten  two 
side  straps,  with  a  buckle  on  one  end  of  one,  so 


that  when  the  part  with  the  nails  is  around  the 
nose  the  side  straps  may  be  buckled  together 
over  the  head,  back  of  the  horns ;  the  part  that 
goes  around  the  nose  should  be  large  enough  to 
allow  the  animal  to  eat  freely.  This  arrange- 
ment will  be  effectual,  but  many  think  it  cruel, 
especially  in  fly  time.  A  much  more  desirable 
and  effectual  method  is  to  put  on  a  good  strong 
halter,  put  the  animal  in  a  good  stall,  keep  her 
clean,  and  feed  as  much  cooked  meal  as  she  will 
eat,  until  her  milking  season  nearly  runs  out, 
and  then  send  her  to  the  butcher.  Doing  this, 
it  will  be  found  that  the  milk  will  pay  for  the  ex- 
tra feed  and  care,  and  the  beef  will  be  in  prime 
condition. 

COWS,  Swelled  Bags  in. — An  excellent  rem- 
edy for  swelled  bags  of  cows,  caused  by  cold, 
etc.,  is  yi  an  ounce  of  camphor  gum  to  2  ounces 
of  sweet  oil ;  pulverize  the  gum,  and  dissolve 
over  a  slow  fire. 

COWS'  TEATS,  Warts  on.— Warts  on  the 
teats  of  cows  usually  extend  no  deeper  than  the 
skin.  They  should  not  be  removed  while  the 
cow  gives  milk.  The  most  effectual  way  is  to 
take  hold  of  the  end  of  a  wart  with  phers,  and 
cut  it  off  with  sharp  shears.  The  cut  should 
not  be  deeper  than  the  skin.  This  remedy  will 
not  hurt  a  cow  as  much  as  clipping  the  skin  does 
sheep  when  they  are  being  sheared ;  or  a  piece 
of  small  wire  may  be  twisted  around  a  large 
wart  sufficiently  tight  to  obstruct  the  circulation 
of  the  blood,  and  left  on  till  the  wart  drops  off, 
leaving  the  surface  smooth. 

CHALK  FOR  CAL  F^.?.— When  an  animal 
is  found  licking  his  fellow,  it  is  proof  that  unea- 
siness is  present  in  the  stomach,  and  the  licking 
of  his  neighbor  is  a  habit  contracted  by  instinct, 
with  a  view  of  removing  the  unpleasantness. 
Unfortunately  instinct  is  not  at  all  times  suffi- 
cient to  avoid  dangerous  practices,  and,  if  we 
take  for  granted  that  the  stomach  is  at  all  times 
fully  charged  with  acrid  matter,  we  shall  without 
hesitation  find  a  remedy.  It  is  only  necessary 
to  place  within  •  their  reach  shallow  troughs,  in 
which  is  kept  a  supply  of  common  chalk.  If  an 
animal  has  a  superabundance  of  acrid  secretion, 
it  will  most  certainly  swallow  some  of  the  chalk, 
which  will  as  certainly  neutralize  the  excess  of 
acrid.  If  an  animal  has  not  acrid  in  excess,  and 
partakes  of  the  chalk,  it  will  do  no  harm.  It  is 
often  too  late  to  administer  remedies  to  young 
stock,  and  the  placing  of  chalk  within  their 
reach  cannot  be  made  too  early. 

COOKING  FOOD  FOR  STOCK— ThQ 
great  profit  of  steaming  food  to  feed  to  stock  is, 
that  it  converts  much  of  the  woody  fibre  of  hay, 
straw,  etc.,  into  soluble,  fat-forming  nutriments. 
It  is  commonly  supposed  that,  as  cattle  chew  the 
cud,  all  the  nutriment  is  extracted  from  the  hay, 
fodder,  grain,  etc.,  eaten.  So  far  from  this, 
nothing  short  of  boiling  or  its  equivalent,  steam- 
ing, can  convert  woody  fibre  into  soluble  nutri- 
ment. The  same  rule  is  applicable  to  grain,  po- 
tatoes, and  roots  generally ;  heat  is  essential  to 
dissolving  the  starch  of  grains  and  roots  to  ren- 
der it  available,  as  well  as  to  dissolve  the  ele- 
ments out  of  woody  fibre.  The  heat  of  the  an- 
imal system,  together  with  the  gastric  juices, 
perform,  but  imperfectly,  the  same  that  steaming 
or  cooking  does.  Experience  and  careful  ex- 
periments have  demonstrated  that  a  very  much 
larger  proportion  of  food  is  assimilated  into  the 
system  if  cooked  than  if  fed  uncooked.     In  very 


92 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY     WANTS. 


cold  weather  a  greater  amount  of  heat-forming 
matter  is  required  to  keep  up  animal  heat  than 
in  mild  or  warm  weather.  At  such  times  extra 
hay  or  straw  may  be  fed,  to  sustain  this  heat, 
without  cutting  and  steaming,  yet  this  latter  pro- 
cess would  add  largely  to  its  nutriment,  without 
diminishing  its  heat-forming  power.  In  this 
connection  the  following  directions  will  be  found 
serviceable : 

To  Cook  Hay. — Cut  it,  wet  it  well,  put  it  in 
upright  tanks  or  casks,  with  false  bottom  and 
tight  cover,  press  it  down  firmly,  pass  the  steam 
in  under  the  false  bottom,  and  cook  until  done. 
To  Cook  Com. — Soak  as  many  barrels,  half-full, 
as  you  wish  to  cook  from  15  to  24  hours  ;  turn 
on  steam  and  cook  until  done,  when  the  barrels 
should  be  full.  To  Make  Mush. — Fill  as  many 
barrels  half-full  of  water  as  you  wish  to  make 
barrels  of  mush ;  bring  the  water  nearly  to  a 
boil  by  passing  the  steam  to  the  bottom  ;  stir  in 
each  barrel  from  l^  to  l^  bushels  of  meal  un- 
til well  mixed  ;  then  cook  until  done,  when  the 
barrels  should  be  full.  To  Cook  Vegetables. — 
Fill  the  barrels  full,  and,  if  no  other  cover  is  at 
hand,  chop  the  top  fine  with  a  shovel ;  then 
cover  them  over  with  bran  meal  or  provender, 
and  cook  until  done ;  have  holes  in  the  bottoms 
of  the  barrels  to  carry  off  condensed  steam. 

COTTON  SEED  FOR  STOCA^.— Very 
many  farmers  believe  that  cotton  seed  for  stock 
is  superior  to  corn,  and  ample  experiment  seems 
to  confirm  this  view.  To  cook  cotton  seed,  take 
a  large  kettle,  which  holds  from  5  to  6  bushels, 
set  it  upon  a  brick  furnace,  fill  it  with  cotton 
seed  fresh  from  the  gin,  and  then  fill  up  the  ket- 
tle with  water,  and  boil  something  less  than  ^ 
art  hour ;  then  empty  the  seed  into  troughs,  and 
let  the  cattle  and  hogs  to  them.  The  milk  and 
butter  have  none  of  that  cotton-seed  taste  which 
the  green  or  uncooked  seed  gives.  Both  cattle 
and  hogs  will  keep  in  good  order  winter  and 
summer  on  seed  thus  prepared  ;  and  when  you 
are  ready  to  fatten  pork,  you  have  only  to  add 
an  equal  quantity  of  cotton-seed  and  corn,  and 
boil  as  above.  Experience  has  proved  that  it 
will  fatten  much  sooner  and  be  equally  good  as 
when  fattened  on  corn  alone.  Your  cows  will 
give  an  abundance  of  milk  all  winter  when  fed 
in  this  manner,  with  but  i  bushel  of  corn  to  4 
of  cotton- seed. 

CONDIMENTAL  FOOD,  TKORLEYS. 
— The  advertisements  of  the  patentees  of  this 
English  preparation  would  lead  to  the  belief 
that  their  "cattle  food"  contains  more  real  nour- 
ishment than  the  ordinary  kinds  of  food  which 
have  hitherto  been  given;  but  chemical  analysis 
shows  the  incorrectness  of  these  statements. 
There  is  no  secret  in  the  composition,  for  the 
test  is  at  hand  in  a  simple  analysis.  The  follow- 
ing is  an  ordinary  formula  to  make  I  ton  of  the 
meal :  Take  of  Indian  meal  900  weight,  locust 
bean  finely  ground  600  weight,  best  linseed  cake 
300  weight,  powdered  tumeric  and  sulphur  of 
each  40  lbs.,  saltpetre  20  lbs.,  licorice  27  lbs., 
ginger  3  lbs.,  aniseed  4  lbs.,  coriander  and  gen- 
tian of  each  10  lbs.,  cream  of  tartar  2  lbs.,  car- 
bonate of  soda  and  levigated  antimony  each  6 
^Ibs,  common  salt  30  lbs.,  Peruvian  bark  4  lbs., 
fenugreek  22  lbs.  The  reader  will  observe  that 
the  chief  ingredients  are  corn  meal,  locust  bean, 
and  linseed  cake ;  these  form  its  bulk,  and  con- 
stitute nine-tenths  of  the  whole,  the  remainder 
l)eing  made  up  of  "condiments."    There  can 


be  no  doubt  whatever  tliat  the  nutritive  materials 
which  the  compound  contains  are  purchased  at 
an  enormous  expense,  and  really  does  not  pay 
for  the  purchase. 

CALVEJS,  Care  of. — To  raise  good  calves — 
those  that  will  make  good  cows — they  must  be 
well  fed  from  their  birth,  as  it  is  impossible  to 
stint  a  calf  in  food  till  i  year — or  more — old,  and 
then  bring  the  animal  into  as  good  condition,  in 
all  respects,  as  could  be  done  if  the  animal  had 
been  well  fed.  Allow  the  calf  to  suck  until  the 
milk  is  fit  to  use.  To  learn  it  to  drink,  take  the 
calf  from  the  cow  at  the  time  mentioned,  and 
fasten  it  with  about  6  feet  of  rope  in  a  box  stall ; 
then  milk  the  cow,  and  standing  off  just  far 
enough  for  the  calf  to  reach  you,  wet  one  finger 
with  milk,  put  it  in  its  mouth,  and  gently  lower 
your  hand  until  it  is  immersed  in  the  milk  in  the 
pail ;  let  it  continue  to  have  the  finger  until  it 
has  received  enough.  This  is  lesson  No.  I. 
The  second  lesson  is  given  in  this  wise  :  Dip  the 
finger  in  the  milk  and  place  it  in  its  mouth,  and 
when  you  have  brought  its  mouth  in  contact 
with  the  feed,  gradually  withdraw  your  finger 
and  the  thing  is  done.  It  may  be  necessary  to 
repeat  this  at  the  tliird  time.  The  secret  is  that 
you  must  stand  just  far  enough  so  that  the  calf 
can  just  reach  the  pail  of  feed,  as  the  rope  will 
then  be  taut,  and  hence  he  cannot  reach  you,  or 
butt  over  and  spill  his  milk  or  feed.  It  may  he 
remarked  in  this  connection,  that  calves  will 
thrive  better  on  milk  that  is  not  rich  in  butter 
than  on  what  is  commonly  called  very  rich  milk. 
The  nutritive  elements  of  milk  reside  chiefly  in 
the  casein.  If  you  have  a  cow  that  gives  par- 
ticularly rich  milk,  and  one  that  gives  a  quality 
poorer  in  butter,  it  is  better  in  every  way  to  feed 
tlie  calf  on  the  milk  of  the  latter.  The  calf  will 
thrive  better,  and  you  get  more  butter  from  the 
milk  of  the  first  cow. 

CALVES,  Lice  and  Vermin  on. — The  best 
applications  to  destroy  lice,  nits,  etc.,  is  a  thor- 
ough application  of  alcohol  or  kerosene  oil. 
Neither  will  do  the  animals  any  harm,  and  they 
are  much  better  than  ointment  of  any  kind. 

CALVES,  To  Cure  Scours  in. — Take  i  pint 
of  red  oak  acorns,  break  the  shells,  and  steep 
thoroughly  in  3  pints  of  water,  and  you  will  have 
I  quart  of  the  tea.  Give  i  pint  of  the  same, 
warm,  for  the  first  dose,  and  the  remainder  12 
hours  after,  if  necessary.  I  never  knew  more 
than  2  doses  required  to  effect  a  cure. 

HOLLOW  HORN,  or  Hortt  Ail.— T\ns  dis- 
order  usually  attacks  cattle  in  the  spring,  after  a 
severe  winter ;  likewise  those  that  are  in  very 
poor  flesh,  or  those  that  have  been  overworked 
and  exposed  to  severe  storms,  or  reduced  by  any 
other  diseases,  are  predisposed  to  take  it.  The 
symptoms  are  as  follows  :  Eyes  dull,  discharg- 
ing yellow  matter,  dizziness,  loss  of  appetite, 
shaking  of  the  head,  bloody  urine,  coldness  of 
tlie  horns,  stupidity  and  great  debility.  The 
remedies  that  are  recommended  are  as  numerous 
as  they  are  contradictory.  One  authority  ad- 
vises boring  gimlet  holes  in  the  horns  3  inches 
from  the  head,  while  another  advises  not  to  bore 
at  all;  one  advises  to  bleed  in  the  neck  in  the 
same  manner  as  a  horse  is  bled,  while  another 
deprecates  bleeding.  Another  advises  to  put  a 
mixture  of  strong  vinegar,  (5^  a  teaspoonful, ) 
fine  salt  and  ground  black  pepper,  (of  each  a  ta- 
blespoonful,)  and,  after  allowing  it  to  stand  over 
night,  to  put  a  tablespoonful  in  each  ear  of  the 


DOMESTIC   ANIMALS— CATTLE. 


93 


animal  aflected.  Another  advises  the  cutting  of 
the  hair  off  the  top  of  the  head,  and  tlien  pour 
or  rub  strong  spirits  of  camphor  thereon.  And 
still  another  advises  the  pouring  of  the  camphor 
in  the  ears.  Where  so  many  remedies  and  so 
much  advice  is  offered,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  not 
much  is  known  of  the  real  nature  of  the  dis- 
ease. 

PIGS,  Haiu  to  Select  G^d.—The  desirable 

f)oints  in  a  good  pig  are :  Sufficient  depth  and 
ength  of  body  to  insure  suitable  lateral  expan- 
sion ;  broad  on  the  loin  and  breast.  The  bones 
small  and  joints  fine  ;  legs  no  longer  than,  when 
fully  fat,  to  just  prevent  the  animal's  belly  from 
trailing  on  the  ground  when  walking;  feet  firm 
and  sound ;  the  toes  to  press  straightly  on  the 
ground  and  lie  well  together ;  the  claws  should 
be  healthy,  upright  and  even.  The  head  small, 
the  snout  short,  forehead  somewhat  convex  and 
curving  upward  ;  the  ears  small  but  pendulous, 
somewhat  inclining  forward ;  light  and  thin. 
His  carriage  should  be  lively,  sprightly,  rather 
than  dull  and  heavy ;  a  lively  bright  eye,  and  he 
should  carry  his  head  up  rather  than  down. 
Those  colors  which  are  characteristic  of  the  best 
breed  are  to  be  chosen.  The  thinner  the  hair 
of  a  black  pig  the  nearer  allied  it  is  to  the  Nea- 
politan, and  consequently  the  less  hardy,  either 
to  endure  the  cold  and  change  of  seasons,  or  to 
resist  disease.  White  color  indicates  a  connec- 
tion with  the  Chinese  Mixed  colors  show  marks 
of  particular  breeds ;  thus,  if  light  or  sandy,  or 
red  with  black  marks,  the  I3erkshire  blood  is  de- 
tected, etc. 

PIGS,  Blind  Staggen  in. — The  cause  of  this 
disease  is  too  high  feeding.  The  cure  is  to 
withhold  their  food  for  a  day  or  two,  and  feed 
them  on  very  small  quantities  of  sulphur  and 
charcoal. 

PIGS,  Lice  on. — Procure  some  leaf  tobacco, 
and  boil  it  to  a  strong  amber  in  water  enough  to 
float  it ;  mix  in,  while  hot,  enough  of  lard  or 
refuse  grease  to  make  a  thin  salve ;  rub  on  the 
pigs  or  hogs  troubled,  and  in  less  than  24  hours 
they  will  not  have  a  louse  on  them,  if  thor- 
oughly applied.  Or  get  some  crude  petroleum 
oil  and  ai)ply  once  a  month,  and  no  more  lice 
will  appear. 

PIGS,  MANG  Y. — Mange  is  a  disease  caused 
by  the  burrowing  and  breeding  of  a  minute  in- 
sect in  the  skin,  like  the  itch  in  man,  scab  in 
sheep,  etc.  If  pigs  which  have  it,  or  have  been 
exposed  to  it,  are  washed  with  carbolic  or  cre- 
sylic  soap,  and  their  pens  and  bedding  sprinkled 
with  the  same,  a  cure  is  easily  effected.  More 
than  one  application  might  be  required,  and  it 
■yvould  be  best  to  wash  the  animals  at  the  inter- 
val of  a  week. 

RINGS,  SULL,  To  Insert.— "YXx^s  can  be 
done  in  three  ways  :  I.  By  burning  the  hole 
through  with  a  pointed  rod  of  iron  heated  in  the 
forge,  thus  piercing  and  searing  the  wound  at 
the  same  time. — 2.  By  punching  out  the  hole 
with  an  instrument  like  a  leather  punch  of  large 
size. — 3.  By  piercing  the  gristle  of  the  nose  with 
a  steel-tipped  rod,  (cold,)  of  which  the  point  is 
formed  with  two  cutting  edges.  Perhaps  it  may 
be  an  improvement  to  make  the  section  of  the 
end,  just  above  the  point,  triangular,  or  in  the 
shape  of  a  four-pointed  star.  This  last  mode  is 
said  to  be  the  preferable  one.  A  point  of  iron 
about  3  linches  long,  and  hollowed  out  at  the 
large  end,  like  the  barrel  of  a  key,  to  receive  the 


round  end  of  the  open  ring,  is  used  after  the 
iiole  has  been  pierced,  as  a  guide  to  the  ring. 

SHEEP,  AGE  OF,  How  to  Tcll.—ThQ  age 
of  sheep  may  be  known  by  examining  the  front 
teeth.  They  are  8  in  number,  and  appear  dur- 
ing the  first  year,  all  of  a  small  size.  In  the 
second  year  the  2  middle  ones  fall  out,  and  their 
place  is  supplied  by  2  new  teeth,  which  are  eas- 
ily distinguished,  being  of  a  larger  size.  In  the 
third  year,  2  other  small  teeth,  I  from  each  side, 
drop  out,  and  are  replaced  by  2  large  ones,  so 
that  there  are  now  4  large  teeth  in  the  middle, 
and  2  pointed  ones  on  each  side.  In  the  fourth 
year,  the  large  teeth  are  6  in  number,  and  only 
2  small  ones  remain,  i  at  each  end  of  the  range. 
In  the  fifth  year,  the  remaining  small  teeth  are 
lost,  and  the  whole  front  teeth  are  large.  In  the 
sixth  year,  the  whole  begin  to  be  worn  ;  and  in 
the  seventh — sometimes  sooner — some  fall  out 
and  are  broken. 

SHEEP  AND  LAMBS,  Care  and  Manage- 
ment of. — I.  Keep  sheep  dry  under  foot  with 
litter.  This  is  even  more  necessary  than  roof- 
ing them.  Never  let  them  stand  in  mud  or  in 
snow. — 2.  Do  not  starve  them  during  the  win- 
ter, but  by  an  abundance  of  food  keep  them  in 
^ood  condition.  A  more  painful  sight  than  the 
nocks  of  many  farmers,  near  the  close  of  the 
winter,  cannot  be  witnessed.  When  a  farmer 
has  more  sheep  than  he  can  properly  keep  or 
sell,  he  should  kill  the  surplus  when  winter  sets 
in,  even  if  he  should  get  nothing  from  them  but 
the  pelts. — 3.  Furnish  an  ample  supply  of  wa- 
ter, convenient  of  access,  during  the  winter 
months. — 4.  Always  try  to  avoid  letting  any  of 
your  sheep  or  lambs  have  any  sudden  change  of 
food. — 5.  Take  up  lamb  bucks  early  in  the  sum- 
mer, and  keep  them  up  until  the  December  fol- 
lowing, when  they  may  be  turned  out. — 6.  Drop 
or  take  out  the  lowest  bars  as  the  sheep  enter  or 
leave  a  yard,  thus  saving  broken  limbs. — 7. 
Count  every  day. — 8.  Begin  feeding  grain  with 
the  greatest  care,  and  use  the  smallest  quantity 
at  first. — 9.  If  a  ewe  loses  her  lamb,  milk  hsr 
daily  for  a  few  days,  and  mix  a  little  alum  with 
her  salt. — 10.  Let  no  hogs  eat  with  the  sheep, 
by  any  means,  in  the  spring. — II.  Give  lambs  a 
little  mill  feed  in  time  of  weaning. — 12.  Never 
frighten  sheep  if  possible  to  avoid  it. — 13.  Fur- 
nish sow  rye  for  weak  ones  in  cold  weather,  if 
possible. — 14.  Separate  all  those  that  are  weak, 
thin  or  sick  from  those  that  are  strong,  in  the 
fall,  and  give  them  special  care. — 15.  If  any  one 
of  your  sheep  is  hurt,  catch  it  at  once  and  wash 
the  wound;  and,  if  it  is  fly-time,  apply  spirits  of 
turpentine  daily,  and  always  wash  with  some- 
thing healing.  If  a  limb  is  broken  bind  it  with 
splinters,  but  not  tight  enough  to  interfere  with 
the  circulation  of  the  blood. — 16.  Keep  a  num- 
ber of  good  bells  on  the  sheep. — 17.  Do  not  let 
the  sheep  spoil  their  wool  with  chaff  or  burrs.  — 
18.  Cut  tag-locks  in  early  spring. — 19.  For 
scours,  give  pulverized  alum  in  wheat  bran  ; 
prevent  by  taking  great  care  in  changing  dry  for 
green  feed. — 20.  If  one  is  lame,  examine  the 
foot,  clean  out  between  the  hoofs,  pare  the  hoof 
if  unsound,  and  apply  a  wash  of  carbolic  acid. 
— 21.  Shear  at  once  any  sheep  commencing  to 
shed  its  wool,  unless  the  weather  is  too  severe, 
and  save  carefully  the  pelt  of  any  sheep  that 
dies. — 22.  If  sheep  are  given  pine  boughs  once 
or  twice  a  week  they  will  create  appetite,  pre- 
vent   disease,   and  increase   their  health. — 23. 


94 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


Their  general  health  during  the  grazing  season 
will  be  promoted  by  giving  the  sheep  tar,  at  the 
rate  of  a  gill  a  day  for  every  20  sheep.  Put  the 
tar  in  a  trough,  sprinkle  a  little  fine  salt  over  it, 
and  the  sheep  will  consume  it  with  eagerness. — 
24.  The  best  sheep  to  keep,  both  for  wool  and 
mutton,  is  the  American  merino. 

SHEEP,  STEERS,  and  Other  Animals, 
yumping  Fences,  To  Prevent. — Various  devices 
have  been  resorted  to  in  order  to  prevent  such 
trespasses,  and  especially  in  regard  to  sheep,  but 
none  have  succeeded,  or  only  in  a  limited  de- 
gree. The  following  is  a  new  one,  and  is  not 
cruel  or  painful,  and  will  not  greatly  discommode 
the  animal  operated  upon,  and  is  a  remedy  to  the 
employment  of  which  there  can  be  no  objection. 
It  is  to  clip  off  the  eyelashes  of  the  under  lids 
with  a  pair  of  scissors,  and  the  ability  or  dispo- 
sition to  jump  is  as  effectually  destroyed  as  was 
Samson's  power  by  the  loss  of  his  locks.  The 
animal  will  not  attempt  a  fence  again  until  the 
eyelashes  are  grown. 

SHEEP,  CA  TARRH  /iV.— The  following 
is  asserted  to  be  a  sure  cure  for  this  disease. 
Take  a  quill  from  a  hen's  \ving,  immerse  the 
feather  end  in  spirits  of  turpentine,  run  it  up  the 
nostril  of  the  sheep  the  whole  length  of  the 
feather  end,  and  twist  it  round  before  withdraw- 
ing it ;  wipe  it  off  clean  each  time  before  immer- 
sing. One  application  will  cure  ordinary  cases  ; 
the  second  or  third,  at  intervals  of  2  or  3  days, 
will  cure  the  worst. 

SHEEP-KILLING  DOGS.—\{  sheep  are 
kept  in  the  same  lot  with  cows  or  fat  cattle  dogs 
will  not  disturb  them.  As  soon  as  the  dogs  ap- 
proach them  they  run  to  the  cattle,  who  drive  off 
the  dogs.  This  plan  will  usually  be  found  effect- 
ual, but  an  additional  safeguard  is  to  put  a  good 
sounding  bell  on  one  of  the  sheep.  If  a  little 
strychnine  is  put  on  a  piece  of  meat  (if  tainted, 
the  better)  and  left  in  the  yards  or  vicinity  of  the 
sheep  in  the  evening,  if  there  be  any  dogs  arpund 
they  will  be  in  a  condition  for  a  post-mortem  ex- 
amination. An  excellent  way  to  trap  sheep-kill- 
ing dogs,  is  to  place  the  sheep  they  kill,  or  at 
least  one  of  them,  where  the  dogs  have  left  it ; 
then  put  4  or  six  lengths  of  fence  around  the 
dead  sheep,  made  of  sawed  scantling.  Com- 
mence by  laying  the  scantling  on  the  ground, 
and  as  you  lay  them  up,  draw  your  scantling  in 
the  width  of  them  every  time  around,  and  build 
the  fence  high  enough  in  this  way  that  a  dog  can 
not  jump  it.  Then  lock  the  corners  well,  and 
you  have  a  pen  that  dogs  can  go  over  into  from 
the  outside  readily,  and  when  once  over,  they 
cannot  get  out  of  it  again  until  they  are  helped 
out.  In  this  way,  in  a  few  nights,  you  will  be 
quite  likely  to  get  the  very  same  dogs  that  killed 
your  sheep,  as  they  will  have  the  curiosity  or  de- 
sire to  go  over  the  ground  the  second  time.  It 
will  be  better  to  keep  still  about  having  your 
sheep  killed,  for  if  you  make  any  search  for  the 
dogs  you  need  not  be  at  all  surprised  if  you  find 
that  every  man's  dog  is  carefully  shut  up  over 
night.  It  is  not  at  all  likely  that  the  dogs  will 
have  had  the  blood  stains  washed  from  them,  or 
any  particles  of  wool  removed  from  betwixt  their 
teeth,  on  their  return  home  in  the  morning,  af- 
ter having  been  out  over  night  engaged  in  sheep- 
killing. 

SHEEP,  To  Fatten  for  IVinter—Oihcr  things 
taken  into  consideration,  large  sheep  fatten  more 
easily  and  profitably  than  small  sheep,  and  full 


grown  animals  than  those  that  have  not  reached 
maturity.  Two-year-old  wethers  are  the  most 
yjrofit^ile  to  fatten,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  consid- 
erable surprise  that  so  few  of  our  farmers  breed 
them.  Sheep  will  fatten  readily  in  winter  on 
good  clover  hay  alone  ;  we  do  not  mean  the  dark 
looking,  burnt  up  stuff  commonly  called  by  that 
name,  but  what  an  English  farmer  would  call 
"hay,"  cut  when  in  full  bloom,  and  cut  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  retain  all  its  juices  before  they 
are  turned  into  woody  fibre,  and  of  a  good  green 
color.  A  sheep  of,  say,  120  lbs.  live  weight, 
will  consume  21  lbs.  of  clover  hay  per  week,  and 
increase  in  weight  2  lbs.  Allowing  that  it  would 
ordinarily  consume  14  lbs.  to  keep  it  in  good 
stationary  condition,  an  expenditure  of  7  lbs.  of 
hay  extra  will  produce  l^  lbs.  of  mutton,  worth, 
in  the  spring,  10  cents,  so  that  the  extra  feeding 
is  literally  realizing  to  the  farmer  at  the  rate  of 
nearly  $30  per  ton  for  his  hay.  No  other  stock, 
we  think,  will  give  such  a  return  for  the  trouble 
of  fattening  as  this. 

If  it  is  desired  to  fatten  sheep  rapidly,  the  ad- 
dition of  a  small  quantity  of  oats  to  their  food 
will  be  of  great  service ;  a  gallon  of  oats  once  a 
day,  among  20  sheep,  will  be  a  great  help  to 
fattening.  Fattening  sheep  do  not  require  very 
warm  quarters — in  fact,  tliey  will  not  bear  close 
confinement,  but  their  quarters  must  be  dry, 
well  ventilated,  and  abundantly  littered  with 
clean  straw;  they  must  be  fed  regularly,  kept 
quiet,  have  access  to  water,  and  an  occasional 
taste  of  salt.  It  will  be  found  that  when  the 
weather  is  very  cold  they  will  require  to  consume 
somewhat  more  food  than  at  other  times,  in  or- 
der to  counteract  the  waste  of  substance  used  in 
generating  heat  for  their  bodies,  otherwise  they 
will  lose  instead  of  gaining  on  cold  or  stormy 
days. 

SHEEP,  To  Protect  from  the  Gad  Fly.— In 
August  and  September  this  fly  lays  its  eggs  in 
the  nostrils  of  sheep,  where  they  are  hatched, 
and  the  worms  crawl  into  the  head,  and  very  fre- 
quently they  eat  through  to  the  brain.  In  this 
way  many  sneep  are  destroyed.  As  a  protection 
smirch  their  noses  with  tar.  Lay  some  tar  in  a 
trough  or  on  a  board,  and  strew  fine  salt  on  it — 
the  sheep  will  finish  the  operation.  The  tar  will 
protect  them,  and  what  they  eat  will  promote 
their  health. 

SHEEP,  FOOTROT IN,  To  (Twr^.— Causes 
— exposure  in  bad  weather,  but  particularly  from 
soft  and  low  lands  r.nd  wet  pasturage.  It  never 
occurs  on  hard,  mountainous  districts.  The  best 
mode  of  cure  is  that  by  arsenic.  The  moment 
you  perceive  that  any  of  vour  sheep  have  become 
lame,  pass  them  througn  a  trough  containing  a 
warm  solution  of  arsenic  of  aboutJhe  following 
strength :  4  ounces  of  arsenic,  four  ounces  of 
soda  ash  or  potash,  I  gallon  of  water ;  boil  till 
dissolved;  keep  it  about  3  inches  deep,  so  as  to 
cover  the  foot  as  the  sheep  walk  through ;  the 
trough  should  be  about  20  feet  long,  and  just 
wide  enough  to  admit  I  sheep  walking  after  the 
other.  3000  sheep  can  be  run  through  in  about 
3  hours;  and  this  will  result  in  a  cure  in  every 
instance. 

SHEEP,  Hay  Racks  for. — The  cheapest  and 
best  rack  for  sheep  can  oe  made  of  8  boards  (4 
long  and  4  short  ones)  nailed  to  4  posts,  form- 
ing an  inclosure  12  or  more  feet  long,  as  the 
case  may  be,  and  32  inches  wide.  The  bot- 
tom board  should  be  at  least   10   inches   wide 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— CA  TTLE. 


95 


and  the  top  one  need  not  be  over  4,  with  a  space 
between  of  from  6  to  8  inches,  depending  some- 
w^hat  upon  the  size  of  the  sheep  that  are  to  eat, 
standing  with  their  heads  thrust  through  this 
aperture. 

SHEEP,  Inflammation  of  Lungs  in. — This 
disease  is  caused  by  wet  and  cold  pastures,  chills 
after  hard  driving,  washing  before  shearing  when 
the  water  is  at  too  low  a  temperature,  shearing 
when  the  weather  is  too  chilly  and  wet,  and  other 
circumstances  of  a  similar  description.  Its  first 
indication  is  that  of  a  fever,  hard  and  quick 
pulse,  disinclination  for  food,  ceasing  to  chew 
the  cud,  unwillingness  to  move,  slight  heaving 
of  the  flanks,  and  a  frequent  and  painful  cough. 
The  disease  soon  assumes  a  more  aggravated 
form ;  but  it  is  sufficient  for  the  farmer  to  know 
the  first  stages  of  the  malady,  when  he  can  pur- 
sure  the  course  of  treatment  which  experience 
determines  best. 

SHEEP,  RED  WATER  IN.—I0  cure  this 
complaint  take  of  Epsom  salts  I  ounce,  linseed 
oil  I  ounce,  gentian  I  drachm,  ginger  I  scruple, 
warm  water  2  ounces.  For  a  lamb  give  ^  of 
this  amount,  but  to  a  full-grown  sheep  the  entire 
quantity.  Foment  the  abdomen  with  warm  wa- 
ter— a  lamb,  in  fact,  may  be  placed  altogether  in 
a  warm  bath.  In  cases  of  recovery  a  change  of 
food  must  be  afforded,  and  a  short,  sweet  pas- 
ture should  be  preferred. 

SHEEP,  RHEUMATISM  /.V.— This  dis- 
ease consists  in  a  peculiar  inflammation  of  the 
muscles  of  the  body,  very  frequently  causing 
considerable  pain  when  they  are  called  into  ac- 
tion. It  is  usually  caused  by  exposure  to  cold, 
and  sometimes  shifts  from  one  foot  to  another, 
occasionally  degenerating  into  a  slow  or  chronic 
form,  and  attacking  the  sinews,  ligaments,  and 
joints,  as  well  as  the  muscles.  The  neck  and 
loins  are  the  parts  most  frequently  attacked, 
either  separately  or  combined.  The  former  af- 
fection causes  the  head  to  be  carried  in  a  bent 
position,  and  the  latter  produces  considerable 
stiffness  and  weakness  of  the  loins.  The  treat- 
ment should  consist  in  removing  the  animal  to  a 
comfortable  place,  giving  an  active  purgative, 
such  as  2  ounces  of  Epsom  salts  dissolved  in 
warm  water,  with  a  drachm  of  ginger,  and  V^  an 
ounce  of  spirits  of  nitrous  ether.  A  stimulant, 
such  as  hartshorn  and  oil,  or  opodeldoc,  should 
be  well  rubbed  over  the  affected  part ;  and  if  the 
disease  assumes  a  chronic  form,  a  seton  should 
be  inserted  near  the  part. 

SHEEP,  SCAB  /A^.— This  disease  closely 
resembles  the  itch  in  man,  and  is  caused  by  a 
very  minute  parasite  called  the  scab  mite.  These 
creatures  find  no  dwelling-place  on  healthy, 
clean-skinned  sheep ;  but  when  they  do  find  the 
requisite  conditions  they  multiply  with  astonish- 
ing rapidity,  and  spread  through  the  flock,  and 
from  flock  to  flock.  The  females  burrow  in  the 
skin,  and  make  little  sores,  in  or  under  which 
they  deposit  their  eggs,  which  hatch,  and  in  a 
short  time  go  to  work  producing  broods  them- 
selves. The  sores  thus  caused  run  together  and 
form  scabs ;  they  make  an  intolerable  itching, 
and  the  sheep  bite  and  scratch  themselves  fear- 
fully, tearing  out  their  wool  in  patches  over  their 
bodies.  The  disease  is  sometimes  an  epidemic, 
and  through  whole  regions  the  flocks  suffer  so 
terribly  that  government  action  has  been  neces- 
sary to  prevent  their  extinction.  The  suffering 
animals  become  more  and  more  emaciated ;  their 


wool  falls  off;  their  bodies  are  covered  with  nau- 
seous scabby  sores  ;  their  nervous  system  is  in- 
capable of  sustaining  the  pain,  and  its  functions, 
with  those  of  the  skin,  bemg  deranged,  the  di- 
gestive organs  sympathize,  and  the  sheep  finally 
die.  The  remedies  for  the  scab  are  numerous, 
but  the  best  discovered  is  the  use  of  a  solution  of 
sulphuret  of  lime,  as  practiced  in  Australia,  and 
is  made  as  follows :  Take  100  lbs.  of  flour  of 
sulphur,  50  lbs.  of  lime,  (quick-lime,  if  possi- 
ble, or  a  large  proportion  slaked,)  and  100  gals, 
of  cold  water.  Put  these  into  a  boiler.  Keep 
them  mixed  by  constantly  stirring  until  they,j, 
boil,  and  then  keep  boiling  and  stirring  for  about 
10  minutes,  until  a  clean,  dark-brown,  orange- 
tinted  solution  supervenes ;  then  mix  I  gallon 
of  this  solntion  with  3  g.illons  of  hot  water,  and 
make  your  dip  or  bath,  heated  to  loo  or  1 14**  of 
Fahrenheit,  and  plunge  your  sheep  over  head  in 
it  for  about  a  minute.  When  they  are  dry  the 
cure  is  complete ;  but  to  prevent  the  risk  of  re- 
infection, and  to  secure  yourself  against  the 
chance  of  an  imperfect  muster,  a  second  dip,  af- 
ter 10  days,  in  a  bath  of  ^  the  above  strength 
will  render  assurance  doubly  sure.  This  had 
better  be  done  after  the  sheep  is  shorn ;  but  even 
if  the  wool  is  long,  it  will  not  in  the  least  degree 
injure  the  health  of  the  animal  or  the  fibre  of  the 
wool ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  by  absorption  it 
passes  into  and  improves  the  constituents  of  the 
blood,  and  stimulates,  through  its  action  on  the 
natural  perspiration,  the  growth  of  the  wool. 

SHEEP,  Directions  for  SHEARING.— Tha 
shearer  may  place  the  sheep  on  that  part  of  the 
floor  assigned  to  him,  resting  on  its  rump,  and 
himself  in  a  posture  with  his  right  knee  on  a 
cushion,  and  the  back  of  the  animal  resting 
against  his  left  thigh.  He  grasps  the  shears 
about  half  way  from  the  point  to  the  bow,  resting 
his  thumb  along  the  blades,  which  gives  him  a 
better  command  of  the  points.  He  may  then 
commence  cutting  the  wool  at  the  brisket,  and, 
proceeding  downward,  all  upon  the  sides  of  the 
belly  to  the  extremity  of  the  ribs,  the  external 
sides  of  both  sides  to  the  edges  of  the  flanks, 
then  back  to  the  brisket,  and  thence  upward, 
shearing  the  wool  from  the  breast,  front,  and 
both  sides  of  the  neck,  but  not  yet  the  back  of 
it,  and  also  the  poll,  or  forepart,  and  top  of  the 
head.  Then  "the  jacket  is  opened,"  and  its 
position,  as  well  as  that  of  the  shearer  is  then 
changed,  by  the  animal's  being  turned  flat  upon 
its  side,  one  knee  of  the  shearer  resting  on  the 
cushion,  the  other  gently  pressing  the  fore-quar- 
ter of  the  animal  to  prevent  any  struggling.  He 
then  resumes  cutting  upon  the  flank  and  rump, 
and  thence  onward  to  the  head.  The  sheep  is 
then  turned  on  the  other  side — in  doing  which 
great  care  is  requisite  to  prevent  the  fleeces  being 
torn ;  and  the  shearer  proceeds  as  upon  the  other 
side.  He  must  then  take  the  sheep  near  to  the 
door  through  which  it  is  to  pass  out,  and  neatly 
trim  the  legs,  leaving  not  a  solitary  lock  any- 
where as  a  lodging-place  for  ticks.  It  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  him  to  remove  from  his 
stand  to  trim,  otherwise  the  useless  stuff  from 
the  legs  becomes  intermingled  with  the  fleece- 
wool.  In  the  use  of  the  shears,  the  blades  must 
be  laid  as  flat  to  the  skin  as  possible,  the  points 
not  lowered  too  much,  nor  should  more  than  I 
or  2  inches  be  cut  at  a  clip,  and  frequently  not  so 
much,  but  depending  on  the  compactness  of  the 
wool. 


96 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


SHEEP,  STRETCHES  IN.— A  method 
that  is  recommended  to  cure  this  disease  is  as 
follows  :  Take  6  red  peppers,  boil  them  thor- 
oughly, and  give  the  juice,  as  hot  as  can  be  giv- 
en, in  doses  of  ^  a  pint  at  a  time.  This  is  to 
be  followed  by  giving  the  sheep  plenty  of  exer- 
cise by  running  them  about  the  fields  for  5  or  lo 
minutes. 

SOIVS  NEAR  FARROWING,  Treatment 
of. — During  the  whole  period  of  pregnancy 
sows  should  be  moderately  well  fed,  but  not  to 
produce  too  much  fat,  as  this  will  reduce  the 
number  of  the  litter,  or  risk  their  being  smoth- 
ered by  their  unwieldy  dam  lying  down  on  them. 
As  farrowing  approaches,  the  food  must  be  semi- 
liquid  or  gently  laxative,  since  costiveness  at  this 
period  fosters  fever,  and  hence  sows  devour 
their  offspring.  Gentle  exercise  is  beneficial  to 
all  pregnant  healthy  animals,  and  for  this  the 
pen  should  be  roomy.  It  is  best  to  protect  the 
sow  against  injury  from  other  pigs.  The  pen 
should  be  airy  and  clean,  and,  until  the  last  day 
or  two  of  pregnancy,  comfortably  littered.  As 
the  time  approaches,  or  when  uneasiness,  or  the 
piling  of  litter  for  a  bed,  shows  its  near  advent, 
clear  out  ihe  pen,  and  cover  it  with  a  thin  litter 
of  chaff  only.  This  is  necessary  to  prevent 
smothering  the  pigs,  particularly  if  the  sow  be 
large  or  fat.  Soon  remove  the  pigs  when  they 
are  brought  forth,  helping  them  away  until  after 
the  after-birth.  In  all  circumstances  the  after- 
birth should  be  removed  at  once.  However 
natural  it  may  be  for  the  wild  animal  to  devour 
this,  the  practice,  if  permitted  among  domesti- 
cated swine,  develops  the  propensity  to  devour 
their  offspring.  A  drink  of  milk,  gruel,  or  In- 
dian or  oatmeal  and  hot  water  will  be  at  once 
grateful  and  supporting  to  the  sow  during  and 
*  after  parturition  ;  and  as  soon  as  the  secretion  of 
milk  is  freely  established,  the  diet  should  be 
abundant,  soft  and.laxative.  The  pen  should  be 
kept  clean.  The  litter  of  chaff  should  be  of  a 
limited  amount  for  a  week,  until  the  pigs  can  be 
better  able  to  protect  themselves. 

STEERS,  How  to  Break. — It  is  best  to  begin 
with  them  as  calves,  and  let  the  boys  play  with 
them,  and  drive  them  tied  or  yoked  together, 
taking  care  they  are  not  abused.  When  a  pair 
of  old  steers  are  to  be  put  together  and  broken 
to  the  yoke,  or  a  pair  of  bulls,  as  not  unfre- 
quently  happens,  it  is  usually  best  to  yoke  them, 
and  tie  their  tails  together,  in  extempore  stall,  in 
a  well  fenced  yard,  and  then  turn  them  loose  in 
the  yard,  which  should  not  be  large  enough  for 
them  to  run  in  and  get  under  much  headway. 
If  the  tails  are  not  tied  together,  they  will  fre- 
quently turn  the  yoke,  which  is  a  very  bad  habit. 
After  half  a  day's  association,  the  lesson  of  "ye 
up  it"  and  "whoa"  may  be  inculcated  and — 
these  being  well  learned — probably  the  next  day 
"haw"  and  "gee."  The  daily  lesson  should 
be  given  after  they  have  stood  yoked  awhile. 
They  should  not  be  taken  from  the  yard  until 
they  have  become  used  to  the  yoke,  and  are  no 
longer  wild  and  scarey,  as  they  are  apt  to  be  at 
first.  Each  day  all  previous  lessons  should  be 
repeated.  Put  them  before  an  ox  sled  or  a  pair 
of  cart  wheels  at  first,  rather  than  to  a  stone 
boat,  as  they  are  apt  to  step  on  the  chain,  and 
that  frightens  them.  All  treatment  should  be 
firm  but  mild,  and  no  superfluous  words  should 
be  employed.  If  these  directions  are  carried 
out,  tlie  result  will  be  satisfactory. 


HORSES. 

BALSAM,  WOUND.— GMxn  benzoin  in 
powder  6  oz.,  balsam  of  tolu  in  powder  3  oz., 
gum  storax  2  oz.,  frankincense  in  powder  2  oz., 
gum  myrrh  in  powder  2  oz.,  socotorine  aloes  in 
powder  3  oz.,  alcohol  l  gal.  Mix  them  all  to- 
gether and  put  them  in  a  digester,  and  give  them 
a  gentle  heat  for  3  or  4  days,  and  then  strain. 

BALL,  COUGH. — Pulverized  ipecac  ^  oz., 
camphor  2  oz.,  squills  ^  oz.  Mix  with  honey 
to  form  into  mass,  and  divide  into  8  balls.     Give 

1  every  morning. 

BALLS,  DIURETIC. — Castile  soap  scraped 
fine,  and  powdered  rosin,  each  3  tcaspoonfuls  ; 
powdered  nitre  4  teaspoonfuls,  oil  of  juniper  I 
small  teaspoonful,  honey  a  sufficient  quantity  to 
make  into  a  ball. 

BALLS,  FEVER. — Emetic  tartar  and  cam- 
phor each  ^  oz.,  and  nitre  2  ounces.  Mix  with 
linseed  meal  and  molasses  to  make  8  balls,  and 
give  I  twice  a  dav. 

BALL,  PHYSIC— Tokc  2  oz.  of  aloes,  i  oz. 
of  turpentine,  and  i  oz.  of  flour ;  make  into  a 
paste  with  a  few  drops  of  water,  wrap  in  a  paper, 
and  give  them  with  a  bailing  iron. 

BALL,  PURGATIVE.— MoQs  i  oz.,  cream 
tartar  and  Castile  soap  ^  oz.  Mix  with  molas- 
ses to  make  a  ball. 

BALL,    WORM. — Assafetida  4  oz.,  gentian 

2  oz.,  strong  mercurial  ointment  I  oz.  Make 
into  mass  with  honey.  Divide  into  16  balls. 
Give  I  or  more  every  morning. 

BAULKY  HORSES,  To  Ctire.—K  man,  in 
order  to  be  able  to  control  a  horse,  must  first 
learn  to  control  himself;  for,  as  a  rule,  when  a 
horse  is  patiently  made  to  imdersfand  what  is 
required  of  him,  he  becomes  a  willing  subject. 
To  attempt  to  force  him  to  do  what  he  does  not 
understand,  or  to  use  the  whip  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, only  excites  him  to  more  determined 
resistance.  One  method  to  cure  a  baulky  horse 
is  to  take  him  from  the  carriage,  and  whirl  him 
rapidlyround  till  he  is  giddy.  It  requires  2  men 
to  accomplish  this — i  at  the  horse's  tail.  Don't 
let  him  step  out.  Hold  him  to  the  smallest  pos- 
sible circle.  I  dose  will  often  cure  him ;  2  doses 
are  final  with  the  worst  horse  that  ever  refused 
to  stir.  Another  is  to  fill  his  mouth  with  dirt 
or  gravel  from  the  road,  and  he  will  at  once  go 
— the  philosophy  of  this  being  that  it  gives  him 
something  else  to  think  about. 

BLISTER,  LIQUID.— TtiVe  %  a  pint  of 
linseed  oil,  I  pint  of  spirits  of  turpentine,  and  4 
oz.  of  aqua  ammonia ;  shake  well  and  it  is  fit 
for  use.  Apply  every  third  hour  until  it  blis- 
ters. 

BIG  LEG. — ^To  cure,  apply  the  above  Liquid 
Blister  every  third  hour  until  it  blisters.  In  3 
days  wash  the  leg  with  linseed  oil.  In  6  days 
wash  it  clean  with  soap  and  water.  Repeat  ev- 
ery 6  days  until  the  swelling  goes  down.  If 
there  should  be  any  callous  left,  apply  spavin 
ointment. 

BIG  HEAD. — When  this  disease  occurs,  ev- 
ery care  must  be  devoted  to  improving  the  gen- 
eral health.  Let  work  be  regular  and  moderate. 
Have  the  stable  clean,  dry,  and  well  ventilated. 
Feed  on  sound  hay  and  oats,  either  bruised  or 
cooked.  Withhold  all  Indian  corn—  above  all  if 
raw  and  hard.  4  or  5  lbs.  of  linseed  cake  may 
be  given  daily.     Give  every  day,  in  the  feed,  2 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— HORSES. 


97 


drachms  of  phosphate  of  iron,  and  4  drachms  of 
powdered  gentian. 

BIG  SHOULDER.-  See  Big  Head. 

BREASTS,  SORE.— This  generally  occurs 
in  the  spring,  at  the  commencement  of  plowing. 
At  times  the  fault  is  in  having  poor  old  collars, 
and  not  having  the  collar  properly  fitted  to  the 
horse's  breast;  and,  at  others,  the  hames  are 
either  too  tight  or  too  loose.  There  is  a  great 
difference  in  horses  about  getting  chafed  or  gall- 
ed, and  at  times  it  has  seemed  to  be  impossible 
to  keep  their  breasts  from  getting  sore ;  but  a 
thorough  application  of  strong  alum  water  or 
white  oak  bark  to  the  breast  of  the  animal,  3 
days  before  going  to  work,  will  toughen  them  so 
that  they  will  not  get  sore.  Another  excellent 
plan  is,  when  you  let  your  team  rest  for  a  few 
moments  during  work,  to  raise  the  collar  and 
pull  it  a  little  forward,  and  rub  the  breast  thor- 
oughly with  your  naked  hand. 

BREAKING  DOfVN.—The  suspensory  lig- 
ament is  attached  superiorly  to  the  back  part  of 
the  knee,  and  inferiorly  to  the  back  of  the  fet- 
lock joint.  It  is  elastic  and  gives  springiness  to 
the  limb.  In  motion  and  in  standing  it  pas- 
sively supports  the  horse's  fetlock.  If  this  lig- 
ament is  torn  or  cut  across,  the  joint  comes  to 
the  ground  and  the  toe  turns  up;  if  severely 
strained,  the  fetlock  descends  unnaturally  low. 
In  breaking  down,  the  fetlock  is  almost  com- 
pletely torn  across,  and  the  fetlocks  come  nearly 
or  completely  to  the  ground.  Considerable 
swelling  soon  ensues  above  and  behind  the  fet- 
lock ;  there  is  great  pain  and  symptomatic  fe- 
ver, and  in  severe  cases  the  tendons  are  gener- 
ally sprained.  When  the  suspensory  ligament 
is  completely  ruptured,  and  where  the  injury  oc- 
curs in  both  fore  legs,  treatment  need  not  be  at- 
tempted. In  severe  cases  the  leg  should  be  im- 
mersed in  a  pail  of  water,  aiid  kept  in  it  for  sev- 
eral days.  When  the  pain  and  fever  subside, 
wet  bandages  may  be  used.  A  dose  of  opening 
medicine  should  also  be  given.  Bran  mashes 
and  hay  should  constitute  the  horse's  diet  at  the 
first,  and  when  pain  and  fever  subside  the  diet 
may  be  more  liberal.  In  bad  cases  a  high-heeled 
shoe  may  be  applied,  or  the  horse  may  be  slung 
.so  as  to  relieve  the  affected  leg  of  weight. 

BLOOD,  Fulness  of. — When  this  condition 
appears,  the  eyes  appear  heavy,  dull,  red  or  in- 
flamed, and  are  frequently  closed  as  if  asleep; 
the  pulse  is  small  and  oppressed ;  the  heat  of 
the  body  somewhat  increased  ;  the  legs  swell ; 
the  hair  also  rubs  off.  Horses  that  are  removed 
from  grass  to  a  warm  stable,  and  full  fed  on  hay 
and  corn,  and  not  sufficiently  exercised,  are  very 
subject  to  one  or  more  of  these  symptoms.  By 
regulating  the  quantity  of  food  given  to  him,  by 
proper  exercise  and  occasional  laxatives,  a  cure 
may  soon  be  effected. 

BOWELS,  LOOSE.— In  cases  ot  chronic 
diarrhea,  a  good  remedy  is  to  put  powdered 
charcoal  in  the  feed,  and  if  the  disease  depends 
on  a  digestive  function — the  liver  included — give 
a  few  doses  of  the  following :  Powdered  golden 
seal  2  oz.,  ginger  I  oz.,  salt  I  oz.  Dose — ^^  an 
oz.  twice  a  day. 

BOTTS. — Botts  are  the  larvae  of  the  gad  fly, 
of  whicli  there  are  3  different  kinds.  The  fe- 
male g:id  fly,  during  the  summer  months,  de- 
posits her  ova  on  the  horses'  legs  or  sides,  and 
they  become  firmly  attached  to  the  hair.  After 
Jemaining  on  the  leg  for  some  time,  perhaps  4 


or  5  days,  they  become  ripe,  and  at  this  time  the 
slightest  application  of  warmth  and  moisture  is 
suthcient  to  bring  forth  the  latent  larva;.  At 
this  period,  if  the  tongue  of  the  horse  chances 
to  touch  the  egg,  its  operculum  is  thrown  open, 
and  a  small  worm  is  produced,  which  readily  ad- 
heres to  the  tongue,  and  with  the  food  is  con- 
veyed into  the  stomach,  and  therein  is  lodged 
and  hatched.  It  clings  to  the  cuticular  coat  by 
means  of  its  ternacula,  between  which  is  its 
mouth  ;  and  in  such  a  firm  manner  does  it  ad- 
here to  the  lining  of  the  stomach,  that  it  will 
suffer  its  body  to  be  pulled  asunder  without 
quitting  its  hold.  Bots  are  often  supposed  to  do 
a  good  deal  of  harm,  but  except  in  cases  where 
they  accumulate  in  very  large  numbers,  we  are 
of  the  opinion  that  they  are  almost  harmless, 
because  in  ordinary  cases  they  are  chiefly  at- 
tached to  the  cuticular  coat,  and  the  cuticular 
coat  of  the  stomach  is  not  possessed  of  a  great 
degree  of  sensibility.  Most  horses  that  have 
been  running  at  pasture  during  the  summer 
months  become  affected  more  or  less  with  bots, 
and  their  presence  in  the  stomach  is  thus  ac- 
counted for.  When  a  horse  is  troubled  with  the 
bots,  it  may  be  known  by  the  occasional  nipping 
at  their  own  sides,  and  by  red  pimples  and  pro- 
jections on  the  inner  surface  of  the  upper  lip, 
which  may  be  seen  plainly  by  turning  up  the  lip. 
To  remove  them,  take  of  new  milk  2  quarts, 
molasses  I  quart,  and  give  the  horse  the  whole 
amount.  1 5  minutes  afterward  give  2  quarts  of 
very  warm  sage  tea,  and  30  minutes  after  the 
tea  give  i  pint  of  linseed  oil,  (or  enough  to  op- 
erate as  a  physic.)  Lard  has  been  used,  when 
the  oil  could  not  be  obtained,  with  the  same  suc- 
cess. The  cure  will  be  complete,  as  the  milk 
and  molasses  cause  the  bots  to  let  go  their  hold, 
the  tea  puckers  them  up,  and  the  oil  carries  them 
entirely  away.  The  spring  is  the  only  season  in 
which  there  is  a  chance  to  effectually  remove 
them. 

CATARACT. — This  can  be  removed  from  a 
horse's  eye  with  finely  pulverized  burnt  alum, 
blown  into  the  horse's  eye  through  a  goose  quill. 
Or  take  oil  of  wintergreen,  get  a  small  glass 
syringe,  and  inject  a  few  drops  into  the  eye,  and 
after  3  days  repeat  the  application. 

CATARRH,  NASAL,  or  Corryza.— This 
malady  is  commonly  known  as  a  cold;  it  is  an 
inflammation  of  the  membrane  lining  the  inte- 
rior of  the  nose,  and  is  observed  in  all  the  do- 
mestic animals.  It  occurs  frequently  after  sud- 
den changes  in  the  temperature  of  the  atmos- 
phere, which  clicjks  or  diminishes  largely  the 
action  of  the  skin.  In  the  early  stage  the  ani- 
mal is  feverish ;  the  membrane  of  the  nose  is 
dry  and  infected ;  the  animal  also  frequently 
sneezes  and  coughs.  There  is  a  watery  mucous 
discharge  from  one  or  both  nostrils,  which  by 
degrees  assumes  a  yellowish  color.  In  young 
animals  this  affection  is  generally  associated 
with  swellings  beneath  the  jaws.  When  the 
disease  extends  over  a  longer  period  than  a  fort- 
night it  assumes  a  chronic  type.  Treatment. — 
Dissolve  %  an  oz.  of  nitre  in  a  pint  of  water, 
and  administer  this  to  the  patient  daily,  or  it 
may  be  mixed  with  the  water  which  the  horse 
drinks.  A  bran  mush  should  be  given  every 
other  day.  When  the  disease  assumes  a  chronic 
form,  which  is  seldom  the  case,  injecting  the 
nose  with  a  weak  solution  of  alum  will  remove 
the  discharge.  Young  horses  are  very  apt  to 
7 


98 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


have  swelled  legs  unless  they  get  walking  exer- 
cise for  a  short  time  every  day.  This  is  owing 
partly  to  the  weakness  of  the  circulation,  and 
partly  to  a  deteriorated  state  of  the  blood  having 
been  engendered  during  the  horse's  sickness. 

CASTRA  TION.—.\  most  important  point  to 
be  considered  is  the  proper  time  for  the  opera- 
tion to  be  performed,  and  when  that  is  satisfac- 
torily decided,  employ  none  other  than  a  thor- 
oughly competent  individual  to  assume  the  duty. 
Very  many  of  the  defects  observable  in  geldings 
are  attributable  to  too  early  or  too  late  a  period 
of  castration,  and  might  have  been,  in  a  great 
measure,  avoided  by  a  judicious  selection  of  the 
time  suitable  for  its  occurrence.  A  colt  whose 
development  will  warrant  his  being  cut  at  5  or 
6  months  of  age,  will  be  in  very  slight  danger 
from  the  operation;  but  few  are  so  lormed, 
much  the  larger  number  requiring  a  year's  full 
growth  to  sufficiently  perfect  them,  and  others 
exceeding  even  that  age.  The  withers,  neck  and 
shoulders  are  the  most  frequently  deficient,  and 
are  parts  that  are  most  dependent  upon  castra- 
tion for  their  proper  appearance  in  the  horse. 
The  weather  of  late  spring  or  early  autumn  will 
be  found  the  most  suitable  time  for  castrating, 
when  the  air  is  dry  and  temperate.  Upon  no 
consideration  should  the  animal,  after  being  cut, 
be  exposed  to  wet  or  inclement  weather,  or  un- 
sheltered from  too  hot  a  sun.  Close  confine- 
ment, or  unlimited  exercise,  is  equally  prejudic- 
ial to  an  early  and  successful  healing  of  the  parts, 
and  moderate  liberty  should  in  all  cases  be  al- 
lowed the  patient. 

Speaking  of  the  operation,  Mr.  Youatt  says  : 
"The  old  method  of  opening  the  scrotum  (test- 
ical  bag)  on  either  side,  and  cutting  off  the  test- 
icles, and  preventing  bleeding  by  a  temporary 
compression  of  the  vessels,  while  they  are  being 
seared  with  a  hot  iron,  must  not,  perhaps,  be 
abandoned ;  but  there  is  no  necessity  of  that  ex- 
tra pain,  when  the  spermatic  cord  (the  blood 
vessels  and  the  nerve)  is  compressed  between  2 

{)ieces  of  wood  as  tightly  as  in  a  vise,  and  then 
ett  until  the  following  day,  or  until  the  testicle 
drops  off."  He  also  objects  to  the  unnecessary 
pain  inflicted  upon  colts  by  corping  them,  and 
states  that  it  is  accompanied  with  considerable 
danger.  With  regard  to  the  method  of  castra- 
tion by  Torison,  he  adds :  "An  incision  is  made 
into  the  scrotum,  and  the  vas  deferens  is  exposed 
and  divided;  the  artery  is  then  seized  by  a  pair 
of  forceps  contrived  for  the  purpose,  and  is  then 
twisted  round  6  or  7  times.  It  retracts  without 
untwisting  the  coils,  and  bleeding  ceases,  the 
testicle  is  removed,  and  there  is  no  sloughing  or 
danger.  The  most  painful  part  of  the  oderation, 
which  is  that  of  the  firing-irons  or  the  clamps  is 
avoided,  and  the  wound  readily  heals." 

CLICKING.— ThK  is  noticeable  by  a  disa- 
greeable clicking  noise  made  by  the  horse  strik- 
ing the  toe  of  his  hind  shoe  against  the  inner 
edcre  of  the  fore  one.  To  prevent  this  annoying 
habit,  shoe  the  hind  foot  short  at  the  toe — that  is 
to  say,  set  the  shoe  as  far  back  as  is  compatible 
with  security  and  safety  ;  the  fore  shoe  should  be 
fofged  narrow  v  ith  the  inner  margin  filed  round 
and  smooth. 

COLIC. — Svmptrms  :  The  horse  often  lies 
down,  and  suddenly  rises  agnin  with  a  spring ; 
strikes  his  belly  with  his  hind  feet,  stamps  with 
his  fore  feet,  and  refuses  every  kind  of  food,  etc. 
The  following  is  said  never  to  fail  in  curing  cases 


of  colic  :  Aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia  y^  an  oz., 
laudanum  i^  oz. ;  mix  with  i  pint  of  water, 
and  administer.  If  not  relieved,  repeat  the  dose 
in  a  short  time.  Another  and  a  better  remedy  is 
to  take  a  piece  of  carpet,  blanket,  or  any  thick 
material,  large  enough  to  cover  the  liorse  from 
his  fore  to  his  hind  legs,  and  from  the  spine  to 
the  floor  as  he  lies,  and  wring  it  out  in  hot  water 
as  hot  as  you  can  stand.  You  need  not  fear 
scalding  the  animal.  Apply  this  to  the  horse, 
and  cover  it  with  a  similar  dry  cloth.  As  soon 
as  the  heat  diminishes  much,  dip  the  wet  cloth 
again  in  hot  water. 

COLLAR,  How  to  Fit  a  Horse. — An  excel- 
lent plan,  and  one  that  will  not  injure  the  collar, 
is  to  dip  it  in  water  until  the  leather  is  thoroughly 
wet,  then  put  it  on  the  horse,  secure  the  hames 
firmly,  keeping  it  there  until  it  becomes  dry.  It 
is  all  the  better  if  heavy  loads  are  to  be  drawn, 
as  that  causes  the  collar  to  be  more  evenly  fitted 
to  the  neck  and  shoulder.  If  possible,  the  col- 
lar should  be  kept  on  from  4  to  5  hours,  when 
it  will  be  perfectly  dry,  and  retain  the  same  shape 
evea  afterwards ;  and  as  it  is  exactly  fitted  to  the 
form  of  the  neck,  will  not  produce  chafes  nor 
sores  on  the  horse's  neck. 

CORAS. — There  are  no  fixed  rules  for  the 
treatment  of  horses  with  corns.     Corns  occur  to 
horses  with  the  best  of  feet.     The  high-heeled 
and  contracted  quartered,  the  low  as  well  as  the 
broad,  all  occasionally  become  afflicted  with  this 
annoying  disease,  the  common  cause  being  the 
worst  of  shoeing.     Success  in  the  treatment  of 
corns  must  rest  entirely  upon  the  intelligent  un- 
derstanding of  the  shoer.     If  he  is  master  of  the 
art,  he  will  see  at  a  glance  what  parts  of  the  foot 
require  to  removed.     In  the  preparation  ol  the 
foot,  no  matter  what  its  form,  so  long  as  there  is 
no  reason  to  suspect  suppuration,  no  "paring 
out  the  corn"  should  be  permijted.     When  such 
officious  exploration    is   permitted,  the  healthy 
condition  of  the  whole  foot  is  interfered  with  ; 
the  scooping  out  ol  the  horn  at  the  angle  formed 
by  the  wall  and  bar  interferes  with  the  natural 
growth  of  these  parts,  causes  them  to  tilt  over 
rnd  to  press  directly  upon  the  seat  of  the  corn, 
thus   inflicting  injuries  which  frequently  termi- 
nate  in  suppuration.      Let  the  horse's  foot  be 
properly  adjusted  in  all  its  parts,  always  leaving 
as  broad  and  level  a  bearing  surface  as  possible. 
With  regard  to  the  shoe,  unless  the  condition  of 
the  horse's  foot  requires  some  special  modifica- 
tion for  its  protection,  we  prefer  a  plain  shoe,  a 
small  clip  at  the  toe,  moderately  broad  web,  and 
of  uniform  thickness  from  toe  to  heel. 

COLTS,  Their  Care  and  Management. — 
Much  harm  arises  from  improper  weaning.  A 
good  method  is,  when  the  colt  is  4  or  5  months 
old,  to  put  a  strong  halter  upan  him,  place  him 
in  a  stall,  and  put  his  mother  in  an  adjoining 
stall,  with  a  partition  between,  so  arranged  that 
they  can  see  each  other,  and,  if  possible,  get 
their  heads  together.  The  first  day  let  the  colt 
nurse  twice — the  next  day  once.  Feed  the  mare 
upon  dry  hay  and  dry  feed,  and  about  half  milk 
her  2  or  3  times  a  day  until  dry.  Feed  the  colt 
upon  new-mown  grass  or  fine  clover  hay,  and 
give  him  a  pint  of  oats  twice  ]  cr  day,  and  in 
about  2  weeks  you  will  have  yaiir  co!t  weaned, 
and  vour  mare  dry,  and  your  colt  looking  as  well 
as  ever.  When  he  is  I  year  old  he-h.ns  as  much 
growth  and  development  of  muscle  as  one  2 
years  old  weaned  in  the  usual  manner.     When 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— HORSES. 


99 


the  mare  becomes  dry,  colt  and  mare  may  be 
again  turned  in  pasture.     An  opinion  generally 

fjrevails  among  farmers  that,  from  the  time  the 
oal  is  taken  from  its  dam  up  to  coming  maturity, 
it  should  not  be  "  pushed,"  as  the  saying  is,  nor 
fed  on  grain,  for  fear  it  would  injure  one  so 
young  and  tender.  This  accounts  for  the  great 
number  of  moping  or  spiritless  and  unthrifty 
colts,  that  are  scarcely  able  to  drag  one  leg  after 
another.  Their  very  appearance,  cadaverous 
and  pitiful  looks,  seem  to  convey  to  the  mind  of 
every  sensible  man  that  they  are  the  victims  of  a 
wretched  system  of  starvation,  which  enervates 
the  digestive  organs,  impairs  the  secretions,  and 
impoverishes  the  blood.  Hence  the  deficiency  in 
the  development  of  bone  and  muscle.  The  mus- 
cles and  tendons,  being  so  illy  supplied  with  ma- 
terial for  growth  and  development,  become  very 
weak,  and  afford  but  little  support  to  the  bones 
and  joints,  so  that  the  former  become  crooked 
and  the  latter  weak — defects  which  no  after  feed- 
ing, no  skill  in  training  can  counteract.  It  must 
be  known  to  breeders  that  from  the  time  of  birth 
up  to  maturity,  colts  require  food  abounding  in 
flesh-making  principle,  nitrogen6us  compounds 
—oats,  corn,  etc. ;  otherwise  they  must  naturally 
be  deficient  in  size,  symmetry,  and  powers  of  en- 
durance. Therefore  they  should  be  regularly 
fed  and  watered ;  and  their  food  should  consist 
of  ground  oats,  wheat  bran,  and  sweet  hay,  in 
quantities  sufficient  to  promote  their  growth. 
Finally,  proper  shelter  should  always  be  provided 
for  them.  They  should  not  be  exposed,  as  they 
often  are,  to  the  vicissitudes  of  the  weather,  un- 
der the  false  notion  of  making  them  tough  and 
hardy.  Equally  unwise  is  it  to  confine  colts  to 
close,  unventilated,  and  filthy  stables,  deprived 
of  light,  exercise,  and  pure  air.  They  should  be 
groomed  every  day ;  a  clean  skin  favors  the  vi- 
talization  of  the  blood.  They  should  be  permit- 
ted to  gambol  about  as  much  as  they  choose. 
Exercise  develops  muscle,  makes  an  animal  ac- 
tive and  spirited,  and  increases  the  capacity  of 
the  lungs  and  chest.  By  the  above  means,  and 
proper  attention  to  the  principles  of  breeding, 
the  business  of  raising  colts  may  become  both 
creditable  and  profitable. 

COLT,  To  Prevent  from  Jumping. — Pass  a 
good  stout  surcingle  around  his  body ;  put  on 
his  halter,  and  have  the  halter  strap  long  enough 
to  go  from  his  head,  between  his  fore  legs,  then 
through  the  surcingle,  and  back  to  one  of  his 
hind  legs.  Procure  a  thill  strap,  and  buckle 
around  the  leg  between  the  foot  and  joint;  fasten 
the  halter  strap  in  this — shorter  or  longer,  as  the 
obstinacy  of  the  case  may  require.  It  is  also 
useful  to  keep  colts  from  running  where  there  is 
likely  to  be  danger  from  the  result.  If  the  thill 
strap  should  cause  any  soreness  on  the  leg,  it 
may  be  wound  with  a  woolen  cloth,  and  it  would 
be  well  to  change  from  one  leg  to  the  other  occa- 
sionally. 

COLT,  CALLUS  CiV.— Take  i  oz.  of  bitter 
sweet,  I  oz.  of  skunk  cabbage,  i  oz.  of  blood 
root ;  steep  and  mix  with  lard ;  make  an  oint- 
ment, and  apply  once  or  twice  a  day.  This  is 
considered  a  sure  remedy. 

COUGH. — Take  powdered  squills  i  oz.,  gin- 
ger 2  oz.,  cream  of  tartar  i  oz.  ;  mix  well,  and 
give  a  spoonful  every  morning  in  bran.  Another 
remedy  is  to  give  the  animal  a  feed  of  sunflower 
seed. 

CRIBBING. — There  is   supposed  to  be  no 


remedy  for  this  habit,  but  a  person  who  has 
tried  it  says  that  a  horse  can  be  cured  of  crib- 
biting  by  nailing  a  sheepskin,  wool  side  up, 
wherever  there  is  any  chance  for  the  horse  to 
bite. 

DISTEMPER.— Toe.  treatment  of  distemper  • 
should  consist  in  good  nursing  rather  than  active 
or  officious  medication.  In  the  first  instance  the 
animal  should,  if  convenient,  be  removed  to  a 
loose  box,  with  extra  warm  clothing,  flannel  ban- 
dages to  the  legs,  deprivation  of  grain,  warm 
mashes,  and  a  small  quantity  of  damped  hay. 
If  the  running  at  the  nose  is  considerable,  the 
throat  very  sore,  and  the  cough  troublesome,  it 
will  be  advisable  to  wrap  several  folds  of  thick 
flannel  around  the  throat,  which  should  be  kept 
constantly  wet  with  alcohol,  or  weak  camphor 
and  spirit — that  is,  I  part  camphor  dissolved  in 
1 6  parts  alcohol.  A  dose  of  4  drs.  of  either  ni- 
trate or  sulphate  of  potass,  dissolved  in  the 
drinking  water,  may  be  given  once  or  twice  each 
day.  Active  stimulants,  particularly  blisters,  are 
wholly  inadmissible.  Demulcient  drinks,  such 
as  linseed  tea,  hay  tea,  or  oat  or  cornmeal,  are 
useful  and  often  acceptable.  The  animal  should 
remain  quiet  in  his  box  until  all  irritation  in  his 
throat  has  completely  passed  away.  Even  when 
the  horse  is  "convalescent,"  the  owner  must  not 
be  in  a  hurry  to  get  him  into  fast  work,  because 
the  membrane  of  the  larynx  (upper  portion  of 
the  windpipe)  will  continue  to  be  for  some  time 
very  susceptible  of  irritation  and  inflammation. 
In  the  advanced  stages,  if  the  debility  is  great 
and  the  appetite  poor,  much  benefit  is  derived 
from  the  administration  of  tonics  and  stimulants. 
The  following  may  be  given  daily:  Iodide  of 
iron  I  dr.,  extract  of  gentian  4  drs. ;  mix  for  to 
make  I  ball,  or  dissolve  in  a  pint  of  ale  and  then 
give  as  a  drink.  In  cases,  however,  which  are 
progressing  favorably.  Nature  had  better  be  left 
to  herself,  and  tonics  should  only  be  resorted  to 
when  the  symptoms  really  indicate  the  need  of 
them. 

DRESSING  HOOF.— A  good  preparation, 
and  one  that  will  give  the  horse's  hoof  a  rapid 
and  healthy  growth,  is  to  take  of  oil  of  tar  I  pt., 
beeswax  ij^  lbs.,  whale  oil  4  pts.  The  above 
ingredients  should  be  mixed  and  melted  together 
over  a  slow  fire,  and  applied  to  all  parts  of  the 
hoof  at  least  once  or  twice  a  week. 

EYE,  Injlamniation  of. — Keep  the  horse 
quiet,  and  dress  the  eye  repeatedly  with  the  fol- 
lowing lotion:  Take  of  tincture  of  opium  2  oz., 
and  of  water  i  pt. ;  mix.  Much  depends  upon 
a  proper  application  of  the  lotion,  and  a  most 
advantageous  proceeding  is  to  attach  several 
folds  of  linen  rag  to  the  headstall  so  as  to  cover 
the  eye,  and  by  being  repeatedly  saturated  it 
will  keep  up  constant  evaporation,  as  well  as  a 
cooling  effect.  The  horse  should  also  be  re- 
moved from  excessive  light.  When  the  inflam- 
mation has  been  subdued,  the  opacity — more  or 
less  of  which  is  sure  to  remain — must  be  treated 
by  the  application  of  either  iodide  of  potassium 
or  nitrate  of  silver,  prepared  thus  :  Take  of  io- 
dide of  potassium  20  grs  ;  water  r  oz.  ;  mix;  or 
take  of  nitrate  of  silver  5  grs.,  distilled  water  I 
ounce ;  mix.  To  be  applied  daily  by  means  of  a 
camel's-hair  brush  saturated  with  the  lotion  and 
drawn  gently  across  the  eye.  | 

FARCY. — In  most  cases  farcy  is  indicated  by 
the  appearance  of  one  or  more  pustules,  which 
break  into  a  very  peculiar,  deep,  abrupt  ulcer, 


100 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY     WANTS. 


having  thick  inverted  edges,  which  bleed  freely 
on  the  slightest  touch.  The  matter  discharged 
from  a  farcy  bud  is  either  of  a  dirty,  dingy  yel- 
low color  or  of  a  glue-like  character ;  in  either 
case  it  is  offensive.  Or  it  may  be  bloody  or  ich- 
orous. In  the  latter  case  it  abrades  tlie  surface 
on  which  it  falls,  or  gravitates  its  irregular  cord- 
ed lines  into  the  cellular  tissues,  and  hence  it 
helps  to  spread  the  disease.  In  other  cases  this 
complaint  commences  with  a  very  painful  swell- 
ing of  the  hind  leg,  followed  by  the  peculiar  in- 
tractable ulcers  described  above.  In  treatment, 
the  horse  should  receive  good  care,  fresh  air, 
regular,  moderate  exercise,  and  be  carefully  kept 
apart  from  all  others.  Give  daily  in  food  for  a 
fortnight  2  drs.  of  iodide  of  iron,  4  grs.  of  can- 
tharides,  with  2  drs.  each  of  powdered  ginger 
and  aniseed.  The  ulcers  or  sores  should  be 
dressed  daily  with  carbolic  acid. 

FEET,  HORSES\  Care  of . — Every  person 
may  see,  upon  turning  up  the  bottom  of  a  horse's 
foot,  an  angular  projection  pointing  towards  the 
toe,  termed  the  frog  and  its  bars,  the  remainder 
or  hollow  part  being  technically  called  the  sole, 
though  the  entire  bottom  of  the  foot  might  bet- 
ter receive  this  name.  It  is  certain,  however, 
that  the  "frog  and  sole"  require  pressure — a 
congenial  kind  of  pressure  without  concussion — 
that  shall  cause  the  sensible,  inside,  or  quick- 
sole  to  perform  its  functions  of  absorbing  the 
serous  particles  secreted  or  deposited  therein  by 
the  blood  vessels.  If  the  frog  and  its  bars  are 
permitted  to  remain  in  such  a  state  as  to  reach 
the  ground,  wherever  the  sod  happens  to  be 
soft  or  yielding,  the  hollow  part  of  the  sole  re- 
ceives its  due  proportion  of  pressure  laterally, 
and  the  whole  sole  or  surface  of  the  foot  is  thus 
kept  in  health. 

Every  veterinarian  of  sense  will  perceive  the 
necessity  of  keeping  the  heels  apart,  yet  though 
the  immediate  cause  of  their  contracting  is  so 
universally  known  and  recognized,  the  injudi- 
cious method — to  call  it  by  no  harsher  name — of 
paring  away  the  frog  and  sole,  which  prevents 
the  bars  from  ever  touching  the  ground,  is  still 
continued  to  an  alarming  extent. 

So  much  for  prevention.  When  disease  comes 
on,  which  may  be  accelerated  by  two  other  spe- 
cies of  mismanagement,  another  course  is  usually 
followed  not  less  injudicious  than  the  first  men- 
tioned original  cause  of  all  the  mischief. 

Horses'  hoofs  are  of  two  distinct  kinds  or 
shapes — the  one  being  oval,  hard,  dark-colored, 
and  thick ;  the  other  round,  palish,  and  thin  in 
the  wall  or  crust  of  the  hoof.  The  first  has  a 
different  kind  of  frog  from  the  latter,  this  being 
broad,  thick  and  soft,  while  the  oval  hoof  has  a 
frog  that  is  long,  acute  and  hard.  The  rags, 
which  hard  work  and  frequent  shoeing  occasion 
on  the  horny  hoof  of  the  round  foot,  produce 
ragged  frogs  also,  both  being  thus  pared  away 
to  make  a  fair  bottom  to  receive  the  shoe — burn- 
ing hot ! — the  whole  support  is  so  far  reduced, 
and  the  sensible  sole  coming  much  nearer  the 
ground,  becomes  tender  and  liable  to  those  pain- 
ful concussions  which  bring  on  lameness — prin- 
cipally of  the  fore  feet.  Contraction  of  those 
kinds  of  heels  which  belong  to  the  cart-horse, 
and  pommice-foot,  are  the  consequence. 

The  oval  foot  pertains  to  the  saddle-horse,  the 
hunter,  and  bit  of  blood-kind,  whose  bold  pro- 
jecting frogs  the  farriers  remove,  and  these  being 
compelled  to  perform  long  and  painful  journeys, 


ever  starling  or  going  off  with  the  same  leading 
leg,  and  continuing  the  same  throughout,  lame- 
ness is  contracted  in  that  foot,  which  none  can 
account  for,  nor  even  find  out  whereabouts  it 
may  be  seated.  Applications  of  "the  oyals" 
(that  egregious  compound  of  folly,  ignorance 
and  brutality)  follow  the  first  appearance  of  this 
lameness,  and  are  made  alike  to  the  shoulder, 
the  leg,  and  the  sole,  under  the  various  pre- 
tences of  rheumatism,  strain  in  the  shoulder,  and 
founder.  The  real  cause,  however,  is  not  once 
thought  of,  much  less  removed,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  evil  is  usually  augmented  by  removing 
the  shoe  and  drawing  the  sole  to  the  quick,  per- 
haps, in  search  of  suppositious  corns,  surbatings, 
etc. — pretended  remedies  that  were  never  known 
to  cure,  but  which  might  have  been  all  prevented 
by  the  simplest  precautions  that  can  be  imagined. 
These  are: 

1.  Let  the  frog  and  sole  acquire  their  natural 
thickness. 

2.  Lead  off  sometimes  with  one  leg,  some- 
times with  another. 

3.  Stuff  the  hollow  of  the  hoofs  (all  four  of 
them)  with  cow  dung  or  tar  ointment,  changing 
it  entirely  once  a  day.  In  every  case  it  is  advis- 
able that  he  be  worked  moderately,  for  it  is  use- 
less to  talk  to  the  owners  of  horses  about  giving 
the  afflicted  animal  an  entire  holiday  at  grass. 

FEET,  BRITTLE.— \n  a  large  majority  of 
cases  brittleness  of  hoof  owes  its  origin  to  mis- 
management of  the  feet,  and  especially  to  exces- 
sive moisture,  the  use  of  swabs,  the  bath-tub, 
etc.  In  all  cases  where  the  hoof  is  naturally 
brittle  the  feet  should  be  kept  dry  rather  than 
wet.  If  convenient,  we  would  remove  the 
shoes,  and  rasp  the  wall  moderately  short  and 
round  at  its  margin.  Having  cut  the  hair  off 
short  around  the  entire  coronet,  a  little  iodide  of 
mercury  ointment  should  be  rubbed  in.  This 
will  cause  a  rapid  growth  of  horn.  The  horse 
should  be  kept  during  the  day  in  a  roomy  box 
having  a  layer  of  tan  or  sawdust  spread  over  the 
floor.  When  removed  to  his  stall  at  night  the 
feet  should  be  washed  clean,  and,  after  being 
wiped  dry,  every  part  of  the  hoof  should  be 
freely  anointed  with  the  following  composition  : 
Take  of  oil  of  tar  and  beeswax  of  each  4  oz., 
honey  and  beef  suet  of  each  2  oz.,  whale  oil  8 
ounces;  melt  the  beeswax  and  beef  suet  first, 
then  add  the  honey  and  other  ingredients,  stir- 
ring the  whole  until  nearly  cold.  All  sousing  of 
the  feet  must  be  avoided. 

FEET,  CONTRACTED.— Uoxsts  which 
stand  nearly  or  quite  the  year  round,  sometimes 
from  year  to  year  in  the  stable,  are  apt  to  have 
the  feet  get  into  a  dry  and  fevered  condition,  the 
hoof  becomes  dry,  hard,  and  often  contracted, 
frequently  also  very  brittle,  and  the  horse  some- 
times suffers  lameness  in  consequence.  One  of 
the  most  effective  means  of  remedying  these 
difficulties,  where  the  horse  cannot  be  spared  to 
be  turned  loose  into  pasture  for  quite  a  season, 
is  in  the  spring,  when  the  ground  is  breaking  up, 
and  the  wmter's  frost  disappearing,  and  no  last- 
ing freeze  is  to  be  apprehended,  to  have  all  the 
shoes  taken  off,  and  drive  the  horse  daily  about 
business  as  usual  without  them.  The  roads  re- 
main muddy  and  soft,  usually,  so  that  a  horse 
may  be  thus  driven  daily  for  a  period  of  3  or  4 
weeks,  and  a  great  improvement  is  effected  in 
the  feet  in  every  respect. 

FEET,    To   Ptojetit   Snow-balling.— Cittin 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— HORSES. 


101 


their  hoofs  well,  then  rub  thoroughly  with  thick 
soap  suds  before  going  out  in  the  snow. 

FISTULA. — Make  a  free  opening  in  the  low- 
estpart  of  the  sac,  and  inject  it  daily  with  a  lo- 
tion containing  2  drachms  of  chloride  of  zinc  to 
a  pint  of  soft  water. 

FLIES  ON  HORSES.— ks.  a  preventive  of 
horses  being  teased  by  flies,  take  2  or  3  small 
handfuls  of  walnut  leaves,  upon  which  pour  2 
or  3  quarts  of  cold  water ;  let  it  infuse  for  one 
night,  and  pour  the  whole  next  morning  into  a 
kettle,  and  let  it  boil  for  a  ^  of  an  hour.  When 
it  becomes  cold  it  will  be  fit  for  use.  No  more 
is  required  than  to  moisten  a  sponge,  and,  be- 
fore the  horse  goes  out  of  the  stable,  let  those 
parts  which  are  most  irritable  be  smeared  over 
with  the  liquor — namely,  between  and  upon  the 
ears,  the  neck,  the  flanks,  etc.  Not  only  the 
lady  or  gentleman  who  rides  out  for  pleasure 
will  derive  pleasure  from  the  walnut  leaves  thus 
prepared,  but  the  coachman,  the  wagoner,  and 
all  others  who  use  horses  during  the  summer. 
Or  take  smart  weed  and  soak  it  in  water,  and  in 
the  morning  apply  it  to  the  horse,  all  over  him, 
with  a  sponge.  A  decoction  of  quassia  chips, 
made  by  boiling  them  in  water,  has  also  been 
recommended. 

FRACTURE. — Severe  lameness  is  some- 
times caused  by  the  fracture  of  i  or  2  bones  on 
the  inside  of  the  hoof — namely,  the  coffin  of  the 
navicular  bone.  Inclosed  as  these  bones  are  on 
the  inside  of  the  hoof,  and  fenced  in  laterally  by 
the  cartilages,  it  is  often  difficult  to  detect,  and 
we  are  obliged  to  depend  on  the  general  symp- 
toms :  the  horse  halts  exceedingly,  the  foot  is 
hot,  and  the  pain  extreme.  As  these  bones  are 
confined  in  the  hoof  no  displacement  can  take 
place,  therefore  no  crepitus  can  be  detected.  In 
all  cases  of  fracture  of  either  bone,  a  careful  ex- 
amination will,  however,  reveal  the  existence  of 
a  swelling  at  the  back  of  the  heels,  immediately 
above  the  frog,  and  more  or  less  fulness  over  the 
coronet  of  the  foot.  The  treatment  may  be  in- 
dicated in  a  few  words — rest,  absolute  rest,  is 
all-important.  So  long  as  the  horse  exhibits  ev- 
idence of  acute  pain  whenever  his  weight  is  im- 
posed on  the  lame  limb,  the  quieter  he  is  kept 
the  better.  Warm  baths,  or  cloths  frequently 
moistened  with  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  alco- 
hol and  water,  are  useful  adjuncts.  It  may  be 
added  that,  in  all  cases  of  serious  injury  of  the 
stifle,  the  hip-joint,  or  the  pelvis,  the  horse  is 
able  to  bring  his  heels  "fair  and  square"  upon 
the  floor.  In  fracture  of  either  the  navicular  or 
coffin  bone,  lameness  sometimes  continues  long 
after  recovery.     It  may  turn  out  permanent. 

FOOT,  CANKER  OF.—Th\s  complaint  is  a 
separation  of  the  horn  from  the  sensible  part  of 
tlie  foot,  and  the  sprouting  of  the  fungus  mat- 
ter— proud  flesh — instead  of  it,  occupying  a  por- 
tion or  even  the  whole  of  the  sole  and  frog.  It 
is  the  occasional  consequence  of  bruise,  punc- 
ture, corn,  quittor  and  thrush,  and  is  exceedingly 
difficult  to  cure.  It  is  more  frequently  the  con- 
sequence of  neglected  thrush  than  of  any  other 
disease  of  the  foot,  or  rather  it  is  thrush  involv- 
ing the  frog,  the  bars  and  the  sole,  and  mcking 
the  foot  one  mass  of  putrefaction. 

The  cure  of  canker  is  a  painful  and  tedious 
business.  First,  the  extraneous  fungus  growth 
is  to  be  removed  with  either  the  knife  or  caustic. 
Then  the  growth  of  fresh  fungus  must  be  dis- 
couraged, by  bringing  the  foot  into  tliat  state  in 


which  it  will  again  secrete  healthy  horn,  by  a 
slight  daily  application  of  the  chloride  of  anti- 
mony, and  that  not  where  the  new  horn  is  form- 
ing, but  on  the  surface  which  continues  to  be 
diseased,  and  accompanied  by  as  firm  but  equal 
pressure  as  can  be  made;  the  careful  avoidance 
of  the  slightest  degree  of  moisture,  the  horse 
being  exercised  or  worked  in  the  mill,  or  wher- 
ever the  foot  will  not  be  exposed  to  wet,  and 
that  exercise  adopted  as  early  as  possible,  and 
even  from  the  beginning,  if  the  malady  is  con- 
fined to  the  sole  and  frog.  These  means  will 
succeed,  if  the  disease  is  capable  of  cure. 

FOOT,  PUMMICE.—Thxs,  is  indicated  by 
the  hoofs  spreading  more  and  more  and  losing 
their  shape.  A  properly  constructed  round  (bar) 
shoe  is  the  only  reliable  remedy,  for  it  can  be 
worn  indefinitely  without  detriment  to  any  part 
of  the  foot.  The  main  object  of  treatment  is  to 
protect  and  preserve  the  deformed  sole.  The 
shoe  must  be  chambered  so  as  not  to  touch  the 
sole,  and  no  paring  away  of  the  latter  must  be 
allowed.  Keep  the  feet  clean  and  dry  as  pos- 
sible. 

FOOT,  SAND  CRACK  /.V.— This,  as  its 
name  imports,  is  a  crack  or  division  of  the  hoof 
from  above  downward,  and  into  which  sand  and 
dirt  are  too  apt  to  insinuate  themselves.  It  oc- 
curs both  in  the  fore  and  the  hind  feet.  In  the 
fore  feet  it  is  usually  found  in  the  inner  quarter, 
but  occasionally  in  the  outer  quarter,  because 
there  is  the  principal  stress  or  effort  toward  ex- 
pansion in  the  foot,  and  the  inner  quarter  is  not 
so  strong  as  the  outer.  In  the  hind  feet  the 
crack  is  almost  invariably  found  in  the  front,  be- 
cause in  the  digging  of  the  toe  into  the  ground, 
in  the  act  of  drawing,  the  principal  stress  is  in 
front.  If  the  crack  be  superficial — does  not 
penetrate  through  the  horn — it  will  cause  no 
lameness,  yet  must  not  be  neglected.  If  the 
crack  has  extended  to  the  sensible  parts,  and  you 
can  see  any  fungus  flesh,  with  a  small  drawing 
knife  remove  the  edges  of  the  cracked  horn  that 
press  npon  it.  Touch  the  fungus  with  caustic, 
dip  a  roll  of  tow  or  linen  in  tar,  and  bind  it  very 
firmly  over  it.  The  whole  foot  is  to  be  kept  m 
a  bran  poultice  for  a  few  days,  or  until  the  lame- 
ness is  removed.  A  shoe  may  then  be  put  on, 
so  as  not  to  press  on  the  diseased  part.  The 
pledget  of  tow  may  now  be  removed,  the  crack 
filled  with  the  composition,  and  the  animal  may 
be  then  turned  into  some  soft  meadow. 

FOUNDER,  To  Cure.— Clezn  out  the  bot- 
torn  of  the  foot  thoroughly,  hold  up  firmly  in  a 
horizontal  position,  and  pour  in  a  tablespoonful 
of  spirits  of  turpentine,  if  the  cavity  will  hold 
that  much ;  if  not,  pour  in  what  it  will  hold 
without  running  over ;  touch  the  turpentine  with 
a  red  hot  iron,  (this  will  set  it  on  fire  ;)  hold  the 
hoof  firmly  in  this  position  till  it  burns  out,  and 
care  must  be  taken  that  none  runs  on  the  hair  of 
the  hoof,  lest  the  skin  be  burned.  If  all  the 
feet  are  affected,  burn  turpentine  in  all  of  them. 
Relief  will  speedily  follow,  and  the  animal  will 
be  ready  for  service  in  a  short  time. — 2.  The 
seeds  of  the  sunflower — a  pint  of  the  whole  seed 
— given  in  his  feed,  immediately  the  founder  is 
discovered. — 3.  By  standing  the  foundered  horse 
up  to  his  belly  in  water. 

G.4LLED BACK.— ?>o  soon  as  an  abrasion 
is  discovered  on  the  back  of  a  horse,  the  animal 
should  be  excused  from  duty  for  a  few  days  ;  the 
abraded  parts  should  be  dressed  twice  daily  with 


102 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


a  portion  of  the  tincture  of  aloes  and  myrrh. 
This  simple  treatment  will  soon  heal  the  parts. 
Should  there  be  no  abrasion,  but  simply  a  swel- 
ling attended  with  heat,  pain  and  tenderness,  the 
parts  should  be  frequently  sponged  with  cold 
water.  Occasionally  the  skin  undergoes  the 
process  of  hardening  (induration.)  This  is  a 
condition  of  the  parts  known  to  the  farriers  of 
old  as  "  sitfast,"  and  the  treatment  is  as  follows  : 
Procure  I  oz.  of  iodine,  and  smear  the  indurated 
spot  with  a  portion  of  the  same  twice  daily. 
Some  cases  of  galled  back  and  shoulders  are  due 
to  negligence  and  abuse ;  yet  many  animals,  ow- 
ing to  a  peculiarity  of  constitution,  will  chafe,  as 
the  saying  is,  in  those  parts  which  come  in  con- 
tact with  the  collar,  and  neither  human  foresight 
nor  mechanical  means  can  prevent  the  same. 

GLANDERS. — Glanders  is  a  disease  of  very 
malignant  type,  and  consists  in  a  discharge  from 
one  or  both  nostrils  of  matter  which,  by  transfer 
or  inoculation,  will  produce  the  disease  in  any 
other  animal.  It  is  also  characterized  by  tume- 
faction of  the  submaxillary  and  lymphatic  glands. 
The  lymphatic  glands  enlarge,  a  pustular  erup- 
tion appears  upon  the  skin,  followed  by  suppu- 
rating, bloody,  gangrenous  ulceration  in  various 
parts,  giving  rise  to  small  tumors  known  as  farcy 
buds.  These  gradually  suppurate,  and  secrete  a 
specific  virus.  The  physiology  and  pathology  of 
it  is  this :  It  occurs  under  2  forms — namely, 
glanders  and  farcy.  Many  veterinarians  have 
considered  these  varieties  to  be  distinct  diseases, 
but  numerous  experiments  have  demonstrated 
that  they  have  their  origin  in  the  common  ani- 
mal poison.     It  appears,  however,  that  there  are 

2  grades  or  varieties  of  this  disease.  Thus,  if 
glanders  be  defined  to  be  a  disorder  with  a  run- 
ning of  matter  from  the  nose,  enlargement  and 
induration  of  the  glands,  farcy  consists  in  the 
formation  of  a  number  of  tumors  on  different 

farts  of  the  body,  which  soften  and  ulcerate. 
t  may  be  shortly  stated  that,  in  the  primary 
stage  of  glanders,  the  nasal  passages  especially 
suffer,  while  in  farcy  it  is  the  lymphatic  system 
which  is  first  affected.  The  catalogue  of  reme- 
dies proposed  is  endless.  Sulphate  of  copper, 
sulphate  of  iron,  cantharides,  arsenic,  and  re- 
cently sulphate  of  soda  and  carbonic  acid,  have 
been  used,  but  without  benefit,  and  to  the  disap- 
pointment of  the  hopes  which  had  been  enter- 
tained of  them.  The  disease  is  pronounced  in- 
curable by  standard  authorities,  and  an  animal 
having  it  should  be  killed,  rather  than  experi- 
mented on. 

GRA  VEL, — Steep  a  ^  lb.  of  hops  m  a  quart 
of  water,  and  give  it  as  hot  as  the  horse  can  stand 
it 

GREASE. — This  is  a  white,  offensive  dis- 
charge from  the  skin  of  the  heels.  Wash  the 
part  well  with  warm  soap-suds  twice  a  day,  and 
if  the  swelling  be  great  apply  a  poultice  to  it ; 
when  the  sores  are  cleansed  touch  them  with  a 
rag  or  feather  dipped  in  a  solution  of  chloride  of 
zinc,  I  grain  to  the  ounce  of  water, 

HAIR,  LOSS  OF.— To  promote  the  growth 
of  hair,  where  the  skin  has  been  deadened  by 
bruises  or  rubbing,  take  of  quinine  8  grs.,  finely 
powdered  galls,  lo  grs.,  powdered  capsicum  5 
grs.,  oil  of  almonds  and  pure  lard  of  each  l  oz., 
oil  of  lavender  20  drops  ;  mix  thoroughly,  and 
apply  a  small  quantity  to  the  denuded  parts  2  or 

3  times  a  week.  Where  there  is  falling  out  of 
the  hair  of  the  mane    and  tail,   take    glycer- 


ine 2  oz.,  sulphur  I  oz.,  acetate  of  lead  2  drs., 
water  8  oz.  To  be  well  mixed,  and  applied  by 
means  of  a  sponge. 

HALTER-PULLING.— K  new  way  to  pre- 
vent horses  pulling  at  the  halter,  is  to  put  a  very 
small  rope  under  the  horse's  tail,  bringing  the 
ends  forward,  crossing  them  on  the  back,  and 
tying  them  on  the  breast.  Put  the  halter  strap 
through  the  ring,  and  tie  to  the  rope  in  front  of 
•the  breast.  When  the  horse  pulls,  he  will,  of 
course,  find  himself  in  rather  an  uncomfortable 
position,  and  discontinue  the  effort  to  free  him- 
self. 

HARNESS,  Care  of. — First  take  the  harness 
apart,  having  each  strap  and  piece  by  itself,  and 
then  wash  it  in  warm  soap-suds.  When  it  has 
been  cleaned,  black  every  part  with  the  follow- 
ing dye:  I  oz.  extract  of  logwood,  12  grs.  of 
bichromate  of  potash,  both  pounded  fine ;  put  it 
into  2  quarts  of  boiling  rain  water,  and  stir  until 
all  is  dissolved.  When  cool  it  may  be  used. 
You  can  bottle  and  keep  for  future  use  if  you 
wish.  It  may  be  applied  with  a  shoe-brush,  or 
anything  else  convenient.  When  the  dye  has 
struck  in,  you  may  oil  each  part  with  neat's-foot 
oil,  applied  with  a  paint-brush,  or  anything  con- 
venient. For  second  oiling  use  ^  castor  oil  and 
double  that  quantity  of  neat's-foot  oil,  mixed. 
A  few  hours  after  wipe  clean  with  a  woolen 
cloth,  which  gives  the  harness  a  glossy  appear- 
ance. The  preparation  will  not  injure  the  leather 
or  stitching,  makes  it  soft  and  pliable,  and  obvi- 
ates the  necessity  of  oiling  as  often  as  is  neces- 
sary by  the  ordinary  method. 

HEAVES. — This  disease  is  indicated  by  a 
short,  dull,  spasmodic  cough,  and  a  double-jerk- 
ing movement  at  the  flank  during  expiration. 
If  a  horse  suffering  from  this  disease  is  allowed 
to  distend  his  stomach  at  his  pleasure,  with  dry 
food  entirely,  and  then  to  drink  cold  water,  as 
much  as  he  can  hold,  he  is  nearly  worthless. 
But  if  his  food  be  moistened,  and  he  be  allowed 
to  drink  a  moderate  quantity  only  at  a  time,  the 
disease  is  much  less  troublesome.  To  cure  this 
complaint,  feed  no  hay  to  the  horse  for  36  or  48 
hours,  and  give  only  a  pailful  of  water  at  a  time. 
Then  throw  an  armful  of  well  cured  smart  weed 
before  him,  and  let  him  eat  all  he  will.  In  all 
cases  where  the  cells  of  the  lungs  are  not  broken 
down,  great  relief,  if  not  a  perfect  cure,  will  fol- 
low. Another  remedy  is  sunflower  seed,  feeding 
I  or  2  quarts  of  the  seed  daily. 

HIDE-BOUND.— To  recruit  a  hide-bound 
horse,  give  nitrate  potassia  (or  saltpetre)  4  oz., 
crude  antimony  I  oz.,  sulphur  3  oz.  Nitrate  of 
potassia  and  antimony  should  be  finely  pulver- 
ized, then  add  the  sulphur,  and  mix  the  whole 
well  together.  Dose — A  tablespoonful  of  this 
mixture  in  a  bran  mash  daily. 

HOOF-BOUND — Cut  down  several  lines 
from  the  coronet  to  the  toe  all  around  the  hoof, 
and  fill  the  cuts  with  tallow  and  soap  mixed ;  take 
off  the  shoes,  and  (if  you  can  spare  him)  turn  the 
animal  into  a  wet  meadow,  where  his  feet  will  be 
kept  moist.  Never  remove  the  sole  nor  burn  the 
lines  down,  as  this  increases  instead  of  diminish- 
ing the  evil. 

HOOF-QUA R TER,  CRA CR'ED.—'S'lz.ny 
plans  have  been  devised  by  which  to  heal  a  quar- 
ter crack — such  as  scoring  with  a  knife,  blister- 
ing, cutting  with  a  sharp,  hot  iron,  riveting  and 
the  like,  all  which,  in  many  cases,  have  proved  a 
failure.     If  the  following  directions  are  adopted. 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— HORSES. 


103 


the  fore  feet  will  be  sound  in  3  months.  Above 
the  crack,  and  next  to  the  hair,  cut  with  your 
knife  an  incision  ^  inch  long,  crosswise  of  the 
crack,  and  about  %  inch  deep.  Now  from  the 
incision  draw  a  line  )^  inch  each  side,  parallel 
with  the  crack,  down  to  the  shoe ;  then  with  your 
knife  follow  those  lines,  and  cut  through  the 
enamel  or  crust  of  the  foot.  Now  there  is  a 
piece  of  the  crust  to  be  taken  out.  This  is  done 
by  loosening  the  top  of  the  piece  next  to  the 
hair  with  your  knife,  then  with  your  forceps  take 
hold  of  the  piece  and  pull  it  off ;  that  leaves  a 
space  of  %  i"ch  of  the  crust  taken  out  from  the 
hair  down  to  the  shoe.  Fill  the  cavity  with  tar, 
and  lace  on  a  soft  piece  of  leather  to  keep  the 
tar  in  its  place. 

Keep  the  animal  quiet  for  3  or  4  days,  and  he 
is  ready  to  drive,  but  it  is  best  not  to  use  him 
until  the  foot  is  perfectly  sound.  Shoe  with  a 
bar  shoe,  leaving  some  spring  to  the  heel,  so  it 
will  not  bear  hard  upon  the  weak  quarter,  and  in 
3  months  you  will  have  a  sound  foot. 

HORSES,  How  to  Judge  and  Select.— Color. 
Light  sorrel  or  chestnut  with  feet,  legs,  and  face 
white,  are  marks  of  kindness.  A  deep  bay,  with 
no  white  hair,  will  be  a  horse  ot  great  bottom, 
but  a  fool,  especially  if  his  face  is  a  little  dished. 
They  are  always  tricky  and  unsafe.  A  black 
horse  cannot  stand  the  heat,  nor  a  white  one  the 
cold.  The  more  white  about  the  head  the  great- 
er his  docility  and  gentleness.  Eye. — If  broad 
and  full  between  the  eyes,  he  may  be  depended 
on  as  a  horse  for  being  trained  to  anything. 
Ears. — Intelligent  animals  prick  up  their  ears 
when  spoken  to ;  vicious  ones  throw  their  ears 
back.  Face  and  Neck. — Dish-faced  horses  must 
always  be  avoided,  and  a  broad  forehead,  high 
between  the  ears,  indicates  a  very  vicious  dispo- 
sition ;  while  a  long,  thin  neck  indicates  a  good 
disposition ;  contrawise,  if  short  and  thick ;  the 
nostrils  of  a  good  horse  should  be  large. 

HORSE,  Points  of  a  Good.—\iQ  should  be 
about  l^Yz  -hands  high ;  the  head  light  and  clean 
made ;  wide  between  the  nostrils,  and  the  nos- 
trils themselves  large,  transparent  and  open ; 
broad  in  the  forehead;  eyes  prominent,  clear  and 
sparkling ;  ears  small  and  neatly  set  on ;  neck 
rather  short,  and  well  set  up ;  large  arm  or 
shoulder,  well  thrown  back,  and  high ;  withers 
arched  and  high ;  legs  fine,  flat,  thin  and  small- 
boned  ;  body  round  and  rather  light,  though  suf- 
ficiently large  to  afford  substance  when  it  is  need- 
ed ;  full  chest,  affording  play  for  the  lungs ;  back 
short,  with  the  hind-quarters  set  on  rather  ob- 
liquely. Any  one  possessing  a  horse  of  this  pre- 
cise make  and  appearance,  and  weighing  1 100  or 
1200  lbs.,  may  rest  assured  he  has  a  horse  of  all 
work,  and  a  bargain  well  worth  getting  hold 
of. 

HORSE,  {Cart,)  Points  of  a  Good  .—K  well- 
shaped  head,  rather  large  ;  a  long,  clean  ear,  full 
eye,  neck  rather  long,  but  not  too  much  arched ; 
strong  withers,  lying  well  forward  to  catch  the 
collar  at  the  proper  angle  for  draught,  and  broad 
.shoulders  well  spread  mto  the  back;  back  very 
straight,  ribs  long'  and  well  rounded,  hind  legs 
bent  at  the  hock,  forlegs  forward,  hind-quarters 
somewhat  round,  but  not  sufificiently  so  to  make 
them  look  short ;  the  mane  and  tail  of  strong, 
but  not  coarse  hair,  and  with  a  fetlock  about  2 
inches  long  ;  broad  knees,  long  hocks,  short 
shanks,  and  hard  ankles  or  fetlock  joints,  and 
round  hoofs,  well  opened  behind ;  and  the  near- 


er you  can  approach  this  description,  the  nearer 
the  horse  will  be  to  perfection. 

HORSES,  AGE  OF,  By  Teeth.— .K  horse 
has  40  teeth — 24  double  teeth,  or  grinders,  4 
tushes,  or  single  file  teeth,  and  12  front  teeth, 
called  gatherers.  As  a  general  thing,  mares 
have  no  tushes.  Between  2  and  3  years  old,  the 
colt  sheds  his  4  middle  teeth — 2  above  and  2  be- 
low. After  3  years  old  2  other  teeth  are  shed, 
I  on  each  side  of  those  formerly  changed;  he 
now  has  8  colt's  teeth  and  8  horse's  teeth ;  when 
4  years  of  age  he  cuts  4  new  teeth.  At  5  years 
of  age  the  horse  sheds  his  remaining  colt's  teeth, 
4  in  number,  when  his  tushes  appear.  At  6 
years  of  age  his  tushes  are  up,  appearing  white, 
small  and  sharp,  while  a  small  circle  of  young 
growing  teeth  is  observable.  The  mouth  is  now 
complete.  At  8  years  of  age  the  teeth  have 
filled  up,  the  horse  is  aged,  and  his  mouth  is 
said  to  be  full.  By  Eyelid. — After  a  horse  is  9 
years  old,  a  wrinkle  comes  on  the  eyelid,  at  the 
upper  corner  of  the  lower  lid,  and  every  year 
thereafter  he  has  I  well-defined  wrinkle  for  each 
year  over  9.  If,  for  instance,  a  horse  has  3  of 
these  wrinkles,  he  is  12  ;  if  4,  he  is  13.  Add 
the  number  of  wrinkles  to  9,  and  you  will  inva- 
riably judge  correctly  of  a  horse's  age. 

HORSE'S  EYES,  To  Test  a.— To  test  a 
horse's  eyes,  look  at  the  eye  carefully,  when  the 
horse  is  in  rather  a  dark  stable.  Note  the  shape 
and  size  of  the  pupil  carefully,  carry  this  in  your 
mind  while  you  turn  the  horse  about  to  a  strong 
light.  If  the  pupil  contracts  and  appears  much 
smaller  than  in  the  first  instance,  you  may  infer 
that  the  horse  has  a  good  strong  eye  ;  but  if  the 
pupil  remains  nearly  of  the  same  size  in  both 
cases,  his  eyes  are  weak,  and  you  had  better 
have  nothing  to  do  with  him. 

HORSES,  4VHEN  UNSOUND.-'Kny  of 
the  following  defects  constitute  unsoundness  in  a 
horse : 

Lameness  of  all  kinds  and  degrees.  Diseases 
of  any  of  the  internal  organs.  Cough  of  every 
kind,  as  long  as  it  exists.  Colds  or  catarrhs, 
while  they  last.  Roaring,  broken  wind,  thick 
wind,  grease,  mange,  farcy  and  glanders ;  me- 
grims or  staggers,  founder,  convex  feet,  con- 
tracted feet,  spavins  and  ringbones,  enlargement 
of  the  sinews  or  ligaments,  cataracts  and  other 
defects  of  the  eyes,  imp.iiring  sight. 

The  following  may  or  may  not  occasion  un- 
soundness, according  to  the  state  or  degree  in 
which  they  exist :  Corns,  splints,  thrushes,  bog- 
spavins,  through  pins,  wind-galls,  crib-biting. 
Curbs  are  unsoundness  unless  the  horse  has 
worked  with  them  for  some  months  without  in- 
convenience. 

Cutting,  particularly  speedy  cutting,  consti- 
tutes unsoundness  when  it  cannot  be  remedied 
by  care  and  skill.  Quidding,  when  a  confirmed 
habit,  injures  the  soundness  of  a  horse. 

Defects,  called  blemishes,  are :  Scars  from 
broken  knees  ;  capped  hocks,  splints,  bog-spav- 
ins, and  through  pins  ;  loss  of  hair  from  blisters 
or  scars,  enlargements  from  blows  or  cutting, 
and  also  specks  or  streaks  on  the  corner  of  the 
eye. 

Vices  are:  Restiveness,  shying,  boltingj  run- 
ning away,  kicking,  rearing,  weaving,  or  moving 
the  head  from  side  to  side,  stringhalt,  quidding, 
slipping  the  halter. 

HORSES,  Care  of. — The  man  having  the  care 
of  horses  should  be  the  embodiment  of  patience. 


I04 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


His  temper  should  always  be  under  perfect  con- 
trol. He  should  never  inflict  any  unnecessary 
pain,  for  it  is  only  by  the  law  of  kindness  that  a 
horse  can  be  trained  and  managed.  No  man 
ever  yet  struck  a  horse,  but  that  he  njade  the 
horse  the  worse  for  it.  Patience  and  kindness 
will  accomplish  in  every  instance  what  whipping 
will  fail  to  do.  Horses  having  a  vicious  dispo- 
sition are  invariably  made  so  from  cruel  treat- 
ment. 

Horses  are  designed  to  work,  and  daily  labor 
for  them  is  as  much  a  necessity  to  their  existence 
as  to  that  of  man's.  It  is  not  the  hard  drawing 
and  ponderous  loads  that  wear  out  horses,  and 
make  them  poor,  baulky  and  worthless ;  but  it 
is  the  hard  driving,  the  worry  by  rough  and  in- 
human drivers,  that  uses  up  more  horse  flesh, 
fat  and  muscle  than  all  the  labor  a  team  per- 
forms. Another  great  reason  why  there  are  so 
few  really  sound  animals,  is  because  of  their  be- 
ing put  to  work  so  soon.  Horses  are  not  devel- 
oped until  they  are  5,  6  or  7  years  old,  and  they 
should  do  very  little  work  until  they  reach  that 
period. 

When  a  horse  is  worked  hard  its  food  should 
chiefly  be  oats ;  if  not  worked  hard,  its  food 
should  chiefly  be  hay  ;  because  oats  supply  more 
nourishment  and  flesh-making  material  than  any 
other  kind  of  food ;  hay  not  so  much. 

HORSES,  Food  for. — Horses  are  usually  fed 
thrice  daily — namely,  in  the  morning,  at  mid-day 
and  at  night.  It  is  not  possible  to  state  the  ex- 
act quantity  of  food  a  horse  requires  to  keep  him 
in  good  working  condition.  In  all  cases  the 
horse  himself  tells  whether  he  is  getting  too 
much  or  too  little.  The  best  feed  for  ordinary 
road  horses  is  hay  and  oats.  lo  lbs.  of  hay  is  a 
fair  allowance  of  good  hay,  and  to  fast-working 
horses  from  15,  20,  or  25  lbs.  of  oats ;  one-third 
of  the  hay  may  be  given  during  the  day,  the  bal- 
ance at  night.  Horses  differ  so  much  in  the 
quantity  of  hay  they  may  eat  without  inconve- 
nience— in  fact,  they  vary  so  much  in  size,  age, 
breeding,  temper,  condition,  and  labor  they  are 
called  upon  to  perform,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
fix  upon  any  specific  rules  for  feeding  them. 

Oats  should  be  bruised  for  an  old  horse,  but 
not  for  a  young  one,  because  the  former,  through 
age  and  defective  teeth,  cannot  chew  them  prop- 
erly ;  the  young  horse  can  do  so,  and  they  are 
thus  properly  mixed  with  the  saliva  and  turned 
into  wholesome  nutriment.  Carrots  given  occa- 
sionally will  give  a  fine,  silky  appearance  to  the 
coat,  and  experiments  have  shown  that  the  best 
way  to  feed  carrots  is  to  give  them  with  oats. 
If  you  are  in  the  habit  of  feeding  4  quarts  of  oats 
to  a  mess,  give  2  of  oats  and  2  of  sliced  carrots, 
and  the  result  will  be  more  satisfactory  than  if 
each  were  fed  separately.  Youatt  writes  of  the 
carrot:  "This  root  is  held  in  much  esteem. 
There  is  none  better,  nor  perhaps  so  good ;  when 
first  given  it  is  slightly  diuretic  and  laxative,  but 
as  the  horse  becomes  accustomed  to  it  these  ef- 
fects cease  to  be  produced.  They  improve  the 
state  of  the  skin.  They  form  a  gootl  substitute 
for  grass,  and  an  excellent  alterative  for  horses 
out  of  condition.  To  sick  and  idle  horses  they 
render  grain  unnecessary.  They  are  beneficial 
in  all  chronic  diseases  connected  with  breathing, 
and  have  a  marked  influence  upon  chronic  cough 
and  broken  wind.  They  are  serviceable  in  dis- 
eases of  the  skin,  and,  in  combination  with  oats, 
they  restore  a  worn  horse  more  than  oats  alone. 


It  is  also  advantageous  to  chop  hay  fed  to  a 
horse,  and  to  sprinkle  the  hay  with  water  that 
has  salt  dissolved  in  it — a  teaspoonful  of  salt  to  a 
bucket  of  water  is  sufficient.  Rack-feeding  is 
wasteful.  The  better  plan  is  to  feed  with  hay 
(chopped)  from  a  manger,  because  the  food  is 
not  then  thrown  about,  and  is  more  easy  to  chew 
and  digest. 

Vetches  and  cut  grass  should  always  be  given 
in  the  spring  to  horses  that  can  not  be  turned 
out  into  the  fields,  because  they  are  very  cool  and 
refreshing,  and  almost  medicinal  in  their  effects  ; 
but  they  must  be  supplied  in  moderation,  as  they 
are  liable  to  ferment  in  the  stomach,  if  given 
largely. 

As  often  ss  once  a  week  a  change  of  food 
should  be  made — one  feed  of  cut  hay  and  meal, 
or  cut  hay  with  shorts  will  do.  Mv.sty  hay  on 
no  account  should  be  fed  to  horses.  Let  the 
food  be  the  best  of  its  kind,  for  in  the  cud  it  is 
the  cheapest. 

HORSES,  Water  for.— \Na.tzr  is  usually 
given  3  times  a  day ;  but  in  summer,  when  the 
horse  sweats  much,  he  should  have  v/ater  4  or  5 
times  ;  under  ordinary  circumstances,  2  rules 
will  guide  the  attendant.  The  first  is,  never  to 
let  the  horse  get  very  thirsty ;  the  second,  to 
give  him  water  so  often  and  in  such  quantity 
that  he  will  not  care  to  take  any  within  an  hour 
of  going  to  fast  work.  The  quantity  of  water 
which  a  horse  will  drink  in  24  hours  is  uncer- 
tain ;  it  varies  so  much  that  i  will  drink  quite 
as  much  as  other  2  or  3.  It  is  influenced  by 
the  food,  the  work,  the  weather,  and  the  number 
of  services  ;  the  demand  for  water  also  increases 
with  the  perspiration.  Horses  at  fast  work,  and 
kept  in  hot  stables,  need  a  large  allowance, 
which  must  be  still  larger  in  hot  weather ;  horses 
of  slow  work  may  be  permitted  to  take  %\hat 
quantity  they  please ;  but  to  those  of  fast  work 
occasional  restriction  is  necessary.  Restriction 
is  always  necessary  before  fast  work.  A  few 
quarts  given  an  hour  before  going  to  work  ought 
to  suffice.  Water  should  always  be  given  before 
rather  than  after  grain.  Water  your  horses  from 
a  pond  or  stream  rather  than  from  a  spring  or 
well,  because  the  latter  is  generally  hard  and 
cold,  while  the  former  is  soft  and  comparatively 
warm.  The  horse  prefers  soft,  muddy  water  to 
hard  water,  though  ever  so  clear. 

HORSE-FEEDING  ON  THE  ROAD.— 
Many  persons,  in  traveling,  feed  their  horses  too 
much  and  too  often,  continually  stuffing  them, 
and  not  allowing  them  time  to  rest  and  digest 
their  food ;  of  course  they  suffer  from  over-full- 
ness and  carrying  unnecessary  weight.  Horses 
should  be  well  fed  in  the  evening,  and  must  not 
be  stuffed  too  full  in  the  morning,  and  the  trav- 
eling should  be  moderate  on  starting  when  the 
horse  has  a  full  stomach.  If  a  horse  starts  in 
good  condition,  he  can  go  20  or  25  miles  without 
feeding. 

HORSES,  CLEANING.— When  brought  in 
from  work,  warm  with  exertion,  the  horse  must 
be  rubbed  down  and  then  blanketed ;  but  we 
would  not  blanket  a  horse  in  a  good  stable,  as  a 
general  rule,  except  in  extremely  cold  weather. 
A  sharp-toothed  curry-comb  is  the  dread  of  a 
fine-skinned  horse,  and  the  brush  and  straw  wisp 
answer  the  same  purpose  much  better,  if  used  as 
frequently  as  they  should  be.  Mud  should  not 
be  allowed  to  dry  on  the  legs  of  a  horse  ;  it  is 
the  cause  of  h^  the  swelled  legs,  scratches,. 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— HORSES. 


ro5 


and  other  affections  of  the  feet  with  which  they 
are  afflicted. 

HORSES,  Siabks  /;r.— The  floor  of  the  sta- 
ble should  be  level,  or  nearly  so.  When  it  is 
inclined  it  causes  the  horse  to  hang  back,  because 
the  incline  causes  his  loins  and  hind  parts  to 
ache  intolerably,  and  he  hangs  back  in  order,  if 
possible,  to  get  his  hind  legs  beyond  the  gutter,  • 
thus  diminishing,  by  many  degrees,  his  standing 
up  hill.  The  best  bedding  is  that  of  straw,  fine 
shavings  from  a  planing  mill,  or  sawdust — pine 
sawdust  being  best,  and  oak  sawdust  the  worst. 
They  should  be  allowed  to  stand  on  the  naked 
floor  as  little  as  possible.  "  If  I  were  asked," 
said  a  noted  stock-raiser,  "  to  account  for  my 
horses'  legs  and  feet  being  in  better  order  than 
those  of  my  neighbor,  I  should  attribute  it  to 
the  four  following  circumstances  :  First,  they  are 
all  shod  with  a  few  nails,  so  placed  in  the  shoe 
as  to  permit  the  foot  to  expand  every  time  they 
move.  Second,  that  they  all  live  in  boxes,  in- 
stead of  stalls,  and  can  move  whenever  they 
please.  Third,  they  spend  2  hours  daily  in 
walking  exercise,  when  they  are  not  at  work. 
Fourth,  that  I  have  not  a  head-stall  or  trace-chain 
in  my  stable.  These  four  circumstances  com- 
prehend the  whole  mystery  of  keeping  horses' 
legs  fine,  and  their  feet  in  sound  working  condi- 
tion up  to  old  age. 

HORSE  STABLES,  To  Dcoiorize.—So.\\- 
dust,  wetted  with  sulphuric  acid,  diluted  with  40 
parts  of  water,  and  distributed  about  horse  sta- 
bles, will,  it  is  said,  remove  the  disagreeable  am- 
moniacal  smell,  the  sulphuric  acid  combining 
with  the  ammonia  to  form  a  salt.  Chloride  of 
lime  slowly  evolves  chlorine,  which  will  do  the 
same  thing,  but  then  the  chlorine  smells  worse 
than  the  ammonia.  Sulphuric  acid,  on  the  con- 
trary, is  perfectly  inodorous.  The  mixture  must 
be  kept  in  shallow  earthenware  vessels.  The 
sulphuric  acid  used  alone,  either  diluted  or 
strong,  would  absorb  more  or  less  of  the  ammo- 
nia, but  there  would  be  danger  of  spilling  it 
about,  and  causing  serious  damage ;  and,  beside 
this,  the  sawdust  offers  a  large  surface  to  the 
floating  gas. 

HORSES,  BLANKETIiVC—ln  reference 
to  blanketing  horses  in  winter,  it  is  doubtless 
true  that  blanketing  keeps  a  horse's  coat  smooth- 
er in  winter,  and  hence  fine  carriage  horses  and 
saddle  horses  will  continue  to  be  blanketed. 
But  where  horses  are  kept  more  for  service  than 
for  show,  we  think  they  had  better  dispense  with 
the  blanket.  Keeping  them  constantly  covered 
makes  them  tender  and  liable  to  take  cold.  It 
is  better  to  give  them  a  warm  stable,  and  plenty 
of  straw  for  bedding,  and  good  food.  When 
they  are  to  stand  for  any  length  of  time  out  of 
doors  in  a  cold  winter's  day,  they  should  have 
blankets.  And  so  when  they  come  in  from  work 
steaming  hot,  they  should  be  allowed  to  stand  a 
short  time  until  they  have  partially  cooled  off; 
then  the  blankets  should  be  put  on  for  an  hour. 
Be  careful  and  not  delay  putting  on  the  blanket 
until  they  have  become  chilled. 

HORSES,  POOR,  H(nv  to  FATTEN.— 
JIany  good  horses  devour  large  quantities  of  hay 
and  grain,  and  still  continue  thin  and  poor.  The 
food  eaten  is  not  properly  assimilated.  If  the 
usual  feed  has  been  unground  grain  and  hay, 
nothing  but  a  change  will  effect  any  desirable  al- 
teration in  the  appearance  of  the  animal.  In 
case  oil  meal  cannot  be  obtained  readily,  mingle 


a  bushel  of  flaxseed  with  a  bushel  of  barley,  I 
of  oats,  and  another  bushel  of  Indian  corn,  and 
let  it  be  ground  into  fine  meal.  This  will  be  a 
fair  proportion  for  all  his  feed.  Or  the  meal  or 
barley,  oats  and  corn,  in  equal  quantities,  may  at 
first  be  procured,  and  ^  of  oil  cake  mingled 
with  it  when  the  meal  is  sprinkled  on  cut  feed. 
Feed  2  or  3  quarts  of  the  mixture  3  times  daily 
with  a  peck  of  cut  hay  and  straw.  If  the  horse 
will  eat  that  amount  greedily,  let  the  quantity  be  ' 
gradually  increased,  until  he  will  eat  4,  5  or  6 
quarts  at  every  feeding,  3  times  a  day.  So  long 
as  the  animal  will  eat  this  allowance,  the  quan- 
tity may  be  increased  a  little  every  day.  But  al- 
ways avoid  the  practice  of  allowing  the  horse  to 
stand  at  a  rack  well  filled  with  hay.  In  order 
to  fatten  a  horse  that  has  run  down  in  flesh,  the 
groom  should  be  very  particular  to  feed  the  ani- 
mal no  more  than  he  will  eat  up  clean  and  lick 
his  manger  for  more.  Follow  the  above  sugges- 
tions and  the  result  will  be  satisfactory. 

INTERFERING.— To  prevent  interfering 
in  a  horse  who  is  turned  out  in  the  front  feet, 
the  shoe  should  be  applied  to  fit  closely  on  the 
inside,  and  the  nails  applied  round  the  toe  and  to 
the  outside.  In  some  instances  a  small  piece  of 
leather  placed  betwixt  the  sole  and  the  shoe,  and 
allowed  to  project  outwards,  has  a  very  good  ef- 
fect in  preventing  interfering. 

ITCH. — To  cure  a  horse  affected  with  itch, 
first  reduce  his  daily  allowance  of  food,  putting 
him  on  a  low  diet,  and  then  give  him  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  sulphur  and 
antimony,  and  at  the  end  of  a  week  or  10  days 
the  sores  will  have  disappeared,  and  the  horsS' 
will  be  covered  with  a  fine  coat  of  new  hair. 

KIDNEYS,  Inflammation  of— {Nephritis.') 
— Symptoms  :  Gradual  loss  of  flesh,  pain  across 
the  back,  impaired  action  of  the  hind  extremi- 
ties, and  the  frequent  passing  of  urine,  which  is 
very  highly  colored.  In  treating  this  affection, 
the  horse  should  be  allowed  perfect  rest,  and  he 
should  also  have  a  generous  diet  of  easily  di- 
gested food,  and  plenty  of  mucilaginous  drinks. 
The  loins  may  be  rubbed  every  third  or  fourth 
day  with  mustard,  and  i  drachm  of  tartar  emetic 
given  every  night.  This  medicine  can  be  con- 
veniently administered  mixed  with  the  food. 

KICKING  IN  STALL.— To  prevent  your 
horse  from  kicking  in  the  stall,  fasten  a  short 
trace-chain,  about  2  feet  long,  by  a  strap  to  each 
hind  foot.  A  better  way  is  to  have  the  stalls 
made  wide  enough  so  that  the  horse  can  turn  in 
them  easily.  Close  them  with  a  door  or  bars, 
and  turn  the  animal  loose.  After  a  while  he 
will  forget  the  habit,  and  stand  tied  without  fur- 
ther trouble. 

KNEE-PAN,  DISPLACED.— Fte:d,  the 
horse  well  on  oats,  barley  and  sound  hay  ;  give 
him  a  drachm  of  powdered  phosphate  of  iron 
daily  in  his  food ;  keep  in  a  stall  with  a  perfectly 
smooth  and  level  floor,  and  not  less  than  5  '/^  or 
6  feet  wide  ;  apply  a  shoe  with  a  bar  welded  to 
the  toe,  projecting  2  or  3  inches,  and  then  let  it 
be  turned  up ;  rub  the  joint  with  an  ointment 
made  of  I  drachm  of  powdered  cantharides  to 
%  an  oz.  of  lard,  repeating  the  application  next 
day  if  it  has  not  blistered.  When  a  blister  rises, 
wash  it  off  with  soap  and  warm  water,  and  then 
anoint  the  part  daily  with  lard,  until  the  scab  and 
other  effects  have  passed  off,  when  another  blis- 
ter may  be  applied. 

KNEE-SPRUNG.—T\iQ  best  remedy  for 


io6 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS: 


knee-sprung  or  contracted  tendons  is  a  winter's 
run  in  a  straw  yard,  or  a  summer's  run  at  grass. 

LAMPAS. — This  consists  in  a  swelling  of  the 
first  bar  of  the  upper  palate.  It  is  cured  by  rub- 
bing the  swelling  2  or  3  times  a  day  with  Yz  an 
ounce  of  alum  and  the  same  quantity  of  double 
refined  sugar  mixed  with  a  Httle  honey. 

LEGS,  Infiammation  and  Swelling  of. — 
Rest,  and  the  application  of  an  active  blister  to 
the  swollen  parts,  will  effect  a  cure.  No  better 
blister  can  be  used  than  the  following :  Take 
resin  and  black  pitch  each  4  parts,  beeswax  3 
parts,  sweet  oil  1 1  parts,  Spanish  flies  6  parts, 
euphorbium  2  parts.  Melt  the  resin,  pitch  and 
wax  first,  then  add  the  oil,  and  when  thoroughly 
mixed  remove  from  the  fire;  lastly,  add  very 
slowly  the  powdered  flies  and  euphorbium.  Be- 
fore the  blister  is  applied  the  hair  should  be  cut 
close  off,  and  the  skin,  if  scurfy,  washed  with 
Castile  soap  and  warm  water,  after  which  it  must 
be  thoroughly  dried,  and  the  blistering  ointment 
rubbed  in  for  lo  minutes.  After  applying  the 
blister,  the  horse's  head  should  be  tied  up  to  pre- 
vent his  biting  the  part,  or  rubbing  it  with  his 
nose.  At  the  expiration  of  2  or  3  days  most 
horses  may  be  set  at  hberty.  In  about  a  week 
rub  sweet  oil  over  the  blistered  part. 

LEGS,  BROKEN,  To  C«r^.— Instead  of 
summarily  shooting  the  horse,  in  the  greater 
number  of  fractures  it  is  only  necessary  to  par- 
tially sling  the  horse  by  means  of  a  broad  piece 
of  sail  or  other  strong  cloth,  placed  under  the 
animal's  belly,  furnished  with  2  breechings  and 
2  breast-girths,  and,  by  means  of  ropes  and  pul- 
leys attached  to  a  cross  beam  above,  he  is  ele- 
vated or  lowered,  as  may  be  required.  By  the 
adoption  of  this  plan  every  facility  is  allowed  for 
the  satisfactory  treatment  of  the  fractures. 

LINIMENT,  BLISTERING.— Stc  "Legs, 
Inflammation  and  Swelling  of." 

LINIMENT  for  the  Galled  Backs  of  Horses. 
—White  lead  moistened  with  milk.  When  milk 
is  not  to  be  procured  oil  may  be  substituted,  i 
or  2  oz.  mixed  at  a  time  will  be  sufficient  for 
a  month. 

LINIMENT  for  Bruises,  Sprains,  etc.— 
Take  l  pint  of  alcohol,  4  oz.  of  Castile  soap,  % 
oz.  of  gum  camphor,  ^  oz.  of  sal  ammoniac. 
When  these  are  dissolved,  add  i  oz.  of  lauda- 
num, I  oz.  origanum,  ^  oz.  oil  of  sassafras,  and 
2  oz.  spirits  of  hartshorn.     Bathe  freely. 

LINIMENT,  NERVE  AND  BONE.— 
Take  beefs  gall  i  qt.,  alcohol  i  pt.,  volatile  lin- 
iment I  lb.,  spirits  of  turpentine  I  lb.,  oil  of  ori- 
ganum 4  oz.,  aqua  ammonia  4  oz.,  tincture  of 
Cayenne  %  pt.,  oil  of  amber  3  oz.,  tincture  of 
Spanish  flies  6  oz.     Mix. 

MOON  EYE. — Moon  Eye  is  a  term  applied 
to  remittent  inflammation  of  the  eyes  of  the 
horse.  From  the  remittent  or  periodical  appear- 
ance of  this  disease,  it  has  been  supposed  that 
it  recurred  monthly,  or  with  special  changes  of 
the  moon — hence  the  name  Moon  Eye  and  Moon 
Blinding.  It  is  constitutional,  hereditary  dis- 
ease, localizing  itself  in  the  eyes.  This  malady 
attacks  alike  the  young  and  the  aged,  the  fat  and 
the  lean,  while  the  high  bred  and  the  mongrel, 
the  lazy  and  the  nervous,  are  all  equally  prone  to 
its  baleful  influence.  Certain  kinds  of  eye — es- 
pecially the  small  sunken  eye — seem  disposed  to 
contract  the  disease.  Of  all  the  influences  tend- 
ing to  the  development  of  Moon  Eye,  none  is 
more  clearly  established  than  the  hereditary  pre- 


disposition.    During  its  prevalence  the  animal  is 
almost  entirely  useless. 

MO  UTHy  SORE.— S>ymY>\.oms:  The  mouth 
runs  water,  the  horse  cuds,  or  throws  hay  out  of 
his  mouth.  The  cause  of  this  disease  is  often 
from  frosted  bits  being  put  into  their  mouths,  or 
by  eating  poisonous  weeds.  To  cure,  take  of 
borax  3  drachms,  2  drachms  of  sugar  of  lead,  % 
ounce  of  alum,  l  pint  of  vinegar,  \  pint  of  sage 
tea.  Shake  all  well  together,  and  wash  the  ani- 
mal's mouth  out  every  morning.  Give  him  no 
hay  for  12  days. 

THE  AIL/LE.—Thtxe  seems  to  be  but  little 
doubt  that  mules  are  more  economical  than  horses 
for  farm  purposes.  The  climate,  soil,  and  mode 
of  carrying  on  farming  operations  in  the  prairie 
regions  of  the  West  are  all  admirably  suited  to 
the  working  of  horses.  One  combination  of 
circumstances  renders  oxen  the  favorite  farm 
team  of  New  England ;  another  causes  mules  to 
be  employed  in  the  South;  and  still  another 
makes  horses  the  most  desired  farm  team  in  the 
Northwest.  If  we  take  into  consideration  their 
beauty  of  form  and  carriage,  speed  and  docility, 
as  well  as  strength,  no  animal  employed  in  the 
service  of  man  can  compare  with  the  horse.  But 
for  many  purposes  where  elegance  and  speed  are 
of  little  consequence,  the  horse  is  not  an  eco- 
nomical animal  to  use.  The  cost  of  keeping  him 
is  greater  than  is  the  case  with  the  mule ;  his  li- 
ability to  disease  is  very  much  greater,  and  his 
years  of  available  labor  are  less.  The  expense 
of  shoeing  mules  is  much  less  than  that  of  shoe- 
ing horses,  on  account  of  the  smallness  of  their 
feet,  the  hardness  of  the  hoof,  and  its  freedom 
from  disease. 

MULE,  Splint  on. — To  remove  these  bony 
formations,  the  treatment  consists  in  repeated 
blistering.  Having  first  cut  the  hair  short,  rub 
a  little  of  the  following  ointment  into  the  skin, 
covering  the  splint,  every  night,  until  a  free  wa- 
tery discharge  is  produced  from  the  surface: 
Take  of  biniodide  of  mercury  2  drachms,  lard  I 
oz.  Mix.  If,  after  an  interval  of  a  fortnight, 
the  splint  does  not  appear  much  reduced  in  size, 
the  ointment  should  be  re-applied  and  repeated 
at  similar  intervals. 

NASAL  GLEET-^OT  running  at  the  nose — 
can  be  cured  by  taking  }i  a  lb.  of  rosin,  %  a  lb. 
of  blue  vitriol,  and  4  oz.  of  ginger,  grinding  them 
all  fine,  and  giving  the  horse  a  spoonful  2  or  3 
times  a  day. 

NA  VICULAR  DISEASE.— Symptoms :  To 
prevent  tension  of  the  injured  parts  the  horse 
points  his  foot.  Pointing  is  also  observed  in 
corns  and  in  bruises  and  injuries  of  the  heel,  but 
long-continued  pointing  is  to  be  dreaded  as  the 
harbinger  of  incurable  lameness.  Lameness  at 
first  is  often  slight,  and  disappears  after  ^2  an 
hour's  work,  from  increased  secretion  of  syndia. 
In  lifting  his  foot  the  horse  bends  his  knee  less 
than  natural,  and — especially  when  first  brought 
out — walks  on  his  toe ;  the  toe  of  the  shde 
wears  rapidly,  while  the  heel  exhibits  very  slight 
wear.  The  horse  steps  or  moves  in  a  stilty  sort 
of  way.  In  from  4  to  8  weeks  the  hoof  becomes 
deeper,  narrower  at  the  heels  ;  the  sole  becomes 
very  concave,  and  the  foot  appears  no  wider  at 
the  sole  than  at  the  coronet.  When  the  foot,  and 
especially  the  elastic  and  insensible  frog,  ceases 
to  bear  weight,  it  becomes  alisorbed,  the  quar- 
ters consequently  contract,  and  the  sole  ascends. 
This  is  most  among  horses  used  on  hard  roads 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— HORSES. 


107 


and  paved  streets  ;  rapidity  of  action  is  the  cause 
in  a  great  many  instances.  Treatment. — In  such 
cases  the  practice  of  paring  the  quarters  almost 
to  the  quick  is  adopted.  The  toe  is  shortened, 
and  the  feet  are  enveloped  in  poultices  for  10 
days,  renewing  the  poultice  twice  a  day.  The 
horse  should  be  fed  on  bran  and  oats  scalded, 
with  a  moderate  allowance  of  hay.  Give  a  dose 
of  opening  medicine  at  the  end  of  10  days;  blis- 
ter the  coronet,  and  keep  the  hoof  moist  with 
wet  cloths.  The  sole  may  now  be  thinned,  and 
the  horse  kept  standing  on  wet  sawdust,  and  a 
second  blister  may  be  at  the  same  time  applied. 
When  the  horse  is  shod  for  work  a  leather  sole 
should  be  applied,  and  the  space  between  the 
foot  and  sole  stuffed  with  tar  and  tow.  Turning 
the  horse  into  a  damp  pasture  for  6  weeks  will 
be  attended  with  benefit.  In  a  great  many  in- 
stances this  disease  is  incurable. 

OINTMENT,  HOOF.— Take  %.  a  lb.  of 
lard  and  4  oz.  of  rosin.  Heat  them  over  a  slow 
fire  until  melted ;  take  the  pot  off  the  fire,  add  i 
oz.  of  pulverized  verdigris ;  stir  well  to  prevent 
it  from  running  over.  When  partially  cool  add 
2  oz.  of  turpentine.  Apply  it  from  the  hair 
down  I  inch.     Work  the  horse  all  the  time. 

OINTMENT,  SLOAN'S.— ^o%m  4  oz., 
beeswax  4  oz.,  lard  8  oz.,  honey  2  oz.  Melt 
these  articles  slowly,  gently  bringing  to  a  boil ; 
and,  as  it  begins  to  boil,  remove  from  the  fire 
and  slowly  add  a  little  less  than  a  pint  of  spirits 
of  turpentine,  stirring  all  the  time  this  is  being 
added,  and  stir  until  cool. 

OVER-REACHING.— "SlokQ  the  shoe  its 
natural  length,  or  a  trifle  longer — with  the  calk 
of  the  forward  shoes  high  and  the  heel  calk  low. 
The  hoof  will  then  stand  further  forward,  and  be 
more  removed  from  the  stride  of  the  hind  foot, 
which,  being  shod  with  a  low  toe  calk  and  high 
heel  calk,  will  strike  the  ground  before  it  reaches 
the  fore  foot.  An  interfering  horse  generally 
strikes  with  the  inside  of  the  hoof,  about  2  inches 
from  the  toe;  therefore  make  the  shoe  straighter 
on  the  inside,  and  rasp  the  hoof  accordingly. 

PALSY. — An  attack  of  this  kind  is  frequently 
followed  by  wasting  of  the  affected  muscles — 
they  lose  their  rounded  form,  and  present  a  more 
or  less  withered  aspect.  The  most  common 
causes  of  this  disease  are  idleness  and  plethora. 
It  may  result  from  accidental  violence,  as  blows 
or  falls.  Treatment — First,  apply  a  blister  over 
the  loins.  Then  give  the  mare  one  of  the  fol- 
lowing pills  every  morning  for  8  or  10  days : 
Take  gentian  and  ginger  of  each  2  drachms,  lin- 
seed meal  4  drachms,  strychnine  5  grains.  Mix 
with  water  for  I  pill.  The  diet  should  be  light, 
and  the  mare  kept  quiet  in  the  stable,  or — better 
— a  box  stall, 

PHYSIC  i?^ZZ.— Barbadoes  aloes  4,  5  or  6 
drs.,  (according  to  the  size  and  strength  of  the 
horse,)  tartrate  of  potassia  I  dr.,  of  ginger  and 
Castile  soap  of  each  2  drs.,  anise  or  peppermint 
20  drops  ;  pulverize,  and  make  all  into  l  ball 
with  thick  gum  solution.  Before  giving  a  horse 
physic,  he  should  be  prepared  for  it  by  feeding 
scalded  bran,  in  place  of  oats,  for  2  days  at  the 
least,  giving  also  water  which  has  the  chill  taken 
off,  and  continue  this  feed  and  drink  daring  its 
operation.  If  it  should  not  operate  in  48  hours, 
repeat  %  the  dose. 

PNEUMONIA,  _  ACUTE.— Symptoms.— 
They  are  first  taken  with  a  dry,  depressed  cough, 
loss  of  appetite,  but  thirsty ;  pulse  feeble,  but 


frequently  the  extremities  are  cold — sometimes 
when  first  taken,  at  others  they  retain  their  nat- 
ural heat  until  the  disease  assumes  its  worst  ap- 
pearance, and  then  the  legs  become  cold.  Res- 
piration is  very  active  and  laborious ;  the  animal 
pants  all  the  time,  stands  with  fore  legs  widely 
separated,  never  lies  down,  and  is  loth  to  move. 
Some  discharge  copiously  from  both  nostrils  a 
thick,  slimy  matter,  sometimes  mixed  with  blood 
— in  that  case  the  whole  body  is  excessively  hot, 
and  the  extremities  also,  but  other  symptoms  the 
same.  The  treatment  in  the  early  stage  of  this 
disease  should  be :  I.  An  abundant  supply  of 
cool,  fresh  air.  2.  Abstinence  from  grain  or 
corn.  3.  Extra  clothing  and  warm  bandages  to 
the  legs.  In  all  cases  it  is  desirable  that  the  pa- 
tient should  at  once  be  removed  to  an  airy,  loose 
box.  If  these  simple  remedies  do  not  bring 
about  a  subsidence  of  the  attack  within  a  short 
time,  recourse  must  be  had  to  medical  treat- 
ment. 

POLL  EVIL. — If  there  is  only  swelling  and 
slight  tenderness,  but  without  any  fluctuation  or 
pressure  from  contained  matter,  give  the  horse 
as  a  laxative  5  drs.  of  Barbadoes  aloes,  and  rub 
the  poll  actively  with  an  ointment  made  by  mix- 
ing equal  parts  of  mercurial  and  iodine  oint- 
ments. Repeat  this  application,  if  necessary,  to 
induce  some  blistering  action.  If  matter  is  al- 
ready formed,  as  indicated  by  the  fluctuation  or 
pressure,  the  swelling  should  be  at  once  opened 
so  as  to  let  it  escape.  An  opening  should  then 
be  made  from  the  very  lowest  point  of  the  sac, 
so  that  the  matter  may  flow  freely  as  soon  as 
formed.  If  obstinate,  it  may  be  injected  sev- 
eral times  a  week  with  a  lotion  containing  ^2  a 
dr.  of  chloride  of  zinc  to  a  pint  of  water. 

POLL  EVIL  yNonoegian  Cure.) — Cover  the 
head  and  neck  with  2  or  3  blankets  ;  have  a  pan 
or  kettle  of  the  best  warm  cider  vinegar  ;  then 
hold  it  under  the  blankets  ;  steam  the  parts  by 
putting  hot  stones,  brick  or  iron  into  the  vinegar, 
and  continue  the  operation  until  the  horse  per- 
spires freely ;  do  this  for  3  mornings,  and  skip 
3,  until  9  steamings  have  been  accompUshed. 

POLL  EVIL  and  FISTULA.— Common 
potash  }^  oz.,  extract  of  belladonna  yi  dr.,  gum 
Arabic  }{.  oz.  Dissolve  the  gum  in  as  little  wa- 
ter as  practicable ;  then,  having  pulverized  the 
potash,  unless  it  is  moist,  mix  the  gum  water 
with  it  and  it  will  soon  dissolve ;  then  mix  in  the 
extract  and  it  is  ready  to  use ;  it  can  be  used 
without  the  belladonna,  but  it  is  more  painful 
without  it,  and  does  not  have  quite  as  good  an 
effect.  The  best  plan  to  get  this  into  the  pipes 
is  by  means  of  a  small  syringe,  after  having 
cleansed  the  sore  with  soap-suds  ;  repeat  once  in 
2  days,  until  all  the  callous  pipes  and  hard  fibrous 
base  around  the  poll  evil  or  fistula  is  completely 
destroyed. 

PO  WDERS,  CONDITION.— z  oz.  resin,  2 
oz.  saltpetre,  2  oz.  blr.ck  antimony,  2  oz.  sul- 
phur, 2  oz.  saleratus,  2  oz.  ginger,  i  oz.  cop- 
peras. I  tablespoonful  to  a  dose  once  a  day  for 
for  3  days  ;  then  skip  2  or  3  days,  and  give  again 
until  you  have  given  in  this  way  9  doses,  or  even 
more  if  you  like.  It  should  be  given  in  the 
spring  and  fall,  or  at  any  time  when  the  animal 
is  not  doing  well. 

POWDERS,  CLEANSING.—Take  of  gin- 
ger 2  oz.,  4  oz.  fenugreek,  I  oz.  black  antimony, 
and  2  oz.  rhubarb.  Grind  all  fine,  mix  it  well, 
and  it  is  fit  for  use.     Give  a  large  spoonful  every 


io8 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


morning  and  night.     It  gives  a  good  appetite, 
and  fine  coat  and  life  to  the  animal. 

QUITTOR.—T)xQ  treatment  of  this  disease  is 
as  follows :  After  the  shoe  has  been  removed, 
thin  the  sole  until  it  will  yield  to  the  pressure  of 
the  thumb ;  then  cut  the  under  parts  of  the  wall 
in  an  oblique  direction  from  the  heel  to  the  ante- 
rior part,  immediately  under  the  seat  of  com- 
plaint, and  only  as  far  as  it  extends,  and  rasp  the 
side  of  the  wall  thin  enough  to  give  way  to  the 
pressure  of  the  over-distended  parts,  and  put  on 
a  bar-shoe  rather  elevated  from  the  frog.  As- 
certain with  a  probe  the  direction  of  the  sinuses, 
and  introduce  into  them  a  saturated  solution  of 
sulphate  of  zinc,  by  means  of  a  small  syringe. 
Place  over  this  dressing  the  common  poultice,  or 
the  turpentine  ointment,  and  renew  the  applica- 
tion every  24  hours.  3  or  4  such  applications 
■will  complete  a  cure.  It  is  recommended  that 
•when  the  probe  is  introduced,  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain the  progress  of  cure,  that  it  be  gently  and 
carefally  used,  otherwise  it  may  break  down  the 
new-formed  lymph. 

HORSE,  How  to  Ride  a.— The  body  of  the 
rider  is  divided  into  3  parts,  of  which  2  are  mov- 
able and  I  immovable;  I  of  the  first  consists  of 
all  the  upper  part  of  the  body  down  to  the  waist, 
the  other  of  the  lowfer  part  of  the  legs,  from  the 
knee  down.  The  immovable  portion  is  from  the 
waist  to  the  knees.  The  rider  should  sit  per- 
fectly square  on  the  middle  of  the  saddle,  the 
upper  part  of  the  body  presenting  a  free  and  un- 
constrained appearance,  the  chest  not  very  much 
thrown  forward,  the  ribs  resting  freely  on  the 
hips,  the  waist  and  loins  not  stiffened,  and  thus 
not  exposed  to  tension  or  effort  from  the  motions 
of  the  horse ;  the  upper  part  of  the  body  should 
lean  slightly  to  the  rear,  rather  than  forward  ; 
the  thighs,  inclining  a  little  forward,  lie  flat  and 
firmly  on  the  saddle,  covering  the  surcingle,  of 
which  only  a  small  part  behind  the  knee  should 
be  seen  ;  the  lower  part  of  the  leg,  hanging 
vertically  from  the  knees,  touches  the  horse,  but 
without  the  slightest  pressure  ;  the  toes  are 
pointed  up  without  constraint,  and  on  the  same 
line  with  the  knees,  for  if  the  toes  are  turned 
outward  it  not  only  causes  the  horse  to  be  un- 
necessarily pricked  by  the  spurs,  (if  worn,)  but 
the  firmness  of  the  seat  is  lost ;  the  heels  should 
be  seven-eighths  of  an  inch  below  the  toes,  and 
the  stirrups  so  adjusted  that  when  the  rider 
raises  himself  on  them,  there  may  be  the  breadth 
of  4  fingers  between  the  crotch  and  the  saddle ; 
to  make  this  adjustment,  when  the  rider  has^c- 
quired  a  firm  and  correct  seat  he  should  without 
changing  that  seat,  push  the  bottom  of  the  stir- 
rup to  the  hollow  of  the  foot,  and  then,  with  the 
foot  horizontal,  feel  a  slight  support  from  the 
stirrup ;  when  this  is  accomplished  he  replaces 
the  foot  properly  in  the  stirrup,  and  the  heel  will 
then  be  seven-eighths  of  an  inch  below  the 
toes. 

To  give  the  rider  a  correct  seat,  the  instructor, 
having  caused  him  to  mount,  seizes  the  lower 
part  of  his  leg,  and  stretches  it  straight  toward 
the  fore-quarters  of  the  horse,  so  as  to  bring  the 
buttocks  of  the  rider  square  on  the  saddle ;  then 
resting  one  hand  on  the  man's  knee,  he  seizes 
the  lower  p.-irt  of  the  leg  with  the  other,  and 
carries  back  the  thigh  and  knee  so  as  to  bring 
the  crotch  square  on  the  saddle,  the  thighs  cov- 
ering the  surcingle,  the  lower  part  of  the  leg. 
from  the  knee  down,  also  over  the  surcingle,  and 


sees  that  the  rider  does  not  sit  too  much  on  his 
crotch,  but  has  his  buttocks  well  under  him. 
He  then  explains  to  the  rider  that  the  firmness 
of  the  seat  consists  in  this :  that  the  rider  grasps 
the  horse  with  his  legs ;  that  both  thighs  press 
equally  upon  the  saddle,  in  conformity  with  the 
movements  of  the  body,  and  that  the  general 
movements  of  the  body  and  thighs  must  conform 
to  those  of  the  horse.  He  should  be  taught, 
too,  how  to  hold  the  feet,  without  allowing  him 
to  place  them  in  the  stirrups,  for  this  is  one  of 
the  most  essential  conditions  for  a  good  seat. 

RINGBONE. — This  disease  is  generally 
caused  by  heavy  draught,  especially  in  up-hill 
work.  The  first  appearance  of  the  complaint  is 
indicated  by  a  hard  swelling  upon  the  top  of  the 
fetlock  or  pastern  joint,  accompanied  by  tender- 
ness, pain,  heat,  etc.  Cooling  appliances,  such 
as  cold  water,  soap,  camphor,  etc.,  with  a  little 
laudanum,  should  be  promptly  applied,  giving 
the  animal  perfect  rest,  with  green  food  or  roots 
in  connection  with  hay — no  grain.  This  may  be 
followed  by  some  convenient  preparation  of  io- 
dine, like  an  ointment  of  iodide  of  lead  and 
lard.  Rub  in  the  ointment  well,  and  follow  up 
the  treatment  for  several  weeks.  If  the  case  is 
an  obstinate  one,  try  blistering  with  cerate  ot 
cantharides,  continuing,  at  intervals,  the  use  of 
the  iodine.  Equal  parts  of  turpentine  and  kero- 
sene would,  no  doubt,  form  a  most  excellent 
wash — the  crude  coal  oil  would  be  better  than 
that  which  has  been  refined.  Rub  it  well  into 
the  hair  around  and  above  the  hoof. 

RINGBONE  REMEDIES.— V\i\xtr\zt^ 
cantharides,  oils  of  spike,  origanum,  amber,  ce- 
dar, Barbadoes  tar,  and  British  oil,  of  each  2 
oz. ;  oil  of  wormwood  I  oz.,  spirits  of  turpen- 
tine 4  oz.,  common  potash  %  oz.,  nitric  acid  6 
oz.,  oil  of  vitriol  (sulphuric  acid)  4  oz.,  and  lard 

3  lbs.  Melt  the  lard  and  slowly  add  the  acids ; 
stir  Avell  and  add  the  others,  stirring  until  cold. 
Clip  off  the  hair,  and  apply  by  rubbing  and  heat- 
ing in ;  in  about  3  days,  or  when  it  is  done  run- 
ning, wash  off  with  suds  and  apply  again.  In 
old  cases  it  may  take  3  or  4  weeks,  but  in  recent 
cases  2  or  3  applications  will  cure. — 2.  Take  ^ 
pint  spirits  of  turpentine,  %  oz.  blue  stone,  ^ 
oz.  of  red  precipitate.  Shake  well  and  use  ev- 
ery morning ;  and  keep  the  hoof  well  greased. 
This  will  not  only  take  off  the  hair,  but  cause  a 
severe  blister,  which,  after  healing,  if  there  still 
be  signs  of  lamenes,  repeat  the  remedy. 

RiNGlVORM.—Wdish  the  parts  with  a  very 
strong  infusion  of  bayberry  bark,  wipe  dry,  and 
then  smear  the  denuded  spots  with  a  mixture  of 

4  oz.  of  pyroligneous  acid,  I  oz.  of  turpentine, 
the  washing  and  dressing  to  be  repeated  until 
healthy  action  is  established.  If  the  disease  does 
not  readily  disappear,  give  sulphur,  cream  of 
tartar  and  sassafras,  equal  parts,  in  a  dose  of  6 
drachms  daily.  If  the  disease  still  lingers, 
sponge  the  denuded  parts  with  tincture  of  muri- 
ate iron. 

ROARING.— T\\\s  is  a  loud  sound  which 
some  horses  emit  during  the  act  of  breathing, 
and  is  caused  by  a  diminution  in  the  diameter,  or 
by  a  distortion  of  the  windpipe,  or  by  a  wasting 
of  the  muscles  of  the  larynx,  and  imperfect 
opening  of  the  latter.      It  is  incurable. 

RUNAWAY  HORSES,  To  rm-ait  Ivju- 
ries  from. — This  can  be  done  by  electricity.  A 
complete  electric  apparatus  can  be  purchased  in 
a  small  case.     Let  one  of  these  be  fixed  in  an 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— HORSES. 


t09 


out-of-the-way  nook  in  the  carriage,  2  wires  to 
hook  to  harness,  beneath  which  have  2  very  thin 
copper  plates  properly  placed.  In  the  event  of 
a  runaway,  the  driver  and  inside  occupants  will 
only  have  to  press  a  glass  knob  to  stop  instantly 
the  mad  career  of  the  strongest  horses. 

RUPTURE. — Rupture  or  hernia  is  the  pro- 
trusion of  a  bowel,  or  some  other  part,  from  its 
proper  cavity.  It  is  sometimes  congenital,  and 
may  then  be  reduced  at  the  same  time  that  cas- 
tration is  performed.  At  other  times  rupture 
may  be  produced  by  blows,  kicks  or  falls.  A 
hernia  is  dangerous  to  life  when  it  becomes  com- 
pressed or  strangulated  by  a  stricture  at  the  ori- 
fice of  protrusion.  Skillful  surgical  aid  should 
always  be  obtained  in  any  such  case  at  once. 
But  sometimes,  in  the  absence  of  a  vetenarian, 
any  one  may  restore  the  gut  by  introducing  the 
hand  into  the  bowel  and  drawing  it  up ;  the  other 
hand,  at  the  same  time,  making  gentle  pressure 
upon  the  swelling  in  the  abdomen.  No  violence 
should  ever  be  used  in  attempting  this  ;  and  the 
bowels  should  first  be  emptied  by  a  clyster. 

SCRATCHES. — If  a  horse's  blood  is  pure 
he  will  not  have  the  scratches.  Give  him  a  ta- 
blespoonful  of  saltpetre  every  day  for  15  days, 
and  be  careful  about  his  taking  cold  while  feed- 
ing it.  It  opens  the  pores  so  that  he  will  take 
cold  very  easy.  Along  with  this  take  pure,  dry 
white  lead,  pure  oxide  of  zinc,  and  glycerine,  of 
each  ^  an  oz  ;  fresh  lard  (free  from  rancidity) 
\]^  oz.  Mix  the  white  lead,  oxide  of  zinc  and 
glycerine  to  a  uniform,  smooth  paste,  then  add 
the  lard,  a  little  at  a  time,  till  a  uniform,  smooth 
ointment  is  formed.  Wash  the  parts  with  Cas- 
tile soap  and  water,  and  dry  with  a  cloth,  then 
apply  the  ointment  2  or  3  times  daily  with  the 
fingers.  Wash  once  in  2  or  3  days,  and  dry  the 
spot  well  before  dressing  again. 

The  horse  should  stand  on  a  plank  floor  kept 
clean  and  dry  ;  and  if  used,  all  dust,  sand  and 
dirt  should  be  washed  off  so  that  the  affected 
parts  may  remain  clean.  If  these  directions  are 
strictly  carried  out,  it  will  seldom,  if  ever,  fail 
to  cure  the  very  worst  cases  within  a  reasonable 
time. 

SHOEING  HORSES.— Few  horseshoers 
imderstand  thoroughly  the  anatomy  of  the  horse's 
foot.  The  great  mistake  is  made  in  attempting 
to  trim  the  hoof  to  fit  the  shoe,  whereas  the  shoe 
should  be  made  to  fit  the  hoof.  Very  little  trim- 
ming is  needed  if  the  shoe  is  made  right.  The 
frog  should  never  be  touched  by  the  buttress,  if 
the  foot  is  healthy,  as  Nature  has  intended  that 
to  be  the  spring  or  cushion  to  first  receive  the 
blow  when  the  foot  is  set  down  on  the  road,  to 
guard  the  knee  and  shoulder  from  the  concus- 
sion. 

Nothing  can  be  more  barbarous  than  the  carv- 
ing and  cutting  of  a  horse's  foot  before  shoeing, 
though  on  his  skill  in  this  many  a  farrier  prides 
himself.  The  idea  that  the  frog  must  not  be  al- 
lowed to  bear  on  the  ground — that  the  sole  must 
be  thinned  till  it  "  springs  on  the  thumb,"  is  a 
most  pernicious  one. 

As  you  value  your  horse,  do  not  let  the  black- 
smith even  scrape  the  dirt  off  the  frog.  It  would 
be  betteV  if  he  could  not  see  it,  because,  if  any- 
thing fit  to  be  called  a  frog,  he  will  beg.  argue, 
and  try  every  means  to  persuade  you  to  let  him 
cut  it.  Do  not  turn  your  back  to  him  while  he 
has  the  foot  In  his  lap  and  knife  in  his  hand,  or 
else  off  comas  a  portion  of  the  frog.     If  the 


frog  is  left  to  itself  it  will,  when  Nature  gets 
ready,  shed  itself;  but  the  difference  between 
shedding  and  cutting  is,  that  before  shedding  the 
under  frog  is  protected  by  a  suitable  covering, 
but  when  cut  it  is  exposed  to  the  action  of  the 
air  and  water,  which  causes  it  to  crack,  leaving 
those  "rags"  which  the  blacksmiths  love  so  well 
to  cut.  Do  not  open  the  heels,  as  it  increases 
the  resistance  offered  to  contraction. 

The  summer  shoe  needs  to  present  a  flat  sur- 
face to  the  ground.  Make  it  of  the  same  width 
and  thickness  from  the  toe  to  the  heel.  Have 
the  seating  deep,  so  as  to  prevent  the  sole  press- 
ing upon  the  shoe  as  it  descends.  Have  a  clip 
at  the  toe  to  prevent  the  shoe  slipping  back,  but 
none  at  the  sides,  as  they  not  only  destroy  too 
much  of  the  hoof,  but  prevent  expansion.  Have 
the  fullering  deep  to  receive  the  nail-heads,  and 
have  the  nail  holes  straight — neither  inclined  in- 
wardly or  outwardly.  Have  only  5  nails  to  hold 
on  the  shoe — 2  on  the  inner,  and  3  on  the  out- 
side. Place  the  2  on  the  inner  side  about  I  j^ 
inches  from  the  top  ;  those  on  the  outside  may 
be  placed  further  back  toward  the  heel.  The 
reason  is,  that  when  the  foot  strikes  the  ground 
it  expands  to  relieve  the  horse  of  the  shock  of 
his  weight,  and  the  inner  side  being  thinner  than 
the  outside,  the  expansion  is  greater.  Cy  plac- 
ing the  nails  far  back  we  prevent  that  expansion, 
thereby  cramping  the  foot,  which  makes  the  ani- 
mal step  short  and  quick,  like  one  with  tight 
boots.  If  we  take  an  old  shoe,  we  find  at  the 
heels  that  it  is  worn  down,  and  also  that  it  is 
smaller  and  bright,  which  is  not  done  by  the 
shifting  of  the  shoe,  as  you  only  find  it  at  the 
heels,  by  the  action  of  the  foot  while  expanding 
and  contracting.  Of  course,  this  action  wears 
upon,  but  the  foot  is  continually  growing. 

On  fitting  the  shoe,  do  not  let  it  burn  the  foot, 
as  it  makes  a  strong  foot  brittle,  and  on  a  weak 
one  hurting  the  horse.  Be  sure  it  fits  close  to 
the  foot.  Bring  in  the  heels,  as  they  do  not,  but 
the  nails  prevent  expansion.  Do  not  get  the 
nails  larget  than  necessary ;  bring  them  out  low 
down  in  the  crust,  and  make  the  clinchers  very 
broad.  Rasp  below  but  not  above  the  clinchers, 
as  the  foot  above  is  covered — if  healthy — with  a 
varnish  which  excludes  the  air  and  water. 

The  hind  shoe  need  not  be  so  broad,  but  a  lit- 
tle higher  at  the  heels.  In  this  put  7  nails,  as 
the  hind  legs  propel  and  the  front  legs  receive 
the  weight. 

The  winter  shoe  needs  toe  and  heel  pieces  to 
prevent  the  horse  from  slipping.  Have  the  in- 
ner cork  not  quite  so  sharp  as  the  outer  one,  so 
that  if  he  steps  upon  the  other  foot  it  will  not 
cut  it. 

The  outside  of  the  hoof  ought  not  to  be  at  all 
touched  by  the  rasp,  save  at  the  very  edge,  as 
rasping  tends  to  thicken  the  hoof  and  make  it 
coarse  and  clumsy.  Shoes  should  be  made  just 
as  light  as  they  possibly  can  be  to  answer  the 
purpose.  Ordinarily  they  are  }^  too  heavy.  A 
horse's  hoof  should  be  carefully  cleaned  every 
day,  and  oiling  the  hoof  once  or  twice  a  week  is 
recommended. 

SPA  VI N. — Take  »^  oz.  oil  of  amber,  i  oz. 
oil  of  spike,  2  oz.  spirits  of  turpentine,  %  oz. 
nitric  acid.  The  acid  must  be  put  into  the  bot- 
tle last.  Apply  this  mixture  thoroughly,  and — 
though  it  will  not  remove  the  bunch — the  lan.e- 
ness  will  generally  disappear.  If  the  horse  is 
over  4  years  old,  you  will  fit  a  bar  of  lead  just 


no 


DICTIONAR  Y  OF  E  VER  Y-DA  Y     WANTS. 


above  it,  wireing  the  ends  together  so  that  it  will 
constantly  wear  upon  the  enlargement,  and  the 
two  together  vill  cure  9  cases  out  of  every  10  in 
6  weeks. 

SPA  VIN  CURE.— Take  l  oz.  of  origanum 
oil,  I  oz.  of  British  oil,  i  oz.  of  oil  of  spike,  I 
oz.  oil  of  wormwood,  I  oz.  gum  myrrh,  I  gill  of 
alcohol.  Put  the  oils  together ;  put  the  gum  in 
the  alcohol,  and  let  it  stand  for  24  hours,  and 
then  add  it  to  the  oils ;  shake  well  before  using  ; 
apply  it  to  the  parts  affected,  and  rub  it  in  well 
with  the  hand,  or  heat  it  in  with  a  hot  iron.  If 
it  is  applied  for  a  sprain,  use  it  morning  and  eve- 
ning.    Wash  clean  once  in  3  days. 

SPLINT. — When  a  splint  does  not  occasion 
lameness  it  need  not  be  interfered  with.  To 
cure,  take  volatile  liniment  (of  the  U.  S.  Dis- 
pensatory) to  which  add  I  dr.  of  oil  of  origan- 
um. Apply  this  thoroughly  twice  a  day,  fol- 
lowed by  rubbing  the  spUnt  with  a  round  pine 
or  bass  wood  stick,  as  hard  as' can  be  done  with- 
out abrading  the  skin.  This  treatment  should 
be  continued  several  weeks,  when  it  will  be  dis- 
covered that  the  splints  will  grow  less  and  finally 
disappear. 

SPRAINS,  General  Treatment  o/.—Rcst  is 
the  first  requirement.  Next  apply  wet  bandages 
until  the  heat  is  abated,  and  until  there  is  no 
pain  on  pressure ;  then  rub  with  some  simple 
ointment. 

STAGGERS. — This  is  a  functional  disorder 
of  the  brain,  which,  when  once  it  has  declared 
itself,  is  said  to  be  beyond  cure.  The  following 
prescription  may  be  tried.  Give  a  mess  twice 
per  week  composed  of  i  galr  of  bran,  I  tabje- 
spoonful  of  sulphur,  i  spoonful  of  saltpetre,  I 
quart  of  boiling  sassafras  tea,  l^  oz.  assafetida. 
Keep  the  horse  from  cold  water  for  ^  a  day  af- 
terwards. 

STRANGLES.— Feed  with  light,  cooling 
(green  if  it  can  be  had)  food ;  mix  the  food  with 
sassafras  tea,  in  which  a  spoonful  of  powdered 
sulphur  and  a  teaspoonful  of  saltpetre  have  been 
added, 

STIFLE-STEPPING,  To  Cure.-  %  a  tea- 
cup of  vinegar,  the  whites  of  2  eggs,  a  piece  of 
alum  the  size  of  a  chesnut,  well  beaten,  dissolved 
and  warmed.  Twitch  and  knee-strap  the  fore 
leg  standing  off  from  the  affected  member.  Ap- 
ply with  the  hand  and  rub  it  in  well ;  saturate  a 
piece  of  flannel  6  inches  square,  place  it  over  the 
joint,  cover  this  with  a  double  thickness  of  the 
same,  long  enough  to  lap  behind  the  leg,  and 
draw  it  very  tight.  Now  take  a  very  hot  flat- 
iron  and  iron  it,  being  cautious  not  to  blister 
your  horse  too  severely.  Turn  him  out,  and  in 
1  week  repeat;  in  the  meantime  bathe  the  parts 
with  a  decoction  of  white-oak  bark. 

SlVEEiVY. — A  horse  is  said  to  be  sweenied 
when  the  muscles  of  the  shoulder  appear  to  have 
perished  away,  and  the  skin  seems  to  be  attached 
closely  to  the  shoulder-blade.  These  symptoms 
may  arise  from  chronic  lameness  in  the  foot  or 
other  part  of  the  limb.  In  such  case,  of  course 
it  is  of  no  use  to  apply  remedies  to  the  shoulder. 
Cure  the  foot,  and  the  shoulder  will  come  right, 
although  stimulants  and  rubbing  will  expedite 
it.  But  genuine  sweeny  is  quite  different  from 
the  above,  although  the  appearances  are  the 
same.  It  is  caused  by  hard  drawing  in  a  collar 
that  is  too  large;  or  where  no  whiffletree  is  ever 
used,  but  the  traces  are  hitched  directly  to  the 
thills,  as  in   "jumpers,"  as  they  are  called;  or 


by  jumping  fences,  or  the  like.  The  presence  of 
real  sweeny  may  be  discovered  by  moving  the 
horse  in  a  circle,  or  causing  him  to  step  over 
bars,  when  you  can  generally  determine  the  seat 
of  the  lameness.  For' such  cases  irritants  with 
friction,  is  the  proper  treatnvent.  Blistering  lin- 
iment, or  seton,  or  a  piece  of  leather  inserted 
under  the  skin,  will  cure,  with  rest. 

TAMING  AND  TRAINING.— Uany  per- 
sons pay  for  instructions  in  training  horses,  and  yet 
they  nearly  all  fail,  iimply  because,  with  all  the 
instructions  in  the  world,  they  cannot  handle  a 
horse — it  is  rK)t  in  them.  To  be  a  successful 
trainer  you  must  have  a  sympathy  with  the  horse 
and  a  personal  power  of  control.  That  which 
partakes  of  the  power  necessary  to  subdue  and 
train,  you  will  find  in  your  own  mind,  your  own 
love,  will  and  wisdom.  If  you  have  little  or  no 
instinctive  love  for  the  horse,  of  course  you  are 
not  the  person  to  control  him.  Men  and  women 
are  often  found  who  are  said  to  have  the  natural 
gift  of  controlling  the  horse ;  they  love  horses 
from  instinct,  as  it  were.  The  secret  in  these 
cases  consists  in  their  intense  love  for  the  horse. 
If  you  love  the  horse,  you  will,  you  can,  but 
know  how  to  make  the  horse  love  you.  Love, 
in  all  grades  of  animals,  has  its  appropriate  lan- 
guage ;  and  when  this  language  is  addressed  to 
the  horse,  it  excites  love,  of  course.  A  blow 
with  a  w-hip  or  club  does  not  come  from  love, 
but  from  combativeness,  and  it  excites  combat- 
iveness  or  fear  in  the  horse.  If  you  want  to 
make  a  horse  love  you,  (and  you  must  cause  him 
to  love  you  if  you  control  him,)  why  of  course 
you  must  love  him  and  treat  him  accordingly. 
Study  the  character  of  your  horse — not  the  na- 
ture of  horses  in  general,  but  of  the  horse  that 
you  wish  to  control.  Horses  differ  in  their  dis- 
positions as  really  as  men  do,  and  each  one  is  to 
be  approached,  attracted,  pleased  and  controlled 
accordingly.  To  Make  Him  Lie  Down. — First, 
catch  your  horse,  then  strap  the  near  fore  leg  up 
round  the  arm  of  the  animal ;  lead  him  about  on 
3  legs  until  he  becomes  tired  or  weary  ;  he  will 
then  allow  you  to  handle  him  anywhere  ;  then 
attach  a  strap  with  a  ring  to  the  off  fore-fetlock; 
to  this  ring  fasten  another  strap,  which  being 
brought  over  the  horse's  back  to  the  near  side, 
is  put  through  the  ring  on  the  off  fore  fetlock  ; 
return  the  end  of  the  strap  to  the  near  side,  still 
keeping  fast  hold,  and  move  the  animal  on,  and 
pull;  he  will  then  be  thrown  upon  his  knees, 
when,  after  struggling  for  some  time,  by  gentle 
usage  he  will  lie  down.  After  unloosing  the 
straps,  put  him  through  the  same  process  as  be- 
fore, when  the  horse  will  lie  down  whenever  re- 
quired. Uniformity  is  necessary  in-our  method. 
It  is  by  the  repetition,  by  the  constant  recurrence 
of  certain  motions,  words  or  actions,  that  we  suc- 
ceed. Many  fail  for  the  want  of  uniformity  in 
their  method.  They  are  loving  and  kind  by 
spells ;  then  they  are  harsh  and  cruel.  The 
horse  is  "impressed,"  as  it  is  said,  with  his  mas- 
ter's wishes,  when  those  wishes  are  often  and 
uniformly  expressed  in  motions,  words  and  ac- 
tions!  If  man  needs  "precept  upon  precept, 
line  upon  line,  etc.,  in  order  to  learn  his  lessons 
well,  how  much  more  true  is  this  of  the  horse, 
which  is  below  man  in  consciousness  and  the  re- 
flective faculties.  Tcachinf;  Him  to  Pace. — 
Buckle  a  4  lb.  weight  around  the  ankles  of  his 
hind  legs,  (lead  is  preferable  ;)  ride  your  horse 
briskly  with  these  weights  upon  his  ankles,  at 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— HORSES. 


Ill 


the  same  time,  twitching  each  rein  of  the  bridle 
alternately ;  by  this  means  you  will  immediately 
throw  him  into  a  pace.     After  you  have  trained 
him  in  this  way  to  some  extent,  change  your 
leaded  weights  for  something  lighter;    leather 
padding,  or  something  equal  to  it,  will  answer 
the  purpose ;  let  him  wear  these  light  weights 
until  he  is  perfectly  trained.     This  process  will 
make  a  smooth  and  easy  pacer    of  any  horse. 
To  Make  Him   Trot. — The   secret   consists   in 
using  rollers  on  the  front  feet.     These  rollers 
are  made  of  pieces  of  wood  or   horn   turned 
round,  as  big  as  a  hickory  nut,  with  a  gimlet 
hole  bored  through  the  centre  of  each,  and  about 
12  of  them  strung  on  a  string  or  narrow  strap, 
(which  should  be  much  smaller  than  the  hole,) 
and  then  tied  or  buckled  very  loose  around  the 
feter-lock  joint  next  to  the  hoof,  so  that  they 
will  play  loose  up  and  down  when  the  horse  is 
in  motion.     As  soon  as  the  horse  finds  some- 
thing on  his  feet,  he  will  lift  them  up  higher  and 
throw  them  out  further  and  handsomer ;  this  he 
will  soon  learn  permanently.     Another  secret  is 
that  a  small  or  medium  sized  flat  is  the  best,  and 
far  superior  to  the  track  system  for  teaching  the 
horse  or  colt  to  gather  quickly.     A  very  Hght 
skeleton  or  gig  should  be  used  in  training.      To 
Sit  on  his  Haunches. — First  learn  the  horse  to 
obey  you,  so  that  when  you  say  "  Ho !"  he  will 
remain  still.     Then,  having  learned  him  to  lie 
down,  let  him  get  up  on  his  fore  legs,  and  then 
stop  him.     The  horse  gets  up  in  this  way,  and 
you  have  only  to  teach  him  to  hold  his  position 
for  a  while.     It  does  not  strain  the  horse  to  sit, 
and  you  must  always  use  the  word  "sit"  in  con- 
nection with  the  feat.     Also  the  word   "down" 
when  you  wish  him  to  fall.     To  Make  Him  Fol- 
low You. — Take  your  horse  to  the  stable,  put  on 
a  surcingle  and  a  bridle  with  short  reins,  which 
may  be  checked  up  a  little  and  fastened  to  the 
surcingle.     Then  lead  him  about  a  few  times, 
and  letting  go  the  bridle  continue  to  caress  him, 
as  you  constantly  say,    "Come  along."     If  he 
lag,  give  him  a  light  cut  behind  with  a  long 
whip.     Continue  this  until  you  succeed.     Do  not 
forget  the  element  of  "love"  in  this  as  well  as 
other  feats.      To  Teach  Him  to  Pick  Up  a  Hand- 
kerchief.— Spread  on  the  sawdust  a  white  cloth 
containing  a  liberal  supply  of  oats  ;  lead  the  an- 
imal round  the  ring,  and  let  him  take  some  of 
the  oats.     This  is  lesson  No.  i — its  object  being 
to  fix  in  the  horse's  mind  a  connection  between 
the  cloth  and  the  oats.     The  march  round  the 
circle  being  once  or  twice  repeated,  he  stops  at 
the  handkerchief  as  a  matter  of  course.     By  dint 
of  practice — say  a  couple  of  weeks — he  will  learn 
to  stop  as  readily  in  a  trot  or  a  gallop  as  in  a 
walk.     After  a  time  the  handkerchief  must  be 
doubled  over  and  tied  in   a  knot;    the  animal 
shakes  it  to  get  at  the  grain,  but  not  succeeding, 
lifts  it  from  the  ground,  which  is  just  the  thing 
wanted.     When  the  horse  has  done  this  a  few 
times,  and  finds  that,  though  he  can  shake  noth- 
ing out,  he  will  receive  a  handful  of  oats  as  a  re- 
ward, he  may  be  trusted  to  perform  in  public. 
The  last  step  of  all — -persuading  the  horse  to 
carry  the  handkerchief  to  his  owner — is  easily 
done.     Of  his  own  accord  he  will  hold  the  cloth 
till  it  is  taken  from  his  mouth,  and  there  will  be 
little  difficulty  in  coaxing  him  to  walk  a  few  steps 
— when  he  knows  that  he  will  get  a  handful  of 
oats  or  a  carrot  for  his   obedience.      Teaching 
Him  to   Walk, — For  every-day  use,  the  most 


economical  gait  for  a  horse  is  a  fast  walk;  and 
yet  not  half  the  thought  is  given  to  this  essential 
that  there  is  to  other  things  that  secure  to  the 
horse  a  name  rather  than  intrinsic  value.  Colts 
can  be  taught  to  walk  fast  by  following  them  for 
a  half  day  together  (some  one  leading)  with  a 
small  switch,  starting  them,  when  inclined  to  go 
slow,  into  a  quicker  pace.  After  they  are  har- 
nessed keep  fast  walking  in  mind,  and  when  on 
level  ground,  or  going  up  a  hill  with  a  very  light 
load,  urge  them  to  their  utmost,  until  4  miles  an 
hour  becomes  a  habit.  Teaching  Him  to  Stand. 
— Take  your  horse  on  the  barn  floor,  and  throw  '^ 
a  strap  over  his  back  and  fasten  it  to  his  right 
fore  foot;  lead  him  along  and  say  "Whoa,"  and 
at  the  same  time  pull  down  the  strap,  which  will 
throw  him  on  3  feet,  and  make  him  stop  sud- 
denly. This  is  the  best  way  known  to  'teach 
"  Whoa,"  though  you  can  put  on  the  war  bri- 
dle, and  give  him  a  sharp  jerk  that  will  stop  him 
about  as  soon  as  the  strap  to  his  foot.  Then  put 
him  in  harness,  with  the  foot  strap,  as  directed 
under  the  head  of  "  Training  to  Harness,"  and 
drive  him  up  to  the  door.  The  moment  he  un- 
dertakes to  move,  take  his  foot  and  say  "Whoa." 
Get  in  your  carriage  and  get  out  again ;  rattle 
the  thills  ;  make  all  the  noise  getting  in  and  out 
you  can  ;  give  him  to  understand,  by  snatching 
his  foot  each  time  he  moves,  that  he  must  stand 
until  you  tell  him  to  go ;  and  after  a  few  times 
you  can  put  the  whole  family  in  the  carriage,  and 
he  will  not  stir  out  of  his  tracks. 

TAMING,  Preparation  for. — Take  finely 
grated  horse  castor,  and  oils  of  rhodium  and 
cummin ;  keep  these  in  separate  bottles,  well 
corked ;  put  some  of  the  oil  of  cummin  on  your 
hand,  and  approach  the  horse  on  the  windy  side. 
He  will  then  move  toward  you ;  then  rub  some 
of  the  cummin  on  his  nose ;  give  him  a  little  of 
the  castor  on  anything  he  likes,  and  get  8  or  10 
drops  of  the  oil  of  rhodium  on  the  point  of  his 
tongue ;  you  can  then  get  him  to  do  anything 
you  please.  Follow  up  your  advantage  by  all 
the  kindness  and  attention  possible  toward  the 
animal,  and  your  control  is  certain. 

TENDONS,  CONTRACTED.— ¥\r%i  try 
the  effect  of  lowering  the  heels  a  little  more  than 
the  toe  at  each  shoeing,  and  applying  a  shoe  with 
a  plate  projecting  an  inch  or  two  in  front  of  the 
toe.  If  there  is  much  tenderness  of  the  back 
sinews  on  pressure,  this  form  of  shoeing  must 
be  avoided  until  that  has  been  removed.  The 
thickened  tendons  must  be  rubbed  daily  with  a 
mixture  in  equal  parts  of  strong  iodine  ointment 
and  blue  ointment,  until  blistering  takes  place, 
when  it  may  be  discontinued  until  the  effects 
have  passed  off.  The  horse  should  have  a  yard 
or  small  paddock  to  run  in  where  he  is  not  very 
likely  to  be  excited  to  vigorous  or  irregular  ac- 
tion, or,  if  kept  in-doors,  let  it  be  in  a  roomy 
box,  and  give  a  moderate  amount  of  walking  ex- 
ercise daily.  Should  several  months  of  this  sort 
of  treatment  fail  to  restore  in  part,  it  rnay  be  ad- 
visable, perhaps,  to  have  the  back  sinews  cut 
through. 

TIIR dSH.— This  is  a  discharge  of  very  of- 
fensive matter  from  the  cleft  of  the  frog.  It  is 
inflammation  of  the  lower  surface  of  the  sensible 
frog,  and  during  which  pus  is  secreted  together 
with,  or  instead  of  horn.  In  its  treatment,  al- 
most any  astringent  substance  will  check  thrush 
in  its  early  stage.  Tar  and  common  salt  mixed 
is  a  very  good  application,  and  tar  and  sulphate 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


of  zinc  can  also  be  highly  recommended.  Be- 
fore the  introduction  of  either  of  these  prepara- 
tions, the  frog  should  be  carefully  inspected  and 
all  decayed  parts  removed.  The  dressing  must 
be  pressed  to  the  bottom  of  the  cleft  and  com- 
missures of  the  frog,  and  this  should  be  repeated 
every  other  day  or  twice  a  week. 

TRICKS  OF  HORSE-DEALERS.— Vn- 
less  a  man  is  accustomed  to  horses,  it  is  the 
greatest  folly  in  the  world  to  depend  upon  his 
own  knowledge  in  purchasing  them,  for  there  is 
a  class  of  men  who  make  their  living  by  bringing 
up  horses  with  all  manner  of  defects,  and  which 
their  art  enables  them  to  disguise  just  as  long  as 
is  sufficient  to  take  in  their  dupes.  In  buying 
as  well  as  selling  are  these  deceptions  practiced. 
A  few  of  these  "  tricks"  are  as  follows.  To 
Make  a  True-pulling-  Horse  Baulk. — Take  tinc- 
ture of  cantharides  I  oz.,  and  corrosive  subli- 
mate I  dr.  Mix,  and  bathe  his  shoulders  freely 
at  night.  To  Make  a  Horse  Appear  as  if  Lame. 
— Take  a  single  hair  from  the  tail;  put  through 
the  eye  of  a  needle  ;  lift  the  front  leg,  and  press 
the  skin  between  the  outer  and  middle  tendon  or 
cord ;  shove  the  needle  through  ;  cut  off  the  hair 
on  each  side,  and  let  the  foot  down  ;  the  horse 
will  go  lame  in  20  minutes.  To  Alake  a  Horse 
Stand  by  His  Food  and  Not  Eat  It. — Grease 
the  front  teeth  and  the  roof  of  the  mouth  with 
common  beef  tallow,  and  he  will  not  eat  till  you 
have  washed  it  out.  To  Make  a  Horse  Appear 
as  if  Badly  Foundered. — Take  a  fine  wire  and 
fasten  it  tight  around  the  fetlock,  between  the 
foot  and  heel,  and  smooth  the  hair  over  it.  In 
20  minutes  the  horse  will  show  lameness.  Do 
not  leave  it  on  over  9  hours. — To  Cure  a  Horse 
of  the  Crib  or  Sucking  Wind. — Saw  between  the 
upper  teeth  to  the  gums.  To  Cofer  Up  the 
Heaves. — Drench  the  horse  with  ^  lb.  of  com- 
mon bird  shot,  and  he  will  not  heave  until  they 
pass  through  him.  To  Make  a  Horse  Appear 
as  if  He  Had  the  Glanders. — Melt  4  oz.  of  fresh 
butter,  and  pour  it  into  his  ear.  To  Nerve  a 
Horse  that  is  iMme. — Make  a  small  incision 
about  half  way  from  the  knee  to  the  joint  on  the 
outside  of  the  leg,  and  at  the  back  part  of  the 
shin  bone  you  will  find  a  small  white  tendon  or 
cord ;  cut  it  off  and  close  the  external  wound 
with  a  stitch,  and  he  will  walk  off  on  the  hard- 
est pavement  and  not  limp  a  particle.  To  Dis- 
guise Lameness. — When  a  horse  goes  dead  lame 
m  one  shoulder,  it  can  be  disguised  by  creating 
a  similar  lameness  in  the  corresponding  leg,  by 
taking  off  the  shoe  and  inserting  a  bean  between 
it  and  the  foot.  To  Put  Black  Spots  on  a  White 
Horse. — Take  of  powdered  quick-lime  ^  a  lb., 
and  litharge  4  oz.  Well  beat  and  mix  the  lith- 
arge with  the  lime.  The  above  is  to  be  put  into 
a  vessel,  and  a  sharp  ley  is  to  be  poured  over  it. 
Boil  and  skim  off  the  substance  which  rises  on 
the  surface.  This  is  the  coloring  matter,  which 
must  be  applied  to  such  parts  of  the  animal  as 
you  wish  to  have  dyed  black.  To  Produce  a 
Star  on  a  Horse. — Take  a  piece  of  coarse  tow- 
linen,  the  size  of  the  wishea-for  star ;  spread  on 
it  warm  pitch,  and  apply  it  to  the  shaved  spot ; 
leave  it  on  for  2  or  3  days,  when  wash  with  a 
little  asmart  water,  or  elixir  of  vitriol,  2  or  3 
times  a  day  until  well.  When  the  hair  grows 
it  will  be  white.  To  Make  an  Old  Horse  Appear 
Yoimg. — This  is  done  by  filing  down  the  teeth, 
the  dark  markings  on  which  are  removed  by  a 
hot  iron.     Filling  up  the  depressions  over  the 


horse's  eyes,  by  puncturing  the  skin  over  the 
cavity,  and  filling  through  a  tube  by  air  from  the 
mouth,  and  then  closing  the  aperture,  when  the 
brow  will  become  smooth — for  a  time.  The 
white  hairs  are  painted  out,  when  the  animal  will 
altogether  have  a  youthful  appearance. 

URINE,  Stoppage  of. — Symptoms  :  Frequent 
attempts  to  urinate,  looking  round  at  his  sides, 
lying  down,  rolling  and  stretching.  To  cure, 
take  Yi  lb.  of  hops,  3  drs.  oil  of  camphor ;  grind 
and  mix.  Make  this  into  3  pills.  Give  i  every 
day,  with  a  drench  made  of  a  small  spoonful  of 
saltpetre  and  2  oz.  of  water.  This  will  cure,  as 
a  general  thing. 

WARTS,  To  Cure. — The  safest  and  most  ef- 
fectual caustic  for  destroying  warts  is  chromic 
acid.  Having  first  picked  off  the  rough  outer 
surface  of  the  warts  so  as  to  make  them  bleed, 
apply,  by  means  of  a  small  M'ooden  spatula,  a 
little  of  the  dry  acid,  rubbing  it  well  in.  This 
will  cause  a  free  discharge  of  watery  fluid -from 
the  surface.  In  a  few  days  the  wart  is  converted 
into  a  tough,  leather-like  substance,  which  ulti- 
mately falls  off,  generally  leaving  a  healthy  sore, 
which  soon  heals. 

WARTS  ON  A  HORSE'S  A^OSE.—D\s. 
solve  yi  lb.  of  alum  in  a  quart  of  water .  with  a 
brush  or  cloth  wet  the  warts  twice  each  day  for 
4  days,  and  they  will  disappear.  Another  rem- 
edy is  to  smear  the  warts  with  salted  butter. 

WATER  FARCIN— Syym-pioms.:  The  horse 
is  dull  and  loses  his  appetite,  and  swells  along 
the  belly  or  chest  and  between  the  fore  legs.  To 
cure  :  Rowel  in  the  breast,  and  along  each  side 
of  the  chest,  as  far  as  the  swelling  goes.  Leave 
the  rowels  in  until  the  swelling  goes  down .  give 
a  spoonful  of  cleansing  powders  morning  and 
night. 

WEN,  To  Cure  a. — Take  equal  parts  of  soft 
soap  and  slaked  lime,  well  mixed.  Lance  the 
wen  at  the  time  of  making  the  application,  or 
two  or  three  days  after.  Two  or  three  applica- 
tions will  cure. 

WIND-GALLS.— '\T\ndi-gia\\s  are  puffy  swel- 
lings above  and  behind^the  fetlocks,  caused  by 
the  enlargement  of  the  sheathes  through  which 
the  tendons  pass.  In  recent  cases  nothing  fur- 
ther is  required  than  rest,  aperient  medicine,  and 
wet  bandages  wrapped  firmly  around  the  s\yell- 
ings.  It  may  also  be  advisable  to  remove  the 
shoe  and  shorten  the  toe  to  remove  the  tension 
of  the  tendons.  When  there  is  lameness,  and 
the  swelling  is  indurated,  hot  fomentations  for 
several  hours  a  day,  or  poultices,  should  be  ap- 
plied. A  woolen  bandage  should  afterwards  be 
applied,  and  camphorated  spirits  well  rubbed  in 
daily. 

WIND  IN  HORSES,  To  Improve.— li  will 
be  found,  if  tar  water  and  powdered  charcoal  are 
mixed  with  the  horse's  feed,  that  it  will  have  a 
most  beneficial  effect  on  his  wind  and  condi- 
tion. 

WORMS  IN  HORSES.— I.  Give  every 
morning,  one  hour  before  feeding,  3  drs.  of  sul- 
phate of  iron  and  2  drs.  of  assafetida ;  and  ev- 
ery night,  for  a  week,  throw  up  an  injection  of  I 
oz.  oil  of  turpentine  and  10  oz.  of  linseed  oil. 
Green  food  is  to  be  preferred. — 2.  White-ash 
bark  burnt  to  ashes  and  made  into  rather  a  very 
strong  ley ;  then  mix  %  a  pt.  of  it  with  i  pt.  of 
warm  water,  and  give  all  2  or  3  times  daily. 

WOUNDS. — One  of  the  best  washes  that  is 
known  for  ordinary  wounds  on  horses,  is  to  take 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS— POULTRY. 


113 

point  of  the  first  rib  and  cutting  backwards 
about  an  inch.  In  this  way  the  pleura  is  surely 
avoided,  and  of  course  an  escape  of  air. 

Now,  by  introducing  two  small  hooks,  or  any 
other  suitable  apparatus,  draw  apart  the  ribs  so 
as  to  expose  a  bundle  of  fibres  called  the  inter- 
costal muscle.  Should  the  incision  be  too  small, 
it  may  be  enlarged  by  passing  the  knife  round 
the  point  of  the  second  rib.  Divide  the  belly  of 
the  intercostal  muscle  lengthwise,  and  you  will 
perceive  a  semi-  transparent  membrane,  called 
the  peritoneum.  This  must  likewise  be  divided, 
keeping  the  knife  as  far  off  as  possible  from  the 
pleura.  A  branch  of  the  coeliac  artery  traverses 
this  membrane,  and  may  be  injured  by  a  bung- 
ling hand  or  by  inattention.  On  cutting  through 
this  membrane  the  upper  testicle  is  brought  into 
view.  This  lies  on  the  margin  of  the  lateral 
spinous  processes,  surrounded  by  nerves  and 
blood  vessels.  It  is  a  small  yellow  body,  its 
color  somewhat  darkened  by  the  membrane  cov- 
ering it.  In  pushing  downward  and  forward  the 
intestine,  the  second  testicle  is  brought  into  view, 
lying  centrally  between  two  large  blood  vessels- 
This  must  be  removed  with  great  care,  so  as  not 
to  iniure  any  of  the  neighboring  veins. 

CANKER  IN  EG  ^f^LS.— This  disease  is  in- 
dicated by  the  mouth  and  throat  becoming  filled 
up  with  a  cheesy  substance  of  very  offensive 
odor,  which  causes  in  some  cases  a  stoppage  of 
the  windpipe  and  death  by  suffocation.  It  is  to 
be  treated  successfully  as  follows:  i.  If  the  fowl 
is  not  worth  a  good  deal  cut  its  head  off. — 2.  If 
worth  saving,  with  a  small  spoon  and  pincers 
take  out  all  the  cheesy  matter,  and  wipe  out  all 
the  slimy  mucus  from  mouth,  nostrils,  and  eyes. 
— 3.  Prepare  a  solution  of  chlorinated  soda  or 
chloride  of  lime.  If  chlorinated  soda  (Laba- 
raque's  solution)  is  used,  dilute  it  with  one  or 
two  parts  of  water.  Wash  the  head,  eyes,  nos- 
trils, mouth  and  throat  out  thoroughly,  using  a 
soft  swab  with  one  of  these  solutions,  and  in  20 
minutes  give  the  fowl  a  good  feed  of  chopped 
meat,  mixed  with  bread  soaked  in  ale  or  spirits 
and  water,  and  well  sprinkled  -with  Cayenne 
pepper.  Give  some  solution  of  iron  in  the  wa- 
ter, and  keep  up  the  diet  indicated  until  well. 
Put  the  whole  flock  on  a  similar  diet  for  a  few 
days,  especially  those  having  colds. 

CATARRH  AND  COZZ*.— These  com- 
plaints in  fowls  are  caused  by  their  being  ex- 
posed to  dampness,  and,  if  allowed  to  continue, 
will  run  to  roup.  Keep  them  on  dry,  elevated 
places.  Red  pepper  mixed  with  soft  food,  fed 
several  times  a  week,  will  remove  a  cold ;  and 
pulverized  charcoal,  given  occasionally,  is  a  pre- 
ventive of  putrid  affections. 

CHOLERA,  CHICKEN— K  remedy  pro- 
mulgated by  the  Department  of  Agriculture  is 
alum  alone — giving  3  or  4  teaspoons  of  alum 
water  daily,  and  mix  with  the  feed  (corn-meal) 
strong  alum  water.  This  is  said  to  cure  the  very 
worst  cases.  Another  remedy  is  to  feed  raw 
onions,  chopped  fine,  mixed  with  other  food, 
about  twice  a  week. 

CROUP. — Try  and  remove  the  croup  mem- 
branes from  the  mouth  with  a  feather,  and  then 
touch  the  parts  with  a  feather  dipped  in  a  solu- 
tion of  nitrate  of  siver,  10  grs.  to  I  oz.  of  rain- 
water. Feed  no  raw  grain.  Well  boiled  oat- 
meal or  Indian  cf>rn-meal  will  make  an  excellent 
substitute.  Put  ^  an  oz.  of  carbonate  of  soda 
in  every  quart  of  the  water  drank  by  the  chick- 

8 


^  lb.  of  saltpetre,  %  a  pt.  turpentine,  and  put 
them  into  a  bottle ;  shake  up  well  before  using ; 
apply  to  the  wound  3  times  a  day  with  a  feather. 

POULTRY. 

BONES,  To  Pulverize  for  Fowls.— V\yt  the 
bones  in  a  stove  and  allow  them  to  burn  white, 
when  they  can  then  be  easily  pulverized ;  then 
mix  with  corn  meal  and  feed  twice  a  day. 

CHICKENS,  Management  of. — After  emerg- 
ing from  the  shells  the  chickens  should  not  be 
removed  from  under  the  hen.  They  are  at  first 
weakly  and  wet,  but  in  a  few  hours  they  become 
thoroughly  dry,  and  it  is  not  until  their  little 
quaint  heads  peep  from  under  the  feathers  of  the 
hen  that  she  should  be  removed  from  the  nest. 
Many  persons  imagine  that  the  chickens  require 
feeding  as  soon  as  hatched.  This  is  an  error. 
At  the  time  of  hatching,  the  remains  of  the  yelk 
are  drawn  into  the  digestive  canal  of  the  chick, 
and  constitute  its  first  food.  This  will  last  it  for 
20  to  30  hours,  and  then  the  chickens  are  strong 
and  active  on  the  legs,  and  ready  to  eat  with 
avidity.  As  regards  the  first  food  for  the  chicks, 
there  is  nothing  approaching  in  value  to  a  mix- 
ture of  equal  parts  of  grated  bread,  yelk  of  hard- 
boiled  eggs,  and  oatmeal  slightly  moistened  with 
water.  This  is  the  best  food  for  the  first  fort- 
night ;  then  add  gradually  groats,  hemp-seed, 
and  green  food,  such  as  cress,  lettuce,  cabbage, 
and  leeks,  chopped  fine.  If  the  weather  is  cold 
and  wet,  add  a  little  powdered  pimento  to  the 
food  occasionally,  also  a  little  finely  minced  meat 
as  a  substitute  for  worms  and  insects,  fresh  curd 
and  hard-boiled  eggs  mashed  up  with  the  shells. 
Feed  the  chickens  early  in  the  morning,  and  of- 
ten during  the  day,  giving  but  little  at  a  time ; 
the  water  vessels  should  be  shallow  and  fre- 
quently refilled,  and  so  arranged  that  the  chick- 
ens cannot  get  into  them.  Throw  the  food  on 
the  ground  to  the  chickens  ;  they  will  then  pick 
up  gravel  along  with  it,  which  is  necessary  for 
the  digestion  of  their  food.  Of  course  there  is 
not  so  much  necessity  for  a  substitute  for  the 
natural  animal  food  when  the  hens  have  a  free 
range,  and  can  scratch  for  worms  and  insects  for 
the  brood.  It  is  important  that  a  hen  with 
chickens  should  be  well  fed,  for  if  poorly  fed 
she  will  drag  her  progeny  about  in  search  of 
food,  taking  them  through  the  wet  grass,  and 
■wearying  them  with  over-exertion  ;  but  if  well 
fed  she  broods  them  carefully,  and  only  scratches 
to  supply  them  with  grubs  and  dainty  animal 
food.  Both  hen  and  chickens  must  be  carefully 
and  warmly  housed  at  night,  and  never  allowed 
out  until  the  dew  is  quite  off  the  grass. 

CAPONS.— ?\z.ce:  the  fowl  on  its  left  side  on 
the  table,  with  its  back  to  the  operator,  a  strap 
round  its  wings,  ahd  the  legs  in  a  noose.  Pluck 
off  the  feathers  between  the  first  and  second 
ribs,  and  with  the  thumb  and  finger  of  the  left 
hand  draw  the  skin  tense,  so  as  to  ascertain  pos- 
itively the  space  between  the  ribs.  With  a  very 
sharp  knife  make  an  incision  through  the  skin 
only,  an  inch  long,  measuring  from  the  point  of 
the  first  rib  backward.  This  will  expose  the 
two  ribs  and  the  margin  of  a  large  muscle  run- 
ning down  the  thigh.  This  muscle  is  in  no  dan- 
ger of  being  injured  if  the  incision  be  made  at 
the  proper  point ;  but  if  otherwise,  an  injury  to 
it  will  cause  lameness.  Divide  the  muscle  be- 
tween the  ribs,  by  introducing  the  knife  at  the 


114 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


ens,  and,  if  possible,  change  their  roosting  place 
to  a  new  building.  If  this  last  cannot  be  done, 
clean  the  place  thoroughly,  and  wash  it  over 
•with  a  solution  at  the  rate  of  an  ounce  of  car- 
bolic acid  to  a  quart  of  water. 

CHICKEN. SCRA  TCHING—yio%\.  people 
object  to  allowing  hens  in  gardens  because  of 
their  scratching  peculiarities.  This  may  be  right 
at  time  of  seed-planting,  and  until  the  young 
plants  are  well  started  on  their  growth  above  the 
ground;  but  before  and  after  this  time,  when 
scratching  will  do  no  harm,  chickens  should  be 
allowed  their  full  freedom,  because  of  the  good 
they  do  in  freeing  the  ground  from  insects.  In 
a  recent  article  which  appeared  in  a  prominent 
agricultural  paper,  the  writer  says:  ' '  Recently 
we  were  at  work  in  our  garden.  Half  of  it  was 
dug  and  some  planted.  The  fourteen  hens  and 
two  roosters  were  throwing  dirt  at  a  fearful  rate  ; 
peas  and  beans  were  unearthed,  but  none  of  them 
were  eaten ;  but  when  an  earth-worm  or  grub 
was  brought  in  sight,  it  was  swallowed  as  sud- 
denly as  Western  men  are  said  to  swallow  oys- 
ters. While  watching  them,  one  found  some- 
thing that  pleased  her  so  much  that  she  chuckled 
audibly.  By  making  a  sudden  rush  toward  her, 
she  dropped  it — it  was  the  pupa  or  chrysalis  of 
one  of  those  large  green  caterpillars  (usually 
called  "  worms")  that  are  found  on  potato  and 
tomato  plants.  Gardeners  who  understand  how 
to  make  their  business  profitable  will  use  great 
quantities  of  well-rotted  stable  manure.  If  the 
hens  are  on  hand  when  this  manure  is  spread, 
how  busy  and  how  happy  they  will  be !  Some 
may  suppose  they  are  looking  for  grain  ;  perhaps 
they  do  find  some  kernels,  but  more  often  chrys- 
alids  looking  like  grains  of  rye,  which  are  the 
pupae  of  flies — generally  our  common  house-flies. 
Could  all  such  manure  heaps  be  submitted  to  a 
thorough  scratching  by  the  poultry,  we  should 
be  less  tormented  with  insects.  Both  vegetable 
and  fruit  gardens  could  be  arranged  so  that  hens 
and  chickens  could  have  access  nearly  all  the 
time  to  great  advantage.  Especially  should 
fowls  be  kept  in  orchards.  If  so  kept  they  will 
work  among  the  trees,  doing  just  what  is  need- 
ed, keeping  the  ground  well  cultivated,  and  de- 
stroying everything  that  can  injure  the  fruit  and 
trees  in  the  shape  of  bugs,  worms,  and  other  in- 
sects. 

DROOPING  niNGS.— This,  in  either  tur- 
keys or  chickens,  is  caused  by  vermin  To  cure 
it,  grease  their  heads,  the  under  sides  of  their 
wings,  and  their  bodies  under  their  wings,  with 
lard  or  fried  meat  fat,  or  any  other  grease.  In 
a  few  days  their  wings  wjll  be  natural,  and  their 
appetite  and  comfort  will  return. 

DUCKS,  To  Fatten. -^Give  them  oats,  meal 
and  barley.  This  feed  puts  on  flesh  rapidly. 
Shut  your  ducks  up  in  a  good  coop,  with  no  run- 
way. They  must  have  no  exercise,  for  that 
gives  health,  not  fat.  Feed  them  with  bran, 
oats,  oat-meal,  or  barley-meal,  cooked ;  put  in  a 
shallow  vessel ;  give  gravel,  water,  cabbage 
leaves  or  a  sod  of  grass.  Some  feed  Indian 
meal,  and  proceed  with  the  cramming  process  ; 
but  this  is  unnecessary,  as  young  ducks  will  eat 
all  the'food  put  before  them,  and  in  that  way 
cram  themselves  without  assistance.  Let  what- 
ever food  you  give  them  be  cooked  and  fed 
warm. 

EGG-EATING  HENS.— To  cure  this  hab- 
it,  break  an  egg  and  dust  the  contents  nicely 


with  fine  Cayenne  pepper,  afterwards  turning 
the  egg  round  so  as  to  get  the  pepper  below  the 
yelk,  if  possible,  and  leave  the  egg  in  the  of- 
fender's nest ;  or,  if  he  catches  her  in  the  act  ot 
eating  an  egg,  let  him  drive  her  away  quietly, 
and  place  pepper  in  the  remainder  of  the  egg, 
endeavoring,  as  stated  before,  to  get  the  pepper 
underneath.  He  will  very  soon  see  her  running 
furiously  about  with  distended  beak.  If  one 
dose  is  not  sufficient,  administer  another  a  little 
stronger.  If  fowls  are  well  supplied  with  lime 
and  gravel  rubbish  and  animal  food  (fresh  meat) 
in  some  form,  hens  will  not  eat  their  eggs.  Ar- 
tificial or  china  eggs  should  be  used  as  nest 
eggs. 

EGG-PRODUCERS,  ^^.ST.— Experience 
has  indicated  that  for  laying  eggs  the  Polands 
are  most  desirable  ;  for  the  table,  Dorkings  ;  and 
for  early  marketable  chickens,  Brahmas  and  Co- 
chins. A  writer  who  has  had  considerable  ex- 
perience in  raising  fowls  for  profit  says :  The 
Farmer's  Breed  is  the  breed  for  profit.  It  con- 
sists of  Brahma  hens  and  colored  Dorking  cocks 
— the  chicks  from  which  are  hardy,  easily  reared, 
grow  fast,  and  in  four  months,  without  extra 
feed,  will  dress  four  to  five  pounds  each  of  fine- 
grained, well-formed,  plump-breasted,  well-col- 
ored flesh,  fit  for  the  table  of  any  amateur  or  ep- 
icure, and  always  commanding  a  good  price  in 
market.  The  hens  from  this  cross  are  even  bet- 
ter and  more  continuous  layers  than  either  pure 
Brahma  or  the  Dorking ;  but  if  wanted  to  breed 
again,  the  farmer  must  keep  one  coop  separate 
of  Brahmas — say  a  cock  and  two  hens — and  so 
also  of  the  Dorkings,  and  thus  yearly  with  the 
cross  of  pure  bred  birds,  cocks  of  the  Dorkings 
and  hens  of  the  Brahmas,  keep  up  the  "  Farm- 
er's Breed  for  profit." 

EGGS,  SEX  OF. — It  is  affirmed  with  assur- 
ance that  the  eggs  containing  the  germ  of  males 
have  wrinkles  on  their  smaller  ends,  while  fe- 
male eggs  are  smooth  at  their  extremities. 

FA  TTENING  POULTRY.— The  fowls  de- 
signed for  being  fattened  should  be  well  r.nd  lib- 
erally fed  from  the  time  they  are  hatched.  It  is 
a  mistake  to  suppose  that  they  can  be  kept  low 
when  young,  and  got  up  to  a  great  size  by  lib- 
eral feeding  when  put  up  to  fatten.  The  fowls 
so  treated  are  stunted  in  their  growth,  the  bony 
frame-work  becomes  set,  and  they  never  after- 
ward attain  a  large  size ;  whereas  with  liberal 
feeding  they  become  fit  for  the  fatting-coop  at 
the  age  of  about  four  months  in  summer,  and 
from  five  to  six  in  winter.  It  cannot  be  too 
strongly  impressed  upon  those  who  are  desirous 
of  obtaining  poultry  of  first-rate  quality,  that 
fowls  are  only  in  perfection  for  the  table  before 
they  have  attained  their  complete  development. 
The  cockerels  should  be  put  up  vhen  "their 
tails  begin  to  turn" — namely,  just  when  the  two 
long  sickle  feathers  or  streamers  begin  to  top  the 
straight  feathers  of  the  tail ;  and  the  pullets  be- 
fore they  have  laid.  1  hey  may  be  either  con- 
fined within  a  small  space  or  placed  in  a  coop,  in 
a  warm  and  rather  dark  situation,  and,  of  course, 
under  cover.  The  fowls  should  be  separated 
from  each  other  by  partitions  in  the  cccp,  and 
no  more  space  ought  to  be  allowed  them  than,  is 
necessary  to  make  them  comfortable,  without  al- 
lowing room  for  exercise. 

The  fatting-coops  should  stand  on  legs,  in  or- 
der to  raise  them  to  a  convenient   height  from 
I  the  ground,  so  that  the  dung  may  be  removed 


DOMESTIC  ANIMALS^POULTRY. 


"5 


djuly ;  or  each  may  have  a  shallow  drawer  un- 
derneath, being  daily  filled  with  fresh  earth — an 
admirable  plan — the  fowls  being  very  fond  of 
nestling  in  dry  earth,  and  earth  being  a  deodor- 
izer and  disinfectant,  it  is  most  conducive  to  their 
health.  The  most  scrupulous  cleanliness  must 
be  observed  in  the  case  of  fattening  fowls;  the 
troughs  in  front  of  the  coop  must  be  removed 
when  the  fowls  have  ceased  eating,  the  remains 
of  food  taken  out,  and  the  troughs  scalded  and 
laid  in  the  sun  to  dry  daily.  Not  a  particle  of 
food  that  has  become  sour  should  be  given  to 
them ;  indeed,  they  will  eat  better  if  fresh  food, 
and  of  a  different  kind,  be  given  to  them  at  each 
meal.  When  first  put  into  the  coop  they  should 
not  have  any  thing  placed  before  them  for  some 
hours,  till  they  have  recovered  from  their  fright 
at  being  caught,  and  have  become  accustomed  to 
their  new  residence.  Afterwards  they  should  be 
fed  with  much  regularity  three  times  each  day, 
giving  them  at  each  meal  as  much  as  they  can 
eat,  but  not  leaving  anything  for  them  to  pick  up 
n  the  intervals. 

When  first  placed  in  the  coop  they  may  be  fed 
tvrice  a  day  on  boiled  potatoes,  mashed  up  with 
coarse  oat-meal,  and  moistened  with  a  little  new 
milk.  The  third  meal  may  be  Patna  rice,  well 
boiled,  with  a  little  milk  added.  When  the 
fowls  are  nearly  fat,  the  rice  may  be  given  twice 
a  day  and  the  potatoes  only  once  ;  the  rice  makes 
the  flesh  white  and  clear.  A  little  vegetable, 
chopped  fine,  may  occasionally  be  given  to  vary 
the  character  of  their  food ;  the  earth  in  the 
coop  will  supply  the  small  stones  necessary  for 
their  digestion.  The  first  meal  should  be  given 
early  in  the  morning,  the  second  about  mid-day, 
and  the  last  at  dusk,  when  the  other  fowls  are 
going  to  roost. 

On  this  system  of  feeding,  a  fowl  will  become 
perfectly  fatted  in  from  a  fortnight  to  three  or 
four  weeks  at  the  outside.  When  fat  it  should 
be  immediately  killed ;  for  not  only  is  it  unprof- 
itable to  keep  it  any  longer,  but  it  deteriorates 
very  rapidly,  losing  weight  and  becoming  hard 
and  coarse  in  the  flesh.  Before  being  killed,  the 
fowls  should  be  kept  for  fifteen  or  sixteen  hours 
without  food  or  water.  If  this  precaution  is  not 
taken,  (and  it  is  unfortunately  often  neglected, ) 
the  food  in  the  crop  and  intestines  ferments. 
When  this  is  the  case  in  summer,  the  fowl  in  a 
few  hours  turns  green,  and  is  entirely  unfit  for 
the  table. 

FOWLS,  OLD.— To  have  the  poultry  yard 
profitable,  the  fowls  should  not  be  kept  until 
they  are  old.  There  is  no  objection  to  preserv- 
ing a  favorite  cock,  as  long  as  he  is  active  and 
lively,  but  hens  after  three  years  will  not  pro- 
duce as  many  eggs  as  those  of  one  or  two 
years. 

GAPES. — This  destructive  disease  is'  believed 
to  be  infectious  and  epidemic.  Unless  perhaps 
thus  communicated  by  others,  it  never  occurs 
except  there  has  been  foul  water,  exposure  to 
wet,  and  want  of  nourishing  food.  The  disease 
consists — at  least  so  far  as  actual  symptoms  ex- 
tend— in  a  number  of  small  worms  which  infest 
the  windpipe,  and  cause  the  poor  chicken  to 
gasp  for  breath.  If  taken  early,  it  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  give,  every  dav,  a  morsel  of  camphor 
the  size  of  a  grain  of  wheat,  and  to  put  camphor 
in  the  drinking  water;  or  a  little  turpentine  may 
be  given  daily  in  meal,  taking  care,  of  course, 
that  the  deficiencies  in  diet  and  shelter  be  also 


amended.  In  fully  developed  cases,  the  worms 
must  be  removed  by  introducing  a  loop  of  horse-  ' 
hair  into  the  trachea,  and  turning  round  durinor 
withdrawal — the  operation  to  be  repeated  several 
times,  till  all  the  worms  appear  to  be  extracted. 
A  feather,  stripped  almost  up  to  the  top,  may  be 
used  instead  of  the  horse-hair.  Crumbs  of  dough 
impregnated  with  soft  soap,  given  once  or  twice, 
is  also  said  to  cure. 

GEESE,  TO  MA  ATA  GE.— The  goose  lays 
from  lo  to  20  eggs  before  sitting,  and  when  she 
is  well  fed  and  attended  to  she  will  lay  and  hatch 
3  times  in  a  year.  She  begins  to  lay  early  in 
March,  and  even  toward  the  end  of  February, 
The  period  of  laying  may  be  perceived  in  the 
circumstance  that  the  goose  at  that  time  carries 
about  straws  in  its  bill,  prompted  by  the  devel- 
opment of  the  maternal  instinct  to  prepare  a 
nest.  When  this  practice  is  observed  it  will  be 
found  prudent  to  confine  the  bird,  providing  her 
with  a  nest  for  laying  and  hatching  in,  which 
should  be  made  of  straw  lined  with  hay,  and  so 
formed  that  the  eggs  will  not  readily  fall  out,  es- 
pecially when  the  bird  turns  them.  1 5  eggs  will 
be  sufficient  to  place  under  even  a  large  bird. 
The  period  of  incubation  is  a  month,  but  some 
of  the  goslings  may  be  hatched  a  day  or  two  be- 
fore this  time;  it  is  desirable,  however,  that  all 
the  young  birds  be  hatched  about  the  same  time, 
and  to  this  end  as  much  care  as  is  practicable 
should  be  taken  to  have  all  the  eggs  equally 
fresh.  When  the  brood  are  hatched  they  ought 
to  be  turned  out  into  a  sunny  place,  sheltered 
alike  from  cold  winds  and  bad  weather;  but  it  is 
not  only  unnecessary,  but  prejudicial,  to  feed 
them  for  12  hours  or  so.  Their  earliest  food 
ought  to  be  bread  soaked  in  milk,  curds,  por- 
ridge, boiled  greens,  boiled  potatoes  mixed  with 
bran  ;  and  such  food  ought  to  be  given  them  at 
a  moderate  temperature,  so  as  to  avoid  the  en- 
trance of  heat  or  cold,  and  for  a  couple  of  days  at 
least  after  being  hatched  the  goslings  ought  not 
to  be  allowed  access  to  cold  water,  which  often 
gives  them  cramp. 

As  a  general  rule,  geese  ought  to  be  confined 
as  little  as  possible.  If  they  are  allowed  to  run 
about  the  fields,  ditches,  and  streams  of  water, 
they  will  forage  for  themselves  very  success- 
fully. Grass  and  water  are  essential  to  their 
comfort  and  well-being,  such  grass  especially  as 
may  be  found  on  damp  and  swampy  soil,  and 
which,  however  rank  or  coarse  it  may  be,  is  weH 
adapted  to  them.  In  harvest  time  the  stubble- 
fields  are  an  excellent  pasturage  for  them ;  they 
can  there  pick  up  no  small  supply  of  corn,  and 
which  would  otherwise  be  lost,  and  they  obtain 
abundance  of  young  grass  and  other  herbage. 
The  advantages  of  a  stubble-field,  however,  are 
not  always  to  be  had,  but  where  this  occurs  the 
kitchen-garden  may  be  made  available.  In  au- 
tumn the  geese  may  be  turned  into  it  without 
the  danger  of  their  doing  any  serious  damage ; 
but  they  ought  to  be  fed  occasionally  on  boiled 
potatoes,  bruised  up  with  bran,  or  the  result  of 
their  foraging  for  themselves  will  not  be  produc- 
tive of  any  advantage. 

Goslings  in  June  and  July  will  fatten  without 
any  food  beyond  what  they  can  gather  for  them- 
selves in  the  stubble-fields ;  but  if  it  be  neces-  I 
sary  to  hasten  the  process  they  must  be  supplied  * 
with  additional  nutriment  for  that  purpose,  such 
as  potatoes  and  turnips  bruised  with  meal,  and 
they  should  thus  be  fed  once  a  day.    There  are 


Ii6 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


various  methods  of  fattening  geese,  but  the  sim- 
plest and  best  is  nutritive  food,  and  in  abun- 
dance. 

GUINEA  FOWL.— Th.\%  bird  is  a  native  of 
that  part  of  Africa  which  its  name  indicates,  but 
it  is  also  said  to  be  indigenous  in  America.  It 
is  a  larger  bird  than  our  ordinary  barn-door  fowl 
— but  the  eggs  are  small,  three  of  them  being 
'  hardly  equal  to  an  ordinary  hen's  egg ;  they  are, 
however,  numerous  and  well.-flavored.  This 
fowl  does  not  thrive  in  confinement,  but  requires 
perfect  liberty,  and  a  wide  space  over  which  to 
wander.  And  it  is  of  so  pugnacious  a  character, 
moreover,  that  it  can  hardly  be  got  to  associate 
with  other  poultry  on  amicable  terms.  The  dif- 
ficulty of  rearing  the  young  ones  in  this  damp 
dimate,  and  the  very  noisy  and  destructive  hab- 
its of  the  old  birds,  may  account  for  their  ab- 
sence generally  from  our  poultry  yards.  They 
are,  however,  very  excellent  eating,  and  well 
worth  the  trouble  of  keeping.  The  best  way  to 
raise  and  keep  them  is  to  procure  some  eggs  of 
a  good  stock,  hatch  them  under  a  small  variety 
of  fowl,  such  as  game-fowl  or  bantams ;  when 
the  chicks  appear,  keep  them  under  cover  where 
they  can  have  plenty  of  air  and  dry  gravel ;  feed 
them  frequently — at  least  once  in  every  three 
hours.  Begin  by  giving  eggs  and  milk  made  into 
rather  a  dry  custard ;  toward  the  end  of  the  first 
month  add  a  little  oat-meal  mixed  with  milk,  and 
as  they  grow  older  boiled  vegetables  small  wheat 
and  potatoes  may  be  given.  Ants'  eggs  are  their 
favorite  delicacy,  and  will  be  found  most  nour- 
ishing food  for  them.  These  birds  are  very  fond 
of  scratching  in  a  garden,  not  for  seeds,  but  for 
insects  and  grubs,  and  it  is  questionable  whether 
they  do  most  harm  in  rooting  out  the  gardener's 
seeds,  or  good  in  destroying  the  insects  that 
''  would  destroy  his  plants  after  they  had  grown 
up. 

HENS,  To  Make  Lay. — A  hen  is  said  to  have 
the  capacity  of  laying  600  eggs  and  no  more — a 
few  in  her  first  year,  from  320  to  375  in  the  next 
three,  and  the  rest  from  the  fifth  to  the  ninth  in- 
clusive. The  true  economy,  therefore,  is  not  to 
keep  hens  after  their  fourth  year.  By  feeding 
stimulating  food,  the  hen  can  be  made  to  lay  the 
quantum  of  eggs  with  which  she  is  endowed  in 
a  much  shorter  time  than  if  left  to  scratch  for 
herself.  There  is  no  better  food  for  this  pur- 
pose, fed  each  alternate  day  than  the  following : 
To  3  gals,  of  boiling  water  add  %  oz.  of  com- 
mon salt,  a  teaspoonful  of  Cayenne  pepper,  and 
4  oz.  lard.  Stir  the  mixture  until  the  pepper  has 
imparted  considerable  of  its  strength  to  the  wa- 
ter. Meantime  the  salt  will  have  been  dissolved 
and  the  lard  melted.  Then,  while  yet  boiling 
hot,  stir  in  a  meal  made  of  oats  and  com,  ground 
together  in  equal  proportions,  until  a  stiff"  mush 
is  formed.  Set  away  to  cool  down  to  a  milk 
warmth.  Before  feeding  taste  to  see  that  you 
have  an  overdose  neither  of  salt  nor  pepper,  and 
to  prevent  the  hens  from  being  imposed  upon 
with  a  mixture  not  fit  to  be  eaten.  Besides 
this,  especially  during  the  winter,  give  them  on 
the  days  on  which  the  above  mixture  is  omitted, 
a  %  oz.  of  fresh  meat  chopped  fine,  and  at  all 
times  plenty  of  pure  water,  grain,  gravel,  and 
lime. 

HEN-ROOSTS,  To  Destroy  Vermin  on.— 
This  can  be  done  promptly  and  simply  by  sprink- 
ling kerosene  on  their  roosts. 

HENS,  To  Set. — ^The  most  convenient  way  to 


set  hens  is  to  get  a  common  tea  chest  or  box, 
put  a  portable  sloping  roof  to  it,  made  of  p.  few 
pieces  of  board.  Put  a  hole  at  one  end,  like 
that  for  a  dog-kennel.  In  front  of  this  put  a 
wire  pen  or  frame  made  of  lath.  Provide  the 
hen  with  food  and  water  daily,  and  you  need  not 
be  under  anxiety  about  your  hen  leaving  her 
eggs ;  she  cannot  get  out,  and  will  return  on  the 
^ggs,  if  really  broody,  in  a  very  short  time.  In 
this  way  you  would  have  them  entirely  under 
your  command. 

HENS,  To  Frezent  Setting.— StiWng  hens 
can  be  cured  by  putting  water  in  a  vessel  to  the 
depth  of  one  inch,  putting  the  hen  into  it,  and 
covering  the  top  of  the  vessel  for  about  twenty- 
four  hours.  The  vessel  should  be  deep  enough 
to  allow  the  fowl  to  stand  up. 

KILLING  AND  DRESSING  PO  UL  TR  Y. 
— As  much,  if  not  more,  depends  on  the  manner 
of  killing  poultry  as  in  the  dressing  to  have  it 
look  fit  for  market.  Too  much  caution  cannot 
be  used  in  this  branch  of  the  business.  One 
mode  of  killing  fowls,  (instead  of  wringing  the 
necks,  which  we  deprecate, )  is  to  cut  their  heads 
off  with  a  single  blow  of  a  sharp  ax,  hang  them 
up  by  the  legs  and  allow  them  to  bleed  freely, 
and  pluck  their  feathers  immediately — while  yet 
warm.  The  French  mode,  which  is  highly  com- 
mended— we  think  far  the  best,  as  it  causes  in- 
stant death,  without  pain  or  disfigurement,  and 
is  simply  done  by  opening  the  beak  of  the  fowl, 
and  with  a  sharp-pointed  and  narrow-bladed 
knife,  make  an  incision  at  the  back  of  the  roof, 
which  will  divide  the  vertebrae,  and  cause  imme- 
diate death,  after  which  hang  the  fowl  up  by  the 
legs  till  the  bleeding  ceases,  and  pick  it  while 
warm,  if  you  desire  the  feathers  to  be  removed. 
With  a  little  care  the  skin  of  the  fowl  does  not 
become  as  torn  and  ragged  as  it  does  in  the  old- 
fashioned  way  of  scalding.  Another  thing,  the 
flesh  presents  a  better  and  more  natural  appear- 
ance when  not  scalded. 

Geyelin  says :  "  Some  breeders  cram  their 
poultry  before  killing,  to  make  them  appear  as  if 
heavy;  this  is  a  most  injudicious  plan,  as  the 
undigested  food  soon  enters  into  fermentation, 
and  putrefaction  takes  place,  as  is  evidenced  by 
the  quantity  of  greenish,  putrid-looking  fowls 
that  are  seen  in  the  markets."  Fowls  should 
always  be  allowed  to  remain  in  their  coops  at 
least  twenty-four  hours  previous  to  being  killed 
without  food ;  by  so  doing  the  breeder  will  be  a 
gainer  in  the  end  ;  as  his  poultry  will  keep  long- 
er, and  present  a  better  appearance  in  the  mar- 
ket ;  and  above  all  he  will  show  the  purchaser 
that  he  is  honest,  and  has  not  crammed  his  poul- 
try for  the  purpose  of  benefiting  himself  and 
swindling  others. 

LA  YING  SOFT-SHELLED  EGGS.—Tti\s 
results  from  a  deficient  supply  of  lime,  and  an 
excess  of  soft  and  animal  food.  Give  with  the 
feed  more  plaster,  pounded  oyster  shells,  gravel 
and  rubbish,  etc. 

LICE — and  other  vermin — on  fowl  may  be 
treated  by  making  their  roosts  perfectly  clean 
with  hot  water  and  soap-suds,  and  applying  af- 
terwards spirits  of  turpentine  (to  the  roosts.) 
The  whole  of  the  building  which  they  occupy 
should  be  kept  scrupulously  clean.  Another 
method  is  to  strew  small  branches  or  sprays  of 
cedar  about  the  henery.  This,  also,  will  be 
found  verv  effective. 

POULTRY  FOR  MARKET.— 'W^tn  fowls 


DOMESTIC  A mMALS— POULTRY. 


"7 


are  killed  before  being  sent  to  market,  it  is  best 
not  to  pack  them  as  soon  as  they  are  plucked. 
It  is  best  to  let  poultry  hang  at  least  24  hours 
after  being  picked  before  packing,  so  as  to  allow 
the  animal  heat  to  entirely  pass  off.  After  pick- 
ing, wash  off  the  blood-stains  with  a  cloth  and 
warm  water  in  a  careful  manner,  for  if  any  are 
left  to  harden  and  become  dry,  their  removal  will 
prove  very  troublesome. 

ROUP. — Symptoms  :  The  symptoms  of  roup 
are  at  first  identical  with  those  of  a  severe  ca- 
tarrh ;  the  discharge  from  the  nostrils,  however, 
soDn  loses  its  transparent  character,  becoming 
ra^re  or  less  opaque,  and  of  a  very  peculiar  and 
offensive  odor ;  froth  appears  in  the  inner  corner 
of  the  eyes,  and  the  lids  swell ;  in  severe  cases 
the  eyeball  is  entirely  concealed;  the  nostrils  are 
closed  by  the  discharge  drying  around  them,  and 
the  eyelids  are  agglutinated  together ;  the  dis- 
eased secretion  accumulates  within  to  a  great  ex- 
tent, consequently  the  sides  of  the  face  swell  to 
an  extreme  degree,  and  the  bird,  unable  to  see, 
or  feed  itself,  suffers  from  great  depression  and 
sinks  rapidly.  With  respect  to  the  communica- 
tion of  this  disease,  my  experiments  prove  that 
it  is  exceedingly  contagious.  It  is  frequently 
communicated  by  fowls  drinking  out  of  the  same 
vessel,  as  the  discharge  from  the  nostrils  of  the 
sick  bird  contaminates  the  water  as  it  drinks. 
No  common  fowl  is  worth  bothering  with  after 
the  eyes  swell  badly ;  before  that  they  may  be 
cured  with  tolerable  ease.  The  mouth,  throat, 
eyes  and  nostrils  should  be  washed  out  clean,  and 
sponged  with  strong  chloride  of  lime  water,  or, 
what  is  better,  Labaraque's  solution,  chlorinated 
soda,  and  the  whole  flock,  but  the  ailing  ones 
particularly,  should  have  the  heartiest  diet — iron 
in  their  water,  bread  and  ale,  soft  feed  well  pep- 
pered, and  meat  of  some  kind. 

TURKEYS,  TO  RE.4R.— First,  a  quiet  hen 
is  to  be  sought  for  as  a  sitter,  and  when  such  an 
one  is  obtained,  the  next  care  is  to  give  her  a 
quiet  and  rather  secluded  place  for  her  nest  while 
sitting,  which  is  of  more  importance  than  some 
think,  who  do  not  give  themselves  the  trouble  to 
care  for  such  small  matters.  Bronze  turkeys  are 
large  birds,  and  will  cover  15  to  18  eggs  with 
ease  ;  while  sitting  they  should  not  be  disturbed, 
and  should  not  be  taken  from  the  nest  after 
hatching  for  at  least  24  hours,  or  longer,  if  she 
sits  contented,  as  the  young  chicks  gain  strength 
very  fast  by  being  kept  quiet  for  a  day  or  two  at 
first.  If  the  hen  is  quite  gentle,  (as  she  should 
be,  if  possible,)  it  is  best  to  watch  the  hatching 
process,  and  if  a  chick  is  not  likely  to  come  out 
strong,  the  shell  may  sometimes  be  broken,  and 
the  chick  saved;  in  taking  the  hen  with  her 
brood  from  the  nest,  she  should  have  a  large, 
airy  coop,  where  the  grass  is  closely  mown  off, 
where  the  chicks  can  bask  in  the  sun  at  pleasure, 
and  have  quite  a  run  for  exercise,  and  the  picking 
up  of  bugs  and  insects. 

The  feed  should  be  mostly  curds,  made  from 
sour  milk  heated,  and  the  whey  drained  off  and 
seasoned  with  pepper.  After  a  few  days,  ac- 
cording to  their  strength  and  the  quietness  of 
the  hen  turkey,  they  should  have  the  range  of 
the  farm.  At  first  a  small  portion  of  the  day, 
after  the  dew  is  all  off,  they  should  be  housed  at 
night,  and  not  let  out  till  the  wet  is  off  the  grass 
in  the  morning ;  then  by  liberal  feeding  when- 
ever they  come  near  their  roosting  quarters,  they 
will  be  healthy  and  grow  very  fast — especially  if 


grasshoppers  are  plenty,  as  they  are  some  years 
in  most  sections  of  the  country.  When  it  is  the 
time  for  the  fattening  seasons,  they  should  then 
have  all  the  good  food  they  will  eat,  of  a  variety 
such  as  corn,  buckwheat,  boiled  potatoes,  chop- 
ped cabbage,  etc.,  and  if  kept  where  they  can 
get  what  they  will  eat  when  they  want  it,  they 
will  fatten  very  fast. 

An  experienced  farmer  gives  his  experience  as 
follows  :  Let  the  mother  of  the  new-born  brood 
choose  her  owa  time  to  leave  the  nest.  Taking 
off  is  always  bad  policy.  As  soon  as  the  nest  is 
left,  make  a  yard,  twelve  feet  square,  by  setting 
boards  edgewise.  Remove  the  turkey  and  her 
brood  into  this  little  pen,  wherein .  they  should 
be  kept  for  at  least  six  days — after  which  they 
may  be  let  out  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  per- 
mitted the  range  of  an  acre ;  but  they  must  al- 
ways be  gathered  at  least  an  hour  before  sun- 
down into  the  pens  to  remain  until  the  dew  is 
off  the  next  morning,  and  all  the  day,  if  there  is 
the  least  appearance  of  a  storm.  The  time  the 
mother  leaves  the  nest,  wash  the  naked  parts  of 
her  body  thoroughly  with  tobacco  juice,  to  kill 
the  inevitable  lice ;  and  at  the  same  time  dust 
thoroughly  the  young  with  some  vermin-destroy- 
ing powder.  No  one  thing  kills  as  many  young 
turkeys  as  these  parasites.  As  a  preventive, 
sulphur  and  snuff,  mixed  in  equal  quantities,  and 
dusted  on  the  nest  after  the  turkey  has  been  sit- 
ting two  weeks,  is  recommended ;  but  nothing 
should  prevent  the  washing  of  the  mother,  or 
the  dusting  of  the  young,  the  day  the  mother 
leaves  the  nest,  and  2  days  after  the  young  have 
left  the  shell.  Young  turkeys  require  but  little 
food,  but  they  need  to  be  fed  as  often  as  once  an 
hour  for  the  first  week.  Coarse-ground  Indian 
meal,  mixed  with  sour  milk  curds,  and  finely 
chopped  hard-boiled  eggs,  is  the  best  feed  for 
the  first  month.  After  that,  the  eggs  may  be 
left  out,  the  meal  ground  a  little  coarser,  and  the 
curds,  if  you  have  them,  used  in  larger  measure 
than  at  the  first.  As  soon  as  they  can  swallow 
whole  grain,  give  them  that,  and  then  all  trouble 
in  this  direction  is  at  an  end.  Until  they  are 
two  months  old,  they  must  be  driven  to  some 
shelter  every  night,  and  never  be  allowed  to  re- 
main in  the  fields  through  a  long  or  heavy  rain. 
Even  when  one-quarter  grown,  they  will  die 
from  exhaustion,  trying  to  follow  the  vigorous 
and  unreasoning  mother,  if  wet  with  but  a  very 
heavy  dew.  Three  rules,  then,  must  be  ob- 
served, if  those  who  attempt  to  raise  turkeys 
would  secure  success  :  First — Be  sure  to  free 
both  old  and  young  from  lice  immediately  upon 
the  old  ones  leaving  the  nest.  Second — Feed 
frequently  at  the  beginning  with  strengthening 
food.  Third — Never  let  the  young  turkeys  get 
wet,  either  with  dew  or  rain,  until  their  feathers 
afford  their  bodies,  if  not  complete,  at  least  par- 
tial protection. 

TURKEYS,  Charcoal  for.— S.  recent  exper- 
iment has  been  tried  in  feeding  charcoal  for  fat- 
tening turkeys.  Two  lots  of  four  each  were 
treated  alike,  except  for  one  lot  finely  pulverized 
coal  was  mixed  with  mashed  potatoes  and  meal, 
on  which  they  were  fed,  and  broken  pieces  of 
coal  also  plentifully  supplied.  The  difference  in 
weight  was  one  and  a  half  pounds  each  in  favor 
of  the  fowls  supplied  with  coal,  and  the  flesh  was 
superior  in  tenderness  and  flavor.  This  sugges- 
tion is  well  worth  a  fair  trial  from  those  engaged 
in  turkey-raising. 


Ii8 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY     WANTS. 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


ACCOUNTS,  KEEPING.— Ktc^mg  of  ac 
counts  is  almost  an  absolute  necessity  to  a  farm- 
er's success.  If  we  should  be  asked  what  is  the 
great  hindrance  to  the  advancement  of  ordinary 
farmers,  we  should  reply,  the  want  of  some  sys- 
tematic plan  in  their  labors,  especially  the  want 
of  some  systematic  mode  of  keeping  their  farm 
accounts.  If  we  ask  them  the  cost  of  raising 
100  bushels  of  corn,  or  making  loo  lbs.  of  pork, 
not  ong  in  a  thousand  can  give  an  answer  based 
on  actual  figures.  They  gtiess  a  bushel  of  corn 
costs  so  much,  but  their  guessing  is  often  wide 
of  the  truth.  The  great  majority  of  farmers 
cannot  tell  the  net  income  of  their  farms,  and 
hardly  know  whether  they  are  progressing, 
standing  still,  or  retrograding.  If  a  merchant 
or  a  manufacturer  should  conduct  his  business 
in  this  shiftless  way,  we  should  expect  him  to 
fail,  and  the  reason  that  farmers  do  not  more  fre- 
quently fail  is  that  their  business  is  comparatively 
limited.  They  live  mainly  within  themselves. 
The  farm  supports  the  family,  and  the  family 
take  care  of  the  farm.  They  would  find  their 
interest  in  farming  as  well  as  their  skill  and  prof- 
its greatly  to  increase  if  they  would  adopt  some 
mode  of  ascertaining  how  much  this  and  that 
crop  costs,  and  cultivate  such  crops  and  rear 
such  animals  as  are  found  by  actual  calculation 
to  pay  the  best.  How  are  we  to  decide  what 
branches  of  farming  are  the  most  profitable  un- 
less the  figures  of  the  farm  account  show  us  ? 
Shall  we  guess  whether  it  is  better  to  make  but- 
ter or  cheese,  or  sell  our  milk,  or  shall  we  know 
definitely  about  these  ix)ints  ?  Tlie  question  is 
sometimes  mooted  whether  Eastern  farmers  had 
better  raise  their  own  corn  or  buy  it  of  their  Il- 
linois neighbors.  How  can  this  question  be  de- 
cided, unless  we  know  how  much  it  costs  to  raise 
a  bushel  of  corn  ? 

Whoever  makes  accurate  experiments  and 
keeps  accurate  accounts  not  only  benefits  himsell 
but  the  public.  We  know  there  are  many  cir- 
cumstances to  be  considered  in  estimating  the 
cost  of  raising  crops  and  feeding  stock  ;  and  with 
the  greatest  accuracy  of  observation,  the  results 
of  farm  experiments  are  often  only  approxima- 
tions to  the  truth,  but  whoever  labors  even  for 
these  approximations  is  a  public  benefactor. 
The  general  principles  of  practical  agriculture 
can  never  be  established  till  we  have  more  ol 
these  accurate  experiments  on  which  to  base 
them. 

Many  seem  to  suppose  that  it  is  a  great  bur- 
den to  write  down  in  the  evening  the  results  ot 
the  day.  They  can  handle  a  crowbar  or  a  plow 
for  ten  hours,  but  ten  minutes'  work  with  a  pen 
is  an  Herculean  labor.  This  is  a  mere  imagi- 
nary lion  in  the  way  of  keeping  accounts.  It 
only  wants  resolution  to  undertake  the  work,  and 
a  little  practice  will  make  it  easy.  Possibly  the 
task  maybe  devolved  on  some  young  member  of 
the  family,  whose  fingers  are  not  unused  to  the 
pen  or  stiffened  by  hard  work.  A  general  farm 
account  should  be  kept,  in  which  the  farm  is 
charged  with  all  its  expenses  and  credited  with 
all  its  receipts.    Besides  this  general  farm  ac- 


count, a  more  minute  record  should  be  kept  of 
each  crop,  charging  with  all  the  labor,  manure, 
seed,  etc.,  bestowed  upon  it,  and  crediting  it 
with  all  the  returns,  whether  sold  or  used  in  the 
family.  Such  a  book  will  prove  a  treasure  of 
wisdom  to  every  farmer  who  keeps  it. 

APPLE-TREE  BORER.— To  remove  and 
destroy  this  pest  of  the  orchard,  in  the  spring, 
just  before  vegetation  starts,  level  the  ground, 
and  pack  it  firmly  around  the  root  of  the  tree,  in 
a  circle  of  about  two  feet  in  diameter,  according 
to  the  size  of  the  tree.  Take  unleached  ashes 
and  air-slaked  lime  in  equal  parts,  well  mixed, 
and  apply  to  the  circle  thus  made,  covering  the 
ground  all  over  two  or  three  inches  in  depth. 
Then  take  strong  soap  suds,  or,  what  is  better, 
a  solution  of  half  a  pound  of  sal  soda  to  one 
gallon  of  water,  and  wash  the  entire  trunk  and 
the  base  of  the  limbs  thoroughly.  Repeat  this 
operation  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  just  before 
freezing  weather,  covering  the  ground  with  the 
mixture  of  ashes  and  lime,  and  washing  the 
trunk  and  base  of  the  branches  with  the  solution 
of  sal  soda.  If  the  borers  have  already  made  an 
entrance  into  the  tree,  the  only  way  to  get  rid  of 
them  is  to  dig  tbem  out  by  the  use  of  a  fine,  an- 
nealed wire,  avoiding  as  much  as  possible  the 
cutting  away  of  the  bark  in  the  necessary  prep- 
aration for  entering  the  holes. 

APPLE  trees'.  To  Keep  Rabbits  from 
Barking. — I.  Take  any  quantity  of  sweet  milk 
you  may  desire,  and  add  to  it  soot  from  the  stove 
pipe  or  chimney,  where  wood  has  been  used,  un- 
til It  is  a  thin  paint.  Take  a  warm,  dry  day  to 
wash  your  trees,  so  it  will  get  dry  before  a  rain. 
One  thorough  washing  will  generally  be  found 
to  be  sufficient. — 2.  Thoroughly  rub  the  trunks 
with  the  dead  body  of  a  rabbit. 

APPLES,  To  Color  While  Groxving.—h. 
bright  red  color  can  be  imparted  to  growing  ap- 
ples by  the  application  of  the  oxyd  of  iron  to 
the  soil  about  the  roots  of  the  trees.  Anvil  dust 
and  cinders,  etc. ,  will  answer  the  purpose. 

APPLE  TREES,  Treatment  o/.—Jn  the  au- 
tumn, as  soon  as  the  leaves  have  fallen,  every 
tree  should  be  carefully  and  freely  pruned  ;  this 
will  open  a  passage  to  the  sun  and  air,  and  will 
contribute  to  health  in  the  future  season.  In  ad- 
dition to  this,  brush  off  the  moss  and  cut  off  the 
cankered  parts,  and  unless  the  orchard  is  plowed, 
the  soil  should  be  opened  at  the  roots. 

APPLE  TREES,  {Old,)  To  Renovate.— 
Take  fresh-made  lime  from  the  kiln,  slake  it  well 
with  water  and  well  dress  the  tree  with  a  brush, 
and  the  insects  and  moss  will  be  completely  de- 
stroyed, the  outer  rind  will  fall  off,  and  a  new, 
smooth,  clear,  healthy  one  will  be  formed,  and 
the  tree  will  assume  a  most  healthy  appearance 
and  produce  the  finest  fruit. 

APPLE  TREES,  Lice  on.— The  apple-bark 
louse  is  most  common  on  unhealthful  trees — 
trees  that  are  grown  in  grass  and  are  most  likely 
to  be  infected  with  them.  It  is  hurtful  to  trees 
and  should  be  exterminated.  A  good  way  to  do 
this  is  first  to  feed  the  trees  liberally  with  ma- 
nme  and  ashes.    Ashes  alone,  if  you  have  no 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN-  AND  DAIRY. 


"9 


manure  to  spare,  placed  about  the  roots — not  in 
contact  with  the  body — will  help.  Dig  up  the 
grass  about  the  tree.  In  the  spring  take  a  hoe 
and  give  the  bark  a  good  scraping ;  then  wash 
the  tree  with  strong  soap-suds.  This  should  be 
done  early  and  the  washing  repeated'  once  or 
twice  before  the  trees  blossom. 

APPLE-TREE  SUCKERS.— hizny  other- 
wise good  orchards  are  allowed  to  become  de- 
faced, as  well  as  seriously  injured,  by  allowing  a 
profusion  of  suckers  to  grow  at  the  base  of  the 
trunks.  Attempts  are  sometimes  made  to  get 
rid  of  them  by  cuttiug  them  off  down  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground,  and  leaving  considerable 
portions  below  in  the  form  of  short  stumps. 
These  sprout  again,  and  they  soon  become  quite 
as  bad  as  ever.  A  better  way  is  to  wait  until 
they  are  in  leaf,  at  which  time  they  are  loosened 
more  readily,  and  taking  each  separately  in  the 
hands,  place  a  thick  boot  upon  it  near  the  tree, 
and  they  are  quickly  separated.  If  done  at  that 
time  they  will  not  be  likely  to  sprout  again. 

APPLE  TREES,  To  Plant.— Ths  trees,  in 
all  cases,  should  be  set  without  bending  or  di- 
verting them  from  their  natural  direction,  and 
the  more  room  is  all  the  better.  The  subsoil 
or  dead  earth  should  be  removed  from  the  bot- 
tom at  least  a  foot  deep  in  shallow  soils,  and  its 
place  supplied  with  good  surface  soil  or  compost. 
A  compost  of  well  rotted  manure  and  meadow 
mud  is  admirable  for  this  purpose,  and  for  filling 
the  hole  when  the  tree  is  set.  Care  should  be 
taken  not  to  set  too  deep.  The  roots  need  the 
influence  of  the  atmosphere,  of  light  and  heat, 
as  well  as  of  manures  and  rains,  and  languish 
if  buried  below  this  influence.  It  is  a  safe  rule 
to  set  no  deeper  than  the  trees  stood  in  the  nur- 
sery, and  this  can  easily  be  determined  by  their 
appearance  at  the  base.  Every  fibre  should  be 
extended  in  its  proper  direction,  level  and  not 
dipping,  and  carefully  surrounded  with  compost. 
No  vacant  places  or  cavities  should  be  left  in  cov- 
ering the  roots,  nor  injury  done  to  them  by  the 
hand  or  spade.  A  tree  should  not  be  taken  from 
a  soil  much  richer  than  that  to  which  it  is  trans- 
ferred. 

ARTICHOKE,  yERUSAZEM.—Boussin- 
gault  says,  in  his  "Rural  Economy:"  There  are 
few  plants  more  hardy  and  so  little  nice  about 
soil  as  the  Jerusalem  artichoke;  it  succeeds  ev- 
erywhere, with  the  single  condition  that  the  soil 
be  not  wet.  The  tubers  are  planted  exactly  as 
potatoes,  and  nearly  at  the  same  time ;  but  this 
IS  a  process  that  is  performed  but  rarely,  inas- 
much as  the  cultivation  of  the  helianthus  is 
incessant,  being  carried  on  for  years  in  the  same 
place,  and  after  harvest,  in  spite  of  every  dispo- 
sition to  take  up  all  the  tubers,  enough  constantly 
escape  detection  to  stock  the  land  for  the  follow- 
ing year,  so  that  the  surface  appears  literally 
covered  with  the  young  plants  on  the  return  of 
spring,  and  it  is  necessary  to  thin  them  by  hoe- 
ing. T^he  impossibility  of  taking  away  the  whole 
of  the  tubers,  and  their  power  of  resisting  the 
hardest  frosts  of  winter,  is  an  obstacle  almost  in- 
surmountable to  the  introduction  of  this  plant,  as 
one  element  of  a  regular  rotation.  Experience 
more  and  more  confirms  the  propriety  of  setting 
aside  a  patch  of  land  for  the  growth  of  this  pro- 
ductive and  very  valuable  root.  Of  all  the  vari- 
ous plants  that  engage  the  husbandman,  the  Je- 
rusalem artichoke  is  that  which  produces  the 
most  at  the  least  expense  of  manure  and  manual 


labor.  lie  then  directs  the  reader's  attention  to 
an  example  where  the  artichoke  had  been  pro- 
duced for  thirty-three  successive  years  with  suc- 
cess, while  they  had  received  no  care  or  manure 
for  a  long  time.  Those  who  wish  to  try  it  must 
plant  it  as  early  as  the  condition  of  the  soil  will 
allow.  The  land  after  plowing  is  marked  out 
with  furrows  3  feet  apart,  and  the  small  tubers 
are  dropped  about  18  inches  apart,  and  covered 
3  inches  deep.  Go  over  the  field  in  a  week  or 
two  with  a  light  harrow  to  kill  weeds,  and  culti- 
vate between  the  rows  until  the  plants  get  large 
enough  to  render  it  unnecessary.  It  grows  very 
readily  in  dry  soil.  Those  who  make  trial  of  it 
should  take  care  that  the  plant  does  not  become 
established  as  a  weed. 

ASPARAGUS,  To  Cultivate.— To  raise  the 
asparagus  plant,  first  select  a  piece  of  ground 
which  is  light,  but  not  too  much  so ;  have  it  har- 
rowed finely  and  plowed  deeply;  then  draw  fur- 
rows through  it  far  enough  apart  to  admit  of  a 
hoe-harrow  or  cultivator ;  then  spread  stable  ma- 
nure in  the  rows,  or  better  still  apply  the  manure 
broad-cast  and  plow  it  in ;  then  draw  the  furrows 
afore-mentioned,  taking  care  to.  draw  them  very 
shallow ;  then  take  the  seed  and  sow  it  very 
thinly  in  the  rows ;  after  you  have  finished  sow- 
ing, cover  lightly  with  a  wooden  rake.  When 
the  plants  begin  to  show  themselves  be  sure  to 
keep  them  free  from  weeds  and  grass,  as  much 
depends  on  the  healthiness  and  size  of  the 
plants.  I  will  give  two  methods  of  planting 
when  they  are  planted  for  their  final  culture. 
Select  a  dry,  lighfpiece  of  ground,  well  exposed 
to  the  sun,  as  by  such  a  course  it  will  sprout 
earlier,  and  thus  augment  considerably  the  prof- 
its. Have  it  manured  heavily  with  good  barn- 
yard or  stable  manure ;  then  have  the  ground 
plowed,  following  immediately  with  the  sub-soil- 
er,  and  make  it  as  fine  as  possible ;  then  draw 
furrows  three  feet  apart,  and  six  or  eight  inches 
deep,  the  entire  length  of  the  bed,  March  or 
April,  according  to  the  season,  is  the  time  to  set 
out  asparagus  plants.  They  should  be  only  one 
year  from  the  seed,  as  this  is  suflficient  if  properly 
cared  for  and  kept  clean  while  growing.  After 
having  prepared  the  ground  as  above-mentioned, 
take  the  plants  from  the  seed  bed,  being  careful 
to  expose  them  as  little  as  possible ,  then  take 
the  plants  to  the  ground  allotted  to  {hem  ;  place 
the  plants,  or  more  properly  called  roots,  eight 
or  ten  inches  apart  m  the  row,  spreading  the 
roots  as  much  as  possible,  taking  care  to  have 
the  crown  of  the  plant  only  about  two  inches  be- 
low the  surface  ;  when  they  are  all  placed  in  the 
right  position,  draw  the  ground  over  the  crowns 
M'ith  the  back  of  a  wooden  rake  to  the  required 
depth.  Permit  the  crop  the  first  two  years  to 
run  up  to  stalks,  keeping  the  ground  as  free  from 
weeds  as  possible.  The  third  year  from  planting 
is  the  time  to  gather  the  first  crop  for  market. 
Begin  to  cut  as  soon  as  the  shoots  are  fit,  and 
continue  cutting  until  the  first  of  June  or  there- 
abouts, and  then  leave  the  rest  to  encourage  the 
formation  of  new  roots.  The  shoots  are  tied  up 
in  bundles  of  25  to  30  stalks,  and  when  mark- 
eted early  and  in  good  condition  bring  remune- 
rative prices. 

The  other  mode  of  planting  is  to  dig  trenches 
about  two  feet  deep,  and  three  feet  apart,  the 
length  of  the  field,  taking  care  to  keep  the  sub- 
soil from  the  good  manure,  and  throw  about  six 
inches  of  it  in  the  trench,  ground ;  then  mix  the 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


ground  with  considerable  sub-soil,  and  then  set 
the  plants.  The  following  spring  the  trenches 
are  filled  up,  and  every  subsequent  spring  a 
heavy  coat  of  manure  is  plowed  into  the  aspar- 
agus bed.  Care  should  be  taken  in  cutting  the 
shoots  not  to  cut  deep  enough  to  injure  the 
roots,  as  the  future  productiveness  of  the  plan- 
tation depends  partly  in  observing  the  above. 

ANNOTTO,  Choice  of .—h.-n.no\Xo  should  be 
chosen  of  a  good  flame  color,  brighter  in  the 
middle  than  on  the  outside.  It  should  feel  soft 
and  smooth,  and  have  a  good  consistence.  It 
should  possess  a  strong  smell. 

ANTS  IN  GREENHOUSES,  To  Destroy. 
— Place  some  arsenic,  mixed  with  sugar  and  wa- 
ter, in  a  saucer,  which  cover  with  a  slate,  leav- 
ing room  for  the  insects  to  pass  between  the 
slate  and  the  saucer.  A  stone  ought  to  be  set 
on  the  slate  to  prevent  any  other  creature  but  the 
ants  from  getting  access  to  the  poison.  Lime 
water,  poured  into  the  nests,  will  also  destroy 
them. 

BANKS,  {Steep,)  To  Cover  with  GRASS.— 
For  each  square  rod  to  be  planted,  take  half  a 
pound  of  lawn  grass  seed,  and  mix  it  intimately 
and  thoroughly  with  about  six  cubic  feet  of  good 
dry  garden  earth  and  loam.  This  is  placed  in  a 
tub,  and  to  it  liquid  manure,  diluted  with  about 
two-thirds  of  water,  is  added,  and  well  stirred 
in,  so  as  to  bring  the  whole  to  the  consistency  of 
mortar.  The  slope  is  to  be  cleaned  oflF  and  then 
made  perfectly  smooth,  and  then  well  watered, 
after  which  the  paste  just  mentioned  is  to  be  ap- 
plied with  a  trowel,  and  made  as  even  and  as 
thin  as  possible.  Should  it  crack  by  exposure 
to  the  air,  it  is  to  be  again  watered  and  smoothed 
up,  day  by  day,  until  the  grass  makes  its  appear- 
ance, which  will  be  in  eight  to  fourteen  days,  and 
the  whole  declivity  will  soon  be  covered  by  a 
close  carpet  of  green. 

BARLEY,  To  Cultivate. — Our  climate  is  not 
as  favorable  for  barley  as  for  oats  and  wheat. 
We  cannot  obtain  a  good  crop  unless  the  soil  is 
dry,  clean  and  rich.  It  seldom  does  well  on  a 
recently  inverted  sod.  Its  best  place  in  the  ro- 
tation is  after  a  highly  manured  and  thoroughly 
cultivated  corn  crop.  The  best  crops  r.re  ob- 
tained on  a  rather  heavy  calcareous  loam,  pro- 
vided it  has  been  thoroughly  pulverized  during 
the  preceding  summer  and  autumn.  But  as  this 
is  seldom  the  case,  the  soils  that  usually  give  the 
best  medium  crops  are  those  of  a  lighter  and 
warmer  character — or  sandy  loams. 

Barley  should  either  be  sown  very  early,  or 
rather  late — say  the  moment  the  ground  is  fit  to 
work  in  the  spring,  or  not  until  after  the  heavy 
spring  rains  are  over.  Much  depends  on  the 
season.  If  there  has  been  heavy  rains  soon  af- 
ter the  barley  is  sown,  and  then  before  the  plants 
cover  the  ground,  dry  weather  sets  in,  the  sur- 
face of  the  soil  becomes  baked,  and  the  crop  suf- 
fers. An  early  sown  crop  would  suffer  less,  be- 
cause it  would  have  got  a  good  start  before  the 
drouth  set  in.  A  crop  sown  immediately  after 
the  spring  rains,  as  soon  as  the  land  is  in  condi- 
tion to  work,  commences  to  grow  rapidly  at  the 
very  first,  and  often  does  better  than  a  crop  that 
is  sown  two  weeks  earlier — but  not  as  well  a?  a 
crop  sown  a  month  earlier.  If  the  soil  is  rich 
and  has  been  plowed  the  fall  previous,  sow  as 
early  as  it  will  work  without  clogging. 

When  barley  is  grown  to  sell,  the  six-rowed, 
01  what  is  usually  called  the  four-rowed  (though 


there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  four-rowed  barley,) 
is  the  most  profitable — because  it  brings  from 
ten  to  fifteen  cents  a  bushel  more  than  the  two- 
rowed.  But  when  barley  is  grown  to  feed  out 
on  the  farm,  the  two-rowed  is  altogether  the  best 
— especially  on  strong,  rich  land.  It  weighs  a 
great  deal  more  per  bushel,  and  if  the  soil  is 
rich  enough,  it  will  yield  more  per  acre.  It  has 
another  advantage — that  of  being  later  than  the 
four-rowed,  which  ripens  at  the  same  time  as 
wheat,  and  we  have  wheat  and  barley  harvest  on 
us  at  once.  With  the  two-rowed,  we  can  get 
through  wiih  the  wheat  by  the  time  the  barley  is 
ready. 

It  is  usual  to  sow  from  2  to  2%  bushels  per 
acre.  If  the  land  is  very  rich  and  it  is  sown 
early  and  drilled  in,  less  seed  is  required.  The 
yield  varies  more  than  that  of  almost  any  other 
crop,  depending  somewhat  on  the  season,  but 
much  more  on  the  condition  and  previous  cul- 
ture of  the  soil. 

BARLEY,  To  Harvest.— When  the  straw  is 
long  enough,  the  best  way  to  harvest  barley  is 
to  bind  it  up  the  same  as  wheat.  It  requires  to 
be  cut  just  at  the  right  time.  If  cut  too  early, 
the  grain  shrivels  up,  and  if  it  is  allowed  to 
stand  a  few  days  too  long,  it  "  crinkles  down," 
and  the  heads  drop  off  in  reaping  and  are  lost. 
We  know  of  no  better  test  than  to  squeeze  the 
grain  between  the  thumb  and  finger,  and  if  there 
is  the  least  appearance  of  milk,  the  crop  should 
be  allowed  to  stand  longer.  The  real  difficulty, 
however,  is  in  the  uneven  ripeness  of  the  crop. 
Some  portions  will  be  dead  ripe,  while  others 
are  still  green,  and  it  requires  considerable  expe- 
rience and  a  sound  judgment  to  decide  whether 
we  shall  lose  most  by  cutting  before  it  is  all  ripe, 
or  by  letting  a  portion  of  it  get  so  ripe  that  there 
is  danger  of  the  heads  falling  off.  Much  de- 
pends on  the  weather.  In  this  as  in  many  other 
farming  operations  we  must  calculate  our  chances 
— and  not  be  discouraged  if  we  sometimes  miss 
the  mark.  When  barley  is  clean  and  the  weath- 
er favorable,  there  is  perhaps  no  better — cer- 
tainly no  cheaper — way  of  curing  it,  than  to  al- 
low it  to  remain  in  the  gavels  as  thrown  from  the 
platform  of  the  reaper.  They  may  be  turned  or 
stirred  to  facilitate  the  drying,  but  otherwise  may 
remain  as  left  by  the  reaper  until  ready  to  draw 
in.  By  moving  one  or  two  swaths  to  make  room 
for  the  team,  two  men  with  barley  forks  can  pick 
up  the  gavels  of  three  or  four  swaths  on  each 
side  of  the  wagon,  and  place  them  on  the  load. 
In  this  way  scarcely  any  of  the  barley  will  be 
scattered  on  the  land. 

But  if  there  are  weeds  or  grass  in  the  barley, 
or  the  weather  is  threatening,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  turn  the  gavels,  and  towards  night  put 
them  into  small  cocks,  which  will  have  to  be 
turned  or  opened  the  next  day  and  recocked  in 
the  evening  again,  if  not  sufficiently  cured  to 
draw  in.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  bar- 
ley is  very  frequently  stained  in  the  stack  or  the 
mow,  from  being  drawn  in  too  soon,  or  with  the 
dew  on  it.  Barley  should  be  either  thrashed  as 
drawn  from  the  field,  or  not  until  it  has  done 
"  sweating"  in  the  stack  or  mow.  If  the  form- 
er, it  will  be  necessary  to  watch  the  grain  in  the 
bin  and  turn  it  occasionally,  or  it  will  heat  and 
become  discolored.  The  rakings  should  be  kept 
separate,  as  the  grain  is  frequently  stained,  and 
if  mixed  with  the  rest  may  reduce  the  price  of 
the  whole  several  cents  per  busheL 


FAR^f,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


121 


BEAA^S,  To  Czdtivnte. — These  grow  best  in 
warm,  rich,  mellow  soil.  The  bush  beans  are 
planted  in  drills,  about  two  inches  deep,  and  two 
inches  apart  in  the  row.  The  drills  maybe  from 
one  foot  to  eighteen  inches  apart.  When  the 
plants  are  three  or  four  inches  high,  the  earth 
should  be  drawn  up  to  the  stems,  and  just  be- 
fore they  begin  to  blossom  they  should  be  again 
earthed  up  with  loose,  mellow  soil.  They  re- 
quire to  be  frequently  hoed  while  growing,  that 
the  ground  may  be  kept  loose  and  free  from  all 
weeds. 

Pole  or  running  beans  are  planted  in  hills,  two 
by  three  feet  apart,  five  or  six  beans  to  the  hill, 
and  covered  about  a  couple  of  inches  deep.  It 
is  of  no  use  to  plant  until  the  soil  has  become 
warm.  These  beans  need  the  support  of  a  pole 
or  rod,  thrust  deep  enough  into  the  ground  to 
sustain  the  weight  of  the  vines,  usually  about 
eighteen  inches,  and  standing  eight  or  nine  feet 
high.  Three  healthy  plants  will  be  enough  to 
grow  in  each  hill. 

BEANS,  LIMA. — The  principal  point  in  the 
successful  culture  of  the  Lima  bean  is  to  get  the 
seed  well  started.  The  best  way  of  doing  this 
is  to  plant  in  a  hill  of  light  earth,  made  so  by 
eifting  the  soil,  if  it  can  be  had  in  no  other  way. 
A  shovelful  of  well-rotted  manure  should  go  into 
each  hill.  Then  mix  sand  and  muck,  and  after 
placing  each  seed  bean  with  the  germ  downward 
in  the  hill,  sift  the  covering  over  it  through  a 
v/illow  sieve.  Corn-planting  time  is  the  right 
time  to  plant  Lima  beans.  The  after-cultivation 
is  the  same  as  for  the  common  pole  bean. 

BEAN,  C/?5r(9i?-C/Z.— The  best  land  for 
the  growth  of  the  castor-oil  bean  is  a  light  sandy 
loam  soil,  with  a  substratum  of  clay.  First, 
break  up  the  ground  well  as  for  corn,  and  then 
lay  off  the  rows  six  feet  apart.  Between  every 
seventh  row  leave  an  interval  of  six  feet,  to  ad- 
mit the  passage  of  a  horse  and  slide  when  the 
beans  are  being  gathered,  as  hereafter  explained. 
Before  planting,  put  the  seed  in  very  warm  (not 
boiling)  water,  and  let  them  soak  all  night. 
Drop  six  or  seven  seed  in  each  hill,  the  hills  six 
feet  apart  each  way.  Thin  out  to  two  plants  af- 
ter the  plants  have  got  too  large  for  the  cut- 
worm, which  is  sometimes  quite  destructive. 
At  this  stage,  if  the  plants  are  vigorous  and 
healthy,  reduce  to  one  plant,  leaving  two  only 
where  the  plants  look  delicate.  Keep  the  crop 
clean,  first  with  the  plow,  then  with  the  cultiva- 
tor, and  now  and  then  drawing  a  little  dirt 
around  with  the  hoe.  When  the  plants  are  some 
two  feet  high  no  more  work  need  be  done,  un- 
less, after  a  long  spell  of  rain,  you  may  loosen 
the  earth  with  your  cultivator.  After  the  ripen- 
ing of  the  beans,  which  will  be  in  July  or  Au- 
gust, take  your  horse,  and  slide  along  the  rows 
left  for  that  purpose,  and  with  a  pair  of  shears 
clip  off  the  pod-bearing  spikes  as  soon  as  the 
pods  begin  to  turn  of  a  brown  or  chocolate  color. 
They  must  be  promptly  cut  at  this  stage,  or  the 
beans  will  pop  from  the  pod  and  be  lost. 

Have  ready  a  shed  with  a  plank  floor,  or  a 
piece  of  ground,  well  cleaned,  beaten  and  rolled, 
like  an  old-time  threshing  floor,  twenty  or  thirty 
feet  square,  well  exposed  to  the  sun,  on  which 
throw  your  spikes,  and  turn  them  over  occa- 
sionally until  all  the  beans  drop  out.  Then 
scrape  away  the  husks,  gather  the  beans,  and  go 
ivito  the  field  for  a  new  supply,  as  they  will  con- 
tinue to  bear  and  mature  until  frost.     Do  not  al- 


low the  beans,  when  drying,  to  get  wet.  Hence 
an  open  shed  is  best.  If  you  have  no  shed, 
when  the  weather  is  threatening,  rake  into  a 
heap,  and  cover  with  a  tarpaulin  or  boards. 
They  should  be  well  fanned  and  winnowed  of 
chaff  before  being  sacked  for  market.  P'rom  15 
to  25  bushels  per  acre  is  the  average  yield. 

BEECHNUTS,  Uses  ^.--Beechnut  oil  is 
most  valuable  for  culinary  and  lighting  purposes. 
The  oil  is  obtained  from  the  beechnuts  by  the 
same  means  as  from  castor  beans  and  from  cot- 
ton seed,  the  crushed  material  being  subjected 
to  the  action  of  heavy  presses.  The  nuts  yield 
16  per  cent,  of  their  weight  of  oil,  or  about  a 
gallon  of  oil  to  the  bushel.  In  England,  as  long 
ago  as  the  time  of  Queen  Anne,  a  company  was 
formed  to  carry  on  tne  manufacture  of  beechnut 
oil,  and  afterward,  in  the  reign  of  George  I.,  an 
application  was  made  for  a  patent  for  making 
butter  from  beechnuts.  In  France,  and  in  some 
parts  of  Germany,  the  inhabitants  use  beechnut 
oil  in  place  of  butter,  and  sometimes  grind  the 
nuts  into  flour,  from  which  a  nutritious  but  rath- 
er indigestible  bread  is  made.  Roasted  beech- 
nuts are  among  the  many  substitutes  in  vogue 
for  coffee. 

BLACKBERRY.— Yox  the  cultivated  black- 
berry the  soil  should  be  rich,  dry  and  mellow. 
Barn-yard  manure  and  bone-dust  are  its  best 
fertilizers  ;  it  is  a  good  plan  to  mix  them  with 
half-rotten  straw,  or  some  such  thing.  They 
should  be  planted  three  feet  apart  in  the  rows, 
and  the  rows  should  be  six  feet  asunder. 

BLIGHT  IN  FRUIT  TREES,  To  Cure.-- 
A  smothering  straw  fire  should  be  made  early  in 
October,  in  calm  weather,  under  each  tree,  and 
kept  up  during  an  hour  or  more.  This  done, 
scrape  the  moss  and  other  impurities  from  the 
trunk,  and  from  every  obscure  hole  and  corner; 
set  your  ladders  to  the  branches,  carefully  clean- 
ing them  in  the  same  way,  taking  from  the  re- 
maining leaves  every  web  or  nidus  of  insects. 
If  need  be,  wash  the  trunk,  and  all  the  larger 
wood,  with  a  solution  of  lime  and  dung.  Last 
of  all,  it  is  necessary  to  destroy  the  insects  and 
eggs  which  may  have  dropped  upon  the  ground, 
and  it  may  be  useful  to  loosen  the  soil  in  the  cir- 
cumference. In  the  spring,  or  early  blighting 
season,  apply  your  ladders,  make  a  careful  sur- 
vey of  every  branch,  and  act  accordingly ;  repeat 
this  monthly,  picking  off  all  blights  by  hand,  and 
using  the  water  engine,  where  ablution  may  be 
necessary.  To  those  who  have  fruit,  or  the 
market  profit  thereof,  every  orchard  or  garden, 
little  or  great,  will  amply  repay  such  trouble  and 
expense. 

BOYS,  Ilcnv  to  Attach  to  FARM  LIFE.— 
One  of  the  surest  methods  of  attaching  a  boy  to 
the  farm  is  to  let  him  have  something  upon  it  for 
his  own.  Give  him  a  small  plot  of  ground  to 
cultivate,  allowing  him  the  proceeds  for  his  own 
use.  Let  him  have  his  steers  to  break,  or  his 
sheep  to  care  for.  The  ownership  of  even  a 
fruit  tree,  planted,  pruned,  and  brought  to  bear- 
ing by  his  own  hands,  will  inspire  him  with  an 
interest  that  no  mere  reward  or  wages  can  give. 
In  addition  to  the  cultivation  of  a  taste  for  farm 
life  which  such  a  course  will  cultivate,  the  prac- 
tical knowledge  gained  by  the  boy  will  be  of  the 
highest  value.  Being  interested,  he  will  be 
more  observant,  and  will  thoroughly  learn  what- 
ever is  necessary  for  his  success.  Do  not,  when 
the  boy  is  in  a  position  to  realize  from  the  sale 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


of  his  produce  or  animals,  (as  many  farmers 
very  wrongly  do,)  take  the  money  that  is  rightly 
his — the  result  of  his  care,  labor  and  anxiety; 
but  otherwise  allow  him  to  do  just  as  his  tastes 
and  plans  suggest.  Another  and  equally  im- 
portant advantage  will  be  the  accustoming  him 
early  to  feel  responsibility.  Many  young  men, 
though  well  acquainted  with  all  the  manual  op- 
erations of  the  farm,  fail  utterly  when  intrusted 
•with  the  management  of  an  estate,  for  want  of 
experience  in  planning  for  themselves.  It  is  a 
great  deal  better  that  responsibility  should  be 
gradually  assumed,  than  that  a  young  man  should 
be  first  thrown  upon  himself  on  attaining  his 
majority. 

BOULDERS  AND  ROCKS,  {Big,)  To  Re- 
move. — It  is  the  opinion  of  some  farmers  that  it 
is  better  to  burn  than  to  bury  the  granite  rocks 
of  which  one  may  desire  to  relieve  his  fields. 
Make  a  slow  fire  across  the  rock  in  the  direction 
in  which  you  wish  it  to  break ;  keep  it  up  for 
one  hour,  more  or  less.  When  the  rock  begins 
to  heat,  thump  on  it  with  the  point  of  a  bar 
where  it  is  hot,  and  if  it  has  started  a  scale,  re- 
move it,  and  keep  up  your  fire  as  before.  The 
heat  will  swell  the  rock  near  the  fire,  and  if  the 
rock  is  sound  will  crack  it  where  it  is  not  hot. 
One  man  will  break  more  hard  rocks  with  fire  in 
that  way  than  a  half  dozen  with  drills  and  pow- 
der. Wood  does  not  cost  more  than  powder. 
You  need  not  throw  on  water,  as  that  will  not 
do  the  least  good. 

BUGS,  To  Destroy. — ^The  striped  bug  on  cu- 
cumbers and  melons  may  be  destroyed  as  fol- 
lows: I.  By  a  strong  solution  of  hen-house  ma- 
nure— say  I  peck  of  the  manure  to  1)4  g^ls.  of 
water;  let  it  stand  24  hours,  and  sprinkle  the 
plants  freely  with  it  after  sunset. — 2.  By  sifting 
charcoal  dust  over  the  plants ;  if  repeated  3  or  4 
times  the  plants  will  be  entirely  freed  from  the 
annoyance. — 3.  Plant  a  few  kernels  of  buck- 
wheat in  each  hill  of  cucumbers  or  melons,  and 
striped  bugs  will  not  trouble  the  vines. 

BUTTER,  Management  of  the  Milj^.—The 
advantage  gained  during  the  hot  season  by  the 
rapid  and  complete  cooling  of  milk  as  soon  as  it 
comes  from  the  cow,  can  hardly  be  over-esti- 
mated, as  recent  experiments  show  that  the  milk 
thus  cooled  will  keep  sweet  much  longer,  and 
yield  its  cream  more  readily  and  abundantly  ; 
and,  as  all  experience  has  proven  that  the  quan- 
tity of  butter  made,  depends  greatly  upon  keep- 
ing the  milk  in  such  a  state  as  to  secure  all  the 
cream.  A  saving  of  labor  is  effected  by'  this 
process,  as  the  milk,  when  cooled  to  the  required 
temperature,  (60,)  maybe  set  in  deeper  vessels, 
thus  diminishing  greatly  the  number  of  vessels 
required,  and,  consequently,  the  labor  of  clean- 
sing them.  The  milk  may  be  cooled  by  setting 
some  large  pails  into  a  trough  or  box  partly  filled 
with  very  cold  water,  and  pouring  the  milk  into 
these  pails  as  fast  as  it  is  drawn  from  'the  cows, 
allowing  it  to  stand  until  of  the  required  tem- 
perature, and,  if  necessary,  renewing  the  water. 
The  pails  used  in  milking  should  be  made  of  tin 
—never  of  wood.  It  is  very  difficult — almost 
impossible — to  cleanse  wooden  pails  so  perfectly 
that  they  will  not  impart  some  degree  of  acidity 
to  the  milk,  though  it  may  be  an  insensible  de- 
gree. T/ie  Dairy  Room. — Much  of  the  success 
of  butter-making  depends  upon  the  fitness  of  the 
place  or  room  where  the  dairy  is  kept,  and  upon 
Its  condition  as  to  cleanliness  and  freedom  from 


taints  and  odors  of  every  descri'ption.  If  a  cel- 
lar is  used,  it  should  be  a  dry  one,  and  perfectly 
clean  to  the  remotest  corners,  having  no  hidden 
remnants  of  decayed  vegetables  or  fruit,  or  any- 
thing which  could  possibly  offend  the  most  deli- 
cate olfactories.  If  a  room  in  the  dwelling- 
house  is  used,  or  a  milk-house,  built  separately, 
which  is,  perhaps,  better,  it  should  not  be  situ- 
ated near  a  hog-pen,  stable,  or  anything  of  the 
kind,  nor  should  anything  likely  to  impart  its 
odor  to  the  milk — as  smoked  ham,  codfish,  po- 
tatoes, onions,  etc. — be  allowed  a  place  in  the 
room.  Nothing  will  receive  a  taint  more  easily 
than  milk  or  cream  ;  and  all  bad  odors  absorbed 
by  the  milk  are  certain  to  be  concentrated  in  the 
butter,  they  not  having  the  accommodating  dis- 
position to  run  off  with  the  buttermilk.  Ter/i- 
perature. — The  milk,  whether  in  a  cellar  or  in  a 
room  above  ground,  should  be  kept  cool  in  the 
summer,  never  being  allowed  to  reach  a  temper- 
ature above  60',  though  it  may  fall  below  that 
without  detriment.  Milk  should  be  set  upon 
racks,  rather  than  shelves,  so  that  the  air  may 
circulate  freely  under  it,  as  well  as  over  and 
around  it.  Racks  are  made  in  various  ways ; 
the  most  convenient  we  know  of  is  constructed 
as  follows :  Take  a  6x6  pine  post,  of  a  length 
•suited  to  the  height  of  the  room,  place  it  upright 
upon  a  pivot  so  that  it  will  revolve,  and  nail  slats 
of  half-inch  stuff  to  each  side  of  the  post,  at  such 
intervals  as  will  give  room  for  the  pans  or  other 
vessels  used.  Two  such  slats  nailed  to  opposite 
sides  of  the  post,  will  support  two  pans  of  milk, 
one  on  each  side  of  the  post.  The  rotary  ar- 
rangement allows  one  to  stand  in  the  same  place 
to  skim  a  whole  rack  full  of  milk.  If  pans  are 
used,  the  seamless  ones  are  best — but  deeper 
vessels,  either  of  tin  or  earthenware,  are  perhaps 
preferable,  provided  the  milk  is  cooled  before 
being  set.  Washing  the  Utensils. — The  great- 
est care  is  requisite  in  cleaning  these  vessels,  of 
whatever  material  and  form,  as  also  of  all  the 
other  utensils  employed  in  butter-making.  This 
is  a  matter  of  much  greater  importance  than 
many  suppose,  as  the  smallest  neglect  in  regard 
to  it  is  sure  to  tell  upon  the  cream  and  butter. 
The  pans  and  pails  should  be  washed  thorough- 
ly, in  two  waters,  each  time  being  made  as  clean 
as  possible  with  the  water  used ;  they  should 
then  be  scalded  thoroughly  with  boiling  water. 
The  churn,  butter-bowl  and  ladle,  or  butter- 
worker,  if  one  is  used,  should  be  washed  and 
scalded  with  equal  care,  and  all  should  be  care- 
fully wiped  and  dried,  unless  some  arrangement 
is  made  for  drying  in  the  sun,  which  will  do  very 
well  for  tin  and  earthenware,  and  save  the  labor 
of  wiping.  In  summer  it  will  be  necessary  to 
see  that  all  utensUs  are  cooled  perfectly  before 
using  them.  Skimming. — The  milk  should  be 
skimmed  as  soon  as  all  the  cream  has  risen,  and 
before  the  milk  has  thickened.  At  the  time  the 
cream  should  be  removed  it  will  have  a  bright, 
healthy  appearance,  a  rich,  uniform,  yellow  col- 
or,'and  such  an  adherency  of  particles  as  will  en- 
able one,  sometimes,  to  remove  the  entire  cream 
at  one  dip  of  the  skimmer.  If  allowed  to  stand 
too  long  without  skimming,  both  the  quantity  and 
quality  of  the  cream  will  be  seriously  affected. 
The  surface  will  become  discolored,  knobby, 
and  blotched,  while  underneath  the  cream  is  rap- 
idly yielding  to  the  corrosive  tendency  of  the 
acid  m  the  milk.  Yet,  in  order  to  make  the 
I  largest  quantity  of  butter,  care  must  be  taken 


FAUM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


123 


not  to  remove  the  cream  too  soon.  The  milk 
should  all  be  skimmed  at  the  same  age,  provided 
it  has  had  the  same  conditions  as  regards  tem- 
perature, etc. ;  it  follows,  then,  that  some  milk 
should  be  skimmed  every  night  and  morning. 

BUTTER,  Winter  Treatment  in  Making.— 
— It  will  be  found  that  in  winter  milk  and  cream 
require  somewhat  different  management.  The 
effort  must  now  be  to  keep  the  milk  warm  rather 
than  to  keep  it  cool ;  and  a  failure  in  this  respect 
will  very  materially  affect  the  quality  of  the  but- 
ter. If  the  milk  is  very  much  too  cold,  it  will 
have  to  stand  so  long  for  the  cream  to  rise  that 
it  will  become  bitter,  often  long  before  it  turns 
sour,  and  the  quality  of  bitterness  will  be  still 
more  apparent  in  the  butter.  To  prevent  this 
the  milk  should  be  kept  at  a  temperature  of  60° 
if  possible ;  if  not,  the  milk  may  be  scalded  as 
soon  as  strained,  and  the  cream  will  then  have  a 
fair  start- before  the  milk  has  parted  with  this 
extra  heat,  unless  the  place  where  it  is  kept  is 
very  cold.  If  scalding  is  not  found  sufhcient, 
two  or  three  spoonfuls  of  sour  milk  (which  has 
soured  quickly  and  is  not  bitter)  may  be  added 
to  each  pan  of  milk  when  it  is  set  away.  This 
will  help  to  sour  the  milk  and  cause  the  cream 
to  rise  quicker,  thus  making  it  less  liable  to  be- 
come bitter.  It  may  also  help  to  prevent  bitter- 
ness to  salt  the  cows  often,  and  see  that  they  do 
not  eat  decayed  vegetables,  or  any  substances 
which  may  impart  a  bad  taste  to  the  milk.  The 
cream  should  be  kept  at  about  the  same  temper- 
ature, (60'*,)  and  should  be  well  stirred  as  often 
as  new  is  added.  It  should  not  be  kept  too  long 
before  churning,  never  more  than  a  week — four 
or  five  days  is  better. 

BUTTER,  Churning  Creatn  for. — The  cream 
should  be  churned  at  a  temperature  of  62"  or 
63°.  A  great  deal  of  experience  may  enable  one 
to  guess  at  this  temperature  with  tolerable  clev- 
erness, but  it  is  better  to  use  a  thermometer  and 
be  sure.  This  temperature  will  be  increased  du- 
ring the  process  of  churning  to  68",  or  there- 
abouts, when  the  butter  will  come.  If  it  should 
be  hard  and  granular,  refusing  to  come  together 
well,  throw  in  a  little  warm  water,  churning  all 
the  while,  and  the  butter  will  soon  be  gathered 
and  ready  to  take  up. 

Sweet  cream  should  never  be  mixed  with  sour 
cream  just  before  churning,  as  sweet  cream  is 
much  longer  coming,  and  hence  likely  to  lose 
itself  in  the  buttermilk.  To  salt  the  cows  once 
a  week  is  generally  believed  .to  facilitate  the  pro- 
cess of  churning.  In  case  they  have  not  been 
thus  salted,  some  put  a  little  salt  into  the  cream 
before  churning ;  but  we  think  that  in  most  in- 
stances where  butter  is  very  long  coming,  it  is 
owing  to  the  temperature  of  the  cream.  It  may 
be  so  cold  as  to  require  churning  all  day  to  bring 
the  butter  ;  a  tax  upon  one's  patience  and  one's 
strength,  if  performed  by  hand,  equal  to  the  cost 
of  a  dozen  thermometers.  Rapid  churning  must 
be  avoided,  for  it  not  only  affects  the  quality, 
but  lessens  the  quantity.  Churning  should  oc- 
cupy from  one-half  to  three-quarters  of  an  hour 
in  its  operation. 

BUTTER,  COLORING.— X%  a  rule,  it  is 
absolutely  essential  in  the  winter  to  color  butter, 
in  order  to  make  it  marketable,  or  at  all  attract- 
ive as  an  article  of  table  use  at  home.  There 
may  be  a  possible  exception  to  this  rule,  in  cases 
where  cows  are  fed  largely  upon  yellow  corn, 
meal,  pumpkins,  carrots,  etc.,  but  this  does  not 


lessen  the  importance  of  the  rule.  Of  the  vari- 
ous substances  used  in  coloring  butter,  we  think 
that  carrots  (of  the  deep  yellow  variety)  give  the 
most  natural  color  and  the  most  agreeable  flavor. 
Annotto,  however,  is  principally  used,  and  with 
most  satisfactory  results.  Some  of  the  most  cel- 
ebrated butter-makers  in  the  country  color  their 
butter  with  pure  annotto,  giving  it  a  rich,  deep 
orange  color.  If  carrots  are  used,  take  two  large 
sized  ones,  clean  them  thoroughly,  and  then  with 
a  knife  scrape  off  the  yellow  exterior,  leaving  the 
white  pith ;  soak  the  yellow  part  in  boiling  milk 
for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  Strain  boiling  hot 
into  the  cream ;  this  gives  the  cream  the  desired 
temperature,  colors  it  nicely,  and  adds  to  the 
iSweetness  of  the  butter. 

BUTTER,  Improved  Coloring  for.— hn  im- 
proved  coloring  matter  for  butter — carotine — has 
been  successfully  employed  by  Dr.  Quesneville 
as  a  substitute  for  annotto,  to  which  it  is  in  ev- 
ery respect  superior,  although  symewhat  more 
expensive.  This  carotine  is  the  representative 
in  carrot  of  alizarine  in  madder,  and  is  obtained 
by  slicing,  drying,  and  grinding  the  roots  to  a 
powder,  exhausting  the  powder  with  sulphide  of 
carbon,  and,  having  removed  the  solvent,  rapidly 
crystallizing  out  the  carotine  from  the  extract. 

BUTTER,  Salting  and  IVbriing.— While 
salt  is  not  to  be  undervalued  as  a  preserving 
agent,  it  must  be  remembered  that  too  much  of 
it  destroys  or  overpowers  the  fine  flavor  and  del- 
icate aroma  of  the  best  butter.  Be  careful  to 
preserve  all  the  sweetness  of  the  fresh  butter, 
salting  just  enough  to  remove  its  insipidity.  It 
is  important  to  use  the  best  salt.  Pure  salt  is 
perfectly  white  and  destitute  of  odor.  It  will 
dissolve  in  cold  water  without  leaving  any  sedi- 
ment, or  throwing  any  scum  to  the  surface,  and 
the  brine  will  be  as  pure  as  clean  water,  and  en- 
tirely free  from  any  bitter  taste.  The  butter- 
milk should  be  nearly  all  worked  out  and  the 
butter  well  washed  before  salting.  Washing 
may  abstract  somewhat  from  the  flavor  of  the 
butter,  but  it  is,  nevertheless,  a  necessity,  if  the 
butter  is  expected  to  keep  long,  as  it  completely 
removes  the  cream  and  casein  of  the  buttermilk, 
a  part  of  which  might  otherwise  remain  in  the 
butter. 

Butter  should  stand  but  a  short  time  after  it  is 
salted,  before  it  is  worked  enough  to  remove  all 
the  water,  when  it  may  be  resalted  if  necessary ; 
there  should  be  sufficient  salt  left  in  the  butter 
at  this  time  to  make  a  strong  brine  of  the  little 
water  that  remains.  It  m.iy  then  stand  until  the 
next  day,  when  it  should  be  worked  and  packed. 
On  no  account  should  butter  be  allowed  to  stand 
long  before  working,  as  it  is  apt  to  become  very 
streaked,  often  so  much  so  as  to  necessitate  its 
being  worked  over  in  order  to  restore  a  uniform 
color.  Besides,  if  neglected  too  long  at  this  pe- 
riod, a  tendency  to  rancidity  will  be  rapidly  de- 
veloped. 

We  realize  the  difBculty  of  giving  explicit  di- 
rections for  the  second  and  last  working  of  the 
butter — its  final  preparation  for  packing.  If  not 
worked  enough,  every  one  knows  that  the  but- 
ter will  soon  spoil;  if  worked  too  much,  it  is 
spoiled  already;  though  the  danger  of  its  being 
overworked  is  less.  A  great  deal  of  judgment 
and  discretion,  and  somewhat  of  experience,  are 
requisite  in  order  to  determine  when  it  has 
been  worked  just  enough;  the  virtue  of  stop- 
i  ping,  in  this,  as  in  many  other  cases,  being  sec- 


124 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY~DAY   WANTS. 


ord  only  to  that  of  doing.  There  are  some  sug- 
gestions, however,  which  may  prove  valuable, 
particularly  to  those  having  little  experience.  I. 
The  butter  should  not  be  too  warm  when  it  is 
worked,  nor  should  it  be  so  cold  as  to  make  its 
working  difficult.  Immerse  the  ladle  for  a  few 
minutes  in  boiling  water,  and  cool  perfectly  in 
cold  water ;  then,  if  the  butter  in  the  bowl  is 
warm  enough  to  admit  of  putting  the  ladle  en- 
tirely through  the  whole  mass  without  difficulty, 
and  dividing  it  up  without  crumbling,  and  still 
hard  enough  to  cut  clean  and  smooth,  not  the 
slightest  particle  adhering  to  the  ladle,  then  it  is 
in  the  right  condition  to  work.  2.  It  should  be 
worked  with  careful  and  gentle,  yet  telling  pres- 
sure, and  not  by  a  series  of  indiscriminate  stir- 
rings and  mashings  and  grindings  against  the 
sides  of  the  bowl.  The  butter  is  composed  of 
minute  globules,  which  are  crushed  by  this  care- 
less handling,  thus  rendering  the  butter  greasy 
and  sticky,  whereas  it  should  retain  its  clean, 
solid  individuality,  up  to  the  time  of  packing, 
always  working  clear  from  the  bowl,  and  never 
sticking,  in  the  least,  to  the  ladle.  3.  The  but- 
ter should  not  be  worked  until  it  is  perfectly 
dry.  When  ready  to  pack  it  should  have  a  very 
slight  moisture  about  it,  a  sort  of  insensible  re- 
mains of  the  clear  brine  which  has  been  working 
oiT,  and  at  the  last  enough,  so  that  when  a  trier 
is  thrust  into  it,  a  drop  or  two  of  brine  will  ooze 
cut  around  it,  and  the  trier  be  slightly  wet,  as  if 
by  a  light  dew.  Overworking  destroys  all  the 
beautiful  consistency  of  the  butter,  and  makes  it 
dry  and  sticky ;  greasy  in  summer  and  tallowy 
in  winter  ;  gives  it  a  dull  appearance,  and  a  ten- 
dency to  become  rancid. 

BUTTER,  Packing  and  Marl-cting:— Butter 
should  be  packed  solid,  leaving  no  interstices  for 
air,  and  should  completely  fill  the  firkin,  tub,  or 

?ail,  as  the  case  may  be,  leaving  a  flat  surface, 
t  is  common  to  put  a  cloth  over  the  top,  and  a 
layer  of  salt  on  the  cloth.  Some  think  it  better 
to  wet  the  salt,  making  a  brine.  The  cover 
should  then  fit  tightly,  leaving  no  room  for  air 
between  it  and  the  butter.  Some  butter,  also, 
goes  into  market  in  the  form  of  rolls,  some  pine- 
apple, and  other  fancy  forms  for  the  table,  etc. 
Every  person  should  be  guided  by  circumstances 
in  his  choice  of  styles  for  putting  up  butter,  al- 
ways being  careful  to  give  it  a  neat  and  attract- 
ive appearance.  If  living  at  a  distance  from 
market,  and  the  dealers  at  his  market-place  buy 
for  New  York,  he  should  pack  in  firkins  or  in 
tubs,  so  that  the  butter  can  be  safely  kept  the 
entire  season  through,  and  the  M'hole  lot  dis- 
posed of  at  once  in  the  fall.  If  at  a  convenient 
distance  from  New  York,  fresh  tubs  or  pails 
may  be  sent  in  at  intervals,  all  through  the  sea- 
son, or  the  whole  kept  through  as  he  chooses. 
Or  if  in  the  vicinity  of  any  city,  good  chances 
offer  in  the  way  of  supplying  hotels,  restaurants, 
etc.,  the  butter  should  be  put  up  in  a  style  to 
suit  the  customers.  Some,  who  are  hundreds 
of  miles  away,  make  shipments  of  butter  to 
New  York  on  their  own  account,  instead  of  sell- 
ing to  buyers  at  home,  in  which  case,  if  their 
butter  is  really  superior,  they  will  not  be  long  in 
making  a  reputation,  and  will  soon  be  able  to 
secure  a  high  price.  Some  few  have  a  stamp  of 
their  own,  and  labor  assiduously  to  establish  a 
value  for  it  as  a  trade-mark.  It  is  said  that  the 
best  butter-maker  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia 
(who  never  sells  for  less  than  a  dollar  a  pound), 


uses  a  stamp  inherited  from  his  father,  and  that 
"not  a  pound  of  inferior  butter  ever  went  to 
market  with  that  stamp  upon  it."  If  you  would 
attain  to  a  goodly  fame,  then,  as  a  butter-maker, 
and  reap  a  rich  reward  for  your  pains,  attend 
carefully  to  the  minutest  details  in  making,  and 
never  sell  any  but  good  butter,  put  up  in  neat 
packages;  never  ailow  your  "trade-mark"  to 
lose  its  value. 

BUTTER  {Rancid)  To  Restore.— KznciA 
butter  may  be  restored  by  melting  it  in  a  water- 
bath  with  some  fresh  burnt  and  coarsely  pow- 
dered animal  charcoal,  (which  has  been  thor- 
oughly freed  from  dust  by  sifting,)  and  strain  it 
through  clean  flannel.  A  better  and  less  trouble- 
some method  is  to  well  wash  the  butter,  first 
with  good  new  rnilk,  and  next  with  cold  spring 
water.  Butyric  acid,  on  the  presence  of  which 
rancidity  depends,  is  freely  soluble  in  fresh 
milk. 

BUTTER,  To  Preserve  Fresh.— M.t\t  it  in  a 
well  glazed  earthen  pan,  set  in  a  water-bath  at  a 
heat  not  exceeding  180"  Fahr.,  and  keep  it  heat- 
ed, skimming  it  from  time  to  time,  until  it  be- 
comes quite  transparent ;  then  pour  off  the  clean 
portion  into  another  vessel,  and  cool  itas quickly 
as  possible,  by  placing  the  vessel  in  very  cold 
water  or  ice.  This  is  the  method  employed  by 
the  Tartars  who  supply  the  Constantinople  mar- 
ket. In  this  state  it  may  be  preserved  perfectly 
fresh  for  six  or  nine  months,  if  kept  in  a  close 
vessel  and  a  cool  place. 

CABBAGE,  CAULIFLOWER  and  LET- 
TUCE. — Sow  the  seeds  for  early  cauliflower, 
cabbage,  or  lettuce,  about  February  i,  in  well- 
prepared  soil — say  one-third  each  of  leaf-mold, 
sand  and  loam ;  spread  three  or  four  inches 
deep  on  the  benches  of  the  greenhouse,  or  in 
boxes  of  about  that  depth.  Keep  a  tempera- 
ture of  from  55"  to  60",  and  in  three  weeks  they 
will  be  ready  to  replant — this  time  in  boxes — at 
about  2.%  inches  apart  each  way  for  the  cab- 
bages, and  \%  inches  for  the  lettuce.  By  the 
middle  of  March  they  will,  if  the  temperature 
has  averaged  55",  be  strong  plants,  superior  in 
every  respect  to  those  wintered  over  in  cold- 
frames.  By  this  date  (the  middle  of  March)  the 
weather  is  such  that  they  may  be  set  out  in  cold- 
frames,  and  covered  at  night  either  with  wooden 
shutters  or  sashes  for  five  or  six  days,  when  they 
will  be  sufficiently  hardened  off  to  be  pbnted  in 
the  open  field.  The  conversion  of  sash  that  has 
been  used  on  cold-frames  into  greenhouses  is  a 
very  simple  matter  ;  two  sashes  of  6  feet  in 
length,  give,  when  placed  at  the  proper  angle,  a 
width  to  the  greenhouse  of  11  feet;  2  feet  of 
this  space  is  used  as  a  walk  ;  the  remainder,  9 
feet,  for  bench  room,  on  which  to  grow  plants. 
The  outer  walls  may  be  formed  of  wood. 

CABBAGES,  The  Cut  Worm  on.—lo  pre- 
vent the  ravages  of  the  cut  worm  take  pieces  of 
newspaper  six  inches  square,  tear  a  slit  in  one 
side  to  the  centre  and  insert  the  plnnt.  Bring 
the  slit  edges  together,  and  place  a  little  earth  or 
a  pebble  on  the  corners,  and  the  work  is  done. 
A  platform  of  paper  is  formed  around  the  plant, 
through  which  the  worm  cannot  penetrate. 

CABBAGE  PLANTS,  SALTING.— T\\& 
use  of  salt  is  said  to  make  the  cabbage  mora 
crisp,  of  better  flavor,  and  to  keep  better  when 
salt  is  used,  than  without.  After  setting  out  the 
plants,  and  when  they  are  damp,  either  after  a 
rain  or  when  the  dew  is  on,  take  a  small  dish  of 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN"  AND  DAIRY. 


125 


fine  salt  and  walk  among  the  rows,  sprinkling  a 
little  pinch  of  salt  on  the  centre  leaves  of  each 
plant :  when  the  leaves  begin  to  grow  you  re- 
peat the  salting,  and  when  the  centre  leaves  be- 
gin to  form  the  head,  apply  salt  again,  scatter- 
ing it  over  the  leaves  ;  after  this  look  them  over 
occasionally,  and  if  you  find  any  plants  that  do 
not  head  well  or  appear  diseased,  sprinkle  the 
salt  over  freely ;  this  will  save  all  such  plants. 
A  quart  of  salt  is  sufficient  for  500  plants  in  a 
season,  although  more  can  be  used  with  safety. 

CARROTS,  To  Cultivate.— Sdtct  a  good, 
rich  clover  sod,  deep  loamy  soil,  or  even  grav- 
elly, well  drained;  spread  on  evenly  fifteen  to 
twenty  ox-cart  loads  of  good  manure  to  the  acre. 
In  the  spring,  after  the  ground  is  well  settled  and 
dry,  with  settled  warm  weather,  plow  the  ground 
thoroughly,  eight  inches  deep,  or  more,  depend- 
ing upon  its  previous  management.  In  plowing 
it  ought  not  to  be  plowed  more  than  an  inch 
deeper  than  before,  unless  the  deeper  soil  has 
been  ameliorated  and  is  richer  than  the  upper 
soil.  A  soil  having  a  close,  stiff  subsoil,  unless 
thoroughly  subsoiled,  will  grow  poor  crops  of 
roots  generally.  After  plowing,  harrow  so  as 
to  make  the  soil  perfectly  fine,  and  even  this  is 
essential  to  the  ready  drilling  and  germinating  of 
the  seed ;  now  drill  in  the  seed,  putting  the 
drills  two  feet  apart.  The  seed  should  be  fresh 
and  of  the  previous  year's  growth.  It  is  best 
to  commence  the  culture  as  soon  as  the  rows  can 
be  distinguished.  Have  a  cultivator  of  light 
frame,  with  eight  teeth,  similar  to  the  coulter  of 
a  plow,  only  narrower,  and  about  ten  inches 
long,  and  a  shovel  for  the  front.  With  this  and 
a  horse  go  through,  cutting  the  soil  deep  close 
to  the  rows  without  covering  the  plants ;  this 
will  save  the  greatest  part  of  the  work  usually 
done  with  the  hoe,  and  do  it  much  better. 
When  the  carrots  are  well  growing  and  about 
the  size  of  the  small  end  of  a  clay  pipe  stem, 
take  a  narrow  hoe  and  cut  them  into  hills,  thin- 
ning them  to  four  or  five  inches  apart.  The  af- 
ter culture  is  performed  with  the  cultivator,  go- 
ing through  once  in  about  tv/o  weeks.  If  any 
weeds  come  in  the  rows,  pull  them  out  by  hand 
— but  it  is  not  probable  that  weeds  will  trouble 
if  the  soil  be  selected  as  above,  and  well  pre- 
pared before  planting,  and  the  culture  as  di- 
rected. To  harvest,  it  is  best  to  take  a  sharp 
hoe  with  a  short  handle  and  clip  off  the  to  ps 
close  to  the  crown,  gather  them,  and  then  plow 
around  a  plat  a  deep  furrow,  as  close  to  the 
roots  as  you  can  go ;  now  take  them  by  hand 
and  draw  them  out,  and  throw  four  or  more  of 
the  rows  into  one.  Carrots  should  be  taken  out 
when  the  ground  is  dry,  and  lie  a  few  hours  to 
dry,  and  then  be  hauled  to  the  root  cellar  to  be 
stored,  and  if  in  tight  bins  and  covered  with 
sand  they  will  keep  better.  They  should  be 
left  in  the  ground  to  ripen  as  long  as  safe  with- 
out freezing,  as  they  improve  till  freezing  weath- 
er, and  keep  fresher  than  if  gathered  before  fully 
matured ;  be  careful  not  to  let  them  remain  too 
long  to  get  frosted,  for  a  light  freeze  injures  the 
carrot  more  than  other  roots. 

CA  TS  CA  TCHING  CHICKENS,  To  Cure. 
When  a  cat  is  seen  to  catch  chickens,  tie  one  of 
them  around  her  neck,  and  make  her  wear  it  for 
two  or  three  days.  Fasten  it  securely,  for  she 
will  make  incredible  efforts  to  get  rid  of  it.  Be 
firm  for  that  time,  and  the  cat  is  permanently 
cured;  she  will  never  again  touch  a  bird. 


CELERY,  To  Cultivate. — Celery  seed  usu- 
ally germinates  slowly,  and  the  plants  are  ex- 
ceedingly small  and  tender  when  they  first  ap- 
pear ;  consequently  a  carefully  prepared  seed 
bed  is  positively  necessary.  If  there  are  no  hot- 
beds that  can  be  used  for  this  purpose,  select  a 
warm  spot  on  the  south  side  of^a  fence  or  build- 
ing,  and  as  soon  as  the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground 
dig  up  a  bed,  say  three  feet  wide  and  ten  feet 
long,  cover  it  with  fine  manure,  two  to  four 
inches  deep,  and  dig  it  in  and  mix  it  with  the 
soil.  Rake  the  bed  level,  and  sow  the  seeds 
evenly  over  one-half  the  surface,  leaving  the  re- 
mainder vacant,  and  for  use  when  the  plants  are 
large  enough  for  their  first  removal.  Pat  down 
the  surface  with  the  back  of  a  hoe  or  spade,  and 
this  will  usually  cover  the  seed  sufficiently  deep ; 
if  not,  sift  on  a  very  little  fine  soil.  Give  the 
bed  a  good  soaking  of  tepid  water,  applied,  if 
possible,  through  a  watering  pot  with  a  fine 
rose.  It  will  not  do  to  dash  on  water  with  a 
pail  or  some  similar  vessel. 

The  seed  bed  must  be  frequently  watered  un- 
til the  plants  appear,  and  thereafter  sufficiently 
to  keep  them  growing.  If  the  plants  come  up 
too  thickly,  thin  them  out ;  but  as  soon  as  large 
enough  to  handle,  take  up  and  transplant  into 
rows,  beginning  on  the  vacant  end  of  the  bed, 
placing  them  four  inches  apart  each  way;  and  a 
bed  of  the  size  named  will  hold  about  three  hun- 
dred. The  plants  may  remain  in  this  position 
until  wanted  for  final  planting  in  the  garden, 
which  is  usually  done  from  the  first  to  the  mid- 
dle of  July.  Plants  that  have  been  transplanted 
in  the  seed  bed  can  be  safely  removed  at  almost 
any  time,  whether  the  weather  is  moist  or  dry. 
In  the  Final  Planting,  it  is  best  to  adhere  to 
the  old  practice  of  trench  planting  for  ordinary 
garden  culture.  A  trench  is  dug  of  the  required 
length,  or  several  of  them,  four  feet  apart,  and 
one  spade  deep,  which,  as  a  general  thing,  will 
not  be  more  than  six  or  eight  inches,  and  about 
a  foot  wide.  This  trench  is  then  half  filled  with 
fine  stable  manure,  and  this  is  mixed  into  the 
soil  in  the  bottom  of  the  trench.  The  trench, 
when  thus  prepared,  will  be  about  four  inches 
deep,  exclusive  of  the  soil,  which  has  been  cast 
out  upon  either  bank.  The  plants  are  then  set 
in  the  centre  of  the  trench  six  inches  apart,  and, 
after  planting,  carefully  watered.  The  reason 
why  a  shallow  trench  is  most  desirable  is  because 
of  the  convenience  of  watering,  as  when  applied 
it  is  sure  to  reach  the  roots,  and  not  spread  over 
the  surface,  as  when  level  culture  is  adopted. 
From  this  time  forward,  until  the  blanching  is 
commenced,  all  that  is  required  is  to  keep  the 
plants  growing  by  careful  culture,  such  as  fre- 
quently stirring  the  soil  and  giving  water  when 
required. 

CELLARS,  To  Keep  fro7n  Freezing.— T\r,z 
following  experiment  was  tried  by  a  gentleman 
with  the  cellar  of  an  out-house,  in  which  on  sev- 
eral occasions  vegetables  have  frozen,  though 
the  cellar  was  fortified  against  frost  by  a  process 
known  to  farmers  as  "banking-"  The  walls 
and  the  ceiling  were  pasted  over  Avith  four  or 
five  thicknesses  of  newspapers,  a  curtain  made 
of  the  same  material  being  also  pasted  over  the 
ow  window  at  the  top  of  the  cellar.  The  papers 
were  pasted  to  the  bare  joist  over  head,  leaving 
an  air  space  between  them  and  the  floor.  The 
result  was  that  no  frost  entered  the  cellar,  though 
the  cellar  was  left  unbanked.     We  do  not  coun- 


t26 


DICTIONAR  Y  OF  E  VER  Y-DA  Y     WANTS. 


sel  the  special  use  of  old  newspapers  for  this 
purpose.  It  is  just  as  well,  or  better,  to  use 
coarse  brown  paper.  Whatever  paper  is  em- 
ployed, it  will  be  necessary  to  sweep  down  the 
walls  thoroughly,  and  to  use  a  very  strong  size 
to  hold  the  paper  to  the  stones.  It  is  not  nec- 
essary to  press  the  paper  down  into  all  the  de- 
pressions of  the  wall ;  every  air  space  beneath 
it  is  an  additional  defence  against  the  cold. 

CELLAR,  VEGETABLE.—^  cSxQz.^\^z^. 
table  cellar  can  be  made  in  the  following  man- 
ner: Sink  a  barrel  two-thirds  of  its  depth  into 
the  ground,  (a  box  or  cask  will  answer  a  better 
purpose;)  heap  the  earth  around  the  part  pro- 
jecting out  of  tlie  ground,  with  a  slope  on  all 
sides ;  place  the  vegetables  that  you  desire  to 
keep  in  the  vessel ;  cover  the  top  with  a  water- 
tight cover,  and  when  winter  sets  in  you  may 
throw  an  armful  of  straw,  hay,  or  something  of 
that  sort,  on  the  barrel.  If  the  bottom  is  out  of 
the  cask  or  barrel  it  will  be  better.  Cabbages, 
celery,  and  other  vegetables,  will  keep  in  this  as 
fresh  as  when  taken  from  the  ground.  The  cel- 
ery should  stand  nearly  perpendicular,  celery  and 
earth  alternating.  Freedom  from  frost,  ease  of 
access,  and  especially  freshness  and  freedom 
from  rot,  are  the  advantages  claimed. 

CIiEESE,  To  Make. — The  following  de- 
scription of  how  cheese  is  made  is  by  a  noted 
dairyman,  who  has  taken  many  first  premiums 
at  State  Fairs  :  In  the  first  place,  we  keep  every 
vessel  and  everything  connected  with  cheese- 
making  scrupulously  clean.  We  are  careful  to 
have  our  milking  done  in  a  cleanly  way.  If  nec- 
essary we  wash  the  cow's  bag  with  water  and 
wipe  dry  before  milking,  never  allowing  the 
milker  to  wet  or  moisten  the  cow's  teats  with 
milk.  We  strain  the  evening's  milk  through 
two  thicknesses  of  cloth  into  the  cheese-vat,  hav- 
ing previously  filled  the  space  between  the  two 
vats  with  cold  water,  and  if  the  weather  is  ex- 
tremely warm,  we  change  the  water  during  the 
night,  generally  before  retiring  to  bed. 

The  milk  is  stirred  gently  until  reduced  to  65 
or  70",  when  it  is  left  until  morning,  when  the 
cream  is  skimmed  off  and  mixed  with  warm 
morning's  milk  and  stirred  until  melted,  and  it 
is  then  passed  through  the  strainer  into  the  vat 
to  be  mixed  with  the  evening's  milk.  A  fire  is 
made  in  the  stove  connected  with  the  vat,  so  by 
the  time  the  milking  is  completed  the  heat  of  the 
milk  in  the  vat  will  mark  82  to  84" — the  milk 
having  been  gently  stirred  most  of  the  time  since 
the  fire  was  started,  so  as  to  have  evening's  and 
morning's  milk  and  cream  thoroughly  mixed. 
We  add  the  rennet  at  82"  in  hot,  and  84*^  in  cold 
weather,  shutting  off  the  heat  at  this  point.  The 
quantity  ol  rennet  depends  on  its  strength  ;  we 
wish  to  use  only  enough  to  bring  the  curd  in 
from  30  to  45  minutes.  We  do  not  color  our 
curd,  as  we  think  that  it  injures  the  flavor,  and 
is  a  practice  that  should  be  abolished — annatto, 
with  which  the  curd  is  colored,  being  so  often 
adulterated  with  red  lead. 

When  the  curd  breaks  with  a  good,  clean 
fracture,  we  cut  it  both  ways  with  the  curd  knife, 
which  will  leave  the  curd  standing  in  half  inch 
columns.  The  heat  is  now  applied  or  started, 
and  when  the  columns  of  curd  will  break  clean 
over  the  finger,  leaving  no  soft,  milky  curd,  we 
stir  or  lift  it  up  by  passing  both  hands  under  it, 
very  gently  raising  it  from  the  bottom  to  the 
top,  and  so  break  and  mix  it  up.     Then  we  let 


it  rest  a  few  minutes,  stirring  it  occasionally 
with  the  curd  board  until  the  curd  hardens  a  lit- 
tle, and  the  heat  has  risen  to  90",  when  we  cut 
it  very  gently  at  first,  not  so  much  so  as  the  curd 
hardens ;  as  the  heat  rises  we  cut  it  until  it  is 
about  as  fine  as  the  size  of  wheat  or  barley. 

Of  course  we  do  not  do  this  in  a  hurry,  and 
we  occasionally  let  the  curd  rest ;  it  should  be 
done  with  great  care  so  as  not  to  work  out  the 
cream ;  this  cutting  process  will  take  from  two 
to  three  hours.  When  the  heat  has  risen  to 
100"  we  shut  it  off,  stirring  the  curd  frequently, 
so  that  it  will  not  settle  on  the  bottom  of  the 
vat. 

We  cook  the  curd  until  it  loses  its  milky  and 
glossy  appearance,  feels  a  little  firm  in  the  hand, 
and  the  particles  are  looking  a  little  contracted 
or  shrunken,  readily  dropping  apart  after  press- 
ing a  handful  of  it  together,  and  the  whey,  if  all 
has  been  done  right,,  will  have  a  green  shade. 
We  now  put  the  curd  strainer  in  the  vat  and  run 
off  the  whey ;  then  stir  and  cool  the  curd  before 
you  apply  the  salt,  breaking  the  lumps,  if  any, 
making  it  fine  and  lively,  using  two  and  a  halt 
pounds  of  Ashton  salt  for  one  hundred  pounds 
of  curd ;  mix  it  thoroughly,  and  do  not  put  it  to 
press  until  cool. 

Press  from  two  to  three  hours;  then  take  out 
the  cheese,  turn  and  bandage  it,  return  it  to  the 
press,  and  let  it  remain  until  the  next  curd  needs 
its  place,  having  been  in  the  press  about  twenty- 
four  hours.  The  cheese,  after  being  taken  from 
the  press,  is  weighed  and  put  on  the  rack  to 
cure  ;  the  next  day  it  is  greased  with  the  oil  or 
butter  made  from  whey  colored  with  annatto, 
and  kept  at  about  70"  ;  turned  and  rubbed  with 
oil  daily  for  three  months,  when  they  are  ready 
for  market. 

CHEESE,  FRENCH. — ^The  cheese  manu- 
factured in  the  old  province  of  Bresse,  now  the 
department  of  the  Ain,  is  made  by  boiling  the 
milk,  adding  a  little  saffron,  taking  it  off  the  fire, 
and  putting  it  in  the  rennet  immediately.  The 
curd  is  then  dried  in  a  cloth,  pressed  for  a  few 
hours,  put  into  a  cellar,  and  salted  five  or  six 
days  after,  this  latter  operation  being  continued 
for  a  month. 

Auvergne  or  Cantal  cheese  is  made  without 
boiling  the  milk,  but  curdling  it  while  fresh  from 
the  cow;  the  whey  being  then  separated,  a  man, 
with  his  legs  bare  up  to  the  thighs,  gets  upon 
the  table  on  which  the  curds  have  been  put  in  a 
tub  pierced  with  holes,  and  kneads  the  paste 
thoroughly  with  his  arms  and  legs,  an  operation 
which  takes  about  an  hour  and  almlf.  The  uni- 
form mass  thus  obtained  is  left  to  ferment  for  48 
hours,  and  is  then  salted,  put  into  molds,  and 
pressed  for  24  hours  ;  after  which  the  cheeses 
are  put  into  a  cellar,  frequently  looked  alter,  and 
rubbed  with  a  cloth  dipped  in  freth  water. 

The  celebrated  Roquefort  cheese,  made  in  the 
village  of  that  name  in  the  Aveyron,  is  obtained 
with  a  mixture  of  sheep's  and  goat's  milk ;  but 
even  in  the  milking  there  is  a  secret — for  when 
the  udder  appears  to  yield  ro  more,  the  maid 
strikes  it  repeatedly  with  the  back  of  her  hand, 
whereby  a  little  more  milk  is  obtained,  much 
richer  in  butter.  This  operation,  which  is  ap- 
parently harmless,  causes  the  udders  to  increase 
in  size  in  course  of  time.  The  next  reason  as- 
signed for  the  peculiar  flavor  of  the  Roquefort 
cheese  is,  that  when  made  into  cakes  it  is  kept 
in  caverns  hollowed  out  in  a  calcareous  kind  of 


FARAf,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


127 


rock  which  skirts  the  village ;  the  temperature 
of  these  recesses  is  kept  low  by  various  contri- 
vances, and  seldom  rises  above  4"  Cent.  (41*' 
Fahr. )  The  cheese  is  made  with  the  milk  of  the 
morning  and  of  the  evening  before. 

CHEESE,  DUTCH— Th\s  is  the  curd  of 
sour  milk  drained  from  the  whey,  pressed  into 
balls  or  molded  in  small  fancy  shapes,  and  eaten 
when  fresh,  or  soon  after  it  is  made. 

The  milk  is  allowed  to  sour  and  become  lop- 
pered  or  thick,  when  it  is  gently  heated,  which 
facilitates  the  separation  of  the  whey.  The 
curds  are  then  gathered  up,  salted,  or  otherwise, 
to  suit  the  taste,  and  pressed  in  small  molds,  or 
formed  with  the  hand  into  suitable  shape,  when 
it  is  ready  for  the  table,  and  may  be  used  imme- 
diately. In  cool  weather,  when  milk  does  not 
readily  thicken,  the  sour  milk  may  be  put  in  a 
suitable  vessel  set  in  hot  water  over  the  range. 
The  milk  is  then  stirred  for  a  few  minutes,  when 
the  whey  will  begin  to  separate,  and  it  is  then 
removed,  and  another  batch  may  be  treated  in 
the  same  manner. 

Sometimes  this  kind  of  cheese  is  potted  and 
left  to  decompose,  and  when  it  has  acquired  a 
strong,  villainous  smell,  it  is  regarded  as  most 
delicious  by  those  who  have  acquired  a  taste  for 
eating  it  in  this  state.  In  some  markets  cottage 
or  Dutch  cheese  finds  a  ready  sale,  and  quite  a 
profit  is  made  by  certain  butter-makers,  in  turn- 
ing their  sour  milk  into  this  product. 

CHEESE,  NE  UFCHA  TEL.  — Neufchatel 
cheese,  in  its  manufacture,  differs  from  the 
above  (Dutch  cheese)  only  in  being  not  allowed 
to  ripen  so  long,  two  or  three  weeks  being  con- 
sidered enough.  Variations  of  this  cheese  are 
made  by  adding  some  chopped  herb — the  favor- 
ite is  sage — and  not  allowing  the  cheese  to  ripen 
over  three  or  four  days. 

CHERRIES. — The  cherry,  as  a  rule,  luxu- 
riates in  a  warm,  sandy  soil,  in  an  elevated  situ- 
ation ;  but  some  of  the  best  varieties  will  thrive 
in  all  soils  and  aspects.  In  order  to  obtain  this 
fruit  early,  some  of  the  varieties  are  planted  up 
against  walls,  but  all  the  sorts  do  well  as  dwarfs 
-  or  espaliers  in  general  situations,  and  most  of 
them  as  standards.  Full  standards  should  be 
planted  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet,  and  the  small 
standards  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  feet  apart. 
The  proper  season  for  planting  is  from  the  end 
of  October  till  February  or  March.  Varieties 
of  the  cherry  are  perpetuated  by  grafting  or  by 
budding  on  stocks  of  the  black  or  red  wild  cher- 
ries, and  new  sorts  are  procured  from  cherry 
stones,  which  are  preserved  in  sand  from  the 
autumn  till  spfing,  and  then  sown.  The  plants 
come  up  the  same  season,  but  should  not  be  re- 
moved till  the  second  autumn  after  sowing,  when 
they  may  be  transplanted  into  rows  three  feet 
apart,  the  plants  being  placed  from  a  foot  to  fif- 
teen inches  apart  in  the  row.  Next  summer 
they  will  be  fit  to  bud  if  intended  for  dwarfs  ; 
but  if  for  standards,  they  should  be  allowed  to 
stand  one  or  more  seasons,  generally  till  they  are 
four  years  old.  They  should  be  budded  or  be 
grafted  about  six  inches  from  the  ground,  the 
usual  way  being  to  bud  in  summer,  and  to  graft 
those  which  do  not  succeed  the  following  spring. 
There  are  various  methods  of  training  the  cher- 
ry, when  grown  on  walls  or  espaliers,  which,  of 
course,  must  be  left  to  the  judgment  of  the 
grower.  Occasional  pruning  is  all  that  is  re- 
quired, the  object  being  to  remove  any  irregu- 


larity in  cross  placed  or  overcrowded  branches, 
and  to  take  away  all  cankery  and  decayed  wood. 
CREAM,  CLOTTED  {as  Made  in  Eng. 
land.) — The  dairy-house  is  of  stone,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  dwelliog — stone  floor,  and  stone 
benches  for  the  milk  to  set,  and  all  well  venti- 
lated and  scrupulously  neat  and  clean.  Their 
milk  at  this  season  of  the  year  is  strained  in  very 
large,  deep  pans,  and  put  in  the  dairy-house, 
where  it  stands  from  eight  to  ten  hours,  when 
the  pans  are  taken  out,  and  the  milk  scalded  by 
the  pan  in  an  iron  skillet,  filled  with-  water,  and 
placed  upon  the  range.  At  the  bottom  of  the  * 
skillet  there  is  a  grate,  on  which  the  pan  of  milk 
rests,  so  as  to  keep  it  from  the  bottom,  and  from 
burning.  The  milk  is  here  slowly  heated,  until 
the  cream  begins  to  show  a  distinctly  marked 
circle  around  the  outer  edges,  when  it  must  be 
immediately  removed.  Some  experience  is  nec- 
essary in  applying  the  heat,  to  have  it  just  right, 
otherwise  the  cream  is  spoiled.  When  properly 
scalded,  the  milk  is  removed  to  the  dairy,  where 
it  stands  from  twelve  to  twenty-four  hours,  ac- 
cording to  the  condition  of  the  weather,  when 
the  cream  is  removed,  and  is  in  a  thick,  com- 
pact mass,  very  much  unlike  our  ordinary  cream. 
It  is  considered  a  great  delicacy,  and  is  largely 
used  as  a  dressing,  with  sugar,  upon  pastry, 
puddings,  etc. 

CLOVER,  How  Cured  in  Germany. — A  far- 
mer provides  in  winter  a  number  of  stakes  from 
three  to  four  inches  thick  and  seven  to  eight  feet 
long,  about  eighty  or  one  hundred  to  an  Ameri- 
can acre.  In  each  of  the  stakes  six  holes  one 
inch  wide  are  bored  in  this  way  :  Suppose  that 
the  stake  is  firmly  planted  in  the  ground,  the 
first  hole  is  bored  two  feet  above  ground  from 
north  to  south,  the  second  three  inches  higher 
from  east  to  west,  not  quite  half  way  from  the 
first  hole  to  the  top  of  the  stake  hole.  No.  3  is 
bored  again  north  and  south,  three  inches  high- 
er ;  hole  No.  4,  east  and  west.  A  little  below 
the  top  come  holes  Nos.  5  and  6.  Through 
these  holes  sticks  about  five  to  six  feet  long  are 
put,  so  that,  seemingly,  twelve  sticks  of  about 
equal  length  protrude  from  the  stake,  crossing 
each  other  at  right  angles.  On  these  sticks  the 
clover  is  put,  either  right  away  after  mowing,  or 
a  little  wilted,  and  there  left  to  dry.  This  makes 
a  better,  more  nutritious  hay  than  the  best  sun- 
shine would,  and  rains  do  not  much  harm,  par- 
ticularly if  care  is  taken  to  spread  the  clover  well 
on  the  two  top  sticks.  The  whole  fixture  is 
called  a  "  heintzen,"  and  is  mostly  used  on  deep 
clay  soils,  where  the  holes  for  the  stakes  can  be 
made  easily  by  a  peculiar  kind  of  borer.  For 
stony  grounds  the  pyramids  are  used.  Three 
stakes,  six  to  seven  feet  long  and  two  to  three 
inches  thick,  are  bored  near  the  top,  and  then 
joined  there  by  a  wooden  or  iron  bolt,  on  which 
they  can  turn.  This  pyramid  is  then  put  up- 
right on  the  ground.  Small  pegs  are  fixed  in 
each  limb.  From  one  peg  to  the  other  on  the 
next  limb  sticks  are  laid,  and  on  the  sticks  come 
the  clover.  The  number  of  pyramids  wanted 
for  an  acre  is  one-half  of  the  "  heintzen,"  and, 
as  old  rails  will  answer  for  the  limbs,  the  pyra- 
mids would  probably  suit  the  American  farmer 
best. 

CORN. — In  the  cultivation  of  corn,  the  best 
time  to  plow  is  just  previous  to  planting.  Do 
not  commence  too  soon — not  until  the  ground 
will  turn  up  mellow ;  every  one  should  calculate 


128 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


about  the  amount  of  time  it  will  take  to  fit  the 
ground,  and  if  too  wet  when  you  wish  to  com- 
mence, perhaps  the  plowing  can  be  safely  de- 
layed a  few  days. 

Let  all  the  grass  grow  that  will  previous  to 
the  first  of  May  ;  all  weed  seeds  in  manure  and 
on  the  surface  of  the  ground  will  by  this  time  be 
sprouted,  and  with  the  grass  make  almost  an  ex- 
tra coat  of  manure. 

In  plowing,  commence  in  the  centre  of  the 
field,  back-furrowing  the  whole  field,  thus  you 
will  have  a  field  with  not  a  particle  of  it  trodden 
solid  in  turning,  as  you  turn  each  corner  on  un- 
plowed  land  and  with  no  dead  furrow  ;  a  little 
practice  will  enable  you  to  finish  without  carry- 
ing a  furrow. 

As  soon  as  plowed  harrow  well ;  a  good  plan 
is  to  harrow  each  morning  that  plowed  the  pre- 
\-ious  day.  The  proper  time  to  plant — let  the 
location  be  what  it  may — can  be  determined  by 
observing  the  natural  vegetation  and  the  warmth 
of  the  soil.  Whenever  the  ground  is  warm 
enough  to  cause  a  speedy  germination  and 
growth,  then  is  the  time  to  plant.  This  can  be 
ascertained  by  plunging  the  lower  end  of  a  ther- 
mometer into  the  ground.  If  the  mercury  goes 
much  below  60*,  there  is  no  use  in  putting  corn 
seed  in.  A  generally  safe  rule  is  to  plant  when 
the  apple  is  in  full  bloom. 

Much  has  been  said  in  regard  to  hills  vs. 
drills.  It  has  been  found  that  the  best  results 
Avill  be  found  in  planting  in  drills  about  three  and 
one-half  feet  apart,  and  putting  hills  about  eight- 
een inches  apart,  leaving  only  two  stalks  to  each 
hill. 

The  great  difficulty  with  those  who  drill  is  that 
they  do  not  thin  sufficiently.  Drills  should  run 
north  and  south.  Three  inches  is  about  the  cor- 
rect depth  for  planting.  As  soon  as  the  corn  be- 
gins to  push  through  the  ground  start  the  drag, 
going  diagonally  across  the  drills,  paying  no  at- 
tention to  the  corn ;  for  if  planted  at  that  depth 
you  will  not  destroy  a  hill ;  go  over  the  piece  at 
least  once  each  week  until  the  corn  is  of  such  a 
height  that  the  drag  will  break  it  off,  when  use  a 
wheel  cultivator,  or  any  of  the  various  imple- 
ments. The  thinning  should  be  done  about  the 
last  of  June,  and  directly  after  harvest  go  over  it 
and  cut  out  any  remaining  weeds,  etc. 

CORN  COBS.— In  shelling  corn  most  farm- 
ers thro\V  the  cobs  into  the  manure  pile.  This 
is  poor  economy,  as  they  are  slow  to  decay,  and 
are  a  source  of  perpetual  trouble.  Rather  put 
them  into  the  wood-house,  or  some  other  dry 
place,  and  use  them  as  fuel ;  they  make  a  quick 
and  very  hot  fire,  excellent  for  summer  use,  and 
excellent  kindlings.  A  few  shavings  and  one  or 
two  handsful  of  dry  cobs  will  start  a  fire  as  quick 
as  any  kindlings  ever  used,  and  the  ashes  make 
the  best  of  soap. 

CORN,  To  Ptrjcnt  Being  Destroyed  When 
Newly  Planted. — To  prevent  the  corn  being  de- 
stroyed or  eaten  by  chickens,  birds,  or  insects, 
before  it  grows  through  the  surface  of  the  soil, 
prepare  the  seed  before  planting  by  sprinkling  a 
sufficient  portion  of  coal  tar,  procured  at  the  gas 
manufactory,  through  it,  stirring  so  that  a  por- 
tion will  adhere  to  each  grain  ;  then  mix  among 
the  corn  some  ground  plaster-of- Paris,  which 
will  prevent  the  tar  from  sticking  to  the  fingers 
of  those  who  drop  the  corn,  and  vegetation  will 
be  promoted  thereby.  The  tar  and  plaster  will 
not  injure  the  corn  so  as  to  prevent  its  growing, 


by  being  kept  some  days  after  it  is  so  mixed  to- 
gether. 

CORN  STACKS,  To  Prevent  Ravages  of 
Mice  in. — Sprinkle  from  four  to  six  bushels  of 
dry  white  sand  upon  the  root  of  the  stack  before 
the  thatch  is  put  on.  The  sand  is  no  detriment 
to  the  corn,  and  stacks  thus  dressed  have  re- 
mained without  injury.  So  very  efTective  is  the 
remedy,  that  nests  of  dead  young  mice  have  been 
found  where  the  sand  has  been  used,  but  not  a 
live  mouse  could  be  seen. 

CORiV  CRIBS,  RA  T-PROOF.—Tskc  posts 
10  or  II  feet  long  and  8  inches  square  ;  mortise 
2  feet  from  one  end;  for  end-sills,  2-inch  mor- 
tise with  tusk.  Taper  post  from  sill  to  the  end, 
by  hewing  off  inside  until  the  end  is  reduced  to 
4  inches  diameter ;  make  smooth  with  the  draw- 
knife,  and  nail  on  tin  smooth  half  way  to  the 
end,  below  the  sill.  Let  sills  be  8  inches  square, 
also  end  tie  them  and  the  rafter  plates  strong 
with  moderate  inter-ties.  Brace  well,  and  lath 
up  and  down  with  ^  inch  lath ;  dove-tail  or 
counter-sink  joints  crosswise ;  lay  the  floor,  and 
board  up  the  ends  with  ungrooved  boards  ;  let 
each  bend  be  12  feet  long,  6  feet  wide  at  the  sill, 
and  7^  feet  at  plate  ;  and,  if  full  to  peak,  it  will 
hold  250  bushels.  If  preferred,  lay  the  floor 
with  lath  or  narrow  boards,  with  room  for  ven- 
tilation. Each  post  should  stand  on  stone,  and 
be  about  3  inches  from  the  ground,  and  each 
stone  have  a  foundation  2  feet  square  and  below 
the  frost. 

CORN,  BROOM.— Broom  com  should  be 
planted  at  the  same  time  Indian  corn  is  planted. 
It  requires  a  richer  soil  than  Indian  corn — at 
least  Indian  corn  will  produce  a  better  crop  on  a 
less  fertile  soil  than  is  required  for  broom  corn, 
in  consequence  of  its  growing  faster,  and  feeling 
the  effects  of  fertilizers  more  perceptibly.  Bot- 
tom lands  on  the  banks  of  rivers  that  are  annu- 
ally overflowed  in  early  spring  are  particularly 
adapted  to  the  growth  of  broom  corn.  It  is 
sowed  in  drills,  about  three  feet  apart,  and  the 
corn  thinned  out  to  stand  from  four  to  six  inches 
apart.  Any  good  upland  soil  that  consists  of  a 
rich  mould,  easily  tilled,  will  produce  an  excel- 
lent crop  of  broom  corn,  with  the  aid  of  barn- 
yard manure  or  other  fertilizers.  It  requires 
careful  cultivation,  by  running  the  cultivator  be- 
tween the  rows  as  soon  as  the  corn  is  well  up ; 
and  then  the  rows  require  hand-weeding,  and 
thinning  out  to  the  proper  distances.  Boys  and 
girls  can  do  this  work  better  than  men  can,  and 
at  one-third  the  expense  that  it  would  cost  to  em 
ploy  men  to  do  it.  No  weeds  should  be  per- 
mitted to  grow,  as  the  value  of  the  crop  depends 
on  the  cleanness  of  cultivation. 

The  seed  is  valuable  for  fowls,  and  for  every 
kind  of  live  stock  when  ground ;  and  some  cul- 
tivators think  that  the  seed  alone  is  worth  the 
cost  of  cultivation. 

COTTON.— The  most  suitable  soil  for  the 
cotton  plant  is  a  rich  loam.  It  cannot  be  too 
rich,  and  it  is  a  poor  crop  on  poor  land.  Cot- 
ton has  been  raised  with  success  in  Delaware, 
and  tven  in  Pennsylvania,  but  the  finest  long- 
staple  cannot  be  produced  so  far  north. 

The  seed  are  planted  in  hills,  the  rows  three 
or  three  and  a  half  feet  asunder,  and  the  plants 
about  two  feet  apart  in  the  row.  After  spring- 
ing it  should  be  thinned  to  one  plant  in  a  hill. 
The  season  for  planting  is  as  early  as  the  ground 
can  be  prepared.    The  soil  should  be  well  cul- 


FARAf,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


129 


tivated,  and  care  should  be  taken  to  keep  it  free 
from  weeds. 

In  the  fall,  when  the  pods  open,  it  must  be 
gathered  every  day  and  stowed  away  until  there 
is  a  sufficiency  to  run  through  the  cotton  gin, 
which  cleans  it  of  seed.  It  is  then  packed  in 
bales,  when  it  is  ready  for  market.  The  yield 
of  cotton  per  acre  is  from  500  to  1,000  pounds, 
according  to  soil,  cultivation,  season,  etc. 

CRANBERRIES.— 1\\&  most  favorable  lo- 
cation for  the  cultivation  of  cranberries  is  where 
the  soil  is  peat  from  one  to  several  feet  in  depth, 
and  where  the  surroundings  are  such  that  during 
the  summer  months  the  water  can  be  thoroughly 
drained  off  at  least  one  foot  below  the  surface, 
and  at  the  same  time  such  that  the  water  can  be 
let  on  in  a  few  hours  in  a  sufficient  quantity  at 
any  season  of  the  year  to  cover  the  surface  from 
4  to  6  inches  in  depth ;  and  also  in  the  vicinity 
of  a  good  sand-hill. 

In  preparing  the  soil,  the  surface  should  be 
removed  down  to  the  peat;  it  should  then  be 
covered  at  least  with  3  inches  of  sand,  or,  when 
this  cannot  readily  be  found,  fine  gravel  will  an- 
swer a  very  good  purpose. 

In  selecting  plants,  care  should  be  taken  to 
use  only  such  as  are  known  to  produce  good 
crops.  It  is  found  that  while  some  varieties  can 
produce  4  bushels  to  a  rod,  others,  on  the  same 
soil  and  with  the  same  care,  will  produce  only  i 
bushel.  The  month  of  May  is  undoubtedly  the 
best  time  to  transplant  the  vines.  The  water  at 
the  time  should  be  nearly  even  with  the  surface, 
and  kept  so  for  a  week  or  10  days,  and  then  be 
gradually  drawn  off.  The  vines  should  be  set 
singly,  about  6  inches  each  way.  The  first  sea- 
son great  care  should  be  taken  to  keep  out  all 
grass  and  weeds — after  that,  if  the  location  be  a 
good  one,  and  the  plants  properly  set,  but  little 
labor  will  be  required  to  keep  down  the  grass  : 
if  possible,  they  should,  during  the  winter,  be 
kept  covered  with  at  least  2  feet  of  water,  nor 
should  they  be  left  entirely  out  of  water  until 
all  danger  of  frost  in  the  spring  is  over ;  for — 
what  is  very  singular — while  the  blossom  buds 
are  able  to  withstand  our  coldest  winters,  a  very 
slight  frost  the  last  of  May  will  kill  them,  and 
entirely  ruin  the  crop.  This  is  a  fact  not  so  gen- 
erally known  as  it  should  be.  When  the  worms 
make  their  appearance,  the  flowing  of  the  land 
for  a  few  hours  is  sufficient  to  destroy  them.  If 
during  the  month  of  September  there  should  be 
any  days  which  promise  to  be  followed  by  frost, 
the  water  should  be  let  on  and  the  fruit  thus  pro- 
tected, 

CUCUMBERS.— In  cultivation,  the  cucum- 
ber ordinarily  requires  a  deep  and  rich  soil,  an 
abundance  of  moisture,  and  continued  heat.  Its 
nature  is  to  support  itself  by  its  tendrils  in  an 
upright  position  upon  pieces  of  brushwood^  in 
which  manner  the  cleanest  and  best  fruits  are  to 
be  obtained.  This,  by  the  way,  will  be  found 
to  be  a  good  practice,  too,  where  there  is  but 
little  room  for  a  horizontal  growth  upon  the 
ground. 

Cucumbers,  also,  like  most  varieties  of  mel- 
ons, have  been  found  to  possess  in  the  leaves 
immense  perspiratory  power,  so  that  they  re- 
quire a  greater  supply  of  fluid  than  those  of 
most  otlier  plants,  which  accounts  for  the  singu- 
lar fact  that  they  seem  to  thrive  best  where  the 
roots  find  their  way  to  an  abundant  supply  of 
Trater.     Such  a  supply  of  moisture  is  requisite 


under  exposure  to  an  intense  sunshine,  the  heat 
and  bright  light  of  which  decompose  and  alter 
the  fluids  of  the  plants,  and  elaborate  from  them 
an  abundance  of  sweet  juices.  This  is  peculi- 
arly so  with  melons  in  hot  climates;  and  expe- 
rience has  demonstrated  that  the  moisture  must 
be  applied  to  the  roots,  and  not  upon  the  sur- 
face of  the  soil  upon  which  they  grow,  so  as  not 
to  cool  the  surface,  check  the  growth,  and  kill 
the  plants. 

The  plan  recommended  is  as  follows :  Take  a 
tight  barrel  or  cask,  remove  one  head,  and  par- 
tially fill  the  barrel  or  cask  with  large  pebbles  or 
stones,  say  half  full;  upon  these  stones  place  a 
mixture  of  compost  with  rich  alluvial  soil,  or 
fine  fresh  vegetable  mold,  until  the  barrel  or  the 
cask  is  filled  to  within  3  or  4  inches  of  the  top; 
in  which  plant  the  seed,  and  cover  to  the  requi- 
site depth.  This  barrel  or  cask  may  be  placed 
in  any  convenient  situation  where  sufficient  room 
or  space  can  be  obtained,  and  around  which  ar- 
range lattice  work  or  brush  to  sustain  the  out- 
spreading plants  in  whatever  manner  may  be 
found  most  convenient  for  affording  access  at  all 
times  to  both  the  barrel  and  the  plants. 

Upon  the  outer  side  of  the  cask  insert  a  pipe 
of  convenient  size,  through  which  water  may  be 
introduced  to  the  lower  or  under  half  of  the  cask 
daily,  or  as  often  as  occasion  may  require  ;  this 
portion  of  the  cask  should  be  kept  constantly 
filled  with  water.  Mid-way  of  the  cask  the 
staves  should  be  perforated  with  several  half- 
inch  holes,  for  the  free  escape  of  any  surplus 
water,  and  at  the  same  time  to  permit  the  ad- 
mission of  an  equal  distribution  of  air;  this  pur- 
pose would  be  better  accomplished  if  the  holes 
were  bored  upon  a  Une  at  equal  distances  apart 
around  the  cask. 

The  effect  of  this  arrangement,  as  will  be  seen 
at  once,  is  that  through  the  capillary  attraction 
of  the  soil  sufficient  moisture  is  absorbed  at  all 
times  to  nourish  the  plants,  while  the  admission 
of  air  can  be  controlled  at  pleasure  by  opening 
or  closing  the  apertures  upon  the  sides  of  the 
cask. 

CURCULIO. — To  annihilate  curculio,  make 
a  very  strong  solution  of  gas-tar  and  water,  so 
that  after  standing  a  couple  of  days  it  will  be 
dark-colored,  and  as  pungent  as  creosote.  On 
the  first  appearance  of  the  curculio,  with  a  small 
hand-forcing  pump  (which  every  gardener  ought 
to  have)  give  the  trees  an  effectual  drenching, 
and  repeat  it  every  three  days  for  two  weeks. 
As  a  preventive  measure,  destroy  all  the  fruit  as 
it  falls,  and  this  can  best  be  done  by  allowing 
your  fowls  free  range  of  the  orchard. 

DAIRY,  Charcoal  in  the. — The  power  of 
milk  to  absorb  the  noxious  gases  and  odors  from 
the  atmosphere  is  known  to  every  dairyman,  and 
this  power  extends  also  to  all  productions  made 
from  milk,  be  they  cream,  butter  or  cheese. 
Much  of  the  bad  flavor  in  butter  and  cheese  is 
not  caused  so  much  by  anything  derived  from  the 
cow,  or  the  food  which  she  eats,  as  by  the  odors 
imparted  either  to  the  milk  after  it  is  drawn,  or 
to  the  cheese  after  it  is  made,  and  before  it  is 
put  in  the  cloth  and  rendered  impervious  to  at- 
mospheric influences.  Hence  the  necessity  of 
the  greatest  efforts  being  made,  not  only  to  keep 
the  dairy  and  every  utensil  used  in  a  state  of  the 
most  perfect  cleanliness,  but  also  the  attendants 
should  be  in  every  way  cleanly  in  person,  and 
the  air  kept  pure  aad  uocoutaminated  by  any 


130 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


odors  whatever.  To  do  this,  charcoal,  finely 
powdered,  is  probably  the  best  and  cheapest  ar- 
ticle that  can  be  used.  It  is  capable,  when  it  is 
fresh,  of  absorbing  ninety  times  its  own  volume 
of  ammonia  or  other  gases,  which  can  again  be 
driven  out  of  the  charcoal  by  the  application  of 
heat. 

DRAINING. — A  cheap  mode  of  draining  is, 
instead  of  digging  the  ditch  altogether  with  a 
spade,  to  use  the  plow,  taking  a  land  15  or  20 
feet  wide,  and  leaving  the  dead  furrow  where  the 
drain  is  to  be.  By  plowing  several  times  the 
dead  furrow  may  be  sunk  nearly  2  feet,  and  from 
the  bottom  of  this  a  trench,  the  width  and  depth 
of  the  space,  may  be  thrown  out,  and  a  drain 
made  of  3  fence  boards  (4  inches  wide  will  be 
sufficient)  in  the  shape  of  the  letter  V,  may  then 
be  put  into  this  branch,  and  the  plowing  reversed 
till  the  ground  is  made  level.  This  method  has 
a  double  advantage — i.  It  is  a  cheaper  method 
than  to  dig  the  full  depth  by  hand,  and  the  wood 
is  cheaper  than  tile.  2.  By  turning  up  and  thus 
loosening  the  subsoil  to  that  depth  on  each  side 
of  the  drain,  the  water  would  find  its  way  into 
the  drain  more  readily  than  if  only  a  narrow 
ditch  had. been  dug  from  the  surface  down,  leav- 
ing the  sides  unmoved  and  almost  impervious  to 
water. 

DOCKS,  To  Eradicate.— Cvii  them  off  close 
to  the  ground  when  the  tops  are  fully  out,  but 
the  seed  not  fully  formed,  and  they  are  done  for. 
The  stalk  dies  in  the  ground ;  but  you  must  cut 
them  so  close  to  the  ground  that  you  leave  no 
leaves  on  the  stalk,  else  they  will  not  die.  The 
end  of  June  is  generally  about  the  best  time  to 
cut  them  ;  but  it  depends  on  the  season.  In  the 
pasture-fields  they  are  soon  cut  with  a  scythe. 
In  wheat  and  meadows  they  have  to  be  cut  with 
a  knife. 

FARM  LIFE,  How  to  Make  Attractive.— \. 
By  less  hard  work.  Farmers  often  undertake 
more  than,  they  can  do  well,  and  consequently 
work  too  early  and  too  late. 

2.  By  more  system.  Farmers  should  have  a 
time  to  begin  and  stop  labor.  They  should  put 
more  mind  and  machinery  into  their  work  ;  they 
should  theorize  as  well  as  practice,  and  let  both 
go  together.  Farming  is  healthy,  moral  and  re- 
spectable; and,  in  the  long  run,  may  be  made 
profitable.  The  farmers  should  keep  good  stock, 
and  out  of  debt. 

3.  By  taking  care  of  health.  Farmers  have  a 
healthy  variety  of  exercise,  but  too  often  neglect 
cleanliness,  eat  irregularly  and  hurriedly,  sleep 
in  ill-ventilated  apartments,  and  expose  them- 
selves needlessly  to  cold. 

4.  By  adorning  the  home.  Books,  papers, 
pictures,  music,  and  reading,  should  be  brought 
to  bear  upon  the  in-door  family  entertainments; 
and  neatness  and  comfort,  order,  shrubbery, 
flowers  and  fruits  should  harmonize  all  without. 
There  would  be  fewer  desertions  of  old  home- 
steads if  pains  were  taken  to  make  them  agree- 
able. Ease,  order,  health  and  beauty  are  com- 
patible with  farm,  and  were  ordained  to  go  with 
it. 

JARMING,  Rules  for  Success  in.—\.  Never 
purchase  land  on  credit,  unless  it  be  in  a  new 
country  where  it  is  certain  to  enhance  in  value 
rapidly. 

2.  Keep  no  more  live  stock  of  any  kind  than 
you  can  keep  in  good  condition. 

3.  Never  allow  your  stock  to  suffer  from  cold, 


by  housing  them  in  open,  rickety  buildings,  and 
remember  that  warm,  comfortable  stables  are  a 
saving  of  one  quarter  of  the  feed  that  otherwise 
would  be  required. 

4.  If  your  farm  is  so  large  that  you  cannot 
cultivate  all  of  it  to  advantage,  nor  keep  good 
fences  on  it,  sell  a  part,  and  put  the  money  out 
to  interest.  You  may  depend  that  by  so  doing 
you  will  save  a  great  deal  of  care  and  trouble, 
and  make  money  faster  than  by  skimming  over 
a  large  surface  to  get  poor  crops,  and  those  half 
destroyed  by  unruly  cattle  breaking  over  your 
dilapidated  fences. 

5.  Look  well  to  your  orchard,  and  remember 
that  it  costs  no  more  to  produce  apples  that  sell 
for  fifty  cents  a  bushel  than  it  does  those  that  sell 
for  twelve  and  a  half  cents. 

6.  Keep  none  but  the  best  implements  that 
can  be  produced,  and  when  y6u  possess  them 
take  care  of  thepi.  It  is  shocking  to  a  good 
farmer  to  see  his  neighbors  leaving  their  plows 
and  harrows  in  the  field  week  after  week,  to 
soak  in  the  rains  and  crack  in  the  sun. 

7.  Never  suffer  yourself  to  be  unprovided 
with  suitable  work  for  yourself  and  hands  on  a 
rainy  day.  A  commodious  workshop  is  neces- 
sary on  such  days,  and  a  plenty  of  good  tools. 
In  such  cases  a  good  farmer  will  never  lack  for 
work.  Much  money  may  be  thus  saved  that 
otherwise  would  go  to  the  wheelwright. 

8.  Never  borrow  tools,  unless  it  be  in  some 
unforeseen  contingency.  Every  farmer  should 
own  every  kind  of  implement  necessary  on  his 
farm. 

9.  Never  put  off  till  to-morrow  what  may  as 
well  be  done  to-day.  Thousands  of  tons  of  hay 
have  been  ruined  by  not  heeding  this  rule. 

10.  Do  all  your  work  well.  What  is  worth 
doing  at  all,  is  worth  doing  well. 

11.  Don't  try  to  make  merchants,  lawyers, 
physicians  or  clergymen  of  your  sons,  because 
the  farmer's  vocation  is  without  honor.  Gen. 
Washington  was  not  ashamed  of  being  a  farmer, 
and  you  are  no  better  than  he  was. 

12.  The  soil  must,  like  the  hor.se  or  the  ox, 
be  fed,  in  order  to  give  forth  abundantly,  and  it 
must  have  rest.  A  judicious  rotation  of  crops 
is  the  grand  secret  of  prosperous  farming. 

13.  The  manure  heap  is  an  important  consid- 
eration with  the  farmer.  It  should  be  increased 
by  all  substances  that  are  easily  procured,  of  a 
decaying  nature.  Remember  that  ammonia  is 
the  essence — the  life  of  all  manures,  and  that 
plaster  absorbs  it,  and  retains  it  in  the  heap, 
while  lime  sets  it  free  and  causes  it  to  escape. 
Carting  manure  to  the  field,  and  leaving  it  in 
heaps  for  months  or  weeks  before  it  is  spread 
and  plowed  under,  is  but  one  step  short  of  in- 
sanity. It  should  be  carted  out  no  faster  than  it 
can  be  spread  and  plowed  under. 

14.  Never  leave  your  hired  hands  to  work 
alone.  Be  present  with  them,  even  if  you  do 
nothing  but  look  on.  A  pair  of  eyes  will  some- 
times do  wonders  with  workmen. 

15.  The  farmer  who  refuses  to  lay  before  his 
children  several  good  periodicals  of  the  day,  in- 
cluding one  agricultural  paper,  is  allowing  his 
wealth  and  the  usefulness  of  his  family  to  run 
away  at  the  bung,  while  he  is  saving  at  the 
spigot. 

FARMERS,  Sleep  >;-.— Said  one  of  the  old- 
est  and  most  successful  farmers  in  this  State : 
"I  do  not  care   to  have  my  men  get  up  before 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


I3» 


five  or  half-past  five  in  the  morning,  and  if  they 
go  to  bed  early  and  can  sleep  soundly,  they  will 
do  more  work  than  if  they  got  up  at  four  or  half- 
past  four."  We  do  not  believe  in  the  eight-hour 
law,  but,  nevertheless,  are  inclined  to  think  that, 
as  a  general  rule,  we  work  too  many  hours  on 
the  farm.  The  best  man  we  ever  had  to  dig 
ditches  seldom  worked,  when  digging  by  the 
rod,  more  than  nine  hours  a  day.  And  it  is  so 
in  chopping  wood  by  the  cord — the  men  who  ac- 
complisn  the  most,  work  the  fewest  hours. 
They  bring  all  their  brain  and  muscle  into  exer- 
cise, and  make  every  blow  tell.  A  slow,  plod- 
ding Dutchman  may  turn  the  grindstone  of  a 
fanning-mill  better  than  an  energetic  Yankee, 
but  this  kind  of  work  is  now  mostly  done  by 
horse-power,  and  the  farmer  needs,  above  all 
else,  a  clear  head,  with  all  his  faculties  of  mind 
and  muscle  light  and  active,  and  under  complete 
control.  Much,  of  course,  depends  on  temper- 
ament, but,  as  a  rule,  such  men  need  sound 
sleep  and  plenty  of  it. 

FENCE-POSTS,  Preservation  of. — Any  sort 
of  timber,  when  employed  for  fence-posts,  will 
be  more  than  twice  as  durable  if  allowed  to  be- 
come thoroughly  seasoned  before  being  set  in 
the  ground.  The  durability  of  seasoned  posts 
may  be  promoted,  so  as  to  make  them  last  for 
an  age,  by  the  application  of  a  heavy  coat  of 
coal-tar  to  the  portion  buried  in  the  earth,  and  a 
few  inches  above  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
Some  farmers  set  the  ground-end  in  hot  tar,  and 
let  it  boil  fifteen  minutes.  When  cool,  cover 
with  coal-tar,'  thickened  with  ground  slate  or 
ground  brick.  The  boiling  stiffens  the  albumen 
and  causes  the  pores  to  absorb  tar.  The  coat- 
ing prevents  the  action  of  moisture.  But  such 
a  treatment  of  green  posts  would  do  very  little 
good,  and  perhaps  mischief.  Others  contend 
that  the  better  way  is  to  season  the  post  well  be- 
fore setting  it,  and,  when  the  post-hole  is  filled 
to  within  lo  inches  of  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
to  apply  a  heavy  coat  of  tar  and  fill  up  with 
earth.  As  fence-posts  always  decay  first  near 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  protect  the  post  a  few  inches  above  the  sur- 
face, and  about  a  foot  below  it.  The  timber  be- 
gins to  decay,  usually,  on  the  surface  of  the 
posts.  Therefore,  if  the  surface  can  be  pro- 
tected by  some  antiseptic  material,  posts  will 
last  a  lifetime. 

FLY  ON  TURNIPS,  To  Desifoy.— Take  i 
bushel  of  newly  slaked  lime,  and  mix  therewith 
}4  a  bushel  of  wood  ashes ;  mix  and  blend  the 
whole  intimately  together,  and  sift  the  powder 
lightly  along  the  top  of  the  drills. 

FRUIT  TREES,  Over-bearing.— The  bend- 
ing of  branches  of  trees  by  an  over  crop  of  fruit 
is  most  injurious  ;  for  the  pores  of  the  woody 
stalk  are  strained  on  one  side  of  the  bend  and 
compressed  on  the  other  ;  hence  the  vessels 
through  which  the  requisite  nourishment  flows 
being  partially  closed,  the  growth  of  the  fruit  is 
retarded  in  proportion  to  the  straining  and  com- 
pression of  the  stalk. 

FRUITS,  To  Gather. — In  respect  to  the  time 
of  gathering,  the  criterion  of  ripeness,  adopted 
by  Forsyth,  is  their  beginning  to  fall  from  the 
tree.  Observe  attentively  when  the  apples  and 
pears  are  ripe,  and  do  not  pick  them  always  at 
the  same  regular  time  of  the  year,  as  is  the  cus- 
tom with  many.  A  dry  season  will  forward  the 
ripening  of  fruit,  and  a  wet  one  retard  it,  so  that 


there  will  sometimes  be  a  month's  difference  in 
the  proper  time  for  gathering.  If  this  is  at- 
tended to  the  fruit  will  keep  well,  be  plump, 
and  not  shrivelled,  as  is  the  case  with  all  fruit 
that  is  gathered  before  it  is  ripe. 

The  art  of  gathering  is  to  give  them  a  lift,  so 
as  to  press  away  the  stalk,  and  if  ripe  they  read-  ♦ 
ily  part  from  the  tree.  Those  that  will  not  come 
off  easily  should  hang  a  little  longer ;  for  when 
they  come  off  hard  they  will  not  be  so  fit  to  be 
stored,  and  the  violence  done  at  the  toot-stalk  | 
may  injure  the  bud  there  formed  for  the  next 
year's  fruit. 

Let  the  pears  be  quite  dry  when  pulled,  and 
in  handling  avoid  pinching  the  fruit,  or  in  any 
way  bruising  it,  as  those  which  are  hurt  not  only 
decay  themselves,  but  presently  spread  infection 
to  those  near  them ;  when  suspected  to  be  dam- 
aged, let  them  be  carefully  kept  from  the  others, 
and  used  first ;  as  gathered,  lay  them  gently  in 
shallow  baskets. 

FRUITS,  Time  for  Gathering.— This  should 
take  place  in  the  middle  of  a  dry  day.  Plums 
readily  part  from  the  twigs  when  ripe;  they 
should  not  be  much  handled,  as  the  bloom  is 
apt  to  be  rubbed  off.  Apricots  may  be  accounted 
ready  when  the  side  next  the  sun  feels  a  little 
soft  upon  gentle  pressure  with  the  finger ;  they 
adhere  firmly  to  the  tree,  and  would  over-ripen 
on  it  and  become  mealy.  Peaches  and  necta- 
rines, if  moved  upwards,  and  allowed  to  come 
down  with  a  slight  jerk,  will  separate,  if  ready ; 
and  they  may  be  received  into  a  tin  funnel  lined 
with  velvet,  so  as  to  avoid  touching  with  the 
fingers  or  bruising. 

A  certain  rule  for  judging  of  the  ripeness  of 
figs  is  to  notice  when  the  small  end  of  the  fruit 
becomes  of  the  same  color  as  the  large  one. 

The  most  transparent  grapes  are  the  most  ripe. 
All  the  berries  in  a  bunch  never  ripen  equally ; 
it  is  therefore  proper  to  cut  away  the  unripe  or 
decayed  berries  before  presenting  the  bunches  at 
table. 

Autumn  and  winter  pears  are  gathered,  when 
dry,  as  they  succesively  ripen. 

Immature  fruit  never  keeps  so  well  as  that 
which  nearly  approaches  maturity.  Winter  ap- 
ples should  be  left  on  the  trees  till  there  be  dan- 
ger of  frost ;  they  are  then  gathered  on  a  dry 
day. 

FRUIT,  Sun-printing  OK. — Monograms,  in- 
itial letters,  or  other  designs,  can  be  printed  on 
such  fruit  as  apples,  pears  or  peaches  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  sun,  with  very  pretty  effect,  of  either 
a  light  or  dark  color.  To  do  this,  draw  the 
monogram,  letter  or  design  on  a  piece  of  writing 
paper,  and  paste  it  with  mucilage  or  glue  upon 
the  side  of  the  fruit  exposed  to  the  sun.  Just 
before  the  fruit  begins  to  color,  and  when  the 
fruit  is  ripe,  and  the  paper  is  removed,  the  de- 
sign will  appear  in  a  lighter  or  different  color  to 
the  rest  of  the  fruit ;  as,  for  instance,  if  the  ex- 
periment is  tried  on  a  yellow-fleshed  peach  with 
a  red  cheek,  the  design  will  appear  in  gold,  sur- 
rounded with  red.  If  the  opposite  effect  is  in- 
tended, take  a  small  oval  or  circular  piece  of  pa- 
per, and  cut  out  or  pierce  the  letter  or  design  in 
it,  and  paste  on  the  fruit,  which,  when  ripe,  will 
have  the  design  in  high  color  on  a  yellow  or  on  i 
a  light  green  ground  of  the  shape  of  the  piece  of  h 
paper,  and  this  again  will  be  surrounded  by  the 
brighter  color  of  the  fruit. 

FRUIT  TREES,  To  Protect  from  Rabbits, 


132 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


— To  protect  fruit  trees  in  the  winter  from  rab- 
bits, it  is  recommended  to  make  a  strong  decoc- 
tion of  tobacco,  simmer  it  down  in  lard  to  the 
consistency  of  thin  paint,  add  a  little  soft  soap, 
stir  well,  and  it  is  ready  for  use.  Apply  with  a 
brush  or  swab  from  the  root  of  the  tree  upwards 
until  above  the  reach  of  the  rabbits.  This  dose 
would  seem  calculated  to  spoil  the  appetite  of 
the  hungry  depredators  of  whatever  kind.  See 
also  "Apple  Trees,  To  Keep  Rabbits  from 
Barking." 

GARDEN  SPIDERS,  To  Destroy.— \^x\- 
ous  Icjnds  of  fruits  and  plants,  both  in  the  gar- 
den and  the  hot-house  are  frequently  infested 
with  insects,  such  as  aphides,  earwigs,  red  spi- 
ders, and  other  pests.  The  vine,  the  peach,  the 
melon,  the  cherry,  the  currant,  and  some  hum- 
bler plants,  afford  them  appropriate  places  of 
abode,  to  the  discomfort  of  the  gardener  and  the 
detriment  of  his  fruit.  Several  modes  of  expel- 
ling these  pests  have  been  devised.  One  of  the 
most  successful  is  that  of  frequently  washing  the 
plants  and  fruits  by  means  of  the  watering-pot 
and  rose.  This  itself  will  vastly  diminish  their 
numbers,  and  at  length  destroy  them.  Lime- 
water,  however,  will  be  found  much  superior  to 
common  water  for  the  purpose,  care  being  taken 
that  the  fluid  shall  reach  the  lower  sides  of  the 
leaves,  and  those  parts  of  the  twigs  and  branches 
in  which  the  insects  take  refuge.  Six  o'clock  in 
the  morning  is  an  excellent  time  to  perform  the 
work.  And  when  the  leaves  and  fruit  have  been 
thoroughly  washed,  care  should  be  taken  to  com- 
pletely shade  the  plants  in  the  hot-house  or  the 
forcing-house  with  matting,  to  prevent  injury  to 
them  from  the  heat  of  the  sun  while  they  are  in 
a  wet,  cool  state.  The  washing  maybe  repeated 
about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

GARDENING,  WINDOW.— Soil.— Tiiz 
first  point  is  good  soil — without  this  no  plant  can 
thrive  well  Fresh  sandy  loam,  with  a  third  of 
well  rotted  manure,  will  do  for  many  plants ;  and 
keep  a  reserve  stock  of  soil  in  a  heap,  and  turn 
it  over  occasionally,  then  it  will  be  ready  for  use. 
In  potting,  press  the  soil  well  down  in  the  pot, 
and  never  use  wet  soil  for  this  purpose  on  any 
consideration,  or  disappointment  will  be  your  in- 
evitable reward.  See  that  the  pot  used  is  not 
too  hard  burned,  as  in  that  case  it  becomes  al- 
most non-porous  and  unfit  for  plant  culture. 
Heat. — Most  plants  will  survive  if  the  tempera- 
ture gets  below  40*  ;  but  no  healthy  growth  or 
bloom  can  be  looked  for  at  a  lower  average  daily 
temperature  than  60  or  65*" ;  it  is  better  that  the 
night  temperature  should  fall  15*^  less  than  this. 
One  difficulty  with  plants  in  our  dwellings  is  that 
they  are  as  hot  at  night  as  during  the  day.  Wa- 
ter. — Give  water  only  when  the  plants  need  it. 
A  plant  with  its  roots  constantly  in  mud  cannot 
thrive.  It  is  better  to  wait  until  the  flagging  of 
a  plant  shows  that  it  needs  water  than  to  keep  it 
constantly  soaked.  Sprinkling  or  showering 
should  be  done  as  often  as  possible.  Take  the 
plants  to  a  sink  or  a  bath-tub  and  give  them  a 
good  dousing.  Air. — Do  not  be  afraid  of  open- 
ing the  windows  whenever  the  outside  air  is  not 
freezing.  Give  air  every  day  when  it  is  safe  to 
do  so.  Not  only  will  the  plants  be  benefited, 
but  the  atmosphere  will  be  better  for  human  be- 
ings. Dust  is  a  great  obstacle  to  the  growth  of 
plants  in  the  house.  The  showering  we  have 
recommended  will  help  to  remove  it ;  but  all  the 
smooth-leaved  plants,  such  as  camelias,  ivies. 


and  the  like,  should  be  occasionally  sponged  to 
keep  the  foliage  clean  and  healthy.  Insects. — 
Don't  have  any.  If  the  plants  are  daily  looked 
over,  and  the  thumb  and  finger  properly  applied, 
they  will  be  kept  in  check.  If  a  plant  is  badly 
infested  by  the  green  fly,  put  it  in  a  box  or  un- 
der a  barrel  and  smoke  it  thoroughly.  If  the 
red  spider  appears,  as  it  will  be  apt  to  do  in  hot 
and  dry  rooms,  smoke  will  not  help  it.  Remove 
the  plant  into  hospital  and  shower  it  daily.  Fre- 
quent wetting  and  a  moist  atmosphere  is  the 
best  remedy. 

GARLIC. The  common  garlic  is  propa- 
gated usually  by  offsets  known  technically  as 
"  cloves" — that  is,  the  old  bulbs  are  pulled 
apart,  and  the  small  divisions  planted  in  spring. 
They  are  usually  set  in  rows  eighteen  inches 
apart,  and  the  sets  four  to  six  inches  in  the 
rows ;  plant  with  a  dibble,  or  by  thrusting  them 
into  the  soil  with  the  fore  finger  and  thumb. 
Give  them  the  same  culture  as  onions,  gathering 
in  autumn,  and  tie  in  bundles,  the  tops  being 
left  on  for  this  purpose.  The  young  bulbs  will 
throw  op  long  stalks,  and  if  not  checked  are 
very  likely  to  run  to  seed,  which  must  be  pre- 
vented by  breaking  down  the  stems,  or  tying 
them  in  a  knot,  which  is  the  practice  of  Euro- 
pean gardeners.  Garlics  are  mainly  used  by 
foreigners,  especially  the  Germans,  and  by  our 
people  for  medicinal  purposes. 

GRAFTING  WAX.—i.  Take  i  lb.  of  tal- 
low, 3  lbs.  of  beeswax,  and  4  lbs.  of  resin  ;  put 
into  a  kettle  and  melt  Slowly  until  all  the  ingre- 
dients are  combined.  If  to  be  used  in  the  opeti 
air  in  cool  weather,  add  a  ^  to  ^  lb.  more  tal- 
low. Melt  the  resin  first,  and  be  sure  it  is  well 
melted  before  adding  the  wax  and  tallow.  If 
this  be  not  done,  the  grafting  wax  will  be  full  of 
lumps.  When  melted  pour  it  into  cold  water, 
and  work  it  by  hand  into  rolls  of  convenient 
size.  In  cold  weather,  soften  the  wax  by  put- 
ting it  into  warm  water  before  using.  When  the 
scions  are  set — say  as  many  as  20  or  30,  or  few 
as  is  wished — have  the  mixture  ready  and  apply 
it  warm,  with  a  small  wooden  paddle.  See  that 
every  part  is  covered  and  the  air  completely  ex- 
cluded.    It  requires  no  bandage. 

GRAFTING  WAX,  Liquid.— Mr.  L'Hom- 
me-Lefort  invented,  not  many  years  ago,  a  graft- 
ing composition,  which,  when  generally  known, 
will  no  doubt  supersede  all  others  now  in  use, 
either  for  grafting  purposes  or  for  covering  the 
wounds  of  trees.  It  is  very  cheap,  very  easily 
prepared,  and  keeps,  corked  up  in  a  bottle  with 
a  tolerable  wide  mouth,  at  least  six  months  un- 
altered. It  is  laid  on  in  as  thin  a  coat  as  possi- 
ble, by  means  of  a  flat  piece  of  wood.  Within 
a  few  days  it  will  be  as  hard  as  a  stone.  In  ad- 
dition to  all  the  advantages  indicated  above,  it  is 
not  in  the  least  affected  by  the  severe  cold  of 
our  winters  ;  it  never  softens  or  cracks  when  ex- 
posed to  atmospheric  action  or  changes.  There 
is  no  better  preparation  for  covering  the  wounds 
of  trees.  As  long  as  the  inventor  kept  it  a  se- 
cret it  was  sold  at  a  very  high  price,  and  even 
now  it  is  generally  unknown.  The  recipe  is  as 
follows:  Melt  I  lb.  of  common  resin  over  a  gen- 
tle fire.  Add  to  it  x  oz.  of  beef  tallow,  and  stir 
it  well.  Take  it  fr.om  the  fire,  let  it  cool  down  a 
little,  and  then  mix  with  it  a  tablespoonful  of  spir- 
its of  turpentine,  and  after  that  about  7  oz.  of 
very  strong  alcohol  (95  per  cent.)  to  be  had  at 
any  druggist's  store.    The  alcohol  cools  it  down 


FAR.^f,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


133 


so  rapidly  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  put  it  once 
more  on  the  fire,  stirring  it  constantly.  Still  the 
utmost  care  must  be  exercised  to  prevent  the  al- 
cohol from  getting  inflamed.  To  avoid  it,  the 
best  way  is  to  remove  the  vessel  from  the  fire, 
when  the  lumps  that  may  have  been  formed  com- 
mence melting  again.  This  must  be  continued 
till  the  whole  is  a  homogeneous  mass  similar  to 
honey. 

GRAFTING,  INDIA  RUBBER.— Somt 
of  the  English  gardeners  have  successfully  used 
strips  of  India  rubber  in  the  place  ol  grafting 
wax,  being  neater,  more  perfect,  and  not  soiling 
the  fingers.  Sheets  are  purchased  in  market  for 
sixpence  per  square  foot.  They  are  about  as 
thick  as  brown  paper.  They  are  obtained  of  the 
manufacturers  of  this  article  before  it  is  applied 
to  muslin  and  other  surfaces.  The  strips  cut 
from  it  are  about  an  inch  long  and  an  eighth  of 
an  inch  wide,  for  small  grafting ;  the  pieces  will 
stretch  two  or  three  times  their  first  length  ;  the 
ends  adhere  when  pressed  firmly  with  the  thumb 
nail,  the  sheet  having  been  previously  washed 
and  wiped  dry. 

GRAFTING. — In  grafting,  a  sharp  penknife 
and  a  good  fine  saw  are  indispensable.  Split- 
ting the  stalk  so  that  the  bark  shall  not  be  at  all 
bruised,  and  shaping  the  scion  wedge-fashion 
both  ways,  preserving  also  the  bark  uninjured, 
and  placing  the  rim  of  the  wood  of  both  stock 
and  scion  exactly  together,  so  that  the  sap  can 
intermingle — there  is  no  danger  of  failure  if  they 
are  properly  waxed.  One  year's  wood  should 
always  be  used  when  it  can  be  obtained,  as  it  is 
more  certain  to  take  and  grows  more  vigorously. 
For  grafting  generally,  any  time  is  good  when 
growth  is  going  on,  and  there  is  not  too  much 
sap  in  the  scion  ;  the  amount  in  the  stock  makes 
no  difference.  If  there  is  much  in  the  scion,  it 
is  liable  to  rot  before  the  union  takes  place.  If 
scions  are  taken  from  healthy  trees,  and  are  kept 
from  drying,  sprouting,  or  other  injuries,  graft- 
ing may  go  on  from  early  in  the  spring  till  mid- 
summer. 

GRAFTING  {ROOT)  APPLE  TREES.— 
This  kind  of  grafting  is  performed  as  follows : 
Take  seedling  stocks  one  or  two  years  old,  cut 
off  the  stock  at  the  collar  of  the  plant,  and  re- 
move the  top  root  and  all  unnecessary  fibrous 
roots,  leaving  only  a  few  of  them  four  or  five 
inches  long.  Wash  the  stocks,  and  make  a  very 
smooth  cut  sloping  upward  an  inch  or  so  across 
the  collar.  In  the  center  of  this  cut  make  a  slit 
or  tongue  to  receive  the  scion.  The  scion,  three 
or  four  inches  long,  should  be  made  to  fit  the 
tongue  exactly,  both  the  woody  part  and  the  in- 
ner bark.  On  this  close  fitting  depends  the  suc- 
cess pf  the  operation.  This  done,  cover  the  en- 
tire graft  with  the  wax,  or  with  prepared  wax 
cloth,  which  is  nothing  more  than  cotton  cloth 
spread  thinly  with  grafting  composition  while  it 
is  hot.  This  work  is  commonly  done  in  the  leis- 
ure of  winter.  After  the  required  number  of 
stocks  have  been  grafted,  they  are  packed  away 
in  sand  in  a  cool  cellar  to  be  planted  in  the 
spring. 

GRAFTING  GRAPES.— Grsl\:mg  grape 
vines  may  be  done  early  in  the  spring,  before 
the  sap  begins  to  flow,  or  after  the  vines  have 
leaved  out  partially,  and  just  after  the  main  flow 
of  sap  is  over ;  or  it  may  be  done  in  the  fall,  but 
in  all  cases  it  is  to  be  done  on  the  stock  so  low 
down  that  the  saons  may  be  covered  with  earth 


up  to  their  buds.  Attention  to  this  point  is  nec- 
essary to  success. 

The  operation  is  similar  to  grafting  fruit  trees 
— the  scions  should  each  have  a  single  bud,  and 
they  should  be  cut  off  an  inch  above,  and  not 
less  than  three  inches  below  the  buds.  The 
grape  stocks  are  to  be  split,  and  the  scions  made 
with  long,  wedge-shaped  ends,  with  shoulders, 
just  as  apple  or  other  fruit-tree  grafts  are  made, 
and  with  the  inner  sides  of  the  wedges  narrow- 
est, so  that  the  pressure  will  be  greatest  where 
the  inner  bark  of  vine  and  scion  meet.  These 
stocks  are  then  bound  with  basswood  bark,  and 
grafting  wax  applied,  and  the  soil  packed  firmly 
around  the  scions,  leaving  the  buds  just  above 
the  ground. 

When  the  grafting  is  done  in  the  fall — and  we 
think  that  the  best  season  to  do  it — a  flower  pot 
should  be  inverted  over  such  stock  and  grafts, 
(insert  two  scions  to  each  stock,)  and  covered 
with  straw  or  barnyard  litter  to  prevent  freezing 
— and  in  the  following  spring  the  earth  may  be 
packed  around  the  stocks  as  above.  It  is  thought 
by  those  who  graft  in  the  fall  that  the  stocks  and 
scions  have  more  time  to  unite,  and  form  a  com- 
plete junction  during  the  winter,  and  will  grow 
sooner  than  when  grafted  in  the  spring. 

When  grape  vines  are  cut  off  when  the  sap  is 
flowing  Ireelj^  for  the  purpose  of  grafting  them, 
they  will  be  liable  to  "  bleed"  to  death — that  is, 
the  sap  will  escape  to  such  a  degree  that  the  vi- 
tality of  the  roots  will  be  destroyed,  consequent- 
ly, all  grafting  in  the  spring  should  be  done  be- 
fore the  sap  begins  to  flow,  or  after  the  flow  of 
sap  is  over,  early  in  Tune,  in  the  climate  of  New 
York. 

If  vines  are  to  be  grafted  above  the  ground, 
they  should  be  bent  over  and  covered  with  earth 
where  the  junction  takes  place,  and  a  mulch  of 
grass,  or  otherwise,  put  upon  them,  to  cause 
them  to  continue  moist.  It  is  a  rather  difficult 
operation  to  graft  grape  vines  three,  four  or  more 
feet  from  the  ground ;  yet  we  think  it  can  be 
done,  and  a  dozen  varieties  of  grapes  made  to 
grow  on  one  vine. 

GRAPES.— The  best  soil  for  the  vine  is  a 
light,  dry  loam,  with  a  slight  intermixture  of  clay 
and  calcareous  matter,  moderately  rich,  the  soil 
inclining  a  little  to  the  south.  This  should  be 
plowed  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  at  least  one  foot 
deep,  and  trench  plowing  would  be  better,  mak- 
ing one  plow  follow  directly  after  another  in  the 
same  furrow,  turning  up  the  ground,  if  possible, 
15  or  18  inches  deep.  The  utiHty  of  this  is,  to 
give  a  light,  deep  surface  for  the  roots  to  strike 
into  the  earth,  and  thus  draw  the  more  nourish- 
ment from  it,  and  be  sufliciently  low  and  out  of 
the  way  of  being  cut  off,  when  the  plow  is  run 
between  the  rows  for  after-cultivation.  Plants 
ing  and  Culture. — Early  in  the  spring,  before 
vegetation  commences,  replow  and  harrow  the 
land  fine,  strike  off  the  rows  6  feet  apart,  then 
take  cuttings  or  roots,  as  they  can  be  best  ob- 
tained, and  plant  them  3  feet  from  each  other  in 
the  rows.  As  the  vines  grow  they  will  require 
staking  and  tying  up  with  the  stalks  of  long, 
tough  grass,  or  green,  flexible  straw.  The  after 
cultivation  is  precisely  like  that  of  corn  or  any 
root  crop,  it  being  necessary  merely  to  plow  out 
between  the  rows  occasionally,  and  keep  weeds 
down  by  hoeing  the  ground  about  the  vines, 
where  it  may  be  slightly  elevated  from  the  cen- 
tre of  the  rows,  in  order  to  keep  them  from  any 


>34 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


standing  water.  Two  vines  only  are  left  from 
each  main  stem  of  a  different  year's  growth,  the 
rationale  of  which  may  be  thus  simply  defined  : 
The  branch  that  grew,  for  instance,  in  the  sea- 
son of  '80,  bears  in  '81,  and  in  the  spring  of  '82 
it  is  pruned  off,  and  that  season  another  grows  in 
its  place,  prepared  to  bear  in  '83,  while  that 
which  grew  in  '81  bears  in  '82,  and  is  cut  off  in 
^S^,  and  the  one  growing  in  '82,  when  the  last 
gave  fruit,  will  bear  in  '83. 

GRUBS,  {White,)  Remedies  for.— An  au- 
thority says  :  A  good  coat  of  unrotted  ma- 
nure, plowed  in  six  or  eight  inches  deep,  is  al- 
most a  specific  against  white  grubs  in  corn  or  po- 
tatoes. We  suppose  the  grubs  work  in  the  ma- 
nure and  leave  the  corn  plants  alone.  Plowing 
under  clover,  immediately  before  planting,  often 
has  the  same  effect. 

GOOSEBERRY  BUSHES.  Mildew  on— A. 
weak  solution  of  saleratus,  pretty  strongly  tinc- 
tured with  alum,  sprinkled  over  gooseberry 
bushes,  is  sure  to  prevent  mildew. 

HA  Y,  Cutting  and  Curing. — I.  Get  ready 
for  haying — that  is,  put  your  mowing  machine, 
etc. ,  in  good  order,  so  as  to  have  no  delay  when 
you  begin  the  work. 

2.  If  you  have  a  good  deal  of  grass  to  cut, 
some  of  it  should  be  cut  a  few  days  before  it  is 
actually  mature,  or  you  will  be  compelled  to  cut 
other  fields  so  much  later  than  it  ovfght  to  be  cut, 
that  you  would  lose  more  by  waiting  till  your 
earliest  grass  is  fully  ripe,  than  you  would  gain 
by  waiting  till  it  is  mature ;  besides  grass  cut  a 
few  days  before  it  is  strictly  ready  for  the  mow- 
er makes  excellent  hay,  but  not  quite  so  much  of 
it  as  when  cut  later. 

,  3.  When  the  time  comes  to  commence  mow- 
ing— which  should  be  when  there  is  a  prospect 
of  fair  weather,  go  ahead  and  do  not  wait  until 
the  dew  is  off,  on  accoimt  of  any  injury  the  hay 
may  sustain,  as  you  will  never  be  able  to  see  any 
difference  in  value  between  hay,  from  grass  cut 
with  or  without  the  dews  upon  it. 

4.  Just  as  soon  as  the  sun  has  dried  the  upper 
surface  of  the  grass,  the  spreading  operation  may 
commence  ;  and  you  should  have  help  enough  to 
do  the  work  well.  No  grass  cut  during  the  pre- 
vious afternoon,  and  up  to  10  o'clock  that  day, 
should  remain  unspread  at  dinner-time,  unless  it 
be  such  as  is  light,  and  is  left  in  good  shape  to 
dry  by  the  machine,  as  is  often  the  case.  Keep 
the  grass  moving  as  long  as  possible  before  you 
begin  to  protect  it  for  the  night ;  and  here  we 
will  say  that  we  never  would  allow  a  load  of  hay 
to  be  put  into  our  bams  that  was  cut  the  same 
day,  except  when  the  grass  had  been  delayed  to 
be  cut  till  it  was  past  its  prime  and  partially  dry, 
so  that  a  few  hours  of  sun  and  wind  sufficed  to 
cure  it. 

5.  After  drying  the  hay  as  much  as  possible 
up  to  3  or  4  o'clock,  P.  M. ,  according  to  the 
quantity  of  it,  and  hands  to  take  caro  of  it,  the 
question  comes  up :  Is  it  best  to  cock  it,  or  to 
rake  it  into  windrows,  and  so  leave  it  till  the  suc- 
ceeding day,  when,  if  the  weather  be  fair,  it  may 
be  put  into  the  barn  or  stack  ?  If  left  in  win- 
drows a  great  deal  of  labor  is  saved,  and  if  the 
next  day  is  fair,  the  hay  is  in  a  better  condition 
to  be  spread  than  if  in  cocks  ;  but  if  a  storm  en- 
sues, the  hay  is  in  a  bad  shape,  and  will  suffer 
injury,  according  to  the  length  of  unfair  weather 
that  takes  place.  No  farmer  should  leave  his 
hay   over  night  in  windrows,  unless   he  shall 


have  the  very  best  of  reasons  for  believing  that 
the  next  day  will  be  fair. 

6.  Hay  may  be  injured  by  drying  too  much  ; 
but  the  wide  awake  farmer  will  avoid  that,  and 
either  get  his  hay  into  windrows  or  cocks  before 
it  is  thus  damaged. 

HAY,  {CLOVER,)  Management  of.— Clo- 
ver  should  be  mowed  as  soon  as  it  is  well  in 
blossom.  There  is  no  necessity  to  wait  for  a 
brown  head ;  there  will  be  plenty  to  be  seen  be- 
fore the  crop  is  well  down.  Cut  when  the  dew 
is  off,  and  allow  to  dry  until  the  afternoon,  when 
it  should  be  shaken  up  and  turned  before  the  dew 
falls.  If  a  tedder  is  employed,  its  constant  use 
will  fit  the  clover  to  be  put  in  cocks  the  same 
day.  If  turned  by  hand,  it  may  lie  until  the 
noon  of  next  day,  when  it  may  be  put  in  cocks, 
made  as  high  and  narrow  ajs  possible ;  they  will 
shed  rain  better  in  this  shape,  and,  if  caps  are 
to  be  used,  a  yard  square  will  be  sufficiently 
large  to  cover  them.  Caps  are  to  be  strongly 
recommended,  and  the  above  size  is  sufficient,  as 
the  top  only  needs  protection.  Put  up,  and  thus 
protected,  the  hay  may  stay  in  the  field  until  it  is 
all  made,  when  it  may  be  haulted  together.  If 
any  cock  should  be  damp  inside,  spread  for  a  few 
minutes ;  it  will  dry  rapidly.  Clover  cured  in 
the  cock  is  much  more  valuable  than  that  dried 
in  the  sun,  and  wastes  less  in  hauling.  Put 
away  the  first  cut  hay  by  itself,  in  a  place  conve- 
nient for  use  in  the  spring.  Cows  coming  in 
early  in  the  spring  will  thrive  on  this  hay  ;  the 
milk  will  be  largely  increased  in  quantity,  and  ba 
richer  in  quality,  while  the  butter  will  come  eas. 
ily,  be  free  from  white  curdy  specks,  and  in  col- 
or will  not  be  far  behind  that  made  from  June 
grass. 

HAY  STACKS,  To  Ventilate.— Stacks  o| 
hay,  corn-stalks,  etc.,  maybe  ventilated  by  mak- 
ing a  hole  perpendicularly  through  the  centre, 
with  apertures  through  the  base  and  top  or  side^ 
of  the  stack  to  admit  a  current  of  air.  The  ori, 
fice  should  be  constructed  when  the  stack  is  be- 
ing built,  which  can  easily  be  done  by  filling  a 
bag  of  the  requisite  size  with  hay  or  straw,  plac- 
ing it  upright  in  the  centre  of  the  stack,  drawing 
it  upward  according  as  the  stack  rises.  In  this 
way  a  chimney  will  be  formed  in  the  centre  of 
the  stack,  which  will  carry  off  the  steam,  if  the 
hay  or  corn-stalk  should  ferment,  and  by  admit- 
ting air  will  prevent  damage  from  mold.  The 
top  of  the  air-tunnel  should  be  protected  by  a 
roof  to  keep  out  rain. 

HEDGES,  H(Kv  to  Riant.— A  good  way  of 
planting  hedges  is  to  plow  the  ground  about  12 
or  15  inches  deep,  and  pulverize  completely ; 
then  set  stakes  in  range  as  the  hedge  is  to  stand. 
Then  take  a  common  garden  hoe  and  dig  a  hole 
as  deep  as  the  plants  are  to  be  set,  standing  with 
thfc  face  in  range  with  the  stakes ;  then  put  a 
plant  down  with  the  top  toward  you,  leaving  at 
an  angle  of  about  45  degrees,  being  careful  to 
put  it  a  little  deeper  than  it  grew  in  the  nursery; 
then  cover  that  one  up  by  digging  the  dirt  out  for 
the  next  plant,  and  so  on,  standing  in  the  range 
of  the  stakes.  It  will  facilitate  the  job  by  hav- 
ing a  dropper  to  put  the  plants  in  their  places  as 
you  need  them. 

HEDGE,    BARBERRY.— A^XGT  obtaining 

good  seed,  mix  it  with  moist  earth,  and  keep  it 

in  a  cool  cellar,  free  from  frost,  until  the  spring 

I  opens.     Then  sow  it  in  drills,  like  carrot  seed. 

I  Thin  out  the  plants  to  six  inches  apart,  and  keep 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


135 


the  rows  free  from  weeds.  The  following  spring 
they  will  be  ready  to  transplant.  Set  them  out 
by  a  line,  six  inches  apart  in  the  row. 

HEDGE,  CEDAR,  {For  Cold  Latitudes.  )— 
First  dig  a  ditch  about  I  foot  deep  by  2  feet 
wide  where  the  hedge  is  to  be,  then  go  and  cut 
down  second  growth  cedars,  (out  of  thick  clumps 
or  clusters  are  best,  they  having  most  all  their 
branches  on  one  side,)  about  3  or  4  inches 
through  at  the  butt ;  take  branches  and  all  and 
lay  them  in  the  ditch,  with  the  thickest  branches 
up ;  turn  up  the  branches  so  they  are — that  is, 
the  branches — not  more  than  8  inches  apart,  and 
if  there  are  not  enough  on  I  tree,  lay  down  2, 
side  by  side,  butt  and  top  together ;  then  chop 
off  all  branches  that  cannot  be  got  to  lay  in  the 
ditch  to  about  lo  inches  long  or  so,  so  that  they 
•will  cover  up  ;  then  cover  up,  taking  a  little  pains 
to  stake  and  bend  the  branches  that  are  to  form 
the  hedge  into  a  straight  row,  or  nearly  so ;  then 
cover  about  two-thirds  up,  and  then  water  and 
finish  covering,  and  with  a  very  little  trouble  the 
hedge  in  5  years  will  be  so  thick  that  a  hen  can- 
not get  through  it,  or  sheep  or  cattle  get  over  it, 
and  will  get  stronger  and  larger  every  year. 
"Where  small  second  growth  cedars  cannot  be 
got,  small  trees  will  answer  nearly  as  well — or 
even  sow  the  seeds,  which  s  a  rather  slow  pro- 
cess, but  sure. 

HEMP  CULTURE.— Ihc  land  should  be 
thoroughly  pulverized  with  plow  and  harrow. 
The  seed-bed  cannot  be  put  in  too  fine  tilth. 
Fifty  to  seventy-five  pounds  of  seed  per  acre 
should  be  sown  evenly  broadcast.  The  amount 
should  depend  upon  the  strength  of  the  land ; 
the  stronger  or  richer  the  soil  the  more  seed  may 
be  sown,  the  object  being  to  secure  all  the  plants 
the  land  will  develop,  and  thereby  a  fine  and  a 
long  fibre.  The  seed  should  be  covered  with  a 
light  harrow,  running  it  both  ways.  The  sow- 
ing should. commence  as  soon  as  the  ground  is 
dry  and  warm  enough  to  put  into  proper  condi- 
tion to  receive  the  seed.  There  is  no  after-cul- 
ture. 

HORSE-RA  DISH.— For  the  cultivation  of 
this  vegetable  the  soil  should  be  deep  and  moist. 
Cut  off  slips  from  a  root  with  a  little  of  the 
crown  and  plant  3  or  4  inches  deep  in  rows,  it 
for  field  culture,  so  as  to  admit  of  handy  work- 
ing. If  in  a  garden  it  matters  little  whether  in 
rows  or  not,  as  it  soon  sprouts  up  in  every  di- 
rection. Unless  the  whole  crop  is  removed  the 
bed  will  supply  itself  year  after  year,  and  a  plat 
10  feet  square  will  be  enough  for  an  ordinary 
family. 

HOTBED,  To  Make  ^.— Make  a  frame  6 
feet  long  by  4  feet  wide ;  let  the  one  end  be  2 
feet  in  height,  and  the  other  end  i  foot.  Along 
the  top  of  the  long  sides,  about  an  inch  from  the 
upper  edges,  nail  2  cleats.  This  frame  may  be 
made  of  one  inch  boards.  Glaze  the  sash  and 
fit  it  upon  these  cleats,  thus  forming  an  inclined 
plane,  which,  when  the  bed  is  completed  and  the 
frame  permanently  arranged,  should  be  made  to 
face  the  south-east.  In  this  manner  the  rays  of 
the  morning  and  noonday  sun  fall  directly  upon 
the  growing  plants. 

To  make  the  bed,  draw  well-rotted  horse-ma- 
nure and  pile  it  in  a  square  heap,  about  3  feet 
deep,  and  of  sufficient  dimensions  to  admit  of 
the  frame  being  placed  securely  upon  the  top. 
Within  the  frame,  cover  the  manure  heap  with 
about  6  inches  of  rich  earth.     Put  on  your  sash 


and  leave  it  until  the  fermentation  of  the  heap 
causes  the  earth  to  become  warm.  When  this 
is  effected,  large  dewdrops  will  form  upon  the 
inside  of  the  glass.  If  the  fermentation  is  not 
very  active,  cover  the  sash  with  boards,  so  as  to 
prevent  all  radiation  of  heat  from  the  pile.  The 
frame  may  be  kept  still  warmer  by  banking  up 
the  outside  to  the  top  with  manure. 

When  the  earth  has  become  thoroughly  heat- 
ed the  bed  is  ready  for  sowing.  To  sow  with 
the  finger,  draw  drills  about  half  an  inch  deep, 
take  the  seed  of  cabbages,  cauliflowers,  toma- 
toes, peppers,  etc.,  between  the  forefinger  and 
thumb,  and  by  rubbing  the  two  gently  and  mov- 
ing the  hand  along  the  drill,  the  seed  may  be 
sown  evenly  and  thickly. 

The  great  principle  in  the  successful  forcing 
of  plants  in  a  hotbed  is  to  subject  them  to  a  suf- 
ficient amount  of  heat  without  allowing  them  to 
bum.  This  can  only  be  regulated  by  experience 
and  judgment.  If,  however,  the  weather  be 
very  warm,  by  throwing  open  the  sash  during 
the  day  and  closing  it  at  night,  the  plants  may 
be  brought  in  contact  with  external  air,  and  will 
become  more  hardy  and  better  able  to  bear  the 
chilling  effects  of  transplanting  into  the  open 
air. 

A  constant  succession  of  early  plants  may  in 
this  manner  be  forced,  and  after  their  removal 
melons  and  cucumbers  may  be  planted  in  their 
places  in  small  sods,  and,  when  sufficiently 
forced,  may  be  removed  without  being  at  all  dis-  • 
turbed. 

HYACINTH  CULTURE.— Ttie  hyacinth 
requires  a  light  but  rich  soil,  sandy  loam,  well 
dressed,  and  mixed  with  thoroughly  rotted  ma- 
nure, but  if  the  soil  is  not  sandy,  add  a  third  of 
silver  sand.  The  soil  for  a  hyacinth  bed  must 
be  deeply  dug,  well  mixed  and  turned  over. 
Plant  the  bulbs  eight  inches  apart,  and  four 
inches  under  the  soil.  To  Grffiv  Hyacinths  in 
Pots. — Select  the  bulbs,  and  plant  each  one  sep- 
arately in  a  four-inch  pot,  well  drained  with  pot- 
sherds, and  filled  within  an  inch  of  the  top  with 
the  same  soil  recommended  for  the  beds.  If  the 
plants  are  to  remain  outdoors  until  rooted,  place 
them  in  a  dry  level  place,  and  cover  them  about 
six  inches  deep  with  straw,  decayed  leaves,  or 
cocoanut  fibre,  putting  a  piece  of  bass  mat  over 
to  keep  off  rain  ;  they  will  not  require  watering. 
In  ten  weeks  they  will  have  made  sufficient  roots, 
and  may  be  brought  into  the  house  and  watched 
carefully.  If  brought  into  the  house  directly 
they  are  potted,  keep  them  in  a  dark,  moist  at- 
mosphere for  about  ten  weeks,  then  gradually 
expose  them  to  the  light,  and  give  them  water 
frequently.  To  Grow  Hyacinths  in  Glasses. — 
Single  flowering  hyacinths  are  the  best  for  this 
purpose.  Fill  the  glasses  with  soft  water,  (rain 
water  is  the  best,)  so  as  nearly  to  touch  the 
bulb.  Exclude  the  light  totally  from  them  for 
five  weeks,  by  which  time  the  glass  ought  to  be 
full  of  roots ;  they  may  then  be  placed  where 
they  will  have  plenty  of  light  and  an  equable 
temperature.  Do  not  change  the  water  while 
they  are  in  the  dark,  but  when  exposed  to  the 
light  pour  out  half  the  water  in  each  glass  once 
a" week,  and  fill  it  up  with  fresh  Abater,  which 
should  have  been  kept  for  some  time  in  the  same 
room,  that  the  temperature  may  be  the  same. 
A  very  little  guano,  mixed  with  the  water, 
strengthens  the  plant. 

IMPLEMENTS,  {Farm,)  Care  o/.— It  is  a 


T36 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


lamentable  fact  that  a  large  majority  of  our  farm- 
ers lose  as  much  from  a  want  of  proper  care  of 
tools  as  from  the  actual  wear  and  tear  of  them. 
Repeated  wetting  and  drying  injures,  sooner  or 
later,  any  kind  of  wood-work ;  the  moisture  get- 
ting into  the  cracks  soon  begins  the  work  of  de- 
cay. This  may  be  prevented  by  the  timely  and 
occasional  application  of  some  cheap  paint.  The 
shovels,  spades,  and  forks  are  brought  into  the 
tool-house  with  the  dirt  sticking  to  them,  and  in 
that  condition  they  remain  through  the  winter, 
or  until  they  are  again  needed.  All  practical 
farmers  know  how  much  better  a  bright  plow 
turns  the  furrow,  how  much  easier  it  is  on  the 
team  and  driver,  and  yet  they  will  bring  their 
plows  and  harrows  in  every  fall  with  the  dirt 
sticking  to  them,  and  allow  them  to  remain  in 
that  condition  until  again  wanted,  much  to  their 
irreparable  injury,  and  also  to  their  own  loss 
and  expense.  There  are  various  mixtures  which 
might  be  applied  to  the  iron  to  prevent  rusting, 
the  cheapest  of  which  is  common  (unsalted) 
grease.  A  better  article  may  be  formed  by  the 
melting  together  of  six  pounds  of  fresh  (not 
salted)  lard  and  two  of  resin.  An  old  iron  pot 
is  a  good  thing  to  keep  and  compound  the  mix- 
ture m.  As  soon  as  a  tool  is  done  being  used 
for  the  season,  clean  it  off  and  give  it  a  coat  of 
this  mixture,  and  even  if  it  remains  undisturbed 
for  years  it  will  come  out  as  bright  as  when  put 
away.  Implements  properly  cared  for  will  not 
only  last  twice  as  long  as  where  this  is  not  the 
case,  but,  as  we  said  before,  they  are  far  better 
in  every  way. 

INSECTS,  To  Exterminate. — By  scattering 
chloride  of  lime  on  a  plank  in  a  stable,  biting 
fleas  are  driven  away.  Sprinkling  beds  of  vege- 
tables with  a  weak  solution  of  this  salt  effectu- 
ally preserves  them  from  caterpillars,  slugs,  etc. 
It  has  the  same  effect  when  sprinkled  on  fruit 
trees  or  shrubbery.  Mixed  in  a  paste  with  fatty 
matter,  and  applied  in  a  narrow  band  around  the 
trees,  it  prevents  insects  from  creeping  up.  An- 
other plan  is  to  carry  all  the  toads  you  may  find 
to  your  gardens.  They  will  devour  immense 
numbers  of  bugs.  A  toad  will  swallow  the 
largest  specimen  of  the  tomato  worm,  though 
sometimes  he  will  have  a  hard  time  of  it.  Hens 
and  wasps  and  spiders  are  all  devourers  of  your 
enemies.  A  common  duck  will  go  up  and  down 
rows  of  tomato  and  potato  vines,  and  pick  off 
the  large  worms  usually  found  on  such  vines,  as 
fast  as  it  can  see  them  ;  and  they  will  see  a  half 
dozen  when  a  man  would  not  see  one.  Young 
turkeys  will  do  the  same  service,  though  they 
are  not  so  easily  controlled  and  guided.  All  fal- 
len fruit  is  to  be  picked  up  twice  a  day — at  any 
rate,  one  time — boiled,  and  then  given  to  your 
cattle  to  be  devoured.  By  doing  this  it  will  pay 
ten  times  over,  and  the  result  of  it  will  be  that 
the  next  year  you  will  not  have  insects.  See  also 
the  recipes  for  a  like  purpose  in  this  depart- 
ment. 
_  LA  WNS,  KEEPING.— 'L^i.vms.  must  be  kept 
rich,  if  you  would  have  a  good,  fresh,  green 
carpet  of^  grass.  Mowing  them  repeatedly  year 
after  year,  and  raking  off  the  fallen  leaves  that 
drop  from  the  trees,  which  neatness  demands, 
and  which  thus  removes  a  useful  top  dressing, 
requires  an  occasional  addition  of  manure.  By 
far  the  best  time  to  apply  this  manure  is  late  in 
autumn.  If  spread  earlier  it  defaces  the  lawn  at 
a  time  when  it  proves  offensive.     Fine,  dry  ma- 


nure, which  may  be  readily  pulverized,  is  Lest, 
as  it  spreads  evenly  and  neatly  over  the  surface. 
But  where  this  can  not  be  had,  coarse  or  lumpy 
manure  will  answer  a  good  purpose  if  treated  in 
the  following  manner  :  Spread  it  as  evenly  as 
may  be  convenient,  and  if  there  happens  to  be  a 
sharp  November  freeze,  followed  by  thaw,  it 
will  loosen  the  lumps  and  render  them  quite  fri- 
able. Then  immediately  run  a  smoothing  har- 
row over  the  ground,  and  it  will  grind  these 
lumps  to  powder  and  spread  them  over  the  grass 
in  better  style  than  can  be  done  by  a  skillful 
hand,  and  with  great  rapidity. 

LETTUCE  IN  WINTER.— It  is  said  that 
heads  of  lettuce  can  be  produced  in  winter  in 
from  24  to  48  hours,  by  taking  a  box  filled  with 
rich  earth,  in  which  one-third  part  of  slaked  lime 
has  been  mixed,  and  watering  the  earth  with 
lukewarm  water ;  then  taking  seed  which  had 
been  previously  softened  by  soaking  in  strong 
brandy  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  sowing  in  the 
usual  way.  We  are  assured,  but  will  not  vouch 
for  the  fact,  that  a  good-sized  head  of  lettuce 
may  be  obtained  in  the  time  mentionea. 

MANURES. — There  are  two  important  re- 
quisites to  the  luxuriant  and  healthy  growth  of 
plants — plenty  of  nutriment,  and  a  suitable  place 
for  growth.  There  are  soils,  it  is  true,  so  rich 
in  the  elements  of  plant-food,  and  so  bountifully 
supplied  with  those  partially  decayed  remains  of 
vegetable  growth  which  we  call  humus,  that  de- 
cades of  continued  cropping  do  not  suffice  to  ex- 
haust their  supply  of  the  one,  nor  to  rob  them 
of  the  mellowness  imparted  by  the  other.  Un- 
fortunately, however,  but  little  of  the  earth's 
surface  is  of  this  character,  and  the  question : 
"  How  much  and  what  sort  of  fertilizers  shall 
we  use  ?"  is  a  very  weighty  one. 

MANURES,  STABLE.— CareM  experi- 
ments  by  German  agriculturists  have  demon- 
strated that  the  plant  requires  a  certain  list  of 
substances  for  its  nourishment,  its  food,  such  as 
nitrogen,  carbon,  potash,  lime,  soda,  iron,  phos- 
phoric acid,  sulphuric  acid,  and  that  as  far  as  its 
nourishment  alone  is  concerned,  it  is  a  matter  of 
total  indifference  to  the  plant  whether  these  are 
applied  in  the  form  of  stall  manure  or  of  guan- 
oes, superphosphates  ;  the  one  and  the  only  re- 
quisite being  that  these  substances  be  present  in 
the  soil  in  sufficient  quantity  and  in  an  assimila- 
ble form.  Farmers  followed  the  teachings  of 
science  in  supplying  food  to  plants  in  the  form  of 
artificial  rather  than  natural  fertilizers.  Science 
had  told  them  that  the  nitrogen  and  phosphoric 
acid  of  the  one  were  just  as  nutritious  as  those 
of  the  other.  But  this  was  not  all  that  science 
had  to  say.  The  use  of  a  part  of  its  teaching, 
and  not  the  whole,  was  the  mistake.  The  rea- 
son of  the  failure  here  is  clear.  Science  informs 
us  that  the  plant,  like  the  animal,  requires  not 
only  good  and  sufficient  food,  but  also  an  appro- 
priate place  to  grow  in — or,  in  other  words,  that 
the  physical  character  of  the  soil,  its  condition 
as  regards  warmth,  moisture,  compactness,  or 
looseness,  are  just  as  important  as  its  chemical 
contents,  or  the  supply  of  nutritive  elements  it 
furnishes  to  the  plant. 

And  it  is  precisely  here  that  the  superiority  of 
stable  manure  appears.  Not  only  is  it  a  com- 
plete manure,  furnishing  all  the  elements  of 
plant  food,  as  special  fertilizers  do  not,  but  it 
contains  also  a  large  amount  of  organic  matter, 
undigested  portions  of  the  food  of  the  animal. 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


m 


and  straw  used  for  bedding,  and  the  like.  This 
organic  matter  decays  in  the  ground,  and  by  its 
decay  warms  the  soil,  loosens  it  if  it  be  compact, 
and  aids  in  binding  it  together  if  it  be  too  loose, 
and  assists  in  the  working  over  of  the  mineral 
matter  contained  therein  into  a  condition  fit  for 
the  use  of  the  plant. 

The  general  rule  to  be  deduced  from  the  above 
facts  would  be,  if  tersely  expressed,  keep  stock 
upon  the  farm  to  produce  such  an  amount  of  stall 
manure  as  will  be  sufficient  to  keep  the  soil  in 
good  physical  condition,  and  rely  on  artificial  fer- 
tilizers only  to  supply  the  still  remaining  defi- 
ciencies of  plant  nourishment. 

MANURE  HEAP,  Management  o/.—Ewtrv 
manure  heap  consists  of  three  portions,  and  all 
of  these  require  very  different  means  for  their 
preservation.  We  have  first  the  carbonaceous 
matter.  This  forms  the  chief  bulk  of  every  ma- 
nure heap,  and  from  the  fact  that  it  came  origi- 
nally from  the  atmosphere,  and  that  it  can  be  re- 
placed from  the  same  source,  theorists  who  have 
not  carefully  watched  the  results  attained  in  the 
practice,  are  apt  to  depreciate  its  value.  It  is 
not  as  valuable  as  the  other  two  constituents,  but 
it  serves  to  bring  the  land  into  fine,  friable,  mel- 
low condition,  and  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that 
the  carbonic  acid,  furnished  by  its  decomposi- 
tion, is  not  a  source  of  plant-food.  Under  any 
circumstances,  however,  it  is  well  to  be  econom- 
ical of  it,  and  allow  none  to  go  to  waste. 

The  second  portion  is  the  inorganic  plant-food 
of  animals.  It  consists  of  phosphoric  acid,  lime, 
potash,  soda,  magnesia,  soluble  silica,  etc.,  and 
the  great  source  of  loss  of  these  constituents  is 
from  their  being  washed  out.  They  cannot 
evaporate,  but  if  the  rain  and  liquid  manure  are 
allowed  to  fall  on  a  manure  heap,  and  drain 
through  it  and  out  of  it,  the  manure  pile  becomes 
a  mere  caput  mortuttm — a  worthless  residuum 
of  originally  valuable  materials.  Hence  eVery 
barnyard  where  manure  is  kept  exposed  to  the 
weather,  should  be  hollowed  out  in  the  centre 
and  well  puddled,  so.  as  to  prevent  the  soluble 
matters  from  draining  or  soaking  away.  More- 
over, if  the  farm  is  located  iu  a  region  where  a 
great  deal  of  rain  falls,  it  is  necessary  to  place  a 
large  portion  of  the  barnyard  under  the  cover  of 
sheds,  which  prevent  excessive  wetting.  Some 
moisture  is  absolutely  necessary.  Too  much  is 
decidedly  injurious. 

The  third  constituent  of  the  manure  heap  is 
nitrogen.  This  is  a  substance  of  great  and  un- 
doubted value,  and  every  care  should  be  taken 
to  preserve  and  increase  it.  When  vegetable 
substances  containing  nitrogen  undergo  putre- 
faction, in  a  moist  state,  the  nitrogen  in  general 
becomes  converted  into  ammonia.     The  same 

Erocess  of  putrefaction,  however,  produces  car- 
onic  acid  in  large  quantities,  and  this  combines 
with  the  ammonia  to  form  carbonate  of  ammo- 
nia. This  salt  is  comparatively  volatile,  and  if 
the  manure  is  allowed  to  dry  up,  while  exposed, 
to  thin  layers,  the  ammonia  disappears.  Sev- 
eral agents  may  be  set  to  work  to  fix  and  retain 
it. 

Water  is  one  of  these — carbonate  of  ammonia 
dissolves  very  readily  in  water,  and  does  not 
then  evaporate  to  the  same  extent  that  it  would 
do  from  a  dry  mass. 

The  great  agent  in  the  fixing  of  ammonia  on 
the  manure  heap  is  the  humic  and  similar  acids 
produced  daring  the  decomposition  of  the  straw. 


These  acids  do  it  very  effectually,  and  hence  the 
importance  of  mixing  animal  excrement  with  a 
large  proportion  of  moist  straw. 

One  of  the  most  powerful  fixers  of  ammonia 
is  plaster  or  sulphate  of  lime.  When  this  meets 
carbonate  of  ammonia  in  solution,  decomposi- 
tion ensues.  Carbonate  of  lime  and  sulphate  of 
ammonia  are  formed,  and  as  sulphate  of  ammo- 
nia is  not  volatile  at  ordinary  temperatures,  there 
is  no  danger  of  loss  except  by  its  being  washed 
out. 

Hence  a  few  simple  rules  will  enable  us  to 
manage  a  manure  heap  so  as  to  avoid  any  very 
great  loss : 

1.  Prevent  all  loss  by  drainage  and  soaking. 

2.  See  that  the  animal  excrements  are  covered 
with  moist  straw. 

3.  See  that,  while  too  much  water  is  avoided, 
there  is  a  sufficiency  to  keep  the  manure  moist. 

4.  Moisture  and  packing  prevent  fire  fanging 
— that  is,  too  rapid  fermentation. 

5.  If  you  find  it  convenient  to  use  a  few  bush- 
els of  plaster,  sprinkle  them  over  the  heap  so 
that  the  plaster  will  be  incorporated  with  the 
successive  layers.  It  will  thus  prove  of  great 
service. 

MANURE,  APPLYING.—ln  spreading 
manure,  care  should  be  taken  to  scatter  it  evenly 
over  the  land,  breaking  to  pieces  all  large  and 
hard  lumps.  This  should  always  be  done  im- 
mediately, or  not  more  than  half  a  day,  before 
plowing,  especially  if  the  weather  is  dry  and 
very  windy.  The  manure  should  be  plowed  un- 
der, before  it  dries  very  much,  or  loss  will  ac- 
crue. Another  way  is  to  plow  the  land  first,  and 
then  put  the  manure  on  and  harrow  it  in,  if  put 
on  plowed  land ;  if  on  meadow,  spread  on  in 
early  spring  on  the  latest  seeded  piece.  That 
ground  is  mellow,  and  when  it  rains  it  carries 
the  manure  down  around  the  young  roots,  and 
the  result  is  a  heavy  crop  of  grass. 

MANURE,  Converting  Dead  Animals  into. 
— The  conversion  of  the  entire  bodies  of  dead 
animals  into  manure,  can  be  done  by  subjecting 
them  to  the  action  of  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  by 
means  of  which  they  are  completely  dissolved, 
and  converted  into  a  uniform  pulp,  which  is  in- 
odorous and  can  be  kept  for  any  length  of  time, 
to  be  applied  when  needed  towards  fertilizing 
the  soil.  Another  method  is  to  cut  them  up,  and 
compost  the  dead  meat  with  dry  swamp  muck  or 
peat.  The  ammonia  and  phosphate  will  all  pass 
into  the  peat,  making  a  rich  pile  of  compost,  and 
that  without  smell. 

MANURE,  Converting  Bones  into. — Take 
one  hundred  pounds  of  bones,  broken  into  as 
small  fragments  as  possible ;  pack  them  in  a 
tight  cask  or  box  with  one  hundred  pounds  of 
good  wood  ashes.  Mix  with  the  ashes,  before 
packing,  twenty-five  pounds  of  slaked  lime  and 
twelve  pounds  of  sal  soda,  powdered  fine.  It 
will  require  about  twenty  gallons  of  water  to 
saturate  the  mass,  and  more  may  and  should  be 
added  from  time  to  time  to  maintain  moisture. 
In  two  or  three  weeks,  it  is  asserted,  the  bones 
will  be  broken  down  completely,  and  the  whole 
may  be  turned  out  upon  a  floor  and  mixed  with 
two  bushels  of  dry  peat  or  good  soil,  and,  after 
drying,  it  is  fit  for  use.  It  has  been  recom- 
mended to  pour  on  to  this  mass  dilute  sulphuric 
acid  to  aid  decomposition  and  prevent  the  escape 
of  ammonia. 

Another  method  is  to  take  a  kettle  holding  a 


138 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


barrel  or  more ;  fill  with  bones ;  pour  caustic 
ley  over  to  cover  them.  A  gentle  fire  is  built 
for  two  or  three  successive  days,  to  barely  warm 
the  liquid  through.  In  a  week  the  bones  will 
become  softened.  Mix  the  mass  with  three 
loads  of  muck,  afterward  adding  the  leached 
ashes,  from  which  the  ley  was  obtained.  Let  the 
whole  remain,  in  order  to  decompose  the  muck, 
and  apply. 

MANURE,  Garden  Refuse  as. — Green  stuff, 
such  as  cabbage  leaves,  radish  and  beet  tops,  and 
the  like,  should  not  be  allowed  to  dry.  Let 
them  go  while  fresh  to  the  pig-pen  or  to  the 
compost  heap.  Young  weeds — and  old  ones 
ought  not  to  be  found  in  the  garden — should 
have  the  same  destination.  By  saving  all  the 
refuse  of  the  garden  in  a  heap  by  itself,  or  put- 
ting it  in  the  pig-pen,  a  surprising  accumulation 
of  valuable  compost  will  be  found  at  the  end  of 
the  season. 

MANURE,  HEN.—k  mixture  of  hen-dung, 
unleached  wood-ashes  and  plaster,  frequently  has 
a  wonderful  effect  on  corn.  If  the  ashes  and  the 
hen-manure  arc  perfectly  dry,  no  decorhposition 
or  chemical  change  will  take  place  when  tiiey  are 
mixed  together.  But  if  moist,  more  or  less  am- 
monia will  escape,  and  the  plaster  will  not  hold 
it.  The  only  advantage  of  mixing  these  articles 
together,  aside  from  the  ease  of  applying  them, 
is  probably  this :  When  the  dry  hen-manure  is 
thoroughly  broken  up  fine,  and  mixed  with  the 
ashes  and  plaster,  and  applied  in  the  hill,  the 
moist  soil  soon  induces  chemical  action.  This 
produces  more  or  less  heat  immediately  under 
the  seed  and  favors  germination ;  carbonate  of 
ammonia  would  also  be  given  off,  and  would  be 
absorbed  by  the  soil  immediately  in  contact  with 
the  roots  of  the  young  corn  plants,  and  would,  if 
everything  is  favorable,  cause  them  to  grow  rap- 
idly and  assume  a  dark-green  color.  But  care 
must  he  used  in  applying  the  mixture,  or  it  may 
do  more  harm  than  good  by  burning  the  roots. 
It  should  be  well  mixed  with  the  soil,  and  not 
come  in  direct  contact  with  the  seed.  Some  per- 
sons apply  it  on  the  hill  after  the  plants  are  up, 
just  as  they  frequently  apply  the  plaster  or  ashes 
alone. 

MANURE,  Leaves  as. — Forest  leaves  are 
excellent  to  supply  the  stable-yards,  and,  where 
straw  is  scarce,  also  the  cow-stables  and  hog- 
pens. They  can  be  most  conveniently  gathered 
after  the  first  snow,  or  at  least  before  the  wintry 
blasts  have  scattered  them.  They  then  lay  com- 
pactly, and,  being  moist,  can  be  handled  with 
greater  facility.  Leaves  absorb  large  quantities 
of  liquid  manure,  and  are  an  excellent  fertilizer 
in  spring.  They  can  be  gathered,  too,  when 
other  labor  about  the  farm  is  slack. 

MANURE,  LIQUID.— In  cwQTy  lOO  lbs.  of 
cow's  urine  there  are  60  lbs.  of  water,  5  lbs.  of 
urea,  5  lbs.  of  phosphate  of  lime,  12  lbs.  of  sal 
ammoniac  and  muriate  of  potash,  and  lo.lbs.  of 
carbonate  of  potash  and  ammonia.  While  the 
solid  excrements  obtained  from  one  cow  are  es- 
timated to  manure  three  times  the  amount.  Our 
dairy  farmers  will  see,  therefore,  how  important 
it  is  to  have  tanks  connected  with  their  stables 
in  which  to  deposit  this  material,  or  a  good  sup- 
ply of  sawdust,  dry  earth,  or  muck,  for  absorb- 
ing it  in  the  gutters  of  the  stable.  A  careful  and 
accurate  farmer  in  Scotland  has  found  that  while 
14  head  of  cattle  would  make  6  loads  of  solid 
manure,  the  liquid  would  saturate  7  loads  of 


loam,  rendering  it  of  equal  value.  He  had  re- 
peated the  experiment  for  10  years,  and  found 
the  saturated  earth  fully  equal  to  the  best  pu- 
trescent manure. 

MANURE,  NIGHT-SOIL.— TYiCTQ  is  no 
better  manure  than  night  soil.  It  should  be 
mixed  thoroughly  with  three  or  four  times  its 
bulk  of  muck  or  charcoal  dust,  or  in  the  absence 
of  either,  good  loam  or  coal  ashes  will  answer. 
Mixed  with  some  such  absorbent,  it  will  have 
lost  its  offensive  odor,  and  become  as  portable  as 
any  manure.  If  it  is  to  be  used  to  assist  garden 
crops,  apply  after  spading  or  plowing  the  land 
in  the  spring,  and  mix  it  thoroughly  with  the 
surface  soil;  if  to  corn,  apply  in  the  hill  before 
planting ;  cover  the  manure  with  soil  before  you 
drop  the  soil  on  it. 

MANURE,  Sawdust  and  C^«>.— These  are 
excellent  articles  for  promoting  the  growth  of 
the  vines,  shrubs  and  small  plants.  They  must 
be  thrown  into  a  pile,  after  removing  the  coarser 
portions  of  the  mass,  and  thoroughly  saturated 
once  or  twice  a  week  with  a  mixture  of  urine  and 
soapsuds.  This  will  induce  incipient  fermenta- 
tion, and  so  far  break  down  the  texture  of  the 
mass  as  to  prepare  it  to  act  with  energy  when 
applied  to  any  soil  or  crop. 

MAPLE  TREES,  To  7a/.— Much  injury  is 
often  ignorantly  and  thoughtlessly  inflicted  on 
sugar  maple  trees  by  excessive  tapping,  and  va- 
rious negligent  practices  in  connection  with  the 
operation.  As  a  guard  against  such  malpractice 
the  following  rules  will  be  useful :  I.  Use  noth- 
ing larger  than  a  three-fourth  inch  auger  or  bitt. 
One-half  to  five-eighths  of  an  inch  is  best.  2. 
Do  not  open  the  trees  until  they  will  run  equally 
well  on  all  sides.  3.  Select  the  thriftiest  part  of 
the  tree  that  is  farthest  from  an  old  orifice.  4. 
Never  put  more  than  one  spout  to  a  tree  that  is 
less  than  one  foot  in  diameter,  nor  more  than 
one,  bucket  to  one  less  than  18  inches  in  diame- 
ter. 5.  Never  bore  trees  more  than  once  in  a 
season,  but  freshen  them  once,  or  any  time  after 
a  long  and  hard  freeze.  6.  Never  leave  spouts 
in  the  trees  a  single  day  after  they  have  done 
running.  The  quicker  the  orifices  dry,  the  less 
they  decay. 

The  following  facts  should  also  be  remem- 
bered :  The  root  of  a  tree  will  sometimes  run 
more  than  the  body.  A  healthy  tree  runs  in 
proportion  to  the  size  of  its  top,  and  should  be 
opened  with  respect  to  its  capacity  for  pro- 
duction. Trees  in  open  grounds,  with  spread- 
ing tops,  discharge  more  and  much  sweeter  wa- 
ter than  those  in  a  forest. 

MAPLE  SUGAR,  MAKING.— Preserving 
the  Trees. — If  the  trees  are  worth  having  they 
are  worth  keeping,  and  it  is  bad  political  econ- 
omy, and  a  very  immoral  waste,  to  spoil  that 
which  will  enable  posterity  to  live.  Consequent- 
ly, do  not  tap  the  tree  with  a  huge  gash,  but 
smooth  off  the  outside  bark  about  the  size  of  a 
man's  hand.  At  the  bottom  of  this,  with  a  three 
quarter  of  an  inch  auger,  bore  from  half  to  tliree 
quarters  of  an  inch  into  the  wood,  but  not  deep- 
er. Cut  a  V  into  the  wood  above  the  auger 
hole,  with  a  mallet  and  firmer  chisel,  to  commu- 
nicate with  the  auger  hole.  Spouts. — Tin  spouts 
are  the  handiest.  They  save  time  in  making  and 
adapting  to  the  purpose.  You  will  waste  time 
in  making  elder  spouts,  or  wooden  spouts  of  any 
kind.  Vessels. — Unpainted  pails  are  the  best, 
and  if  they  are  well  scalded  before  being  used 


FARAf,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN-  AND  DAIRY. 


139 


they  are  all  the  better.  Furnace. — Instead  of 
the  old  plan  o\  a  kettle  hanging  over  a  fire,  build 
a  furnace,  over  which  you  can  place  shallow 
pans  for  evaporating  the  sap.  In  many  places 
maple  sugar  making  is  abandoned  on  account  of 
the  waste  of  fuel ;  but  in  the  way  last  recom- 
mended the  fuel  is  saved  very  much,  and  what, 
under  the  old  system,  was  a  losing  operation  in 
farming,  may  become  moderately  profitable.  If 
you  will  use  a  kettle,  a  built-up  furnace,  over 
which  the  kettle  may  stand  or  hang,  is  still  a 
great  economizer  of  fuel.  Boiling  Down. — If 
you  have  two  or  more  pans,  or  kettles,  you  will 
save  time,  for  while  one  is  evaporating,  the  other 
may  be  poured  off  through  a  straining  cloth,  pre- 
vious to  sugaring  off.  Pouring  Off.  — When  the 
syrup  has  become  nearly  as  thick  as  ordinary 
New  Orleans  molasses,  strain  through  a  flannel 
into  a  pan  or  kettle,  which  place  again  over  the 
fire.  When  warm,  you  can  add  half  a  pint  of 
milk,  or  an  egg  beaten  in  the  same  quantity  of 
water,  as  a  clarifier,  if  it  needs  it.  If  everything 
has  been  carefully  handled  this  will  not  be  nec- 
essary. Sugaring  Off. — While  the  thick  syrup 
is  boiling  take  off  the  scum.  Keep  the  fire  reg- 
ular and  steady.  While  this  is  going  on,  try 
several  times  a  drop  of  the  boiling  syrup  on  a 
bright  ax  blade ;  when  a  drop  thus  cooled  slides 
off  with  ease,  leaving  no  trace,  take  the  kettle 
from  the  fire,  and  stir  it  till  it  begins  to  form  fine 
grains,  when  pour  it  into  moulds  of  any  desired 
shape.  Moulds  with  sheet  iron  or  zinc  bottoms, 
and  wooden  sides  and  subdivisions,  are  handy 
and  clean.  Strained  Sugar. — By  boiling  some- 
what less,  and  placing  the  sugar  (after  it  is 
cooled  and  granulated)  in  vessels  with  false  bot- 
toms, perforated,  much  molasses  drains  off,  and 
a  finer  article  of  sugar  is  produced.  During  the 
draining  the  sugar  should  be  kept  moderately 
warm,  say  at  about  70"  Fahrenheit.  Clarifying. 
— Where  the  sap  has  been  kept  entirely  free  from 
dust,  twigs,  leaves,  etc.,  the  milk  or  the  egg  is 
unnecessary.  Souring. — The  tendency  to  fer- 
ment and  turn  sour  may  be  prevented  by  a  little 
quicklime  added  to  the  sap.  Draining. — The 
forms  of  the  sugar  should  not  be  drained  until 
all  the  sugar  possible  has  been  granulated.  To 
secure  this,  turn  them  upside  down  soon  after 
taking  them  out  of  the  moulds ;  after  a  little 
while  turn  them  back  again,  and  so  on  for  three 
or  four  hours,  after  which,  with  a  vessel  under 
them  to  catch  the  molasses,  they  may  be  left  to 
drain  thoroughly.  A  Slarge  Sugar. — If  you 
have  many  trees,  and  wish  to  make  a  consider- 
able business  of  the  maple  sugar-making,  build 
a  good  furnace  of  brick  or  stone,  with  one  deep 
evaporating  pan,  and  several  shallow  ones,  and 
arrange  a  barrel  or  hogshead  of  strained  sap,  so 
that  it  will  supply  the  deep  pan  with  a  constant 
stream  of  sap,  from  which  it  may  be  ladled  into 
the  thin  ones  as  needed. 

MEADOWS,  Worn  Ou(. —There  is  no  more 
profitable  field  belonging  to  the  farm  than  a  good 
meadow,  and  yet  comparatively  few  farmers  un- 
derstand the  art  of  keeping  them  in  a  productive 
state.  Meadows  become  worn  out,  and  conse- 
quently unprofitable,  from  two  causes — namely, 
from  want  of  proper  manures,  or  from  a  kind  of 
mess  which  farmers  usually  call  fog.  The  first 
is  easily  remedied  by  spreading  a  light  coat  of 
chaff  of  any  kind  over  the  sod,  any  time  between 
November  and  the  middle  of  April,  as  this  is 
not  only  the  best  manure  for  meadows,  but  must 


not  be  put  on  farm  lands  at  any  time,  as  it  con- 
tains a  great  quantity  of  the  seeds  of  noxious 
plants  that  greatly  thin,  and  sometimes  almost 
destroy  the  grain  crop.  The  second  is  effectu- 
ally and  permanently  destroyed  and  converted 
into  a  highly  nutritious  manure  by  a  top-dressing 
of  lime,  say  twenty  bushels  to  the  acre. 

MELONS. — First  give  the  ground  a  good 
coat  of  fine  manure,  thoroughly  dig  or  plow  the 
ground,  and  then  level  with  a  rake  or  otherwise. 
Then  make  a  marker,  by  taking  any  piece  of 
wood  that  will  not  bend,  eight  feet  long ;  fasten 
two  pegs  to  this,  seven  feet  apart,  and  nail  a  han- 
dle in  the  centre,  bracing  it  both  ways ;  then 
draw  a  tight  line  for  the  first  mark,  drawing  the 
marker  the  first  time  through  with  one  peg 
against  the  line ;  the  next  time  through,  but  one 
peg  run  in  the  last  mark ;  then  you  get  all  per- 
fectly straight.  Mark  across  these  in  the  same 
manner,  and  then  place  on  each  comer  or  hill 
two  shovelfuls  of  well  rotted  manure ;  take  the 
digging  fork  and  mix  with  the  soil  thoroughly  to 
the  depth  of  the  fork  tines.  After  this  take  the 
r.ike  and  rake  the  soil  on  the  top  of  this  to  the 
depth  of  three  inches,  which  makes  the  hill  a 
little  higher  than  the  surface  of  the  ground. 

The  seed  should  not  be  planted  until  the 
ground  gets  thoroughly  warm — say  the  last  of 
May  or  first  of  June  in  this  section.  Too  early 
planting  is  one  cause  of  failure.  Then  stick  nine 
seeds  in  each  hill.  As  soon  as  they  come  up, 
sprinkle  a  little  plaster  on  the  plants  while  the 
dew  is  on,  to  keep  the  bugs  off;  do  this  as  often 
as  the  plaster  gets  off,  until  the  plants  get  to  be 
of  good  size,  and  then  thin  out  to  four  plants  in 
a  hill.  When  these  begin  to  run  nicely,  pinch 
off  the  tip  end  of  the  runners,  which  will  cause 
them  to  throw  out  side  runners  ;  pinch  these  in 
the  same  manner;  keep  the  ground  well  culti- 
vated and  free  from  weeds  till  the  vines  take 
possession.  If  treated  in  this  manner  they  will 
cover  the  ground  completely,  and  you  will  have, 
from  a  small  patch,  watermelons  by  the  hundred, 
while  others,  pursuing  a  different  course,  will 
frequently  lose  all  their  plants  by  the  dry  weath- 
er, because  they  had  a  manure  pile  underneath 
the  plants. 

Some  persons  raise  Mountain  Sweets  alto- 
gether, which  is  supposed  to  be  the  sweetest 
melon  grown. 

MELONS  AND  CUCUMBERS,  Barrel 
Culture  for. — The  plan  recommended  is  to  take 
a  tight  barrel  or  cask,  remove  one  head,  and  par- 
tially fill  the  barrel  or  cask  with  large  pebbles  or 
stones — say  half  full ;  upon  these  stones  place  a 
mixture  of  compost  with  rich  alluvial  soil,  or 
fine,  fresh  vegetable  mold,  until  the  barrel  or 
cask  is  filled  to  within  three  or  four  inches  of  the 
top,  and  in  this  plant  the  seed  and  cover  to  the 
requisite  depth.  This  barrel  or  cask  may  be  set 
in  any  convenient  situation  where  sufficient  room 
or  space  can  be  obtained,  and  around  which  ar- 
range lattice  work  or  brush  to  sustain  the  out- 
spreading plants,  in  whatever  manner  may  be 
found  most  convenient  for  affording  access  at 
all  times  to  both  the  barrel  and  the  plants. 

Upon  the  outer  side  of  the  cask  insert  a  pipe 
of  convenient  size,  through  which  water  may  be 
introduced  to  the  lower  or  under  half  of  the  bar- 
rel daily,  or  as  often  as  occasion  may  require ; 
this  portion  of  the  cask  should  be  kept  con- 
stantly filled  with  water.  Midway  of  the  cask 
the  staves  should  be  perforated  with  several  half 


140 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS, 


inch  holes,  for  the  free  escape  of  any  surplus 
water,  and  at  the  same  time  to  permit  the  ad- 
mission of  an  equal  distribution  of  air  ;  the  pur- 
pose would  be  better  accomplished  if  the  holes 
were  bored  upon  a  line  at  equal  distances  apart 
around  the  cask. 

The  effect  of  this  arrangement,  as  will  be  very 
readily  seen,  is  that,  through  the  capillary  at- 
traction of  the  soil,  sufficient  moisture  is  ab- 
sorbed at  all  times  to  nourish  the  plants,  while 
the  admission  of  air  can  be  controlled  at  pleasure 
by  opening  or  closing  the  apertures  upon  the 
sides  of  the  cask. 

As  to  the  production  of  cucumbers  alone  un- 
der this  plan,  it  has  been  found  to  greatly  exceed 
any  other ;  the  yield,  under  proper  management, 
from  one  "generating  tub"  has  been  found  am- 
ply sufficient  to  fill  a  closely  packed  barrel  with 
salted  pickles, 

MICE-GIRDED  TREES,  To  Save.—C\xi 
from  the  trees  branches  of  green  wood  of  the 
length  required  to  connect  the  bark  above  and 
below  the  gnawed  space,  sharpen  them  at  each 
end  in  the  shape  of  a  wedge,  drive  a  narrow, 
sharp  chisel  into  the  bark  above  and  below  the 
space,  and  press  each  end  of  the  shoots  firmly 
into  the  cuts  made  by  the  chisel.  Then  wax  the 
gnawed  space  well,  or  bandage  it  with  fresh  ex- 
crement from  the  cow  stable.  Pains  must  be 
taken  to  have  the  bark  on  the  body  of  the  tree 
and  the  bark  of  the  branches  driven  therein  co- 
incide. Another  method  is  to  cover  the  dam- 
aged parts  with  clay,  bound  on  with  a  bandage, 
done  as  soon  as  possible,  as  the  death  of  the 
tree  is  caused  by  the  seasoning  of  the  sap- 
wood. 

MILDEW,  Sulphur  for.— 1)\Q  efficacy  of 
sulphur  in  destroying  and  preventing  mildew  is 
now  well  known,  and  it  is  the  chief  reliance  of 
the  vine-grower,  whether  he  cultivates  under 
glass  or  in  the  open  air.  Where  sulphuring  is 
systematically  followed,  it  is  applied  at  least 
three  times — just  before  the  blossoming  of  the 
x-ines,  after  the  fruit  has  set,  and  when  it  begins 
to  color ;  and,  beside  these  stated  periods,  it  is 
applied  whenever  the  appearance  of  mildew  in- 
dicates that  it  is  necessary.  The  mode  of  appli- 
cation, by  La  Vergne's  bellows,  is  the  popular 
way  of  applying  the  sulphur.  The  bellows  may 
now  be  obtained  at  most  implement  stores. 
The  character  of  the  sulphur  is  of  importance,  as 
much  of  that  found  in  commerce  is  liable  to  con- 
tain acid,  and  be  injurious  to  the  foliage.  Sul- 
phur contaminated  by  acid  may  be  detected  by 
the  taste,  but  a  more  delicate  test  is  litmus  pa- 
per. This  is  paper  stained  with  a  blue  dye, 
which  turns  red  when  it  is  touched  by  acids  ;  it 
is  kept  by  the  druggists.  The  sulphur  to  be 
tested  is  mixed  with  a  little  water  and  the  paper 
wetted  with  the  liquid.  If  the  least  trace  of  the 
acid  be  present,  it  will  be  indicated  by  the  change 
in  color  of  the  paper.  Sometimes  sulphur  is  not 
sublimed  as  above  described,  but  the  crude 
lumps  are  ground  to  powder  in  a  mill.  Sulphur 
thus  prepared  is  free  from  acid. 

MILK-ROOM,  CJiarcoal  *«.— The  fact  that 
milk  will  absorb  noxious  gases  to  such  an  extent 
as  to  greatly  impair  its  excellence  as  well  as  its 
healthfulness,  is  known  to  every  dairyman.  The 
power  of  absorption  is  not  confined  to  the  milk 
itself,  but  it  extends  to  all  the  products  that  nat- 
urally form,  or  are  artificially  prepared  from  it, 
where  they  are  cream,  or  butter  and  cjieese. 


The  ill  flavor,  as  well  as  the  disagreeable  odor, 
of  much  of  our  butter  and  cheese,  are  not  im- 
parted to  them  from  substances  that  existed  in 
the  milk  when  it  was  drawn  from  the  cow,  but 
which  were  taken  up  while  the  milk  was  setting 
in  pans  or  tanks,  during  the  manufacture  into 
butter  and  cheese,  or  while  these  products  of 
the  dairy  are  awaiting  sale.  How  shall  the  air 
that  enters  our  milk- room  be  purified  ?  The 
answer  is  easily  made — use  charcoal.  This  com- 
mon and  inexpensive  substance,  when  freshly 
prepared,  is  capable  of  taking  up  and  securely 
holding  ninety  times  its  volume  of  ammonia,  and 
a  proportionate  amount  of  other  gases.  Not 
only  does  it  tightly  hold  the  portions  of  noxious 
matter  that  pass  through  its  meshes,  but  it  also 
seems  to  have  the  property  of  attracting  them 
from  the  surrounding  air. 

MILK,  To  Deodorize. — It  frequently  occurs 
in  the  spring,  when  the  farmers  are  feeding  the 
cows  upon  ruta-bagas,  or  turnips,  that  the  milk 
becomes  so  strongly  impregnated  by  their  disa- 
greeable taste  and  odor  as  to  be  unfit  for  butter- 
making.  To  obviate  this,  put  a  pinch  of  finely 
pulverized  saltpetre  into  every  gallon  of  cream. 
A  little  saltpetre  worked  into  butter  that  has  be- 
come sour,  or  rancid,  will  render  it  sweet  and 
palatable. 

MILK,  {Richness  of)  ToTest. —Vxocwtz  any 
long  glass  vessel — a  cologne  bottle  or  long  phial. 
Take  a  narrow  strip  of  paper,  just  the  length 
from  the  neck  to  the  bottom  of  the  phial,  and 
mark  it  off  with  one  hundred  lines  at  equal  dis- 
tances ;  or,  if  more  convenient,  and  to  obtain 
greater  exactness,  into  fifty  lines,  and  count  each 
as  two,  and  paste  it  upon  the  phial,  so  as  to  di- 
vide its  length  into  a  hundred  equal  parts.  Fill 
it  to  the  highest  mark  with  milk  fresh  from  the 
cow,  and  allow  it  to  stand  in  a  perpendicular  po- 
sition for  twenty-four  hours.  The  number  of 
spaces  occupied  by  the  cream  will  give  you  its 
exact  per  centage  in  the  milk,  without  any  guess 
work. 

Now,  if  you  wish  to  carry  the  experiment  any 
further,  and  ascertain  the  per  centage  of  butter, 
set  the  milk  in  a  large  dish,  and  collect  say  one 
hundred  or  two  hundred  ounces  of  cream ;  make 
your  butter  in  the  cream  by  ascertaining  the 
number  of  ounces  of  butter  you  have  made. 
Thus,  if  one  hundred  ounces  of  cream  give  five 
ounces  of  butter,  you  will  know  that  one  hun- 
dred ounces  of  milk  will  give  five  ounces  of  but- 
ter. 

MILKING  IN  SILENCE.— k  noted  dairy- 
man has  said  that  no  talking  should  be  allowed 
while  milking  was  going  on.  He  had  discharged 
a  man  because  he  would  interrupt  the  milking 
by  talking,  and  in  three  days  the  increase  of  the 
milk  was  equal  to  the  man's  weekly  w.iges. 

MILDEW  ON  ROSES,  To  Kill.—Tslix 
equal  parts,  by  weight,  of  powdered  sulphur  and 
quicklime.  Moisten  with  water,  and  let  the 
lime  slake  in  contact  with  tlie  sulphur.  After 
the  lime  is  slaked,  place  the  whole  in  a  kettle 
with  plenty  of  water,  and  boil  it  until  you  get  a 
saturated  solution  of  the  sulphuret  of  lime. 
This  will  be  transparent  and  of  an  amber  color, 
and  should  be  drawn  off  and  preserved  in  bot- 
tles for  use.  A  gill  of  this  added  to  a  gallon  of 
water,  and  applied  with  a  syringe,  will  kill  the 
mildew  without  injuring  the  roses. 

MOTHS,  {Codlittg,)  To  Trap.—Tzkt  old 
cider,  or  cider  vinegar,  not  very  sharp ;  put  halt 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


Uf 


a  pint  in  some  open  vessel,  and  hang  it  in  all 
parts  of  the  orchard  when  in  bloom — empty  fruit 
jars,  or  tin  oyster  cans  with  the  top  all  off  would 
do.  The  string  holding  the  vessel  should  be  so 
placed  that  it  would  not  turn  the  water  running 
down  the  limb  into  the  vinegar  or  cider.  If  you 
have  a  large  crop  to  harvest,  you  will  want  to 
look  to  them  every  week  or  two  to  empty  and 
renew  if  necessary. 

MUSHROOM  BEDS,  Artt/idal.—'Mnsh- 
rooms  may  be  grown  in  pots,  boxes,  or  hamp- 
ers. Each  box  may  be  three  feet  long,  one  and 
a  half  broad,  and  seven  inches  in  depth.  Let 
each  box  be  half  filled  with  horse-dung  from  the 
stables,  (the  fresher  the  better,  and  if  wet  to  be 
dried  for  three  or  four  days  before  it  is  put  into 
the  boxes  ;  the  dung  is  to  be  well  beat  down  in 
the  box.  After  the  second  or  third  day,  if  any 
heat  has  arisen  amongst  the  dung,  break  each 
spawn  brick  into  three  parts  as  equally  as  possi- 
ble, then  lay  the  pieces  about  four  inches  apart 
upon  the  surface  of  the  dung  in  the  box ;  here 
they  are  to  lie  for  six  days,  when  it  will  probably 
be  found  that  the  side  of  the  spawn  next  to  the 
dung  has  begun  to  run  in  the  dung  below  ;  then 
add  one  and  a  half  inch  more  of  fresh  dung  on 
the  top  of  the  spawn  in  the  box,  and  beat  it 
down  as  formerly.  In  the  course  of  a  fortnight, 
when  you  find  that  the  spawn  has  run  through 
the  dung,  the  box  will  be  ready  to  receive  the 
mould  on  the  top ;  this  mould  must  be  two  and 
a  half  inches  deep,  well  beat  down,  and  the  sur- 
face made  quite  even.  In  the  space  of  five  or 
six  weeks  the  mushrooms  will  begin  to  come  up. 
If  then  the  mould  seems  dry,  give  a  gentle  wa- 
tering with  lukewarm  water.  The  box  will  con- 
tinue to  produce  from  six  weeks  to  two  months, 
if  duly  attended  to  by  giving  a  little  water  when 
dry,  for  they  need  neither  light  nor  free  air.  If 
cut  as  button  mushrooms,  each  box  will  yield 
from  twenty-four  to  forty-eight  pints,  according 
to  the  season  and  other  circumstances.  They 
may  be  kept  in  dry,  dark  cellars,  or  any  other 
places  where  the  frost  will  not  reach  them ;  and 
by  preparing,  in  s\iccession  of  boxes,  mushrooms 
may  be  had  all  the  year  through.  They  may  be 
grown  without  the  dung,  and  be  of  a  finer  fla- 
vor. Take  a  little  stsaw,  and  lay  it  carefully  in 
the  bottom  of  the  mushroom-box,  about  an  inch 
thick,  or  rather  more.  Then  take  some  of  the 
spawn  bricks  and  break  them  down — each  brick 
into  about  ten  pieces,  and  lay  the  fragments  on 
the  straw,  as  close  to  each  other  as  they  will  lie. 
Cover  them  up  with  mould  three  and  a  half 
inches  deep,  and  well  pressed  down.  When  the 
surface  appears  dry  give  a  little  tepid  water,  as 
directed  for  the  last  way  of  raising  them  ;  but 
this  method  needs  about  double  the  quantity  of 
water  that  the  former  does,  owing  to  having  no 
moisture  in  the  bottom,  while  the  other  has  the 
dung.  The  mushrooms  will  begin  to  start  in  a 
month  or  five  weeks — sometimes  sooner,  some- 
times later,  according  to  the  heat  of  the  place 
where  the  boxes  are  situated.  The  spawn  bricks 
may  be  obtained  from  seedsmen,  or  be  collected 
from  meadows. 

OA  TS. — Oats  are  chiefly  sown  after  grass ; 
sometimes  upon  land  not  rich  enough  for  wheat, 
that  has  been  previously  summer-fallowed,  or 
has  carried  turnips  ;  often  after  barley,  and  very 
rarely  after  wheat,  unless  cross-cropping,  from 
particular  circumstances,  becomes  a  necessary 
evil.     One  plowing  is  generally  given  to   the 


grass  lands,  usually  in  the  month  of  January,  so 
that  the  benefit  of  frost  may  be  gained,  and  the 
land  sufficiently  mellowed  for  receiving  the  har- 
row. In  some  cases  a  spring  furrow  is  given, 
when  oats  succeed  wheat  or  barley,  especially 
when  grass  seeds  are  to  accompany  the  crop. 
The  best  oats,  both  in  quantity  and  quality,  are 
always  those  which  succeed  grass ;  indeed,  no 
kind  of  grain  seems  better  qualified  by  nature 
for  foraging  upon  grass  land  than  oats ;  as  a  full 
crop  is  usualljr  obtained  in  the  first  instance,  and 
the  land  left  m  good  order  for  the  succeeding 
crops. 

ONIONS,  Cultivation  o/.—Tht  best  soil  for 
onions  is  a  light,  loamy,  deep,  mellow  soil,  and 
on  a  dry  bottom.  Select  ground  that  has  been 
well  tilled  and  kept  clean.  If  potatoes,  turnips, 
or  carrots  have  been  carefully  grown  on  it,  it 
will  be  likely  to  be  in  good  condition  to  prepare 
for  onions.  The  best  crop  to  prepare  ground 
for  onions  is  onions,  but  as  there  must  be  a  first 
time,  let  them  follow  the  crop  that  has  had  deep 
plowing,  high  manuring,  and  the  cleanest  culti- 
vation. Manure  the  ground  heavily  with  the 
test  thoroughly  rotted  manure.  Put  it  on  at  the 
rate  of  twenty-five  tons  to  the  acre,  and  it  you 
can  add  to  it  the  cleanings  of  the  poultry  house, 
the  pig  pen,  and  your  dry  earth  closet,  and  a 
ton  or  two  of  pure  finely  ground  bones,  all  the 
better.  Onions  are  gross  feeders,  and  require 
rich  manures,  and  plenty  of  them.  Old  onion- 
growers  say  that  the  very  best  manure  in  which 
to  grow  large  prize  onions,  size  to  rule,  is  well- 
rotted  onions.  Pulverize  the  soil  thoroughly  by 
plowing,  harrowing,  and  raking,  and  make  the 
surface  as  level  as  possible,  to  prevent  washing 
by  rains,  and  free  from  stones.  Sow  the  seed 
as  early  in  the  spring  as  it  is  possible  to  get  the 
ground  in  good  working  condition.  The  earliest 
sown  produces  the  heaviest  crop.  In  field  cul- 
tivation the  seed  is  usually  sown  with  a  machine 
used  for  this  purpose  only,  which  sows  two  rows 
at  once,  making  the  drills  and  sowing  at  the  one 
time.  In  sowing  with  the  machine  it  will  re- 
quire about  four  pounds  of  seed  to  the  acre.  If 
the  machine  is  not  used,  it  will  be  found  conve- 
nient to  run  the  drills  a  foot  or  fifteen  inches 
apart  and  sow  thinly — say  not  thicker  than  an 
inch  apart,  if  the  seed  be  new  and  fresh.  It  is 
very  easy  to  test  the  vitality  of  onion  seed. 
Place  a  little  on  some  damp  cotton  or  a  bit  of 
moss  in  a  warm  room — say  the  kitchen ;  if  it  be 
fresh  it  will  sprout  in  three  or  four  days.  Seed 
more  than  one  year  old  is  not  apt.  to  produce  a 
vigorous  plant.  Sow  shallow,  making  a  mere 
scratch  in  which  to  drop  the  seed,  and  cover  by 
rolling  a  light  roller  over  the  ground,  lengthwise 
of  the  drills'.  As  soon  as  the  plants  are  an  inch 
or  two  high  they  will  need  hoeing  and  weeding, 
and  should  be  thinned  out  to  about  two  inches 
apart.  Hoe  shallow,  and  do  not  draw  the  earth 
up  around  the  plants,  but  keep  the  ground  level 
and  clean.  Hoe  before  the  weeds  start,  and 
much  time  and  labor  will  be  saved.  If  there  be 
a  market  for  very  young  onions,  they  may  be  al- 
lowed to  grow  for  awhile  at  two  inches  apart, 
thinning  out  to  four  inches  as  fast  as  needed. 
If  there  be  no  use  for  them,  the  onions  may  be 
thinned  to  four  inches  as  soon  as  the  plants  seem 
to  be  well  established. 

In  wet  seasons  onions  sometimes  grow  thick- 
necked.  To  remedy  this,  growers  are  in  the 
!  habit  of  gently  bending  down  the  tops  late  in 


I4a 


DTCTION'ARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


July,  with  the  hoc-handle,  which  checks  their 
growth  and  makes  them  form  better  bulbs.  In 
August  or  early  in  September  the  onions  will  be 
ripe,  which  is  indicated  by  the  dying  off  of  the 
tops.  They  may  now  be  pulled  or  raked  out, 
and  left  spread  out  to  dry  in  the  sun  for  two  or 
three  weeks,  by  which  time  they  are  ready  for 
market,  or  storing  for  winter.  The  same  ground 
will  be  the  best  for  onions  next  year,  and  so  for 
the  next  twenty-five  years,  but  it  will  need  to  be 
manured  every  year  very  heavily,  and  if  a  prac- 
tice is  made  of  saving  all  the  soot  from  the  chim- 
neys, all  the  soapsuds  from  the  washtub,  and  all 
the  slops  from  the  chambers,  and  spreading  it 
upon  the  onion  patch,  the  crop  of  onions  will 
amplv  repay  all  the  labor, 

OPIUM  CULTURE.— Thz  time  to  com- 
mence operating  upon  the  seed  capsules  (seed 
pods)  is  soon  after  the  petals  have  fallen.  The 
way  to  do  this  is  to  take  a  common  two-bladed 
penknife,  or  a  pocket  knife  with  two  blades  of 
equal  length,  and  both  at  one  end  of  the  handle. 
Slip  a  piece  of  cork  or  wood  on  to  these  blades, 
pushing  the  point  through  one-sixteenth  of  an 
inch,  or  more,  according  to  the  thickness  of  the 
pod  shells.  The  cork  guard  is  to  prevent  cut- 
ting the  pods  too  deeply  when  making  the  incis- 
ions, for,  if  cut  through  to  the  seeds,  the  juice, 
or  a  portion  of  it,  will  pass  inside  and  be  lost. 
In  setting  the  guard,  it  is  well  to  cut  off  a  poppy 
pod  and  cut  it  in  two  ;  then  arrange  the  blades 
so  that  the  cut  shall  not  be  too  deep.  Wind  the 
blades  below  the  guard  down  to  the  handle,  and 
the  tool  is  ready  for  use.  The  afternoon,  or  just 
before  evening,  is  the  best  time  to  make  the  in- 
cision, as  the  juice  exudes  most  freely  at  night. 
To  Cut,  take  the  knife  in  the  right  hand,  with 
the  edges  upward ;  then  insert  the  points  at  the 
base  of  the  pods,  and  pass  them  up  nearly  to 
the  apex,  making  a  half  dozen  longitudinal  cuts, 
dividing  them  equally  around  the  pods.  The 
cuts  may  also  be  made  around  the  pods  horizon- 
tally, if  more  convenient  for  the  operator.  The 
object  sought  is  to  wound  the  pod,  which  allows 
the  juice  or  opium  to  exude.  The  following  day 
the  opium  should  be  gathered,  commencing  af- 
ter the  dew  has  dried  off — say  by  9  or  10  o'clock 
in  the  morning.  To  Gather,  take  a  small  and 
smooth-edged,  but  not  sharp  knife,  and  gather 
by  scraping  off  the  opium  from  the  pods.  A 
small  vessel  with  a  sharp  edge  must  be  used  in 
which  to  put  the  opium  as  gathered,  because  it 
sticks  to  the  knife,  and  requires  some  force  to 
separate  it  therefrom.  When  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity is  gathered,  it  may  be  pressed  into  small 
cakes  weighing  a  pound,  more  or  less,  and  it  is 
then  ready  for  market. 

ORCHARDS,  To  Manage.— The  whole  of 
the  ground  of  an  orchard  should  be  dug  in  the 
autumn  and  laid  up  in  a  rough  state  for  the  win- 
ter, giving  it  as  much  surface  as  possible  in  or 
der  that  the  weather  may  fully  act  upon  and  me- 
liorate the  soil,  thus  following  it  as  far  as  the 
case  will  admit.  Observe  to  dig  carefully  near 
to  the  trees,  and  so  as  not  to  hurt  their  roots  and 
fibres.  If  the  soil  be  shallow,  and  if  these  lie 
near  to  the  surface,  it  would  be  advisable  to  dig 
with  a  fork  instead  of  the  spade. 

Crop  to  within  two  feet  of  the  trees  the  first 
year,  a  yard  the  second,  four  feet  the  third,  and 
so  on  until  finally  relinquished ;  which,  of 
course,  would  be  against  the  eighth  year,  pro- 
vided the  trees  were  planted  at  thirty  or  forty 


feet  apart,  with  early  bearing  sorts  between. 
By  this  time,  if  the  kinds  have  been  well  chosen, 
the  temporary  trees  will  be  in  full  bearing,  and 
will  forthwith  defray  every  necessary  expense. 

PARSNIPS,  To  i^flw^.— Select  a  heavy,  but 
clean  and  rich,  loam.  Plow  it  deep,  and  har- 
row it  thoroughly  as  early  as  it  can  be  worked ; 
mark  off  in  rows  fifteen  inches  apart,  and  drill 
in  the  seed  or  sow  by  hand.  Use  plenty  of  the 
seed,  two  or  three  to  the  inch,  and  be  sure  it  is 
fresh.  Go  through  the  rows  with  a  pronged 
hoe,  or  other  implement,  as  soon  as  they  can  be 
distinguished.  When  large  enough,  thin  thi 
plants  to  stand  four  or  five  inches  apart,  and  be 
sure  that  they  stand  singly.  Keep  the  land  very 
clean  by  frequent  hoeing. 

PEACH  TREES,  Management  (7/.— Seed- 
ling trees  are  the  longest  livers,  most  prolific  and 
most  profitable.  Secure  a  good  variety  of  pits 
which  produce  the  same  kind  of  fruit — these  are 
rare.  Plant  pits  where  you  desire  your  trees  to 
remain,  or,  if  transplanted,  they  should  be  of 
the  first  year's  growth.  After  your  trees  have 
attained  to  a  proper  size,  cut  back,  and  prevent 
their  bearing ;  this  will  cause  the  roots  to  spread 
in  the  soil,  and  will  add  to  the  longevity  of  the 
tree.  Trees  which  send  down  one  large  root 
and  small  fibrous  roots,  will  soon  become  cov- 
ered with  moss  and  die.  Use  coal  ashes  and 
soap  suds  plentifully,  and  if  you  wish  to  keep  the 
trees  from  blooming  early,  spread  manure,  coal 
ashes  or  sawdust  deeply  upon  the  roots  when 
the  ground  is  hardest  frozen,  and  do  not  remove 
till  late  in  the  spring.  (This  has  been  sold  as  a 
great  secret. )  The  largest  roots  of  a  peach  tree 
will  be  found  upon  the  north  and  west  sides. 
Branches  grow  fastest  toward  the  south  and  the 
east. 

PEACH  BORER,  To  Destroy.— Ont  method 
is  to  bank  up  to  the  height  of  from  8  to  10  inch- 
es, adding  a  little  each  successive  spring.  This, 
it  is  said,  will  prevent  the  depredations  of  the 
peach  borer.  Another  is  the  use  of  scalding 
water.  Early  each  spring  scrape  around  the 
trees  with  a  large  knife  on  the  morning  of 
"  washing  day."  When  the  washing  is  done, 
take  buckets  full  of  boiling  suds  into  the  or- 
chard, and  dash  the  trees  just  where  the  trunks 
join  the  ground.  In  this  way  thousands  of  lit- 
tle worms  are  scalded  to  death.  Another  is  by 
the  use  of  carbolic  acid  soap,  and  lastly  by  pot- 
ash, as  follows : 

PEACH  TREES,  Potash  for.—V)x.  George 
B.  Wood,  President  of  the  American  Philo- 
sophical Society,  having  noticed  that  his  peach 
trees,  after  producing  a  few  crops,  ceased  bear- 
ing, and  died  in  a  few  years,  and  believing  that 
the  cause  of  decay  was  worms  at  the  roots  of  the 
tree,  put  into  operation  a  plan  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  worms.  He  dug  holes  five  or  six 
inches  deep  at  the  base  of  the  stem,  scraped 
away  all  worms  that  could  be  found,  and  filled 
up  with  wood  ashes  fresh  from  the  stove,  which, 
of  course,  contained  all  the  potash.  This  was 
done  in  the  autumn,  and  with  a  result  in  the  fol- 
lowing spring  at  which  he  was  astonished.  The 
trees  appeared  to  have  been  restored  to  all  their 
early  freshness  and  vigor — put  forth  bright  green 
leaves,  blossomed  copiously,  and  bore  a  heavy 
crop  of  fruit. 

PEARS. — The  best  soil  for  the  pear  is  a  mod- 
erately heavy,  sandy,  and  dry  soil,  with  a  sub- 
soil of  light  clay  which  is  easily  penetrated  by 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDET^  AND  DAIRY. 


143 


the  roots  to  a  great  depth  ;  a  moderate  portion 
of  iron  in  the  soil  is  desirable.  The  best  situa- 
tion is  an  undulating  eastern  or  southern  expo- 
sure. The  best  fertilizers,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
apple,  are  barn-yard  manure,  lime,  and  bone- 
dust.  Iron  cinders  are  a  good  application  when 
there  is  a  deficiency  of  that  element  in  the  soil. 

PEANUT  CULTURE.— 1\.  requires  about 
two  bushels  to  plant  an  acre.  Well  cured  seeds 
are  essential.  The  soil  selected  should  be  fri- 
able and  light;  red  or  chocolate-colored  soils 
stain  the  nuts  and  impair  their  value.  Land 
that  has  been  in  corn,  or  other  hoed  crops,  ex- 
cept sweet  potatoes,  is  preferred,  and  if  it  has 
not  been  heavily  marled  for  previous  crops,  may 
be  dressed  with  150  bushels  of  marl  or  50  bush- 
els of  lime  to  the  acre.  These  may  be  sown 
broadcast  or  strewed  in  the  furrow  over  whioh 
the  beds  are  to  be  raised.  The  soil  of  a  peanut 
farm  requires  to  be  continually  renewed  by  very 
heavy  dressings  of  marsh  mud,  woods  litter  and 
lime,  and  the  putting  of  a  piece  of  land  in  order 
for  a  single  crop  costs  a  good  deal  more  per 
acre  than  is  required  to  purchase  good  cotton 
land  in  the  South.  It  is  a  very  exhausting  crop 
— it  is  therefore  customary  not  to  take  a  crop  of 
peanuts  from  land  oftener  than  once  in  threa 
years. 

PRUNING. — The  practice  of  indiscriminate 
lopping  off  of  limbs,  large  and  small,  is  the 
cause  of  disease  and  a  weakening  of  the  consti- 
tution of  the  tree,  which  in  numberless  cases 
leads  to  premature  death.  It  has  been  found  in 
nine  cases  out  of  every  ten,  where  a  branch  of 
considerable  size  had  been  taken  off  it  would 
leave  a  rotten  spot  in  the  tree.  In  a  great  many 
varieties  of  the  apple  tree,  where  any  incision  is 
made  in  the  tree,  there  is  a  liability  to  decay  and 
rot.  The  tree  may,  and  perhaps  in  most  cases 
will,  heal  over  this,  but  a  diseased  spot  is  left 
in  the  tree,  and  hence  to  that  extent  is  left  in  an 
unhealthy  state.  And  the  more  these  spots  are 
multiplied,  the  more  is  the  tree  weakened  and 
diseased. 

PLANTS,  HOUSE.— S&Q  "Gardening— 
(Window)." 

PLANTS,  {House)  LICE  ON,  To  Destroy. 
— Take  some  of  the  common  fine-cut  smoking 
tobacco,  strong,  and  sprinkle  it  over  the  top  of 
the  earth  about  the  plant,  and  keep  the  plant 
well  watered.  The  strength  of  the  tobacco  now 
passes  through  the  earth  and  about  the  roots, 
and  is  just  as  sure  to  kill  all  creeping  things  as 
it  is  used  and  is  a  great  benefit  to  the  plant. 
These  worms,  etc.,  die,  and  with  the  strength  of 
the  tobacco  form  a  most  valuable  manure  for  the 
plant,  and  those  using  it  will  find  that  the  plant 
will  soon  show  much  more  vigor  and  begin  to 
grow  very  fast. 

PLANTS,  Boxes  for  Starting. — There  is  not 
any  better  for  this  purpose  than  paper  boxes. 
To  make  these  boxes,  cut  strips  of  thick  paper 
about  6  inches  wide  and  17  long;  paste  the  ends 
together,  lapping  an  inch,  which  will  make  a 
circle  16  inches  in  circumference  ;  then  press  the 
sides  of  the  circle  together  flat,  and  double  once, 
making  a  book  of  four  uncut  leaves  ;  now  open 
with  the  fingers,  pinch  down  the  corners  prop- 
erly, and  a  bottomless  box  4  inches  square  is  the 
result.  Place  as  many  of  these  as  are  needed 
close  together  in  a  wooden  box,  fill  with  earth, 
and  sow  seeds  or  prick  out  the  plants.  It  is 
best  not  to  have  the  box  that  holds  the  paper 


ones  so  high  by  2  inches  as  they  are,  as  the  pa- 

Eer  then  does  not  decay  so  rapidly  as  in  higher 
oxes,  and  holds  the  earth  together  better  in 
transplanting. 

PLANTS,  {Outdoor,)  LABELS  FOR.— A. 
convenient  method  of  preparing  outdoor  labels 
for  plants,  capable  of  resisting  weather,  consists 
in  first  cutting  them  out  of  smooth  pasteboard, 
and  writing  upon  them  whatever  may  be  desired 
in  ordinary  ink.  When  this  is  dry  they  are  im- 
mersed in  linseed  soil,  or,  what  is  still  better, 
linseed-oil  varnish,  until  they  are  completely 
permeated  by  the  liquid ;  after  which  they  are 
hung  in  the  open  air  upon  threads  to  dry ;  they 
become  like  iron,  and  resist  wet  for  a  long  time, 
and  are  more  durable  than  slips  of  metal. 

PLUM,  THE.— The  plum  tree  is  hardy,  and 
requires  but  little  attention ;  it  bears  abundantly, 
and  maybe  considered  a  sure  crop  when  the  soil 
suits.  The  best  for  it  is  a  stiff  clay,  which  is 
not  suitable  to  the  habits  of  the  curculio,  the 
great  enemy  of  the  plum. 

POTA  TOES,  Eart-Ziing  Up.—li  has  been  de- 
monstrated that  earthing  up  potatoes  diminishes 
the  product,  and  retards  the  ripening  of  the  tu- 
bers. Long  experiments  in  England  have  fully 
proved  this  fact — that  hilling  up  the  potato  will 
reduce  the  crop  one-fourth. 

POTA  TOES,  RAISING,  Under  Straw.— 
We  give  an  experiment  in  raising  potatoes  under 
straw,  by  a  noted  agriculturist :  "I  fitted  the 
ground  as  for  planting  in  the  old  way,  by  mark- 
ing rows  one  way,  three  feet  apart,  and  dropped 
the  potatoes  on  the  mark  from  eighteen  inches 
to  two  feet  apart,  covering  them  slightly  with 
soil.  I  then  covered  to  about  the  depth  of  ten 
inches  with  old  straw,  and  did  nothing  more 
with  them.  When  the  crop  was  ripe  I  raked  off 
the  straw,  and  raked  out  the  potatoes,  which 
were  mostly  on  the  surface,  looking  very  nice, 
fresh  and  large.  The  result  was,  I  had  at  the 
rate  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-six  bushels  per 
acre ;  while  the  yield  from  those  planted  the  old 
way  in  drills,  and  cultivated  on  ground  by  the 
side  of  them,  was  only  seventy-five  bushels  per 
acre,  which  was  rather  small  for  this  section, 
owing  to  the  dry  season.  The  soil  is  a  sandy 
loam." 

POTATOES,  SWEET.— The  first  week  in 
June  is  quite  early  enough  to  set  out  sweet  po- 
tatoes in  northern  localities.  Where  but  a  very 
few  are  grown,  it  is  much  easier  and  cheaper  to 
buy  the  plants  than  it  is  to  start  them.  They 
carry  readily  by  express.  In  preparing  the  soil, 
put  upon  the  level  surface  a  strip  of  fine  manure 
a  foot  wide,  and  turn  two  furrows  over  it  to  form 
a  ridge.  Dress  up  the  ridge  with  the  spade, 
and  set  the  plants  about  fifteen  inches  apart. 
Unless  the  soil  is  moist,  water  the  holes  before 
setting  the  plants,  which  should  be  set  well 
down,  so  that  the  stalk  of  the  first  leaf  is  cov- 
ered. Press  the  soil  firmly  around  the  plants — 
much  of  the  success  will  depend  upon  this. 
Should  the  tops  wilt  and  dry  up,  a  new  shoot 
will  spring  up  if  the  plant  has  been  set  deep 
enough.  The  sides  of  the  ridges  should  be  kept 
free  of  weeds  by  the  proper  use  ol  the  rake. 
The  vines  will  soon  get  so  large  as  to  smother 
most  of  the  weeds. 

POTATO  ROT,  Bamet's  Certain  Prevent- 
ive  for  the. — Sow  unleached  ashes  over  the  field 
once  a  week  for  six  or  seven  weeks,  commencing 
soon  after  the  second  hoeing.     Apply  two  or 


144 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


three  bushels  to  the  acre,  using  care  to  dust  the 
tops  well. 

POTATO  BUG,  {Colorado,)  To  Destroy.— 
A  great  many  preparations  have  been  invented 
to  destroy  this  marauder  on  the  potato  fields. 
The  principal  ingredient  in  all  is  the  powdered 
paint  known  as  Paris  green.  Its  poisonous  ef- 
fect upon  the  plant  is  obviated  by  the  admixture 
of  other  ingredients.  The  Paris  green,  accord- 
ing to  price,  is  more  or  less  pure.  If  unadulte- 
rated, it  should  be  mixed  with  four,  five,  or  six 
times  the  quantity  of  meal,  flour,  ashes,  calcined 
plaster  and  lime.  The  more  it  can  be  diluted, 
without  destroying  its  efficacy,  so  much  the  less 
expensive  it  will  be,  and  the  less  injurious  to  the 
vines,  and  also  the  less  dangerous  to  the  op- 
erator. 

PLOWING  AND  HARROWING.— l^&v&r 
plow,  if  it  can  be  avoided,  or  ^o  on  the  ground 
for  any  purpose,  when  it  is  wet  and  sticky ;  keep 
the  furrows  straight,  and,  if  "possible,  reverse 
them  at  every  plowing,  so  ^s  to  keep  the  land 
level.  To  fill  in  furrows,  b^ck-furrow  pretty 
widely  once  around,  and  haitl  once  around  very 
wide;  this  will  generally  be  sufficient.  Harrow 
soon  after  plowing,  and  before  the  lumps,  if  any, 
get  dried  hard ;  twice  over  with  the  teeth  down, 
and  once  with  the  back  of  the  harrow,  will  pre- 
pare the  land  for  ordinary  crops. 

PLOWS,  {Rusty,)  To  C/mw.— Take  a  quart 
of  water  and  pour  slowly  into  it  half  a  pint  of 
sulphuric  acid.  (The  mixture  will  become  quite 
warm  from  chemical  action,  and  this  is  the  rea- 
son why  the  acid  should  be  poured  slowly  into 
water,  rather  than  the  water  into  the  acid.) 
Wash  the  mould-board  (or  any  other  iron  that  is 
rusty)  with  this  weak  acid,  and  let  it  remain  on 
the  iron  until  it  evaporates.  Then  wash  it  once 
'  more.  The  object  is  to  give  time  for  the  acid  to 
dissolve  the  rust.  Then  wash  with  water,  and 
you  will  see  where  the  worst  rusty  spots  are. 
Apply  some  more  acid,  and  rub  those  spots  with 
a  brick.  The  acid  and  the  scouring  will  remove 
most  of  the  rust.  Then  wash  the  mould-board 
thoroughly  with  water,  to  remove  all  the  acid, 
and  rub  it  dry.  'Brush  it  over  with,  petroleum 
or  other  oil,  and  let  it  be  until  spring.  When 
you  go  to  plowing,  take  a  bottle  of  the  acid  wa- 
ter to  the  field,  and  apply  it  frequently  to  any 
spots  of  rust  that  may  remain.  The  acid  and 
the  scouring  of  the  earth  will  soon  make  it  very 
bright  and  smooth. 

PUMPKINS  Amongst  CC^iV.— Almost  all 
"  old-fashioned  farmers"  take  a  crop  of  pump- 
kins off  their  corn  fields,  much  to  the  annoyance 
of  the  theorist  who  demonstrates  to  his  entire 
satisfaction  that  the  one  crop  must  detract  from 
the  full  force  of  the  other.  But  the  most  careful 
experiments  show  no  loss  to  the  corn.  The  very 
tcijic  weight  results  from  an  acre,  with  or  with- 
out the  pumpkins. 

QUINCES,  To  Cultivate. — ^The  quince  ap- 
pears to  flourish  best  on  a  rather  stiff  and  moist 
soil,  in  somewhat  sheltered  locations.  Get  the 
'•  Orange"  variety.  See  that  they  are  entirely 
free  of  the  borer  before  planting.  Set  eight  feet 
apart  in  rich  soil.  Bandage  the  stem  with  two 
or  three  wrappings  of  muslin,  or  any  kind  of 
cloth,  as  far  down  in  the  ground  as  possible,  as 
the  roots  start  from  near  the  surface.  Let  this 
bandage  run  six  or  eight  inches  above  ground, 
then  pile  the  soil  compactly  a  couple  of  inches 
around  the  bandage,  and  renew  this  early  every 


spring.  Fine,  large  golden  quinces,  rivaling  the 
largest  oranges,  will  reward  your  efforts,  annu- 
ally. 

.Should  the  borer  by  any  means  steal  in,  the 
same  plan  may  be  adopted  for  its  destruction  as 
in  the  apple.  Should  they,  however,  get  the  ad- 
vantage of  you,  and  your  trees  become  honey- 
combed, set  out  again  young  trees,  so  that  by 
the  time  the  old  ones  are  gone  the  young  ones 
will  be  finely  in  bearing. 

RADISHES. — It  is  said  that,  when  radishes 
cannot  be  grown  on  account  of  worms  or  unsuit- 
able soil,  if  common  wheat  bran  be  strewed  one 
inch  thick  on  any  good  soil,  well  hoed  in,  and 
the  seed  is  then  planted,  perfect  radishes  will  re- 
sult. 

RAIN,  To  Produce. — Rain  is  such  a  neces- 
sity to  the  success  of  crops,  that  whatever  will 
aicf  its  occasional  appearance  should  be  culti- 
vated. It  has  been  proved  without  doubt  that 
trees  do  this,  for  it  has  been  noticed  that  wher- 
ever the  country  has  been  denuded  of  its  forests 
rains  gradually  become  more  infrequent,  and 
that  in  parts  of  the  country  where  formerly  there 
was  little  or  no  rain — as  on  the  western  prairies 
— and  trees  have  afterward  been  planted,  occa- 
sional and  copious  rains  have  always  resulted. 
Farmers  should  be  guided  by  this  fact. 

RASPBERRIES.— Raspberry  canes,  when 
set  out,  should  be  planted  three  feet  apart  in  the 
row,  and  the  rows  three  and  a  half  to  four  feet 
apart.  Cut  down  the  canes  to  within  six  inches 
of  the  ground  and  set  firmly.  Prefer  a  rather 
moist  spot  for  them,  and  if  in  the  shade  a  por- 
tion of  the  day  so  much  the  better.  They  can 
be  planted  under  fruit  trees,  where  scarcely  any- 
thing else  will  grow,  and  the  berry  will  be  much 
larger  and  finer.  They  like  a  cool,  moist  soil, 
kept  so  by  liberal  mulching  with  leaves,  light 
manure,  or  any  trash,  and  if  a  foot  in  depth  it  is 
an  advantage. 

RENNET  (also  called  ^m««^/.)— The  Bava- 
rian mode  of  curing  consists  in  turning  out  the 
contents  of  the  skin  of  the  stomach,  wiping  off 
all  specks  or  dirt  with  a  cloth,  and  then  blowing 
up  the  skin  or  filling  it  with  air  like  a  bladder. 
The  ends  are  tied  with  a  string,  and  a  little  salt 
applied  to  this  part  only.  The  skin,  treated  in 
this  way,  soon  dries  perfectly,  and  is  as  sweet 
and  clean  as  can  be  desired.  Salt  neutralizes  in 
some  degree  the  action  of  rennet,  therefore  the 
rennets  treated  on  the  Bavarian  plan  are  much 
more  effective  than  those  cured  in  the  old  way. 
When  the  rennets  cured  on  this  plan  are  dry,  the 
air  may  be  expelled,  and  the  skins  can  be  packed 
away  in  a  small  space,  and  are  easily  kept  clear 
of  insects.  The  defect  in  salted  rennets  is,  that 
the  salt  in  wet  weather  accumulates  dampness, 
and,  if  care  is  not  taken  to  keep  them  in  a  dry 
place,  they  drip,  and  thus  lose  their  strength. 

RENNET,  Mode  of  ;7j<?.— The  way  to  use 
rennet  is  to  cut  off  a  bit  of  suitable  size  (a  piece 
an  inch  square  is  large  enough  to  coagulate  sev- 
eral gallons  of  milk)  and  soak  it  for  some  hours 
in  water;  then  add  the  whole  to  the  milk,  a  lit- 
tle warmed.  The  mixture  is  now  very  gradually 
heated  to  something  above  blood-heat,  or  about 
120".  Very  soon  it  undergoes  a  great  change, 
and  a  solid  white  curd  is  separated  from  the 
whey. 

RHUBARB,  Transplanting.— kW  rhubarb 
plants  ought  to  have  af  heavy  dressing  of  manure 
every  spring,  to  be  forked  in,  and  two  or  three 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


145 


lioeings  through  the  season  to  keep  down  all  the 
weeds.  It  is  a  great  point  to  have  the  stalks  ten- 
der, and  to  secure  this  they  ought  to  be  grown 
rapidly  under  stimulating  manures  or  a  warm, 
rich  soil.  The  ground  before  setting  out  ought 
to  be  plowed  thoroughly  and  subsoiled  or  trench- 
ed deeply,  and,  if  necessary,  drained.  Turn  un- 
der a  plenty  of  well-rotted  manure,  at  the  rate 
of  at  least  sixty  dr  seventy  horse  cart  loads  to 
the  acre,  for  the  greater  the  quantity  of  manure, 
the  larger  and  finer  will  the  rhubarb  grow,  and 
the  larger  and  finer  it  is  the  more  it  will  bring. 
RHUBARB,  Transplanting.— Rhnhdixh  roots 
require  replanting  occasionally.  If  the  stools 
remain  undisturbed  for  several  years,  they  often 
commence  to  decay  in  the  centre,  and  after  a 
while  the  whole  plant  becomes  diseased.  Every 
four  or  five  years  the  stalks  should  be  lifted  and 
divided,  leaving  but  one  large  crown,  with  its 
accompanying  roots  attached.  These  may  be 
again  planted  in  the  same  soil,  or  upon  some 
fresh  plat,  the  latter  method  being  preferable, 
although  we  are  not  a  very  strong  disciple  of  the 
theory  that  plants  run  out  if  grown  for  many 
years  in  the  same  soil. 

ROCKS,  To  Remove.— Sq&  "  Boulders." 

R  YE,  To  Cultivate. — Rye  ought  never  to  be 
sown  upon  wet  soils,  nor  even  upon  sandy  soils 
where  the  subsoil  is  of  a  retentive  nature.  Upon 
downs,  links,  and  all  soft  lands  which  have  re- 
ceived manure,  this  grain  thrives  in  perfection, 
and,  if  once  covered  in,  will  stand  a  drought  af- 
terwards that  would  consume  any  other  of  the 
culmiferous  tribe.  The  several  processes  may 
be  regarded  as  nearly  the  same  with  those  an- 
swering for  wheat,  with  the  single  exception  of 
pickling,  which  rye  does  not  require.  Rye  may 
be  sown  either  in  winter  or  spring,  though  the 
winter-seeded  fields  are  generally  bulkiest  and 
most  productive.  It  may  succeed  either  sum- 
mer fallow,  clover  or  turnips ;  even  after  oats 
good  crops  have  been  raised,  and  where  such 
crops  have  been  raised  the  land  will  always  be 
found  in  good  condition. 

SAGE,  To  Cultivate. — Put  it  out  in  rows 
two  feet  apart,  and  the  plants  a  foot  apart  in  the 
rovTS.  Cultivate  and  keep  clean ;  it  does  well  in 
sandy  soil.  Dry  in  the  shade.  Put  up  in  square 
pound  packages  hard  pressed. 

SEED,  How  to  Select. — It  is  of  very  great 
importance  that  the  farmer,  whose  desire  it  is  to 
have  splendid  grain  and  root  crops,  be  very  care- 
ful in  his  choice  and  selection  of  seed.  He  will 
see  to  it  that  they  are  large,  plump,  perfect,  and 
of  uniform  size.  In  the  selection  of  many  seeds 
it  will  pay  the  farmer  to  carefully  examine  with 
a  powerful  magnifying  glass,  and  reject  all  that 
do  not  meet  the  above  requirements. 

SEED  CORN. — In  shelling  corn  for  seed, 
discard  the  buts  and  tips,  using  only  the  central 
portion  of  each  ear,  as  the  early  blade  and  root 
are  in  size  in  proportion  to  the  kernel  used  ;  and 
a  plant  from  the  large  grains  of  the  centre  of  the 
ear  will  get  the  start  and  keep  ahead  of  the 
small  ones  from  the  tip.  And  especially  select 
from  ears  that  have  the  grains  as  near  uniformly 
large  as  possible. 

SEED  BARLEY.— Thshcst  is  that  which 
is  free  from  blackness  at  the  tail,  and  is  of  a  pale 
lively  yellow,  intermixed  with  a  bright,  whitish 
cast,  and  if  the  rind  should  be  a  little  shrivelled, 
so  much  the  better,  as  it  indicates  a  very  thin 
skin. 


SEED  OA  TS. — Place  your  oats  in  a  heap 
at  the  leeward  end  of  the  threshing  floor  on  a 
day  when  a  gentle  breeze  is  blowing  through  the 
barn.  Take  a  common  wooden  flour-scoop,  and 
throw  the  oats  against  the  wind,  towards  the 
other  end.  of  the  floor.  A  few  minutes'  experi- 
ence will  enable  you  to  throw  them  so  that  they 
will  fall  in  a  semi-circle  at  a  nearly  uniform  dis- 
tance from  where  you  stand.  The  oats  which 
fall  farthest  from  you  are  the  best  for  seed,  and 
are  to  be  carefully  swept  together  as  fast  as  they 
accumulate  in  considerable  quantities. 

SEED  ROTA  TOES.— Be  careful  to  secure 
large,  sound,  and  well-ripened  seed;  cut  the 
large  potato  into  pieces  of  one  eye.  Begin  at 
the  butt  end ;  cut  towards  the  centre,  leaving  a 
due  proportion  of  the  potato  with  each  eye.  Po- 
tatoes inadvertently  left  undug,  if  they  do  not 
freeze  during  winter,  inyariably  produce  sound 
ones,  larger  and  more  abundant  than  those  kept 
in  the  cellar  through  winter.  This  has  lately 
suggested  the  plan  of  keeping  potatoes  excluded 
from  the  air  from  the  time  oi  digging  and  plant- 
ing, which  has  been  found  to  invariably  prevent 
rot. 

SEED  IFf/EA  T— Seed  wheat  should  not 
only  be  thoroughly  cleaned  from  the  seeds  of 
weeds,  but  small  grains  should  be  taken  out  with 
a  separator  or  suitable  fanning  mill,  leaving  only 
the  largest,  plumpest,  and  earliest  ripened  ker- 
nels. 

SEED,  Hoxo  to  Test  the  Vitality  of.— By  plac- 
ing almost  any  of  the  larger  seeds  and  grains  on 
a  hot  pan  or  griddle,  where  the  vitality  is  per- 
fect the  grain  will  pop,  or  crack  open  with  more 
or  less  noise.  Where  the  vitality  is  defective  or 
lost,  it  lies  immovable  in  the  vessel. 

SEED,  To  Improve  All  Sorts.— <ZVax\es  Mil- 
ler, son  of  the  celebrated  botanist,  published  a 
recipe  for  fertilizing  seed,  and  tried  it  on  wheat, 
by  mixing  lime,  nitre,  and  pigeon's  dung  in  wa- 
ter, and  therein  steeping  the  seed.  The  produce 
of  some  of  these  grains  is  stated  at  sixty,  sev- 
enty, and  eighty  stems,  many  of  the  ears  five 
inches  long,  and  fifty  corns  each,  and  none  less 
than  forty. 

SLUGS  AND  SNAILS.— These  are  great 
enemies  to  every  kind  of  garden  plant,  whether 
flower  or  vegetable  ;  they  wander  in  the  night  to 
feed,  and  return  at  daylight  to  their  haunts;  the 
shortest  and  surest  direction  is :  "  Rise  early, 
catch  them,  and  kill  them."  If  you  are  an  early 
riser,  you  may  cut  them  off  from  their  day  re- 
treats, or  you  may  lay  cabbage  leaves  about  the 
ground,  especially  on  the  beds  which  they  fre- 
quent. Every  morning  examine  these  leaves, 
and  you  will  find  a  great  many  taking  refuge  be- 
neath ;  if  they  plague  you  very  much,  search 
for  their  retreat,  which  you  can  find  by  their 
slimy  track,  and  hunt  there  for  them  day  by  day. 
Lime  and  salt  are  very  annoying  to  snails  and 
slugs  ;  a  pinch  of  salt  kills  them,  and  they  will 
not  touch  fresh  lime ;  it  is  a  common  practice  to 
sprinkle  lime  over  young  crops,  and  along  the 
edges  of  beds,  about  rows  of  peas  and  beans, 
lettuces  and  other  vegetables ;  but  when  it  has 
been  on  the  ground  some  days,  or  has  been 
moistened  by  rain,  it  loses  its  strength. 

SMUT  IN  WHEAT,  Remedy  /;/.— Soak 
the  seed  wheat  in  brine,  and  then  dust  it  with 
unslaked  lime.  This  will  prove  a  perfect  pre- 
vention. 

SORGHUM  CULTURE.— The  soil  anddi-. 


10 


X4fi 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


mate  suitable  for  the  cultivation  of  corn  is  well 
adapted  to  the  growth  of  sorghum,  but  a  rich  up- 
land loam  will  yield  the  richest  juice.  The  land 
should  be  well  worked,  and  kept  clean,  it  requi- 
ring about  the  same  treatment  as  com.  It  may 
be  either  planted  in  hills  or  drills.  As  the  cane 
is  a  very  deep-rooted  plant,  it  is  very  essential 
that  the  land  should  be  made  mellow  to  a  good 
depth,  but  the  seed  should  be  covered  very  shal- 
low, not  more  than  half  inch  deep.  It  should 
be  planted  about  the  same  time  as  corn.  The 
young  plants  when  they  first  come  up  look  like 
blades  of  fall  grass  ;  they  are  of  slow  growth  and 
feeble  appearance  for  some  time,  or  until  the  hot 
weather  of  July  and  August,  when  the  plants 
will  go  far  ahead  of  corn  in  a  rank  and  healthy 
growth.  It  appears  to  delight  in  hot,  dry  weath- 
er, as  its  roots  penetrate  deep.  Drouth  does  not 
affect  it  as  it  does  corn ;  it  is  surprising  to  see  at 
what  a  rate  it  will  develop  itself  after  the  hot 
weather  has  come.  It  is  also  very  hardy,  and 
may  be  transplanted  with  entire  safety.  There 
is  a  difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  keeping 
the  suckers  pulled  off.  Experience  shows  that, 
although  we  may  lose  a  little  in  quantity,  it  is 
more  than  made  up  in  the  quality  of  the  syrup ; 
therefore  have  a  deep,  mellow  soil  for  the  roots 
to  penetrate  in  search  of  food  by  thoroughly  cul- 
tivating it  during  the  early  stage  of  its  growth ; 
but  avoid  deep  plowing  after  the  cane  has  once 
acquired  considerable  size,  as  the  roots  then  fill 
the  ground,  and  if  severed  the  plants  are  greatly 
dwarfed ;  keep  the  suckers  off,  and  be  sure  and 
not  let  a  weed  show  its  head. 

SORREL,  To  Renitnre.  This  field  pest  may 
be  eradicated  by  the  judicious  application  of  ei- 
ther lime  or  ashes.  The  souring  principle  of 
sorrel  is  oxalic  acid ;  if  this  be  removed  from  the 
soil,  sorrel  cannot  grow.  Lime  or  potash  unite 
with  the  oxalic  acid,  forming  oxalate  of  lime  or 
potash.  These  substances  are  sometimes  called 
sweeteners  of  the  soil,  from  their  ability  to  re- 
move acids  from  it.  Sorrel  will  never  grow  on 
lime  soil. 

SQUASH,  Cultivation  of. — ^The  squash,  be- 
ing a  tropical  vegetable,  requires  much  care  and 
attention  in  northern  latitudes  in  order  to  be  cul- 
tivated with  success.  Of  all  the  varieties  tested, 
the  "  Hubbard"  has  proved  to  be  the  very  best 
for  winter.  The  planting  should  be  done  as 
early  in  the  spring  as  possible  after  the  weather 
becomes  sufficiently  warm,  so  that  there  will  be 
no  danger  of  frost  nipping  the  young  plants,  as 
they  are  very  tender.  A  few  hills  can  be  plant- 
ed earlier,  and  covered  with  hay  or  straw  when 
there  is  danger  of  frost ;  in  fact,  if  the  season  is 
late,  it  will  pay  well  to  plant  a  goodly  patch  and 
protect  them  in  that  way,  for  a  very  few  young 
plants  will  cover  a  wide  space  of  ground  when 
old. 

The  land  should  be  made  deep  and  rich,  the 
richer  the  better,  particularly  in  the  hills  ;  the 
best  manure  being  composted  hen-droppings. 
The  soil  should  contain  a  sufficient  amount  of 
sand  to  make  it  quick  and  warm,  and  a  piece  of 
land  should  be  selected  sloping  well  to  the  south 
so  that  the  rays  of  the  spring  sun  can  be  quickly 
felt  by  the  young  plants. 

Plant  in  rows  at  least  l6  feet  apart,  in  hills 
from  8  to  lo  feet ;  putting  from  2  to  3  seeds  in 
a  hill,  and  when  well  started  tiiin  out  to  I  plant. 
Cultivate  thoroughly  all  the  ground  between  the 
rows,  as  well  as  around  the  plants,  until  the  vines 


cover  the  ground.     If  the  above  hints  are  fol- 
lowed a  good  crop  will  result. 

STRAWBERRY  CULTURE.~Tox  this 
fruit  the  most  suitable  soil  is  light  and  sandy. 
It  may  be  enriched  by  ashes,  bone,  barnyard 
manure,  etc.  The  plants  should  be  set  one  foot 
apart,  in  rows  two  feet  from  each  other.  Put 
in  the  young  plants  from  the  middle  of  August 
to  the  middle  of  September.  Keep  the  ground 
mellow  and  free  from  weeds.  In  the  following 
spring  manure  and  hoe  the  ground  well,  to  keep 
it  moist  and  firee  from  weeds.  With  such  care, 
a  quart  of  fruit  has  sometimes  been  picked  from 
one  plant,  the  next  season  after  planting.  Some 
cultivators  prefer  to  cut  off  all  the  blossoms  the 
first  spring,  so  as  to  strengthen  the  plants  for 
growth. 

STRAWBERRY  PLANTS,  Protecting.^ 
In  latitudes  where  snows  fall  about  the  first  of 
December,  and  remain  on  the  ground  all  winter, 
no  other  protection  to  strawberry  plants  is  need- 
ed; but  in  all  other  sections  of  the  country,  some 
slight  covering  is  necessary,  as  poor  hay,  straw, 
leaves,  or  the  coarse  barn-yard  litter,  that  is  al- 
ways thrown  out  of  stables  with  manure.  For 
garden  plats  of  plants  barn-yard  litter,  mixed 
with  manure,  is  the  best  protection  that  can  be 
used,  acting  as  a  fertilizer  at  the  same  time,  by 
being  drenched  with  rain.  In  field  cultivation  of 
strawberries,  near  the  ocean,  salt  hay  makes  a 
cheap  and  good  protection.  Rye  straw  is  very 
good,  but  more  expensive  than  salt  hay.  The 
plants  should  be  covered  but  shghtly,  about  two 
inches  deep  with  whatever  may  be  used.  If  it 
is  put  on  thicker  there  is  liability  to  smother  the 
plants.  Early  in  December  is  a  good  time  to 
mulch  strawberry  plants,  if  not  done  before. 

STUMPS,  To  Remove.— One  method  is  as 
follows :  In  the  fall  of  the  year  bore  a  i  inch 
hole  18  inches  deep  into  the  centre  of  the  stump 
and  put  in  an  ounce  of  saltpetre,  filling  up  with 
water,  and  plugging  the  hole  up.  In  the  spring 
take  out  the  plug,  put  in  half  a  gill  of  kerosene 
and  set  fire  to  it.  It  will  burn  the  stump  out  to 
its  farthest  root.  Here  is  another  plan  :  In  the 
fall,  with  an  inch  auger  bore  a  hole  in  the  centre 
of  the  stump  10  inches  deep,  and  put  into  it  a 
^  lb.  of  oil  of  vitriol,  and  cork  the  hole  up  very 
tight.  In  the  spring  the  whole  stump  and  roots 
extending  all  through  their  ramifications  wiU  be 
found  so  rotten  that  they  can  be  easily  eradi- 

S TUMP  MACHINE  {Home  Maeie.)—T2kt 
3  pieces  of  common  joists,  put  them  together  in 
form  like  the  common  harrow,  letting  the  taper- 
ing ends  lap  by  each  other  some  6  inches,  mak- 
ing a  place  for  the  chain  to  rest  in.  Cut  off  the 
roots  at  any  distance  you  please  from  the  stump, 
place  the  machine  on  one  side  of  the  stump,  ta-^ 
pering  end  up ;  hitch  the  chain  on  the  opposite 
side  and  pass  it  over  the  machine  ;  then  hitch  a 
good  yoke  of  oxen  thereto,  and  you  will  see  the 
stump  rise. 

SUBSOILINC— The  subsoil  plow  has  now 
become  one  of  the  most  important  implements 
upon  the  farm.  It  is  used  to  run  in  the  bottom 
of  the  furrow  before  the  potato  is  dropped,  to 
loosen  the  earth  under  the  seed,  to  admit  the  air, 
and  after  the  potatoes  are  up  a  one-horse  subsoU 
plow  is  run  between  the  rows,  and,  when  prop- 
erly done,  it  is  equal  to  trenching  with  a  spade. 
It  is  also  run  between  the  rows  of  corn,  when 
the  corn  is  about  four  inches  high.     This  will 


FARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


U7 


lift  the  soil  slightly,  and  also  the  young  corn 
plants,  but  will  not  separate  the  particles  of 
earth  from  the  roots.  This  will  be  a  more  thor- 
ough disturbance  of  the  soil  than  a  dozen  hoe- 
ings,  and  will  permit  the  corn  roots  to  descend 
in  search  of  food.  In  raising  carrots,  beets  and 
turnips,  in  heavy  ground,  it  is  almost  indispen- 
sable. 

SUGAR,  New  Mode  of  Making. — A  new  way 
of  extracting  the  juice  from  sugar  cane  has  been 
practiced  at  Aska,  in  India,  during  the  past  few 
years.  It  is  founded  upon  what  is  known  as  the 
"  diffusion"  process  of  extracting  the  saccharine 
matter  from  beet  roots,  and  which  is  in  use  in 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  beet  sugar  factories 
in  Europe  ;  it  consists  substantially  in  washing 
out  the  sugary  juice  by  soaking  in  water.  The 
cane  is  cut  by  machinery  into  thin  transverse 
slices,  which,  when  treated  with  water,  yield  a 
bright  yellow  liquid,  that  on  boiling  yields  very 
little  scum,  and  which,  provided  the  cane  be  ful- 
ly ripe  and  in  good  condition,  does  not  require 
to  be  filtered  through  animal  charcoal,  but  can 
be  transferred  at  once  to  the  evaporators  and 
vacuum  pans  for  the  fabrication  of  a  good  grade 
of  raw  sugar. 

SUNFLO IVER,  The.—1\A  sunflower  is  very 
useful.  Its  leaves  soon  become  large  enough  to 
be  used  as  a  covering  for  young  cabbage  and  to- 
mato plants.  Its  stem  affords  an  excellent  hop 
or  bean  pole,  and  when  dead  in  the  fall,  if  cut 
up  and  kept  dry,  it  answers  well  for  kindling- 
wood.  The  leaves  can  be  plucked  off  through 
the  summer  without  injury  to  the  plant,  and  then 
dried  for  fodder,  or  feed  green  to  milch-cows  or 
horses.  Its  seeds  make  a  fine  oil,  or  chicken 
feed.  It  is  said  to  be  an  absorbent  of  malaria, 
and  is  often  cultivated  as  a  preventive  of  fevers 
near  dwellings  that  occupy  low  places.  Plant 
in  drills  4  feet  apart,  and  18  inches  in  the  drill, 
requiring  2  quarts  of  seed  per  acre.  Many  of 
the  stalks  grow  16  feet  high.  They  want  rich 
land.  From  8  to  10  tons  of  leaves  have  been 
gathered  from  an  acre.  The  first  leaves  are  gen- 
erally pulled  in  July,  going  up  3  or  4  feet  high. 
The  next  pulling  is  as  high  as  a  man  can  reach, 
putting  a  dozen  bundles  in  a  shock,  as  soon  as 
the  seed  glazes.  In  winter  the  seed  is  threshed 
with  a  flail,  the  main  heads  reserved  for  seed, 
and  the  small  ones  threshed  separately.  The 
main  heads  gave  thirty-one  bushels  per  acre,  and 
the  small  ones  sixteen  bushels — forty-seven  per 
acre. 

THISTLES,  CANADA.— Ho  effectually 
destroy  Canada  thistles,  allow  them  to  grow  un- 
til about  the  middle  of  June  ;  their  vitality  has 
then  greatly  expended  itself;  then  plow  the  land 
deeply  and  well,  and  afterwards  harrow  fine  and 
level ;  then,  and  during  the  remainder  of  the 
season,  horse-hoe  with  such  a  horse-hoe  that 
cannot  possibly  miss  one  top  of  a  thistle,  first 
one  way,  then  across,  and  again,  until  the  sea- 
son for  growth  has  entirely  gone  by.  Another 
method  is,  after  the  land  is  well  saturated  with 
moisture,  draw  them  by  hand  with  stout  gloves, 
with  a  piece  of  old-sacking  sewed  over  the  palm, 
to  prevent  the  plant  from  slipping  when  the 
gloves  become  wet.  With  a  very  little  care,  the 
thistle  may  be  drawn  with  6  or  8  inches  of  the 
root ;  and  you  will  be  rid  of  the  nuisance  in  two 
seasons. 

TIAfBER,  To  Test  the  Soundness  of. — Large 
trees  of  \'aluable  timber  are  frequently  unsound 


— either  hollow,  "dozy,"  or  full  of  cracks  at  the 
butt-end,  even  when  the  external  appearance  in- 
dicates a  good  condition  of  the  interior  or  heart. 
This  is  particularly  the  case  with  white-oak  tim- 
ber. Large  and  valuable  trees  have  frequently 
been  purchased  at  an  exorbitant  price  for  some 
special  purpose.  But  when  the  woodman's  ax 
had  made  a  kerf  half-way  to  the  middle  of  the 
butt,  the  interior  was  found  to  be  dozy  or  hol- 
low, rendering  the  timber  wholly  worthless  for 
the  purposes  intended. 

In  order  to  determine  whether  the  heart  of  a 
tree  is  defective,  without  cutting  into  it  with  an 
ax,  the  most  expeditious  way  is  to  bore  into  the 
butt,  say  one  foot  from  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
with  a  two-inch  auger,  drawing  out  the  chips 
frequently  for  examination.  In  case  the  tree  is 
of  so  large  dimensions  that  the  heart  cannot  be 
reached  with  an  auger  of  ordinary  length,  an 
iron  rod  one  or  more  feet  long  may  be  attached, 
either  by  welding,  or  by  means  of  a  socket  made 
in  the  rod  to  fit  the  shank  of  the  auger.  An  au- 
ger-hole near  the  ground  will  not  injure  a  tree 
for  timber,  except  in  case  it  is  to  be  employed 
for  sleigh-runners  or  for  ship-building. 

TIMBER,  Best  Time  for  Cutting.— Tht 
best  time  to  cut  timber  is  in  midsummer,  just 
after  the  sap  has  ceased  to  flow  upward,  when 
the  leaf  is  fully  formed.  Some  contend  that 
midwinter  is  equally  as  good,  but  while  contend- 
ing that  timber  cut  in  midsummer  lasts  well,  we 
may  say  from  experience,  and  according  to  the 
authorities  on  the  subject,  that  the  former  time 
is  best.  Again,  by  cutting  in  midsummer,  the 
bark  can  be  stripped  off  and  saved,  which,  in 
many  localities,  is  a  matter  of  great  importance. 
This  is  a  difficult  thing  to  do  in  winter,  as  then 
it  clings  closely  to  the  wood. 

TRANSPLANTING.— The  frozen-ball  way 
of  removing  ornamental  trees  is  preferred  by  a 
great  many  to  all  others  for  some  purposes.  It 
is  well  adapted  to  evergreens  growing  wild,  if 
they  are  of  much  size.  In  order  that  it  may  be 
easily  and  expeditiously  performed,  preparations 
should  be  made  in  autumn,  or  before  the  ground 
freezes  hard,  by  digging  a  trench  in  the  shape  of 
a  circle  about  every  tree  a  foot  deep,  or  as  far 
down  as  the  frost  penetrates,  and  then  filling 
these  trenches  with  dead  leaves,  which  are  gen- 
erally very  abundant  indeed  at  that  time  of  the 
year  in  the  borders  of  woods,  or  wherever  these 
trees  are  sought. 

The  leaves  will  prevent  the  trenches  from  ever 
freezing  in  winter,  and  the  earth  within  them 
being  frozen  hard,  the  trees  are  easily  loosened 
and  tipped  over,  and  may  then  be  readily  trans- 
ferred to  sleds  and  conveyed  to  their  place  of 
destination,  where  holes,  dug  at  the  same  time 
that  the  trenches  were  made,  and  similarly  filled 
with  leaves  if  convenient,  or  left  open  and  froze, 
may  receive  them.     If  holes  and  balls  are  both 
frozen  hard,   and  are  nearly  equal  in  size,  the 
first  thaw  will  soften  the  ball  and  give  it  a  close      ^ 
fit.     But  it  is  rather  better  to  keep  the  hole  un-      / 
frozen,  so  that  the  balls  may  be  snugly  imbedded     / 
in  the  mellow  earth  when  placed  there.  / 

TRANSPLANTING,  Position  of  J^w.c— The  I 
theory  has  been  broached  that  trees  bend  toward 
the  east,  and  that  in  transplanting  them  care 
should  be  taken  to  set  them  in  the  same'  position, 
relative  to  the  points  of  the  compass,  that  they 
had  before  transplanting. 

TRANSPLANTING  During  the  Night.— 


148 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


A  gentleman,  anxious  to  ascertain  the  effect  of 
transplanting  at  night,  instead  of  by  day,  made 
an  experiment  with  the  following  results :  He 
transplanted  ten  cherry  trees  while  in  bloom, 
commencing  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
Those  transplanted  during  the  daylight  shed 
their  blossoms,  producing  little  or  no  fruit,  while 
those  planted  in  the  dark  maintained  their  con- 
dition fully.  He  did  the  same  with  ten  dwarf 
trees,  after  the  fruit  was  one-third  grown.  Those 
transplanted  during  the  day  shed  their  fruit; 
those  transplanted  during  the  night  perfected 
their  crop,  and  showed  no  injury  from  having 
been  removed.  With  each  of  these  trees  he  re- 
moved some  earth  with  the  roots.  The  inci- 
dent is  fully  vouched  for,  and  if  a  few  more  sim- 
ilar experiments  produce  a  like  result,  it  will  be 
a  strong  argument  to  horticulturists,  etc.,  to  do 
such  work  at  night. 

TRANSPORTATION  OF  VEGETA- 
BLES, Rules  for. — The  first  principle  to  be 
observed  is  the  packing,  and  the  main  point  in 
this  is  ventilation. 

Onions  and  potatoes  should  be  fully  matured 
before  shipment,  for  if  they  are  not  fully  ma- 
tured and  packed  dry,  they  will  easily  rot.  Do 
not  expose  them  long  to  the  sun  to  dry,  but  as 
they  become  dry  pack  them,  for  the  sun  will 
burn  them. 

Tomatoes  should  be  pulled  just  on  the  turn  to 
ripen.  If  they  are  pulled  too  green  they  will 
rot  before  they  will  ripen,  and  if  pulled  ripe  they 
will  rot  before  they  reach  their  destination. 

Cucumbers,  peas  and  beans  should  be  ripe, 
but  not  enough  to  be  liable  to  turn  yellow,  they 
being  saleable  only  while  having  a  green  color. 

Citron  melons  should  be  shipped  green — 
nearly  matured. 

Watermelons  should  be  ripe. 

Onions,  tomatoes,  cucumbers,  peas  and  beans 
should  be  shipped  in  bushel  crates. 

Potatoes  should  be  shipped  in  barrels  well 
ventilated.  Bore  at  least  three  holes  an  inch  in 
diameter  in  each  stave,  and  several  in  the  bot- 
tom. Cover  with  stout  cloth  covers,  and  cooper 
the  barrels. 

Cull  the  Irish  and  sweet  potatoes  well  before 
shipment,  and  the  culls  can  be  shipped  marked 
"  culls."  They  will  bring  half  price.  If  they 
are  shipped  mixed  in  with  large  potatoes  they 
will  injure  the  sale  of  them.  Every  one  will 
find  it  advantageous  to  ship  good  quality  stuff. 

Water  melons  and  citron  melons  can  be  ship- 
ped in  three  bushel  crates,  made  the  same  as  the 
Dushel  crate,  but  much  stronger. 

Always  fill  the  crates  well,  packing  the  articles 
tightly,  so  they  cannot  shake  about,  and  they 
will  not  rot  as  quick  as  they  would  if  they  could 
shake  about. 

TREES,  {SHADE,)  Best  to  Plant.— h 
moderate  number  of  trees  are  necessary  on  ev- 
ery farm,  both  for  shelter  and  shade.  Some 
farms  have  been  completely  denuded  by  the  ax 
of  the  wood-chopper,  and,  as  screens  and  shade 
trees  are  almost  indispensable,  the  most  desira- 
ble and  profitable  are  black  walnut  and  sugar 
maple.  The  walnuts  will  bear  abundantly  in  8 
or  10  years  from  the  time  of  planting,  and  the 
timber  will  be  increasing  in  value  every  year. 
The  sugar  maple  is  a  beautiful  shade,  and  its 
product  is  exceedingly  valuable.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  raise  the  trees  in  some  corner  of  the  or- 
chard or  garden  until  they  have  become  strong. 


TREES,  OAR. — The  process  of  deforesting 
our  lands  upon  the  Atlantic  border  has  gone  on 
for  centuries,  and  in  the  very  populous  States 
has  necessitated  replanting.  It  is  a  fact  not  suf- 
ficiently known,  that  oaks  may  be  rapidly  grown, 
and  will  develop,  within  an  ordinary  lifetime, 
fine  groves  of  those  noble  trees  which  give  so 
much  dignity  to  an  old  homestead.  Major  Ben. 
Perley  Poore  has  upon  his  estate  in  Massachu- 
setts, a  splendid  oak  forest  or  wood  of  30  acres, 
every  acorn  for  which  was  planted  by  himself  30 
years  ago.  The  trunks  of  the  trees  are  now  l^ 
feet  in  diameter. 

TOADS. — Toads  are  among  the  best  friends 
the  gardener  has;  for  they  live  almost  exclu- 
sively on  the  most  destructive  kinds  of  vermin. 
Unsightly,  therefore,  though  they  may  be,  they 
should  on  all  accounts  be  encouraged  ;  they  must 
never  be  touched  nor  molested  in  any  way ;  on 
the  contrary,  places  of  shelter  should  be  made 
for  them,  to  which  they  may  retire  from  the  heat 
of  the  sun.  If  you  have  none  in  your  garden, 
it  will  be  quite  worth  your  while  to  search  for 
them  in  your  walks,  and  bring  them  home,  tak- 
ing care  to  handle  them  carefully,  for  although 
they  have  neither  the  will  nor  the  power  to  in- 
jure you,  a  very  little  rough  treatment  will  in- 
jure them. 

TOMA  TO  PLANTS,  To  Raise.— M^^Vg  a 
hot  bed  in  the  customary  way  about  3x6  feet. 
On  about  3  square  feet  at  one  end,  sow  your  seed 
I- 16  of  an  inch  thick  ;  cover  with  ^  an  inch  of 
rich,  sifted  soil.  When  the  plants  are  3  inches 
high,  make  a  trench  across  the  bed,  leaving  one 
side  at  an  angle  of  52  degrees.  Wet  the  plants 
so  that  they  can  be  taken  up  without  injuring  the 
roots.  Place  them  in  the  trench  2  inches  apart. 
Cover  them  up  to  the  last  leaves  by  making  an- 
other trench  so  near  that  the  rows  of  plants  will 
be  3  inches  apart.  When  they  are  from  4  to  6 
inches  high  transplant  them  into  the  garden,  ta- 
king care  not  to  injure  the  roots.  Plants  raised 
as  above  directed  will  be  very  stocky,  will  not 
wilt  when  transplanted,  and  will  ripen  their  fruit 
before  frost  comes. 

TOMA  TOES,  Cultivation  ^— Set  your  to- 
mato plants  in  rows  three  and  a  half  feet  apart, 
and  the  same  distance  apart  in  the  rows.  Let 
the  rows  be  of  an  even  number,  and,  if  possi- 
ble, running  north  and  south,  for  the  better  ad- 
vantage of  the  sunshine. 

Now,  beginning  with  the  first  couple  of  rows, 
at  one  end  set  a  pair  of  stakes  in  such  manner 
that  they  will  enter  the  ground  just  outside  of 
the  line  of  the  rows,  and  cross  each  other  at  the 
height  of  about  four  feet  over  the  middle  space. 
Set  corresponding  stakes  at  the  opposite  end  of 
the  rows,  and  also  intermediate  ones,  if  neces- 
sary. 

This  done,  along  the  outside  of  these  sloping 
stakes  fasten  horizontal  strips  of  edging,  begin- 
ning with  the  first  about  eight  inches  from  the 
ground,  and  finishing  with  the  one  which  will 
run  in  the  crossing  of  the  stakes. 

As  the  plants  grow,  carefully  train  them  oyer 
this  framework,  securing  them  in  place  by  tying 
with  strings,  and  judiciously  trimming  when 
needed. 

After  the  crop  is  removed  in  the  fall,  the  ma- 
terial of  this  simple  structure  may  be  easily  ta- 
ken apart  and  laid  away  for  use  the  coming  and 
subsequent  seasons. 

TOMA  TOES,  French  Mode  of  Cultivating. 


f^ARM,  ORCHARD,  GARDEN  AND  DAIRY. 


149 


— ^The  French  method  is  as  follows  ,  As  soon  as 
a  cluster  of  flowers  is  visible  they  top  the  stem 
down  to  the  clusters,  so  that  the  flowers  termi- 
nate the  stem.  The  efiect  is,  that  the  sap  is  im- 
mediately impelled  into  the  two  buds  next  below 
the  cluster,  which  soon  push  strongly  and  pro- 
duce another  cluster  of  flowers  each.  When 
these  are  visible  the  branch  to  which  they  be- 
long is  also  topped  down  to  their  level,  and  this 
is  done  five  times  in  succession.  By  this  means 
the  plants  become  stout,  dwarf  bushes,  not  over 
eighteen  inches  high.  In  addition  to  this,  all 
the  laterals  whatsoever  are  nipped  off.  In  this 
way  the  ripe  sap  is  directed  into  the  fruit,  which 
acquires  a  beauty,  size  and  excellence  unattain- 
able by  any  other  means. 

TURNIP  CULTURE.— 'Y'^^  most  desira- 
ble soil  for  the  cultivation  of  this  root  is  a  sandy 
loam  free  from  stagnant  water — one  easily  culti- 
vated to  a  considerable  depth,  notwithstanding 
that  a  heavier  crop  may  occasionally  be  obtained 
from  a  clay  loam. 

Early  in  the  fall  the  land  intended  for  turnips 
should  receive  a  heavy  coating  of  farmyard  ma- 
nure, and  be  deeply  plowed;  cross-plowed  in 
the  spring  about  the  end  of  May  or  the  begin- 
ning of  June,  harrowed  and  rolled  until  a  fine 
tilth  is  secured.  Getting  the  soil  into  a  finely 
divided  state  is  a  matter  of  the  highest  import- 
ance. It  is  a  well  established  fact  that  all  soils 
have  the  power  of  absorbing  and  retaining  to  a 
greater  or  less  degree  a  certain  ariiount  of  moi- 
sture, and  the  more  finely  divided  and  thor- 
oughly pulverized  the  land,  the  greater  amount 
of  moisture  will  it  absorb  and  retain.  It  would 
be  very  difficult  to  state  absolutely  when  is  the 
best  time  to  sow,  inasmuch  as  soils  and  seasons 
vary.  On  clay  or  clay  loam  perhaps  the  most 
desirable  time  is  from  the  fifth  to  the  fifteenth  of 
June,  and  on  sandy  loams  from  the  tenth  to  the 
twentieth  of  that  month.  The  quantity  of  seed 
required  per  acre  will  also  vary  with  the  weath- 
er. In  damp  weather,  on  sandy  soils,  2  lbs.  is 
ample,  and  on  clay  loam,  and  in  weather  ordi- 
narily dry,  it  will  be  well  to  use  3  lbs.  or  more. 
The  depth  of  the  seed  should  be  from  i  to  l^ 
inches  below  the  surface.  It  is  better  for  plants 
to  come  up  thickly,  for  they  grow  faster  than 
when  thin,  and  are  more  apt  to  escape  the  rav- 
ages of  the  fly;  and,  moreover,  they  require 
immediate  attention  as  soon  as  they  are  large 
enough  to  thin.  Sowing  upon  drills  is  altogether 
preferable  to  sowing  on  the  level ;  not  only  can 
a  much  larger  crop  be  produced,  but  the  weeds 
are  far  more  easily  destroyed.  The  distance  be- 
tween the  drills  should  be  from  26  to  30  inches, 
and  the  plants  should  be  left,  by  thinning,  12  to 
15  inches  apart.  When  a  good  braird  has  been 
Secured,  the  great  secret  of  success  is  in  stirring 
the  soil  frequently  when  dry,  and  keeping  the 
ground  perfectly  free  from  noxious  weeds. 

WAGONSy  To  Grease. — But  few  people  are 
aware  that  they  do  wagons  and  carriages  more 
injury  by  greasing  too  plentifully  than  in  almost 
any  other  way.  A  well  made  wheel  will  endure 
common  wear  from  ten  to  twenty-five  years,  if 
care  is  taken  to  use  the  right  kind  and  proper 
amount  of  grease ;  but  if  this  matter  is  not  at- 
tended to,  they  will  be  used  up  in  five  or  six 
years.  Lard  should  never  be  used  on  a  wagon, 
for  it  will  penetrate  the  hub,  and  work  its  way 
out  around  the  tenons  of  the  spokes,  and  spoil 
the  wheel     Tallow  \s   the  best  lubricator  for 


wood  axle  trees,  and  castor  oil  for  iron.  Just 
enough  grease  should  be  applied  to  the  spindle 
of  a  wagon  to  give  it  a  light  coating ;  this  is  bet- 
ter than  more,  for  the  surplus  put  on  will  work 
out  at  the  ends,  and  be  forced  by  the  shoulder 
bands  and  nut  washers  into  the  hub  around  the 
outside  of  the  boxes.  To  oil  an  iron  axle  tree, 
first  wipe  the  spindle  clean  with  a  cloth  wet  with 
spirits  of  turpentine,  and  then  apply  a  few  drops 
of  castor  oil  near  the  shoulder  and  end.  One 
teaspoonful  is  sufficient  for  the  whole. 

WALNUT  TREE.—'Y\ift  r|ost  common 
mode  is  to  propagate  from  the  nut  or  seed.  It 
is  also  propagated  by  a  species  of  grafting  called 
"marching,"  by  budding,  and  by  grafting  by 
the  ♦'  approach"  method.  In  any  common  fer- 
tile soil  the  walnut  will  succeed,  but  it  thrives 
best  in  a  good  depth  of  loam,  mixed  with  sand 
or  gravel.  Those  who  intend  planting  walnuts 
should  procure  plants  from  the  nursery,  either 
marched  or  budded,  and  in  as  advanced  a  stage 
of  growth  as  is  compatible  with  their  safe  re- 
moval. Plants  from  8  to  12  years  old  may  be 
safely  removed,  if  properly  prepared  by  previous 
transplantation.  Plants  for  fruiting  should  be 
planted  20  feet  distant  from  each  other.  The 
usual  period  at  which  they  commence  bearing  is 
18  or  20  years.  The  fruit  is  produced  on  the 
extremities  of  the  previous  year's  shoots,  and 
should  be  gathered  so  as  not  to  injure  the 
tree. 

WEEDS,  To  Destroy. — Annual  weeds,  or 
such  as  spring  from  seed  and  die  the  same  year, 
are  most  easily  destroyed.  For  this  purpose  it 
will  be  sufficient  to  let  them  spring  up  till  near 
the  time  of  ripening  their  seed,  and  then  plow 
them  down  before  it  comes  to  maturity.  It  is 
also  of  service  to  destroy  such  weeds  as  grow  in 
borders  or  neglected  corners,  and  frequently 
scatter  their  seeds  to  a  great  distance — such  as 
the  thistle,  dandelion,  rag  weed,  etc.,  for  these 
propagate  their  species  through  a  deal  of  ground, 
as  their  seeds  are  carried  about  with  the  wind  to 
very  considerable  distances.  A  farmer  ought 
also  to  take  care  that  the  small  seeds  of  weeds, 
separated  from  corn  in  winnowing,  be  not  sown 
again  upon  the  ground ;  for  this  certainly  hap- 
pens when  they  are  thrown  upon  a  dunghill,  be- 
cause, being  the  natural  offspring  of  the  earth, 
they  are  not  easily  destroyed.  The  best  method 
of  preventing  any  mischief  from  this  cause  is  to 
burn  them.  Perennial  weeds  are  such  as  are 
propagated  by  the  roots,  and  last  for  a  number 
of  years.  They  cannot  be  effectually  destroyed 
but  by  removing  the  roots  from  the  ground, 
which  is  often  a  matter  of  some  difficulty.  The 
only  method  that  can  be  depended  upon  in  this 
case  is  frequent  plowing,  to  render  the  ground 
as  tender  as  possible,  and  harrowing  with  a  par- 
ticular kind  of  harrow,  in  order  to  collect  these 
pernicious  roots.  When  collected,  they  ought 
to  be  dried  and  burnt,  as  the  only  effectual  way 
of  insuring  their  doing  no  farther  mischief. 

WEEDS  IN  WALKS,  To  Destroy.— h. 
most  efficient  agent  for  the  destruction  of  weeds, 
and  one  that  is  not  expensive,  can  be  made  by 
boiling  4  lbs.  of  arsenic  and  8  lbs.  of  soda  in  12 
gallons  of  water.  To  every  gallon  of  this  boil- 
ing mixture  3  gallons  of  cold  water  should  be 
added,  and  the  liquid  carefully  sprinkled  over 
the  walks  while  it  is  yet  warm.  It  is  desirable 
to  do  this  in  fine  weather,  and  when  the  walks 
are  dry,  so  that  the  weeds  and  weed-seeds  may 


ISO 


DICTION^ARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


have  the  full  benefit  of  the  application.  Care 
must  be  taken  not  to  let  any  of  the  hquid  fall  on 
the  leaves  or  reach  the  root  of  any  plants  it  is 
not  desired  to  kill.  In  24  hours  after  the  poison 
is  put  on  the  walks  every  weed  will  be  killed ; 
and,  if  it  be  once  thoroughly  done,  it  will  keep 
the  walks  clean  through  the  whole  season. 

WHEA  7;  To  Prez'ent  Mildew  «>«.— Dissolve 
three  ounces  and  two  drachms  of  sulphate  of 
copper,  copperas,  or  blue  vitriol,  in  three  gallons 
and  three  quarts,  wine  measure,  of  cold  water, 
for  every  three  bushels  of  grain  that  is  to  be  pre- 
pared. Into  another  vessel,  capable  of  contain- 
ing from  fifty-three  to  seventy-nine  wine  gallons, 
throw  from  three  to  four  bushels  of  wheat,  into 
which  the  prepared  liquid  is  poured,  until  it  rises 
five  or  six  inches  above  the  grain.  Stir  it  thor- 
oughly, and  carefully  remove  all  that  swims  on 
the  surface.  After  it  has  remained  half  an  hour 
in  the  preparation,  throw  the  wheat  into  a  bas- 
ket that  will  allow  the  water  to  escape,  but  not 
the  grain.  It  ought  then  to  be  immediately 
washed  in  rain,  or  pure  water,  which  will  pre- 
vent any  risk  of  its  injuring  the  germ,  and  after- 
wards the  seed  ought  to  be  dried  before  it  is  put 
in  the  ground.  It  may  be  preserved  in  this 
shape  for  months, 

WHEA  T,  To  Prevent  Rust  in. — Some  hours 
— at  the  longest  six  or  eight  before  sowing — pre- 
pare a  steep  of  three  measures  of  powdered 
quicklime,  and  ten  measures  of  cattle  urine. 
Four  two  quarts  of  this  upon  a  peck  of  wheat, 
stir  with  a  spade  until  every  kernel  is  covered 
white  with  it.  By  using  wheat  so  prepared, 
rust  of  every  kind  will  be  avoided.  I  have  of- 
ten noticed,  while  in  the  neighboring  fields,  a 
great  part  of  the  crop  is  affected  by  rust ;  in 
mine,  lying  closely  by  it,  not  a  single  ear  so  af- 
fected could  be  found. 

The  same  writer  says  he  takes  the  sheaves  and 
beats  off  the  ripest  kernels  with  a  stick,  and  uses 
the  grain  thus  obtained  for  seed. 

WHEAT,  {Slugs  upon,)  To  Destroy.— QoV 
lect  a  number  of  lean  ducks,  keep  them  all  day 
without  food,  and  turn  them  into  the  field  to- 
wards evening;  each  duck  would  devour  the 
slugs  much  faster  than  a  man  could  collect  them, 
and  they  soon  would  get  very  fat  for  market. 

WORM,  {CUT)  To  Destroy.— The  climbing 
cut  worm  is  the  larva  of  moth  known  as  the 
Lance  Rustic,  and  is  quite  common  all  over  the 
country.  If  you  will  place  old  rags  about  the 
stems  of  young  peach  trees,  the  worms  will  hide 
under  them  in  daytime,  and  can  thus  be  caught 
and  destroyed.  A  few  rags,  or  some  similar 
material,  placed  on  the  ground  near  each  tree, 
will  also  answer  as  a  trap.  These  traps  should 
be  examined  every  morning,  and  the  worms 
killed.  We  do  not  know  of  a  better  method  of 
destroying  them,  as  the  worms  work  all  night, 
while  their  natural  enemies,  or  a  portion  of 
them,  are  asleep. 

WORM,  CURRANT— h  multitude  of  de- 
vices  have  been  tried  for  destroying  this  pest. 
Some  persons,  who  have  only  a  few  bushes,  suc- 
ceed by  hand-picking  and  burning ;  others  by 


dusting  the  leaves  with  lime ;  others  by  burning 
smudges  of  old  leather  and  sulphur  under  the 
bushes  ;  others  by  dusting  the  leaves  with  pow- 
dered hellebore,  using  for  this  purpose  a  tin  box 
perforated  at  the  top  like  a  pepper-castor.  The 
latter  method  has  been  found  very  successful. 
Another  method  is  with  a  solution  of  copperas, 
made  at  the  rate  of  i  lb.  of  copperas  to  6  gals, 
of  water,  and  sprinkled  on  the  bushes  through 
a  common  watering-pot.  This  is  cheaper  than 
hellebore,  and  does  not  annoy  the  operator.  It 
is  sure  and  speedy  death  to  the  worm,  and  does 
no  harm  to  the  bushes.  The  Scotch  method  of 
treatment  is  with  soot.  When  soot  is  dusted  on 
the  bushes  after  a  slight  shower  has  fallen,  or 
after  the  leaves  have  been  wetted,  the  vermin 
will  soon  drop  off  the  leaves  and  perish.  Tlie 
application  of  a  sprinkling  of  dry  soot  round  the 
roots  of  bushes,  when  early  digging  operations 
are  being  proceeded  with  in  spring,  will  act  most 
successfully  in  preventing  their  appearance;  and 
this,  resorted  to  in  successive  seasons,  will  en- 
tirely extirpate  the  pests. 

WORM,  PEA  CH.— It  is  said  that  a  mixture 
of  one  ounce  of  saltpetre  and  seven  ounces  of 
salt,  applied  on  the  surface  of  the  ground,  in 
contact  and  around  the  trunk  of  a  peach  tree 
seven  years  old  and' upwards,  will  destroy  the 
worm,  prevent  the  yellows,  and  add  much  to  the 
product  and  quality  of  the  fruit. 

WOUNDS  IN  TREES,  To  Heal.—^lzke  a 
varnish  of  common  linseed  oil,  rendered  very 
drying  by  boiling  it  for  the  space  of  an  hour, 
with  an  ounce  of  litharge  to  each  pound  of  oil, 
mixed  with  calcined  bones,  pulverized  and  sifted 
to  the  consistence  of  an  almost  liquid  paste. 
With  this  paste  the  wounds  are  to  be  covered 
by  means  of  a  brush,  after  the  bark  and  other 
substance  have  been  pared,  so  as  to  render  the 
whole  as  smooth  and  even  as  possible.  This 
varnish  must  be  applied  in  dry  weather,  in  order 
that  it  may  attach  itself  properly.  • 

See  also  "  Liquid  Grafting  Wax." 

YAM,  CHINESE.— In  the  first  place,  send 
off  to  get  the  tubers  or  seed,  if  you  cannot  ob- 
tain the  roots ;  however,  the  roots  are  better. 
Cut  the  roots  in  two  slices,  from  one-half  to  one 
inch  in  length,  according  to  their  size,  and  plant 
in  the  spring  in  rows  two  and  a  half  feet  one 
way  by  six  inches  apart  in  the  row — one  piece  in 
a  place,  and  cover  three  inches  in  depth ;  culti- 
vate to  keep  clear  of  weeds,  and  the  following 
spring  dig  up  one-quarter  of  the  bed,  taking  up 
the  one-year-old  roots,  and  cut  them  into  pieces 
and  plant  a  new  bed,  and  thus  have  a  supply  of 
two- year-old  roots  that  may  be  dug  each  fall  and 
placed  in  the  cellar  for  winter  use.  For  cook- 
ing purposes  they  are  excellent,  apparently  pai;- 
taking  of  the  general  nourishing  characteristics 
of  the  arrowroot  as  well  as  the  potato.  They 
will  keep  well,  without  rotting,  all  winter.  If 
thought  best  the  roots  can  remain  in  the  ground 
all  winter,  and  be  allowed  to  grow  three  or  four 
years,  and  thus  grow  to  an  enormous  size.  But 
most  land  without  plowing  for  two  years  will  get 
hard  and  full  of  weeds. 


HOUSEHOLD    MISCELLANY. 


»Si 


HOUSEHOLD    MISCELLANY. 


ALABASTER,  To  Clean.— i.  Wash  with 
Boap  suds.  If  stained,  whitewash  the  stains ; 
let  the  whitewash  remain  on  several  hours,  then 
clean  it  off. — 2.  Take  ground  pumice  stone  of 
the  finest  quality,  and  mix  it  up  with  verjuice  ; 
let  it  stand  for  two  hours,  then  dip  in  a  sponge 
and  rub  the  alabaster  therewith ;  wash  it  with  a 
linen  cloth  and  fresh  water,  and  dry  it  with  clean 
linen  rags. 

BEDS,  Care  of. — The  care  of  beds  is  not  un- 
derstood, even  by  some  good  housewives ;  when 
a  bed  is  freshly  made  it  often  smells  strong. 
Constant  airing  will,  if  the  feathers  are  good, 
and  only  new,  remove  the  scent.  A  bed  in  con- 
stant use  should  be  invariably  beaten  and  shaken 
up  daily,  to  enable  the  feathers  to  renew  their 
elasticity.  It  should  lie,  after  it  is  shaken  up, 
for  two  or  three  hours  in  a  well- ventilated  room. 
If  the  bed  is  in  a  room  which  cannot  be  spared 
so  long,  it  should  be  put  out  to  air  two  full  days 
of  the  week.  In  airing  beds  the  sun  should  not 
shine  directly  upon  them.  It  is  air,  not  heat, 
which  they  need.  We  have  seen  beds  lying  on 
a  roof  where  the  direct  and  reflected  rays  of  the 
sun  had  full  power,  and  the  feathers,  without 
doubt,  were  stewing,  and  the  oil  in  the  quill  be- 
coming rancid,  so  that  the  bed  smells  worse  af- 
ter airing  than  before.  Always  air  beds  in  the 
shade  on  cool  and  windy  days.  Featherbeds 
should  be  opened  every  three  or  four  years,  the 
ticks  washed,  the  seams  soaped  and  waxed,  and 
the  feathers  renovated. 

Feathers  were  never  intended  for  human  be- 
ings to  sleep  on.  They  are  always  without  ex- 
ception debilitating.  Straw,  corn  husks,  com- 
pressed sponge,  or  curled  hair,  should  always  be 
used  in  preference. 

BLA  CK  LEAD,  To  Remove. — To  remove 
black  lead  from  polished  steel  sides  of  a  grate, 
first  wash  them  with  strong  soap  and  water,  using 
a  bit  of  old  flannel  for  the  purpose ;  then  rub 
them  with  sweet  oil  and  rotten  stone ;  afterwards 
polish  in  the  usual  manner  with  soft  leather. 

BLANKETS,  To  C/^a«.— When  soiled  they 
should  be  washed,  aud  not  scoured,  which  latter 
they  will  be  if  sent  to  the  scourer's.  Shake  all 
the  dust  from  them,  plunge  them  into  plenty  of 
hot  soap-suds,  let  them  lie  till  the  hands  can  be 
borne  in  the  water,  wash  quickly,  rinse  in  new 
clean  hot  suds,  shake  thoroughly,  stretch  well, 
dry,  and  they  will  be  as  nice  as  new. 

BRASS,  To  Clean. — Rotten  stone  2  oz.,  ox- 
alic acid  ^  oz.,  sweet  oil  ^^  of  an  oz.,  turpen- 
tine enough  to  make  a  paste.  Apply  it  with  a 
little  water. 

BRASS  ORNAMENTS,  To  Clean.— Brass 
ornaments,  that  have  not  been  gilt  or  lacquered, 
may  be  cleaned,  and  a  very  brilliant  color  given 
to  them,  by  washing  them  with  alum  boiled  in 
strong  lye,  in  the  proportion  of  an  ounce  to  a 
pint,  and  afterward  rubbing  them  with  a  strong 
tripoli. 

BOARDS,  To  Take  Ink  <?«/ (7/.— Strong  mu. 
riatic  acid,  or  spirits  of  salts,  applied  with  a  pieo^ 
of  cloth  ;  afterwards  well  washed  with  water. 

BOARDS,  To  Get  Oil  OJ'.—Uix  together 
fuller's  earth  and  soap  lees,  and  rub  it  into  the 


boards.  Let  it  dry,  and  then  scour  it  off  with 
some  strong  soft  soap  and  sand,  or  use  lees  to 
scour  it  with.  It  should  be  put  on  hot,  which 
may  easily  be  done  by  heating  tbe  lees. 

BONNETS,  To  Prevent  Being  Injured  by 
the  Hair. — Great  advantage  will  be  found  in 
having  a  piece  of  white  or  yellow  oiled  silk 
basted  inside  of  that  part  of  your  bonnet  where 
the  crown  unites  with  the  brim,  carrying  it  up 
some  distance  into  the  crown,  «nd  some  distance 
down  into  the  hair  between  the  outside  and  the 
lining.  This  will  prevent  the  bonnet  being  in- 
jured by  any  oiliness  about  your  hair.  Or  you 
may  have  an  oiled  silk  bonnet  cap. 

BOOKS,  To  Remove  Stains  from. — To  re- 
move ink  stains  from  a  book,  first  wash  the  pa- 
per with  warm  water,  using  a  camel's  hair  brush 
for  the  purpose.  By  this  means  the  surtace  ink 
is  got  rid  of;  the  paper  must  now  be  wet  with  a 
solution  of  oxalate  of  potash,  or,  better  still,  ox- 
alic acid,  in  the  proportion  of  one  ounce  to  'half 
a  pint  of  water.  The  ink  stains  will  immedi- 
ately disappear.  Finally,  again  wash  the  stained 
place  with  clean  water,  and  dry  it  with  white 
blotting  paper. 

BOOKS,  To  Remove  Grease  from. — Lay  upon 
the  spot  a  little  magnesia  or  powdered  prepared 
chalk,  and  under  it  the  same ;  set  on  it  a  warm 
flat-iron,  and  as  soon  as  the  grease  is  melted  it 
will  be  all  absorbed,  and  leave  the  paper  clean. 
BOOTS  AND  SHOES,  Care  e/".— Boots 
and  shoes,  if  taken  care  of  properly,  will  last 
two  or  three  times  longer  than  they  usually  do, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  fit  the  feet  far  more  satis- 
factorily, and  keep  them  dry  and  more  comfort- 
able in  wet  and  cold  weather.  The  upper 
leather  should  be  kept  soft  and  pliable,  while  the 
soles  need  to  be  hard,  tough,  and  impervious  to 
water. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  with  any  pair  of 
new  shoes,  is  to  set  each  one  on  a  platter  or  a 
dinner-plate,  and  pour  on  boiled  linseed-oil  suf- 
ficient to  fill  the  vessel  to  the  upper  edge  of  the 
soles.  Allow  the  leather  to  absorb  as  much  oil 
as  it  will  for  eight  hours.  Linseed  oil  should 
not  be  applied  to  the  upper  leathei',  as  it  will 
soon  become  dry,  rendering  the  leather  hard  and 
tough.  But  if  the  soles  be  saturated  with  this 
oil,  it  will  exclude  the  dampness  and  enlarge  the 
pegs,  so  that  the  soles  will  never  get  loose  from 
the  upper  leather. 

If  the  shoes  be  sewed,  the  linseed  oil  will  pre- 
serve the  thread  from  rotting.  Now  wet  the 
upper  leather  thoroughly  when  the  boots  or  the 
shoes  are  to  be  put  on  the  feet,  so  that  those 
parts  which  are  tight  may  render  a  trifle,  and 
thus  adapt  the  form  of  the  shoe  to  the  foot  far 
more  satisfactorily  than  when  the  upper  leather 
is  not  wet.  Keep  them  on  the  foot  until  nearly 
dry.  Then  give  the  upper  leather  a  thorough 
greasing  with  equal  parts  of  lard  and  tallow,  or 
tallow  and  neat's  foot  oil. 

If  shoes  be  treated  in  this  manner,  and  a  row 
of  round-headed  shoe  nails  be  driven  around  the 
edge  of  the  soles,  they  will  wear  like  copper, 
and  always  set  easy  to  the  feet.  Boots  and 
shoes  should  be  treated  as  suggested,  and  worn 


IS2 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


a  little  several  months  before  they  are  put  to 
daily  service.  They  should  be  cleaned  fre- 
quently, whether  they  are  worn  or  not.,  and 
should  never  be  put  to  stand  in  a  damp  place, 
nor  be  put  too  near  the  fire  to  dry.  In  cleaning, 
be  careful  to  brush  the  dirt  from  the  seams,  and 
not  to  scrape  in  with  a  knife,  or  you  will  cut  the 
stitches.  Let  the  hard  brush  do  its  work  thor- 
oughly well,  and  the  polish  will  be  all  the  brighter. 
Do  not  put  on  too  much  blacking  at  a  time,  for 
if  it  dries  before  using  the  shining  brush  the 
leather  will  look  brown  instead  of  black. 

BOOTS  AND  SHOES,  India  Rubber,  Water 
Eroof  for. — Spermaceti,  4  parts;  India  rubber 
(small),  I  part.  Melt  with  a  gentle  heat,  then 
add  tallow  or  lard,  10  parts ;  amber  or  copal  var- 
nish, 5  parts.  Well  mix  and  apply  the  compos- 
ition to  the  leather  with  a  paint-brush.  Cut  the 
rubber  into  very  small  pieces,  and  let  it  take  its 
time  to  d^solve,  say  four  or  five  hours. 

BOOTS  {White  Jean)  To  Clean.— li  you 
have  not  boottrees,  stuff  the  boot  as  full  as  pos- 
sible with  common  cotton  wadding  or  old  rags, 
to  prevent  any  creases ;  then  mix  some  pipeclay 
with  water  to  rather  a  stiff  paste,  wash  the  jean 
boots  with  soap  and  water  and  a  nail-brush, 
using  as  little  water  as  possible  to  get  the  dirt 
off.  When  they  look  tolerably  clean  rub  the 
pipeclay  with  a  flannel  well  over  them  and  hang 
them  to  dry.  When  dry  beat  out  the  superfluous 
clay  with  the  hand  and  rub  them  till  they  look 
smooth.     Flake  white  may  also  be  used. 

BOOTS,  KID,  To  Clean.— li  the  kid  boots 
are  not  very  soiled  they  may  be  cleaned  in  the 
following  manner: — Put  half  an  ounce  of  harts- 
horn into  a  saucer,  dip  a  bit  of  clean  flannel  in  it 
and  rub  it  on  a  piece  of  white  card  soap  ;  rub  the 
boots  with  this,  and  as  each  piece  of  flannel  be- 
comes soiled,  take  a  fresh  piece ;  the  boots  will 
look  like  new. 

BOOTS,  KID,  To  Restore  color  of.—Taktz. 
small  quantity  of  good  black  ink,  mix  it  with  the 
white  of  an  egg,  and  apply  it  to  the  boots  with  a 
soft  sponge. 

BOOTS,  KID,  71>  5^//^«.— Melt  a  quarter  of 
a  pound  of  tallow,  then  pour  it  into  a  jar,  and  add 
to  it  the  same  weight  of  olive  oil,  stir,  and  let 
it  stand  still ;  apply  a  small  quantity  occasionally 
with  a  piece  of  flannel.  Should  the  boots  be 
very  dirty,  cleanse  with  warm  water.  It  will 
soften  any  leather. 

BOOTS,  BEGGED,  To  Prevent  Ripping.— 
Pegged  boots,  it  is  stated,  if  occasionally  dressed 
with  petroleum  between  the  soles  and  the  upper 
leather,  will  not  rip.  If  the  soles  of  boots  or 
shoes  are  dressed  with  petroleum  they  will  resist 
wet  and  wear  well.  The  pegs,  it  is  said,  are  not 
affected  by  dryness  after  being  well  saturated 
with  this  liquid. 

BOOTS,  {PATENT  LEATHER),  Care  of . 
— The  old  plan  of  washing  them  with  milk  is 
simply  absurd — a  waste  of  time.  If  they  crack, 
brush  a  little  blacking  into  the  cracks,  and  then 
rub  them  over*  with  5'rench  polish,  or  common 
furniture  polish,  using  the  finger  to  lay  on  the 

{)olish,  and  a  soft  dry  rag  to  finish  off  with.  In 
ieu  of  furniture  polish,  a  mixture  of  sweet  oil 
and  turpentine  will  answer.  This  treatment  will 
preserve  their  bright  polish  until  they  are  utterly 
worn  out. 

BOOT  LEA  THER,  Presei-jation  ^/.— Shoe 
leather  is  generally  abused.  Persons  know  noth- 
ing or  care  less  about  the  kind  of  material  used 


than  they  do  about  the  polish  produced.  Vitriol 
blacking  is  used  until  every  particle  of  the  oil  in 
the  leather  is  destroyed.  To  remedy  this  abuse, 
the  leather  should  be  washed  once  a  month  with 
warm  water,  and  when  about  half  dry,  a  coat  of 
oil  and  tallow  should  be  applied,  and  the  boots 
set  aside  for  a  day  or  two.  This  will  renew  the 
elasticity  and  life  in  the  leather,  and  when  thus 
used  upper  leather  will  seldom  crack  or  break. 

BOOTS  AND  SHOES  {Summer)  ToPreservt 
through  the  Winter. — Wash  the  blacking  off; 
let  them  dry  ;  then  oil  them  with  castor  or  neats- 
foot  oil.  When  you  wear  them  they  will  be  soft 
and  pliable,  and  will  last  longer  if  preserved  in 
this  way.  After  you  have  worn  them  a  few  days 
they  are  ready  for  blacking. 

BOOTS  AND  SHOES,  {RUBBER),  To 
Mend. — I.  Get  apiece  of  pure  rubber — an  old 
shoe — vulcanized  rubber  will  not  do ;  cut  it  into 
small  bits.  Put  it  into  a  bottle,  anr'.  cover  to 
twice  its  depth  with  spirits  of  turpentine  or  re- 
fined coal  tar  naphtha — not  petroleum  naphtha. 
Stop  the  bottle  and  set  one  side,  shaking  it  fre- 
quently. The  rubber  will  soon  dissolve.  Then 
take  the  shoe  and  press  the  rip  or  cut  close  to- 
gether, and  put  on  the  rubber  solution  with  a 
camel's  hair  brush.  Continue  to  apply  so  fast  as 
it  dries  until  a  thorough  coating  is  formed. 
Spirits  of  turpentine  dissolves  the  rubber  slow- 
est, but  forms  the  most  elastic  cement. — 2.  Pur- 
chase a  can  of  rubber  cement,  which  can  be 
found  in  large  cities  at  rubber  stores ;  also  some 
rubber  for  patches,  as  new  rubber  is  much  better 
than  old  boots  or  shoes.  To  make  the  patches 
adhere,  it  is  necessary  to  remove  the  cloth  from 
them.  To  do  this,  moisten  the  cloth  with  benzine 
and  remove  immediately.  Cut  the  patches  the 
proper  size  to  cover  the  hole  in  the  boot.  Make 
the  boot  around  the  hole  rough,  the  size  of  the 
patch,  with  a  wood  or  shoemakers  file ;  apply 
the  cement  to  the  boot,  and  the  patch  with  a  case 
knife,  and  let  them  lie  in  a  7varm,  dry  room  from 
thirty  to  sixty  minutes;  then  put  the  patch  on  the 
boot,  and  press  it  down  firmly.  Be  very  parti- 
cular about  the  edges  of  the  patch.  After  it  has 
been  on  a  short  time  examine  it  again,  to  see  that 
it  has  not  started  off;  if  it  has,  press  it  down 
again.  Do  not  use  the  boot  under  forty-eight 
hours  after  the  patch  is  put  on.  One  fifty  cent 
can  of  cement  will  last  a  family  several  years. 
Keep  the  cover  on  the  can  when  not  in  use,  as 
it  dries  up  very  quickly.  If  the  cement  becomes 
dry,  cut  it  with  benzine. 

BOOTS,SQUEAKING,ToPrevent.—S,(iViC3\i- 
ing  boots  or  shoes  are  a  great  annoyance,  espec- 
ially in  entering  a  sick  room,  or  a  church  after 
the  service  has  commenced.  To  remedy  it,  boil 
linseed  oil  and  saturate  the  soles  with  the 
same. 

BOOTS  AND  SHOES,  {Soles  of )  To  Make 
Waterproof. — Experience  has  proved  that  a  coat 
of  gum  copal  varnish  applied  to  the  soles  of  boots 
and  shoes,  and  repeated  as  it  dries,  until  the 
pores  are  filled  and  the  surface  shines  like  pol- 
ished mahagony,  will  make  the  soles  water- 
proof, and  also  cause  them  to  last  three  times  as 
long  as  ordinary  soles. 

BOOTS  AND  SHOES,  Water-proof -compo- 
sition for. — Boiled  oil  i  pint;  oil  of  turpentine, 
black  rosin,  and  bees'  wax,  of  each  3  oz.  Melt 
the  wax  and  rosin,  then  stir  in  the  oil,  remove 
the  pot  from  the  fire,  and  when  it  has  cooled  a 
little,  add  the  turpentine. 


HOUSEHOLD  MISCELLANY. 


»S3 


BRITANIA  METAL,  To  C/,rrtM.— Moisten 
the  articles  to  be  cleaned  with  sweet  oil ;  then 
apply  a  little  pounded  rotten-stone,  and  polish 
with  chamois  leather  and  fine  chalk. 

BROOMS,  Use  and  Management  of .—T\r%\., 
buy  your  broom ;  and  in  buying,  choose  green 
brush.  See  that  the  broomhead  will  not  shake 
in  the  handle  ;  if  it  does,  reject  it ;  for  the  handle 
having  been  green  when  the  broom  was  made, 
in  sweeping  the  brush  will  keep  falling  out. 
Next,  open  the  broom  below  the  sewing,  and  see 
if  there  is  any  stalk.  It  should  be  all  brush  ; 
for  as  the  stalk  of  broom  corn  is  brittle,  if  there 
are  any  below  the  twine,  they  will  be  continually 
breaking  off. 

Now,  in  using  a  broom,  don't  expect  it  to 
support  you  through  the  process  of  sweeping; 
that  is  how  it  gets  its  bent  appearance  or  curl 
on  the  edge  which  some  brooms  have,  and  all 
the  good  that  comes  of  it  is,  that  you  wear  your- 
self, carpet  and  broom  out  quicker.  We  have 
seen  a  broom  used  sounskillfuUy,  that  one  would 
almost  think  the  person  engaged  in  using  it  was 
endeavoring  to  change  the  place  of  the  dust  from 
the  floor  to  the  furniture.  It  requires  some 
science,  or  at  least  some  skill,  to  use  a  broom 
well,  as  it  does  to  do  anything  else. 

To  use  a  broom  skillfully,  the  handle  should 
incline  forward  and  not  backward,  as  is  often  the 
case.  If  the  top  of  the  broom  inclines  forward 
of  the  part  next  the  floor,  it  will  prevent  much 
of  the  dust  from  rising  into  the  air,  and  will 
carry  it  along  by  a  gentle  sliding  motion  toward 
the  place  where  it  is  to  be  disposed  of. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  handle  of  the  broom 
inclines  backward,  the  dust  is  sent  into  the  air 
by  a  kind  of  jerk,  to  the  great  annoyance  of  those 
who  occupy  the  room,  and  to  the  great  detrim- 
ent of  everything  the  apartment  contains.  More 
than  this,  it  wears  off  the  threads  of  the  carpet 
quicker,  injures  the  paint  more,  if  the  room  is 
uncarpeted,  and  destroys  the  broom  sooner  than 
if  the  sweeping  was  done  in  a  more  rational  way. 

A  new  broom  sweeps  clean,  because  it  is  the 
proper  shape  ;  keep  it  so  by  sweeping  on  each 
side  alternately.  Wetting  it  before  sweeping, 
will  restore  its  flexibility;  and  if  wet  in  boiling 
suds,  once  a  week,  they  will  become  very  tough, 
will  not  cut  a  carpet,  last  much  longer  and  al- 
ways sweep  like  a  new  broom.  Do  not  keep  a 
broom  near  the  fire ;  the  brush  is  liable  to  break, 
being  so  dry.  Do  not  store  brooms  where  there 
are  rats  or  mice  ;  they  like  the  corn.  A  broom  that 
is  all  out  of  shape,  may  be  restored  by  soaking, 
then  pressed  in  shape  between  something 
heavy. 

CALICO,  To  Prevent  Fading.— VvX  three 
gills  of  salt  into  four  quarts  of  hot  water,  put  in 
the  calico,  while  the  water  is  hot,  allowing  it  to 
remain  in  until  the  water  becomes  cold. 

CANDLE,  To  Make  Burn  All  Night.—To 
make  a  candle  burn  all  night,  when,  as  in  the 
case  of  sickness,  a  dull  light  is  wished,  put  finely 
powdered  salt  on  the  candle  till  it  reaches  the 
black  part  of  the  wick.  In  this  way  a  mild  and 
steady  light  may  be  kept  through  the  night  by  a 
small  piece  of  candle. 

CANDLE-STICK,  {Silver-Plated)  To  clean. 
— Silver-plated  candlesticks  should  be  cleaned  by 
pouring  on  the  tops  boiling  hot  water,  to  remove 
the  grease ;  when  wiped  dry,  use  whiting, 
rubbing  them  until  bright.  This  will  not  injure 
f.i;  plate  1  Avare. 


CARPETS,  To  Choose. — The  carpet  ought  to 
assimilate  with  the  style  of  the  paperhangings, 
but  the  quality  of  the  material  must  depend  on 
the  capability  of  the  purchaser's  pocket.  In 
carpets,  as  in  many  other  things,  the  dearest 
articles  are  generally  the  cheapest  in  the  end. 
In  illustration  of  this  we  may  state  that  the  carpet 
in  our  dining-room  cost  $1.25  a  yard,  and  al- 
though it  has  been  in  daily  use  for  four  years  it 
looks  as  well  as  ever.  For  dining  and  drawing 
rooms  Brussels  carpets  are  the  best.  If  the 
rooms  are  small  choose  small  patterns  with  few 
colors,  or  of  a  pattern  formed  of  shades  of  the 
same  color  as  the  ground,  such  as  a  green  car- 
pet with  mosses  or  small  ferns  in  various  shades 
of  green,  or  a  carpet  with  an  indistinct  pattern 
of  ribbons  or  arabesques  of  a  small  size.  When 
there  is  nothing  very  decided  to  attract  the  eye, 
the  defects  of  wear  are  not  so  obvious.  Stair 
carpets  are  also  best  of  Brussels  make ;  crimson 
wears  longest ;  they  must  be  of  a  pattern  that 
will  admit  of  being  turned  upside  down,  as  it  is 
a  good  plan  frequently  to  change  the  position  of 
the  carpet,  that  the  edge  of  each  step  may  not 
always  come  in  the  same  spot,  which  would  soon 
wear  the  fabric.  A  small  gay  pattern  of  crimsons 
or  oak  colors  wears  best;  avoid  blues  or  lilacs 
or  shades  of  stone  color :  the  two  former  fade 
quickly,  and  the  latter  always  looks  dirty. 

CARPETING,  CHEAP.  — Sew  together 
strips  of  the  cheapest  cotton  cloth,  of  the  size  of 
the  room,  and  tack  the  edges  to  the  floor.  Then 
paper  the  cloth  as  you  would  the  sides  of  a  room, 
with  any  sort  of  room  paper.  After  being  well 
dried,  give  it  two  coats  of  varnish,  and  your  car- 
pet is  finished.  It  can  be  washed  like  carpets 
without  injury,  retains  its  gloss,  and,  on  cham- 
bers or  sleeping-rooms,  where  it  will  not  meet 
rough  usage,  will  last  for  two  years,  as  good  as 
new. 

CARPETS,  How  To  Lay.— Cover  the  floor 
with  thick  brown  paper,  which  is  sold  in  large 
rolls  for  the  purpose  ;  have  the  carpet  properly 
fitted,  and,  on  the  binding  of  the  edges,  sew  at 
regular  distances  small  brass  rings  in  such  a 
manner  that  when  the  carpet  is  laid  they  will 
not  appear  beyond  the  edges.  Round  the  sides 
of  the  room  drive  medium-sized  brass-headed 
nails,  at  the  same  distances  from  each  other  as 
the  rings  are  sewed  on  the  carpet ;  when  ready, 
begin  at  the  top  of  the  room  and  hook  the  rings 
over  the  brass-headed  nails,  which  must  be  driven 
into  the  floor  far  enough  to  admit  of  the  rings 
catching  a  firm  hold.  When  the  top  is  hooked 
on,  stretch  the  carpet  to  the  opposite  side  and 
hook  it  on,  then  fasten  the  sides  in  like  manner. 
This  is  much  less  troublesome  and  is  more  econo- 
mical than  nailing  down  carpets. 

CARPETS  (STAIR),  To  make  last.—SX\^% 
of  paper  should  always  be  placed  over  the  edges 
of  the  stairs,  under  the  carpet.  This  will  dimin- 
ish the  friction  between  the  carpet  and  the  boards 
underneath  it.  The  strips  shouldi^e  in  length 
within  an  inch  or  two  of  the  width  of  the  carpet, 
and  four  or  five  inches  in  breadth,  as  convenient. 
Tiiis  simple  expedient  will  preserve  the  carpet 
half  as  long  again  as  it  would  last  without  the 
strips. 

CARPETS.  To  5w^^/.— Sweeping  carpets 
too  often  wears  them  out  rapidly.  It  is  obvious 
to  any  one,  that  a  brisk,  daily  brushing  over  the 
whole  surface  must  wear  away  and  carry  offmore 
woolly  particles  than  tli£  occasional  stepping  of 


154 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


feet  during  the  day  without  the  rubbing  and 
scraping  given  by  the  broom.  To  allow  sand 
and  grit  to  accumulate  on  the  surface,  and  to 
become  ground  into  the  fibres  by  the  pressure 
of  sole  leather  is,  however,  worse  than  sweeping. 
A  handful  or  so  of  salt  sprinkled  on  the  carpet 
will  carry  the  dust  along  with  it  and  make  the 
carpet  look  bright  and  clean.  A  very  dusty  car- 
pet may  be  cleaned  by  setting  a  pail  of  cold  water 
out  by  the  door,  wet  the  broom  in  it,  knock  it 
to  get  off  all  the  drops,  sweep  a  yard  or  so,  then 
wash  the  broom  as  before  and  sweep  again,  being 
careful  to  shake  all  the  drops  off  the  broom,  and 
not  sweep  far  at  a  time.  If  done  with  care  it 
will  clean  a  carpet  very  nicely  and  you  will  be 
surprised  at  the  quantity  of  dirt  in  the  water. 
The  water  may  need  changing  once  or  twice,  if 
the  carpet  is  very  dirty.  Snow  sprinkled  over 
a  carpet  and  swept  off  before  it  has  time  to  melt 
and  dissolve,  is  also  nice  for  renovating  a  soiled 
carpet.  Moistened  Indian  meal  is  used  with 
good  effect  by  some  housekeepers. 

In  libraries,  cabinets,  etc.,  where  dust  might 
badly  injure  or  wholly  spoil  the  specimens  and 
books,  it  is  better  to  procure  a  patent  carpet 
sweeper,  merely  using  the  broom  or  brush  to 
clean  out  the  corners  and  sides. 

CARPETS,  To  Clean. — Brussels  carpets  may 
be  cleaned  as  follows : — Take  them  up  and  shake 
and  beat  them,  so  as  to  render  them  perfectly 
free  from  dust.  Have  the  floor  thoroughly  scour- 
ed and  dry,  and  nail  the  carpet  firmly  down 
upon  it.  If  still  much  soiled,  it  may  be  cleaned 
in  the  following  manner  : — Take  a  pailful  of  clean 
cold  spring  water,  and  put  into  it  about  3  gills 
of  ox-gall.  Take  another  pail  with  clean  cold 
water  only.  Now  rub  with  a  soft  scrubbing 
brush  some  of  the  ox-gall  water  on  the  carpet, 
which  will  raise  a  lather.  When  a  convenient 
sized  portion  is  done,  wash  the  lather  off  with 
a  clean  linen  cloth  dipped  in  the  clean  water. 
Let  this  water  be  changed  frequently.  When  all 
the  lather  has  disappeared,  rub  the  part  with  a 
clean  dry  cloth.  After  all  is  done,  open  the  win- 
dow to  allow  the  carpet  to  dry.  A  carpet  treated 
in  this  manner  will  be  greatly  refreshed  in  color, 
particularly  the  greens. — In  nailing  down  a  car- 
pet after  the  floor  has  been  washed,  be  certain 
that  the  floor  is  quite  dry,  or  the  nails  will  rust 
and  injure  the  carpet.  Puller's  earth  is  used  for 
cleaning  carpets,  and  weak  solutions  of  alum  or 
soda  are  used  for  reviving  the  colors.  The  crumb 
of  a  hot  wheaten  loaf  rubbed  over  a  carpet  has 
been  found  effective. 

CARPETS,  To  Remove  Grease  from.— l.  Mix 
a  little  soap  into  a  gallon  of  warm  soft  water, 
then  add  half  an  ounce  of  borax ;  wash  the  part 
well  with  clean  cloth,  and  the  grease  or  dirty 
spot  will  soon  disappear. — 2.  Cover  the  grease 
spot  with  whiting,  and  let  it  remain  until  it  be- 
comes saturated  with  the  grease ;  then  scrape  it 
off,  and  cover  it  with  another  coat  of  whiting, 
and  if  this  does  not  remove  the  grease,  repeat  the 
application.  Three  coats  of  whiting  will,  in  most 
cases,  remove  the  grease,  when  it  should  be 
brushed  off  with  a  clothes  brush.  If  oil  has  been 
spilt  on  a  carpet,  that  part  of  the  carpet  must  be 
loosened  up,  and  the  floor  beneath  it  well 
scrubbed  with  warm  soap  and  water,  and  fuller's 
earth;  otherwise  the  grease  will  continue  yet  to 
come  through. — 3.  To  remove  spots  of  spermac- 
eti, scrape  off  as  much  as  you  can  with  a  knife, 
then  lay  on  a  thin,   soft,    white  paper  upon  the 


spots,  and  press  it  with  a  warm  iron.  By  repeat- 
ing this  you  may  draw  out  the  spermaceti. 
Afterward  rub  the  cloth  where  the  spots  have 
been,  with  some  very  soft  brownish  paper. 

CARPETS,  To  Prevent  Moths  m.— To  prevent 
moths  from  injuring  carpets,  buy  half  a  pound 
of  gum  camphor,  and  that  will  save  all  the  car- 
pets in  your  house  for  a  year,  by  placing  a  few 
little  crumbs  under  the  edges  of  the  carpets  with' 
out  moving  them. 

CASKS,  {WATER)  To  Clean.— Scour  the 
inside  well  out  with  water  and  sand,  and  after- 
ward apply  a  quantity  of  charcoal  dust ;  another 
and  a  better  method  is  to  rinse  them  with  a 
strong  solution  of  oil  of  vitriol  and  water,  which 
entirely  deprives  them  of  their  foulness. 

CHAIRS  {Cane-Bottom)  To  Clean. — Turn  up 
the  chair  bottom,  etc.  and  with  hot  water  and  a 
sponge  wash  the  cane-work  well,  so  that  it  may 
become  completely  soaked.  Should  it  be  very 
dirty  you  must  add  soap.  Let  it  dry  in  the  open 
air,  if  possible,  or  in  a  place  where  there  is  a 
thorough  draught,  and  it  will  become  as  tight 
and  firm  as  when  new,  providing  that  it  has  not 
been  broken. 

CHIMNEYS,  Leaks  Around.— These  may 
be  stopped  by  applying  a  paste  made  of  tar,  and 
dry,  sifted  road  dust.  The  paste  should  be 
lapped  over  the  shingles  to  form  a  collar. 

CHINA  OR  GLASSWARE,  To  Mend.— 
A  useful  cement  is  produced  by  powdered  chalk 
and  white  of  egg.  A  mixture  of  equal  parts  of 
white  of  egg,  white-lead,  and  glue,  forms  a 
strong  cement.  Or  take  a  very  thick  solution  of 
gum  arable  in  water,  and  stir  into  it  plaster  of 
Paris  until  the  mixture  becomes  a  viscous  paste. 
Apply  it  with  a  brush  to  the  fractured  edges, 
and  stick  them  together.  In  three  days  the 
article  cannot  again  be  broken  in  the  same  place. 
For  other  preparations  for  this  purpose  see 
"Cements". 

CHILDREN,  To  Protect  From  Binning.— 
Add  one  ounce  of  alum  to  the  last  water  used  in 
rinsing  children's  dresses,  and  they  will  be  ren- 
dered uninflammable.  It  would  be  better  still 
to  dress  them  in  woollen  materials  during  the 
season  when  fires  are  needed. 

CLINKERS.— Oysicx  shells  on  top  of  a  coal 
fire  will  cause  the  clinkers  adhering  to  the  sides 
of  the  grate  or  to  the  fire-brick  to  drop  off.     Be     V 
liberal  with  your  oyster  shells  and  you  will  have 
no  trouble  with  clinkers. 

COLOR,  To  Restore. — It  is  well  known  that 
when  the  color  on  a  fabric  has  been  destroyed  by 
acid,  ammonia  is  applied  to  neutralize  the  same. 
But  it  is  not  so  well  known  that  after  the  applic- 
ation of  ammonia,  chloroform  will,  in  almost  all 
cases,  restore  the  original  color.  Chloroform 
will  also  remove  paint  from  a  garment  when  al- 
most everything  else  fails. 

CROCKERY  WARE,  To  Mend.— Wash  the 
vessel  gently  and  thoroughly  with  soap  and 
water,  and  let  it  dry  without  wiping.  The  pieces 
should  then  be  fitted  together  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  kept  in  their  places  by  winding  firmly  over 
the  bowl  or  dish  a  strong  thread,  or  a  piece  of 
twine ;  put  the  broken  article  into  a  boiler,  an 
inch  or  two  larger  each  way,  and  fill  them  both 
with  sweet,  cold,  skimmed  milk ;  set  the  boiler 
over  the  fire,  and  boil  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes; 
take  it  off,  and  let  it  stand  till  quite  cold,  when 
the  string,  or  twine,  may  be  cut,  and  the  article 
washed  in  warm  water. 


HOUSEHOLD   MISCELLANY. 


155 


CUR TA INS,  WINDO  fF.— Window  curtains 
are  alike  useful  and  ornamental.  Thev  ought  to 
be  chosen  of  a  color  harmonizing  with  the  car- 
pet, paperhangings,  and  other  drapery  of  the 
apartment.  As  a  rule,  red  or  green  curtains 
will  blend  pleasantly  with  ordinary  draperv. 
Window  curtains  are  composed  of  satin,  silk, 
rep,  damask,  moreen,  calico,  and  other  fabrics. 
Rep  is  very  durable,  but  damask,  which  may  be 
periodically  refreshed  by  the  dyer,  is  the  most 
economical  and  useful.  Net  and  muslin  curtains 
should  be  substituted  or  added  during  the  summer 
months.  Top  valances  have  been  dispensed  with 
as  collecting  dust  and  obscuring  the  light ;  and 
the  curtains  are  now  suspended  by  large  rings  on 
brass  or  mahagony  rods,  having  ornamental  ter- 
minals.  Window  curtains  are  seldom  drawn, 
their  principal  use  being  to  conceal  the  window- 
shutters,  intercept  draughts  from  the  window- 
sashes,  and  impart  a  comfortable  aspect  to  the 
apartment. 

DISHES,  Hoiu  To  Wash.—Y\x%\.  make  sure 
before  breakfast  or  dinner  that  there  is  plenty 
of  water  in  the  boiler,  and  also  in  the  tea- 
kettle. After  the  table  is  cleared,  the  table- 
cloth brushed  off  and  neatly  folded  away, 
and  the  dining-room  disposed  of,  proceed 
with  your  dishes.  First  take  a  large  dish-pan, 
put  into  it  a  piece  of  soap,  and  pour  over  the  soap 
three  or  four  dipperfuls  of  hot  water  from  the 
boiler.  Then  add  2  or  3  dipperfuls  of  cold  soft 
water.  Then  the  dish-cloth.  The  water  should 
now  be  so  cool  as  not  to  turn  the  hands  red  when 
put  into  it.  Take  the  dish-cloth  and  rub  from 
the  soap  the  melted  surface,  and  put  the  re- 
mainder away.  Wash  a  dish  at  a  time  and  pass  it 
to  another  pan.  When  all  are  done,  or  the  pan 
is  full,  take  the  tea-kettle  and  pour  over  enough 
hot  water  to  thoroughly  rinse  and  heat  them. 
Now  take  them  from  the  water,  one  at  a  time, 
and  place  them  bottom-side  up  upon  a  tray  or 
pan  to  drain.  If  they  have  been  properly  washed, 
this  hot  rinsing  water  will  run  off  or  evaporate 
in  a  minute,  leaving  the  dishes  nearly  dry. 
However,  they  should  now  be  wiped  with  a  clean, 
dry  towel,  and  put  away.  Dishes  must  be  washed 
in  soft  water.  Especially  is  this  necessary  where 
soap  is  used.  And  soap  is  really  indispensable 
in  washing  dishes  properly.  The  dishes  should 
be  scraped  free  from  grease,  crumbs,  bones,  etc., 
before  commencing  to  wash  them.  A  heat  house- 
keeper will  have  the  same  dish-cloth  in  use  until 
it  is  worn  out,  when  it  should  be  put  into  the 
ragbag.  Never  allow  the  dish-cloth  to  be  used 
for  any  thing  else  but  washing  dishes. 

DISH  FOR  DISHWASHING,  Hem)  To 
Make. — A  handy  dish  for  this  purpose  can  be 
secured  by  making  it,  oval,  in  shape,  20  inches 
by  12  inches  at  the  bottom  24  inches  by  16  inches 
at  the  top  and  6  inches  deep ;  1 1  inches  from  one 
end  there  is  a  tin  partition,  dividing  the  pan  into 
two  compartments,  the  smaller  for  washing,  the 
larger  for  rinsing  the  dishes  in  hot  water. 

DOORS,  To  Prevent  Creaking. — Apply  a 
little  soap  to  the  hinges.  Or  take  lard,  soap, 
and  black  lead,  equal  parts,  mix  and  apply. 

EARTHENWARE,  To  7>;///^r.  —  When 
new,  and  before  used  for  baking,  put  in  cold 
water  to  cover,  and  heat  it  gradually  until  the 
water  boils.     It  is  then  less  likely  to  crack. 

FEA  TIIERS,  To  Clean. — Feathers  are  com- 
monly cleaned  by  washing  them  in  a  weak 
solution  of  carbonate  of  soda  or  in  lime  water, 


after  which  they  are  rinsed  in  clean  water, 
and  then  dried  in  the  sun  or  in  a  stove.  They 
will  now  be  improved  by  a  thorough  beating. 
The  best  way  to  clean  feathers,  is  to  clean  them 
out  of  the  house,  by  taking  them  up  on  the  roof 
of  the  house,  barn,  or  shed,  selecting  a  windy 
day,  carefully  ripping  the  tick  the  whole  length 
of  the  seam,  and  suddenly  opening  it  widely,  so 
that  the  wind  will  clean  them  out  in  every 
direction. — Don't  sleep  on  feathers  they  are  an 
utter  abomination  and  are  the  cause  of  a  vast 
amount  of  weakness,  being  as  they  are  prime 
extracters  of  vital  force. 

FIRES  OF  KEROSENE,  To  Extinguish. 
— In  cases  of  kerosene  fires,  don't  try  to  extin- 
guish the  flame  with  water ;  that  will  only  spread 
the  fire.  Instead,  use  blankets,  or  woolen 
clothes,  quilts,  shawls,  or  whatever  may  be  at 
hand  that  can  be  used  to  smother  the  flames. 

FIREBOARD  OF  PAPER  FLOWERS. 
— Take  a  piece  of  board  which  fits  exactly  into 
the  space.  Tack  over  it  a  cover  of  green  baize, 
stretching  it  smoothly.  Make  out  of  stiff,  green 
paper  a  number  of  leaves,  dahlia,  rose,  tulip,  lily, 
etc. ,  enough  of  them  to  entirely  cover  the  baize. 
Baste  these  leaves  down  at  the  stem ;  curl  them 
at  the  edges  with  the  scissors,  and  gum  them 
down  in  the  baize.  Do  not  sew  them,  except  at 
the  stem.  Now  make  large  paper  flowers,  or, 
if  you  have  them,  take  artificial  flowers,  and 
smooth  them  over.  Place  the  flowers  amid  the 
leaves,  using  you^own  taste  in  the  arrangement. 
Sew  the  flowers  at  the  stem  ;  or,  if  you  wish  to 
fasten  the  flowers  themselves  down,  use  dissolved 
gum  Arabic. 

FLOORS,  Mopping  and  Cleaning.— The 
practice  of  mopping  floors  too  often,  is  a  loss 
of  time,  and  a  waste  of  strength,  and.is  as  incon- 
sistent with  reason,  as  the  habit  of  lilacking 
cooking  stoves  every  time  they  are  used ;  and  I 
am  not  sure  but  wet  floors  are  as  detrimental  to 
health  as  the  dust  sent  forth  by  the  too  frequent 
use  of  the  common  stove  blacking.  Mopping 
painted  floors  too  often,  and  with  hot  soapsuds, 
wears  off  the  paint,  causing  needless  expense 
of  both  time  and  money. 

It  is  difficult  to  say,  how  often  a  painted,  or  an 
unpainted  floor  should  be  washed,  for  that 
depends  on  circumstances ;  but  it  requires  that 
the  cloth,  mop  and  water,  should  be  as  clean  as 
a  supply  of  the  latter  will  admit,  and  the  floor 
wiped  as  dry  as  possible ;  and  that  every  corner, 
and  other  retired  spots,  under  beds,  bureaus, 
or  any  other  articles  which  may  be  in  the  apart- 
ments, should  have  a  fair  chance  to  partake  of 
the  cleansing. 

FLOORS,  To  Scour.— Take  some  clean,  well- 
sifted  sand,  scatter  it  on  the  floor,  have  ready  one 
ounce  potash  dissolved  in  a  pint  of  water, 
sprinkle  it  over  the  sand,  and  with  a  scrubbing- 
brush  and  good  mottled  soap  rub  the  boards 
along  their  length.  Changing  the  water  frequently 
and  using  it  very  hot,  makes  the  boards  white; 
the  potash,  if  properly  applied,  will  remove  all 
stains. 

FLOORS,  To  Remot-e  Stains  /ww.— For' 
removing  spots  of  grease  from  boards,  take  equal 
parts  of  fullers'  earth  and  pearlash,  a  quarter  of 
a  pound  of  each,  and  boil  in  a  quart  of  soft  watei" ; 
and,  while  hot,  lay  it  on  the  greased  parts, 
allowing  it  to  remain  on  them  for  ten  or  twelve 
hours ;  after  which  it  may  be  scoured  off  with 
sand  and  water.     A  floor  much  spotted  with 


IS6 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


grease  should  be  completely  washed  over  with 
this  mixture  the  day  before  it  is  scoured.  Fullers' 
earth  or  ox-gall,  boiled  together,  form  a  very 
powerful  cleansing  mixture  for  floors  or  carpets. 
Stains  of  ink  are  removed  by  strong  vinegar,  or 
salts  of  lemon  will  remove  them. 

FRAMES  {Gill),  To  Revive.— ViKitQ  of 
eggs,  2  oz.;  chloride  of  potash  or  soda,  I  oz.; 
mix  well,  blow  off  the  dust  from  the  frames ;  then 
go  over  them  with  a  soft  brush  dipped  in  the 
mixture,  and  they  will  appear  equal  to  new. 

FRAMES  {Picture)  To  Prevent  Flies  soiling. 
— To  prevent  the  flies  going  on  picture  frames 
and  furniture,  immerse  a  quantity  of  leeks  for  five 
or  six  days  in  a  pail  of  water,  and  wash  the  pic- 
tures, etc.,  with  it. 

FURNITURE,  Care  ^— Keep  the  paste  or 
oil  in  a  proper  can  or  jar,  that  there  may  be  no 
dariger  of  upsetting  when  using  it.  Have  two 
pieces  of  woollen  cloth,  one  for  rubbing  it  on, 
the  other  for  rubbing  it  dry  and  polishing ;  also 
an  old  linen  cloth  to  finish  with,  and  a  piece  of 
smooth  soft  cork  to  rub  out  the  stain.  Use  a 
brush  if  the  paste  be  hard.  Always  dust  the  table 
well  before  the  oil  or  paste  is  put  on ;  and,  if  it 
should  be  stained,  rub  it  with  a  damp  sponge, 
and  then  with  a  dry  cloth.  If  the  stain  does  not 
disappear,  rub  it  well  with  a  cork  or  a  brush  the 
way  the  wood  grows ;  for  if  rubbed  cross-grained 
it  will  be  sure  to  scratch  it.  Be  careful  to  keep 
the  cork  and  brush  free  fro#i  dust  and  dirt. 
When  the  dust  is  cleaned  off  and  the  stains  have 
been  got  out,  put  on  the  oil  or  paste,  but  not  too 
much  at  a  time ;  rub  it  well  into  the  wood.  If 
oil,  be  as  quick  as  possible  in  rubbing  it  over  the 
table,  and  then  polish  it  with  another  woollen 
cloth.  If  wax,  put  a  little  bit  on  the  woollen 
cloth,  with  the  finger  or  a  small  stick ;  rub  it  well 
with  thi^  till  the  table  has  a  high  polish,  then 
have  another  cloth  to  finish  it  with.  Be  very 
careful  to  have  the  edges  of  the  table  well  cleaned, 
and  the  oil  and  wax  well  rubbed  off. 

Tlie  furniture  which  is  not  in  constant  use  will 
not  require  to  be  oiled  above  once  a  week ;  it 
ought,  however,  to  be  dusted  every  day  and 
well  rubbed.  Tables  which  are  used  daily  must 
be  well  rubbed  every  morning,  and  great  care 
should  be  taken  to  remove  all  spots  from  them, 
particularly  ink.  This  can  very  easily  be  done, 
if  not  left  to  dry  long,  by  putting  on  a  little  salt 
of  lemons  with  the  finger. 

When  cleaning  tables  or  chairs,  be  careful  to 
remove  them  into  the  middle  of  the  room,  or  at 
a  distance  from  the  wall.  If  the  sideboard  or 
sidetable  is  fixed  to  the  wall,  be  still  more  careful 
in  cleaning  it,  and  roll  up  the  woollen  cloth  tight 
in  the  hand,  and  into  a  small  compass. 

FURNITURE,  To  Take  Bruises  Out  of.— 
Wet  the  part  with  warm  water;  double  a  piece 
of  brown  paper  five  or  six  times,  soak  it  in  the 
warm  water,  and  lay  it  on  the  place  ;  apply  on 
that  a  warm,  but  not  hot  flat-iron  till  the  moist- 
m-e  is  evaporated.  If  the  bruise  be  not  gone, 
repeat  the  process.  After  two  or  three  appli- 
cations, the  dent  or  bruise  will  be  raised  to  the 
surface.  If  the  bruise  be  small,  merely  soak  it 
with  warm  water,  and  hold  a  red-hot  iron  near 
the  surface,  keeping  the  surface  continually  wet 
— the  bruise  will  soon  disappear. 

GLASSWARE  {Nru<)  To  Season.  — V^i 
dishes,  tumblers,  and  other  glass  articles  into  a 
kettle;  cover  them  entirely  with  cold  water,  and 
put  the  kettle  where  it  will  soon  boil.     When  it 


has  boiled  a  few  minutes,  set  it  aside,  covered 
close.  When  the  water  is  cold,  take  out  the  glass. 

GLA  SS-  CLEANING.— Glass  windows,  look- 
ing-glasses, etc.,  may  be  cleaned  as  follows: — 
Dip  a  moistened  rag  or  flannel  into  indigo,  fuller's 
earth,  ashes,  or  rotten-stone,  in  impalpable 
powder,  with  which  smear  the  glass,  and  wipe  it 
off  with  a  dry  soft  cloth.  Powder-blue  or  white- 
ning, tied  up  in  muslin  and  dusted  upon  the 
glass,  and  cleaned  off  with  chamois-leather,  also 
gives  glass  a  fine  polish. .  The  spots  in  the  silver- 
ing of  old  looking-glasses  are  caused  by  damp  at 
trie  Oficlc 

GLASS  CHIMNEYS,  To  Prevent  cracking. 
— If  the  chimney-glass  of  a  lamp  be  cut  with  a 
diamond  on  the  convex  side,  it  will  never  crack, 
as  the'  incision  affords  room  for  the  expansion 
produced  by  the  heat,  and  the  glass,  after  it  is 
cool,  returns  to  its  original  shape,  with  only  a 
scratch  visible  where  the  cut  is  made. 

GLASS-GLOBES,  To  C/^aw.— If  the  globes 
are  much  stained  on  the  outside  by  smoke,  soak 
them  in  tolerably  hot  water  with  a  little  washing 
soda  dissolved  in  it,  then  put  a  teaspoonful  of 
powdered  ammonia  into  a  pan  of  lukewarm  water, 
and  with  a  tolerably  hard  brush  wash  the  globes 
till  the  smoke  stain  disappears ;  rinse  in  clean 
cold  water,  and  let  them  drain  till  dry ;  they  will 
be  quite  as  white  and  clear  as  new  globes. 

GREASE,  To  Remove  from  STONE  STEPS 
Or  Passages. — Pour  strong  soda  and  water  boil- 
ing hot  over  the  spot,  lay  on  it  a  little  fuller's- 
earth  made  into  a  thin  paste  with  boiling  water, 
let  it  remain  all  night,  and  if  the  grease  be  not 
removed,  repeat  the  process.  Grease  is  some- 
times taken  out  by  rubbing  the  spot  with  a  hard 
stone  (not  hearthstone),  using  sand  and  very  hot 
water  with  soap  and  soda. 

GRAINING,  Ho7u  To  JFa'j/i.— Take  clear 
warm  water,  a  clean,  white  cloth,  and  wash  a 
small  place  and  wipe  dry  with  another  clean,-, 
white  cloth.  Do  not  wet  any  more  space  than 
you  can  dry  immediately  with  your  cloth  as  it 
must  not  be  left  to  dry  in  the  atmosphere ;  it  must 
be  rubbed  dry,  hence  the  necessity  for  clean 
white  cloths.  If  the  paint  has  been  neglected 
until  very  much  soiled  with  greasy  fingers,  or 
specked  with  a  summer's  growth  of  flies,  a  very 
little  hard  soap  may  be  put  in  the  first  water, 
and  then  rinsed  off  with  clear  water,  but  avoid 
soap  if  you  possibly  can,  as  it  dulls  the  varnish, 
however  carefully  used.  On  no  account  must  it 
be  rubbed  on  with  a  cloth. 

HOUSE  CLEANING.— \n  cleaning  a  room, 
the  carpet  should  come  up  first,  not  only  because 
of  the  dust,  but  to  give  the  floor  all  day  to  dry, 
not  leaving  it  to  be  scrubbed  last,  as  we  have 
seen  some  bad  managers  do,  and  pay  for  it  by 
influenzas.  Where  the  walls  are  papered,  they 
should  next  be  swept  with  a  clean  towel  pinned 
firmly  round  a  broom,  if  there  is  not  a  brush 
kept  for  the  purpose.  The  ceilings  of  chambers 
are  usually  whitewashed ;  this  is  the  next  pro- 
ceeding ;  and  the  walls  scrubbed,  if  painted  or 
hard  finished.  Then  come  windows  and  wood- 
work, in  all  things  being  careful  to  use  as  little 
slop  as  will  thoroughly  answer  the  purpose.  In 
cleaning  wood-work,  use  little  soap,  but  plenty 
of  clean  water,  which  will  prevent  discoloration. 
If. dirty  spots  and  patches  are  wiped  off  the  year 
round,  faithfully,  there  will  be  much  less  need  of 
scrubbing  the  boards  bare  in  "house  cleaning". 
Oak,  or  dark  woods,  now  so  much  the  fashion, 


HOUSEHOLD  MISCELLANY. 


157 


'  need  not  be  touched,  with  good  care,  more  than 
once  a  year;  frequent  dry  rubbing  will  answer 
every  purpose. 

HOUSE,  Hmv  To  Choose  In  Renting.— Tht 
choice  of  a  house  is  in  importance  second  only  to 
the  selection  of  a  friend.  The  best  residence  is, 
one  which  is  not  inconveniently  distant  from  your 
place  of  business — is  in  a  cheerful  and  healthy 
locality,  and  of  which  the  rent,  including  rates 
and  taxes,  does  not  exceed  one-sixth  of  your  in- 
come. Do  not  choose  a  neighborhood  merely 
because  it  is  fashionable,  and  carefully  avoid 
occupying  a  dwelling  in  a  locality  of  doubtful 
reputation.  Be  particular  as  to  whether  it  is  dry, 
with  convenient  sewage  and  plenty  of  water.  A 
southern  or  western  aspect  is  to  be  preferred. 
Should  the  house  be  infested  with  vermin,  avoid 
it.  See  that  the  windows  and  doors  are  well 
secured,  that  there  are  proper  means  of  ventila- 
tion, and  that  the  chimneys  do  not  smoke. 

Let  all  needful  repairs  be  made  by  the  land- 
lord before  the  completion  of  your  agreement, 
otherwise  you  will  probably  be  required  to  ex- 
ecute them  at  your  own  expense.  Do  not  deal 
with  a  landlord  who  is  commonly  reputed  as 
being  disobliging,  greedy,  or  litigious.  In  every 
case  have  a  lease  properly  drawn  out  and 
stamped. 

Avoid  the  neighborhood  of  a  sluggish  stream, 
a  mill-dam,  or  fresh-water  lake.  The  penalties 
are  rheumatism,  ague,  impaired  eyesight,  loss 
of  appetite,  asthma  and  other  distressing  ail- 
ments. Choose  a  house  away  from  the  vicinity 
of  tan-yards,  and  tallow,  soap,  and  chemical 
works.  The  neighborhood  of  old  and  crowded 
burial-grounds  and  of  slaughterhouses  is  to  be 
shunned.  A  low  situation  is  perilous,  espe- 
cially, during  the  prevalence  of  epidemics. 

Never  lease  a  house  in  a  narrow  street,  unless 
the  back  premises  are  open  and  extensive.  Be- 
fore closing  your  bargain  try  to  obtain  some 
account  of  the  house  from  a  former  occupant. 

HOUSE,  How  To  Furtiish  a.— If  you  are 
about  to  furnish  a  house,  do  not  spend  all  your 
money,  be  it  much  or  little.  Do  not  let  the 
beauty  of  this  thing,  and  the  cheapness  of  that, 
tempt  you  to  buy  unnecessary  articles.  Doctor 
Franklin's  maxim  was  a  wise  one — "Nothing  is 
cheap  that  we  do  not  want. "  Buy  merely  enough 
to  get  along  with  at  first.  It  is  only  by  experi- 
ence that  you  can  tell  what  will  be  the  wants  ot 
your  family.  If  you  spend  all  your  money,  you 
will  find  you  have  purchased  many  things  you  do 
not  want,  and  have  no  means  left  to  get  many 
things  which  yoii  do  want.  If  you  have  enough, 
and  more  than  enough,  to  get  everything  suitable 
to  your  situation,  do  not  think  you  must  spend 
it  all,  merely  because  you  happen  to  have  it. 
Begin  humbly.  As  riches  increase,  it  is  easy  and 
pleasant  to  increase  in  comforts ;  but  it  is  always 
painful  and  inconvenient  to  decrease.  After  all, 
these  things  are  viewed  in  their  proper  light  by 
the  truly  judicious  and  respectable.  Neatness, 
tastefulness,  and  good  sense  may  be  shown  in 
the  management  of  a  small  household,  and  the 
arrangement  of  a  little  furniture,  as  well  as  upon 
a  larger  scale;  and  these  qualities  are  always 
praised,  and  always  treated  with  respect  and 
attention.  The  consideration  which  many  pur- 
chase by  living  beyond  their  income,  and,  of 
course,  living  upon  others,  is  not  worth  the 
trouble  it  costs.  The  glare  there  is  about  this 
•  ialse  and  wicked  parade  is  deceptive ;  it  does  not 


in  fact,  procure  a  man  valuable  friends,  or  extens- 
ive influence. 

HOUSE,  How  To  Choose  in  Purchasing. — 
In  purchasing  a  house,  whether  old  or  new,  do 
not  trust  to  appearances,  or  rely  on  your  own 
judgment.  When  you  have  selected  a  house 
likely  to  suit  your  family  and  your  purse,  employ 
a  surveyor  to  inspect  every  portion  of  it.  He 
will  examine  the  foundations,  the  state  of  the  sew- 
age, and  the  character  of  the  materials  which  form 
the  walls.  He  will  be  able  to  detect  if  soft  bricks 
have  been  used,  by  finding  traces  of  damp  at  the 
bottom  of  the  walls.  In  examining  the  joists, 
flooring,  and  other  woodwork,  he  will  be  enabled 
to  report  whether  cheap  wood  has  been  used  inr 
stead  of  well-seasoned  timber.  By  your  solicitor 
you  must  look  into  the  nature  of  the  tenure  and 
the  duration  of  the  building  lease.  If  you  can 
obtain  a  freehold  property,  so  much  the  better ; 
if  not,  be  particular  in  considering  whether  the 
ground-rent  is  such  as  to  justify  the  purchase. 
You  will  do  well  to  secure  a  portion  of  ground 
beside  your  house,  on  which  you  might  erect  an 
addition  should  your  family  increase;  or  your  bu- 
siness demand  further  accommodation.  Beware 
of  rashly  purchasing  fixtures, — such  as  window- 
blinds,  hall  carpets,  and  kitchen  Turnishings; 
new  articles  may  be  found  in  the  end  more  eco- 
nomical. Make  an  effort  to  pay  the  whole  of 
the  purchase-money.  A  bond  on  your  house 
will  «ndanger  your  credit,  and  affect  your  com- 
fort. 

HOUSE  PLANTS,  To  Keep  Without  Fire. 
— Take  an  old  bed  quilt,  put  it  on  the  floor,  and 
set  the  plants  together  in  the  center.  Set  a 
stand  over  them,  and  bring  the  quilt  up  over  the 
top.  If  any  of  the  plants  are  very  sensitive  to 
the  cold,  a  newspaper  pinned  around  them  would 
be  an  additional  protection. 

ICE-HOUSE,  Extemporaneous. — An  ice- 
house can  be  extemporised  without  making  a 
tenon  or  sawing  a  board.  Construct  a  pen  near 
the  pond  or  stream  where  the  ice  is  to  be  gath- 
ered, choosing  if  possible  a  gravel-bank  m  here 
there  will  be  good  drainage.  The  pen  may  be 
made  of  rails  twelve  feet  long,  or  of  any  desired 
length.  1  The  larger  the  pen,  the  better  the  ice 
will  keep.  Lay  up  two  tails  upon  each  of  the 
four  sides.  Make  the  bottom  level,  and  cover  it 
a  foot  or  more  with  straw,  sea- weed,  or  any  con- 
venient refuse  vegetable  matter.  Sawdust  is 
better  than  straw,  if  it  can  be  had.  Spent  tan- 
bark  is  a  good  material  for  this  foundation.  Cut 
the  cakes  of  ice  in  the  usual  manner,  and  pack 
them  closely,  filling  the  interstices  with  pounded 
ice,  and  if  the  weather  is  freezing  pour  on  a  little 
water  to  make  it  solid.  Pack  the  outside  with  a 
foot  of  straw,  sawdust,  or  other  material,  and 
put  up  the  fence  as  the  pile  of  ice  rises.  The 
pile  can  be  conveniently  made  about  eight  feet 
high.  Cover  the  top  with  at  least  eighteen 
inches  of  sawdust,  or  two  feet  of  straw  trodden 
down  closely.  Make  a  roof  of  boards  or  slabs 
slanting  to  the  north,  sufficiently  steep  to  shed 
water,  and  fasten  with  a  few  nails.  Such  a  pile 
of  ice  as  this  can  be  secured  by  a  couple  of  men 
and  a  team  in  a  day.  A  cheap  ice-box  made  with 
double  sides  and  packed  with  sawdust  will  be 
wanted.  The  inner  chamber  should  be  about  2 
feet  long,  2  feet  deep,  and  i8  inches  wide.  This 
will  hold  a  single  cake  of  ice  weighing  a  hundred 
pounds  or  more,  and  leave  room  on  top  to  keep 
milk,  fresh  meats,  fruit,  and  other  matters.     It 


158 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


will  last  from  four  days  to  a  week,  according  to 
the  quantity  that  is  used  in  the  drinking-water. 
If  the  extemporaneous  ice-house  is  not  disturbed 
more  than  once  a  week,  it  will  probably  supply 
the  family  through  the  summer  with  abundance 
of  ice. 

INK  STAINS,  To  Remove  From  Books.— 
To  remove  ink  stains  from  a  book,  first  wash  the 
paper  with  warm  water,  using  a  camel's  hair 
pencil  for  the  purpose.  By  this  means  the  sur- 
face ink  is  got  rid  of;  the  paper  must  now  be 
wetted  with  a  solution  of  oxalate  of  potash,  or, 
better  still,  oxahc  acid,  in  the  proportion  of  one 
ounce  to  half  a  pint  of  water.  The  ink  stains  will 
immediately  disappear.  Finally,  again  wash  the 
stained  place  with  clean  water,  and  dry  it  with 
white  blotting  paper. 

INR',  To  Remove  From  DRESS  GOODS. 
— Oxalic  acid  is  considered  one  of  the  best 
agents  for  this  purpose.  Dissolve  ten  cents  worth 
in  a  pint  of  soft  water ;  dip  the  stained  spots  in  it 
quickly,  and  then  into  clear  water,  and  rub  well ; 
repeat  the  process  until  the  stains  are  removed. 
If  the  goods  remain  in  the  acid,  the  texture  will 
be  destroyed.  The  skin  of  the  hands  is  unpleas- 
antly affected,  if  brought  into  frequent  contact 
with  a  strong  solution ;  care  should  be  taken  to 
dip  only  the  spots  into  this  liquid.  If  the  color 
of  the  dress  is  affected  mix  with  warm  water  and 
wet  with  a  dilute  solution  of  ammonia  which  will 
restore  the  original  color.  Ink  stains  on  table 
covers  can  be  removed  in  the  same  way, 

INIC  STAINS,  To  Remove  From  linen.— 
With  a  clean  rag  or  sponge  rub  the  soiled  spot 
with  lemon  juice  in  which  has  been  dissolved  a 
small  quantity  of  salt. 

INK,  To  Extract  From  Mahogany. — Dilute 
half  a  tea-spoontul  of  oil  of  vitriol  with  a  large 
spoonful  of  water,  and  apply  the  mixture  with  a 
feather  to  the  stained  wood.  The  ink  mark  will 
disappear. 

INK  (^Marking),  To  Remove.— "Wti  the  stain 
with  fresh  solution  of  chloride  of  lime :  and,  after 
ten  or  twelve  minutes,  if  the  marks  have  become 
white,  dip  the  part  in  solution  of  ammonia  (the 
liquid  ammoniee  of  chemists),  or  hyposulphate 
of  soda.  In  a  few  minutes,  wash  in  clean  water. 
IRON  MOULDS,  To  Remove.— Kxih  on  the 
spot  a  little  powdered  oxalic  acid,  or  salts  of 
lemon  and  warm  water,  let  it  remain  a  few  min- 
utes and  well  rinse  in  clean  water. 

IRON  MOULD  (.Old),  To  Remove.— The 
part  stained  should  be  remoistened  with  ink,  and 
this  removed  by  the  use  of  muriatic  acid  diluted 
with  five  or  six  times  its  weight  of  water,  when 
it  will  be  found  that  the  old  and  new  stain  will 
be  removed  simultaneously. 

IRON  RUST,  To  Remove.— Every  particle 
of  rust  on  iron  maybe  removed  by  first  softening 
it  with  petroleum,  and  then  rubbing  well  with 
coarse  sand-paper.  To  paint  iron,  take  lamp- 
black sufficient  for  two  coats,  and  mix  with  equal 
quantities  of  Japan  varnish  and  boiled  linseed  oil. 

IVORY,  To  Whiten.— \.  When  ivorv  orna- 
ments get  yellow  or  dusky  looking,  wash  them 
well  in  soap  and  water,  with  a  small  brush  to 
clean  the  carvings,  and  place  them  while  wet  in 
full  sunshine;  wet  them  for  two  or  three  days, 
several  times  a  day,  with  soapy  water,  still  keep- 
ing them  in  the  sun ;  then  wash  them  again,  and 
they  will  be  beautifully  white. — 2.  Immerse  the 
ivory  in  a  saturated  solution  of  alum  and  allow 
it  to  soften  in  it  for  an  hour;  then  take  it  out, 


I  rub  with  a  woolen  cloth,  wrap  in  a  piece  of  linen 
to  dry  throughout,  and  polish  afterward.— 3. The 
ivory  is  heated  in  a  thin  paste  of  lime  until  it 
turns  white,  it  is  then  dried  and  polished. 

IVORY,  To  Take  Stains  Out  of.—h.  little 
prepared  white  chalk,  tinged  with  sweet  oil  and 
sal  volatile  into  a  paste ;  rub  it  on  wet  with  a 
piece  of  wash-leather ;  let  it  remain  until  dry, 
then  brush  it  off. 

FIRE  KINDLINGS.— Tske  one  quart  tar, 
three  pounds  rosin ;  melt  them ;  when  somewhat 
cool  add  one  gill  spirits  turpentine,  and  mix  as 
much  sawdust,  with  a  little  charcoal,  as  can  be 
worked  in ;  spread  out  while  hot  on  a  board ; 
when  cold  break  up  in  small  lumps  about  the 
size  of  hickory  nuts.  They  will  easily  ignite  with 
a  match  and  burn  with  a  strong  blaze  long 
enough  to  burn  any  wood  fit  to  burn. 

KNIVES,  To  Clean. — I.  Cut  a  good-sized 
solid,  raw  potato  in  two ;  dip  the  flat  surface  in 
powdered  brick-dust,  and  rub  the  knife-blades. 
Stains  and  rust  will  disappear. — 2.  One  of  the 
best  substances  for  cleaning  knives  and  forks  is 
charcoal,  reduced  to  a  fine  powder,  and  applied 
in  the  same  manner  as  brick  dust  is  used. — 
3.  Water  lime  is  also  used  for -this  purpose. 
Have  a  box  with  a  partition  and  keep  the  lime 
in  one  part  and  the  cloths  in  the  other.  Wet  a 
small  cloth  a  little  and  dip  it  in  the  lime,  and 
after  the  articles  are  well  washed  and  wiped,  rub 
them  until  the  spots  are  removed.  Then  take  a 
larger,  dry  cloth,  dip  it  in  the  lime,  and  rub  the 
articles  until  polished  to  suit.  Wipe  off  the 
dust  from  the  knives  and  forks  with  a  dry  cloth, 
and  thev  are  ready  to  put  awav. 

KNIVES,  To  Presence  From  Rust.— y!eyer 
wrap  them  in  woolen  cloths.  When  they  are  not 
to  be  used  for  some  time,  have  them  made  bright 
and  perfectly  dry ;  then  take  a  soft  rag.  and  rub 
each  blade  with  dry  wood  ashes. — Wrap  them 
closely  in  thick  brown  paper,  and  lay  them  in  a 
drawer  or  dry  closet.  A  set  of  elegant  knives, 
used  only  on  great  occasions,  were  kept  in  this 
way  for  over  a  hundred  years  without  a  spot  of 
rust. 

IVORY  KNIFE  HANDLES,  To  Prevent 
Being  Cracked.  —  Never  let  knife-blades  stand 
in  hot  water,  as  is  sometimes  done  to  make  them 
wash  easily.  The  heat  expands  the  steel  which 
runs  up  into  the  handle  a  very  little,  and  this 
cracks  the  ivory.  Knife -handles  should  never 
lie  in  water.  A  handsome  knife,  or  one  used  for 
cooking,  is  soon  spoiled  in  this  way. 

KNIFE  HANDLES,  {Loose)  To  Fasten.— 
The  best  cement  for  this  purpose  consists  of  one 
pound  of  colophony( purchasable  at  the  druggist's) 
and  eight  ounces  of  sulphur,  which  are  to  be 
melted  together,  and  either  kept  in  bars  or  re- 
duced to  powder.  One  part  of  the  powder  is  to 
be  mixed  with  half  a  part  of  iron  filings,  fine 
sand  or  brick  dust,  and  the  cavity  of  the  handle 
is  then  to  be  filled  with  this  mixture.  Ilie  stem 
of  the  knife  or  fork  is  then  firmly  inserted  and 
kept  in  position  until  the  cement  hardens. 

LACQUERED  ARTICLES,  To  Clean.— 
Brush  with  hot  water  and  soap,  wipe  and  dry 
before  the  fire  ;  finish  with  a  soft  cloth.  Avoid 
the  use  of  pearlash  or  soda  which  may  remove 
the  lacquer. 

LAMP  ACCIDENT,  To  Prevent.— Scarcely 
a  week  passes,  during  the  winter  months,  but 
we  read  accounts  of  frightful  accidents  from  kero- 
sene lamps  exploding  and  killing  or  scarring  for 


HOUSEHOLD  MISCELLANY. 


»S9 


life,  women  and  children.  A  simple  knowledge  ' 
of  the  inflammable  nature  of  the  fluid,  would  prob- 
ably put  a  stop  to  nearly  all  the  accidents.  As 
the  oil  burns  down  into  the  lamp,  or  highly 
inflammable  gas  gathers  over  its  surface,  and  as 
the  oil  decreases,  the  gas  increases.  When  the 
oil  is  nearly  consumed  a  slight  jar  will  often  in- 
flame the  gas,  and  an  explosion  is  sure  to  follow, 
dealing  with  death  and  destruction.  A  bombshell 
is  not  more  to  be  dreaded.  Now  if  the  lamp  is 
not  allowed  to  burn  more  than  half  way  down, 
such  accidents  are  almost  impossible.  Always 
fill  your  lamps  in  the  morning ;  then  you  never 
need  fear  an  explosion. 

The  charred  wick  should  also  be  cut  off,  for 
observation  shows  that  in  a  few  times  using  the 
wick  becomes  charred,  and  after  the  lamp  has 
burned  a  little  time  the  tube  becomes  overheated, 
and  the  charred  wick  is  all  on  fire.  From  this 
extra  heat  the  oil  is  set  on  fire,  and  then  comes  an 
explosion.     Cut  off  the  charred  wick  daily. 

It  would  seem  as  though  no  one  need  be  told 
that  it  is  dangerous  to  use  any  burning  oil  for  the 
purpose  of  kindling  a  fire,  but  the  frequent  rec- 
ord of  deaths  from  that  practice,  shows  that  great 
numbers  follow  that  wasteful  and  dangerous 
way. 

LA  MPS,(^Kerosene)  Turning  Down  The  Wicks 
Vf. — Many  people  who  use  kerosene  oil  are  in 
the  habitofburningnight-lamps,and  turning  them 
down  as  they  would  gas,  not  knowing  how  much 
mischief  they  thus  do.  When  the  light  of  the 
kerosene  lamp  is  turned  down  low,  the  combus- 
tion is  not  perfect,  and  the  atmosphere  of  the 
room  becomes  vitiated  by  the  unconsumed  oil 
vapor,  by  the  gas  produced  by  combustion,  and 
also  legitimate  particles  of  smoke  and  soot  thrown 
off,  to  be  taken  into  the  lungs  of  the  occupants. 
Air  thus  poisoned  is  deadly  in  its  effects,  and  the 
wonder  is  that  the  people  are  not  immediately 
and  fatally  injured  by  breathing  it.  Its  conse- 
quences are  the  unaccountable  and  mysterious 
headaches,  irritation  of  throat  and  lungs,  dizzi- 
ness and  nausea. 

LAMPS,  To  Clean. — Bronzed  lamps  should 
be  wiped  carefully;  if  oil  be  frequently  spilled 
over  then,  it  will  cause  the  bronzing  to  be  rubbed 
off  sooner  than  it  would  disappear  by  wear.  Brass 
lamps,  are  best  cleaned  with  crocus,  or  rotten 
stone  and  sweet  oil.  Lacquered  lamps  may  be 
washed  with  soap  and  water,  but  should  not  be 
touched  with  acid  or  very  strong  lye,  else  the 
lacquer  will  soon  come  off.  When  lamps  are  foul 
inside,  wash  them  with  potash  and  water,  rinse 
them  well ;  set  them  before  the  fire,  and  be  sure 
that  they  are  dry  before  oil  is  again  put  into 
them. 

LAMP  CHIMNEYS,     To   C/mn.  — Most 

Eeople  cleaning  lamp  chimneys,  use  either  a 
rush  made  of  bristles  twisted  into  a  wire,  or  a 
rag  on  the  point  of  scissors.  Both  of  these  are 
bad;  for,  without  great  care,  the  wire,  or  scissors 
will  scratch  the  glass  as  a  diamond  does,  which 
under  the  expansive  power  of  heat,  soon  breaks, 
as  all  scratched  glass  will.  If  you  want  a  neat 
thing  that  costs  nothing,  and  will  save  half  your 
glass,  tie  a  piece  of  soft  sponge  the  size  of  your 
chimney  to  a  pine  stick. 

LAJIfP  CHIMNE  YS,  To  Prevent  Breaking. 
•'-To  prevent  lamp  glasses  breaking  by  the  sud- 
den contact  with  heat,  the  best  way  is  to  cut  or 
scratch  the  base  of  the  glass  with  a  glazier's 
diamond.     Another  method  is  to  put  the  glasses 


into  a  saucepan  of  water  and  boil  them.     This 
seasons  them. 

LAMPS,  To  Prevent  Smoking. — Soak  the 
wick  in  strong  vinegar,  and  dry  it  well  before 
you  use  it;  it  will  then  burn  both  sweet  and 
pleasant,  and  give  much  satisfaction  for  the  trifl- 
ing trouble  taken  in  preparing  it. 

LAMP  WICKS,  Home  Made.—K  good  sub- 
stitute for  a  regular  lamp-wick  may  be  made  of 
canton  flannel,  taking  a  strip  three  times  as  wide 
as  the  lamptube,  and  folding  it,  overcasting  the 
open  edge.  The  little  bits  can  thus  be  utilized, 
and  many  times  considerable  annoyance  saved  by  j 
having  a  supply  of  these  needed  articles  always 
in  the  house. 

LEAK,  To  Stop  a. — ^Beat  yellow  soap  and 
whiting,  with  a  little  water,  into  a  thick  paste. 
Rub  this  over  the  part  where  the  leakage  is  and 
it  will  be  instantly  stopped. 

LEA  THER  {BLOCK)  OF  OLD  FURNI- 
TURE, To  Restore. — Eggs,  yolk  and  white  well 
beaten,  6 parts;  treacle,  l  part;  isinglass,  l  part; 
water,  5  parts.  Dissolve  the  isinglass  in  the 
water,  then  add  it  to  the  other  articles.  Mix  well. 
Color  with  lampblack.  This  also  forms  a  good 
varnish  for  dress  shoes. 

UNEN,  Care  (y.— WTien  linen  is  well  dried 
and  laid  by  for  use,  nothing  more  is  necessary 
than  to  secure  it  from  damp  and  insects.  The 
latter  may  be  agreably  performed  by  a  judicious 
mixture  of  aromatic  shrubs  ^d  flowers,  cut  up 
and  sewed  up  in  silken  bags,  to  be  interspersed 
among  the  drawers  and  shelves.  These  ingre- 
dients may  consist  of  lavender,  thyme,  roses, 
cedar  shavings,  powdered  sassafras,  cassia  lignea, 
&c. ,  into  which  a  i^w  drops  of  otto  of  roses,  or 
other  strong-scented  perfume,  may  be  throv/n. 
In  all  cases,  it  will  be  found  more  consistent  with 
economy  to  examine  and  repair  all  washable  ar- 
ticles, more  especially  linen,  that  may  stand  in 
need  of  it,  previous  to  sending  them  to  the  laun- 
dry. It  will  also  be  prudent  to  have  every  ar- 
ticle carefully  numbered,  and  so  arranged,  after 
washing,  as  to  have  their  regular  turn  and  terra 
in  domestic  use. 

LINEN,  To  Remove  Frtiit  Stains  in. — To 
remove  them,  rub  the  part  on  each  side  with 
yellow  soap,  then  tie  up  a  piece  of  pearl-ash  in 
the  cloth,  «S:c.,  and  soak  well  in  hot  water,  or 
boil;  afterwards  expose  the  stained  part  to  the 
sun  and  air  until  removed. 

LINEN,  To  Take  Ink  Out  Of.—\xik  spots 
maybe  effectually  removed  from  linen  by  a  simple 
and  ready  process.  Take  a  piece  of  tallow,  melt 
it,  and  dip  the  spotted  part  of  the  linen  into  the 
tallow ;  the  linen  may  be  washed  and  the  spot 
will  disappear,  the  linen  remaining  uninjured. 

LINEN,  To  Take  Marking  Ink  Out  Of.— A. 
saturated  solution  of  cyanuret  of  potassium,  ap- 
plied with  a  camel's-hair  brush.  After  the  mark- 
ing ink  disappears,  the  linen  should  be  well 
washed  in  cold  water. 

LINEN,  To  Remove  Mould  From.—Spots  of 
mould  on  fabrics  can,  it  is  said,  be  removed  from 
cotton  or  linen,  by  first  rubbing  them  over  with 
butter  and  afterwards  applying  potassa  moistened 
with  a  little  water,  and  then  rubbing  the  spot, 
when  all  traces  of  it  will  disappear. 

LINEN,  To  Remove  Stains  From. — Stains 
caused  by  acids  can  be  removed  by  wetting  the 
part  and  laying  it  on  some  salt  of  wormwood ; 
then  rub  it  without  diluting  it  with  more  water. 
Or,  tie  up  in  stained  part  some  per  lash;  then 


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DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


scrape  some  soap  into  cold  soft  water,  to  make  a 
lather,  and  boil  the  linen  till  the  stain  disappears. 
Recent  stains  of  fruit  may  be  removed  by  holding 
the  linen  tightly  stretched  over  a  tub  and  pouring 
hot  water  over  the  part.  This  must  be  done  be- 
fore any  soap  has  been  applied  to  it.  As  soon 
as  the  stain  is  made  on  table  linen,  etc.,  rub  on 
it  common  table  salt,  before  it  has  had  time  to 
dry ;  the  salt  will  keep  it  damp  till  the  cloth  is 
washed,  when  the  stain  will  disappear ;  or,  wash 
the  stain  lightly  when  the  cloth  is  removed. 

LINEN,  To  Make  FIRE  PROOF.— A  quan- 
tity of  phosphoric  acid  lime  is  dissolved  in  water; 
to  this  a  little  ammonia  is  added  and  the  whole 
filtered  and  discolored  with  animal  carbon.  It 
is  then  put  on  the  fire  and  left  to  evaporate  until 
it  is  concentrated,  when  gelatine  and  five  per 
cent,  silicic  acid  is  added,  and  again  reduced  by 
evaporation  to  a  crystallic  substance,  which  is 
dried  and  pulverized.  This  powder  is  called 
'  "Hottina",  from  the  name  of  tne  Inventor.  The 
cloth  to  be  made  fire-proof  is  dipped  in  a  solution 
made  of  thirty  per  cent,  of  the  above  powder, 
thirty-five  per  cent,  of  gum,  and  thirty-five  per 
cent,  of  starch.  The  cloth,  when  dry,  will  be 
perfectly  fire-proof,  and  preserve  its  color. 

LINEN  {SCORCHED)  To  Restore.— Tske 
two  onions,  peel  and  skin  them,  and  extract  the 
juice  by  squeezing  or  pounding.  Then  cut  up 
half  an  ounce  of  white  soap,  and  two  ounces  of 
fuller's  earth ;  mi^with  them  the  onion  juice, 
and  half  a  pint  of  vinegar.  Boil  the  composition 
well,  and  spread  it  when  cool  over  the  scorched 
part  of  the  linen,  leaving  it  to  dry  thereon.  Af- 
terward wash  out  the  linen. 

LOOKING  GLASSES,  To  CUan.-Take  a 
newspaper,  or  part  of  one,  according  to  the  size 
of  the  glass.  Fold  it  small,  and  dip  it  into  a  basin 
I  of  clean  cold  water;  when  thoroughly  wet, 
*  squeeze  it  out  in  your  hand  as  you  would  a 
sponge,  and  then  rub  it  hard  all  over  the  face  of 
the  glass,  taking  care  that  it  is  not  so  wet  as  to 
run  down  in  streams.  In  fact,  the  paper  must 
only  be  completely  moistened,  or  damped  all 
through.  After  the  glass  has  been  well  rubbed 
with  a  wet  paper,  let  it  rest  a  few  minutes,  and 
then  go  over  it  with  a  fresh  dry  newspaper 
(folded  small  in  your  hand),  till  it  looks  clear 
and  bright — which  it  will  Jilmost  immediately, 
and  with  no  further  trouble. 

This  method,  simple  as  it  is,  is  the  best  and 
most  expeditious  for  cleaning  mirrors,  and  it  will 
be  found  so  on  trial — giving  it  a  clearness  and 

folish  that  can  be  produced  by  no  other  process, 
t  is  equally  convenient,  speedy,  and  effective. 
The  inside  of  window  frames  may  be  cleaned  in 
this  manner  to  look  beautifully  clear ;  the  win- 
dows being  first  washed  on  the  outside. 

MAHOGANY  FURNITURE,  To  Give  a 
Good  Color  to. — Let  the  tables  be  washed  per- 
fectly clean  with  vinegar,  having  first  taken  out 
any  ink-stains  there  may  be,  with  spirits  of  salt. 
Use  the  following  liquid :  Into  a  pint  of  cold- 
drawn  linseed  oil,  put  a  mixture  of  alkanet-root 
and  rose  pink  in  an  earthen  vessel ;  let  it  remain 
all  night,  then,  stirring  well,  rub  some  of  it  all 
over  the  tables  with  a  linen  rag ;  when  it  has  lain 
■  some  time,  rub  it  bright  with  linen  cloths. 

MARBLE,  To  Clean. — Take  2  ounces  of 
common  soda,  and  one  of  pummice  stone,  and 
one  of  finely  powdered  chalk ;  sift  them  through 
a  fine  sieve  and  mix  them  with  water.  Then 
rub  the  mixture  well  all  over  the  marble,  and  the 


stains  will  be  removed;  now  wash  the  marble 
over  with  soap  and  water,  and  it  will  be  as  clean 
as  it  was  previous  to  its  being  stained.  Some- 
times the  marble  is  stained  yellow  with  ironrust ; 
this  can  be  removed  with  lemon  juice. 

MARBLE,  To  Remove  Grease  Or  Oil  in. — 
French  chalk  reduced  to  powder,  dusted  over 
the  spot,  and  a  hot  flat-iron  held  very  near,  to 
soften  the  grease  and  make  the  chalk  absorb  it. 
If  this  will  not  do,  try  common  clay  mixed  wiih 
benzine  smeared  over  the  spot. 

MARBLE,  To  Remove  Smoke-stains  from. — 
Take  a  large  lump  of  Spanish  whiting,  soak  it  in 
water,  not  more  than  enough  to  moisten  it,  and 
put  into  the  water  a  piece  of  washing  soda  ;  put 
some  of  this  whiting  on  a  flannel,  and  rub  the 
marble  repeatedly,  leaving  the  whiting  on  for 
some  hours.  Wash  it  all  off  with  soap  and 
water,  dry  well,  and  polish  with  a  soft  duster. 

MARKETING,  Hints  on.—Thz  purchaser 
will  do  well  to  keep  in  view  one  or  two  simple 
rules.  Whatever  kind  of  provisions  may  be  re- 
quired, it  is  invariably  the  wisest  course  to  deal 
with  those  tradespeople  who  have  %  large  busi- 
ness, and  who  are  known  and  respectable.  It 
is  the  interest  of  such  persons  to  supply  their 
customers  with  the  best  articles,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose they  themselves  must  go  to  the  best  markets. 
As  a  general  rule  they  are  under  no  temptation 
to  overcharge  their  customers.  Their  success  in 
business  and  their  profit  depend  on  the  number 
of  their  retail  transactions,  and  if  the  number  be 
gieat,  they  are  all  the  more  able  to  supply  the 
best  articles,  and  to  be  content  with  the  smallest 
profits  on  each  individual  sale.  As  an  illustration 
of  this  it  may  be  stated  that,  with  very  few  ex- 
ceptions, all  commodities  are  dearer,  as  well  as 
of  inferior  quality,  in  shops  in  the  suburbs  than 
in  those  situated  in  places  of  the  greatest  con- 
course :  the  reason  is  that  small  dealers,  who 
have  comparatively  few  transactions,  must  neces- 
sarily make  up  for  the  defects  of  their  business 
by  obtaining  large  profits  on  individual  sales, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  they  have  little  or  no 
encouragement  to  obtain  the  best  goods,  and  in 
many  cases  want  of  sufficient  capital  renders  this 
impracticable.  It  will  be  usually  found,  how- 
ever, that  there  is  no  economy  in  purchasing  in- 
ferior articles.  In  butcher's  meat,  for  example, 
the  best  meat,  and  the  best  parts  of  the  meat, 
although  at  first  a  little  dearer,  are  in  reality 
cheaper  in  the  end. 

MILDEW,  To  Remove.— "hWx  soft  soap  with 
powdered  starch,  half  as  much  salt,  and  the  juice 
of  a  lemon ;  lay  the  mixture  on  both  sides  of  the 
stain  with  a  painter's  brush;  let  it  lie  on  the  grass 
day  and  night  till  the  mildew  mark  disappears. 

MOULD  IN  BOOKS  AND  INK,  To  Pre- 
vent.— A  few  drops  of  lavender  will  save  a  li- 
brary from  mould  ;  a  single  drop  will  save  a  pint 
of  ink.  A  little  salt  or  white  wine  will  also  pre- 
serve ink  from  mould. 

MUSLINS,  To  Make  Uninflammable.— Txxng- 
state  of  soda,  prepared  expressly  for  rendering 
fabrics  noninflammable,  is  used  for  this  purpose. 
Directions  for  use : — ^To  3  parts  of  dry  starch 
add  I  part  of  tungstate  of  soda,  and  use  the 
starch  in  the  ordinary  way.  If  the  material  does 
not  require  starching,  mix  in  the  proportions  of 
I  pound  of  tungstate  of  soda  to  2  gallons  of 
water,  saturate  the  fabric  well  with  this  solution 
and  dry  it.  The  heat  of  the  iron  in  no  way  af- 
fects the  non-inflammability. 


HOUSEHOLD  MISCELLANY. 


i6i 


OIL  CLOTH,  Hmu  To  Clean.— lormxi  them 
— clean  them  with  hot  water  or  soap  suds,  and 
leave  them  half  wiped,  and  they  will  look  very 
bright  while  wet,  and  very  dingy  and  dirty  when 
dry,  and  soon  crack  and  peel  off.  But  if  you 
wish  to  preserve  them,  and  have  them  look  new 
and  nice,  wash  them  with  soft  flannel  and  luke- 
warm water  and  wipe  thoroughly  dry.  If  you 
want  them  to  look  extra  nice,  after  they  are  dry, 
drop  a  few  spoonfuls  of  milk  over  them,  and  rub 
them  with  a  small  dry  cloth. 

OIL  {KEROSENE),  To  7>j/.— The  only 
reliable  test  is  the  temperature  of  the  flashing 
point,  that  is,  the  temperature  at  which  the  pe- 
troleum takes  fire  when  a  burning  match  is  ap- 
plied to  its  surface.  This  test  can  be  easily  ap- 
plied. Into  a  flat  dish  or  saucer,  pour  the  oil  to 
be  tried,  until  it  is  at  least  half  an  inch  deep; 
then  hold  a  burning  match  or  paper  near  the  sur- 
face. At  the  point  of  contact  the  combustion  is 
often  very  lively,  as  the  taper  draws  up  some 
of  the  liquid,  but  if  the  petroleum  be  safe 
and  free  from  naphtha,  the  flame  does  not  spread 
over  the  surface.  If  the  petroleum  has  been 
adulterated,  as  soon  as  the  match  touches  the 
surface  a  blue  lambent  flame  flashes  across  it, 
and  in  a  few  moments  the  body  of  the  oil  will  be 
on  fire.  Such  an  oil  is  dangerous — liable  to  ex- 
plode in  lamps,  and  to  give  off  inflammable  va- 
pors at  all  times.  Any  oil  which  takes  fire  when 
a  match  is  held  near  its  surface,  and  continues  to 
burn,  ought  to  be  condemned  at  once  and  thrown 
into  the  streets. 

OVEN  AND  IRON  WARE  {New)  To  Tern- 
fer. — Before  new  ovens  are  used,  they  should 
De  heated  half  a  day,  and  then  put  up  the  lid  to 
keep  the  heat  in.  When  heated  the  second  time, 
they  may  be  used  for  baking.  If  not  treated  in 
this  way,  they  will  never  retain  heat  well.  New 
flat-irons  should  be  heated  half  a  day  before  they 
are  used.  Iron  ware  of  all  kinds,  and  stoves 
should  be  heated  gradually  at  first  or  they  may 
crack. 

PAINT,  To  C/^««.— Provide  a  plate  with 
some  of  the  best  whiting  to  be  had,  and  have 
ready  some  clean  warm  water  and  a  piece  ol 
flannel,  which  dip  into  the  water  and  squeeze 
nearly  dry ;  then  take  as  much  whiting  as  will 
adhere  to  it,  apply  it  to  the  painted  surface,  when 
a  little  rubbing  will  instantly  remove  any  dirt  or 
grease.  After  which  wash  well  with  clean  water, 
rubbing  it  dry  with  soft  flannels.  Paint  thus 
cleaned  looks  as  well  as  when  first  laid  on,  with- 
out any  injury  to  the  most  delicate  colors.  It  is 
far  better  than  using  soap,  and  does  not  require 
more  than  half  the  time  and  labor. 

PAINT,  To  Remove  Odor  of. — Place  a  vessel 
full  of  lighted  charcoal  in  the  middle  of  the  room 
and  throw  on  it  two  or  three  handfuls  of  juniper 
berries.  Shut  closely  the  windows,  doors  and 
all  means  of  ventilation  for  about  twenty-four 
hours,  when  they  may  be  opened  and  it  will  be 
found  that  the  unpleasant  smell  will  be  entirely 
gone.  This  will  not  mjure  articles  leftm  the  room, 
such  as  tapestry,  etc.,  and  can  be  considered 
reliable. 

PAPER-HANGINGS,  To  C/ean.— Cut  into 
8  half-quarters  a  stale  quartern  loaf;  with  one 
of  these  pieces,  after  having  blown  off  all  the 
dust  from  the  paper  to  be  cleaned  by  means  of  a 
good  pair  of  bellows,  begin  at  the  top  of  the 
room,  holding  the  crust  in  the  hand,  and  wiping 
lightly  downward  with  the  crumb,  about  half  a 


yard  at  each  stroke,  till  the  upper  part  of  the 
hangings  is  completely  cleaned  all  round ;  then 
go  again  round  with  the  like  sweeping  stroke 
downward,  always  commencing  each  successive 
course  a  little  higher  than  the  upper  stroke  had 
extended,  till  the  bottom  be  finished.  This  op- 
eration, if  carefully  performed,  will  frequently 
make  very  old  paper  look  almost  equal  to  new. 
Great  caution  must  be  used  not  by  any  means  to 
rub  the  paper  hard,  nor  to  attempt  cleaning  it 
the  cross  or  horizontal  way.  The  dirty  part  of 
the  bread  too  must  be  each  time  cut  away,  and 
the  pieces  renewed  as  often  as  is  necessary. 

PAPER-HANGINGS  {Poisonous),  Test  for. 
— A  good  test  for  poisonous  paper-hanging  is 
common  spirits  of  hartshorn,  or  ammonia  is  a 
sure  one  of  arsenic.  On  application  the  beautiful 
but  dangerous  green  turns  to  a  blue.  The  ex- 
istence of  arsenic  in  rooms  hung  with  green  paper 
may  also  be  immediately  detected  by  lighting  a 
bit  of  the  suspected  paper  at  a  candle.  When 
the  paper  is  well  lighted,  blow  it  out,  then  smell 
the  smoke,  if  it  contains  arsenic,  the  smell  will 
be  that  of  garlic. 

PAPER,  To  Remove  Stains  from. — The  pro- 
cess must  depend  on  what  the  stains  are.  If  they 
are  those  of  writing  ink,  a  solution  of  citric,  tar- 
taric, or  oxalic  acid  will  be  successful.  If  grease, 
take  a  heated  iron  and  press  it  upon  blotting- 
paper  placed  on  the  stains.  After  this  process 
has  been  frequently  repeated,  take  a  soft  brush 
and  apply  oil  of  turpentine  to  the  stains  on  both 
sides  of  the  paper;  lastly,  with  a  clean  brush, 
apply  to  the  spots  already  almost  gone  rectified 
spirit  of  wine. 

PAPER,  To  Take  Writing  Out  ./.—Solution 
of  muriate  of  tin,  two  drachms;  water,  four 
drachms.  To  be  applied  with  a  camel's  hair 
brush.  After  the  writing  has  disappeared,  the 
paper  should  be  passed  through  water,  and 
dried. 

PAPER-MACHE,  To  aean.—VZ&sh  the 
article  well  with  cold  water  and  a  sponge,  dust 
flour  over  it  while  still  damp,  and  rub  dry  with 
flannel. 

PEWTER,  To  Clean.— Apply  to  the  surface 
of  the  vessels  a  fine  sand  mixed  with  oil  of  tartar; 
then  polish. 

PICTURE  FRAMES,  To  Prevent  Flies 
From  Injuring. — Boil  three  or  four  onions  in  a 
pint  of  water :  then  with  a  gilding  brush  do  over 
your  glasses  and  frames,  and  the  flies  will  not 
alight  on  the  article  so  washed.  This  may  be 
used  without  apprehension,  as  it  will  not  do  the 
least  injury  to  the  frames, 

PICTURES,  How  To  Hang.— The  worst 
position  in  which  a  painting  can  be  placed  is 
directly  opposite  a  window,  as  its  surface  so  re- 
flects the  light  that  the  object  cannot  be  seen 
except  from  a  side  view.  The  picture  ought  to 
be  hung  so  as  to  allow  the  light  from  the  win- 
dow to  fall  upon  it  from  the  same  side  in  which 
the  artist  saw  or  imagined  the  picture  to  appear 
in  nature ;  that  is  to  say,  the  shadows  in  the  pic- 
ture ought  to  be  on  that  side  of  the  objects  which 
is  opposite  to  the  direction  from  which  the  light 
comes :  for  example,  in  the  case  of  a  tree  or 
house,  if  the  window  is  on  the  right  hand  the 
shadows  on  the  picture  must  be  towards  the  left 
hand  of  the  observer,  as  if  projected  from  the 
right  side  to  the  left,  as  would  be  the  case  in 
nature  if  the  light  fell  upon  the.  right,  of  the  ob- 
jects perceived. 


21 


l62 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


PLATE,  Haw  To  Clean. — In  the  first  place 
every  particle  of  grease  must  be  removed  by 
means  of  a  thorough  hot  soap  suds  in  which  is 
dissolved  a  small  bit  of  cooking  soda,  it  must 
then  be  thoroughly  rinsed  in  clear  warm  water, 
and  wiped  with  a  dry  soft  towel  or  a  piece  of 
wash  leather.  It  may  then  be  rubbed  with  fine 
whiting  with  a  bit  of  flannel  or  chamois  skin ;  if 
there  are  stains  on  the  plate  the  whiting  should 
be  rubbed  on  mixed  with  water  or  a  little  sweet 
oil  and  allowed  to  remain  several  hours,  but  if 
the  silver  is  merely  tarnished  it  will  be  sufficient 
to  give  it  a  dry  polish  by  using  the  whiting  of 
very  fine  plate  powder,  dry,  and  polishing  by  a 
soft  wash  leather,  cleansing  the  chased  portions 
with  a  soft  bristle  brush. 

All  plate  and  silver  in  common  use  should  be 
cleaned  at  least  once  a  week,  but  too  severe  rub- 
bing will  soon  wear  out  even  the  celebrated 
Sheffield  plate. 

Plate  should  be  well  protected  in  a  dry  closet 
or  drawer;  a  box  lined  with  flannel  is  the  best 
article.  The  practice  of  leaving  plate  exposed 
on  the  side  board  is  injurious  to  the  plate,  from 
the  fact  that  there  exists  in  the  air  a  portion  of 
sulphureted  hydrogen  gas,  which  turns  the  sil- 
ver black. 

Another  habit  of  melting  off  spermaceti  from 
candle-sticks  by  placing  them  near  the  fire  is  also 
destructive;  if  moderately  hot  water  will  not  re- 
move the  grease,  a  little  alcohol  will. 

POTS,  {IRON)  To  Mend.— mx  finely  sifted 
lime  with  some  white  of  an  egg,  till  a  thin  kind 
of  paste  is  formed,  then  add  some  iron  filings. 
Apply  this  to  the  fracture,  and  the  vessel  will  be 
found  nearly  as  sound  as  ever. 

PUTTY,  To  Remove. — Putty  that  has  become 
hardened  may  be  rendered  soft,  so  as  to  be 
easily  removed,  by  the  application  of  a  hot  iron 
to  it.  In  this  way  it  may  be  readily  removed, 
where  glass  is  broken,  without  injury  to  the  sash. 
UMBRELLAS,  To  Make  Last  Twice  As 
Long  As  Usual. — Most  persons,  when  they  come 
in  from  the  rain,  put  their  umbrellas  in  the  rack 
with  the  handle  upward.  They  should  put  it 
downward;  because  when  the  handle  is  upward 
the  water  runs  down  inside  to  the  place  where 
the  ribs  are  joined  to  the  handle,  and  cannot  get 
out,  but  stays  rotting  the  cloth  and  rusting  the 
metal  until  slowly  dried  away.  The  wire  secur- 
ing the  ribs  soon  rusts  and  breaks.  If  placed  the 
other  end  up,  the  water  readily  runs  off,  and  the 
umbrella  dries  almost  immediately. 

VENTILATION,  Hmv  easily  to  secure.— 
For  ventilation,  open  your  windows  at  top  and 
bottom.  The  fresh  air  rushes  in  one  way  and 
the  foul  air  makes  its  excit  by  the  other. 

RAZOR  STRAP,  To  Renru}.—^yx\>  clean  tal- 
low over  the  surface,  then  apply  the  fine  snuffings 
'  of  a  candle,  or  rub  the  strap  with  soft  pewter  or 
lead. 

RIBBONS  OR  SILK,  To  Keep.— In  putting 
away  ribbons  or  silk,  wrap  or  fold  them  in  coarse 
brown  paper,  which,  as  it  contains  a  portion  ol 
tar  or  turpentine,  will  preserve  the  color  of  the 
article,  and  prevent  white  silk  from  turning  yel- 
low. The  chloride  of  lime  used  in  manufacturing 
white  paper  renders  it  improper  to  keep  silks  in, 
as  it  frequently  causes  them  to  spot  or  to  change 
color. 

RUG,  To  Make  a. — A  very  economical  rug 
can  be  made  in  the  following  manner:  take  coffee- 
sacks  and  sew  together  of  the  required  size, 


which  fasten  upon  a  rough  frame  of  lath  nailed 
together.  Trace  a  design  in  the  center — for  in- 
stance a  diamond,  and  a  waved  or  pointed  bor- 
der. Geometrical  designs  are  usually  prettier 
than  those  miserable,  stiff  masses  called  flowers. 
To  work  this  sacking  as  if  it  were  canvas,  prepare 
balls  of  assorted  rags  sewed  together,  as  for  car- 
pets, except  that  they  must  be  cut  evenly  and  not 
more  than  half  an  inch  wide ;  wind  each  color  in 
a  separate  ball.  Now  take  a  large  hook — you  can 
manufacture  one  from  a  piece  of  wire.  Put  the 
strip  to  be  worked  underneath,  and  insert  the  ■ 
hook  from  the  upper  side,  catch  the  strip  below, 
and  draw  it  up  through  the  foundation  about  one 
half  an  inch,  making  a  loop;  put  the  hook  through 
the  next  diagonal  place,  and  draw  up  another 
loop ;  proceed  in  this  way,  following  the  outline 
of  the  center  design.  Three  times  around  is 
enough  of  the  outline  color ;  then  work  the  out- 
line of  the  border,  and  fill  up  the  margin.  Fill 
up  the  inside  figure  with  a  contrasting  color. 
Next  work  the  corners;  and  fill  up  the  ground 
with  a  dark  color.  Remove  from  frame  and  hem 
the  edges  underneath  the  work.  This  rug  is 
durable,  and  can  be  made  quite  handsome,  with 
good  colors. 

RUGS,  {SHEEPSKIN)  To  C/^««.— Make 
a  very  strong  lather,  by  boiling  soap  in  a  little 
water,  mix  this  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water 
(rather  more  than  luke-warm),  to  wash  the  mat 
or  rug  in,  and  rub  boiled  soap  on  those  portions 
of  it  which  require  additional  cleansing.  When 
the  mat  has  been  well  washed  in  this  M-atcr,  pre- 
pare another  lather  in  the  same  way,  in  which  a 
second  washing  must  take  place,  followed  by  a 
third,  which  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  cleanse  it 
thoroughly.  Rinse  it  well  in  cold  water  until 
all  the  soap  is  removed,  and  then  put  it  in  water 
in  which  a  little  blue  has  been  mixed,  sufficient 
to  keep  the  wool  of  a  good  white,  and  prevent  its 
inclining  to  yellow.  After  this  it  should  be 
thoroughly  wrung,  shaken,  and  hung  out  in  the 
open  air  with  the  skin  part  towards  the  sun,  but 
not  while  it  is  scorching,  otherwise  the  skin  will 
become  hard.  It  must  also  be  shaken  often  while 
drying,  for  if  not  it  will  be  quite  stiff  and  crackly. 
It  should  be  frequently  turned,  being  hung  up 
first  by  one  end  and  then  by  the  other,  until  it 
has  dried  entirely. 

SILVER,  lo  Give  Luster  To. — Dissolve  a 
quantity  of  alum  in  water,  so  as  to  make  a  pretty 
strong  brine,  and  skim  it  carefully ;  then  add 
some  soap  to  it,  and  dip  a  linen  rag  in  it,  and  rub 
over  the  silver. 

SILVER  ORNAMENTS,  To  Clean.— "^oW 
them  in  soap  and  water  for  five  minutes;  then 
put  them  in  a  basin  with  the  same  hot  soap  and 
water,  and  scrub  them  gently  with  a  very  soft 
brush  while  hot;  then  rinse  and  dry  with  a  linen 
rag.  Heat  a  piece  of  common  unglazed  earthen 
ware,  or  a  piece  of  brick  or  tile  in  the  fire ;  take 
it  off,  and  place  the  ornaments  upon  it  for  the 
purpose  of  drying  them,  and  causing  every  par- 
ticle of  moisture  to  evaporate;  as  the  moisture, 
which  otherwise  would  remain  on  the  silver,  will 
cause  it  to  tarnish,  or  assume  a  greenish  hue.  All 
ornaments,  whether  gold  or  silver,  can  be  kept 
from  tarnishing  if  they  are  carefully  covered  from 
the  air  in  boxwood  sawdust,  which  will  also  dry 
them  after  being  washed. 

SILVER  PLA TE,  To  Take  Stains  Out  Of. 
— Steep  the  plate  in  soap  lyes  for  the  space  of 
four  hours ;  then,  cover  it  over  with  whiting,  wet 


HOUSEHOLD  MISCELLANY. 


163 


with  vinegar,  so  that  it  may  stick  thick  upon  it, 
and  dry  it  by  a  fire;  after  which  rub  off  the 
whiting,  and  pass  it  over  with  dry  bran,  and  the 
spots  will  not  only  disappear,  but  the  plate  will 
look  exceedingly  bright. 

SPOTS,  GREASE,  To  Remcroe.—l.  Take 
benzine,  20  ounces;  alcohol  (strong),  5  ounces; 
ether,  2  drachms  ;  ammonia,  I  drachm. — 2.  ( Ja- 
velle  -water. )  Take  bleaching  powder,  i  ounce ; 
carbonate  of  potassa,  i  ounce ;  water,  33  ounces. 
Triturate  the  bleaching  powder  in  the  cold  with 
25  ounces  of  water,  then  add  the  carbonate  of 
potassa,  previously  dissolved  in  the  rest  of  the 
water,  shake  well  and  let  it  settle.  The  super- 
natant liquor  is  filtered,  if  necessary,  and  mixed 
with  one  ounce  of  hydrochloric  acid,  when  it  is 
ready  for  use. 

SPOTS,  {GREASE)  To  take  out  of  Silk. 
— ^Take  a  lump  of  magnesia,  and  rub  it  wet  over 
the  spot ;  let  it  dry,  then  brush  the  powder  off, 
and  the  spot  will  disappear;  or,  take  a  visiting 
card,  separate  it,  and  rub  the  spot  with  the  sou 
internal  part,  and  it  will  disappear  without  taking 
the  gloss  off  the  silk. 

STAINS  OF  NITRA  TE  OF  SIL  VER,  To 
Remove. — Grimm  states  in  a  German  journal  that 
chloride  of  copper  completely  removes  nitrate  of 
silver  stains  from  colored  cotton  cloth.  It  should 
afterward  be  washed  with  hyposulphite  of  soda, 
and  then  thoroughly  washed  with  water.  Such 
stains  are  more  effectually  removed  from  white 
cotton  or  linen  cloth,  by  applying  to  it  a  dilute 
solution  of  permanganate  of  potash  and  hydro- 
chloric acid,  which  is  to  be  followed  by  washing 
with  hyposulphite  of  soda  and  plain  water.  This 
process  renders  the  use  of  the  highly  poisonous 
cyanide  of  potassium  unnecessary. 

STEEL  ARTICLES,  To  Presen<e  from 
Rust,  ivhen  not  in  Use. — Sleigh  runners,  skates, 
&c.,  which  are  only  used  for  a  limited  time  during 
the  year,  may  be  effectually  preserved  from  rust 
by  a  coating  of  common  lard  and  pulverized  black 
lead,  containing  a  little  camphor. 

STEEL,  To  Renioz'e  RUST  from. — ^This  can 
be  done  by  a  free  application  of  kerosene  oil, 
allowing  the  oil  to  remain  on  until  the  rust  is 
loosened,  and  can  be  rubbed  off. 

STOPPER  {Glass)  To  i?^w^.'^.— Apply  hot 
water  to  the  neck  of  the  bottle,  which  will  expand, 
while  the  stopper  retains  its  former  temperature 
and  becomes  loose. 

STO  VES  BLA  Ci^/A"t7.— Blacking  for  stoves 
may  be  made  with  ^  a  pound  of  black  lead  finely 
powdered,  and  (to  make  it  stick)  mix  with  it  the 
whites  of  3  eggs  well  beaten  ;  then  dilute  it  with 
sour  beer  or  porter  till  it  becomes  as  thin  as 
shoe-blacking;  after  stirring  it,  set  it  over  hot 
coals  to  simmer  for  20  minutes ;  when  cold  it  may 
be  kept  for  use. 

TABLES,  To  remove  Marks  from. — If  a 
whitish  mark  is  left  on  a  table,  by  carelessly  set- 
ling  on  a  pitcher  of  boiling  water,  or  a  hot  dish, 
pour  some  lamp  oil  on  the  spot,  and  rub  it  hard 
with  a  soft  cloth.  Then  pour  on  a  little  spirits 
of  wine  or  cologne  water,  and  rub  it  dry  with 
another  cloth.  The  white  mark  will  thus  dis- 
appear, and  the  table  look  as  well  as  ever. 

TAR,  PITCH  OR  TURPENTINE,  To  Re- 
move. — Scrape  off  as  much  as  you  can  ;  then  wet 
the  place  thoroughly  with  good  salad  oil,  and  let 
it  remain  for  twenty-four  hours.  If  linen  or 
cotton  wash  it  out  in  strong  warm  soap-suds  ;  if 


woollen  or  silk,  take  out  the   oil  with  ether  or 
spirits  of  wine. 

If  the  stain  is  of  tar,  you  may  remove  it  (after 
scraping  and  wiping),  by  using  cold  tallow  in- 
stead of  sweet  oil.  Rub  and  press  well  on  the 
spot  a  small  lump  of  good  tallow,  and  leave  it 
sticking  there  till  next  day.  Then  proceed  as 
above. 

TEA-KETTLE,  To  Clean.— YvX  into  the 
tea-kettle  a  flat  oyster-shell,  and  keep  it  constantly 
there.  It  will  attract  the  stony  particles  that  are 
in  the  water  to  itself,  and  prevent  their  forming 
upon  the  tea-kettle. 

TIN,  How  To  Clean. — Never  use  lye  to  clean 
tin,  it  will  soon  spoil  it.  Make  it  clean  with 
suds,  and  rub  it  with  whiting,  and  it  will  look 
well,  and  last  much  longer. 

TIN-PANS,  How  To  Mend.— This  can  be 
done  quickly  and  easily  by  the  use  of  putty,  and 
is  much  better  than  to  throw  them  away.  Put 
it  on  the  outside  ;  let  it  dry  thoroughly,  and  they 
will  never  need  mending  in  the  same  place  again. 
WALLS  {DA  MP),  Remedy  for.— An  excellent 
remedy  for  damp  walls  is  washing  them  with  a 
strong  solution  of  alum. 

WALL-PAPER,  To  Extract  Grease  Stains 
from. — Oil  marks  can  be  taken  from  the  paper 
on  drawing-room  walls,  and  marks  where  people 
have  rested  their  heads,  by  mixing  pipeclay  with 
water  to  the  consistency  of  cream,  laying  it  on 
the  spot,  and  letting  it  remain  till  the  following 
day,  when  it  may  be  easily  removed  with  a  pen- 
knife or  brush. 

WATER,  H<nv  To  71\f^.— Mechanical  im- 
purities in  water  are  removed  only  by  filtration  ; 
chemical  impurities  cannot  be  removed  in  this 
manner.  If  lime  is  supposed  to  be  present  in 
water,  the  best  test  is  to  mix  with  it  a  small  quan- 
tity of  oxalic  acid  in  a  small  vessel ;  lime,  if  pres- 
ent, will  be  revealed  in  a  white  precipitate.  Car- 
bonate of  iron  is  best  detected  by  the  tincture  of 
galls,  which  produces  a  black  precipitate.  If 
the  penknife,  dipped  in  water,  assumes  a  yellow- 
ish coating,  copper  is  present.  The  best  method 
of  detecting  the  presence  of  vegetable  and  animal 
matter  is  by  dropping  into  it  a  small  quantity  of 
sulphuric  acid  ;  the  water  becomes  black. 

WATER,  Purification  of— Mr.  Booth,  of 
Birmingham,  England,  has  lately  made  known  a 
very  simple  process  for  disengaging  from  water 
all  organic  matters.  By  this  method  it  is  suffi- 
cient to  prepare  a  neutral  solution  of  bi-sulphate 
of  alumina,  and  add  the  water  to  be  purified  in 
the  proportion  of  one  ounce  to  435  gallons.  As 
soon  as  this  is  done,  a  cloud  is  formed  in  the  li- 
quor, and  flocks  rapidly  descend,  taking  to  the 
bottom  all  organic  matters,  and  debarrassing  the 
water  of  all  coloring  matter,  and  disagreeable 
taste  and  smell.  In  six  or  eight  hours  the  deposit 
is  complete.  The  principle  of  this  operation  is 
the  following :  All  water  contains  bi-carbonate  of 
lime,  in  a  more  or  less  proportion.  The  sul- 
phuric acid  of  the  bi-sulphate  of  alumina  com- 
bines with  the  lime  to  form  a  sulphate  of  lime 
nearly  insoluble,  which  is  precipitated.  The 
hydrate  of  alumina  becomes  free,  and  forms  with 
the  organic  matters  an  insoluble  product.  The 
carbonic  acid  of  the  bi-carbonate  is  set  free  and 
communicates  to  the  water  an  agreeable  taste. 
For  very  hard  waters,  it  is  sufficient  to  add  to 
them  a  very  weak  dose  of  bi-carbonate  of  soda, 
to  entirelv  free  them  of  their  excess  of  lime. 

WA  TER  {Muddy)  To  Clcan.—Vf&t.ci  other- 


1 64 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


wise  pure,  but  contaminated  simply  with  clay  (as 
may  be  the  case  with  the  water  of  rivers  after 
heavy  rain  or  fall  of  snow),  becomes  at  once  clari- 
fied by  very  minute  quantities  of  some  salts  of 
lime  ;  one  thousandth  part  of  chloride  of  calcium 
for  one  part  of  water  effects  this  purpose  in  a 
moment ;  the  nitrate,  ,bi-carbonate,  and  caustic 
lime  act  in  the  same  manner.  The  precipitated 
substance  may  be  readily  separated  from  the  wa- 
ter by  filtration,  whereas  the  filtration  of  the  wa- 
ter containing  the  suspended  matter  is  very  diffi- 
cult, because  the  pores  of  the  filters  become 
choked.  The  practical  importance  of  this  matter 
is  very  great,  since  it  is,  for  instance,  a  well- 
known  fact  that  the  water  o*f  some  rivers  does 
not,  in  winter  time,  and  after  heavy  rain-fall  or 
snow-storms,  become  quite  clear,  even  if  left  at 
rest  in  large  ponds  for  a  considerable  time. 

WATER  FILTER,  Home  -  made. —'Rz.m 
water  is  much  healthier  than  hard  water  as  a  bev- 
erage ;  and  the  following  will  be  found  an  easy 
and  cheap  way  to  fit  it  for  drinking  purposes : 

Have  an  oak  tub  made,  holding  from  half,  to 

a  barrel,  according  to  the  amount  of  water  needed 

in  the  family;  let  it  stand  on  end,  with  a  faucet 

r  the  bottom ;  or,  I  prefer  a  hole  through  the 

tom,  near  the  front  side,  with  a  tube  in  which 
prevents  the  water  from  rotting  the  outside  of  the 
tub;  then  put  clean  pebbles  3  or  4  inches  in 
thickness  over  the  bottom  of  the  tub ;  now  have 
charcoal  pulverized  to  the  size  of  small  peas  (that 
made  from  hard  maple  is  best)  and  put  in  half  a 
bushel  or  so  at  a  time;  pound  it  down  quite 
firmly,  then  put  in  niore  and  pound  again  until 
the  tub  is  filled  to  within  8  inches  of  the  top ;  and 
again  put  on  2  inches  more  of  pebbles ;  then  put 
a  piece  of  clean  white  flannel  over  the  whole  top 
as  a  strainer. 

The  flannel  can  be  washed  occasionally,  to  re- 
move the  impurities  collected  from  the  water,  and 
it  might  be  well  to  put  a  flannel  between  the 
pebbles  and  charcoal  at  the  bottom  also.  WTien 
the  charcoal  becomes  foul,  it  can  be  renewed  as 
before,  but  will  work  a  year  without  renewing. 

WINDOWS,  To  C/^flM.— Remove  stains  and 
dust  with  soap  and  water,  then  apply  with  a 
moistened  rag  powdered  indigo,  rotten-stone,  or 
fuller's  earth.     Dry  with  a  soft  cotton  cloth. 

WINDOW  GLASS,  To  Prevent  the  Sun 
from  Passing  Through. — Pound  gum  tragacanth 
to  a  powder,  and  put  it,  for  twenty-four  hours, 
to  dissolve  in  white  of  eggs,  well-beaten.  Lay 
a  coat  of  this  on  your  glass  with  a  soft  brush,  and 
let  it  dry.    ■ 

WINDO  W  SASHES,  To  Prevent  Rattling. 
— The  sashes  in  very  many  costly  and  elegant 
dwellings  are  frequently  so  loose  from  some 
cause,  tnat  when  winds  blow  even  gently  they 
will  rattle  and  bang  from  stop  to  stop,  like  the 


shrunken  and  decayed  portions  of  some  forsaken 
and  dilapidated  castle.  The  remedy  is  by  no 
means  difficult  or  expensive.  Let  the  sashes  be 
taken  out  of  the  window  frame,  and  every  part 
of  the  window  examined.  If  the  jamb-casings 
have  been  sprung,  or  are  warped  and  twisted, 
the  first  step  will  be  to  remove  the  stops  and 
straighten  the  face  of  the  casings,  which  may  be 
done  most  conveniently  with  a  large  rabbet-plane 
and  a  smpothing-plane.  In  case  the  sashes  should 
be  much  too  narrow  for  the  frame,  let  one  edge 
be  dressed  off  true,  and  a  thin  strip  fitted  neatly, 
and  glued  and  nailed  to  the  edge  of  one  stile. 
See  that  the  outside  edge  of  such  stile  is  not  ta- 
pering, even  by  the  thickness  of  a  heavy  shaving. 
When  the  stile  are  tapering  only  a  trifle,  the 
sashes  cannot  be  moved  up  and  down  easily. 
Now  put  the  upper  sash  in  its  place,  and  fasten 
the  central  stop  with  two  or  three  long,  slender 
wood  screws,  after  which  remove  the  outside 
stops  and  place  them  so  closely  to  the  stiles  of 
the  sash  that  the  window  will  not  rattle.  Then 
let  the  stops  be  secured  on  the  inside  so  closely 
to  the  stiles  of  the  sash  that  will  move  up  and 
down  easily,  without  having  so  much  play  that 
the  wind  will  rattle  it.  When  the  sashes  have 
been  fitted  as  directed,  there  will  be  no  more 
need  of  "weather  strips"  of  any  kind  to  exclude 
dust  and  cold  air,  and  the  expense  of  refitting  a 
window  as  directed  will  be  much  less  than  the 
cost  of  weather  strips. 

WINDOW  SASHES,  To  Keep  in  PUue.— 
These  may  be  kept  up  without  sash-lines  and 
pulleys,  by  means  of  cork,  in  the  simplest  manner, 
and  with  scarcely  any  expense.  Bore  three  or 
four  holes  in  the  sides  of  the  sash,  into  which  in- 
sert common  bottle  corks,  projecting  about  the 
sixteenth  part  of  an  inch.  These  will  press 
against  the  window  -  frames,  along  the  usual 
groove,  and  by  their  elasticity  support  the  sash  at 
any  height  which  may  be  required. 

WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES  Household. 
— ^\Vheat  flour  weighs  one  pound  to  a  quart. 
Indian  meal,  one  pound  two  ounces  to  a  quart. 
Butter,  when  soft,  one  pound  to  a  quart.  Loaf 
sugar,  broken,  one  pound  to  a  quart.  White 
sugar,  powdered,  one  pound  one  ounce  to  a  quart. 
Eggs,  average  size,  ten  to  a  pound. 

WOOD  {New)  To  Remoz'e  Taste  from.—S. 
new  keg,  churn,  bucket,  or  other  wooden  vessel 
will  generally  communicate  a  disagreeable  odor 
to  anything  that  is  put  into  it.  To  prevent  this 
inconvenience  first  scald  the  vessel  with  boiling 
water,  letting  the  water  remain  in  it  till  cold. 
Then  dissolve  some  pearlash  or  soda  in  lukewarm 
water,  adding  alittle  bit  of  lime  to  it,  and  wash  the 
inside  of  the  vessel  well  with  the  solution.  After- 
ward scald  it  well  with  plain  hot  water,  and  rinse 
it  with  cold  water  before  you  use  it. 


HOUSEHOLD    PETS. 


A  VI A R  Y,  The. — Strictly  speaking,  an  aviary 
is  a  considerable  space  fitted  up  and  adapted  to 
accommodate  a  large  number  and  variety  of  birds 
remarkable  for  their  singing  qualities,  the  beauty 


of  their  plumage,  or  other  peculiarities.  An 
aviary,  as  a  matter  of  course,  is  a  large  cage  in 
which  an  attempt  is  made  to  give  a  natural  ap- 
pearance to  the  interior  of  the  place  where  the 


HOUSEHOLD  PETS. 


I6S 


feathered  prisoners  are  confined.  Perches  re-  I 
sembling  the  branches  of  trees,  grass,  moss, 
various  plants,  patches  of  gravel  or  sand,  a  rill 
of  clear  water,  secluded  places  for  nests — in  a 
word,  everything  is  provided  that  the  birds  can 
require  short  of  liberty ;  which,  indeed,  in  a  cli- 
mate like  ours,  and  in  the  absence  of  those  na- 
tural supplies  so  easily  obtained  in  their  native 
places,  would  be  a  more  than  doubtfid  blessing 
to  inany  of  them,  inasmuch  as  no  foreign  species 
would  long  survive  emancipation. 

In  a  large  aviary  possessed  of  all  such  appli- 
ances as  we  have  adverted  to,  favorably  situated 
and  carefully  attended,  most  of  the  little  captives 
will  thrive  and  be  cheerful,  and  many  of  them 
will  build  and  bring  up  their  young.  Such  estab- 
lishments, however,  are  rare ;  and  it  may  be 
doubted  whether  the  expense,  trouble,  and  anx- 
iety inseparable  from  the  keeping  of  them,  are 
not  too  great  for  any  satisfaction  which  they  pro- 
duce.    This,  however,  is  a  matter  of  opinion. 

AQUARIUM  {The)  Principles  <7/.  — The 
aquarium  may  consist  either  of  salt  water,  with 
marine  animals  and  plants,  or  fresh  water  with 
fresh  water  animals  and  vegetable  life.  But  wheth- 
er the  one  or  the  other  be  chosen,  the  principle 
on  which  its  freshness  and  actual  existence  depend 
is  the  same — namely,  the  proper  balance  between 
the  oxygen  given  off  by  the  plants  and  the  carbon 
thrown  off  by  the  fish  or  other  animals  ;  the  com- 
bination of  the  two  gases  preserving  the  water 
pure,  keeping  the  animals  alive,  and  sustaining 
the  growth  and  renewal  of  the  plants.  The  scien- 
tific principle  by  which  we  imitate  nature  in  the 
aquarium  is  very  well  explained  by  Sir  David 
Brewster:  "Water  has  the  power  of  absorbing 
certain  quantities  of  atmospheric  air  and  various 
gases ;  the  presence  of  air  gives  to  rain  and  spring 
water  their  refreshing  qualities,  as  may  be  proved 
by  expelling  the  air  from  water  by  boiling  and 
then  tasting  the  insipid  liquor  that'  remains.  Or- 
dinary water  always  contains  a  certain  amount  of 
atmospheric  air  and  also  a  trace  of  carbonic  acid, 
which  gas  is  a  compound  of  oxygen  and  carbon 
in  the  proportion  of  sixteen  to  six.  The  leaves 
of  plants  when  acted  upon  by  light,  decompose 
this  gas,  and,  having  no  necessity  for  oxygen, 
they  merely  absorb  the  carbon.  Animals,  on  the 
other  hand,  require  oxygen  for  the  purpose  of 
removing  the  waste  carbon  of  great  divisions  of 
organized  beings.  But  two  other  elements  play 
an  important  part  in  the  phenomenon  of  life — 
namely,  nitrogen  and  hydrogen.  Both  plants 
and  animals  require  these  gases  as  food.  They 
combine  to  form  ammonia,  which  is  found  in 
small  portions  in  the  atmosphere  and  in  water. 
Ammonia  is  indeed  the  main  fertilizing  element 
in  vegetable  life.  Plants  obtain  their  supply  of 
it  either  through  the  natural  water  absorbed  at 
their  rootlets,  or  by  means  of  artificial  manures  ; 
animals,  through  the  means  of  the  substances 
they  devour.  All  forms  of  vegetable  and  animal 
life  are  built  up  of  these  four  elements." 

AQUARIUM,  How  to  Make  and  Fill.— 
First,  as  to  the  tank  or  globe — the  receptacle  for 
your  water  and  its  living  plants  and  animals. 
Whether  you  determine  on  a  marine  or  a  fresh 
water  aquarium,  the  tank  is  the  same.  It  may 
be  either  square  or  round.  If  square  or  rectang- 
ular, it  should  be  perfectly  water  tight,  with  a  plain 
piece  of  glass  to  place  loosely  over  the  top  at 
night  and  when  the  room  is  being  dusted.  A 
propagating  glass  turned  upside  down  forms  a 


good,  strong  round  tank,  which  may  be  pur- 
chased cheaply  of  the  dealers  in  horticultural 
glass ;  lately,  indeed,  they  have  been  made  of 
graceful  shape  in  perfectly  white  glass,  purposely 
for  use  as  aquaria.  The  advantage  of  square  over 
round  tanks,  is  that  they  do  not  enlarge  or  distort 
the  objects  seen  within  them. 

Having  bought  your  tank,  your  next  task  is  to 
fill  and  stock  it.  It  must  be  prepared  for  the 
plants  and  animals  by  placing  at  the  bottom  a 
layer  of  stones  and  gravel :  fresh  water  gravel 
for  fresh  water,  stones  and  sand  for  salt  water. 
These  form  a  basis  or  foundation  for  the  roots  of 
the  plants.  It  is  well  also  to  have  a  little  rock 
work  rising  from  the  bottom,  just  above  the  sur- 
face  of  the  water.  Then  fill  it  with  water.  For 
a  fresh  water  aquarium,  ordinary  water  will  do, 
but  for  a  marine  aquarium  you  must  have  the 
proper  sea  water.  Do  not  try  the  artificial  sea 
water  advertised,  but  get  a  sufficient  quantity 
from  the  sea  itself,  taken  at  some  distance  from 
the  shore.  This  you  can  procure  without  much 
trouble  or  expense.  But  if  real  sea  water  is  very 
difficult  to  procure,  the  following  mixture  will 
form  a  tolerably  good  substitute.  It  so  nearly 
assimilates  to  the  actual  composition  of  salt  water 
that  it  will  support  life  in  the  marine  aquarium: 
Common  salt  (chloride  of  sodium)  3^/^  ounces ; 
Epsom  salts  (sulphate  of  magnesia),  X  ounce ; 
chloride  of  magnesium,  200  grains  troy ;  chloride 
of  potassium,  40  grains  troy.  These  materials, 
properly  dissolved,  are  to  be  added  to  four  quarts 
of  common  soft  water,  the  same  proportions  being 
observed  if  you  enlarge  the  quantity. 

AQUARIUM,  Home  Made. — Cut  a  narrow 
groove  in  a  board  the  size  you  wish,  set  four 
pieces  of  glass  on  edge  in  the  grooves ;  put  a 
piece  of  zinc  in  the  bottom  ;  on  the  board  make 
a  light  frame,  the  size  of  the  top,  with  grooves  ; 
pass  a  small  rod  through  the  frame  down  the  in- 
side of  the  corners,  through  the  bottom,  and 
screw  up  tight ;  put  cement  in  all  the  corners, 
and  you  will  have  an  aquarium  at  very  trifling 
cost.  To  make  the  cement,  take  one  part,  by 
measure,  of  litharge ;  one  part  plaster  of  Paris  ;  .^ 
one  part  fine  beach  sand;  one-third  part  fine  ' 
powdered  rosin ;  mix  all  together.  This  may  be 
kept  for  years,  while  dry,  in  a  well-corked  bottle ; 
when  used,  make  in  a  putty  with  boiled  linseed 
oil ;  a  little  patent  dryer  may  be  used ;  it  will 
stand  water  at  once,  either  salt  or  fresh. 

AQUARIUM  {FRESH  IVAIER),  To 
Make. — Presuming  that  you  begin  with  a  fresh 
water  aquarium,  you  will  find  the  best  weed  to 
grow  in  the  water  is  the  anacharis  alsinastrum^ 
the  weeds  which  often  choke  the  canals  and  in- 
land streams.  This  pretty  moss-like  plant  may 
be  easily  procured  from  almost  any  canal  at  any 
time  of  the  year.  Another  weed  which  does  ad- 
mirably in  the  aquarium  is  the  ranunculus  aquti- 
lis  (the  water  crowfoot),  which  may  be  taken 
from  any  pool  during  the  spring  months,  and 
placed  in  the  tank,  when  it  will  send  down  roots 
and  grow  abimdantly.  Be  careful  to  remove  all 
broken  or  decaying  shoots,  and  keep  the  weeds 
from  multiplying  too  fast,  or  the  balance  between 
animal  and  vegetable  life  will  be  destroyed. 

In  stocking  a  fresh  water  aquarium  great  choice 
is  left  for  the  young  naturalist.  He  may  have 
small  carp,  gold  fish,  minnow,  or  almost  any 
kind  o£  river  fish,  with  water  newts,  or  efts,  or 
even  a  good  sized  frog,  which  is  by  no  means  an 
ugly  or  uninteresting  animaL    .The  frogs  and 


l66 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


newts  will  crawl  occasionally  to  the  top  of  the 
rock  and  sun  themselves.  A  diving  spider  is 
also  a  good  addition;  but  you  must  by  no  means 
neglect  a  good  supply  of  water  snails  and  fresh 
water  shrimps,  which  will  be  found  very  useful 
in  eating  away  the  conferva,  or  green  slime-weed 
that  collects  on  the  glass.  Sticklebacks  are  very 
amusing  little  fish,  but  they  must  be  kept  by 
themselves,  for  they  are  quarrelsome  fellows, 
and  have  an  ugly  knack  of  poking  their  sharp 
spikes  into  and  mortally  wounding  the  other  in- 
habitants of  the  tank.  Some  water  beetles  are 
also  harmless,  but  others  prove  a  great  nuisance. 
You  must  avoid  placing  young  pike  in  your  tank, 
though  by  themselves  they  are  amusing. 

AQUARIUM,  {MARINE)  To  Make.— For 
the  marine,  or  sea  water  aquarium,  the  sea  ane- 
mone (actinia)  and  various  kinds  of  crabs  may 
be  had  in  great  variety  of  the  dealers;  and  if  you 
are  fond  olsea  side  wandering  you  may  procure 
them  for  yourselves  among  the  rocks  and  in  the 
little  pools  on  the  shore  when  the  tide  is  out.  Sea 
snails,  shrimps,  star-fish,  &c.,  may  be  introduced 
at  pleasure ;  while  for  the  plants,  any  of  the  small 
sea  weeds  will  do.  When  gathered,  a  little  piece 
of  the  rock  to  whicb  they  grow  should  be  chipped 
off,  and  the  plants  placed  in  the  tank  without 
being  detached  or  bruised.  The  plants  and  rock- 
work  should  be  arranged  picturesquely.  Remove 
any  sick  or  dying  animals,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
water  from  becoming  foul. 

AQUARIUM,  How  to  Manage  when 
Complete. — ^The  aquarium  should  be  placed  on  a 
stand  or  table  in  a  good  light ;  and  if  the  sun 
shine  directly  on  either  side,  that  part  should  be 
protected  by  a  green  baize  curtain  which  may  be 
removed  when  the  sunshine  departs.  Once  fixed, 
the  tank  should  not  be  disturbed.  A  window 
with  north-western  or  western  aspect  is  a  capital 
situation.  Be  careful  not  to  crowd  your  tank, 
and  when  you  find  the  water  level  getting  too 
low,  raise  it  by  addition  of  more  water ;  but  do 
not  meddle  .with  the  arrangement  of  the  tank  too 
often  or  you  will  alarm  your  live  stock.  In  the 
management  of  the  aquarium,  as  in  other  pet 
fancies,  cleanliness  is  the  grand  secret  of  success. 

BIRDS,  ( TAME)  Disorders  Of.—NSS.  tame 
animals  are  much  more  subject  to  disease  than 
wild  ones :  and  birds  so  much  the  more,  as  they 
are  often  shut  up  in  very  small  cages,  where  they 
can  take  no  exercise.  It  is  often  supposed  that 
birds,  in  their  natural  free  state,  have  no  diseases; 
but  people  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  observe, 
will  soon  perceive  the  falsehood  of  this  assertion. 
We  have  often  found  hedgesparrows  full  of  pim- 
ples, particularly  in  the  naked  parts,  the  feet, 
and  round  the  beak.  Their  diseases  are  often 
increased  by  the  delicacies  of  all  kinds  which  are 
given  them,  such  as  biscuits  and  sugar,  which 
injure  the  stomach,  and  cause  a  slow  decay. 

BIRDS,  The  PIP ;«.— This  is  a  catarrh,  or 
cold,  by  which  the  nostrils  are  stopped  up,  and 
the  membrane  covering  the  tongue  is  hardened 
by  inflammation.  In  large  birds  it  is  common 
to  remove  this  skin,  taking  it  off  from  the  base  to 
the  tip;  by  this  means  this  part  can  again  per- 
spire, the  saliva  necessary  for  digestion  can  now, 
and  the  taste  and  appetite  returns.  A  mixture 
of  fresh  butter,  pepper,  and  garlic,  generally 
cures  this  catarrh.  It  is  a  good  thing,  also,  for 
the  birds  to  drink  the  pectoral  infusion  of  speed- 
well; and  the  nostrils  may  be  opened  by  passing 
up  a  small  feather.    The  ruffing  of  the  head,  the 


beak  often  open  and  yellow  at  its  base,  and  the 
tongue  dry,  are  the  most  decisive  indications  of 
this  disease. 

BIRDS,  The  Rheum  in. — The  symptoms  of 
this  disease  are  frequent  sneezing  and  shaking  of 
the  head.  Some  drops  of  pectoral  elixir  in  the 
infusion  of  speedwell,  which  the  sick  birds  must 
be  made  to  take,  appears  to  me  to  be  the  most 
efficacious  remedy.  Give  fowls  about  20  drops 
of  the  elixir  in  a  glass  of  the  infusion. 

When  it  is  merely  hoarseness.  Dr.  Handel,  of 
Mayence,  gave  to  his  birds  for  several  days,  as 
their  only  drink,  a  very  diluted  decoction  of  dry 
figs,  sweetened  with  a  little  sugar,  and  afterward 
purged  them  for  two  days  following,  with  the 
juice  of  carrots. 

BIRDS,  Asthma  in, — This  is  a  very  common 
disease  among  house  birds.  Those  attacked  with 
it  have  their  breath  short,  often  open  their  beaks 
as  if  to  gasp  for  more  air,  and,  when  agitated  or 
frightened,  keep  them  open  for  a  long  time. 

The  cause  of  this  disease  may  doubtless  be 
found  in  the  mode  of  life  which  these  birds  lead. 
Their  food  is  generally  too  dry  and  heated,  being 
principally  hemp  seed,  which  is  very  injurious, 
but  liked  by  all ;  and  is  the  more  hurtful,  as  it 
inclines  them  to  eat  too  much.  If  to  this  be  add- 
ed the  unchanged  air  of  the  rooms,  particularly 
those  which  have  stoves  instead  of  chimneys,  and 
the  great  heat  which  is  kept  up  during  winter,  it 
is  plain  that  there  is  much  to  injure  the  delicate 
lungs  of  these  birds. 

A  moist  and  refreshing  regimen  and  some  ap- 
erients, more  or  less  often,  according  to  the  vio- 
lence of  the  disease,  appears  the  most  appropriate  ' 
remedy.  A  favorite  linnet  and  gfldfinch,  when 
attacked  with  very  bad  asthma,  were  relieved  and 
preserved  for  several  years  by  the  following 
method. 

The  first  thing  was  to  leave  offhempseed  en- 
tirely, confining  them  solely  to  rapeseed;  but 
giving  them  at  the  same  time  abundance  of  bread, 
soaked  in  pure  water,  and  then  pressed ;  lettuce, 
endive,  or  watercresses,  according  to  the  seasons, 
twice  a  week,  giving  them  boiled  bread  and  milk, 
about  the  size  of  a  nutmeg.  This  is  made  by 
throwing  a  piece  of  the  crumb  of  white  bread, 
about  the  size  of  a  nut,  into  a  teacupful  of  milk, 
boiling  it,  and  stirring  it  all  the  time  with  a  wood- 
en spoon  till  it  is  of  the  consistency  of  pap.  It 
must  be  quite  cold  before  it  is  given  to  the  birds, 
and  must  always  be  made  fresh,  for  if  sour  it  will 
prove  injurious. 

This  paste,  which  they  are  very  fond  of,  purges 
them  sufficiently,  and  sensibly  relieves  them.  In 
very  violent  attacks,  nothing  but  this  paste  ought 
to  be  given  for  two  or  three  days  following,  and 
this  will  soon  give  the  desired  relief. 

When  the  disease  is  slight,  or  only  begun  it  is 
sufficient  to  give  the  bread  and  milk  once  in  three 
or  four  days.  When  employed  under  similar 
circumstances,  this  treatment  has  cured  several 
very  valuable  birds.  It  may  not  be  useless  here 
to  renew  the  advice  of  always  giving  the  birds  an 
opportunity  of  bathing  every  day,  by  putting  in 
their  way  a  saucer,  or  any  other  small  shallow 
bath,  filled  with  water,  which  should  never  be 
too  cold,  and  in  winter  always  milk  warm. 

One  thing  which  is  very  injurious  to  the  lungs 
of  birds,  and  which  too  often  occurs,  is  the  fright 
occasioned  by  tormenting  them,  or  by  seizing 
them  too  suddenly;  for  the  poor  little  things 
often  rupture  a  blood-vessel  in  the  breast  whUe 


HOUSEHOLD  PETS. 


167 


beating  themselves  about ;  a  drop  of  blood  in  the 
beak  is  the  sign,  and  a  speedy  death  is  the  gene- 
ral consequence.  If  this  does  not  happen,  the 
breathing  is  not  the  less  difficult  and  painful;  and 
recovery  is  rare,  at  least  without  the  greatest  care 
and  attention. 

Birds  which  eat  insects  and  worms,  occasion- 
ally, by  accident,  swallow  some  extraneous  sub- 
stances, which,  sticking  in  their  throat,  stops 
their  respiration,  and  stifles  them.  The  only 
remedy  is  to  extract  the  foreign  body,  which  re- 
quires much  skill  and  dexterity. 

When  asthma  is  brought  on  by  eating  seeds 
which  are  too  old,  spoiled,  or  rancid,  Dr.  Handel 
recommends  some  drops  of  oxymel  to  be  swal- 
lowed for  eight  days  following.  But  the  best  way 
is  to  change  the  seed,  and  be  sure  there  is  none 
but  good  seed  in  the  trough. 

BIRDS,  Atrophy  or  Wasting  »«.— This  is 
caused  by  giving  unnatural  food  to  the  bird, 
which  destroys  the  digestive  power  of  its  stomach. 
In  this  case  it  disgorges,  ruffles  its  feathers,  and 
does  not  arrange  them,  and  becomes  thin  very 
fest.  The  best  thing  is  to  make  it  swallow  a 
common  spider,  which  purges  it,  and  put  a  rusty 
nail  into  its  water,  which  strengthens  the  intes- 
tines, giving  it  at  the  same  time  its  proper  and 
natural  food.  Green  food,  such  as  lettuce,  endive, 
chickweed,  and  particularly  watercresses,  is  the 
safest  remedy.  A  very  great  appetite  is  a  sign 
of  this  disease.  A  siskin,  that  was  dying  of 
atrophy,  had  nothing  but  watercresses  for  three 
days  following,  and  on  the  fourth  he  sung. 

BIRDS,  Consumption  or  Decline  in.  — This 
disorder  may  be  known  by  the  extreme  thinness 
of  the  breast,  the  swelling  of  the  lower  part  of 
the  belly,  the  total  loss  of  appetite,  and  similar 
symptoms.  As  a  cure.  Dr.  Handel  recommends 
the  juice  of  the  wild  turnip  to  be  given  to  drink 
instead  of  water. 

BIRDS,  Costiveness  in. — ^This  disease  may  be 
discovered  from  the  frequent  unsuccessful  en- 
deavors of  the  bird  to  relieve  itself.  Aperients 
will  be  of  use.  If  a  spider  does  not  produce  the 
desired  effect,  anoint  the  vent  of  the  bird  with  the 
head  of  a  pin  steeped  in  linseed  oil ;  this  sort  of 
clyster  generally  succeeds ;  but  if  the  disease 
attacks  a  bird  which  eats  meal  worms,  one  of 
these,  bruised  in  sweet  oil  and  saffron,  is  the 
most  certain  remedy,  and  the  bird  will  swallow 
it  \\-ithout  the  least  hesitation.  Boiled  bread  and 
milk  is  generally  of  great  use. 

BIRDS,  Diarrhaa  in. — This  is  a  disease  to 
which  birds  that  have  been  caught  recently 
are  very  subject,  before  they  are  accustomed  to 
their  new  food.  Most  of  these  die  of  it ;  they 
continually  void  a  white  calcareous  matter,  which 
sticks  to  the  feathers  round  the  vent,  and  being 
very  acrid  causes  inflammation  in  that  part  and 
in  the  intestines.  Sometimes  chalybeate  water 
and  the  oil  clyster  produce  good  effecf ;  but  it  is 
better,  if  possible,  to  procure  for  the  bird  its 
most  natural  food.  Some  people  pull  out  the 
feathers  from  the  tail  and  vent,  and  then  rub 
these  parts  with  fresh  butter,  but  this  is  a  very 
painful  and  cruel  operation.  They  also  mix  the 
yelk  of  an  egg  boiled  very  hard  with  their  food, 
but  we  have  never  found  this  succeed  very  well. 
If  there  be  any  hope  of  curing  this  disease  it  is 
by  attacking  it  at  the  beginning,  before  inflam- 
mation is  violent ;  boiled  bread  and  milk,  a  great 
deal  of  lettuce,  or  any  other  similar  green  re- 
freshing food,  in  general  completely  cures  them. 


In  a  case  of  chronic  diarrhoea,  which  almost 
reduces  the  birds  to  skeletons.  Dr.  Handel  pre- 
scribes chalybeate  water  mixed  with  a  little  milk 
for  their  drink,  which,  he  says,  is  an  easy  and 
certain  cure. 

BIRDS,  Bloody  Flux  in. — ^This  is  a  disease 
with  which  some  parrots  are  attacked.  The  best 
remedy  is  to  make  the  birds  drink  a  great  deal 
of  boiled  milk,  or  even  very  fat  broth ;  for  their 
intestines,  which  are  very  much  irritated,  re- 
quire something  soothing  to  protect  them  from 
the  acrid  discharges,  which,  at  the  same  time, 
must  be  corrected  by  healing  food.  Birds  in  this 
state  generally  do  nothing  but  drink,  therefore 
plenty  of  boiled  milk  should  be  given  them,  as  it 
nourishes  them  as  well  as  acts  medicinally,  but 
should  it  appear  to  turn  sour  in  the  stomach  it 
must,  at  least  for  some  time,  be  discontinued. 

BIRDS,  Obstruction  in  the  Rump  Gland. 
— This  gland,  which  is  on  the  rump,  and 
contains  the  oil  necessary  for  anointing  the 
feathers,  sometimes  becomes  hard  and  inflamed, 
and  an  abscess  forms  there.  In  this  case  the  bird 
often  pierces  it  itself,  or  it  may  be  softened  by 
applying  fresh  butter  without  any  salt ;  but  it  is 
better  to  use  an  ointment  made  of  white  lead, 
litharge,  wax,  and  olive  oil,  which  may  be  had  at 
any  good  chemist's.  The  general  method  is  to 
pierce  or  cut  the  hardened  gland,  in  order  to  let 
out  the  matter,  but  if  this  operation  removes  the 
obstruction  it  also  destroys  the  gland,  and  the  bird 
will  die  in  the  next  molting,  for  want  of  oil  to 
soften  the  feathers. 

The  gland  is  known  to  be  obstructed  when  the 
feathers  which  surround  it  are  ruffled,  the  bird 
never  ceasmg  to  peck  them,  and  instead  of  being 
yellow  it  becomes  brown.  This  disease  is  very 
rare  among  wild  birds,  for  being  exposed  to 
damp,  and  bathing  often,  they  make  more  use  of 
the  liquor  in  the  gland,  consequently  it  does  not 
accumulate  sufficiently  to  become  corrupted,  sour, 
or  cancerous.  This  confirms  the  necessity  of 
giving  tliem  the  means  of  bathing  as  often  as  in- 
stinct would  induce  them,  as  nothing  can  be  more 
favorable  to  their  health. 

BIRDS,  {Cage)  Moulting  of. — Moulting,  or 
changing  their  feathers,  is  a  natural  operation 
with  birds,  which  cannot  be  prevented,  but  which 
must  be  assisted  with  care  and  attention.  Cold 
is  the  greatest  danger  to  which  they  are  exposed; 
in  passing  through  this  state  therefore,  all 
draughts  of  air  should  be  carefully  guarded 
against.  When  the  cages  are  open  ones,  or  have 
much  wire-work  they  ought  to  be  partly  covered 
up  with  a  cloth  or  paper,  to  keep  the  birds  warm 
and  the  cleaning  of  the  cage  need  not  take  place 
more  than  once  a  week,  though  they  must  be 
carefully  supplied  with  fresh  food  and  water 
daily.  A  little  saffron  in  their  water,  a  little 
nourishing  food,  and  the  extra  warmth  occasioned 
by  the  covering  to  the  cage,  will  soon  restore  the 
birds  to  a  plumage  more  beautiful  than  that  they 
cast  off.  The  covering  of  the  cage  should  not  be 
cast  off  all  at  once,  but  gradually  ;  it  should  then 
be  cleaned  thoroughly,  and  the  birds  have  their 
ordinary  food.  They  should,  while  moulting, 
be  put  in  the  sun  for  an  hour  or  two,  if  the 
weather  is  fine  and  warm. 

BIRDS  (Singing)  Food /or.— Knead  together 
3  pounds  of  split  peas,  ground  or  beaten,  i)4 
pounds  of  fine  crumbs  of  bread,  the  same  quan- 
tity of  coarse  sugar,  the  raw  yolks  of  6  eggs,  and 
6  ounces  of  fresh  butter.     Put  about  y^  of  the 


i68 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


mixture  at  a  time  in  a  frying  pan  over  a  gentle 
fire,  stir  it  until  a  little  browned,  but  not  burned. 
When  the  other  3  parts  are  done,  and  all  cold, 
add  to  the  whole,  6  ounces  of  maw  seed  and  6 
pounds  of  bruised  hemp  seed,  separated  from  the 
husks.  Mix  together,  and  it  will  be  found  ex- 
cellent food  for  thrushes,  robins,  larks,  linnets, 
canaries,  finches  and  most  other  singing  birds, 
preserving  them  admirably  in  song  and  feather. 

BIRDS,  RasU/or.—Take  a  white  loaf  which 
is  well  baked  and  stale,  put  it  into  fresh  water  till 
it  is  quite  soaked  through ;  then  squeeze  out  the 
water  and  pour  boiled  milk  over  tlie  loaf,  adding 
about  two-thirds  the  quantity  of  barley  meal, 
from  which  the  bran  has  been  carefully  sifted,  or, 
what  is  still  better,  wheatmeal.  Another  method, 
howe%'er,  may  be  adopted.  Grate  a  carrot  very 
nicely,  soak  a  small  white  loaf  in  fresh  water, 
press  the  water  out  of  it,  put  it  along  with  the 
carrot  into  an  earthen  pan,  add  handfuls  of  barley 
or  wheaten  meal,  and  mix  the  whole  together 
with. a  pestle.  These  pastes  ought  to  be  made 
fresh  every  morning,  for  they  quickly  become 
sour,  and  are  consequently  injurious  to  the  birds. 

BIRDS,  Almond  Paste  for.— V&2.  meal  2  lbs., 
blanched  sweet  almonds  i  lb. ;  fresh  butter  or 
lard  }l  lb.;  moist  sugar  5  02.;  a  shred  or  two  of 
hay  saffron ;  beat  to  a  smooth  paste,  and  granu- 
late it  by  passing  it  through  a  colander.  The 
addition  of  the  yelks  of  2  or  3  eggs  improves  it. 
Used  to  feed  larks,  nightingales,  and  other  in- 
sectirorous  birds.  It  will  keep  good  for  6  months 
in  a  dry  place. 

BIRDS,  German  Paste  for.— Take  4  fresh 
eggs,  boiled  very  hard,  ^  lb.  white  peasemeal, 
and  about  a  table  spoonful  of  good  salad  oil — 
if  the  least  rancid  it  will  not  do.  The  eggs  must 
be  grated  very  fine,  and  mixed  with  the  meal  and 
olive  oil,  and  the  whole  then  be  pressed  through 
a  tin  colander,  to  form  it  into  grains  like  small 
shot,  it  should  next  be  put  into  a  frying  pan,  set 
over  a  gentle  fire,  and  gradually  stirred  with  a 
^road  knife,  till  it  be  partially  wasted  and  dried, 
the  test  of  which  will  be  its  yellowish  brown 
color.  All  insect  eating  birds  maybe  kept  upon 
this  food  throughout  the  year,  except  when  they 
appear  drooping  and  unwell,  or  at  moulting  time, 
when  a  few  meal  worms  may  be  given  to  them 
twice  or  thrice  a  day. 

BULLFINCHES.— Old  birds  should  be  fed 
with  German  Paste,  and  occasionally  rape-seed. 
The  Germans  occasionally  give  them  a  little 
poppy-seed,  and  a  grain  or  two  of  rice,  steeped 
m  Canary  wine,  when  teaching  them  to  pipe,  as 
a  reward  for  the  progress  they  make.  Bird  or- 
gans, or  flageolets  are  used  to  teach  them. 

BLACKBIRD,  7%^.— The  blackbird  should 
be  kept  in  a  large  cage,  for  it  is  not  prudent  to 
allow  it  to  associate  with  other  birds,  as  it  will 
attack  the  smaller  kinds.  It  is  fond  of  frequent 
bathing  and  should  be  furnished  with  the  means. 
The  natural  food  of  the  blackbird  is  berries, 
worms,  insects,  shelled  snails,  cherries,  and  other 
similar  fruit ;  and  its  artificial  food,  lean  fresh 
meat,  cut  very  small,  and  mixed  with  bread,  or 
German  paste. 

CA  TS,  Care  ^.— The  cat  is  subject  to  several 
diseases ;  but,  as  a  general  rule,  is  seldom  se- 
riously ill.  The  best  rule  to  keep  the  animal  in 
good  health  is  to  have  it  fed  with  regularity,  kept 
clean,  and  furnished  with  plenty  of  pure  water. 
In  respect  to  the  ailments  of  puss,  "prevention 
is  easier  than  cure,"  as  it  is  in  many  matters  of 


higher  moment.  The  cat  ought  not  tc  be  over- 
fed. If  she  appears  out  of  sorts,  a  little  brim- 
stone in  milk  will  frequently  be  found  useful. 

CANARIES,  Hints  in  Choosing.  —  In  buy- 
ing  canaries,  the  birds  which  seem  moderately 
shy  are  generally  the  best ;  an  inexperienced 
person  is  too  apt  to  be  attracted  by  a  very  quiet 
manner ;  the  birds  seem  so  tame  that  they  are 
bought  quite  eagerly,  but  unhappily  they  are  apt 
to  die  soon  after ;  the  too  great  quietness  being 
caused  by  illness.  A  real  good  bird  will  make 
no  end  of  fuss,  pretending  to  be  a  vast  deal  shyer 
than  it  really  is,  hopping  from  perch  to  perch, 
twisting  its  head  about,  and  having,  in  fact  an 
infinity  of  pretty  airs  and  groans. 

Bird  dealers,  again,  always  recommend  the 
birds  which  sing  loudly,  and  this  to  many  per- 
sons is  not  at  all  desirable.  The  lower  the  tone 
the  prettier  and  sv.-eeter  many  would  think  the 
song.  Birds  with  long,  straight  and  tapering 
bodies  are  the  best  singers. 

CANARIES,  To  Distingidsh  Sex  ^/.— The 
male  has  generally  deeper  and  brighter  colors, 
a  head  rather  larger  and  longish,  and  longer 
body,  and  a  more  elegant  form.  There  is  a  feather 
under  the  beak,  of  Sie  shape  of  a  bean,  placed 
lower  than  the  rest,  and  the  temples  and  circle 
around  the  eyes  are  of  a  deeper  yellow  than  the 
other  parts  of  the  body.  Tlie  throat  of  the  male 
vibrates  while  singing,  this  never  happens  with 
the  hen.  If  the  bird  be  observed  when  it  is  sing- 
ing, and  if  it  be  a  cock  you  will  perceive  the 
throat  heaving  with  this  vibratory  pulse-like  mo- 
tion, a  peculiarity  which  is  scarcely  perceptible 
in  the  hen. 

CANARIES,  Care  of. — I.  Especial  care  must 
be  taken  to  keep  the  canary  thoroughly  clean.  For 
this  purpose  the  cage  should  be  strewed  every 
morning  with  clean  sand,  or  rather,  fine  gravel, 
for  small  pebbles  are  absolutely  essential  to  life 
and  health  in  cage  birds ;  fresh  water  must  be 
given  every  day,  both  for  drinking  and  bathing ; 
the  latter  being  in  a  shallow  vessel ;  and,  during 
the  moulting  season,  a  small  bit  of  iron  should 
be  put  into  the  water  for  drinking.  The  food  of 
a  canary  should  consist  principally  of  summer 
rape  seed,  that  is,  of  those  small  brown  rape-seeds 
which  are  obtained  from  plants  sown  in  the 
spring,  and  which  ripen  during  the  summer; 
large  and  black  rape-seeds,  on  the  contrary,  are 
produced  by  such  plants  as  are  sown  in  autumn, 
and  reaped  m  spring.  A  little  chickweed  in  spring, 
lettuce-leaves  in  summer,  and  endive  in  autumn, 
with  slices  of  sweet  apple  in  winter,  may  be 
safely  given,  but  bread  and  sugar  ought  to  be 
generally  avoided.  Occasionally  also,  a  few- 
poppy  or  canary-seeds,  and  a  small  quantity  of 
bruised  hemp-seed  may  be  added,  but  the  last 
very  sparingly.  Cleanliness,  simple  food,  and 
fresh  but  not  cold  air  are  essential  to  the  well- 
being  of  a  canary.  During  the  winter,  the  cage 
should  never  be  hung  in  a  room  without  a  fire, 
but  even  then,  when  the  air  is  mild,  and  the  sun 
shines  bright,  the  little  prisoner  will  be  refreshed 
by  having  the  window  open.  The  cage  should 
never  be  less  than  eight  inches  in  diameter,  and 
a  foot  high,  with  perches  at  different  heights. 

CANARIES,  Care  of. — 2.  Place  the  cage  so 
that  no  draft  of  air  can  strike  the  bird ;  give 
nothing  to  healthy  birds  but  canary  and  rapeseed 
mixed,  water,  cuttle  fish  bone,  and  gravel  on  the 
floor  of  the  cage ;  also  occasionally,  a  little  water 
for  bathing;  the  room  should  not  be  overheated; 


HOUSEHOLD   PETS. 


169 


%vhen  moulting  (shedding  feathers)  avoid  drafts 
of  air ;  give  plenty  of  rape-seed  slightly  moist- 
ened, a  little  hard-boiled  egg,  and  cracker  grated 
fine  is  excellent ;  by  observing  these  simple  di- 
rections, birds  may  be  kept  in  fine  condition  for 
years.  Bad  seed  kills  most  of  the  birds  that  die; 
to  which  it  might  have  been  added,  that  canary 
birds  are  not  only  fond  of,  but  benefited  by  hav- 
ing often  a  leaf  of  cabbage,  piece  of  apple  or 
other  green  food,  which  serves  to  keep  down  the 
tendency  to  fever  and  p^-ents  constipation. 
Birds  usually  bathe  each  day  as  regularly  as  any 
one  washes  the  face,  and  with  apparent  benefit 
too.  When  birds  are  sick  and  inclined  not  to 
eat  well,  remove  all  the  food  for  a  day,  and  then 
only  give  soaked  bread,  from  which  most  of  the 
moisture  has  been  squeezed. 

CANARIES  {YOUNG)  Hmu  to  Tame.— 
Tlie  best  way  to  tame  a  young  bird  is  to  keep  it 
constantly  beside  you  when  working  or  writing ; 
accustom  the  bird  to  having  the  hand  put  close 
to  it,  taking  care  never  to  startle  it.  Endeavor 
to  get  it  to  take  hemp  seed  (of  which  they  are 
very  fond)  from  the  fingers.  When  the  cage  is 
standing  near  the  person  who  desires  to  tame  the 
canary,  it  is  a  good  plan,  when  the  bird  is  quiet 
and  no  longer  afraid,  to  open  the  cage  door  and 
lay  a  few  cracked  hemp  seeds  near  it  on  the 
table  ;  the  bird  will  come  out  and  hop  about,  but 
care  must  be  taken  that  all  is  secure  in  the  room, 
no  open  windows,  no  cat  or  dog  present.  It  is 
also  a  good  plan  at  night,  when  the  bird  is  asleep, 
to  put  the  hand  into  the  cage,  awaking  it  by 
bringing  a  light  close  to  it,  and  then  withdraw 
the  hand  with  a  gentle  exclamation  of  fright  when 
the  bird  pecks  at  it.  He  will  thus  consider  him- 
self the  conqueror,  and  will  cease  to  fear  the  in- 
vader. When  this  has  been  repeated  two  or 
three  nights,  the  bird  will  be  ready  to  fight  the 
hand  by  daylight  when  out  of  the  cage,  and  will 
take  a  hemp-seed  from  the  fingers.  He  will  also 
learn  to  shake  hands,  if  the  claw  be  suddenly 
touched  at  night  very  gently,  and  the  words 
"shake  hands"  repeated  in  soothing  tones.  The 
greatest  gentleness  is  required,  and  a  cracked 
hemp  seed  should  be  invariably  given  by  the 
hand  only  of  the  person  who  is  training  the  bird ; 
it  should  not  be  mixed  with  the  ordinary  food, 
but  used  merely  as  a  reward,  and  he  will  soon 
learn  to  take  it  from  between  the  lips  of  his 
trainer. 

A  bird  may  be  easily  taught  to  simulate  death 
by  placing  it  on  its  back  in  the  hand,  where  it 
will  remain  perfectly  quiet  until  summoned  to 
rise  at  its  instructor's  voice,  when  its  reward 
must  be  ready  for  it.  It  is  also  recommended  by 
bird  keepers  to  remove  all  food  from  the  canary's 
cage  after  it  has  gone  to  roost,  and  to  offer  it  to 
the  bird  in  the  morning  in  the  hand.  It  will 
soon  lose  its  fear,  and  will  fly  to  meet  its  owner. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  in  these  pretty 
creatures  there  is  a  great  difference  of  temper 
and  disposition,  and  the  aptitude  for  learning  is 
not  equally  great  in  all;  indeed,  in  some  cases  it 
is  extremely  difficult,  and  much  patience  is  re- 
quired to  make  them  accomplished.  With  young 
birds  there  is  always  a  much  greater  chance  of 
success,  particularly  if  they  have  been  reared  by 
the  person  who  tries  to  tame  them. 

CANARIES,  Insects  on. — Parasites  are  among 
the  most  deadly  enemies  of  canary  birds,  gold- 
finches and  other  household  pets.  Many  people 
have  observed  a  bird  in  a  state  of  excitement  and 


anxiety,  plucking  at  himself  continually,  his 
feathers  standing  all  wrong.  In  vain  is  his  food 
changed,  and  in  vain  is  another  saucer  of  clean 
water  always  kept  in  his  cage,  and  all  that  kind- 
ness can  suggest  for  the  little  prisoner  done,  but 
still  all  is  of  no  use:  he  is  no  better,  because  the 
cause  of  his  wretchedness  has  not  been  found 
out.  If  the  owner  of  a  pet  in  such  difficulties 
will  take  down  the  cage  and  look  up  to  the  roof, 
there  will  most  likely  be  seen  a  mass  of  stuff 
looking  much  like  red  rust  as  anything,  and 
thence  comes  the  cause  of  the  poor  birds  uneasi- 
ness. The  red  rust  consists  of  myriads  of  para- 
sites infesting  the  bird  and  for  which  water  is  no 
remedy.  By  producing  a  lighted  candle,  and 
holding  it  under  every  particle  of  the  top  of  the 
cage  till  all  chance  of  anything  being  left  alive  is 
gone,  the  remedy  is  complete.  The  pet  will  soon 
brighten  up  again  after  his  "house-warming," 
and  will,  in  his  cheerful  and  delightfVil  way, 
thank  his  master  or  mistress  for  this  important 
assistance. 

DOGS,  Management  of. — All  dogs  are  capable 
of  education,  although  it  is  certain  tliat  great  dif- 
ference in  intelligence  is  known  to  exist  be- 
tween individuals  even  of  the  same  species.  There 
are  stupid  dogs  and  clever  dogs,  as  there  are 
clever  and  stupid  members  of  the  human  family. 
Clever  or  stupid,  however,  dogs  kept  in  a  dwell- 
ing-house ought  to  be  taught  good  manners ;  to 
be  silent,  and  to  lie  down  when  so  ordered ;  to 
refrain  from  leaping  on  the  knees  of  strangers ; 
and  not  to  sit  watching  and  staring  at  meals,  as 
if  coveting  the  food  partaken  of  by  their  master 
and  mistress.  To  make  them  behave  well,  they 
must  be  taught  when  young;  and  one  of  the  best 
modes  of  doing  this  is  to  let  them  be  certain  of 
being  punished  if  disobedient,  and  rewarded 
when  dutiful.  A  clever  dog  will  soon  be  able  to 
comprehend  and  act  upon  a  look,  a  sign,  or  a 
word. 

DOGS,  Feeding. — The  dog  is  naturally  carni- 
vorous, but  when  domesticated  he  does  not  re- 
fuse farinaceous  food,  especially  if  early  accus- 
tomed to  it.  Those  who  keep  dogs  ought  not  to 
leave  their  feeding  to  the  scraps  they  may  chance 
to  obtain  at  the  breakfast  or  dinner  table ;  more- 
over, irregular  supplies  are  injurious  to  the  ani- 
mal's health.  The  dog  ought  to  have  his  regular 
meals,  and  his  food  should  be  chiefly  flesh  of 
some  kind,  boiled  and  cold;  when  given  raw,  it 
is  act  to  produce  some  ferocity  of  temper,  and  to 
cause  him  to  have  an  offensive  smell.  If  possible, 
the  dog  should  be  induced  to  eat  some  farinaceous 
food  along  with  his  meat.  Liver  is  not  proper 
food  for  a  dog,  unless  occasionally,  as  it  acts  as 
an  aperient ;  but  any  ordinary  pieces  of  meat  or 
tripe  will  suit  very  well.  The  dog  ought  to  be 
fed  only  once  a  day  if  he  gets  as  much  as  he 
requires,  and  this  allowance  should  be  given  in 
the  morning  or  forenoon;  but  as  he  requires  to 
drink  frequently  throughout  the  day,  care  must 
be  taken  to  give  him  plenty  of  pure  water. 

DOGS,  To  Keep  Healthy. — To  maintain  a 
dog  in  vigorous  health  he  must  have  abundant 
exercise  in  the  open  air,  and  be  kept  clean. 
Washing  him  keeps  him  in  health,  frees  him  from 
irritation  of  the  skin,  and  destroys  fleas.  Every 
house-dog  or  lap-dog  ought  to  be  washed  once  a 
week  with  soap  and  water,  and  delicate  dogs 
ought  afterwards  to  be  combed  and  brushed  and 
dried  with  a  hard  cloth.  Washing  is  absolutely 
indispensable — independently  of  the  consideration 


I70 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


of  health — where  the  dog  has  a  thick  coat  of  hair, 
as  the  Scotch  terriers  have  ;  he  is  apt  to  contract 
an  offensive  smell,  the  causes  of  which,  for  the 
animal's  own  sake,  as  well  as  his  owner's,  ought 
to  be  at  once  removed.  When  soap  is  used  in 
washing,  a  thorough  rinsing  must  follow,  for 
if  there  is  the  least  particle  of  soap  left,  it  will 
prevent  their  licking  themselves, 

DOGS,  Teaching  to  go  Errands. —  This  ac- 
complishment may  often  be  put  to  great  practical 
use,  and  it  is  an  excellent  plan  to  teach  all  dogs, 
which  are  large  enough  to  be  of  any  service  in 
this  manner,  to  carry  baskets  or  parcels  when 
accompanying  their  masters.  The  mode  of  train- 
ing is  very  simple,  consisting  of  merely  placing 
the  articles  in  the  dog's  mouth,  and  when  he  lets 
go  of  it  give  him  a  slight  box  on  the  ear  and  re- 
place the  article  in  his  mouth.  Whatever  is 
given  him  to  carry  should  be  of  such  a  form  as 
to  be  grasped  easily  by  him  without  hurting  his 
mouth  or  teeth.  The  weight  should  at  first  be 
very  light  and  never  more  than  he  can  easily 
carry.  Most  dogs  will  take  a  real  pleasure  in 
carrying  articles  in  this  manner,  and  they  seem 
to  feel  the  responsibility  attached  to  their  duty, 
for  they  will  carry  their  own  or  their  master's 
dinner  without  attempting  to  appropriate  any 
portion  of  it  until  the  proper  time  when  their 
share  shall  be  given  them.  In  teaching  dogs  to 
carry  food,  however,  it  is  necessary  to  take  a 
little  special  pains  to  overcome  their  instinctive 
inclination  to  eat  it.  A  good  plan  is  to  place  the 
articles  in  a  covered  basket  which  they  cannot 
open,  and  when  the  dog  has  learned  to  carry  an 
ordinary  parcel  give  him  this.  If  he  attempts  to 
get  at  the  food,  which  he  readily  detects  by  his 
sense  of  smell,  box  his  ears.  By-and-by  reward 
him  with  the  food,  and  then  try  him  with  a  bas- 
ket from  which  he  can  abstract  the  contents ;  if 
he  tries  to  do  so  punish  him  slightly,  never  per- 
mitting him  to  steal  the  food.  If  a  dog  ever  de- 
serves a  reward  for  well  doing  he  certainly  does 
in  this  case,  for  it  is  too  bad  to  tantalize  him 
with  the  smell  of  some  dainty  and  then  not  to  let 
him  finally  have  something  for  his  good  conduct. 

To  make  a  dog  carry  articles  from  one  person 
to  another  it  is  only  necessary  for  two  persons  to 
take  their  position  at  some  distance  from  another. 
One  gives  the  dog  some  article  saying  "go  sir," 
at  the  same  time.  As  the  first  says  this,  let  the 
other  person  call  or  whistle  to  tfie  dog.  Now 
let  this  one  give  the  dog  something  and  let  the 
other  one  call  him,  and  so  on  back  and  forth 
until  he  will  go  from  one  to  the  other  at  the 
command,  "go  sir." 

It  is  not  very  difficult  to  teach  a  dog  to  go  on 
errands.  Suppose  you  wish  him  to  go  to  market 
for  you  of  a  morning;  take  him  with  you  regu- 
larly for  a  few  mornings,  letting  him  carry  the 
basket.  In  a  few  days  he  will  understand  when 
you  start  where  it  is  you  propose  to  go,  and  will, 
perhaps,  run  on  ahead  and  arrive  there  some  mi- 
nutes before  you  do.  It  would  be  well  on  all 
occasions  before  starting  to  give  the  command, 
"Go  to  market,"  which  will  accustom  him  to  it. 

DOGS,  Hydrophobia,  Rabies  or  Canine  Mad- 
ness in. — One  of  the  earliest  symptoms  of  rabies 
in  the  dog  is  restlessness.  He  is  constantly 
running  round  and  round  before  he  will  lie  down; 
his  countenance  becomes  anxious ;  his  eyes 
bloodshot;  he  fancies  that  he  sees  objects  around 
him  which  have  not  real  existence,  and  he  snaps 
at  the  err.pty  air;  his  fondness  for  his  master  in- 


creases, and  with  it  his  propensity  to  lick  the 
hands  and  face — a  filthy  practice  at  any  time,  and 
one  most  dangerous;  —  the  appetite  becomes 
depraved,  his  natural  food  is  neglected,  and,  nt 
the  same  time,  every  sort  of  filthy  trash  is  greedily 
devoured ;  eating  his  own  excrement  is  an  early 
symptom,  and  so  sure  a  one,  that  the  moment  a 
dog  is  seen  doing  so  he  should  be  destroyed,  or, 
at  all  events,  carefully  confined.  For  no  cura- 
tive treatment  will  avail,  when  a  dog  is  seized 
with  this  terrible  disease. 

DOG,  Bow  to  tell  the  Age  of,  [Until  6 
Years  of  Age.) — A  dog  has  a  very  visible  mark 
in  his  teeth,  as  well  as  a  horse,  which  mark  does 
not  disappear  totally  until  he  is  very  near  or  full 
6  years  old.  Look  to  the  4  front  teeth,  both  in 
the  upper  and  lower  jaw,  but  particularly  to  the 
teeth  in  the  upper  jaw,  for  in  those  4  front  teeth 
the  mark  remains  the  longest.  At  12  months 
old  you  will  observe  every  one  of  the  4  front 
teeth,  both  in  the  upper  and  under  jaw,  jagged 
and  uneven,  nearly  in  ths  form  of  a  fleur  de  lis, 
but  not  quite  so  pointed  at  the  edges  of  the  jags 
as  a  fleur  de  lis  is.  As  the  dog  advances  in  age 
these  marks  will  wear  away,  gradually  decrease 
and  grow  smoother  and  less  jagged  eveiy  year. 
Between  3  and  4  years  old  these  marks  will  be 
full  half  worn  down,  and  when  you  observe  all 
the  4  front  teeth,  both  in  the  upper  and  lower 
jaw,  quite  worn  smooth  and  even,  and  not  in  the 
least  jagged,  then  you  may  conclude  that  the  dog 
is  nearly  if  not  full  6  years  old.  When  those 
marks  are  worn  quite  flat  and  even,  and  those 
teeth  quite  level  and  even,  you  can  no  longer 
judge  the  age  of  a  dog. 

DOG  {PUPFi),  How  to  C^o^j^.— Sportsmen 
assure  us  that,  in  order  to  make  choice  of  a 
puppy  from  among  a  number  of  others,  it  i«  bet- 
ter to  leave  the  choice  to  the  mother  herselt.  In 
carrying  them  back  to  their  bed,  the  first  one 
she  takes  up  will  always  be  the  best;  if  we  pre- 
tend to  set  fire  to  the  bed  on  all  sides,  then  the 
one  she  will  try  to  rescue  first. 

DOGS,  Best  Bed  for. — The  best  bed  which  can 
be  made  for  a  dog  consists  of  dry,  newly  made 
pine  shavings,  a  sackful  of  which  may  be  had  for 
a  shilling  at  almost  any  carpenter's  shop.  The 
dog  is  delighted  in  tumbling  about  in  them  until 
he  has  made  a  bed  to  suit  himself.  Clean  wood 
shavings  will  clean  a  dog  as  well  as  water,  and 
fleas  will  never  infest  dogs  that  sleep  upon  fresh 
pine  shavings  ;  the  turpentine  and  resin  in  new 
pine  soon  drive  them  away. 

DOGS,  Eggs  Eating. — To  cure  this,  blow  an 
ordinary  hen's  egg,  expelling  the  entire  contents, 
stop  up  one  end  of  the  shell  with  wax.  Then 
fill  it  from  the  other  end  with  strong  spirits  of 
ammonia,  or  'Hartshorn.'  Seal  that  end  and 
then  put  it  where  the  dog  can  get  it.  If  he 
crushes  it,  he  will  never  be  desirous  of  repeating 
the  luxury  of  egg  eating.  After  the  dog  has  had 
one  ammonical  feast,  a  little  of  the  fluid  poured 
into  the  nest,  will  remind  him  of  the  fact,  that 
he  once  was  burnt,  and  also  will  serve  to  cleanse 
the  nest  from  vermin. 

DOGS  {IVkite,)  to  WW/.— Make  a  good 
lather  of  white  soap  with  a  little  spirit  of  turpen- 
tine; wash  the  dog  as  quickly  as  possible  in  this 
while  it  is  warm,  but  not  hot,  takmg  care  not  to 
let  the  soap  lather  get  into  its  eyes.  Have  a  tub 
with  clean  tepid  water  in  which  a  little  blue  has 
dissolved,  ready;  when  the  coat  is  clean  dip  the 
dog  into  the  blue  water  and  rinse  out  the  soap 


HOUSEHOLD  PETS. 


171 


Then  rub  it  well  in  a  cl?an  sheet  before  the  lire ; 
if  the  hair  is  long  comb  it  out  and  brush  it  as  it 
dries.  The  turpentine  will  kill  fleas  unless  the 
dog  is  much  infested  with  them. 

DOG  DISTEMPER,  Remedy  for.— 'D\%i&m. 
per  in  dogs  is  characterized  by  a  running  from  the 
nose  and  eyes,  and  a  short  dry  cough,  followed 
by  a  wasting  of  the  flesh,  and  loss  of  strength 
and  spirits.  At  length  the  brain  suffers,  and  fits, 
paralysis  of  the  extremities,  or  convulsions  come 
on.  A  handful  of  common  fine  salt  thrown 
down  the  throat  and  the  mouth  kept  closed  until 
it  goes  down,  is  an  infallible  remedy.  One  dose 
is  enough  in  the  early  stage  of  the  disease;  if 
given  later,  it  may  have  to  be  repeated. 

DOGS,  Eleas  on. — Suds  made  from  carbolic 
soap  will  rid  a  dog  of  fleas.  An  other  remedy 
is  to  rub  olive  oil  into  the  dog's  coat,  so  as  to 
saturate  the  hair  to  the  surface  of  the  skin;  then 
to  let  it  remain  on  for  half  an  hour,  and  wash  it 
well  out  with  the  best  yellow  soap  and  warm 
water.  A  small  portion  of  any  sweet  oil  brushed 
into  the  coat  of  a  woolly  dog  will  eff'ectually  pre- 
vent its  being  infested  with  vermin. 

DOGS,  Mange  in. — Is  similar  to  the  itch  in 
man  and  require  the  same  treatment.  Wash  with 
soft  soap  and  apply  sulphur  ointment. 

DOGS,  Worms  in. — Are  a  frequent  cause  of 
fits,  and  when  they  get  into  the  nostrils,  wind- 
pipe, &c.,  generally  cause  death.  For  those  in 
the  bowels,  Youatt  recommends  powdered  glass 
made  up  into  a  ^oU  with  butter  or  lard.  Cow- 
hage  (cow-itch,  mucuna)  is  probably  quite  as 
effectual,  and  is  safer,  A  teaspoonful  may  be 
given  in  lard,  and  repeated  if  necessary.  Tur- 
pentine should  not  be  given  to  dogs. 

GOLD  FLSH,  How  to  Breed.— The  following 
is  the  experience  of  a  well  known  naturalist.  He 
says :  In  the  spring  I  put  into  one  of  my  tanks, 
two  feet  long,  one  foot  wide,  and  six  inches  deep, 
ivith  a  rustic  basket  in  the  centre  filled  with  gravel, 
and  planted  with  watercresses  and  other  water 
plants,  three  gold-fish,  two  females  and  one  male. 
Going  into  the  room  one  day  I  observed  the 
water,  which  had  always  been  clear,  very  muddy. 
Seeing  the  water  in  such  a  disturbed  state,  I  at 
once  knew  that  spawningwas  going  on.  I  looked 
with  a  microscope  and  saw  a  number  of  little  gol- 
den balls  sticking  on  the  roots  of  the  cresses. 
The  thought  struck  me  that,  if  I  removed  the 
ova,  I  could  breed  them,  as  the  fish  are  known 
to  devour  their  young.  I  put  a  handful  of  gravel 
and  some  weeds  into  a  glass  sugar-basin.  I  then, 
•with  a  pair  of  tweezers,  picked  off  the  roots,  with 
the  ova  sticking  on  them,  and  put  them  into  the 
basin.  In  eight  days  I  had  a  shoal  of  little 
fishes, 

GOLD  FISH,  Care  e;^.— Gold  fish  may  be 
kept  ten  or  twelve  years  in  vessels — the  average 
period  of  existence — by  the  following  precautions: 

I.  Allow  not  more  then  one  fish  to  a  quart 
of  water.  2.  Use  the  same  kind  of  water, 
whether  spring  or  river  water,  and  change  it  daily 
in  summer ;  every  other  day  in  winter.  3.  Use 
deep  rather  than  shallow  vessels,   with   small 

Eebbles  on  the  bottom — to  be  kept  clean, — and 
eep  them  in  the  shade  and  in  a  cool  part  of  the 
room,  4.  Use  a  small  net  rather  than  the  hand 
while  changing  the  water.  5.  Feed  the  fish  with 
cracker,  yolk  of  egg,  lettuce,  flies,  etc.,  rather 
than  with  bread,  and  then  only  every  third  or 
fourth  day,  and  but  a  little  at  a  time.  6,  Do  not 
feed  them  at  all  from  November  to  the  end  of 


February,  and  but  little  during  the  three  follow- 
ing months. 

GUINEA-PIG,  77/^.— This  little  animal, 
although  called  by  the  name  of  "pig,"  is  in  no 
way  whatever  related  to  the  family  to  which  the 
wild  boar  and  the  domestic  hog  belong.  It  is, 
on  the  contrary,  comprehended  in  the  order  Ro- 
dentia,  along  with  mice,  rats,  squirrels,  and  the 
various  kinds  of  animals  remarkable,  as  the  name 
of  the  order  implies,  for. their  habits  of  gnawing. 
The  guinea-pig  is  a  native  of  Brazil  and  Para- 
guay, where  it  is  found  wild;  and  there  are 
various  species  of  the  same  animal.  ^Vhen  do- 
mesticated in  this  country,  it  very  much  resem- 
bfes  the  rabbit,  although  it  is  smaller  in  size.  It 
is  frequently  marked  with  irregular  patches  of 
black,  white,  and  orange.  The  ears  are  round 
and  almost  naked,  the  feet  are  short,  and  there  is 
no  tail.  It  is  a  very  cleanly  animal,  and  the  male 
and  female  spend  much  ot  their  time  in  licking 
and  smoothing  each  other's  fur.  It  breeds  at 
two  months  old,  and  brings  forth  from  four  to 
twelve  young  ones  at  a  time.  It  is  a  pretty  little 
animal,  but  can  hardly  be  said  to  make  a  desirable 
pet,  as  it  seems  entirely  devoid  of  attachment. 
In  order  to  keep  the  little  creature  in  comfort, 
the  chief  object,  besides  that  of  furnishing  it  with 
appropriate  food,  is  to  keep  it  scrupulously  clean, 
— an  object  which  its  own  instinctive  habits  ought 
to  suggest  to  its  owner. 

LINNETS. — Cock-birds  are  browner  on  the 
back  than  the  hens,  and  have  some  of  the  large 
feathers  of  the  wings  white  up  to  the  quills. 
Canary  and  hemp-seed,  with  occasionally  a  little 
groundsel,  water-cress,  chickweed,  etc.,  consti- 
tute their  food. 

MOCKING  BIRDS,  Food  for.  —  Mix 
thoroughly  together  corn  meal,  pea  meal,  each 
one  part;  moss  meal,  half  a  part;  add  to  the  mix- 
ture enough  melted  lard  not  to  make  it  too  fat  or 
greasy,  and  sweeten  with  molasses.  Now  fry 
this  m.ixture  in  a  frying-pan  for  about  half  an 
hour,  stirring  it  all  the  time,  and  being  very  care- 
ful not  to  let  it  burn.  If  not  fried  sufficiently,  it 
will  not  keep.  When  properly  made  it  will  keep 
in  a  covered  glass  jar  for  se  veriil  weeks.  Mocking, 
and  other  birds  of  similar  nature,  will  leave  all 
other  food  for  this,  which  is  rather  healthful  than 
injurious  to  them.  Pea  meal  is  made  by  drying 
split  peas  in  an  oven,  and  then  finely  grinding 
them  in  a  mill.  Moss  meal  is  prepared  from  the 
moss  seed  imported  into  this  country  from  Ger- 
many. 

MOCKING  BIRDS,  To  Trap.—Thz  best 
way  to  catch  them  is  to  have  a  cage  with  two  or 
three  separate  compartments,  in  one  of  which 
you  have  a  decoy  bird.  The  cage  is  to  be  set 
down  near  a  bush,  away  from  other  undergrowth, 
in  a  locality  resorted  to  by  the  birds.  Cut  three 
or  four  twigs  and  revolve  them  in  bird  lime  until 
entirely  covered,  then  cut  a  slit  in  the  butt,  and 
fasten  to  the  most  prominent  part  of  the  bush 
by  this  slit,  then  retire  150  yards.  The  decoy 
will  begin  to  sing,  thereby  attracting  the  wild 
mocking  birds,  who  will  attempt  to  whip  him 
away.  They  will  probably  light  on  the  prepared 
twigs  and  will  be  held  fast;  their  flutterings  only 
causing  their  wings  to  stick  likewise.  A  little 
lard  rubbed  on  their  feet  and  wings  will  remove 
the  bird  lime. 

It  will  be  found  that  the  birds  improve  in 
strength  and  fullness  of  tone  when  kept  some 
years;   and  it  is  not  so  difficult  to  keep  the 


172 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


bird  as  is  generally  supposed.  Feed  regularly, 
keep  cage  clean  and  dry,  do  not  let  victuals  get 
stale  or  sour. 

Another  method  is  about  the  first  of  May  to 
take  a  tramp  through  the  woods  and  along  the 
hedges  until  you  find  a  nest,  and  be  sure  it  is  the 
right  kind.  Do  not  touch  the  nest,  but  visit  it 
every  few  days,  and  when  the  young  are  hatched 
and  can  open  their  eyes  and  mouths  take  the 
nest  and  birds  home  with  you  and  set  them  in  a 
cage.  You  then  prepare  some  corn  meal  very 
soft  and  feed  them  every  half  hour  by  putting  it 
in  their  mouths;  when  hungry  they  will  open 
their  mouths  and  cry  if  you  approach  them,  then 
is  the  time  to  feed  them;  when  they  become 
strong  enough  to  hop  about  the  cage  you  may 
then  put  water  and  the  meal  in  the  cage  and  they 
will  soon  learn  to  feed  themselves.  The  cage 
should  be  cleaned  out  at  least  every  other  morning 
and  fresh  dry  clean  sand  put  on  the  floor.  The 
regular  feed  of  the  birds  should  be  corn  meal  and 
hard  boiled  eggs  mashed  together  with  a  little 
water;  scalded  fresh  beef  is  very  fine  for  them, 
also  a  few  polke  berries  occasionally,  all  kinds  of 
fruits,  bread  that  is  not  "short,"  meat  not  salt; 
never  give  them  anything  sweet.  I  nearly  lost 
a  fine  bird  by  allowing  him  to  get  some  sour 
molasses.  The  best  medicine  for  the  mocking 
bird  is  two  or  three  spiders. 

Be  sure  to  put  a  pan  of  fresh  water  in  the 
cage  every  day,  as  he  is  a  great  washer  and  in- 
variably sings  better  if  you  give  him  plenty  of 
water  and  spiders.  The  bird  should  never  be  let 
out  of  the  cage,  and  he  then  does  not  know  what 
liberty  is. 

PARROTS,  Cages fcr. — The  first  requisite  for 
all  parrots  is  a  strong  roomy  cage.  The  "In- 
destructible Cage,"  made  of  corrugated  wire, 
with  perches  of  lignum  vitse,  is  the  best,  as  they 
are  most  destructive  birds,  and  delight  in  mis- 
chief. If  it  be  possible  to  find  a  loose  wire  or  a 
weak  spot  in  the  cage,  it  is  worked  upon  with 
beak  and  claws  till  it  is  quite  destroyed.  Macaws 
and  cockatoos  are  chained  to  a  perch  by  the  leg, 
and  two  little  tins,  one  containing  food,  the  other 
water,  are  fastened  to  the  perch,  and  a  large  flat 
tin  underneath  contains  gravel,  which  is  indis- 
pensable to  their  health.  All  parrots  must  be 
kept  in  a  warm  room  during  the  winter ;  they 
are  natives  of  the  tropics,  and  in  this  climate  are 
extremely  susceptible  of  cold,  and  should  be  care- 
fully guarded  from  draughts,  which  often  produce 
asthma,  of  which  disease  a  large  proportion  of 
parrots  in  confinement  die;  at  the  same  time 
they  require  a  good  deal  of  fresh  air  and  water, 
both  to  drink  and  bathe  in.  A  parrot  ought  to 
have  a  bath,  at  least  once  a  week  in  summer,  and 
if  the  bird  will  not  bathe  himself,  he  should  have 
tepid  water  poured  over  him  from  a  watering-pot; 
he  should  then  be  set  in  the  sun  or  before  a  fire 
to  dry,  and  great  care  must  be  taken  that  the  cage 
is  perfectly  dry.  Parrots  are  subject  to  gout, 
and  sometimes  loose  their  t6es  from  this  disease, 
which  is  brought  on  by  damp. 

PARROTS,  Food  for.— WM  parrots  live  on 
grain,  fruit,  and  nuts  of  various  kinds  ;  the  food 
of  the  tame  bird  is  much  the  same, — Indian  corn, 
boiled  and  allowed  to  become  cold,  and  canary 
seed.  They  are  very  fond  of  hemp  seed ;  this 
last  is,  however,  too  heating  for  general  use. 
Ripe  fruit,  and  nuts  of  any  kind,  they  may  have 
in  moderation ;  a  bit  of  dry  mealy  potato,  a  crust 
of  bread  or  toast,  is  also  a  great  favorite  with 


some ;  and  a  little  white  bread,  soaked  in  fresh 
milk  with  some  sugar,  should  be  given  once  a 
day,  just  as  much  as  the  bird  will  eat  at  one  time. 
If  the  food  is  allowed  to  remain  in  the  cage  it  will 
get  sour,  and  it  is  then  most  prejudicial;  in  fact, 
parrots  are  like  children,  some  prefer  one  thing 
and  some  another.  But  one  rule  must  be  scru- 
pulously observed — never  give  them  meat,  no 
matter  how  small  the  quantity,  it  is  always  hurt- 
ful ;  and,  indeed,  butter  or  grease  of  any  kind  is 
very  objectionable.  With  ordinary  care  these 
birds  live  to  a  great  age,  and  they  are  so  amusing, 
and  often  so  affectionate,  that  it  is  a  sad  affair  to 
lose    one  by  carelessness. 

PARROTS,  To  Teach  how  to  Sfeak.—i:'h& 
quickest  way  is  to  send  the  bird,  if  possible, 
where  there  is  another  parrot  who  can  speak. 
They  should  be  placed  near  enough  to  hear,  but 
not  see  each  other,  and  the  one  will  soon  imi- 
tate the  other.  A  good  way  is  to  speak  to  the 
bird  at  night ;  just  when  his  cage  has  been 
covered  over  (which  must  always  be  done  with 
a  woollen  rug  in  winter)  repeat  over  several 
times  in  the  same  tone  the  sentence  you  wish  him 
to  learn.  He  may  not  appear  to  notice  at  first, 
but  some  day,  quite  unexpectedly,  he  will  repeat 
the  sentence  exactly  in  the  same  tone  that  he 
has  heard  it.  He  should  at  once  be  rewarded 
with  a  bit  of  sugar,  or  fruit,  any  little  dainty  that 
he  is  fond  of.  They  are  very  quick  at  under- 
standing that  rewards  are  given  for  obedience. 
We  have  had  a  grey  parrot  for  many  years  ;  he  is 
now  fully  sixteen  years  old ;  his  plumage  is  beau- 
tiful and  his  health  most  excellent,  and  he  is  a 
most  amusing  and  clever  bird ;  he  speaks  ex- 
ceedingly plain,  and  it  is  quite  easy  to  teach 
him  a  new  sentence,  or  even  to  make  him  repeat 
words  and  whistles  when  desired.  He  knows 
that  he  will  be  rewarded  if  he  does  what  he  is 
told,  and  be  scolded  if  he  is  disobedient.  Never 
allow  a  parrot  to  be  startled  or  teased,  or  permit 
it  to  be  fed  indiscriminately  by  visitors.  Keep 
the  cage  extremely  clean  ;  let  it  be  wiped  out  and 
fresh  sand  given  every  day.  Some  birds  drink 
very  little,  but  they  should  always  be  able  to  get 
a  drink  of  fresh  water  if  they  wish.  It  is  also  a 
good  plan  to  let  a  small  quantity  of  canary  seed 
be  in  the  seed  can.  If  a  bird  is  left  to  the  care 
of  a  servant  during  absence,  it  is  possible  that 
the  morning  bread  and  milk  may  be  forgotten, 
and  the  seed  will  thus  prevent  the  bird  being 
starved. 

PARROTS,  To  Prez'ent  Plucking  its  cnvn 
Feathers. — The  morbid  condition  of  the  bird  may 
be  induced  from  one  or  both  of  two  causes.  The 
bird  may  be  suffering  from  an  accumulation  of 
parasites  upon  its  body;  the  cage  may  be  infested 
with  them,  especially  in  the  corners  and  crevices 
of  the  wood  of  the  perch.  Those  insects  crawl 
upon  them  and  usually  infest  the  head,  neck, 
and  under  the  wings,  and  the  poor  bird  may  be 
simply  trying  its  best  to  get  rid  of  them ;  or  the 
blood  of  the  bird  may  be  in  a  highly  inflammatory 
condition,  probably  induced  by  excess  of  kind- 
ness, in  pampering  its  appetite  by  feeding  upon 
dainty  morsels  but  ill  suited  to  birds,  by  which 
at  length  they  will  almost  refuse  their  natural 
food.  If  such  is  the  case,  gradually  leave  off 
giving  the  bird  those  tidbits  compelling  it  to  feed 
upon  those  seeds  only  suited  to  its  condition,  and 
it  will  soon  recover.  If  it  is  caused  by  insects 
the  cage  must  be  well  cleaned ;  place  a  drop  of 
turpentine  in  each  corner  of  the  cage,  and  upon 


HOUSEHOLD  PESTS. 


»73 


the  perch,  this  M'ill  soon  destroy  them  ;  and  rub 
a  little  train  oil  upon  the  bare  part  of  the  bird's 
body,  or  dust  the  body  well  with  some  insect 
powder  (pyrethrum  rosea). 

ROBIN,  Hcrw  to  Tame  and  Feed. — If  we  wish 
to  tame  a  robin,  one  of  the  most  pleasant  ofliome 
pets,  it  must  be  done  very  gradually,  making 
great  friends  with  a  young  bird,  and  feeding  it, 
when  it  will  often  come  contentedly  to  roost  in- 
doors, in  the  colder  weather,  and  will  cheerfully 
introduce  its  small  brown  brood,  to  hop  about 
before  us  on  the  gravel  walk,  later  in  the  season. 
And  one  tame  robin  will  then  bring  in  another, 
when  they  are  at  peace,  which  is  very  rare.  A 
young  bird  brought  up  from  a  nest  is  a  most 
agreeable  pet.  He  ought  in  that  case  to  possess 
a  cage,  but  to  be  allowed  to  go  in  and  out  at  will. 
When  confined,  water  should  be  kept  in  some 
convenient  locality  so  that  he  can  take  his  bath 
when  ever  he  wishes  it.  Old  birds  should  never 
be  caught  for  the  purpose  of  tameing  or  con- 
fineing. 

Robins  eat  hard-boiled  eggs,  bread  crumbs, 
German  paste,  hemp  and  canary  seed,  and  must 
have  abundant  water. 

RABBIT,  Habits  of  ike.—Tiv^  rabbit  litters 
four  or  five  times  a  year,  bringing  forth  from  five 
to  eight  young  ones  at  a  time,  and  beginning  to 
breed  at  the  age  of  six  months.  The  animal  de- 
lights in  a  sandy  soil,  with  a  superficial  layer  of 
fine  vegetable  mould,  clothed  with  thyme,  fine 
grass,  and  other  herbage.  In  such  situations  it 
can  easily  make  its  burrows,  and  enjoy  abundant 
food.  It  is  remarkable  that  while  the  young  of 
the  hare  are  born  covered  with  fur,  and  possessed 
of  sight  so  as  to  be  able  to  shift  for  themselves, 

?roung  rabbits  are  bom  blind,  naked,  and  help- 
ess  ;  they  cannot  see  for  about  twelve  days  after 
birth,  nor  leave  the  burrow  for  more  than  a 
month. 

RABBITS,  Best  Kinds  ^/I- Stout,  short- 
legged  rabbits  are  better  breeders  than  others, 
as  well  as  more  healthy.  The  large  hare-colored 
variety  is  much  esteemed,  but  the  white,  or  white 
mottled  with  yellow  or  black,  is  said  to  be  the 
most  delicate  for  the  table.  The  grey  is  said  to 
approach  nearest  to  the  flavor  of  the  wild  rabbit. 
Rabbit  fanciers  have  different  opinions  as  to  the 
colors  of  the  animals.  Grey,  as  being  the  com- 
monest, is  held  in  least  estimation;  the  black 
occupies  the  next  place ;  the  fawn,  the  white,  and 


grey  hold  the  third  place  ;  the  pure  albino  with 
pink  eyes  is  considered  better  than  any  of  these  ; 
various  admixtures  of  brown,  grey,  or  black 
mixed  with  white,  take  the  highest  rank,  and  a 
uniform  mouse  color  is  greatly  admired  by  a  few 
as  superior  to  any  other. 

RABBITS,  To  Rear, — It  is  of  great  impor- 
tance that  the  rabbitry  be  properly  adapted  to 
the  purpose  intended.  The  rabbit  in  its  natural 
state  prefers  a  dry  and  airy  situation,  and  the 
rabbit-house  or  hutch  ought,  on  that  account,  to 
be  kept  always  dry,  clean  and  well  aired.  Tlie 
hutch  may  be  most  suitably  placed  against  the 
south  wall  of  a  house,  so  as  to  obtain  the  advan- 
tage of  the  sunlight.  It  should  be  surrounded 
by  a  wire  fence,  and,  in  the  interior  of  the  enclo- 
sure, boxes  ought  to  be  fixed  as  breeding  places, 
separated  by  partitions  from  other  boxes  adapted 
for  the  young  rabbits,  which  partitions  are  fur- 
nished with  doors  capable  of  being  closed  so  as 
to  separate  the  young  ones  from  the  parents 
when  required. 

RABBITS,  To  Feed.—U  ought  to 'be  kept  in 
mind  that  all  the  various  vegetables  and  roots 
used  at  table  may  be  given  to  them,  and  that  per- 
haps celery,  parsley,  and  the  tops  as  well  as  the 
roots  of  carrots  are  preferred  by  the  animals; 
lettuces,  stumps  of  cabbage  and  cauliflowers, 
turnips,  and  parsnips,  are  all  useful.  In  spring, 
tares  are  excellent,  and  the  dandelion,  the  milk 
thistle,  and  sow  thistle,  are  all  much  relished  by 
them. 

SQUIRRELS,  Hmo  to  Manage.— \n  a  do- 
mestic state  these  little  animals  are  fed  with  hazel 
nuts,  or  indeed  any  kind  of  nuts  ;  and  occasionally 
bread  and  milk.  They  should  be  kept  very 
clean. 

THRUSHES. — A  cock  may  be  distinguished 
from  a  hen  by  a  darker  back  and  the  more  glossy 
appearance  of*  the  feathers.  The  belly  also  is 
white.  Their  natural  food  is  insects,  worms,  and 
snails.  In  a  domesticated  state  they  will  eat  raw 
meat,  but  snails  and  worms  should  be  procured 
for  them.  Young  birds  are  hatched  about  the 
middle  of  April,  and  should  be  kept  very  warm. 
They  should  be  fed  with  raw  meat,  cut  small,  or 
bread  mixed  in  milk  with  hemp-seed  well  bruised; 
when  they  can  feed  themselves  give  them  lean 
meat  cut  small,  and  mixed  with  bread  or  German 
paste,  plenty  of  clean  water,  and  keep  them  in  a 
warm  dry,  and  simny  situation. 


HOUSEHOLD  PESTS. 


ANTS,  To  Destroy  and  Banish.— \.  Perfect 
cleanliness. — 2.  Pulverised  borax  sprinkled  in  pla- 
ces they  frequent. — 3.  A  few  leaves  of  green  worm- 
wood, scattered  among  their  haunts. — 4.  The 
use  of  camphor. — 5.  A  sponge  can  be  sprinkled 
with  sugar  and  laid  upon  shelves  when  ants  are 
numerous ;  the  next  morning  plunge  quickly  into 
boiling  water,  and  most  of  the  intruders  will  be 
destroyed. — 6.  Carbolic  acid  wiped  around  the 
edges  of  the  shelves  and  wherever  they  seem  to 
come  from. 

BED-BUGS^    To  Exterminate.^!.   Perfect 


cleanliness.  No  bed-bugs  or  other  vermin  will 
infest  a  house,  the  mistress  of  which,  is  of  or- 
derly and  cleanly  habits,  and  fine  tastes. — 2.  Two 
ounces  of  red  arsenic,  a  34"  of  a  pound  of  white 
soap,  ^  an  ounce  of  camphor  dissolved  in  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  spirits  rectified,  made  into  a  paste  of 
the  consistency  of  cream.  Place  this  mixture  in 
the  openings  and  cracks  of  the  bedstead. — 3. 
\\'here  bed-bugs  are  present  the  best,  quickest 
and  handiest  exterminator  is  kerosene  or  crude 

t  petroleum  oil,  drenching  all  parts  of  the  article  of 

;  furniture  thoroughly  and  effectively. 


174 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


CATERPILLARS,  To  Destroy.— Y,o\\  to- 
j^ether  a  quantity  of  rue,  wormwood,  and  any 
cheap  tobacco  (equal  parts),  in  common  water. 
The  liquid  should  be  very  strong.  Sprinkle  it 
on  the  leaves  and  young  branches  every  morning 
and  evening  during  the  time  the  fruit  is  ripen- 
ing. 

CRICKETS,  To  Destroy.— K  single  cricket  in 
the  kitchen  grate  will  disturb  a  household.  There 
is  a  superstition  which  prevents  uneducated  per- 
sons from  attempting  the  destruction  of  the  insect. 
It  flaps  its  wings,  producing  its  well-known 
sound,  chiefly  at  night.  A  little  ginger  cordial 
being  placed  in  a  dish  before  the  fire  will  attract 
it,  and  on  partaking  of  the  liquor  it  will  die.  The 
best  mode  of  destroying  the  insect  in  its  nest  is 
to  put  snuff"  into  the  chinks  of  the  grate. 

COCKROACHES  AND  BEETLES,  To 
Destroy. — i.  Strew  the  roots  of  black  hellebore, 
at  night,  in  the  places  infested  by  these  vermin, 
and  they  will  be  found  in  the  morning  dead,  or 
dying.  Black  hellebore  grows  in  marshy  grounds, 
and  may  be  had  at  the  herb  shops. — 2.  Put  about 
a  quart  of  water  sweetened  with  molasses  in  a 
tin  wash  basin  or  smooth  glazed  china  bowls. 
Set  it  at  evening  in  a  place  frequented  by  the 
bugs.  Around  the  basin  put  an  old  piece  of  car- 
pet that  the  bugs  can  have  easy  access  to  the 
top.  They  will  go  down  in  the  water,  and  stay 
till  you  come. — 3.  Take  pulverized  borax  4  parts, 
flour  I  part,  mix  intimately  and  distribute  the 
mixture  in  cupboards  which  are  frequented  by 
the  roaches,  or  blow  it,  by  means  of^a  bellows, 
into  the  holes  or  cracks  that  are  infested  by  them. 
— 4.  By  scattering  a  handful  of  fresh  cucumber 
parings  about  the  house. — 5.  Take  carbonic  acid 
and  powdered  camphor  in  equal  parts ;  put  them 
in  a  bottle;  they  will  become  fluid.  With  a 
painter's  brush  of  the  size  called  a  sash-tool,  put 
the  mixture  on  the  cracks  or  places  where  the 
roaches  hide;  they  will  come  out  at  once.  Then 
kill. — 6.  Mix  up  a  quantity  of  fresh  burned  plas- 
ter of  paris  (gypsum,  such  as  is  used  for  making 
molds  and  ornaments),  with  wheat  flour  and  a 
little  sugar,  and  distribute  on  shallow  plates  and 
box  boards,  and  place  in  the  corners  of  the  kitchen 
and  pantry,  where  they  frequent.  In  the  dark- 
ness they  will  feast  themselves  on  it.  Whether 
it  interferes  with  their  digestion  or  not,  is  difficult 
to  ascertain,  but  after  three  or  four  nights  renew- 
al of  the  preparation,  no  cockroaches  will  be 
found  on  the  premises. 

FLEAS,  To  get  Rid  ^— Much  of  the  largest 
number  of  fleas  are  brought  into  our  family  cir- 
cles by  pet  dogs  and  cats.  The  oil  of  pennyroyal 
will  drive  these  insects  off";  but  a  cheaper  method, 
where  the  herb  flourishes,  is  to  throw  your  cats 
and  dogs  into  a  decoction  of  it  once  a  week. 
W^hen  the  herb  cannot  be  got,  the  oil  can  be  pro- 
cured. In  this  case,  saturate  strings  with  it  and 
tie  them  round  the  necks  of  dogs  and  cats. 
These  applications  should  be  repeated  every 
twelve  or  fifteen  days.  Mint,  freshly  cut,  and 
hung  round  a  bedstead,  or  on  the  furniture,  will 
prevent  annoyance  from  bed  insects;  a  few  drops 
of  essential  oil  of  lavender  will  be  more  effica- 
cious. 

FL  Y,  Nature  and  Habits  of. — But  of  what  use 
are  flies  ?  is  the  inquiry  often  made.  They  are 
scavengers,  and  delight  not  only  in  sweet  things 
and  fresh  blood,  but  also  in  things  unclean,  espe- 
cially in  decomposing  animal  substances.  With 
tlieir  proboscis,  sucking  up  the  juices  which  by 


evaporation  would  contaminate  the  air,  very  use- 
ful  indeed,  in  the  houses  of  slovenly  house- 
keepers. The  blue-bottle,  or  blow  fly  deposits 
its  eggs  on  animal  substances,  which  are  recog- 
nized as  fly  blows.  In  a  warm  temperature  they 
hatch  in  three  or  four  hours  alter  they  are  laid, 
and  then  are  called  larvae  or  maggots.  Linnaeus 
asserts  that  the  maggots  from  three  flies  will  con- 
sume a  dead  horse  as  quickly  as  a  lion.  So  vo- 
racious are  they  that  they  increase  in  weight 
about  200  times  in  24  hours.  The  flesh  fly.  a 
little  longer  than  the  blow  fly,  drops  living  mag- 
gots on  dead  flesh,  the  maggots  being  hatched 
within  the  fly.  The  cheese  fly  is  very  small;  of 
a  shining  black  color,  with  transparent  wings  and 
yellow  hind  legs.  It  deposits  about  200  or  250 
eggs  into  the  cracks  in  cheese,  which  are  deve- 
loped into  skippers.  The  maggots  of  some 
species  of  flies  spin  cocoons;  with  others,  the 
skin  simply  hardens  and  incases  the  pupa,  or 
chrysalis.  At  length  the  fully  developed  fly  makes 
its  escape  by  forcing  off"  with  its  head  the  chry- 
salis case.  The  difi"erent-sized  flies,  we  notice, 
are  diff"erent  varieties,  and  not  young  and  old,  as 
some  suppose  ;  for  flies  never  grow  to  any  very 
perceptible  extent.  A  large  proportion  of  the 
swarms  of  flies  generated  during  the  warm 
weather  of  summer  are  destroyed  by  the  frosts 
of  winter.  Only  a  few  that  are  so  fortunate  as  to 
find  shelter  and  warm  places  escape;  and  in  sim"- 
lar  situations,  some  of  them  pass  the  winter  in 
the  chrysalis  state,  and  only  emerge  when  warm 
weather  returns.  The  house  fly  is  a  domestic 
insect,  and  is  said  never  to  be  found  except  in  the 
vicinity  of  man's  present  or  recent  habitations. 

FLIES,  {Hoitse)  To  Destroy. — House  flies  are 
present  just  in  proportion  to  the  dirt  and  unclean- 
liness  there  is  in  a  house.  The  cleaner  the  house 
and  surrounding,  the  fewer  flies  there  will  be. — 
I.  They  may  be  eff'ectually  destroyed  by  putting 
half  a  spoonful  of  black  pepper  in  powder  on  a 
teaspoonful  of  brown  sugar,  and  one  teaspoonful 
of  cream ;  mix  them  well  together  and  place  them 
in  a  room  where  the  flies  are  troublesome,  and 
they  will  soon  disappear. — 2.  The  butchers  of 
Geneva  have,  from  time  immemorial,  prevented 
flies  from  approaching  the  meat  which  they  ex- 
pose for  sale,  by  the  use  of  laurel  oil.  This  oil, 
the  smell  of  which,  although  a  little  strong,  is 
not  very  off"ensive,  drives  away  flies ;  and  they 
dare  not  come  near  the  walls  or  the  wainscots 
which  have  been  rubbed  with  it. — 3.  Flies  are 
kept  out  of  stables,  (a  place  they  propagate  in 
great  numbers)  by  using  sawdust  which  is  satu- 
rated with  carbolic  acid  diluted — one  part  of  acid 
to  a  hundred  parts  of  water — the  sawdust  scat- 
tered about  in  stables  keeps  all  flies  away.  A 
similar  application  of  the  acid  ought  to  keep  them 
from  kitchens. 

FL  Y PAPER  {Adhesive).— VLtW.  resin  in  any 
vessel  over  the  fire,  and  while  soft  add  to  it 
enough  sweet  oil,  lard  or  lamp  oil,  to  make  it 
when  cold  of  the  consistency  of  molasses.  This 
spread  upon  writing  paper  with  a  brush  will  not 
dry  in  a  long  time  and  is  so  sticky  as  to  hold  fast 
the  legs  of  any  insect  attracted  to  it,  or  accident- 
ally coming  in  contact.  It  may  be  placed  about 
the  house,  the  pantry  or  elsewhere,  and  will  soon 
attract  and  hold  fast  ants  and  other  vermin.  It 
is  also  used  on  table  legs,  the  edges  of  shelves 
and  other  places  to  prevent  the  ascent  of  ants. 
Strips  of  this  paper  fastened  closely  about  the 
trunks  of  trees,  plants,  etc.,  the  varnish 'lide  out. 


HOUSEHOLD  PESTS. 


1 75 


prevents  the  ascent  of  insects.  It  possesses  the 
great  advantage  over  the  ordinary  fly  papers  in 
that  it  is  not  poisonous. 

MICE,  To  dnve  away. — Gather  any  kind  of 
mint  and  scatter  it  about  your  shelves,  and  they 
will  forsake  the  premises.     Sec  also  "Rats". 

MOSQUITOES,  To  keep  out  of  a  Room.— 
I.  Oil  of  pennyroyal,  scattered  about  in  small 
quantities. — 2.  Take  of  gum  camphor  a  piece 
about  one  third  the  size  of  an  egg,  and  e\'aporate 
it  by  placing  it  in  a  tin  vessel,  and  holding  it  over 
a  lamp  or  candle,  taking  care  that  it  does  not 
ignite.  The  smoke  will  soon  fill  the  room,  and 
expel  the  mosquitoes. —  3.  Jagor,  a  celebrated 
German  traveller,  who  spent  a  number  of  years 
in  the  jungles  of  the  Malayan  Archipelago,  recom- 
mended, the  roots  of  pyrethrum  roseum.  In  a 
paper  recently  published  by  Dr.  Birdwood,  on 
olibanum,  the  author  say  that  in  Bombay  nothing 
so  quickly  clears  one's  room  of  mosquitoes  as  the 
burning  of  a  little  olibanum  or  myrrh  in  it. — 
4.  Carbonic  acid  has  recently  been  successfully 
used  for  the  extermination  of  mosquitoes  and 
flies.  A  small  piece  of  cloth,  saturated  with  the 
acid,  was  hung  in  the  room,  and  in  two  hours 
the  flies  had  entirely  disappeared.  In  the  evening 
the  acid  was  tried  in  the  kitchen  where  the  mos- 
quitoes were  very  troublesome,  with  like  success. 

MOSQ  UITOES,  To  prevent  Biting.  —Dilute 
a  little  of  the  oil  of  thyme  with  sweet  oil,  and  dip 
pieces  of  paper  in  it.  Hang  in  your  room,  or 
rub  a  little  on  the  hands  and  face  when  going  to 
bed. — 2.  It  is  said  that  petroleum  is  a  good  mus- 
quito  bar,  if  used  in  this  way :  A  little  coal  oil  is 
dropped  on  some  raw  cotton,  the  excess  of  it 
squeezed  out,  and  the  cotton  then  rubbed  over 
face  and  hands.  It  is  said  that  the  little  pests 
will  not  come  near  it.  To  us  the  remedy  seems 
nearly  as  bad  as  the  disease;  to  those  who  do  not 
mind  the  smell  of  kerosene  it  may  by  useful. 

MOSQUITOE  BITES,  Solution  for.— h^^\y 
at  once  a  few  drops  of  aqua  ammonia,  or  an  in- 
fusion of  tobacco,  either  of  which  will  allay  the 
itching  almost  instantaneously.  Carbolic  acid 
has  also  been  tried,  and  with  good  success,  but 
it  should  be  very  much  diluted,  to  prevent  pro- 
ducing a  blister. 

MO  TIIS,  To  preserve  Cloth  ing  and  Furs  from . 
— I.  Procure  shavings  of  cedar-wood,  and  enclose 
in  muslin  bags,  which  should  be  distributed  freely 
among  the  clothes. — 2.  Procure  shavings  of  cam- 
phor-wood, and  enclose  in  bags. — 3.  Sprinkle 
pimento  (allspice)  berries  among  the  clothes. — 
4.  Sprinkle  the  clothes  with  the  seeds  of  the  musk 
plant. — 5.  An  ounce  of  gum  camphor  and  one  of 
the  powdered  shell  of  red  pepper  are  macerated 
in  8  ounces  of  strong  alcohol  for  several  days, 
then  strained.  With  this  tincture  the  furs  or 
cloths  are  sprinkled  over,  and  rolled  up  in  sheets. 
— 6.  Carefully  shake  and  brush  woollens  early  in 
the  spring,  so  as  to  be  certain  that  no  eggs  are 
in  them :  then  sew  them  up  in  cotton  or  linen 
wrappers,  putting  a  piece  of  camphor  gum,  tied 
up  in  a  bit  of  muslin,  into  each  bundle,  or  into 
the  chests  and  closets  where  the  articles  are  to 
lie.  No  raoth  will  approach  while  the  smell  of 
the  camphor  continues.  When  the  gum  is  eva- 
porated, it  must  be  renewed.  Enclose  them  in  a 
moth-proof  box  with  camphor  no  matter  whether 
made  of  white  paper  or  white  pine,  before  any 
eggs  are  laid  on  them  by  early  spring  moths. 
The  notion  of  having  a  trunk  made  of  some  par- 
ticular kind  of  wood  for  this  purpose,  is  non- 


sense. Furs  or  woollens,  put  away  in  spring 
time,  before  moth  eggs  are  laid,  into  boxes, 
trunks,  drawers,  or  closets  even,  where  moths 
cannot  enter,  will  be  safe  from  the  ravages  of 
mothworms,  provided  none  were  in  them  that 
were  laid  late  in  the  autumn,  for  they  are  not  of 
spontaneous  production. 

MOTHS  IN  CARPETS,  To  A7//.— Wring 
a  coarse  crash  towel  out  of  clear  water,  spread  it 
smoothly  on  the  carpet,  iron  it  dry  with  a  good 
hot  iron,  lepeating  the  operation  on  all  parts  of 
the  carpet  suspected  of  being  infested  wi<h  moths. 
No  need  to  press  hard,  and  neither  the  pile  nor  j, 
color  of  the  carpet  will  be  injured,  and  the  moths 
will  be  destroyed  by  the  heat  and  steam. 

RA  TS,  Methods  for  Destroying. — i.  Mix  some 
fine  plaster  of  Paris  with  an  equal  quantity  of 
flour ;  put  the  mixture  in  the  place  infested  by 
the  vermin,  and  a  vessel  full  of  water  beside  it. 
The  rats  will  devour  the  mixture,  and  then  drink; 
whereupon  the  plaster,  brought  into  contact  with 
the  water,  will  become  solid,  and  like  a  stone  in 
their  stomachs,  which  will  cause  their  death. 
This  method  is  evidently  highly  preferable  to  the 
use  of  arsenic,  which  is  always  attended  with 
danger. — 2.  Flour,  6  pounds ;  sugar,  i  pound ; 
sulphur,  4  pounds  ;  phosphorus,  4  pounds. — 
3.  When  a  house  is  infested  by  rats  which  refuse 
to  nibble  at  toasted  cheese,  and  the  usual  baits, 
a  few  drops  of  the  highly  scented  oil  of  rhodium, 
poured  on  the  bottom  of  a  cage  top,  will  always 
attract  before  morning.  Where  a  trap  baited 
with  all  manner  of  edibles  had  failed  to  attract  a 
single  rat,  the  oil  of  Rhodium  caused  it  to  be 
completely  crowded  night  after  night. — 4.  Mix 
powdered  nux  vomica  with  oatmeal,  and  lay  it  in 
their  haunts,  observing  proper  precaution  to  pre- 
vent accidents. — 5.  {Phosphorous paste.)  Take  of 
phosphorus,  8  parts,  liouify  it  in  180  parts  of 
luke-warm  water,  pour  the  whole  into  a  mortar, 
and  add  immediately  180  parts  of  rye  meal;  when 
cold,  mix  in  180  parts  of  butter  melted,  and  125 
parts  of  sugar.  If  the  phosphorus  is  in  a  finely- 
divided  state,  the  ingredients  may  be  all  mixed 
at  once,  without  melting  them.  This  mixture 
will  retain  its  efficacy  for  many  years,  for  the 
phosphorus  is  preserved  by  the  butter  and  only 
becomes  oxydized  on  the  surface.  Rats  and  mice 
eat  this  mixture  with  avidity,  after  which  they 
swell  out  and  soon  die. — 6.  Cover  the  floor  near 
their  holes,  with  a  thin  layer  of  moist  caustic 
potash.  W'hen  the  rats  walk  on  this  it  makes 
their  feet  sore.  These  they  lick  with  their  tongues, 
which  makes  their  mouths  sore,  and  the  result 
is  that  they  not  only  shun  this  locality,  but  ap- 
pear to  tell  all  the  neighboring  rats  about  it,  and 
eventually  the  house  is  entirely  abandoned  by 
them,  notwithstanding  that  the  neighborhood 
maybe  teeming  with  them. — 7.  Corks,  cut  as  thin 
as  wafers,  roasted  or  stewed  in  grease,  and  placed 
in  their  tracks ;  or  dried  sponge  in  small  pieces, 
fried  or  dipped  in  honey,  with  a  little  oil  of  rho- 
dium, cr  bird-lime,  laid  in  their  haunts,  will  stick 
to  their  fur  and  cause  their  departure.  If  a  live 
rat  be  caught,  and  well  rubbed  or  brushed  over 
with  tar,  and  train-oil,  and  afterward  put  to  es- 
cape in  the  holes  of  others,  they  will  disappear. 
— 8.  Cover  a  common  barrel  with  stiff,  stout 
papers,  tying  the  edge  around  the  barrel ;  place 
a  board  so  that  the  rats  may  have  an  easy  access 
to  the  top;  sprinkle  cheese  parings  or  other 
"feed"  for  the  rats  on  the  paper  for  several  days, 
until  they  begin  to  believe  they  have  a  right  to 


176 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


their  daily  rations  from  this  source.  Then  place  I 
at  the  bottom  of  the  barrel  a  piece  of  rock  alx)ut 
six  or  seven  inches  high,  filling  with  water  until  { 
only  enough  of  it  projects  above  the  water  for 
one  rat  to  lodge  upon.  Now  replace  the  paper, 
first  cutting  a  cross  in  the  middle,  and  the  first 
rat  that  comes  on  the  barrel  top  goes  through  into 
the  water  and  climbs  on  the  rock.  The  paper 
comes  back  to  place,  and  the  second  rat  follows 
the  first.  Then  begins  a  fight  for  the  possession 
of  the  dry  place  on  the  stone,  the  noise  of  which 
attracts  the  rest,  who  share  the  same  fate. — 
9.  Fill  a  deep  smooth  vessel  of  considerable  capa- 


city, to  within  6  inches  of  the  top  with  water, 
cover  the  surface  with  bran,"  and  set  the 
vessel  in  a  place  most  frequented  by  these  pests. 
In  attempting  to  get  at  the  bran,  they  will  fall  in, 
and  be  drowned.  Several  dozen  have  been  taken 
by  this  simple  method  at  a  time. — 10.  The  smell 
of  a  goat  is  obnoxious  to  the  nostrils  of  rats ; 
the  two  wont  be  friends  and  companions  on  any 
account  whatever,  and  the  introduction  of  goats  to 
one's  barn  or  premises  will  cause  an  immediate 
stampede  of  all  the  rats. — II.  The  possession  of 
a  ferret  is  at  once  the  safest  and  deadliest  enemy 
of  the  raU 


HUNTING,  TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


BEAVER  SKINS,  To  Dress.— Yom.  must 
rip  the  skin  the  same  as  you  would  a  sheep. 
Stretch  it  in  all  ways  as  much  as  possible ;  then 
it  is  to  be  dressed  with  equal  parts  of  rock  salt 
and  alum  dissolved  in  water  and  made  about  as 
thick  as  cream  by  stirring  in  coarse  flour.  This 
should  be  spread  on  nearly  half  an  inch  thick  to 
be  scraped  off  when  dry  and  repeated  if  one  time 
is  not  enough.  This  same  process  of  dressing 
applies  likewise  to  otter  skins. 

BIRD  LIME.— I.  The  middle  bark  of  the 
holly,  any  quantity;  boil  it  for  seven  or  eight 
hours  in  water,  or  until  it  is  soft  and  tender,  then 
drain  the  water  off,  and  place  it  in  pits  under 
f  ground,  surrounded  with  stones  ;  let  it  remain  to 
'  ferment,  and  water  it  if  required  until  it  passes 
.  into  a  mucilaginous  state.  Then  pound  it  well 
and  wash  it  in  several  waters,  next  leave  it  for 
four  or  five  days  to  ferment  and  purify  itself. — 
2.  Linseed  oil  boiled  and  burned  down  to  a  thick 
varnish  answers  even  better  than  the  above.  In 
preparing  it  the  oil  is  put  into  an  iron  kettle  and 
set  upon  a  fire,  when  warm  it  is  lighted  also  and 
allowed  to  burn  until  it  is  of  the  destined  thick- 
ness. The  iron  pot  should  not  be  over  one-third 
full  of  oil,  and  should  have  a  lid  to  fit  pretty 
closely  by  which  the  oil  can  be  quenched  at  will. 
From  time  to  time  this  must  be  done  to  ascertain 
the  condition  of  the  oil.  It  takes  from  nine  to 
ten  hours  to  boil  it  down,  and  when  done  it 
should  be  put  away  in  a  vessel  as  nearly  air-tight 
as  possible,  otherwise  it  will  continue  to  grow 
thicker  and  thicker  until  it  becomes  unusable.  It 
should  be  of  the  consistency  of  thick  syrup. 

BIRD  LIME,  How  to  Use.  —  There  are 
various  methods  of  using  it.  It  can  be  either  em- 
ployed on  sticks  made  for  the  purpose,  by  which 
means  there  is  not  so  much  loss  of  bird  lime,  or 
plastered  on  spots  to  which  the  birds  are  accus- 
tomed to  come.  If  used  in  the  former  way,  holes 
must  be  bored  into  the  tree  in  which  to  fix  the 
limed  sticks.  Birds  taken  with  lime  should  be 
relieved  as  soon  as  caught,  or  they  will  flutter 
themselves  to  death.  Alcohol  will  wash  off  the 
lime.  But  take  care  in  applying  it ;  small  birds 
can  be  killed  with  the  smell  of  alcohol.  If  their 
heads  are  not  limed,  cover  that  part  of  them  with 
a  silk  handkerchief  and  use  a  sponge  to  wash  oft 
the  lime. 


BIRD  CATCHING,  English  Secrets  of.— 
"Jingling  f6r  robins"  is  a  simple  art,  but  it  is 
founded  upon  close  observation  of  nature.  The 
jingler  provides  himself  with  a  tame  robin  caged; 
a  piece  of  timber  about  a  foot  square,  to  which 
is  attached  a  net,  which  flies  over  it  at  the  proper 
moment  by  means  of  a  spring;  and  two  penny 
pieces.  He  selects  a  rural  spot,  deposits  the 
cage  on  the  board  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  retreats 
to  a  little  distance,  and  then  balancing  the 
pennies,  one  on  each  forefinger,  chinks  them 
together.  Now,  if  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a 
cock-robin  in  the  vicinity,  he  immediately  ex- 
poses himself.  Birds,  like  men,  have  their 
weaknesses,  and  jealousy  and  inquisitiveness 
are  the  especial  weaknesses  of  cock-robins. 
"Chink,  chink,"  is  the  call  note  of  the  male 
bird  to  his  mate;  and  an  unwonted  "chink" 
affects  him  to  that  degree,  that  he  is  almost 
thrown  off  his  perch.  His  ever  bright,  round 
eyes,  grow  rounder  and  brighter,  with  all  the 
keenness  of  curiosity  and  the  greenness  of  green 
eyed  jealousy.  "Chink,  chink,"  go  the  pence. 
The  deluded  bird  sets  his  head  awry;  and  he 
says  in  his  heart,  "What  does  this  mean,  I 
should  like  to  know."  "  Chink,  chink !  Chink, 
chink!"  he  can  stand  it  no  longer.  His  quick 
vision  has  detected  the  bird  in  the  cage,  and  he 
sweeps  down  to  demand  an  explanation  of  the 
stranger's  intentions,  and  may  be  to  require 
immediate  satisfaction.  But,  alas!  no  sooner 
does  the  yictim  of  his  own  passions  alight  on 
the  board,  than  the  spring  that  hitherto  withheld 
the  net  is  released,  and  encloses  both  the  caged 
bird  and  the  wild  one. 

"Trolling  for  larks"  at  night.  Selecting  a 
meadow  which  larks  are  known  to  frequent,  the 
snarers  provide  themselves  with  a  long  net.  This 
is  loaded  all  down  one  side  with  stones  or  leaden 
weights,  to  keep  it  close  to  the  ground.  Stretch- 
ing the  net  out  to  its  fullest  extent,  two  men  take 
a  corner  of  the  side  that  is  not  weighted,  and 
slowly  drag  the  field,  until  the  fluttering  and 
screaming  of  the  poor  little  prisoners  tell  them 
they  have  had  a  good  haul.  AH  in  the  dark  the 
men  go  on  their  knees,  and  thrusting  their  hands 
through  the  meshes,  make  their  captures,  which 
they  slip  into  store  cages.  These  are  long 
wooden  cages,  with  a  round  hole  cut  in  the  top. 


HUNTING,  TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


177 


to  which  is  fastened  the  leg  of  a  stocking,  which 
hangs  loosely  inside,  thus  making  it  an  easy 
atlair  to  drop  the  larks,  and  an  impossible  one 
for  them  to  get  out  again.  It  generally  happens 
that  as  many  larks  are  taken  dead  as  alive  by 
this  system.  Indeed  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
take  them  at  all,  except  with  the  assistance  of 
two  horses.  This  is  explained  by  the  fact  that 
the  sense  of  hearing  is  very  acute  in  the  lark — 
the  slightest  noise,  if  it  be  of  an  unusual  char- 
acter, alarming  them.  Now  larks  are  used  to 
the  tramping  of  cattle,  but  not  to  the  footsteps 
of  men ;  sometimes,  therefore,  the  snarers  take 
each  one  of  the  dragging  ropes  in  their  hand, 
and  lead  a  horse  by  the  bridle  with  the  other ; 
the  birds  are  undisturbed  by  the  tramping  of  the 
four  footed  creature,  and  the  bipeds,  keeping 
step  with  the  horses,  are  not  detected. 

The  metropolitan  bird  catcher  is  not  content 
with  larks — he  must  have  nightingales  also;  but 
none  but  the  most  enthusiastic  bird  catchers  are 
addicted  to  this  branch  of  the  business,  which  is 
called  "lying  out."  For  in  the  first  place,  it  is 
almost  without  excitement;  and  in  the  next, 
although  the  birds,  when  caught  in  prime  sing- 
ing condition,  fetch  a  high  price,  the  difficulty  in 
catching  them  is  so  great  as  to  make  the  trade 
unprofitable.  This  is  how  it  is  practiced.  A 
trap  exactly  similar  to  the  robin  trap  is  used, 
only  instead  of  a  tame  bird  in  a  cage,  a  hook  is 
driven  in  the  center  of  the  board  and  on  the 
hook  is  impaled  a  lively  worm.  The  first  thing 
is  to  discover  a  bush  frequented  by  a  night- 
ingale. You  must  watch  him  into  the  bush, 
allow  him  to  pass  the  night  there,  and  see  him 
well  off  in  the  morning  before  you  set  your  trap. 
Then  you  dig  the  ground  up  within  a  few  yards 
of  the  bush  and  bury  the  trap  so  that  only  the 
writhing  worm  in  the  middle  of  the  net  attached 
is  visible;  the  net  being  as  much  the  color  of 
fresh  earth  as  possible.  Then  you  must  retire 
and  watch  for  the  chance  of  the  bird  spying  out 
the  worm  when  he  hops  down  to  look  for  food 
in  the  morning.  If  the  worm  happens  to  be  still 
alive,  and  its  wriggling  attracts  the  attention  of 
the  nightingale,  then  you  have  a  chance  of  catch- 
ing him;  if  not,  you  must  wait  until  this  lucky 
collusion  of  circumstances  does  occur. 

"  Pegging  for  chaffinches"  is  by  far  the  most 
curious  and  interesting  of  all  the  branches  of  the 
bird-catching  art.  Before  you  think  of  going 
pegging,  you  must  get  a  thorough  good  pegging 
chaffinch.  These  birds  are  trained  to  the  busi- 
ness. As  soon  as  the  new  year's  bird  gives  sign 
of  coming  into  song  (which  you  will  know  by 
the  beak  turning  blue),  you  must  put  the  cage  in 
a  stout  black  bag,  and  hang  him  up  in  his  usual 
place.  He  will  perhaps  sulk  a  little  at  first;  if 
so,  he  will  require  a  little  encouragement.  It  is 
astonishing  what  odd  noises  will  bring  him  out — 
the  rasping  of  a  tobacco  pipe  on  the  back  of  a 
knife,  the  frying  of  beef  steaks,  or  scraping  a 
bow  on  a  fiddle.  In  a  little  time  he  will  pipe 
away  as  well  in  the  black  bag  as  he  would  out 
of  it.  Tlien,  by  degrees  you  must  use  him  to 
being  handled.  Stand  his  cage  on  the  table  at 
your  elbow,  carry  him  about  the  house,  or  in  the 
garden,  and  if  he  will  stand  all  this,  and  sing  as 
he  goes,  you  may  venture  a  pegging  trip  with 
him. 

Besides  the  decoy  bird,  you  will  require  a 
stuffed  chaffinch — or  "stall" — looking  as  much 
like  life  as  possible.     Then  you  must  have  half  a 


dozen  pegs.  These  are  made  of  whalebone,  and 
must  be  eight  inches  long,  and  about  as  thick  as 
an  ordinary  meat-skewer,  fixed  with  the  pointed 
half  of  a  stout  needle  in  one  end. 

Then  you  want  some  bird  lime,  and  good  bird 
lime  it  must  be,  or  all  your  other  j^reparations 
are  ot  no  avail.  It  should  be  so  plastic  that  a 
piece  the  size  of  a  small  pea  may  be  drawn  out 
in  a  thread  half  a  yard  long. 

A  bright,  warm  May  morning  is  the  best  time ; 
and,  supposing  you  to  have  everything  in  perfect 
order — the  pegs,  the  stall,  the  lime  in  a  little  tin 
box,  and  your  decoy  in  his  cage,  tied  in  a  hand- 
kerchief of  the  most  unobtrusive  color — you 
start  ofT.  When  you  get  among  the  trees,  you 
will  ])resently  hear  perhaps  one,  perhaps  two, 
chaffinches  piping  away  over  your  head.  Now 
to  business.  Mark  the  tree  that  contains  the 
stoutest  singer,  take  out  your  pegs  and  lime, 
fasten  the  stuffed  bird  securely  to  one  of  the  pegs, 
and  then  smear  another  peg  all  over  with  bird 
lime.  Stick  the  perch  on  which  is  standing  the 
stuffed  bird  firmly  into  a  tree  adjoining  the  one 
containing  the  wild  songster;  and,  about  six 
inches  above  the  "stall,"  drive  the  limed  peg. 
Place  the  decoy  (still  in  the  handkerchief)  at  the 
foot  of  the  tree.  If  he  is  a  good  bird,  the  sing- 
ing of  the  wild  chaffinch  will  stimulate  to  the 
utmost  his  exertions  to  drown  the  voice  of  the 
other ;  if  he  is  a  coward,  the  wild  fellow  is  the 
conqueror,  and  the  trained  decoy  will  whine  and 
chirrup  pitifully.  Plowever,  supposing  him  to 
be  "  a  good  brazen  bird,"  the  wild  chaffinch  will 
gradually  work  himself  into  a  rage,  and  flutter- 
ing here  and  there — screaming  out  his  notes  in 
defiance — to  find  the  intruder.  Presently  his  eye 
catches  the  stuffed  bird  on  the  peg ;  and  has  not 
the  least  doubt  but  that  he  has  discovered  the 
delinquent ;  with  an  angiy  cry,  down  he  swoops 
sheer  on  to  the  stuffed  bird's  back ;  the  sticky 

!)eg  just  above  catches  his  pinions,  and  either  he 
langs  there,  or  he  brings  the  peg  down  with  him, 
and  runs  screaming  along  the  ground  till  you 
overtake  him. 

BIRDS,  To  Preserve. — Birds  may  be  pre- 
served in  a  fresh  state  for  some  time  by  remov- 
ing the  intestines,  wiping  the  inside  out  quite  dry 
with  a  towel,  and  then  flouring  them.  A  piece 
of  blotting  paper,  on  which  one  or  two  drops  of 
creosote  have  been  placed,  is  now  to  be  put  in- 
side them,  and  a  similarly  prepared  piece  of 
paper  tied  round  them.  They  should  then  be 
hung  up  in  a  cool  dry  place,  and  will  be  found  to 
keep  much  longer  than  without  undergoing  this 
process. 

BIRDS,  To  Skin  and  Stuff.— A  great  as- 
sistance in  skinning  animals  is  to  suspend  the 
body  by  a  hook,  so  that  both  hands  are  at  liberty. 
For  small  kinds  a  common  fishhook  will  answer, 
with  the  barb  broken  off,  and  a  cord  attached  a 
foot  or  two  in  length.  This  may  be  inserted 
among  the  bones  near  the  tail  after  the  skin  has 
been  partly  detached. 

Other  implements  required  are  the  following: 
I.  A  sharp  knife,  of  almost  any  shape,  but  a  sur- 
geon's scalpel  without  a  jointed  handle  is  the  best 
for  small  kinds,  and  the  common  butcher-knife, 
which  is  of  similar  shape,  for  larger  ones.  2.  A 
strong,  sharp  pointed  scissors,  and  for  large  skins, 
a  shears  is  often  useful.  3.  Triangular  glovers* 
needles,  for  sewing  up  skins;  two  or  three  sizes. 
4.  A  pair  of  spring  forceps,  such  as  are  used  by 
surgeons,  though  not  essential,  are  very  useful. 


12 


tfS 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


5.  A  tape  measure,  three  to  six  feet  long.  6.  A  I 
fine  saw,  or  coarse  flat  file,  to  notch  small  bones 
before  breaking  them,  so  as  to  break  them  evenly. 
Some  use  sharp-edged  nippers  for  this  purpose. 
Large  bones  may  be  broken  roughly,  and  the 
ends  smoothed  off.  When  a  bird  is  shot,  all  large 
holes  must  be  plugged  with  cotton  or  paper,  and 
this  also  inserted  in  the  mouth  and  throat,  so  as 
to  prevent  the  flow  of  blood  or  other  fluids. 
Blood  on  the  feathers  may  be  absorbed  by  sprinkl- 
ing with  plaster  of  Paris,  ashes,  dust,  or  sand, 
shaking  off  all  that  does  not  stick ;  then  make  a 
cone  of  paper,  large  enough  to  put  the  bird  in, 
head  down,  and  twist  up  the  other  end  over  it, 
taking  care  not  to  injure  the  tail  feathers,  'fhis 
will  secure  smoothness  of  the  feathers  when  the 
body  stiffens.  In  cool  weather  it  is  best  to 
postpone  skinning  for  twelve  to  twenty-four  hours, 
in  order  to  allow  the  blood  to  coagulate,  so  that 
it  will  not  flow  so  freely,  and  the  fat  hardening, 
also  gives  less  trouble.  Some  use  a  ring  of 
paper  pinned  round  the  body  to  obtain  its  exact 
girth,  so  that  it  can  be  stuffed  out  to  the  same 
dimensions  afterward. 

Before  skinning,  put  fresh  plugs  in  the  mouth, 
nostrils,  and  large  shot-holes.  Take  the  measure- 
ments and  notes  required;  then  make  an  incision 
from  the  breast-bone  down  to  the  tail,  not  so 
deep  as  to  open  the  intestinal  cavity,  and  care- 
fully separate  the  skin  on  each  side,  plugging  or 
sewing  up  any  holes  accidentally  cut  too  deep.  If 
blood  or  fluid  run  too  freely,  absorb  them  by 
some  dry  ashes,  plaster,  or  paper,  and  use  these 
so  as  to  protect  the  feathers;  if  necessary,  keeping 
the  fingers  well  powdered.  Separating  the  skin 
from  one  side,  the  leg  is  soon  reached ;  this  must 
be  drawn  out  by  the  knee-joint  as  far  as  it  can 
be,  and  the  tendons  cut  where  they  go  toward 
the  foot.  Break  off  the  bone  within  the  skin, 
and,  having  freed  that  leg,  treat  the  other  in  the 
same  way.  It  is  most  convenient  in  small  birds 
to  break  these  bones,  and  also  those  of  the  upper 
wing-joint,  before  beginning  to  skin,  thus  having 
the  limbs  less  in  the  way. 

After  the  legs  are  freed,  cut  down  to  the  tail, 
and  separate  the  body,  leaving  some  of  the 
vertebrae  attached  to  support  the  feathers.  Re- 
move the  oil-glands  above  the  tail  carefully  from 
the  skin,  then  insert  the  hook  in  the  body,  and 
hang  it  up,  head  downward.  The  skin  is  then 
easily  peeled  off  until  the  wings  are  reached, 
when  it  must  be  drawn  to  one  side  until  the 
broken  end  of  the  shoulder^bones  are  reached, 
w^hich  may  be  slipped  through  the  muscles,  and 
pulled  out  as  far  as  possible.  The  muscles  must 
then  be  cut  off,  and  this  wing  being  freed,  the 
same  process  is  used  for  the  other. 

The  skin  then  slips  off  easily  as  far  as  the  head, 
and,  if  large,  must  be  supported,  so  that  its 
weight  may  not  stretch  the  neck.  In  drawing  it 
over  the  head,  be  careful  not  to  tear  it,  and  use 
the  finger-nails  more  than  the  knife.  The  ear 
membranes  are  easily  drawn  out  with  it,  and  on 
reaching  the  eyes,  the  attachment  of  the  lids 
must  be  carefully  separated  from  the  eye-ball,  so 
as  to  injure  neither  the  lids  nor  the  eye-ball,  as 
the  fluids  escaping  give  trouble.  Then  cut  off  the 
back  part  of  the  skull,  remove  the  brains  and  the 
eyes,  clear  away  r:!l  remains  of  muscle,  etc, 
from  the  skull,  .and  sprinkle  or  smear  the  skin 
with  arsenic.  Fill  the  eye-sockets  and  other 
cavities  around  the  head  with  cotton  or  other 
Stuffings  and  draw  the  skia  back  to  its  original 


shape.     If  the  neck  has  dried  during  the  opera- 
tion, it  will  need  moistening  before  retraction. 

The  second  joints,  of  the  wings  now  require 
cleaning  from  the  muscles,  etc.  This  may  be 
done  in  small  birds  by  carefully  drawing  the  skin 
down  over  the  bones,  loosening  it  with  the  fin- 
ger-nails. Large  birds,  however,  need  an  incision 
under  the  wing,  reaching  the  whole  length  of  the 
joint,  which  may  be  sewed  up  afterward  by  a  few 
stitches.  Arsenic  ointment  must  be  applied  freely 
to  all  these  parts.  The  wing-bones  must  now  be 
connected  by  a  string  passed  through  the  space 
between  the  bones,  or  a  thread  sewed  through 
the  ligaments,  so  that  it  can  not  slip.  Do  not 
draw  the  wings  too  close  together,  but  leave  as 
nearly  the  natural  distance  between  them  as  is 
practicable.  Cotton  or  tow  may  be  now  wound 
round  the  broken  ends  of  the  wing  and  leg  bones, 
a  roll  of  it  inserted  in  the  neck,  and  enough  put 
in  the  body  to  fill  it  out  to  its  natural  shape. 

When  the  legs  are  tied  together,  no  stitches 
arc  generally  necessary  to  sew  up  the  cut,  li 
there  are  large  holes  in  the  skin,  they  should  be 
sewed  up  from  the  inside  before  putting  in  the 
stuffing.  In  large  birds  it  is  well  to  sew  on  wide 
strips  of  rag  along  the  inner  edges  of  the  cut 
made  in  the  skin  to  protect  the  feathers  during 
the  operation  of  skinning,  removing  the  rags 
afterward.  Very  badly  soiled  skin  can,  how- 
ever, be  cleaned  by  the  taxidermist;  and,  pro- 
vided they  have  not  lost  any  feathers,  are  still 
useful.  The  bill  should  generally  be  tied  shut 
by  a  string  passed  through  the  nostrils,  and  the 
label  may  be  put  there  or  on  the  legs.  Very 
long  necks  are  best  stuffed  by  rolling  up  a  long 
cylinder  of  paper,  and  passing  it  down  the  throat 
or  from  the  inside.  The  neck  may  then  be  bent 
down  along  the  side  of  the  body,  and  the  legs 
bent  up  so  as  to  make  as  compact  a  specimen  as 
possible.  Having  smoothed  down  the  feathers, 
the  bird  must  now  be  pushed  carefully  inside  a 
cylinder  of  stiff  paper  of  the  proper  size,  and  laid 
on  its  back  to  dry.  Hanging  it  up  by  the  bill  or 
feet  stretches  it  too  much.  If  carefully  dried,  it  ■ 
retains  a  good  shape,  and  may  be  freely  handled 
afterwards. 

Some  birds,  especially  ducks  and  woodpeckers, 
have  the  neck  so  slender  that  the  head  can  not 
be  drawn  through  it  by  skinning  in  the  usual 
manner.  In  these  an  incision  must  be  made  on 
the  most  injured  side,  from  the  ear  down  far 
enough  to  allow  the  head  to  be  cleaned  through 
it.  The  body  may  then  be  skinned  as  usual,  or 
the  incision  may  be  continued  down  the  neck  to 
the  bare  space  under  the  wing,  and  the  skin 
taken  off  without  cutting  it  elsewhere.  To  sew 
this  up  requires  care  in  order  to  adjust  the 
feathers  nicely,  and  the'  stitches  must  be  taken 
from  within  outward.  Some  persons  skin  all 
birds  in  this  manner ;  but  the  feather  are  more 
apt  to  fall  out  of  those  birds  that  have  them  loosely 
attached. 

There  is  much  difference  in  the  ease  with  which 
a  bird  may  be  skinned,  according  to  the  relative 
toughness  of  skin,  and  adhesion  of  feathers,  A 
humming-bird  is  more  easily  skinned  than  a 
pigeon,  and  those  of  the  size  of  a  robin  take  much 
less  time  than  an  eagle.  For  practice,  the  best 
are  blackbirds  and  jays,  those  not  too  fat  being 
preferable, 

BIRDS,  To  Mounf.—'LaY  the  bird  upon  the 
table  with  the  head  to  the  left  ;  having  arranged 
the  wings  and  legs  to  keep  the  bird  in  tlic  right 


HUNTING,  TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


179 


position,  place  a  -weight  on  the  tail.  Brush  the 
skin  of  the  neck  with  the  soap,  then  stuff  with  the 
flax,  taking  care  not  to  distend  it.  Anoint  the 
back  as  far  as  the  rump,  stuffing  it  one-third  of 
the  thickness,  that  the  wire  may  rest  on  a  thick 
layer  of  flax.  Prepare  four  wires.  One  for  the 
tack  which  may  be  a  little  longer  than  the  lx)dy; 
at  about  one-quarter  of  its  length  it  should  be 
twisted  into  a  small  ring,  by  the  pincers,  and 
pointed  with  the  file  at  the  extreme  end ;  two 
others  are  to  be  cut  somewhat  longer  than  the 
legs.  The  tail  wire  is  to  beibrmed  into  an  oval, 
an  size,  about  one-third  of  the  length  of  the  bird's 
body,  twisting  it  a  short  distance  from  the  ends, 
that  they  may  form  a  fork  ;  the  two  prongs  to  be 
pointed  and  bent  near  enough  together  to  enter 
the  rump ;  the  ends  will  be  hidden  imder  the 
tail,  the  oval  to  enter  the  body  of  the  bird.  The 
back  wire  being  oiled,  may  now  be  introduced 
across  the  skull,  passing  into  the  back  in  the 
middle  of  the  flax,  so  that  the  ring  in  this  wire 
will  be  brought  a  little  toward  the  anterior  part, 
and  can  receive  the  extremities  of  each  of  the 
wires  which  have  passed  through  the  thighs  and 
claws. 

The  leg  wires  are  introduced  by  making  a 
passage  through  the  shank  and  bone  at  the  thigh, 
by  piercing  them  with  an  awl,  the  size  of  the 
wire.  The  wire  must  be  passed  in  a  straight 
line  over  the  knee,  and  is  to  be  brought  to  the 
little  ring  of  the  body  wire,  both  leg  wires  and 
the  end  of  the  back  wire  are  to  be  twisted  to- 
gether with  the  pincers,  and  be  lowered  toward 
tlie  tail.  The  wires  thus  adjusted  and  resting  on 
the  flax,  the  skin  must  be  well  anointed  and 
filled  to  its  natural  dimensions. 

The  body  may  now  be  sewed  up  with  a  fine 
glover's  needle  and  sewing  silk,  with  what  is 
known  as  ball  or  carpet  stitch. 

If  the  orbits  of  the  eye  are  not  sufficiently 
plump,  a  little  cotton  may  be  added,  moistened 
with  the  gum  with  which  the  artificial  eyes  are 
to  be  fixed.  Gi\'e  the  eye  a  natural  appearance 
having  the  lids  well  rounded  and  brought  over 
the  glass. 

In  fixing  the  bird  to  a  standard  its  natural  at- 
titude should  be  copied  as  accurately  as  possible. 
The  feet  should  not  be  too  wide  apart,  the  legs 
should  be  so  bent  at  the  knee-joints  and  the  body 
so  inclined  forward  that  the  root  of  the  tail  will 
be  on  an  exact  line  with  the  knees.  This  forms 
the  natural  angle.  The  head  may  be  inclined  a 
little  to  one  side.  If  the  bill  is  likely  to  sepa- 
rate, a  thread  should  be  passed  through  the 
nostrils  and  tied  beneath,  until  the  bird  is  quite  dry. 

The  feathers  should  now  be  carefully  smoothed 
and  arranged  with  a  camel's  hair  brush,  and  the 
wings  tied  in  a  natural  position,  and  the  body 
should  be  bound  with  a  little  piece  of  muslin  un- 
til every  part  is  perfectly  dry. 

A  little  paper  cone  may  be  put  over  the  head, 
to  keep  the  feathers  in  place,  for  a  few  days. 

Stuffed  birds  should  be  kept  free  from  dust,  in 
a  moderate  temperature,  out  of  the  sun.  A 
common  bell  glass  will  answer  to  cover  a  single 
specimen  or  a  small  group.  They  should  be  fre- 
quently examined,  for  moths  and  insects  are  very 
apt  to  get  into  the  feathers. 

Five  drops  of  Prussic  acid,  on  a  piece  of  cotton, 
placed  in  a  case  will  effectually  destroy  insects. 

BLEACHING  WOOL  ON  TANNED 
PELTS. — Put  an  old  pot  or  other  iron  vessel  in 
the  bottom  of  a  hogshead,  and  in  the  vessel  a 


roll  of  brimstone.  P'asten  near  the  top  a  stick  or 
two,  to  place  the  skin  on.  The  wool  must  be 
wet,  when  hung  on  the  sticks.  Heat  an  old  iron 
red  hot,  or  take  live  coals  to  start  the  brimstone. 
When  it  is  burning  briskly  cover  the  hogshead 
tight  to  keep  the  smoke  in.  In  bleaching  blankets 
we  put  them  in  after  dinner  and  take  them  out 
next  morning.  If  not  white  enough,  repeat  the 
process. 

BUFFALO  SKINS,  Indian  Mode  of  Tann- 
ing.— The  hard  and  incessant  labor  that  is  ne- 
cessary to  properly  'Indian  tan'  a  robe  is  not 
easy  to  realize  unless  one  may  see  the  work  go 
on  day  by  day  from  the  first  step,  which  is  to 
spread  out  the  pelt  or  undressed  hide  upon  the 
ground,  where  it  is  pinned  fast  by  means  of 
wooden  pins  driven  through  little  cuts  in  the  edge 
of  the  robe  into  the  earth.  The  flesh  side  of  the 
robe,  being  uppermost,  is  then  worked  over  by 
two,  and  sometimes  three,  squaws.  The  tools 
used  are  often  very  rude,  some  being  provided 
simply  with  sharp  stones  or  buffalo  bones. 
Others,  more  wealthy,  have  a  something  that 
much  resembles  a  drawing  knife  or  shave  of  the 
cooper.  The  work  in  hand  is  to  free  the  hide 
from  every  particle  of  flesh,  and  to  reduce  the 
thickness  of  the  robe  nearly  one  half,  and  some- 
times even  more.  This  fleshing,  as  it  is  termed, 
having  been  thoroughly  accomplished,  the  hide  is 
thoroughly  moistened  with  water  in  which  buffalo 
brains  have  been  steeped;  for  ten  days  the  hide  is 
kept  damp  with  this  brain  water.  Once  each  day 
the  hide  is  taken  up,  and  every  portion  of  it 
rubbed  and  re-rubbed  by  the  squaws,  who  do  not 
have  recourse  to  anything  like  a  rubbing  board, 
but  use  their  hands  until  it  would  seem  as  if  the 
skin  would  soon  be  torn  off.  There  seenTs  to  be 
no  definite  rule  as  to  the  length  of  time  which 
the  robe  shall  occupy  in  curing.  The  squaw 
labors  until  the  hide  becomes  a  robe,  which  may 
require  the  work  of  one  week  or  two,  sometimes 
even  more ;  but  I  think  that  ten  days  may  be 
considered  as  the  average  time  which  it  takes  to 
properly  cure  a  robe. 

DEERSKINS,  To  Dress.— ?vX  the  skin  into 
the  liquid  while  warm,  viz.:  eight  quarts  rain 
water,  to  one  pint  soft  soap.     Warm  it.     Then 

[)unch  the  hide,  or  work  it  with  a  soft  stick  and 
et  it  lay  one  day.  It  is  then  to  be  taken  out  and 
wrung — rolled  between  two  logs  —  or  even  a 
wringing  machine  will  be  better.  Then  stretch 
it  until  it  is  dry,  in  the  sun  is  best,  or  by  a  hot 
fire.  Then  oil  it  thoroughly  with  any  oil  con- 
venient. It  should  then  be  treated  to  the  same 
bath  of  suds  (heated  quite  warm),  and  lay  an- 
other day.  Then  pull  it  out  and  dry  as  before. 
Any  oil  will  do,  but  good  fresh  butter  is  better 
than  anything  else.  When  the  skin  is  dry  rub  it 
with  ochre,  which  will  give  it  a  splendid  yellow 
color. 

DEER  SKINS,  Oil  Dressing.— Yor  curing 
deerskins  etc.,  take  the  green  hide,  as  soon  as 
removed  from  the  animal  and  grain  it.  This  is 
done  by  getting  a  beam  seven  or  eight  inches 
through  and  six  to  eight  feet  long,  with  two  legs 
in  one  end  and  the  other  resting  on  the  ground  so 
that  it  will  stand  at  a  steep  slant.  Tha  beam 
should  be  of  hard  wood,  should  be  clean  and 
smooth  and  with  no  ridges  on  it.  Take  a  knife,  j 
the  corners  should  be  whet  smooth  so  as  not  to  % 
cut  the  skin.  Set  down  the  upper  end  of  the 
beam  against  your  belly  and  lay  on  the  skin,  hair 
side  down  and  take  off  all  tke  unequal  substances 


i8o 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


before  yo  i  turn  the  hair  side  up.  1  hen  com- 
mence to  g,rain  by  beginning  with  the  neck  of  the 
skin  next  t\)  you,  shoving  it  against  the  hair, 
holding  firn  \ly  and  using  some  strength  it  will 
soon  begin  \o  go  and  bring  a  streak  of  grain. 
In  this  way  I  ides  are  giained  when  green;  when 
dry  they  ha''e  to  be  soaked  in  lime  and  water 
until  mellow,  and  then  treated  the  same  as  a 
green  hide. 

DEER  StVINS,  Tanning  and  Buffing  for 
GLOVES.-^  Y ox  each  skin,  take  a  bucket  of 
water,  and  jut  into  it  I  quart  of  lime;  let  the 
skin  or  skins  lay  in  from  3  to  4  days ;  then  rinse 
in  clean  wate.*,  hair,  and  grain ;  then  soak  them 
in  cold  water  to  get  out  the  glue ;  now  scour  or 
pound  in  good  soap  suds;  for  half  an  hour ;  after 
which  take  white  vitriol,  alum,  and  salt,  I  table- 
spoon of  each  to  a  skin ;  this  will  be  dissolved 
in  sufficient  water  to  cover  the  skin  and  remain 
in  it  for  24  hours ;  wring  out  as  dry  as  convenient; 
and  spread  on  with  a  brush  ^  pt.  of  currier's 
oil,  and  hang  in  the  sun  about  2  days ;  after 
which  you  will  scour  out  the  oil  with  soap  suds, 
and  hang  out  again  until  perfectly  dry ;  then  pull 
and  work  them  until  they  are  soft ;  and  if  a  rea- 
sonable time  does  not  make  them  soft,  scovir  out 
in  suds  again  as  before;  until  complete.  The  oil 
may  be  saved  by  pouring  or  taking  it  from  the 
top  of  the  suds,  if  left  standing  a  short  time. 
The  buff  color  is  given  by  spreading  yellow  ochre 
evenly  over  the  surface  of  the  skin,  when  finished, 
rubbing  it  in  well  with  a  brush. 

DOGS,  Characteristics  of  a  well  bred  Pointer. 
— The  head  should  be  broad  at  the  tip,  long  and 
tapering,  the  poll  rising  to  a  point ;  nose  open 
and  large ;  ears  tolerably  long,  slightly  erect  and 
falling  between  the  neck  and  jaw  bone,  slightly 
pointed  at  the  top ;  eyes  clear  and  bright ;  neck 
f  and  head  set  on  straight ;  chest  broad  and  deep ; 
legs  and  arms  strong,  muscular  and  straight ; 
elbows  well  in  ;  feet  small  and  hard;  body  not 
over  long,  and  well  ribbed  up ;  loins  broad  at 
the  top,  but  thin  downwards ;  hind  quarters 
broad ;  hind  legs  strong  and  large ;  tail  long,  fine 
and  tapering ;  hair  short,  sleek  and  close. 

DYEING  FOR  BUCKSKIN  {Buffi.)  — t^ 
parts  of  whiting  to  2  parts  of  ochre  (yellow),  and 
mix  them  with  water  to  a  paste,  make  into  cakes 
and  dry.  When  a  dressed  skin  is  dry  rub  one 
of  the  balls  over  the  surface,  rub  the  powder  in. 
Take  a  piece  of  sand  paper  and  raise  a  nap  on  the 
leather  by  going  over  with  \i.— {Black.) — Take 
clear  logwood ;  after  it  is  dry  use  copperas  water 
to  blacken  it.  Be  careful  and  not  use  too  much 
copperas. — {Dark  Brown.) — 5  pounds  of  oak 
bark;  4  pounds  of  fustic;  14  ounces  of  logwood. 
Use  alum  water  (strong)  to  make  it  strike  in. — 
{Drab.) — Mix  blue  clay  with  soft  soap;  add 
blue  vitriol  to  shade  the  color.  It  can  be  made 
any  shade  you  wish. 

D  YEING  FOR  MOROCCO  AND  SHEEP 
LEA  THER. — The  following  colors  may  be  im- 
parted to  leather,  according  to  the  various  uses 
for  which  it  is  intended. — {Blue.) — Blue  is  given 
by  steeping  the  subject  a  day  in  urine  and  indigo, 
then  boiling  it  with  alum  ;  or,  it  may  be  given  by 
tempering  the  indigo,  with  red  wine,  and  washing 
the  skins  therewith.  — {Another.)— BoW  elder- 
berries or  dwarf-elder,  then  smear  and  wash  the 
skins  therewith  and  wring  them  out ;  then  boil 
the  elderberries  as  before  in  a  solution  of  alum- 
water,  and  wet  the  skins  in  the  same  manner 
once  or  twice ,  dry  them,  and  they  will  be  very 


blue. — {Red.) — Red  is  given  by  washing  the 
skin  and  laying  them  2  hours  in  galls,  thenv  ring- 
ing them  out,  dipping  them  in  a  liquor  made 
with  ligustrum,  alum  and  verdigris ;  in  water, 
and  lastly  in  a  dye  made  of  Brazil-wood  boiled 
with  lye. — {Purple.) — Purple  is  given  by  wetting 
the  skins  with  a  solution  of  roche  alum  in  warm 
water,  and  when  dry,  again  rubbing  them  with 
the  hand  with  a  decoction  of  logwood  in  cold  water. 
— {Green.) — Green  is  given  by  smearing  the  skin 
with  sap-green  and  alum-water  boiled. — {Dark 
Green.) — Dark  green  is  given  with  steel-filings 
and  sal  ammoniac,  steeped  in  urine  till  soft,  then 
smeared  over  the  skin,  which  is  to  be  dried  in 
the  shade.  —  (  Yellow. )  —  Yellow  is  given  by 
smearing  the  skin  over  with  aloes  and  linseed- 
oil,  dissolved  and  strained,  or  by  infusing  it  in 
weld. — {Light  Orange. ) — Orange  color  is  given 
by  smearing  it  with  fustic  berries  boiled  in  alum 
water,  or,  for  a  deep  orange,  with  turmeric. — 
{Sky-color.)  —  Sky-color  is  given  with  indigo 
steeped  in  boiling  water,  and  the  next  morning 
warmed  and  smeared  over  the  skin. 

FISH  CULTURE.— T,Too\i  trout  that  hatch 
in  the  winter,  lay  their  first  crop  of  spawn  a  year 
from  the  next  fall;  each  female  producing  about 
300  eggs,  and  doubhng  in  number  yearly  until 
they  reach  about  6,000.  Salmon  begin  spawn- 
ing at  the  same  age  and  time,  and  produce  from 
5,000  to  20,000  eggs,  according  to  the  age  and 
size  of  the  female.  When  these  fish  are  spawned 
and  artificially  impregnated  at  the  proper  time, 
nearly  all  the  ova  hatch,  and  if  kept  in  the  hatch- 
ing boxes  until  they  commence  in  the  spring,  and 
are  then  turned  into  the  stream  they  will  take  of 
themselves.  In  this  way  the  number  of  fish  can 
be  increased  a  hundred  fold  annually  in  each 
river,  beyond  the  natural  increase,  till  the  waters 
are  literally  filled  with  them. — Genetal Directions, 
(as  given  Dy  Mr.  Seth  Green).  Build  your  ponds 
according  to  the  amount  of  water  you  have.  If 
you  have  but  little,  build  small.  The  water 
should  be  changed  every  24  or  48  hours,  and  the 
oftener  it  changes  the  better.  The  trout  can  be 
very  plenty  if  they  have  sufficient  fresh  water 
food.  Impregnated  spawn  can  be  had  from  the 
first  of  November  to  the  first  of  March,  for  ten 
dollars  per  thousand,  shipped  in  moss.  They 
can  be  sent  a  fifty  days'  journey  packed  in  a  box 
with  moss.  I  place  the  moss  box  in  a  tin  pall, 
filled  with  sawdust,  so  that  the  spawn  will  not 
feel  the  changes  of  heat  and  cold.  They  can- 
not be  shipped  with  safety  in  warm  weather. — 
Handling  the  Spawn. — Pick  the  moss  carefully 
of!  from  the  top  of  the  spawn.  Then  put  the 
box  in  a  pan  of  water  and  turn  it  nearly  bottom 
side  up,  and  pick  the  moss  out  very  carefully. 
The  spawn  will  sink  to  the  bottom,  and  you  can 

!)ick  the  moss  out  of  the  pan.  If  there  is  a  little 
eft  in  it  will  do  no  harm.  Then  pour  the  spawn 
in  your  hatching  trough  by  holding  the  edge  o| 
your  pan  under  water,  and  "place"  them  with- 
out touching  the  spawn,  by  agitating  the  wcter 
with  the  bearded  end  of  a  feather.  The  dead 
spawn  will  turn  a  milk  white  color,  and  should 
be  picked  out.  Your  trough  should  be  so  ar- 
ranged that  the  water  will  run  in  at  about  twelve 
feet  per  minute.  The  water  should  be  filtered 
by  running  through  gravel,  or  cloth  screens,  to 
prevent  the  sediment  from  reaching  the  spawn. 
I  run  about  one  inch  of  water  over  my  spawn, 
and  if  any  sediment  gets  on  them  and  is  allowed 
to  remain  there  long,  it  will  surely  kill  them. 


HUNTING,  TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


i8i 


Remove  all  sediment  with  the  bearded  end  of  a 
quill  by  agitating  the  water,  without  touching  the 
spawn. 

Large  ponds  with  but  little  water,  get  too 
warm  in  summer  and  too  cold  in  winter,  for  trout 
to  do  well.  It  is  detrimental  to  have  any  other 
fish  with  trout.  Any  kind  of  fish  or  fi^h  spawn 
is  good  for  feed.  The  young  should  be  fed  twice 
per  day  very  slowly — if  fed  fast  the  feed  sinks 
and  befouls  the  trough,  and  the  trout  will  sicken 
and  die.  If  fed  regularly  and  the  trough  kept 
dean  with  a  good  change  of  water,  and  not  kept 
too  thick,  they  will  live  and  do  well.  If  neg- 
lected they  will  surely  die. —  What  is  death  to 
Spawn. — The  sun,  sediment,  rats,  mice,  snails, 
crawfish  and  many  water  insects.  My  troughs 
are  25  feet  long  and  15  inches  wide.  The  water 
that  feeds  each  trough  would  go  through  a  half- 
inch  hole  with  a  three  inch  head.  Use  fine 
gravel  that  has  no  iron  rust  in  it.  My  troughs 
are  three  inches  higher  at  the  head.  The  aver- 
age temperature  of  the  water  is  45  dcgs.,  and 
the  fish  hatch  in  70  days.  Every  degree  colder 
or  warmer  will  make  about  six  days'  difference 
in  hatching.  Trout  hatch  the  soonest  in  warm 
water.  The  sack  of  their  bellies  sustains  them 
for  forty  or  forty-five  days  after  hatching;  then 
they  need  food.  I  use  beef  liver,  chopped  with 
a  razor  or  sharp  knife,  nearly  to  the  consistency 
of  blood.  If  you  have  small  streams  or  shallow 
■water  near  the  head  of  your  pond,  put  a  few 
trout  in  a  place  in  the  stream  and  pond,  and  they 
will  take  care  of  themselves  better  than  you  can. 
The  object  of  distributing  them  is  that  they  wnll 
get  more  food.  All  old  streams  and  ponds  have 
plenty  of  food  for  small  trout  and  large,  which 
you  will  find  by  examining  the  moss,  sticks  and 
stones  in  your  ponds  and  streams,  as  they  are 
full  of  water  insects.       ' 

Young  trout,  one  inch  long,  cost  forty  dollars 
per  thousand  delivered  at  your  nearest  express 
station.  They  can  be  carried  in  cans  or  barrels 
any  distance  when  small,  and  during  the  months 
of  January,  February  and  March.  They  cannot 
be  carried  with  safety  in  warm  w^eather  without 
a  great  deal  more  trouble.  It  takes  as  much 
water  to  support  a  one  year  old  trout  as  it  does  a 
thousand  small  ones,  of  sufiicient  size  for  stock- 
ing ponds  and  for  shipping. 

My  trout  begin  to  spawn  the  first  of  November 
and  cease  the  first  of  March.  Spawning. — 
Fishes,  whether  in  the  freedom  of  nature  or  in 
artificial  receptacles,  show  plainly  enough  the 
approach  of  spawning.  The  belly  of  the  female 
becomes  distended  and  yields  readily  to  pressure. 
There  is  a  fluctuation  under  the  hand,  which 
shows  that  the  eggs  are  free  from  the  ovary  and 
easily  displaced.  This  being  the  case,  take  up 
in  your  left  hand  a  female  fish,  and  hold  it  sus- 
pended by  the  head  and  thorax  over  a  flat-bot- 
tomed vessel  containing  clear  water.  Then  with 
the  right  hand  passed  from  above  downwards, 
squeeze  the  loosened  eggs  through  the  anal 
opening.  A  male  fish  is  then  taken,  and  the 
milt  is  expressed  in  the  same  way,  though  often 
it  flows  by  the  mere  act  of  suspending.  This 
substance,  white  and  cream-like,  soon  gives  to 
the  water  the  appearance  of  whey.  To  insure 
effectual  fecundation,  the  mixture  in  this  state 
should  be  gently  stirred  with  the  hand,  or  with 
a  soft  brush.  It  requires  but  2  or  3  minutes  to 
accomplish  the  fecundation. 

FISHING.— Rods /or  .—At  aU  fishing  tackle 


shops,  rods  made  of  vine,  bamboo,  hazel,  and 
hickory,  of  various  lengths  and  fashions,  may  be 
procured;  some  are  made  to  fit  into  canvas  bags, 
whilst  others  resemble  walking  canes ;  the  for- 
mer, however,  are  decidedly  the  best,  being 
longer  and  better  made,  as  the  joints  are  more 
carefully  fitted  together.  The  rod  should,  when 
put  together,  taper  gradually  from  the  butt  end 
to  the  top,  and  should  be  perfectly  straight  and 
even.  For  general  purposes,  a  rod  of  about 
twelve  feet  in  length  is  the  most  convenient ;  but 
in  wide  rivers,  fifteen  and  eighteen  feet  rods  are 
required.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  a  rod  for 
each  kind  of  fishing,  as  by  such  an  arrangement 
they  can  be  kept  in  complete  order,  and  ready 
for  immediate  ser\-ice.  The  rods  should  be 
ringed  to  guide  the  line  from  the  reel ;  and  when 
screwing  the  joints  together,  particular  attention 
should  be  paid  to  these  rings  to  see  that  they 
run  regularly  on  the  under  side  of  the  rod,  so 
that  there  may  not  be  the  least  likelihood  of  the 
line  getting  twisted.  The  rods  should  always 
be  kept  in  a  place  of  moderate  temperature, 
neither  too  dry  nor  too  moist ;  as  in  the  former 
case  they  w'ould  become  brittle,  and  in  the  latter, 
rotten ;  in  warm,  dry  weather,  if  the  joints  are 
slightly  shrunk,  they  may  be  moistened  a  little 
to  make  them  adhere  better;  but  if,  through 
being  too  wet,  they  stick  together  so  that  you 
cannot  readily  take  them  to  pieces,  wait  till  they 
dry,  rather  than  strain  them  by  a  forcible  separ- 
ation. It  is  a  good  plan  to  varnish  the  rods  once 
in  two  or  three  years  with  copal  varnish,  or  else 
with  india  rubber  dissolved  over  a  slow  fire  in 
linseed  oil ;  either  of  these  preparations  preserves 
the  rods,  but  especial  care  must  be  taken,  when 
re-varnishing,  to  scrape  off  the  old  surface  before 
putting  on  the  new;  and  the  same  precaution 
should  be  taken  if  the  rods  are  carried  to  a  fish- 
ing tackle  warehouse  to  be  repaired, 

FISHING,  Lines  for. — The  most  serviceable 
lines  are  made  of  pure  horsehair,  for  such  as  are 
composed  of  hair  and  silk,  from  retaining  the 
water,  soon  become  rotten ;  neither  can  they  be 
thrown  with  the  same  precision,  as  they  get  soft 
and  flabby,  and  fall  hea\-ily  on  the  w^ater.  Good 
lines  should  be  perfectly  twisted,  round,  and 
without  any  irregularities,  and  in  point  of  color 
those  which  are  of  a  light  gray,  or  brown,  or 
white,  are  the  most  useful:  some  anglers,  how- 
ever, prefer  a  light  sorrel  tint.  The  bottom  or 
casting  line  for  fly  fishing,  which  is  affixed  to  the 
line  on  the  reel,  must  be  of  gut,  and  of  about  the 
same  length  as  the  rod ;  the  gut  should  be  strong 
at  the  top,  and  very  fine  at  the  dropper  or  bot- 
tom, and  before  any  flies  are  made  upon  it,  it 
should  be  picked  and  tried  to  see  that  it  is  of  a 
uniform  thickness  throughout, 

FISHING,  F/oats  for.— Floats  can  always  be 
procured  ready  made,  of  all  sizes  and  every 
variety  of  shape.  For  small  fish  and  slow  streams, 
quill  floats  will  be  found  the  best,  and  in  strong 
and  rapid  rivers,  or  for  the  larger  kinds  of  fish, 
cork  floats  can  be  employed.  If  the  angler  pre- 
fers making  cork  floats  to  purchasing  them,  he 
must  procure  a  piece  of  fine  grained  sound  cork, 
and  bore  a  hole  through  it  with  a  small  red  hot 
iron,  then  put  in  a  quill  which  wi41  exactly  fit  the 
aperture,  and  afterward  cut  the  cork  into  the 
shape  of  a  pear.  When  this  is  finished  he  must 
grind  it  smooth  with  pumice  stone,  and  paint 
and  varnish  it;  and  if  he  uses  two  or  three  bright 
colors  in  the  painting  he  will  add  much  to  the 


l82 


DICTION-ARY OF EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


gaiety  of  its  appearance.  The  cork  float  should 
swim  perpendicularly  in  the  water,  so  that  it  may 
betray  the  slightest  nibble,  and  must  be  carefully 
poised  by  fastening  a  few  shot  on  the  line ;  the 
sizes  of  shot  proper  for  this  purpose  are  from 
swan  shot  down  to  No.  4;  they  should  be  split 
about  half  way  through  with  a  small  chisel,  so  as 
to  make  a  gap  sufficiently  wide  to  admit  the  line, 
and  when  the  latter  is  put  in  the  gap  should  be 
closed  with  a  pair  of  pliers. 

FISHING,  Reels  for.— K  reel  is  very  useful, 
as  with  its  assistance  parts  of  a  river  may  be 
reached  which  could  not  otherwise  be  attemp- 
ted, it  enables  the  angler  also  to  play  his  fish 
•with  the  greatest  ease  and  certainty.  When 
purchasing  a  reel,  a  multiplying  one  should  be 
•  selected,  as  it  is  superior  to  all  others,  and  en- 
ables the  angler  to  lengthen  and  shorten  his  line 
rapidly.  It  must  be  kept  clean  and  well  oiled, 
and  great  care  taken  that  no  grit  of  any  kind 
gets  into  it. 

FISHING,  Hooks  for. — Hooks  are  of  various 
patterns  and  sizes,  beginning  at  No.  I,  which  is 
the  largest  salmon  size,  and  ending  at  No.  14, 
called  the  smallest  midge.  American  hooks  are 
also  very  good,  especially  those  made  by  Clarke's 
patent.  Limerick  hooks  are  excellent ;  and  those 
made  in  Dublin,  marked  with  2  F's,  2  B's,  and 
so  on,  are  second  to  none.  A  bad  hook,  be  it 
remembered,  is  worse  than  a  bad  knife,  only  fit 
to  be  thrown  away. 

WTien  fastening  the  hooks  on  your  lines,  use 
strong  but  fine  silk,  and  if  you  can  get  it  near 
the  color  of  your  bait,  so  much  the  better ;  wax 
the  silk  thoroughly  with  shoemaker's  wax,  and 
wrap  it  four  or  five  times  round  the  body  of  the 
hook,  then  place  the  gut  or  hair  on  the  inside  of 
your  hook,  and  continue  winding  the  silk  tightly 
round  till  you  have  wrapped  it  about  three  parts 
down  the  hook. 

Whipping  is  finished  off  by  slipping  the  end  of 
the  silk  through  the  last  circle,  and  drawing  it 
tight.  Knotting,  by  laying  two  pieces  of  gut  or 
hair  together,  one  overlapping  the  other  some 
three  inches  or  so,  then  holding  one  end  in  the 
left  hand,  while  forming  a  simple  slip  knot  on  it ; 
then  turning  the  other  end  to  the  right,  and  doing 
the  same ;  after  that  drawing  the  two  together, 
when  the  knot  is  complete.  No  direct  pull  will 
ever  unloosen  this  water  knot,  though  it  can  be 
undone  easily.  Gut  is  obtained  from  the  silk- 
worm. Gimp  is  any  kind  of  tackle  covered  with 
fine  brass  wire,  to  protect  it  from  the  teeth  of 
fish,  sharp  stones,  or  other  injury. 

FISHING,  Baits  for. — Fish,  in  their  natural 
element,  take  such  baits  as  the  changing  seasons 
produce,  and  will  not  at  one  time  of  the  year  bite 
at  the  same  bait  which  they  may  be  caught  with 
at  another;  for  instance,  in  the  spring  and  autumn, 
worms  may  be  used  all  day  long,  but  in  summer, 
worms  must  only  be  used  early  and  late,  morn- 
ing and  evening.  An  earth-worm  is  naturally 
the  first  bait  the  young  angler  looks  out  for:  it  is 
always  to  be  had,  is  put  on  the  hook  without 
difficulty,  and  (exceptmg  at  the  times  above 
stated)  may  always  be  used  for  certain  kinds  of 
fish,  with  the  certainty  of  hooking  something,  if 
proper  patience  is  used.  When  baiting  with  a 
worm,  the  hook  should  be  put  in  close  to  the 
top  of  the  worm's  head,  and  then  passed  care- 
fully down,  gently  working  tho  worm  up  the 
hook  at  the  same  time.  Not  more  than  a  quarter 
of  an  inch  of  the  worm  should  be  left  hanging 


over  the  hook.  To  scour  or  starve  these  worms, 
and  get  rid  of  the  earthy  matter  they  contain, 
they  must  be  placed  in  damp  moss,  not  soddened 
with  water,  but  only  damp.  In  creeping  through 
the  fibers  of  tlae  moss,  they  compress  and  empty 
themselves. 

The  ash-grub,  which  is  found  in  the  rotten 
bark  of  a  tree  that  has  been  felled  some  time,  is 
an  excellent  bait  for  all  small  "pan"  fish,  such 
as  chub,  sun-fish,  perch,  etc.,  and  may  be  used 
all  the  year  round ;  it  should  be  kept  in  wheat 
bran.  All  grubs  or  worms  make  good  bait  for 
little  fresh  water  fish.  \ 

Grasshoppers  are  good  baits  during  June,  July, 
and  August ;  their  legs  and  wings  must  be  taken 
off  before  they  are  put  on  the  hook. 

Shrimp  are  good  for  bass,  tom  cod,  and  lafay- 
ette  fish.  Crab  and  clam  are  good  bait  for  these 
also,  shedder  crab  especially. 

FISHING,  Paste  Baits  for.— {Cheese  Pastes.) 
Take  some  old  cheese  and  the  crumb  of  white 
bread,  and  mix  them  up  to  a  tolerable  degree  of 
consistency,  and  you  will  make  a  good  bait  for 
chub.  ( IV/iite  Bread  Paste. )  Knead  crumbs  of 
white  bread  dippgd  in  honey  in  the  palm  of  your 
hand  until  they  attain  a  fair  degree  of  consistency; 
it  is  good  for  small  fish.  (  Wheat  Paste. )  Pro- 
cure some  new  wheat,  remove  the  husks,  and 
afterward  pound  it;  then  pour  some  milk  or 
water  over,  and  gently  simmer  the  composition ; 
when  cold,  it  will  be  somewhat  like  a  jelly,  and 
a  very  small  piece  only  should  be  put  on  the 
hook. 

Paste  baits  are  not  at  all  adapted  for  swift,  run- 
ning streams,  but  for  quiet  brooks,  ponds,  or  very 
still  rivers ;  you  must  be  sharp  of  eye,  and  quick 
to  strike,  otherwise  both  fish  and  bait  will  give 
you  the  slip.  A  quill  float  is  better  than  a  cork 
one  when  baiting  with  paste,  as  it  betrays  the 
slightest  nibble. 

FISHING,  Ground  Bait  for. — Ground  baiting 
is  a  most  essential  part  of  angling,  and  ought 
never  to  be  omitted,  as  success  in  bottom  or  float 
fishing  cannot  be  expected,  unless  the  proper 
means  for  drawing  the  fish  together  are  resorted 
to.  The  object  for  throwing  bait  into  the  water, 
is  to  collect  fish  to  one  particular  spot,  and  then 
to  use  a  superior  kind  of  bait,  though  of  a  simi- 
lar kind,  on  the  hook.  Thus,  if  going  to  angle 
with  earth  worms,  throw  in  for  ground  bait 
those  that  are  unscoured,  and  fish  with  those 
that  are  well  scoured. 

For  small  creek  fish,  mix  bran  and  clay  to- 
gether into  lumps  about  the  size  of  an  apple ; 
place  some  grubs  in  the  middle,  and  close  the 
clay  over  them.  It  is  a  very  useful  bait  in  a  still 
pond,  hole,  or  slight  eddy. 

Or  take  the  crumb  of  white  bread,  soak  it  in 
water,  squeeze  it  almost  dry,  add  bran,  and  work 
them  up  together  until  they  acquire  the  consist- 
ency of^clay. 

Brewer's  grains  will  also  be  found  very  ser- 
viceable ;  they  must  be  perfectly  fresh. 

Grubs,  worms,  the  toughest  parts  of  crabs, 
lobsters,  or  clams,  may  be  thrown  in  without 
taking  the  trouble  of  working  them  into  balls  or 
clay,  if  the  water  is  perfectly  still;  but  if  you/ire 
fishing  in  a  stream,  such  a  system  of  ground  bait- 
ing is  injurious,  as  they  are  carried  away  by  the 
stream,  and  draw  the  fish  from  the  spot. 

FISH,  Chinese  Art  of  Cntchitig. — Take  Coc- 
culus  Indicus,  pulverize  and  mix  with  dough, 
then  scatter  it  broadcast  over  the  water  as  you 


HUNTING,  TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


183 


would  sow  seed.  The  fish  will  seize  it  with  great 
avidity,  and  will  instantly  become  so  intoxicated 
that  they  will  turn  belly  up  on  top  of  the  water, 
by  dozens,  hundreds  or  thousands,  as  the  case 
may  be.  All  that  you  now  have  to  do,  is  to  have 
a  boat  or  other  convenience  to  gather  them  up, 
and  as  you  gather,  put  them  into  a  tub  of  clean 
water,  and  presently  they  will  be  as  lively  and 
healthy  as  ever. 

FISH,  Charms. — ^The  so  called  fish  charms,  as 
given  in  many  books  and  retailed  as  great  secrets, 
are  as  a  rule  a  mass  of  nonsense,  and  when  em- 
ployed successfully  make  the  fish,  caught,  un- 
desirable for  eating,  impregnated  more  or  less  as 
they  must  be,  with  the  "charms".  These  re- 
marks apply  also  to  the  above  "Chinese  art  of 
catching".  The  only  legitimate  way  of  catching 
fish  is  by  the  hook  and  net  and  no  other  should 
be  resorted  to.  Some  of  these  "secrets"  are  as 
follows :  For  bait,  take  a  handful  of  swamp-apple 
blossoms;  put  them  in  a  glass  jar  or  bottle, 
together  with  a  gill  of  rum;  cork  the  bottle  tight 
and  let  it  stand  in  the  sun  for  three  or  four  hours; 
then  take  half  a  pint  of  water  that  is  found  in 
places  where  grows  the  plant  commonly  termed 
flytrap.  This  plant,  the  botanical  name  of  which 
is  dioncea  muscipula,  vegetates  in  quag  moss 
around  fresh  ponds.  Saturate  your  bait  with  the 
liquid  two  or  three  hours  before  using.  The 
liquid  should  be  kept  in  a  wooden  or  earthen 
vessel.  Another  is  to  put  the  oil  of  RhocUum  on 
the  bait  when  fishing  with  a  hook,  and  you  will 
always  succeed;  or,  take  the  juice  of  smallage  or 
lovage,  and  mix  with  any  kind  of  bait.  As  long 
as  there  remain  any  kind  of  fish  within  many 
yards  of  your  hook,  you  will  find  yourself  busy 
pulling  them  out-  Or,  get  over  the  water  after 
tbrk,  with  a  light  and  a  dead  fish  that  has  been 
smeared  with  the  juice  of  stinking  gladwin.  The 
fish  will  gather  around  you  in  large  quantities, 
and  can  easily  be  scooped  up. 

FISHING,  without  Nets,  Lines,  Spears, 
Snares,  '^Bobs",  or  Bait. — The  following  plan 
we  have  known  used  with  great  success  to  catch 
fish  in  winter,  in  Pennsylvania.  Where  the  water 
was  clear  and  still,  say  the  back  water  of  a  dam, 
it  would  often  freeze  hard  enough  to  make  good 
skating  and  yet  the  ice  would  be  so  clear  that  the 
fish  could  be  seen  lying  at  the  bottom  or  lazily 
moving  about.  By  striking  the  ice  (not  to  hard) 
immediately  over  the  fish,  a  sufficient  concussion 
would  be  produced  to  stun  the  fish.  It  would 
immediately  turn  over  and  come  up  to  the  ice, 
its  white  belly  showing  clearly  against  the  ice 
below,  when  we  proceeded  to  cut  a  hole  and  take 
out  the  fish.  A  mallet  generally  was  used  to 
strike  the  ice,  as  we  produced  a  stunning  blow 
with  it  without  killing  the  fish,  as  would  be  likely 
to  occur  were  the  blow  struck  with  the  poll  ol 
the  ax.  On  taking  the  fish  home  and  putting 
them  into  water — although  some  or  all  would  be 
frozen  stiff,  quite  a  number  would  often  revive, 
and  it  was  to  produce  this  result  that  the  mallet 
was  preferred  to  strike  with. 

FISHING,  With.  Natural  Fly.— This  con- 
sists in  fishing  with  the  living  flies,  grasshoppers, 
etc.,  which  are  found  on  the  banks  of  the  rivers 
't)r  lakes  where  you  are  fishing ;  it  is  practiced 
with  a  long  rod,  running  tackle,  and  fine  line. 
When  learning  this  system  of  angling,  begin  by 
fishing  close  under  the  banks,  gradually  increas- 
ing your  distance  until  you  can  throw  your  live 
bait  across  the  stream,  screening  yourself  behind 


a  tree,  a  bush,  or  a  cluster  of  weeds,'  otherwise 
you  will  not  have  the  satisfaction  of  lifting  a 
single  fVsh  out  of  the  water.  In  rivers  where 
immense  quantities  of  weeds  grow  in  the  sum- 
mer, so  as  almost  to  check  the  current,  you  must 
fish  where  the  stream  runs  most  rapidly,  taking 
care  that  in  throwing  your  line  into  those  parts 
you  do  not  entangle  it  among  the  weeds.  Draw 
out  only  as  much  line  as  will  let  the  fly  touch 
the  surface,  and  if  the  wind  is  at  your  back,  it 
will  be  of  no  material  service  to  you  in  carrying 
the  fly  lightly  over  the  water.  In  such  places 
the  water  is  generally  still,  and  your  bait  must 
if  possible  be  dropped  with  no  more  noise  than 
the  living  fly  would  make  if  it  fell  into  the  water. 
Keep  the  top  of  your  rod  a  little  elevated,  and 
frequently  raise  and  depress  it  and  move  it  to 
and  fro  very  gently  in  order  that  the  fly  by  its 
shifting  about  may  deceive  the  fish  and  tempt 
them  to  make  a  bite.  The  instant  your  bait  is 
taken,  strike  smartly,  and  if  the  fish  is  not  so 
large  as  to  overstrain  and  snap  your  tackle,  haul 
it  out  immediately,  as  you  may  scare  away  many 
while  trying  to  secure  one.  There  are  very 
many  baits  which  may  be  used  with  success  in 
natural  fly  fishing,  of  which,  however,  we  shall 
content  ourselves  with  enumerating  some  of  the 
most  usual  and  useful. 

Wasps,  hornets  and  humble  bees  are  esteemed 
good  baits  for  dace,  eels,  roach,  bream  and  chub; 
they  should  be  dried  in  an  oven  over  the  fire, 
and  if  not  overdone,  they  will  keep  a  long  while. 

FISHING,  With  Arti/icialFly.—Ar\.\fidsL\fiy 
fishing  consists  in  the  use  of  imitations  of  these  flies 
and  of  other  fancy  flies,  and  is  unquestionably  the 
most  scientific  mode  of  angling,  requiring  great 
tact  and  practice  to  make  the  flies  with  neatness 
and  to  use  them  successfully,  and  calling  forth  as 
it  does  so  much  more  skill  than  the  ordinary 
method  of  bottom  fishing,  it  merits  its  superior 
reputation.  It  possesses  many  advantages  over 
bottom  fishing,  but  at  the  same  time  it  has  its 
disadvantages ;  it  is  much  more  cleanly  in  its 
preparations,  inasmuch  as  it  does  not  require  the 
angler  to  grub  for  clay  and  work  up  a  quantity 
of  ground  baits,  and  is  not  so  toilsome  in  its 
practice,  fot  the  only  encumbrances  which  the 
fly  fisher  has  are  simply  a  light  rod,  a  book  of 
flies,  and  whatever  fish  he  may  chance  to  catch ; 
but  there  are  several  kinds  of  fish  which  will  not 
rise  at  a  fly,  and  even  those  that  do  will  not  be 
lured  from  their  quiet  retreat  during  very  wet  or 
cold  weather.  It  would  be  as  well  if  the  young 
angler  could  go  out  for  some  little  time  with  an 
old  experienced  hand,  to  observe  and  imitate  his 
movements  as  closely  as  possible;  but  as  many 
of  our  readers  will  not,  in  all  probability,  be 
able  to  enjoy  such  an  advantage,  we  subjoin  some 
instructions  by  which  they  may  pursue  this  in- 
teresting branch  of  angling. 

FISH,  Skinning  and  Mounting. — This  class 
of  animals  possess  many  beauties,  which  when 
removed  from  their  native  element,  vanish  for- 
ever, and  it  is  in  vain  for  the  taxidermist  to  try 
to  imitate  those  iridescent  tints  which  characterize 
the  living  specimens.  The  best  he  can  do  is  to 
preserve  in  form  and  general  outline  those  char- 
acteristics by  which  he  may  be  able  to  recognize 
his  subject.  Before  proceeding  to  describe  the 
operation  of  skinnijig,  it  may  be  well  to  state 
that  the  scales,  as  well  as  their  color,  may  be 
preserved  to  a  certain  degree  by  applying  tissue- 
paper  to  them,  which  from  the  natural  glutinous 


184 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


matter  which  covers  the  scales  will  adhere  firmly; 
this  being  allowed  to  remain  until  the  skin  has 
dried,  may  be  easily  removed  by  moistening  with 
a  damp  cloth.  All  small  fish  should  be  mounted 
in  section,  while  the  larger  varieties  may  be 
preserved  entire.  Suppose  the  fish  to  be  of  such 
a  size  as  to  be  mounted  in  section.  First,  it  is 
necessary  that  it  be  as  fresh  as  possible,  as  the 
scales  will  become  detached  if  decay  be  allowed 
to  commence.  Lay  the  fish  on  one  side,  and 
cover  the  side  uppermost  with  tissue-paper,  as 
stated  above ;  also  extend  the  fins  by  means  of 
the  same,  and  allow  them  to  remain  a  few  mo- 
ments until  they  become  fixed  and  dry;  this  will 
be  a  protection  to  the  fins  and  scales  during  the 
process  of  skinning.  Ha\nng  provided  yourself 
with  a  dariip  cloth,  spread  it  smoothly  upon  the 
table,  and  place  the  fish  upon  it  with  the  papered 
side  down.  With  the  dissecting-scissors  cut  the 
skin  along  a  line  following  the  contour  of  the 
body,  but  a  little  below  the  extreme  dorsal  edge, 
and  a  little  above  the  ventral  one,  and  remove 
the  skin  included  within  this  line.  The  remain- 
ing skin  must  now  be  detached  from  the  flesh, 
beginning  at  the  head  and  separating  it  down- 
ward toward  the  tail.  The  spine  must  be  severed 
close  to  the  head,  and  also  at  the  tail,  and  the 
entire  body  removed.  All  the  flesh  having  been 
taken  from  the  skin,  and  the  eyes  removed,  the 
inside  must  be  wiped  out  and  the  preservative 
apphed.  It  is  necessary  here  to  repeat  the  caution 
not  to  use  any  unnecessary  strain  that  will  be 
liable  to  distend  the  skin.  The  skin  should  now 
be  filled  with  cotton  or  tow,  and  this  must  be 
laid  so  evenly  that  there  shall  be  no  prominences 
upon  the  outside  of  the  same.  When  filled,  it 
should  be  laid  with  the  open  side  down,  upon  a 
board  of  proper  dimensions  previously  prepared, 
and  fastened  to  it  by  means  of  small  tacks,  com- 
mencing at  the  head,  and  fastening  the  edges 
downward  toward  the  tail.  It  should  then  be  set 
aside  in  the  air  to  dry,  care  being  taken  not  to 
expose  it  to  the  rays  of  the  sun.  W^hen  dry  the 
paper  which  covers  the  exposed  side,  and  with 
which  the  rays  are  distended,  may  be  removed 
in  the  manner  previously  stated,  and  the  glass 
eyes  inserted  with  a  little  putty.  As  the  glass 
eyes  used  by  taxidermists  are  generally  -too 
spherical,  and  polished,  it  is  well  to  manufacture 
them  of  wood,  using  common  paint  to  restore 
the  color,  avoiding  the  use  of  varnish.  Finally,  the 
skin  should  receive  a  coat  of  thin  colorless  varnish, 
after  which  it  is  ready  for  the  cabinet.  In  sharks 
and  large  fishes  an  incision  should  be  made  be- 
low the  head  at  its  base,  along  the  ridge  of  the 
back,  following  to  either  side  of  the  dorsal  fin 
down  to  the  tail.  The  skin  can  then  be  separated 
on  each  side,  and  by  severing  the  vertebrae  at 
the  head  and  tail,  the  entire  body  may  be  re- 
moved. The  tail  having  been  skinned,  the  head 
should  be  pushed  inward  and  the  skin  passed 
over  it,  when  all  the  cartilage  can  be  freely  cut 
away.  In  stuffing  these  large  species  it  becomes 
necessary  to  use  a  body  support,  and  a  bar  of 
light  wood  may  be  used  for  this  purpose ;  this 
should  enter  the  skull,  thereby  being  more  easily 
kept  in  position,  and  extend  to  the  base  of  the 
tail.  Hooks  can  be  fastened  to  this  bar,  and  by 
means  of  wire  the  specimen  can  be  suspended 
from  above.  The  body  should  then  be  stuffed 
with  hay,  and  the  incision  upon  the  back  carefully 
sewed  up.  If  the  first  coat  of  varnish  is  observed 
to  rise  in  scales,  it  should  be  removed  with  a  so- 


lution of  nitric  acid  and  water,  and  the  skin 
allowed  to  dry,  when  a  second  application  of 
varnish  will  ever  afterward  remain  quite  solid. 

lOXES,  To  Trap. — The  trap  should  be  well 
smeared  with  blood,  or  beeswax,  to  destroy  the 
odor  of  the  iron.  Set  it  in  soft  earth,  packing 
moss  or  leaves  lightly  around  the  pan  and  jaws. 
Bait  with  fried  meat.  An  old  trapper  says  :  "to 
make  the  allurement  doubly  sure,  obtain  from 
the  female  of  the  dog,  fox  or  wolf,  the  matrix,  in 
the  season  of  coition,  and  preserve  it  in  alcohol, 
tightly  corked.  Leave  a  ."^mall  portion  of  it  on 
something  near  the  trap ;  also,  when  visiting  the 
traps,  put  some  on  your  boots." 

Another  method  is  to  make  a  bed  of  chaff"  in 
the  open  field,  in  a  locality  the  fox  is  supposed 
to  visit,  but  where  it  will  be  least  likely  to  be 
visited  by  passing  hunters.  Visit  it  daily,  and 
stir  into  the  chaff",  very  old  or  toasted  cheese,  or 
scraps  of  meat  made  fine,  using  the  iln.ost  cau- 
tion not  to  change  the  ajipearance  of  the  bed  or 
its  surroundings,  and  making  as  few  tracks  as 
possible.  The  materials  of  which  the  bed  is 
composed  should  not  be  handled  any  more  than 
is  absolutely  necessary.  Too  much  care  cannot 
be  taken  in  making  the  bed ;  for  if  foxes  are 
plenty,  and  you  get  several  to  visit  it,  it  will  last 
for  some  time,  and  will  afford  you  a  great  deal 
of  amusement.  As  soon  as  you  are  satisfied  a 
fox  has  visited  the  bed  regularly  for  five  or  six 
nights,  you  may  put  in  your  trap.  It  should  be 
a  small  sized  double  spring,  and  should  be  fas- 
tened to  a  clog,  light  enough  for  the  fox  to  drag, 
but  heavy  enough  so  that  he  cannot  get  too  far 
away ;  though  if  there  is  snow  on  the  ground, 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  finding  him,  if  he 
goes  some  distance.  He  may  be  caught  the  first 
night,  but  more  likely  than  not,  will  dig  out  your 
trap,  or  show  his  contempt  in  some  other  way, 
compelling  you  to  bring  into  force  all  your  inge- 
nuity, before  your  efforts  are  successful. 

FURS,  HcTM  to  Select. — In  purchasing  furs  a 
sure  test  of  what  dealers  call  a  "prime"  fur  is 
the  length  and  density  of  the  down  next  the  skin ; 
this  can  be  readly  determined  by  blowing  a  brisk 
current  of  air  from  the  mouth  against  the  set  of 
fur.  If  the  fibers  open  readily,  exposing  the  skin 
to  the  view,  reject  the  article ;  but  if  the  down  is 
so  dense  that  the  breath  cannot  penetrate  it,  or 
at  most  shows  but  a  small  portion  of  the  skin, 
the  article  may  be  accepted. 

FURS,  To  Clean. — Strip  the  fur  articles  of 
their  stuffing  and  binding,  and  lay  them  as  much 
as  possible  in  a  flat  position.  They  must  then 
be  subjected  to  a  very  brisk  brushing,  with  a  stiff 
clothes-brush ;  after  this,  any  moth-eaten  parts 
must  be  cut  out,  and  be  neatly  replaced  by  new 
bits  of  fur  to  match.  Sable,  chinchilla,  squirrel, 
fitch,  etc.,  should  be  treated  as  follows  :  warm  a 
quantity  of  new  bran  in  a  pan,  taking  care  that  it 
does  not  burn,  to  prevent  which  it  must  be  ac- 
tively stirred.  When  well  warmed,  rub  it  thor- 
oughly into  the  fur  with  the  hand.  Repeat  this 
two  or  three  times  ;  then  shake  the  fur,  and  give 
it  another  sharp  brushing  until  free  from  dust. 
White  furs,  ermine,  etc.,  may  be  cleaned  as  fol- 
lows :  lay  the  fur  on  the  table,  and  rub  it  well 
with  bran  made  moist  with  warm  water ;  rub  until 
quite  dry,  and  afterward  with  dry  bran.  The  wet 
bran  should  be  put  on  with  flannel,  and  the  dry 
with  a  piece  of  book-muslin.  The  liglit  furs,  in 
addition  to  the  above,  should  be  well  rubbed  with 
magnesia,  or  a  piece  of  book-muslin,  after  the 


HUNTING,   TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


185 


bran  process.  Furs  are  usually  much  improved 
by  stretching,  which  maybe  managed  as  follows: 
to  a  pint  of  soft  water  add  three  ounces  of  salt ; 
dissolve ;  with  this  solution  sponge  the  inside  of 
the  skin  (taking  care  not  to  wet  the  fur),  until  it 
becomes  thoroughly  saturated ;  then  lay  it  care- 
fully on  a  board  with  the  fur  side  downward,  in 
its  natural  disposition ;  then  stretch,  as  much  as 
It  will  bear  to  the  required  shape,  and  fasten  with 
small  tacks.  The  drying  may  be  quickened  by 
placing  the  skin  a  little  (Sstance  from  the  fire  or 
stove. 

FURS,  To  presenie  from  Moth. — Darkness  is 
all  that  is  necessary.  The  "miller,"  the  eggs 
from  which  moths  are  hatched,  only  moves  in 
light ;  the  moths  themselves  work  in  darkness. 
Hang  the  furs  in  a  very  dark  closet  and  keep  the 
'  doors  shut ;  keep  it  always  dark,  and  you  can 
have  no  trouble.  But,  as  closet  doors  are  some- 
times left  open,  the  better  way  is  to  enclose  the 
articles  loosely  in  a  paper,  put  this  in  a  pillow- 
case, or  wrap  around  a  cloth,  and  hang  it  up  in 
a  dark  closet.  Camphors,  spices  or  perfumes 
are  of  no  use.  Continual  darkness  is  sufificient. 
And  do  not  take  out  the  furs  in  June  or  July  to 
give  them  an  "airing,"  for  even  then  cometh  the 
enemy,  and  it  may  be  that,  in  fifteen  minutes 
after  exposure,  it  has  deposited  a  hundred  eggs. 
If  you  consider  an  airing  indispensable,  give  the 
furs  a  good  switching,  and  put  them  quickly  back. 

FURS,  Domestic  Manufacture  of — The  skins 
of  racoons,  minks,  muskrats,  rabbits,  foxes,  deer, 
cats,  dogs,  woodchucks  and  skunks  are  all  va- 
luable. Handsome  robes  may  be  made  from 
the  skins  of  the  last  two  animals  and  the  writer 
has  seen  fur  coats  made  from  the  skins  of  wood- 
chucks,  well  tanned,  dyed  and  trimmed,  which 
were  elegant  as  well  as  comfortable,  and  no  one 
but  a  connoisseur  would  be  able  to  guess  their 
origin.  Of  the  finer  and  nicer  furs,  beautiful  collars, 
muffs,  cuffs,  caps,  gloves  and  trimmings  may  be 
made,  with  a  little  ingenuity  and  perseverance  ; 
and  who  would  not  feel  a  greater  satisfaction  in 
wearing  nice  article,  from  the  fact  that  it  was 
something  of  their  own  manufacture,  a  product 
of  their  own  taste  and  genius  ? 

Very  handsome  floor  mats  are  made  by  tanning 
sheep  pelts,  and  dyeing  them  some  bright  color, 
which  is  done  with  very  little  trouble ;  the  art  of 
dying  is  now  so  familiar  to  almost  every  house- 
hold. Furs  may  be  dyed  as  easily  as  woolen 
goods,  notwithstanding  the  impression  that  it  is 
an  art  known  only  to  the  trade.  Any  dye  that 
will  color  woolens  will  also  dye  furs,  only  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  have  the  dye  too  hot  or  the 
texture  of  the  skin  will  be  injured. 

The  mode  of  tanning  usually  followed  by  city 
furriers,  is  to  rub  the  skins  well  with  rancid  but- 
ter, then  tread  them  thoroughly  in  a  tub  or  vat, 
after  which  a  large  quantity  of  sawdust  is  mixed 
with  them,  and  the  process  of  treading  continued 
until  all  the  grease  is  absorbed,  when  they  are 
finished  off  by  beating,  working  and  rubbing  with 
chalk  and  potter's  clay,  whipping  and  brushing. 
An  old  trapper  practised  this  method  with  small 
skins,  first  washing  with  a  suds  of  soap  and  sal- 
soda  to  free  them  from  grease,  then  rinsing  in 
clear  water  to  cleanse  them  from  the  suds,  then 
rubbing  as  dry  as  possible,  after  which  they  were 
put  into  a  mixture  of  two  ounces  of  salt  to  a  quart 
of  water,  added  to  three  quarts  of  milk  or  bran 
water  containing  one  ounce  of  best  sulphuric 
acid,  and  stirred  briskly  for  forty  or  fifty  minutes; 


from  this  they  are  taken  dripping  into  a  strong 
solution  of  sal-soda  and  stirred  till  they  will,  no 
longer  foam;  they  are  then  hung  to  dry,  when 
they  are  very  soft  and  pliable.  A  very  good  and 
simple  process  in  use  among  farmers  is  to  sprinkle 
the  flesh  side,  after  scraping  it  well,  with  equal 
parts  of  pulverized  alum  and  salt,  or  washing  it 
well  with  a  strong  solution  of  the  same,  then 
folding  the  flesh  side  together,  and  rolling  it 
compactly;  in  which  state  it  should  remain  for 
eight  or  ten  days ;  then  it  is  opened,  sprinkled 
with  bran  or  sawdust  to  absord  the  moisture,  and 
rolled  up  again,  and  after  remaining  24  hours, 
the  process  is  completed  by  a  thorough  rubbing 
and  manipulation,  on  which  the  pliability  de- 
pends. Skins,  when  taken  off,  should  be  freed 
from  grease  or  flesh,  by  thorough  scraping,  when 
they  may  be  dried,  and  left  to  await  the  leisure 
of  the  owner.  Previous  to  tanning  they  must  be 
well  soaked  and  wrung  dry. 

It  is  no  extravagance  to  assert  that  every  farm- 
er's family  may  furnish  their  own  fur  collars, 
gloves,  robes,  and  other  articles  of  dress  and  or- 
nament, with  trifling  expense  from  the  resources 
within  their  own  reach ;  but  from  want  of  more 
knowledge  on  the  subject,  valuable  skins  are 
wasted  or  disposed  of  for  a  mere  fraction  of  their 
real  value,  and  articles  of  apparel  that  should 
have  been  made  from  them  are  bought  at  extra- 
vagant prices  of  fur  dealers. 

GOPHERS,  To  7>«/.— Go  where  they  work; 
find  the  last  mound  made;  open  the  hole,  set  in 
a  common  spring  trap,  cover  with  a  little  light 
sand ;  leave  the  hole  open.  The  gopher  will 
come  to  close  the  hole,  and  get  trapped.  ^ 

GOPHER  TRAP,  H(no  to  Makc—I^t.  a 
hard  piece  of  wood,  about  nine  inches  long,  and 
turn  it  so  that  one  end  will  be  two  and  a  half 
inches  in  diameter  and  the  other  end  three  inches 
gradually  sloping  from  one  end  to  the  other. 
With  a  two  inch  auger  bore  a  hole  in  the  small 
end  eight  inches  deep.  Then  take  a  fine  toothed 
rip  saw  and  split  it  open  from  end  to  end  in  two 
equal  parts.  In  one  of  these  halves  a  spring 
door  is  fixed,  made  of  sheet  iron,  which  is  round 
like  the  opening  and  curved  to  fit  down  in  the 
half.  This  is  made  fast  on  a  hinge  near  the  en- 
trance, with  a  spring  under  it  sufficient  to  raise 
it  to  a  perpendicular,  the  hinge  so  arranged  that 
it  can  only  be  raised  to  a  perpendicular.  Another 
piece  of  sheet  iron,  made  round  to  move  easily 
in  the  two-inch  opening,  is  made  which  is  at- 
tached to  a  long,  narrow  strip  of  iron,  which 
strip  moves  easily  under  two  staples  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  half  to  which  the  door  is  fastened. 

In  order  to  set  the  trap  the  door  is  pressed 
down,  and  the  end  of  this  strip  projects  over  it 
and  thus  holds  the  door  open.  Then  take  the 
two  halves  and  put  them  together,  and  slip  over 
them  a  thin  wide  ring,  made  sloping  like  the  trap, 
and  it  is  ready  for  use. 

With  this  trap  you  go  out  where  the  gopher  is 
at  work,  and  find  his  last  made  hillock,  and  if  it 
is  not  quite  finished,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  stick 
the  trap  in  the  hole,  open  end  downward,  and  in 
a  short  time  he  will  bring  up  his  load  of  dirt, 
and,  in  pressing  against  the  upper  piece  of  iron, 
he  will  push  the  strip  of  iron  from  over  the  door, 
when  the  spring  will  lift  it  up  and  shut  him  in. 

GUNS,  To  Guard  against  Bursting. — It  is 
stated  that  ninety-five  out  of  every  hundred  in- 
stances of  the  bursting  of  a  double-barrel  gun 
can  be  traced  to  defects  in  the  left  barrel.    The 


i86 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


rea-son  is  simply  that  the  right  is  more  frequently 
used  and  reloaded,  perhaps  ten  times  to  the  left 
one  being  discharged  once.  Every  time  the  right 
barrel  is  discharged  the  gunpowder  in  the  left 
is  pulverized  more  or  less  by  tne  shock,  and  the 
settling  of  the  grains  leaves  a  space  between  the 
charge  and  the  wadding.  Hence  when  the  left 
barrel  is  discharged  it  frequently  explodes.  These 
accidents,  it  is  asserted,  can  be  avoided  by  send- 
ing the  ramrod  home  with  one  or  two  smart 
blows  into  the  non-discharged  barrel  every  time 
the  other  is  reloaded. 

GUNS,  How  to  Choose. — ^Whatever  may  be 
the  particular  make  you  prefer,  let  your  gun  be 
a  good  one.  If  you  are  not  competent  to  select 
yourself  it  would  be  best  to  obtain  the  aid  of 
some  capable  and  reliable  friend,  and  we  recom- 
mend you  to  purchase  of  some  dealer  of  estab- 
lished reputation.  The  claims  of  the  different 
makers  can,  in  most  cases,  be  ascertained  from 
their  respective  circulars.  Breech-loaders  have 
several  important  advantages ,  though  many 
sportsmen  retain  a  preference  for  the  old-fash- 
ioned muzzle-loading  gun,  for  its  supposed  su- 
perior shooting  powers.  In  every  other  respect 
the  first  rank  seems  conceded  to  the  breech- 
loader; with  it  the  sportsman's  hand  need  never 
be  at  the  muzzle  under  any  circumstance.  It  is 
far  more  expeditiously  used,  as  powder,  shot,  cap 
and  wadding  are  all  inserted  in  the  barrel  at  the 
same  time ;  and  it  is  far  more  easily  cleaned,  as 
all  that  is  required  is  to  draw  a  piece  of  flannel 
attached  to  a  string  through  the  barrels  once  or 
twice  after  a  days  shooting. 

GUNS,  IIo7v  to  Use  Effectively. — The  secret 
of  success  is  a  very  simple  matter  after  all.  It 
consists  in  aiming  well  forward ;  nine  out  of  ten 
misses  are  owing  to  the  aim  not  being  sufficiently 
forward.  When  game  is  going  from  you  near 
the  ground,  the  aim  should  be  full  high,  or  the 
bulk  of  the  charge,  if  not  the  whole  of  it,  will 
pass  below  it ;  and  when  birds  are  higher  than 
the  gun  going  from  you,  the  aim  should  be 
equally  low,  or  the  charge  will  pass  above  them. 
In  cross-shots  within,  say  thirty-five  or  forty 
yards,  the  aim  should  be  at  least  a  foot  or  a  foot 
and  a  half  in  front  of  it ;  at  greater  distance  the 
allowance  should  of  course  be  more.  In  par- 
tridge shooting,  always  endeavor  to  get  cross- 
shots  if  possible,  and  this  may  generally  be^  done 
by  walkmg  across,  or  heading  your  dog  when 
pointing.  If  you  go  straight  from  him  to  the 
birds,  they  will  generally  go  straight  away ;  birds 
when  flying  across  you  present  a  far  easier  shot, 
and  expose  a  more  vital  part. 

GUN,  {Scattering  Shot)  Hcno  to  Remedy. — 
The  only  remedy  known  to  gun-smiths  is  by 
choke-boring,  that  is,  boring  from  the  breech  of 
the  gun,  and  so  as  to  have  a  gradual  taper  to- 
ward the  muzzle.  This  method  of  boring  greatly 
improves  the  shooting  qualities  of  the  gun,  as 
the  charge  concentrates  at  the  muzzle.  Large 
shot  are  more  apt  to  scatter  than  fine,  but  this 
depends  on  the  bore  of  the  gun.  A  large-bored 
gun  does  not  shoot  fine  shot  so  well  as  medium. 
A  small-bored  gun  throws  fine  shot  with  greater 
force  than  a  large-bored  one.  As  a  general  thing, 
a  small-bored  gun  is  not  adapted  to  large  shot, 
as  it  does  not  chamber  them  well.  The  length 
of  gun  also  depends  on  the  size  of  bore — 28  or 
30  inches  for  a  gun  of  from  10  to  14  gage ;  30  to 
34,  of  guns  from  8  to  10;  26  to  28,  guns  of  15 
to  18  gage. 


GUN,  {Shot)  Hozvto  Clean. — First  place  your 
hammers  at  half-cock,  draw  out  the  lamroa  and 
bolt;  then  lift  the  barrels  from  the  stock  and 
you  are  ready  to  wash.  Place  the  barrels  in  cold 
water,  being  careful  the  water  is  clean  and  that 
there  is  not  any  dirt  or  sand  in  the  pail ;  then 
if  you  have  the  three-jointed  washing  rod  with 
the  necessary  implements  that  accompany  it,  first 
use  the  brush  until  you  have  removed  most  of  the 
dirty  powder;  next  take  tow,  and  wash  until 
you  have  gotten  it  perfectly  clean;  then  take 
soft  cotton  rags,  and  dry  it  out  thoroughly. 
It  is  best  to  rub  the  barrels  until  they  feel  warm 
to  the  hand,  then  you  may  know  your  gun  is  dry, 
and  in  no  danger  of  rusting.  Hot  or  boiling 
water  should  never  be  used  in  the  cleaning  of  a 
shot  gun  because  it  will, —  can  not  help — injur- 
ing the  "temper"  of  it. 

HA  WK  and  Chvl  Traps. — To  catch  hawks  or 
owls,  take  a  pole  20  feet  long,  to  be  set  a  short 
distance  from  the  house  or  barn  or  on  the  poultry 
house.  Split  the  top  so  as  to  admit  the  base  of 
a  common  steel  trap,  w^hich  should  be  made  fast. 
When  both  trap  and  pole  are  set  you  may  be  sure 
of  game  of  some  kind.  These  birds  naturally 
light  on  high  objects  such  as  dead  branches  of 
trees  or  tops  of  stacks,  and  one  should  use  judg- 
ment about  the  place  where  he  puts  the  traps. 
An  open  field,  near  the  chicken  yard,  is  probably 
best. 

HIDES,  New  Mode  of  taking  off. — A  new 
machine  for  taking  off  hides  is  now  in  use  in 
South  America.  The  operation  is  short,  sharp, 
and  decisive,  requiring  only  a  minute  for  each 
hide.  Cold  air  is  forced  by  a  pump  between  the 
flesh  and  the  hide,  and  the  thing  is  done.  The 
process  ought  to  be  an  improvement  on  the  old 
hacking  and  scraping  system. 

HIDES,  {Green)  To  Cure. — A  great  many 
butchers  do  not  use  proper  care  in  this  branch, 
and  the  consequence  is  that  the  hides  will  not 
pass  city  inspection,  owing  entirely  to  the  igno- 
rance and  carelessness  of  persons  preparing  them 
for  market.  The  proper  way  to  salt  hides  is  to 
lay  them  flat,  flesh  side  up,  and  form  a  nearly 
square  bed  say  12  by  15  feet,  folding  in  the  edges 
so  as  to  make  them  as  nearly  solid  as  possible. 
Split  the  ear  in  the  cords  that  run  up  the  ear  in 
each  one,  so  as  to  make  them  lie  out  flat.  Sprinkle 
the  hide  with  two  or  three  shovelfuls  of^coarse 
salt,  as  the  size  may  require — say  for  a  sixty  or 
eighty  pound  hide,  from  ten  to  fifteen  pounds  of 
salt.  At  any  rate  cover  the  hide  well,  as  it  need 
not  be  wasted ;  then  let  them  lie  in  this  from  12 
to  20  days,  after  which  take  them  up,  shake  the 
salt  out  and  use  it  again. 

INSECTS,  To  Rresefve.— After  killing  the 
insect  with  chloroform,  paint  it  with  a  solution  01 
carbolic  acid  in  alcohol — 4  grains  to  the  ounce — 
and  then  dry  in  the  sun.  This  will  keep  it  fresh 
and  beautiful. 

LAMBSKINS,  To  Prepare  for  Ladies  Over- 
coats.— Make  a  strong  suds  with  hot  water;  let 
them  get  cold,  and  wash  the  skins,  squeezing 
them  carefully  to  get  out  all  the  dirt  from  the 
wool ;  wash  the  soap  out  with  clean  cold  water, 
and  cover  them  with  water  for  labours;  then 
hang  them  over  a  pole  to  drain ;  when  partially 
dry,  stretch  them  carefully  on  a  board,  and  when 
a  little  damp,  sprinkle  on  them  an  ounce  each 
of  pulverized  saltpeter  and  alum;  lay  the  flesh 
sides  together,  and  hang  in  the  shade  for  two  or 
three  days,  turning  them  over  every  day  to  bring 


HUNTING,   TRAPPING,  AND  TANNING. 


187 


the  under  skin  upjiermost  till  they  are  perfectly 
dry ;  then  scrape  the  flesh  side  till  all  scraps  of 
flesh  are  removed ;  rub  it  with  pumice  or  rotten 
stone  and  with  the  liands ;  then  lay  the  cloak- 
pattern  down  on  the  flesh  side  of  the  skin,  trace 
It  round  with  a  pencil,  and  cut  it  out  with  a 
sharp  knife ;  overcast  the  edges  together  on  the 
wrong  side,  and  line  with  quilted  silk.  No  col- 
lar, uir,  or  trimming  is  worn  with  an  astrachan 
or  lambskin  cloak. 

LEATHER,  To  Gild  or  Silver.— Ym^y.^^w. 
dered  resin,  and  dust  it  over  the  surface  of  the 
leather,  then  lay  on  the  leaf,  and  apply  (hot)  the 
letters  or  impression  you  wish  to  transfer ;  lastly, 
dust  off" the  loose  metal  with  a  cloth.  The  cloths 
used  for  this  purpose  become,  in  time,  very 
valuable,  and  are  often  sold  to  tlie  refixiers  at  a 
high  price. 

LEA  THER,  Oiling. — Oils  should  not  be  ap- 
plied to  dry  leather,  as  they  will  invariably  injure 
It.  If  you  wish  to  oil  a  harness,  wet  it  over 
night,  cover  it  with  a  blanket,  and  in  the  morn- 
ing it  will  be  dry  and  supple;  then  apply  neat's- 
foot  oil  in  small  quantities,  and  with  so  much 
elbow  grease  as  will  insure  its  disseminating  it- 
self throughout  the  leather.  A  soft,  pliant  har- 
ness is  easy  to  handle,  and  lasts  longer  than  a 
neglected  one.  Never  use  vegetable  oils  on 
leather  and  among  animal  oils  neat's  foot  is  the 
best. 

LEA  THER,  French  Patent.— V^orV  into  the 
skin  with  appropriate  tools  3  or  4  successive 
coatings  of  drying  varnish,  made  by  boiling  lin- 
seed-oil with  white  lead  and  litharge,  in  the  pro- 
portion of  one  pound  of  each  of  the  latter  to  one 
gallon  of  the  former,  and  adding  a  portion  of 
chalk  or  ochre,  each  coating  being  thoroughly 
dried  before  the  application  of  the  rest.  Ivory 
black  is  then  substituted  for  the  chalk  or 'ochre, 
the  varnish  thinned  with  spirits  of  turpentine, 
and  five  additional  applications  made  in  the  same 
manner  as  before,  except  that  it  is  put  on  thin 
and  not  worked  in.  The  leather  is  rubbed  down 
with  pumice-stone,  in  powder,  and  then  placed 
in  a  room  at  90  degrees,  out  of  the  way  of  dust. 
The  last  varnish  is  prepared  by  boiling  %Vo.  of 
asphaltum  with  10  lbs.  of  the  drying  oil  used  in 
the  first  stage  of  the  process,  and  then  stirring  in 
5  lbs.  copal  varnish  and  10  lbs.  of  turpentine.  It 
must  have  i  month's  age  before  using  it. 

LEA  THER,  French  Polish  or  Dressing  for. 
— Mix  2  pts.  best  vinegar  with  l  pt.  soft  water ; 
stir  into  it  ^  ^-  g^"^>  broken  up,  ^  lb.  log- 
wood-chips, %  oz.  of  finely  powdered  indigo,  ^ 
oz.  of  the  best  soft-soap,  ^  oz.  of  isinglass :  put 
the  mixture  over  the  fire,  and  let  it  boil  ten 
minutes  or  more ;  then  strain,  bottle,  and  cork. 
When  cold,  it  is  fit  for  use.  Apply  with  a  sponge. 

LEATHER,  (^Enameled)  To  polish. — 2  pints 
of  the  best  cream ;  I  pint  of  linseed  oil ;  make 
them  each  lukewarm,  and  then  mix  them  well 
together.  Having  previously  cleaned  the  shoe 
from  dirt,  rub  it  over  with  a  sponge  dipped  in 
the  mixture ;  then  rub  it  with  a  soft  dry  cloth 
until  a  brilliant  color  is  produced. 

LEA  THER,  To  Taw.— Soak  the  hide  eight 
or  nine  days  in  water,  then  put  it  in  lime  ;  take 
it  out,  and  remove  the  hair  by  rubbing  it,  and 
soak  it  in  clear  water  until  the  lime  is  entirely 
out.  Put  one  pound  of  alum  to  three  of  salt,  dis- 
solve in  a  vessel  sufficiently  large  to  hold  the 
hide;  soak  the  hide  in  it  three  or  four  days,  then 
take  it  out,  let  it  get  half  dry,  and  then  beat  or 


rub  it  until  it  becomes  pliable.  Leather  prepared 
by  this  process  will  not  do  so  well  for  shoes,  but 
answer  well  for  ham  strings,  back  bands,  and 
various  other  purposes  on  the  farm.  See  "Tan- 
ning" further  on. 

LEATHER  SCRAPS,  To  Utilize.— Utxe  is 
a  method  lately  proposed  by  a  Danish  inventor, 
one  Mr.  Thamsen,  of  Copenhagen.  He  takes 
leather  waste,  cuttings,  shaving  or  other  small 
bits  of  leather,  either  new  or  old,  and  reduces  it 
to  a  kind  of  fibrous  pulp  by  hand-labor  or  by  a 
machine  or  mill,  (either  by  grinding,  pounding, 
cutting,  rasping,  carding,  or  grating);  if  old 
waste  is  used,  it  should  first  be  cleaned  thorough- 
ly. This  matter  or  pulp  is  then  kneaded  with 
India-rubber,  which  is  rendered  fluid  or  dis- 
solved in  oils  or  spirits,  and  treated  with  am- 
monia. Then  he  dissolves  the  India-rubber  in 
oil  of  turpentine.  To  effect  this,  the  India-rubber 
is  cut  into  pieces  and  mixed  with  turpentine, 
after  which  he  lets  it  remain  quiet  in  a  closed  ves- 
sel until  it  is  dissolved.  When  the  India-rubber 
is  dissolved,  he  adds  ammonia  of  a  strength  of 
30  per  cent,  in  the  proportion  of  about  equal  parts 
by  weight  of  ammonia  to  the  India-rubber  con- 
tained in  the  solution ;  when  the  mass  has  be- 
come of  a  grayish-white  color,  it  is  ready  to  be 
mixed  with  the  pulp. 

Another  and  better  mode  is  as  follows.  The 
scraps  are  first  cleansed,  then  soaked  in  water 
containing  I  per  cent.of  sulphuric  acid  until  the 
material  becomes  soft  and  plastic,  and  afterward 
compressed  into  blocks  ana  dried  by  steam.  In 
order  to  soften  the  blocks  one  pound  of  glycerine 
is  added  to  100  pounds  of  material ;  they  are 
then  passed  through  rollers,  and  brought  to  the 
proper  thickness  to  be  used  as  inner  soles  of 
boots  and  shoes. 

MINK  BREEDING,  To  Trap  YoimgMink. 
— Adult  minks  are  almost  untamable,  but  young 
ones  readily  submit  to  handling,  and  are  easily 
domesticated.  The  time  to  secure  young  minks 
is  in  May  and  June,  when  they  begin  to  run 
with  their  dams.  The  streams  must  be  quietly 
watched  for  mink  trails,  and  these  tracked  to  the 
nest.  When  they  leave  the  hole  the  old  one  may 
be  shot,  and  the  young  ones  secured,  or,  they 
may  be  dug  out.  Those  who  own  a  breeding 
stock  of  minks  ask  high  prices  for  them ;  but 
trappers  represent  to  us  that  it  is  an  easy  matter, 
with  a  little  patience,  to  get  the  wild  young  ones. 
Habits. — A  successful  breeder  says  that  he  does 
not  attempt  to  tame  the  wild  mink,  but  only  aims 
to  supply  for  it  in  a  small  space  all  the  neces- 
sities of  its  natural  instincts.  He  says  the  mating 
season  commences  about  the  first  of  March,  and 
lasts  two  weeks,  never  varying  much  from  that 
date.  The  female  carries  her  young  about  six 
weeks.  In  the  minkery,  where  diet,  water,  tem- 
perature, etc.,  are  similar  with  each  animal,  there 
IS  so  little  difference  in  the  time  of  mating  and 
time  of  bearing  young  in  different  animals,  that 
five  out  of  six  litters  dropped  last  spring,  were 
born  within  twelve  hours  of  each  other.  The 
young  are  blind  from  four  to  five  weeks,  but  are 
very  active,  and  playful  as  kittens.  The  mother 
weans  them  at  from  eight  to  ten  weeks  old.  At 
four  weeks  the  mother  begins  to  feed  them  meat ; 
this  they  learn  to  suck  before  they  have  teeth  to 
eat  it.  The  nests  in  which  the  young  are  born 
are  lined  by  the  mother  with  soft  material,  and 
are  made  in  the  hollow  of  some  old  stump,  or 
between  the  projecting  roots  of  some  old  tree. 


i88 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


and  always  where  it  is  perfectly  dry.  The  nest 
is  located  near  pure  running  water,  which  the 
mother  visits  twice  every  twenty-four  hours.  She 
feeds  her  young  on  frogs,  fish,  birds,  mice,  crabs, 
etc.,  etc.  The  mink  is  from  birth  a  pattern  of 
neatness  and  cleanliness,  and  as  soon  as  a  nest 
begins  to  get  foul  and  offensive,  she  takes  one  of 
the  young  in  her  mouth,  and  depositing  it  in  a 
clean,  suitable  place,  builds  a  nest  about  it,  and 
then  brings  the  balance  of  the  litter.  She  feeds 
and  cares  for  them  until  they  are  three  and  a-half 
or  tour  months  old.  When  the  young  are  weaned, 
about  the  loth  of  July,  she  builds  her  nest  near 
the  water,  in  which  the  young  soon  learn  to  play. 
There  are  usually  four  in  a  litter,  though  the 
number  ranges  from  two  to  six.  Towards  fall 
the  mother  separates  them  into  pairs.  One  pair 
— or  if  the  number  be  odd,  the  odd  one-^is  left 
in  the  nest;  the  other  pair,  or  pairs,  she  places 
often  half  a  mile  from  each  other,  and  then  seeks 
new  quarters  for  herself.  The  young  soon  se- 
parate, and  each  one  catches  his  own  frogs. 
They  do  not  pair,  but  the  male  is  a  sort  of  rover 
and  freelover.  Minks,  are  unsociable,  petulant, 
vicious  in  play,  savage  in  war.  Late  in  the  fall 
they  establish  regular  runways  from  one  stream 
to  another,  and  usually  under  brush,  fallen  trees, 
weeds,  swale  and  under  banks — anywhere,  in 
fact,  where  they  can  avoid  the  sunshine  and 
escape  the  chances  of  observation.  The  mink  is 
a  sure  prophet,  and  just  before  hard  winter 
begins,  he  lays  by  a  store  of  food  for  the  winter 
in  safe  places,  near  his  winter  nests,  of  which  he 
has  several.  As  the  snows  fall  he  burrows 
under  the  snow,  where  he  remains  until  about 
February,  when  his  supply  of  food  is  ex- 
hausted and  he  is  forced  to  search  further  for  food. 
Management  of . — Mink  being  by  nature  solitary 
wandering  creatures,  being  seldom  seen  in  com- 
pany except  during  the  breeding  season,  are 
therefore  impossible  to  be  reared  successfully,  if 
large  numbers  are  kept  constantly  together  there- 
fore their  inclosure  should  be  a  large  one. — The 
male  and  female  should  be  permitted  to  be  to- 
gether frequently  from  the  middle  of  February 
until  the  middle  of  March.  At  all  other  times 
keep  them  entirely  separate.  The  young  mink 
make  their  appearance  about  the  first  of  May. 
When  wild  in  the  woods  they  will  seldom  vary 
five  days  from  this  time;  but  when  kept  in  con- 
finement there  is  greater  variation.  About  this 
season  they  should  have  plenty  of  fine  hay, 
which  they  will  carry  into  their  boxes  to  make 
nests.  A  box  three  or  four  feet  long  and  i8 
inches  wide  is  the  shape  they  prefer ;  it  should 
be  placed  as  far  as  possible  from  the  water,  to 
prevent  the  mink  from  carrying  water  and  mud 
into  it.  The  young  mink  when  first  born  are 
small  and  delicate,  destitute  of  any  kind  of  fur, 
and  much  resembling  young  rats.  If  the  old 
mink  is  tame,  the  young  ones  may  be  taken  out 
of  the  nest  and  handled  when  they  are  three 
weeks  old.  They  will  soon  learn  to  drink  milk, 
and  may  be  fed  every  day.  At  five  weeks  old 
they  may  be  taken  from  the  mother  and  put  into 
a  pen  by  themselves,  when  they  will  soon  be- 
come very  playful  and  pretty,  and  make  much 
better  mothers  than  they  would  if  allowed  to  run 
with  the  old  ones.  The  shelter  should  be  in  the 
shape  of  a  long  box,  5  or  6  feet  wide,  and  3  or  4 
feet  high,  set  upon  legs,  and  with  a  good  floor 
and  roof.  Divide  it  into  separate  apartments, 
6  feet  long  (or  longer  would  be  better),  the  front 


of  each  apartment  to  be  furnished  with  a  swing- 
ing-door of  strong  wire  screen,  with  the  hinges 
at  the  top,  and  a  button  or  some  kind  of  fastener 
at  the  bottom.  A  trough,  6  inches  square,  made 
by  nailing  three  boards  together,  should  run  the 
whole  length  of  the  pen  on  the  back  side ;  one 
end  of  the  trough  should  be  made  several  inches 
lower  than  the  other,  so  that  the  water  can  be 
drawn  off.  With  this  arrangement  the  water 
can  be  turned  in  at  one  end  of  the  trough,  and 
be  drawn  off  and  changed  as  often  as  desired. 
The  lower  end  of  the  trough  should  be  a  little 
deeper  than  the  other,  to  prevent  the  water  from 
running  over.  Each  apartment  is  furnished 
with  a  box  3  feet  long  and  18  inches  wide.  On 
one  side  of  the  box  and  near  one  end  is  made  a 
round  hole,  2^  inches  in  diameter,  and  provided 
with  a  sliding  cover,  so  that  by  means  of  a  stick 
it  can  be  opened  or  closed  from  the  outside. 
This  is  so  the  mink  can  be  shut  up  when  the  pen 
is  being  cleaned  out.  On  the  top  of  the  box  and 
at  the  other  end  should  be  a  door  large  enough 
to  put  in  hay  for  the  nest  and  take  out  the  young. 
It  is  necessary  that  they  have  abundance  of  pure, 
soft  water,  fresh  air,  desirable  shade  and  plenty 
of  exercises.  These  conditions  secure  to  the 
mink  a  good  quality  of  dark  fur,  and  good  health. 
Brush,  weeds,  etc.,  are  allowed  to  grow  in  the 
yard,  but  not  near  enough  the  wall  to  admit  of 
their  climbing  up  and  out. 

MINIC  BREEDING.  In  addition  to  the 
above  direction  for  breeding  mink,  we  give  the 
following  experience  of  a  gentleman  in  Vermont: 
"I  purchased  one  female  and  her  litter  of  five, 
two  males  and  four  females  in  all,  and  constructed 
a  building  of  rough  boards,  10  by  4  feet,  for  a 
minkery.  It  had  a  floor  tight  enough  to  prevent 
the  escape  of  the  animals ;  was  properly  ventil- 
ated, and  divided  into  6  apartments,  one  of  which 
is  an  ante-room  into  which  to  step  from  the  out- 
side and  close  the  door.  Water  is  supplied  by  a' 
lead  pipe  running  in  at  one  side,  through  all  the 
rooms,  and  out  at  the  other  into  a  trough  where 
small  fish  are  kept,  and  occasionally  given  to  the 
minks.  They  were  kept  together  until  December 
the  1 8th,  when  the  males  were  put  in  an  apart- 
ment by  themselves.  On  the  loth  of  March 
each  male  was  put  in  with  a  female,  each  pair 
separate,  and  after  a  couple  of  days  one  of  the 
males  was  put  in  with  another  female,  and  finally 
with  the  third.  They  were  separated  about  the 
1st  of  April,  each  female  being  kept  alone  and 
supplied  with  a  suitable  box,  with  warm  material 
for  a  nest.  When  it  was  supposed  they  were 
about  to  bring  forth  their  young,  they  were 
disturbed  as  little  as  possible ;  anything  to  ex- 
cite them  at  this  time,  should  be  avoided,  for 
when  irritated,  they  will  sometimes  eat  their 
young.  The  first  female  put  with  the  perfect 
male  brought  forth  seven,  one  of  which  disap- 
peared after  they  began  to  crawl  around  out  of 
their  nest.  The  other  two  females  had  each  a 
pair,  all  of  which  (but  the  one  mentioned)  are 
now  alive,  fine,  fat,  sleek  fellows,  and  fully  grown. 
They  are  very  easily  kept,  being  fed  once  a  day 
upon  warm  milk  with  wheat  Ijread  crumbs,  a 
quart  sufficing  now  for  the  whole  lot,  and  once 
upon  fresh  meat,  care  being  taken  not  to  over- 
feed. Any  kind  of  meat  and  oflfal  that  is  not 
too  fat  will  answer.  They  are  very  fond  of  beef 
liver,  chickens'  heads  and  entrails,  woodchucks, 
(being  careful  not  to  give  them  the  gall  on  the 
liver,  which  is  poisonous,)  rats,  mice,  etc.   They 


HUNTING    TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


iZg 


are  more  easily  cared  for  than  one  hog,  and  much 
more  cheaply  kept.  Nothing  was  paid  out  for 
meat  for  them,  until  after  1st  of  July,  when 
a  contract  was  made  with  a  butcher  to  leave  a 
bullock's  head  once  a  week.  I  am  confident 
that  the  increase  of  the  minkery  would  have 
been  fully  one-third  more  if  both  the  males  had 
been  perfect.  I  intend  to  keep  them  in  pairs 
hereafter.  They  are  not  easily  h.indled,  but 
struggle  when  caught  against  their  will,  and 
exude  the  thick  fetid  substance  from  glands  near 
the  vent.  They  will  bite  severely,  but  can  be 
handled  safely  with  thick  buckskin  gloves. 

MINK,  To  Trap. — For  mink  the  trap  should 
be  set  near  some  stream.  If  their  holes  cannot 
be  found  make  one.  Set  the  trap  in  the  cavity, 
three  sides  of  which  should  be  barricaded  with 
stones,  bark  or  any  equivalent  substance.  Place 
the  bait  at  the  farther  extremity  of  the  cavity, 
beyond  the  trap.  Bait  with  any  kind  of  fresh 
meat ;  muskrat  meat  is  good,  but  fish,  either  fresh 
or  stale  is  better.  Bait  should  be  smoked  in 
cold  weather,  to  give  it  a  stronger  smell.  The 
best  scent  for  attracting  mink  is  prepared  from 
the  decomposition  of  minnows,  eels  or  trout. 
Cut  the  fish  into  small  pieces ;  put  into  a  bottle, 
cork  loosely,  and  let  it  hang  in  the  sunshine  two 
or  three  weeks  in  the  summer.  A  few  drops  of 
this  on  the  bait,  or  on  a  stick  near  the  trap,  will 
draw  mink  a  long  distance. 

MOLES  (^Ground),  To  Destroy. — There  are 
several  mole  traps  in  market  that  work  well,  pro- 
vided the  moles  can  be  induced  to  go  where  they 
will  be  caught.  In  addition  to  the  traps,  set  men 
to  watching  the  moles  during  light  showers  in 
summer,  at  which  time  they  are  more  active,  and 
when  one  is  found  moving  the  soil  he  is  to  be 
dug  out  and  killed.  More  moles  have  been 
caught  in  this  way  than  with  all  the  traps  used. 
Poisons  of  various  kinds  have  been  recommended, 
but  on  trial  they  have  proved  worthless. 

MUSKRAT,  To  7>-a/.— Find  a  log  with 
some  recent  droppings  of  the  muskrat  on  it,  a 
notch  is  cut  in  the  log  for  the  trap,  an  inch  or 
two  uhder  the  water.  The  trap  is  fastened  to  a 
tally-stick.  These  tally-sticks  are  green  saplings 
with  a  fork  at  the  upper  end,  and  a  hook  near  the 
bottom  to  hold  it  in  the  loose  ground.  The  chain- 
ring  is  slipped  on  to  this  tally-stick,  and  care  is 
taken  to  so  place  the  tally-stick  and  trap  that 
when  caught,  the  muskrat  shall  take  to  the  water 
and  be  drowned.  If  on  the  land,  among  weeds 
and  bushes,  he  will  not  unfrequently  twist  off  his 
leg  and  escape.  The  traps  are  also  placed  in  the 
runs,  on  bogs  and  old  muskrat  houses,  and  wher- 
ever there  are  recent  indications  that  the  musk- 
rats  come  to  feed.  Where  the  game  is  scarce, 
the  traps  are  sometimes  baited,  but  otherwise 
this  is  not  necessary.  Carrots,  parsnips,  apples, 
potatoes,  or  a  piece  of  the  flesh  of  muskrat  can 
be  used  for  bait.  A  stick  is  stuck  in  the  ground, 
slanting  in  such  a  manner  that  the  end  shall  be  6 
or  8  inches  above  the  treddle  of  the  trap.  The 
bait  is  stuck  on  the  end  of  the  stick,  and  in  this 
way,  if  there  are  any  rats  in  the  vicinity,  you  are 
pretty  sure  to  catch  them.  Sometimes  the  traps 
are  covered  with  an  inch  or  two  of  weed;  and 
some  trappers  put  a  drop  or  two  of  the  oil,  found 
in  the  glands  of  the  muskrat,  on  or  near  the  traps. 
The  next  morning  the  hunter  takes  his  boat  and 
visits  his  traps. 

MUSKRATS,  Home-made  Trap  for. — A  trap 
e<iual  if  not  better  than  a  steel  trap  is  an  old  bar- 


rel. Sink  it  near  the  bank  of  the  ditch,  where 
there  are  evidences  ot  the  presence  of  the  ani- 
mals, to  the  level  of  the  ground,  and  half  fill  it 
with  water.  Put  in  a  couple  of  shingles,  or  light 
strips  of  board,  to  float  on  the  water.  Place  sweet 
apples  or  carrots  cut  in  small  bits  in  the  runs  of 
the  muskrats,  and  toll  them  to  the  barrel.  Put 
several  pieces  upon  the  floats,  inside.  The  rats 
will  jump  in  after  their  food,  and  will  not  be  able 
to  get  out.  Where  they  are  plenty,  several  musk- 
rats  may  be  taken  in  a  night  by  this  simple  trap, 
it  costs  nothing  but  labor,  can  be  visited  at  one's 
convenience,  and  there  is  plenty  of  room  in  it  for 
a  dozen  or  more  at  once. 

MUSKRATS,  To  catch  without  Traps.— 
It  is  a  mystery  to  many  how  muskrats,  beavers, 
and  other  animals,  are  able  to  stay  so  long  under 
water,  apparently  without  breathing,  especially 
in  winter.  The  way  they  manage  is,  they  take 
in  a  good  breath  at  starting,  and  then  remain  un- 
der water  as  long  as  possible.  Then  they  rise 
up  to  the  ice  and  breathe  out  the  air  in  their 
lungs,  which  remains  in  a  bubble  against  the 
lower  part  of  the  ice.  The  water  near  the  ice  is 
highly  charged  with  oxygen,  which  it  readily  im- 
parts to  the  air  breathed  out.  After  a  time,  this 
air  is  taken  back  in  the  lungs,  and  the  animal 
again  goes  under  the  water,  repeating  this  pro- 
cess from  time  to  time.  In  this  way,  they  can 
travel  almost  any  distance,  and  live  almost  any 
length  of  time  under  the  ice.  The  hunter  takes 
advantage  of  this  habit  of  the  muskrat  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner.  When  the  marshes  and  ponds 
where  the  muskrat  abounds  are  first  frozen  over, 
and  the  ice  is  thin  and  clear,  on  striking  into  their 
houses  with  his  hatchet,  for  the  purpose  of  sett- 
ing his  trap,  he  freqently  sees  a  whole  family 
plunge  into  the  water  and  swim  away  under  the 
ice.  Following  one  for  some  distance,  he  sees 
him  come  up  to  recover  his  breath,  in  the  manner 
above  described.  After  the  animal  has  breathed 
against  the  ice,  and  before  he  has  time  to  take  his 
bubble  in  again,  the  hunter  strikes  with  his  hat- 
chet directly  over  him,  and  drives  him  away  from 
his  breath.  In  this  case  he  drowns  in  swimming 
a  few  rods,  and  the  hunter,  cutting  a  hole  in  the 
ice,  takes  him  out. 

MUSKRATS,  To  Skin.—T^z  muskrat  is 
usually  skinned  by  beginning  at  the  head,  ripp- 
ing from  the  chin  to  between  the  fore  legs,  and 
then  stripping  the  skin  off  over  the  body.  When 
taken  off  in  this  manner  the  skin  is  stretched  on 
a  bent  rod  of  tough,  pliable  wood.  When  skin- 
ned from  the  tail  it  is  stretched  on  a  board. 

MUSKRAT  SKINS,  To  Tan  with  the  Fur 
07t. — First,  for  soaking,  to  lo  gallons  of  cold  soft 
water  add  8  parts  of  wheat  bran,  ^  pint  of  old 
soap,  I  ounce  of  borax  ;  by  adding  2  ounces  sul- 
phuric acid  the  soaking  may  be  done  in  one-half 
the  time.  If  the  hides  have  not  been  salted,  add 
a  pint  of  salt.  Green  hides  should  not  be  soaked 
more  than  8  or  lo  hours.  Dry  ones  should  soak 
till  very  soft. 

For  tan  liquor,  to  10  gallons  warm  soft  water 
add  yi  bushel  bran  ;  stir  well  and  let  stand  in  a 
warm  room  till  it  ferments.  Then  add  slowly 
2^  pounds  sulphuric  acid ;  stir  all  the  while. 
Muskrat  hides  should  remain  in  about  4  hours  ; 
then  take  out  and  rub  with  a  fleshing  knife — an 
old  chopping  knife  with  the  edge  taken  off  will 
do.  Then  work  it  over  a  beam  until  entirely  dry. 

OTTER,  To  TVrt'/.— Of  all  animals,  the  otter 
is  the  most  cunning;  its  sense  of  smell  is  re- 


190 


DICTION  A  R  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


markably  good.  If  a  person  visits  an  otter  slide, 
they  will  leave  it  immediately,  and  perhaps  not 
return  for  two  or  three  weeks.  They  appear  to 
have  a  natural  dread  of  man,  and  in  their  travels, 
will  scarcely  ever  follow  the  creek  or  river  close 
by  a  house.  They  land  some  distance  above  or 
below  the  dwelling  of  their  dreaded  enemy,  and 
transport  their  precious  coats  over  land,  through 
the  fields,  to  the  water  again.  To  trap  the  otter 
is  almost  out  of  the  question.  You  must  take  a 
large  sized  steel  trap,  set  it,  hang  it  over  a  fire 
and  smoke  it  for  two  or  three  hours ;  then  take  a 
stick  or  board,  and  get  into  your  canoe,  (if  you 
have  one,)  go  to  the  place  most  frequented  by 
them,  and  place  the  trap  about  3  inches  under 
water  and  carefully  cover  it  with  leaves,  light 
trash  or  grass,  which  you  can  fish  up  from  the 
bottom  of  the  stream.  Be  very  careful  not  to 
touch  the  bank  above  water,  if  you  do,  it  is  all 
over  with  you.  He  can  read  in  the  print  of  boot 
heels  his  death  warrant,  and  he  bids  adieu  to  his 
haunts,  and  seeks  a  peaceful  home  many  miles 
distant.  In  going  to  your  trap,  never  go  nearer 
than  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream.  If  Mr.  Otter 
should  accidentally  put  on  a  wristlet,  he  will  make 
directly  for  his  den.  If  the  trap  is  not  heavy 
enough  to  drown  him,  a  weight  can  be  attached 
to  the  chain. 

OTTER,  To  skin.  —This  is  done  by  rip- 
ping down  the  back  of  each  hind  leg  until  the 
slits  meet  in  the  crotch;  skin  the  body  whole; 
don't  rip  up  the  belly;  put  a  split  stick  over  the 
bone  of  the  tail  between  the  hide  and  body  and 
skin  in  this  way,  when  skinned  draw  the  head 
over  a  stretcher  and  let  it  remain  until  dry. 

OWL  {The)  To  Catch. — Owls  are  very  de- 
structive to  poultry,  especially  in  the  breeding 
season,  and  are  much  more  dangerous  than 
hawks,  in  as  much  as  they  pay  their  visits  to  the 
roosts  in  the  night.  There  is  no  effectual  safe- 
guard against  their  visits  unless  you  have  the 
hennery  made  owl-proof.  Most  farmers  make 
their  roosts  under  an  open  shed,  or  upon  the 
trees,  which  are  as  free  to  birds  of  prey  as  to  the 
hens.  Chickens  are  very  delicate  food  for  young 
owls,  and  sometimes  a  dozen  will  be  missing 
from  the  perch  in  a  night,  and  their  feathers  and 
claws  be  found  the  next  day  in  a  neighboring 
owl's  nest.  Old  hens  will  be  taken  and  their 
heads  be  eaten  off  and  the  carcass  be  dropped 
under  the  tree,  quite  too  heavy  for  the  owl  to 
carry  off.  Not  a  moment  should  be  lost  when 
these  depredations  occur.  Tie  the  dead  fowl 
upon  the  limb  or  the  perch  whpre  it  was  accus- 
tomed to  roost,  and  shut  up  the  other  fowls.  The 
dead  fowl  should  be  tied  in  a  roosting  position, 
so  as  to  seem  alive  to  the  owl.  Place  a  small 
steel-trap  on  the  back  of  the  hen  and  fasten  it  to 
a  neighboring  limb.  The  owl  will  generally  make 
his  appearance  the  following  night,  and  in 
swooping  down  upon  the  back  of  the  hen  will 
find  his  claws  securely  fastened  in  the  trap.  A 
small  rat-trap  without  teeth  is  the  best.  The 
teeth  would  be  apt  to  cut  off  the  legs  or  claws 
and  release  the  owl.  The  trap  will  often  save 
many  days  of  hunting  a  mean,  skulking  enemy, 
who  only  plunders  in  the  night. 

PARCHMENT,  How  to  wff>(v.— This  article 
is  manufactured  from  sheep  skins,  cleared  from 
lime.  The  skin  is  stretched  on  a  frame  where 
the  flesh  is  pared  off  with  an  iron  circular  knife; 
it  is  then  moistened  with  a  rag,  and  whiting 
spr«ad  over  it  j  the  workman  then,  with  a  large 


pumice-stone,  flat  at  the  bottom,  rubs  over  the 
skin,  and  scours  off  the  flesh.  He  next  goes  over 
it  with  the  iron  instrument  as  before,  and  rubs  it 
carefully  with  the  pumice-stone  without  chalk ; 
this  serves  to  smooth  the  flesh  side.  He  drains 
it  again  by  passing  over  it  the  iron  instrument  as 
before;  he  passes  it  over  the  wool  side,  then 
stretches  it  tight  on  a  frame.  He  now  throws 
more  whiting  and  sweeps  it  over  with  a  piece  of 
wooly  lambskin.  It  is  now  dried,  and  taken  off 
the  frame  by  cutting  it  all  round.  Thus  prepared 
it  is  taken  out  of  the  skinner's  hands  by  the 
parchment  maker,  who,  while  it  is  dry,  pares  it 
on  a  summer  (which  is  a  calf-skin  stretched  on  a 
frame),  with  a  sharper  instrument  than  that  used 
by  the  skinner,  who,  working  it  with  the  arm 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom  of  the  skin,  takes 
a  way  about  half  its  substance,  which  leaves  the 
parchment  finished. 

PRESER  VI NG  ANIMALS.— k  mixture  of 
equal  parts  of  good  commercial  glycerine  and 
water,  to  every  gallon  of  which  is  added  one 
ounce  of  the  crystals  of  carbolic  acid,  constitutes 
a  good  preserving  liquid  for  all  animal  substan- 
ces. The  use  of  pure  glycerine,  with  about  one- 
half  pint  of  alcohol,  and  half  a  ounce  of  carbolic 
acid  added  to  each  gallon,  makes  an  excellent 
mixture  for  preserving  the  tissues  of  soft  animals, 
where  it  is  important  to  preserve  the  color  as 
well  as  the  tissues. 

RABBITS,  To  Trap.— To  trap  rabbits,  take 
brass  wire,  make  a  noose,  large  enough  for  them 
to  put  their  head  through ;  then  trim  a  small 
tree  near  their  road,  fasten  the  wire  to  the  top,, 
bend  over  p.nd  fasten  by  a  notch  to  a  peg  drivt^n 
in  the  ground;  then  make  a  fence  of  fine  brush 
a  little  across  their  road,  leaving  a  hole  to  hang 
the  wire  in. — Some  use  box  traps,  baited  with 
sweet  apple  ;  also  steel  traps  laid  in  their  roads 
and  fastened. 

RACCOON,  To  Catch.— The  surest  way  to 
catch  them  is  with  a  good  cur  dog.  One  that 
will  not  give  tongue  on  track  but  will  bark  at  the 
tree.  But  if  you  wish  to  trap  them  with  steel 
traps,  go  to  the  woods,  near  a  swamp,  find  a  big 
log  lying  in  or  near  the  swamp,  set  your  trap  on 
the  log  and  then  get  two  old  limbs,  set  one  on 
each  side  of  the  log  over  the  trap,  crossing  at 
the  top,  forming  an  x,  so  that  the  coon  will  have 
to  go  under  them  and  over  the  trap.  Bait  if  you 
choose  with  frogs  or  chicken.  But  whether  you 
bait  -or  not  the  coon  will  run  the  old  log  if  he 
comes  in  the  neighborhood.  Or  on  the  same 
plan  you  can  set  a  dead-fall. 

RACCOON  SKINS,  To  Prepare— Tht  skin 
of  the  raccoon  should  be  nailed  to  boards  to  dry, 
then  treated  to  a  paste  of  I  oz.  alum  ;  I  oz.  salt ; 
about  ^  drachm  sulphuric  add ;  2  gills  water 
and  a  little  wheat  bran.  It  should  when  dry  be 
scraped  off  with  a  spoon  or  other  thing  as  in 
case  of  mink  skins.  To  work  the  skin  soft,  in- 
stead of  nailing  it  on  boards,  roll  it  up  and  work 
it  soft, 

SALMON,  Propagation  of.  —  Tliis  salmon, 
like  several  other  species  of  fish,  possess  the 
home  sentiment  in  a  marked  degree.  No  matter 
how  much  it  may  wander,  it  will  return  to  the 
same  river,  to  its  old  spawning  ground,  in  the 
season  of  procreation.  It  will  go  out  of  its  river, 
and  swim  perhaps  all  over  the  ocean,  and  after- 
ward return  to  tne  same  river.  It  does  not  mat- 
ter how  much  storm  or  turbid  water  it  may  be 
obliged  to  pass  through  when  on   the  return 


HUNTING,  TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


191 


voyage,  though  he  may  not  be  able  to  see  clearly 
a  foot  in  front  of  him,  he  steers  surely  for  his 
old  home.  The  bottom  of  all  rivers  and  creeks 
that  have  water  adapted  to  salmon  is  dotted  with 
springs ;  and  these  fish  spawn  and  hatch  wher- 
ever they  find  springy  bottom,  particularly  at  the 
heads  of  streams.  The  impression  is  prevalent 
that  salmon  spawn  and  hatch  anywhere,  for  the 
reason  that  they  are  seen  during  the  breeding 
season  in  many  different  parts  of  the  river;  but 
the  fact  is,  they  do  not  spawn  in  any  place  unless 
there  is  a  spring  close  by  or  immediately  beneath. 
I  think  the  reason  that  salmon  spawn  near  a 
spring  consists  in  the  fact,  that  if  the  eggs  were 
deposited  in  a  part  of  the  stream  which  was  free 
from  springy  bottom,  many  of  them  would  be- 
come buried  in  sediment  and  not  hatch  out ;  but 
being  deposited  in  the  vicinity  of  or  over  springy 
bottom,  they  are  kept  clear  from  sediment  by  the 
upward  burst  of  the  water.  In  the  great  lakes 
the  salmon  appears  to  be  strictly  a  shore  fish, 
and  has  never  been  caught  more  than  sixty  rods 
from  the  shore,  except  in  very  rare  instances. 
By  the  application  of  the  improved  methods  of 
fish  culture  our  waters  can  be  restocked  with 
salmon,  and  so  the  good  old  times  of  good  fish, 
plenty  and  cheap,  may  be  recovered.  In  the 
matter  of  artificial  production,  it  may  be  unneces- 
sary to  say  more  than  this,  th^t  salmon  are  bred 
artificially,  and  taken  care  of  in  precisely  the 
same  way  as  brook-trout. 

SHEEP-SKINS,  To  prepare  for  Mats.-^ 
Make  a  strong  lather  with  hot  water,  and  let  it 
stand  till  cold ;  wash  the  fresh  skin  in  it,  care- 
fully squeezing  out  all  the  dirt  from  the  wool ; 
wash  it  in  cold  water  till  all  the  soap  is  taken 
out.  Dissolve  a  pound  each  of  salt  and  alum  in 
two  gallons  of  hot  water,  and  put  the  skin  into 
a  tub  sufficient  to  cover  it ;  let  it  soak  for  twelve 
hours,  and  hang  it  over  a  pole  to  drain.  When 
well  drained,  stretch  it  carefully  on  a  board  to 
dry,  and  stretch  several  times  while  drying. 
Before  it  is  quite  dry,  sprinkle  on  the  flesh  side 
one  ounce  each  of  finely  pulverized  alum  and 
salpetre,  rubbing  it  in  well.  Try  if  the  wool  be 
firm  on  the  skin;  if  not,  let  it  remain  a  day  or 
two,  thqn  rub  again  with  alum ;  fold  the  flesh 
sides  together  and  hang  in  the  shade  for  two  or 
three  days,  turning  them  over  each  day  till  quite 
dry.  Scrape  the  flesh  side  with  a  blunt  knife, 
and  rub  it  with  pumice  or  rotten  stone. 

SHEEP-SKINS,  To  7a«.— Sheep-skins, 
which  are  used  for  a  variety  of  purposes,  such 
as  gloves,  book-covers,  etc.,  and  which,  when 
dyed,  are  converted  into  mock  Morocco  leather, 
are  dressed  as  follows:  They  are  first  to  be 
soaked  in  water  and  handled,  to  separate  all  im- 
purities, which  may  be  scraped  off  by  a  blunt 
knife  on  a  beam.  They  are  then  to  be  hung  up 
in  a  close  warm  room  to  putrefy.  This  putre- 
faction loosens  the  wool,  and  causes  the  exudation 
of  an  oily  and  slimy  matter,  all  which  are  to  be 
removed  by  the  knife.  The  skins  are  now  to  be 
steeped  in  milk  of  lime,  to  harden  and  thicken ; 
here  they  remain  for  i  month  or  6  weeks,  accord- 
ing to  circumstances,  and  when  taken  out,  they 
are  to  be  smoothed  on  the  fleshy  side  with  a 
sharp  knife.  They  are  now  to  be  steeped  in  a 
bath  of  bran  and  water,  where  they  undergo  a 
partial  fermentation,  and  become  thinner  in 
their  substance. 

The  skins,  which  are  now  called  pelts,  are  to 
be  immersed  in  a  solution  of  alum  and  common 


salt  in  water;  in  the  proportion  of  120  skins  to 
3  lbs.  of  alum  and  5  lbs.  of  salt.  They  are  fo 
be  much  agitated  in  this  compound  saline  bath, 
in  order  to  become  firm  and  tough.  From  this 
bath  they  are  to  be  removed  to  another,  com- 
posed of  bran  and  water,  where  they  remain 
until  quite  pliant  by  a  slight  fermentation.  To 
give  their  upper  surfaces  a  gloss,  they  are  to  be 
trodden  in  a  wooden  tub,  with  a  solution  of  yolks 
of  eggs  in  water,  previously  well  beaten  up. 
When  this  solution  has  become  transparent,  it  is 
a  proof  that  the  skins  have  absorbed  the  glazing 
matter.  The  pelt  may  now  be  said  to  be  con-  ^ 
verted  into  leather,  which  is  to  be  drained  from 
moisture,  hung  upon  hooks  in  a  warm  apartment 
to  dry,  and  smoothed  over  with  warm  hand- 
irons. 

SKELETONS,  Preparation  <?/:— Skulls  of 
animals  may  he  rapidly  prepared  by  boiling  in 
water  for  a  few  hours.  A  little  potash  or  lye 
added  will  facilitate  the  removal  of  the  flesh. 

Skeletons  may  be  roughly  prepared  in  the  field 
by  skinning  the  animal  and  removing  all  the  vis- 
cera, together  with  as  much  of  the  flesh  as  pos- 
sible. Whenever  practicable,  they  should  be 
allowed  to  soak  a  few  hours  in  water  to  extract 
the  blood.  The  bones  should  then  be  exposed 
to  the  sun  or  air  until  completely  dried.  Pre- 
viously, however,  the  brain  of  large  animals 
should  be  removed  by  separating  the  skull  from 
the  spine,  and  extracting  the  brain  through  the 
large  hole  in  the  back  of  the  head.  The  head 
may  be  cleaned  by  boiling.  In  case  it  becomes 
necessary  to  disjoint  a  skeleton,  care  should  be 
taken  to  attach  a  common  mark  to  all  the  pieces, 
especially  when  more  than  one  individual  is 
packed  in  the  same  box. 

Skulls  and  skeletons  may  frequently  be  picked 
up,  already  cleaned  by  other  animals  or  exposure 
to  weather.  By  placing  small  animals  near  an 
ant's  nest,  or  in  water  occupied  by  tadpoles  or 
small  Crustacea,  very  beautiful  skeletons  may 
often  be  obtained.  The  sea-beach  sometimes 
affords  rich  treasures  in  the  remains  of  porpoises, 
whales,  large  fishes,  as  sharks,  and  other  aquatic 
species. 

Although,  to  save  time  and  opportunities  in 
the  field,  it  is  usually  necessary  to  prepare  skulls 
by  boiling  in  water,  as  just  explained,  the  process 
is  sometimes  apt  to  leave  the  bones  colored,  or 
even  somewhat  greasy.  The  best  method  of 
preparing  skulls  and  skeletons  for  a  museum  is 
undoubtedly,  after  cutting  away  the  greater  mass 
of  flesh,  that  of  macerating,  or  allowing  them  to 
remain  in  cold  water  until  the  decaying  flesh 
separates  from  the  bones.  At  first,  the  water, 
as  it  becomes  charged  with  blood,  is  poured  off 
and  replaced  by  fresh ;  after  this  is  repeated  for 
a  time,  the  flesh  becomes  bleached,  and  the  bones 
may  then  be  suffered  to  remain  as  long  as  neces- 
sary (sometimes  for  weeks),  removing  the  speci- 
men from  time  to  time  and  scraping  off  the  soften- 
ing flesh.  After  this  has  been  all  removed  and 
the  bones  well  scrubbed  under  water  with  a  stiff 
brush,  they  should  be  soaked  a  little  longer  to 
remove  any  remnant  of  infiltrated  blood.  Dur- 
ing these  operations,  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
injure  or  separate  any  of  the  ligaments.  Shreds 
of  tendon  may  be  cut  off  with  a  sharp  knife  or 
pair  of  scissors.  The  ligaments  may  then,  ac- 
cording to  Eyton,  be  converted  into  a  tough, 
leathery  substance  by  immersion  in  a  liquid  pre- 
pared by  making  a  saturated  solution  of  common 


igs 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


alum  and,  when  cold,  diluting  it  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  water,  and  adding  half  an  ounce  of 
common  salt  for  every  half  pound  of  alum.  If 
the  bones  are  free  from  blood,  twenty-four  hours' 
immersion  will  be  sufficient ;  large  birds  or  other 
animals  may  require  nearly  a  week.  When 
removed  from  the  solution,  the  bones  must  be 
washed  under  a  current  of  water,  or  in  a  basin, 
and  then  allowed  to  dry  in  any  desirable  position. 

It  is  important,  in  preparing  skeletons,  not  to 
allow  the  flesh  to  dry  too  soon  on  the  bones,  or, 
at  least,  to  allow  them  to  soak  in  water  for  a  time 
before  drying,  as  the  subsequent  operations  will 
be  rendered  much  easier. 

Greasy  skulls  or  bones  can  be  readily  cleansed 
by  immersion  in  ether  for  a  length  of  time.  The 
ether  should  be  kept  in  a  tight  jar,  and  every 

})recaution  taken  to  prevent  undue  proximity  to  a 
ight  or  the  fire,  the  vapor  being  exceedingly  ex- 
plosive. A  simpler  method  consists  in  boiling 
them  in  a  large  quantity  of  water,  having  a  little 
potash  added. 

SKINS  OF  ANIMALS,  Composition  of.— 
When  fresh,  from  two-thirds  to  three-fourths  of 
the  weight  of  the  skin  consists  of  water ;  and  if 
dried  at  220°,  it  gradually  absorbs  water ;  but 
dried  at  the  ordinary  temperature,  the  moisture 
in  it  varies  with  the  amount  in  the  atmosphere. 
An  analysis  of  a  perfectly  dried  skin  gave  about 
95  per  cent,  of  gelatine  tissue ;  3  per  cent,  of 
cellular  tissue  not  soluble  in  water;  i  per  cent, 
of  fat;  and  half  of  I  per  cent,  of  mineral 
material. 

SKINS  AND  FURS,  Coloring  and  Dyeing. 
— Furs  are  dyed  by  dealers  to  suit  some  fashion, 
to  conceal  defects,  or  to  pass  off  inferior  furs  for 
better  ones.  The  best  way  is  to  brush  the  dye 
over  the  fur  with  a  good  sponge,  brushing  with 
-the  hair.  As  a  matter  of  course,  you  can  only 
^  dye  them  of  a  darker  color  than  they  are,  and 
retain  the  handsome  lustrous  look  peculiar  to  fur. 
They  may  be  bleached,  but  the  process  leaves 
the  fur  looking  like  coarse  flax  or  even  hemp. 
{Blue. )  Sulphate  of  indigo  (soluble  indigo,  sold 
by  all  druggists),  is  the  readiest  and  best  to  get 
,a  blue  with.  Furs  are  never  dyed  blue  for  sale, 
for  that  would  be  spoiling  a  white  fur,  but  sheep- 
skins are.  The  skin  should  be  dipped  several 
times  in  a  bath  of  hot  alum  water ;  allowed  to 
drain,  and  then  dipped  into  a  solution  of  sulphate 
of  indigo  and  water,  witji  a  few  drops  of  sulphuric 
acid  added ;  this  gives  a  pale  blue.  Aniline  blue 
is  very  fine,  and  dyeing  with  it  is  very  simple. 
A  solution  of  the  color  in  water  is  made,  a  hot 
solution,  and  the  skin  put  in  all  at  once,  (if  a 
part  of  the  skin  is  put  in  first  that  part  will  be 
darkest,  so  quick  is  the  absorption  of  these 
colors.)  Fancy  sheep-skin  mats,  are  colored 
blue,  red,  green,  and  yellow,  and  have  a  ready 
sale  when  they  are  new. — {Black).  The  best 
black  is  obtained  by  first  dyeing  the  skin  a  blue. 
Then  boil  one  ^  pound  gall  nuts,  powdered, 
and  ^  ounce  of  logwood,  in  3  gallons  of  water. 
If  the  flesh  side  is  wanted  blue,  while  the  fur  or 
wool  is  another,  this  decoction  must  be  sponged 
on.  Get  the  wool  or  hair,  thoroughly  im- 
pregnated with  this  end  then  add  a  ^  pound 
'  copperas,  to  the  dye,  and  go  over  the  fur 
or  wool  many  times  with  the  sponge.  The  pro- 
cess above  given  will  answer  without  previous 
blueing,  but  the  black  is  not  so  brilliant.  An- 
other "home  made"  dye,  which  will  answer  for 
djeing  clothes  a  black,  as  well  as  sheep-skins,  is 


this,  just  make  a  bath  of  8  ounces  of  bi-chromate 
of  potash,  6  ounces  alum,  4  ounces  fustic;  boil  in 
water  enough  to  cover  5  pounds  of  yarn,  cloth  or 
a  single  sheep  skin.  Make  another  bath  of  4 
pounds  of  logwood,  4  ounces  each  bar  wood  and 
fustic,  or  Bounces  fustic,  same  amount  of  boiling 
water,  as  last ;  stir  the  goods  well  around  in  the 
first  bath,  keeping  the  water  hot  for  an  hour,  then 
work  it  in  the  second  bath  the  same  length  of 
time.  Take  them  and  wring  them  ;  then  adding 
j^  pound  of  copperas,  to  the  last  bath,  put  the 
goods  in  again,  and  give  them  a  good  stirring. 
This  is  a  good  black  dye  for  wool  goods  (or  fur), 
but  not  for  silks  or  cotton. — {Red.) — Furs  of 
course  are  never  dyed  red,  at  least  in  this  country. 
Sheep  skins  might .  be  dyed  with  madder  or 
cochineal,  but  in  the  former  case,  the  skin  would 
of  necessity  be  boiled  with  the  dye,  as  that  is  ne- 
cessary in  using  madder.  Cochineal  would  be 
expensive  and  require  much  working,  while  as 
brilliant  reds  and  purples  may  be  got  from  the 
aniline  colors,  dissolved  in  moderately  warm 
water,  the  scum  taken  off,  and  skin  dipped. 
These  colors  are  the  cheapest  too,  as  they  go 
very  far.  But  always  have  the  wool  as  free  from 
grease  as  possible  by  working  in  weak  hot  lye  or 
hot  soapsuds. — (  Yellow. ) — Can  be  got  on  sheep 
skins  with  black  oak  bark,  (quercitron  bark)  old 
fustic,  annotto,  and  Persian  (also  called  French) 
berries.  The  skin  should  be  previously  dipped 
into  a  hot  bath  of  alum,  cream  of  tartar  or  spirit 
of  tin,  about  2  ounces  to  the  gallon.  About  ^ 
pound  of  annotto,  or  I  pound  of  the  other  articles, 
are  enough  for  a  single  skin.  If  you  wish  to  use 
fustic,  be  particular  to  ask  for  old  fustic,  as  what 
is  known  in  the  trade  as  young  fustic,  is  a  dif- 
ferent article  and  gives  a  different  color.  There 
is  also  now  an  aniline  yellow  which  works  like 
the  other  colors. — {Green.)  Dye  first  blue  as 
explained  above,  then  pass  through  a  yellow  dye, 
until  you  get  the  shade  required.  An  alum  bath, 
cream  of  tartar,  or  spirits  of  tin,  as  above,  must 
be  used  before  the  blue  is  given. 

SKINS  AND  FURS,  Dressing  and  Tanning. 
— The  cheapest  and  readiest  as  well  as  the  best 
method  of  dressing  skins  for  use  with  the  hair 
or  wool  on,  is  to  first  scrape  off  all  the  fat  with  a 
knife  rather  blunt  on  the  edge,  as  not  to  cut  holes 
into  the  hide,  upon  a  round  smooth  log.  The 
log  for  convenience  sake  should  have  a  couple  of 
legs  in  one  end,  like  a  trestle ;  the  other  end 
should  rest  upon  the  ground.  After  the  fat  is 
well  cleaned  off,  take  the  brains  of  the  animal, 
or  the  brains  of  any  other  recently  killed,  and 
work  them  thoroughly  into  the  hide.  This  rend- 
ers the  hide  pliable.  Then  to  preserve  from  the 
ravages  of  insects  scatter  on  it  some  powdered 
alum  and  a  little  saltpeter.  If  the  hair  side  has 
become  greasy,  a  little  weak  lye  will  take  it  out. 
Sheepskins  may  be  dressed  in  the  same  way, 
though  the  wool  should  be  cleaned  with  soap- 
suds before  using  the  brains.  Another  way  but 
more  expensive,  is  to  use  a  paste  made  of  the 
yelk  of  eggs  and  whiting  instead  of  brains,  work- 
ing it  in  the  same  way,  letting  it  dry  and  brushing 
off  the  whiting.  Then  add  the  powdered  alum 
as  before.  Deerskins  and  even  small  calf  skins 
are  often  tanned  as  the  process  is  called  with  the 
hair  on  for  garments.  If  it  is  desired  to  give 
the  deerskin  a  yellow  color,  yellow  ocher  or 
chrome  yellow  may  be  used  in  combination  with 
the  brains  or  yelks  of  eggs,  and  afterward  brushed 


HUNTING,  TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


J93 


If  it  is  simply  desired  to  preserve  skins  until 
they  are  sold,  it  is  only  necessary  to  dry  tliem 
thoroughly.  If  the  weather  should  be  damp  and 
warm,  salt  the  flesh  side  slightly  with  fine  salt. 

SKINS,  Preservatives  for. — The  best  material 
for  the  preservation  of  skins  of  animals  consists 
of  powdered  arsenious  acid,  or  the  common  ar- 
senic of  the  shops.  This  may  be  used  in  two 
ways ;  either  applied  in  dry  powder  on  the  moist 
skin,  or,  still  better,  mixed  with  alcohol  or  water 
to  the  consistency  of  molasses,  and  put  on  with 
a  brush.  Some  camphor  may  be  added  to  the 
alcoholic  solution,  and  a  little  strychine  will  un- 
doubtedly increase  its  efficacy.  There  are  no 
satisfactory  substitutes  for  arsenic;  but,  in  its 
entire  absence,  corrosive  sublimate,  camphor, 
alum,  etc.,  may  be  employed.  Many  persons 
prefer  the  arsenical  soap  to  the  pure  arsenic. 
This  is  composed  of  the  following  ingredients : 
arsenic,  i  ounce;  white  soap,  i ounce;  carbonate 
of  potash,  I  dram ;  water,  6  drams  ;  camphor,  2 
drams.  Cut  the  soap  into  thin  slices,  and  melt 
over  a  slow  fire  with  the  water,  stirring  it  con- 
tinually ;  when  dissolved,  remove  from  the  fire, 
and  add  the  potash  and  arsenic  by  degrees ;  dis- 
solve the  camphor  in  a  little,  alcohol,  and  when 
the  mixture  is  nearly  cold,  stir  it  in. 

The  proper  materials  for  stuffing  out  skins  will 
depend  much  upon  the  size  of  the  animal.  For 
small  birds  and  quadrupeds,  cotton  will  be  found 
most  convenient ;  for  the  larger,  tow ;  for  those 
still  larger,  dry  grass,  straw,  sawdust,  bran,  or 
other  vegetable  substances,  may  be  used.  What- 
ever substance  be  used,  care  must  be  taken  to 
have  it  perfectly  dry.  Under  no  circumstances 
should  animal  matter,  as  hair,  wool,  or  feathers, 
be  employed. 

The  bills  and  loral  region,  as  well  as  the  legs 
and  feet  of  birds,  and  the  ears,  lips,  and  toes  of 
mammals,  may,  as  most  exposed  to  the  ravages 
of  insects,  be  washed  with  an  alcoholic  solution 
of  strychnine  applied  with  a  brush  to  the  dried 
skin ;  this  will  be  an  almost  certain  safeguard 
against  injury. 

SKINS  {SfftalP),  Stretching  and  Curing. — 
The  market  value  of  a  skin  is  greatly  affected 
by  the  care  taken  in  removing  it  from  the  animal, 
and  in  drying  it.  The  common  way  is  to  tack 
the  skin  to  the  barn-door  and  let  it  remain 
stretched  until  quite  dry.  The  trapper  in  the 
woods,  having  no  such  convenience  as  the  barn- 
door at  hand,  is  obliged  to  resort  to  other  me- 
thods. One  plan  is  to  dry  the  skin  on  a  hoop. 
A  skin  to  be  dried  in  this  manner  must  not  be 
ripped  down  the  belly,  but  it  is  cut  from  the 
lower  jaw  of  the  animal  to  just  below  its  fore- 
legs ;  the  lips,  eyes,  and  ears  being  cut  around, 
the  skin  is  stripped  off",  leaving  the  fur  side  in- 
ward. The  hoop  consists  of  a  branch  of  hickory 
or  other  elastic  wood,  an  inch  through  at  the  butt. 
This  is  bent  and  pushed  into  the  skin,  which  is 
drawn  tight,  and  fastened  in  place  by  notches  in 
the  bow,  drawing  the  skin  of  the  lip,  into  these 
notches.  A  much  neater  way,  and  one  generally 
preferred,  is  to  use  stretchers  of  thin  wood.  As 
these  have  to  be  carried  by  the  trapper,  they  are 
made  of  light  wood  and  very  thin.  They  are 
three-sixteenth  of  one  inch  thick,  20  inches  long, 
6  inches  wide  at  the  larger  end,  and  slightly 
tapering.  They  are  rounded  to  a  blunt  point  at 
the  lower  end,  and  the  edges  chamfered.  The 
skin  is  drawn  over  the  board,  and  secured  with 
tacks.      Skins  stretched  by  either  of  these  me- 

«3 


thods  should  not  be  dried  in  the  sun  nor  by  a 
fire,  but  in  a  cool  place  where  they  will  be  shel- 
tered from  the  rain.  No  salt  or  other  preserva- 
tive is  used  upon  skins  intended  for  the  market. 
SKUNKS,  To  Trap. — Take  an  old  barrel,  and 
place  it  on  its  side  on  a  triangular  stick  of  wood 
about  7  inches  high  fastening  the  bait  on  the 
bottom  of  the  barrel.  When  the  skunk  goes  for 
this  bait  as  soon  as  he  passes  the  centre  the  barrel 
turns  up  with  the  skunk,  without  making  any 
scent.  Then  take  it  by  the  tail  and  do  with  it  as 
desired.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  place  the 
barrel  too  high,  as  it  might  throw  over  and  not 
remain  upright.  The  more  skunks  you  catch  in 
the  same  barrel,  the  better  the  trap. 

SKUNK  SKINS,  To  Deodorise.— 'Yq  deodo- 
rise skunk  skins  or  articles  for  clothing  scented, 
hold  them  over  a  fire  of  red  cedar  boughs,  and 
sprinkle  with  chloride  of  lime ;  or  wrap  them  in 
green  hemlock  boughs,  when  they  are  to  be  had, 
and  in  24  hours  they  will  be  cleaned. 

SNARES. — Snares  are  not  very  certain,  but 
they  are  little  trouble  to  make.  They  must  be 
set  in  the  paths  or  runs  of  the  birds  it  is  intended 
to  take.  They  are  of  horse  hair  or  thin  copper 
wire  tied  in  a  running  knot.  The  tendency  of 
every  bird  when  it  finds  itself  touched  about  the 
head  is  to  push  forward.  This  draws  the  knot 
tighter,  until  the  bird  kills  itself. 

SNIPES,How  to  Shoot  successful.— To  thebe- 
ginner  no  bird  is  more  puzzling,  and,  therefore, 
more  difficult  to  shoot.  Its  flight  is  most  un- 
certain, most  variable,  and  most  irregular — rising 
at  one  time  as  evenly  as  a  lark,  and  flying  close 
to  the  ground  with  scarcely  the  slightest  deviation 
from  a  straight  line  ;  at  another,  springing  from 
the  ground  as  if  fired  from  a  gun,  and  then  flying 
in  a  zigzag  course  to  the  right  or  left,  and,  in- 
deed, in  every  direction ;  and  sometimes,  again, 
rising  to  a  great  hight,  and  then  going  straight 
away  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning.  And  yet, 
with  all  these  apparent  difficulties,  when  the 
knack  is  once  acquired,  it  becomes  comparatively 
easy — indeed,  is  reduced  almost  to  a  certainty : 
the  great  art  in  this  kind  of  shooting  is  coolness 
and  to  avoid  too  much  hurry.  And,  in  this,  as 
in  every  other  kind  of  shooting,  the  first  sight  is 
the  best:  the  moment  you  are  "well  on"  your 
bird,  the  trigger  should  be  pulled.  In  cross- 
shots,  fire  well  before  your  bird.  Contrary  to 
the  usual  practice,  you  should  always  walk  down 
wind ;  the  reason  for  this  is  that  snipe  always 
rise  against  it.  Sometimes  snipe  are  very  wild, 
and  at  others  will  lie  until  they  are  almost  trod- 
den upon.  If  there  be  much  wind,  your  best 
chance  is  to  "down  with  them"  as  soon  as  they 
rise  from  the  ground,  or  you  have  little  hope  of 
getting  a  bag. 

SOAP,  Arsenical. — This  soap,  used  for  pre- 
paring the  skins  of  birds  and  other  small  animals, 
is  made  by  taking  of  carbonate  of  potassa  12  oz., 
white  arsenic  4  oz.,  white  soap  4  oz.,  lime 
(slacked  in  the  air)  4  oz.,  camphor  (powdered)  ^'^ 
oz.,  water  sufficient  to  make  the  whole  into  a  paste. 

SQUIRRELS,  To  Trap.— In  trapping  squir- 
rels, set  a  steel  trap  on  the  upper  rail  of  a  fence 
near  where  they  frequent ;  set  a  pole  with  an  ear 
of  corn,  or  some  other  squirrel  food  fastened  to 
the  end  of  it,  up  against  the  side  of  the  fence, 
leaning  in  such  a  position  as  to  spring  the  bait 
over  the  trap  at  a  hight  of  six  or  nine  inches ; 
when  the  squirrel  reaches  to  get  the  bait  he  will 
get  into  the  trap. 


194 


DICTION  A  R  YOF  E  VER  Y-DA  V  WANTS. 


SQUIRREL  SKIN,  To  7d«.— Place  them  in 
a  vessel  with  strong  wood  ashes.  Wet  the  ashes 
till  they  will  make  a  mortar.  Leave  them  in 
about  nine  days,  or  until  the  hair  can  be  pulled 
off;  take  them  out  and  remove  the  hair.  Then 
place  them  in  strong,  soft  soap  six  days ;  then 
remove  and  wash  them  in  cold  water  till  all  the 
soap  is  out  of  them.  When  nearly  dry,  rub  them 
with  the  hands  till  dry.  (  Wiih  the  hair  on. ) 
Place  the  hide  on  a  smooth,  round  sided  slab, 
made  for  the  purpose,  with  two  legs  in  one  end, 
and  let  the  other  end  rest  on  the  ground ;  drive 
a  nail  in  the  upper  end  to  hold  the  skin  from 
slipping  while  fleshing.  Scrape  off  all  the  flesh 
with  a  blunt  knife,  being  careful  not  to  tear  the 
hide.  Then  take  the  brains  of  the  squirrel  and 
work  them  thoroughly  into  the  skin ;  this  ren- 
ders the  skin  pliable.  Then  scatter  on  some 
powdered  alum  and  a  little  saltpeter.  Let  dry ; 
then  stretch  and  work  it  until  as  pliable  as  may 
be  desired. 

TANNING,  Chemistry  of.— The  skins  of 
animals  are  constituted  mainly  of  glue  or  gluten. 
This  is  soluble,  and  the  principle  derived  from 
the  bark,  tannin,  or  tannic  acid,  is  also  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  soluble.  W^hen  the  latter  is 
allowed  to  act  upon  the  former,  chemical  com- 
bination takes  place,  and  leather  is  produced 
which  is  wholly  insoluble. 

TAN  BARIC.-:— The  tannin  properties  of  bark 
mainly  consist  of  the  inner  lining  of  the  same ; 
a  great  saving  in  transportation  would  be  made 
by  separating  the  inner  from  the  outer  coating 
before  sending  to  market.  It  is  also  recommend- 
ed that  this  liber  be  ground  to  a  very  fine  powder, 
in  order  that  its  virtues  may  be  the  better  extract- 
ed, and  that  it  be  transported  in  barrels,  to  pro- 
tect it  from  moisture,  and  the  better  to  prevent 
the  oxygen  of  the  air  from  acting  on  the  tannin, 
and  thus  converting  it  into  gallic  acid. 

TANNING,  Operation  of.— The.  first  opera- 
tion is  to  soak  the  hide,  as  no  hide  can  be  pro- 
perly tanned  unless  it  has  been  soaked  and  broken 
on  a  fleshing  beam.  If  the  hide  has  not  been 
salted  add  a  little  salt  and  soak  it  in  soft  water. 
In  order  to  be  thoroughly  soaked  green  hides 
should  remain  in  this  liquor  from  9  to  12  days, 
of  course  the  time  varies  with  the  thickness  of 
the  hide.  The  following  liquors  is  used  to  re- 
move hair  or  wool,  viz :  10  gallons  cold  water 
(soft),  8  quarts  slacked  lime,  and  same  quantity 
of  wood  ashes.  Soak  until  the  hair  or  wool  will 
pull  off  easily. 

As  it  frequently  happens  it  is  desirable  to  cure 
the  hide  and  keep  the  hair  clean,  the  following 
paste  should  be  made,  viz :  Equal  parts  of  lime 
and  hard  wood  ashes  (lime  should  be  slacked,) 
and  made  into  a  paste  with  soft  water.  This 
should  be  spread  on  the  flesh  side  of  the  hide 
and  the  skin  rolled  up  flesh  side  in  and  placed  in 
a  tub  just  covering  it  with  water.  It  should  re- 
main 10  days  or  until  the  hair  will  pull  out  easily, 
then  scrape  off  with  a  knife. 

TANNING,  without  the  Wool  or  Hair.— The 
skins  are  first  soaked  in  warm  water,  scraped  on 
the  flesh  side  to  get  off  fat,  and  hung  in  a  warm 
room  until  they  begin  to  give  a  slight  smell  of 
hartshorn.  The  wo  )1  or  fur  then  comes  off  read- 
ily. The  hair  sidj  should  now  be  thoroughly 
scraped  against  the  hair.  The  skin  is  next  soaked 
two  or  three  weeks  in  weak  lime  water,  changing 
the  water  two  or  three  times.  Then  they  are 
brought  out  again,  scraped  smooth  and  trimmed. 


Then  rinsed  in  clean  water,  then  soaked  in  wheat 
bran  and  water  for  two  or  three  weeks.  After 
this  they  are  well  stirred  around  in  a  pickle  of 
alum,  salt  and  water.  Then  they  are  thrown 
again  into  the  bran  and  water  for  two  or  three 
days.  Then  stretched  and  dried  somewhat  in  a 
warm  room.  After  this  they  are  soaked  in  warm 
water  and  then  worked  or  trodden  on  in  a  trough 
or  pail  filled  with  yelk  of  eggs,  salt,  alum,  flour 
and  water,  beaten  to  a  froth.  They  are  finally 
stretched  and  dried  in  an  airy  room,  and  last  of 
all  smoothed  with  a  warm  smoothing  iron.  This  ' 
makes  the  beautiful  leather  we  see  in  gloves, 
military  trimmings,  etc.  The  proportions  for  the 
egg  paste  are  as  follows:  3/^  pounds  salt,  8 
pounds  alum,  21  pounds  wheat  flour  and  yelks 
of  nine  dozen  eggs.  Make  a  paste  with  water, 
dissolving  first  the  alum  and  salt.  A  little  of 
this  paste  is  used  as  wanted  with  a  great  deal  of 
water. 

Chamois  skins  and  deer  skins  not  wanted  for 
gloves,  are  similarly  treated  up  to  the  point  of 
treating  with  egg  paste.  Instead  of  using  this 
process  they  are  oiled  on  the  hair  side  with  very 
clean  animal  oil,  rolled  into  balls  and  thrown 
into  the  trough  of  a  fulling  mill,  well  beaten  two 
or  three  hours,  aired,  re-oiled,  beaten  again  and 
the  process  repeated  a  third  time.  They  are 
then  put  into  a  warm  room  until  they  begin  to 
give  out  a  decided  smell,  then  scoured  in  weak 
lye  to  take  out  superfluous  grease.  Here  the 
intention  is  merely  to  get  a  thick  felt-like  skin  of 
good  color,  a  nicely  grained  surface  is  not  re- 
quired as  in  gloves.  The  skins  are  finally  rinsed, 
wrung  out,  stretched  and  dried,  and  when  nearly 
dry  slightly  rubbed  with  a  smooth,  hard  round 
stick. 

These  are  the  fine  processes.  A  dried  skin 
oiled  so  as  to  become  smooth  and  pliable  will 
retain  the  hair  or  wool  a  considerable  time.  Or 
it  may  be  made  more  durable  where  the  color  of 
the  flesh  side  is  no  object  by  scraping,  washing 
in  soap  suds  and  then  putting  directly  into  the 
tan  pit.  For  ordinary  purposes  rabbit,  squirrel 
and  other  small  skins  can  be  efficiently  preserved 
with  the  hair  by  the  application  of  powdered 
alum  and  -fine  salt,  put  on  them  when  fresh,  or  if 
not  fresh  by  dampening  them  first.  Squirrel 
skins  when  wanted  without  the  hair  will  tan  very 
well  in  wheat  bran  tea,  the  fat  and  hair  having 
been  previously  removed  by  soaking  in  lime  water 
and  scraping.  Old  tea  leaves  afford  tannin 
enough  for  small  skins  but  they  give  a  color  not 
nearly  so  pleasant  as  bran.  Almost  any  of  the 
barks  afford  tannin  enough  for  small  skins,  wil- 
low, pine,  poplar,  hemlock  of  course,  sumach,  etc. 
TANNING,  without  Bark  or  Mineral  astring- 
ents.—  The  astringent  liquor  is  composed  of 
water,  17  gallons;  aleppo  galls  j^  lb.  ;  Bengal 
catechu,  l^  oz.  and  5  lbs.  of  tormentil,  or  sept- 
foil  root.  Powder  the  ingredients,  and  boil  in  the 
Wtiter  I  hour ;  when  cool,  put  in  the  skins  (which 
must  be  prepared  by  being  plunged  into  a  pre- 
paration of  bran  and  water  for  2  days  previously); 
handle  them  frequently  during  the  first  3  days, 
let  them  alone  the  next  3  days,  then  handle  three 
or  four  times  in  one  day;  let  them  lie  undisturbed 
for  25  days  more,  when  the  process  will  be  com- 
plete.—  {Canadian  Process.) — The  Canadians 
make  four  liquors  in  using  the  japonica.  The 
first  liquor  is  made  by  dissolving,  for  20  sides  of 
upper,  15  lbs.  of  terra  japonica  in  sufficient 
water  to  cover  the  upper,  being   tanned.     The 


HUNTING,   TRAPPING  AND  TANNING. 


I9S 


second  liquor  contains  the  same  amount  of  japo- 
nica,  and  8  lbs.  of  saltpetre  also.  The  third  con- 
tains 20  lbs.  of  japonica,  and  4_J^  lbs.  of  alum. 
The  fourth  liquor  contains  only  15  lbs.  of  japo- 
nica, and  l^  lbs.  of  sulphuric  acid;  and  the 
leather  remains  4  days  in  each  liquor  for  upper ; 
and  for  sole  the  quantities  and  time  are  both 
doubled.  They  count  50  calf  skins  in  place  of 
20  sides  of  upper,  but  let  them  lie  in  each  liquor 
only  3  days. 

TANNING,  Curriers  Siz£  /or.— Take  of 
sizing,  I  quart;  soft-soap,  I  gill;  stuffing,  I  gill; 
sweet  milk,  %  pt.;  boil  the  sizing  in  water  to  a 
proper  consistence,  strain,  and  add  the  other 
ingredients ;  and,  when  thoroughly  mixed,  it  is 
ready  for  use. 

TANNING,  Curriers  Paste  for.— Yixsi  Coat. 
Take  of  water,  2  quai^Js ;  flour,  yi  pint ;  Castile 
soap,  I  oz.:  make  into  paste.  Second  Coat. 
Take  of  first  paste,  _J^  pt,;  gum-tragacanth,  i 
gill ;  water,  I  pt.:  mix  all  together.  This  will 
finish  eighteen  sides  of  upper. 

TANNING,  Curriers  Skirting  for, — This  is 
for  finishing  skirting  and  the  flesh  of  harness 
leather,  in  imitation  of  oak-tanning.  Take  of 
chrome  yellow,  _J^  lb.;  yellow  ochre,  I  lb,;  cream 
of  tartar,  I  oz.;  soda,  j^  oz.;  paste,  ^  qts.:  mix 
well.  This  will  finish  twelve  sides.  For  the 
Grain  to  imitate  Oak  Tan. — Take  of  chrome  yel- 
low, ^4,  lb.;  yellow  ochre,  yi  lb.;  cream  of  tartar, 
I  oz.;  soda,  I  oz.;  paste,  2  qts,;  spirits  of  turpen- 
tine, I  pt.;  mix  well.  This  will  finish  twelve  sides. 
TRAPPERS,  Hints  to.— {Valuable z'erstis 
Wbri/iless  Skins.)  The  skins  of  animals  trapped 
are  always  valued  higher  than  those  shot,  as  shot 
not  only  make  holes,  but  frequently  plow  along 
the  skin  making  furrows  as  well  as  shaving  off 
the  fur.  To  realize  the  utmost  for  skins  they 
must  be  taken  care  of,  and  also  cleaned  and  pre- 
pared properly.  Newhouse  gives  these  general 
rules  derived  from  experience. 

1.  Be  careful  to  visit  your  traps  often  enough, 
so  that  the  skin  will  not  have  time  to  get  tainted. 

2.  As  soon  as  possible  after  an  animal  is  dead 
and  dry,  attend  to  the  skinning  and  curing. 

3.  Scrape  off  all  superfluous  flesh  and  fat,  and 
be  careful  not  to  go  so  deep  as  to  cut  the  fiber  of 
the  skin. 

4.  Never  dry  a  skin  by  the  fire  or  in  the  sun, 
but  in  a  cool,  shady  place,  sheltered  from  rain. 
If  you  use  a  Ijarn  door  for  a  stretcher  (as  boys 
sometimes  do),  nail  the  skin  on  the  inside  of  the 
door, 

5.  Never  use  "preparations"  of  any  kind  in 
curing  skins,  nor  even  wash  them  in  water,  but 
simply  stretch  and  dry  them  as  they  are  taken 
from  the  animal. 

TRAPPING,  Season  /or.— All  furs  are  best 
in  winter ;  but  trapping  may  be  carried  on  to  ad- 
vantage for  at  least  six  months  in  the  year,  i.  e. 
any  time  between  the  first  of  October  and  the 
middle  of  April.  There  is  a  period  in  the  warm 
season,  say  from  the  first  of  Alay  to  the  middle 
of  September,  when  trapping  is  out  of  the 
question,  as  furs  are  worthless.  The  most  trap- 
ping is  done  late  in  the  fall  and  early  in  the  spring. 
The  reason  why  furs  become  worthless  in  summer 
is,  that  all  fur-l:)earing  animals  shed  their  coats, 
or  at  least  lose  the  finest  and  thickest  part  of 
their  fur  as  warm  weather  approaches,  and  have 
a  new  growth  of  it  in  the  fall  to  protect  them  in 
winter.  This  whole  process  is  indicated  in  the 
case  of  the  muskrat,  and  some  other  animals,  by 


the  color  of  the  inside  part  of  the  skin.  As  sum- 
mer approaches,  it  becomes  brown  and  dark. 
That  is  a  sign  that  the  best  fur  is  gone.  After- 
ward it  grows  light-colored,  and  in  winter  when 
the  fur  is  in  the  best  condition  it  is  altogether 
white.  When  the  pelt  is  white  it  is  called  prime 
by  the  fur-dealers.  The  fur  is  then  glossy,  thick, 
and  of  the  richest  color,  and  the  tails  of  such 
animals  as  the  mink,  marten,  and  fisher  are  full 
and  heavy.  Beavers  and  muskrats  are  not  tho- 
roughly prime  till  about  the  middle  of  winter. 
Other  animals  are  prime  about  the  first  of  No- 
vember. There  is  probably  some  variation  with 
the  latitude,  of  the  exact  period  at  which  furs  be- 
come prime,  the  more  northern  being  a  little  in 
advance.  Trappers  are  liable  to  begin  trapping 
too  early  in  the  season,  consequently  much  poor 
fur  is  caught,  which  must  be  sold  at  low  prices, 
and  is  unprofitable  to  the  trapper,  the  fur-buyer 
and  the  manufacturer. 

TRAPS,  SETTING.— T\iQ  first  thing  to  se- 
cure in  setting  your  trap,  is  that  the  animal  will 
go  to  it,  second,  that  it  shall  catch  him  when  he 
comes,  and  last  that  he  shall  not  be  able  to  get 
away,  when  once  caught.  Next  it  is  necessary 
always  to  smoke  the  trap  in  burning  hemlock, 
cedar,  or  juniper  boughs,  dipped  in  the  blood  of 
pigs  that  have  just  been  killed,  or  letting  the 
blood  of  a  chicken  run  over  it,  dipping  it  in 
melted  fat  or  rubbing  it  while  warm  with  a  ball 
of  bees-wax.  But  remember  that  in  baiting  a 
rabbit  trap  your  hands  must  never  be  greasy ; 
there  is  nothing  a  rabbit  will  so  quickly  avoid  as 
grease  of  any  kind. 

Now  having  arranged  this,  your  next  business 
must  be  to  induce  your  animal  not  to  be  shy.  If 
you  are  carrying  on  trapping  in  wild  woods  the  • 
surrounding  scenery  is  generally  wild  enough, 
but  near  at  home,  on  the  farm  care  must  be  taken 
to  take  awa^  the  appearance  of  preparation,  and 
yet  preparation  must  be  made.  A  cautious  ani- 
mal such  as  a  fox  or  raccoon,  should  be  invited 
to  come  several  times  before  the  trap  is  set ;  ar- 
range a  place  with  sawdust,  hay-seed,  chaff,  and 
chicken  feathers,  several  inches  deep,  scatter 
through  it  food  adapted  to  the  animal  intended  to 
becaught,offal  ofchickens,  bones,  and  bits  of  waste 
meat,  fish  heads,  etc,  if  for  fox ;  nubbins  of  corn, 
etc.,  for  coon,  leave  it  and  when  you  have  cer- 
tain indications,  set  your  trap  (free  from  the  iron 
smell)  and  cover  with  the  material  you  have 
used,  scattering  bits  of  food  therein  as  before, 
the  creature  you  are  after,  will  probably  be  there 
the  next  morning,  if  you  have  properly  secured 
your  trap.  Another  way  is  to  set  your  trap  under 
water  two  or  three  inches  with  the  bait  above  it, 
hung  upon  a  sapling  or  spile  so  as  to  make  the 
animal  stand  upon  the  trap  to  get  it,  or  to  plant 
your  trap  well  covered  at  the  foot  of  an  old  stump, 
by  the  side  of  a  sapling,  by  the  side  of  a  barn,  \ 
hay-stack,  smoke  house,  pig  pen,  but  always  \ 
covering  the  trap  and  hanging  the  bait  above  it, 
so  as  to  make  the  animal  step  into  it. 

Last  of  all  you  must  secure  the  trap  by  a 
weight  of  wood  or  metal,  by  a  bent  sapling 
that  pulls  it  up  into  the  air,  or  by  a  weight 
or  stick  that  will  pull  it  into  the  Mater  and 
drown  it.  A  short  light  chain  ought  to  be 
attached  to  every  trap  of  iron,  as  animals  gnaw 
with  ease  through  anything  like  rope  or  hide.  If 
you  are  catching  animals  only  to  get  rid  of  a  nui- 
sance, no  spring  is  necessary,  but  if  for  fur,  you 
want  to  hoist  the  land  animal  into  the  air  where 


196 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


they  cannot  damage  themselves,  and  if  water 
animals,  you  want  to  drown  them  quick,  the  for- 
mer result  is  attained  by  bending  over  a  sapling 
with  a  stout  cord  attached  containing  the  bait,  a 
portion  of  the  cord  continues  down  to  the  trap 
and  is  fastened  slightly  by  a  notched  peg  driven 
into  the  ground,  when  the  animal  is  caught  its 
struggles  free  the  cord,  and  the  sapling  springs 
back  and  hoists  it  into  the  air.  If  your  trap  is 
set  in  water  it  may  be  fastened  by  a  ring  at  the 
end  of  the  chain  to  a  pole  running  out  into  deep 
water,  the  pole  should  be  fastened  into  its  posi- 
tion and  securely  anchored,  or  the  whole  thing 
may  be  rolled  far  down  the  stream  when  you 
come  to  look  for  it;  the  struggles  of  the  animal 
caught  cause  the  ring  to  go  farther  and  farther 
down  the  stick  and  the  weight  of  the  trap  finally 
drowns  the  animal. 

TRAPS,  Baiting. — Strong  smelling  substan- 
ces are  the  best  baits,  other  things  being  equal ; 
and  if  the  smell  of  the  kind  of  animal  to  be  caught 
can  be  given  to  the  bait  in  any  way,  it  will  be 
sure  to  lure  the  animal  to  the  trap.  If  a  fox 
skin  be  dragged  along  ihe  ground  in  the  direction 
of  the  trap,  every  fox  striking  the  trail  will  follow 
it  up.  So  it  is  with  other  animals.  Beaver  bait 
is  made  thus :  The  castor  or  bark  stone,  which 
is  found  in  the  male  beaver,  is  pressed  Irom  the 
bladder-like  bag  which  contains  it  into  a  vial 
with  a  wide  mouth.  Five  or  six  of  these  stones 
are  taken,  and  a  powdered  nutmeg,  a  dozen  or 
more  cloves,  a  teaspoonful  of  ground  cinnamon, 
all  mixed  with  alcohol  or  whisky  until  it  is  about 
as  thick  as  good  syrup,  cork  the  bottle  and  keep 
three  or  four  days.  In  using  this  it  should  be 
employed  for  attracting  the  beaver  toward  the 
trap,  but  not  be  put  into  it.  For  the  beaver  has 
'  a  habit  when  he  smells  the  bark  stone  of  another 
beaver  of  covering  it  with  leaves  and  twigs  and 
then  voiding  his  own  bark-stone  or  scent  upon 
it.  Doing  this,  he  would  be  more  likely  to  cover 
the  trap  than  to  be  caught.  _\Vhat  the  object  of 
this  is  IS  of  course  unknown ;  but  it  is  similar  to 
the  voiding  of  urine  by  dogs,  foxes  and  wolves 
in  spots  already  used  by  another  animal  for  the 
same  purpose. 

But  the  beavers  will  take  any  fresh  root  or 
sapling  for  bait.  The  muskrat  will  take  carrots, 
potatoes,  apples,  or  any  similar  food.  All  of  the 
weasel  tribe — ^the  mink,  sable,  fisher,  skunk,  or- 
dinary weasel,  etc.,  will  take  fish;  fresh  or  salt. 
"When  using  the  latter,  it  should  be  toasted,  so 
as  to  emit  more  smell.  Old  hunters,  to  get  a 
good  "fish  smell,"  cut  up  any  small  fish,  put  the 
pieces  into  a  bottle,  and  let  it  be  in  as  warm  a 
place  as  convenient  for  several  days.  As  it  de- 
cays the  fish  oil  rises,  and  this  oil  they  put  on 
any  bait  they  happen  to  have.  All  of  the  weasf  1 
tribe,  as  well  as  foxes  and  wolves,  are  fond  of 
any  kind  of  fowl.  The  heads  and  legs  and  any 
other  waste  parts  of  both  wild  and  domestic  fowl 
are  the  best  of  bait.  Even  feathers  scattered 
around  the  trap  make  the  thing  more  attractive 
and  real.  A  little  musk  mixed  with  assafcetida, 
or  mixed  like  the  bark-stone,  or  even  a  muskrat 
skin,  fixed  so  as  to  drag  along  the  ground  toward 
a  trap,  will  make  most  ol  this  tribe,  as  well  as 
the  fisher,  follow  it  up  to  the  trail.  A  strong 
piece  of  codfish  will  do  the  same.  Some  old 
hunters  just  keep  one  of  these  trail-bags  tied  by 
a  string  to  tlieir  belt  and  let  it  drag  as  they  go 
from  trap  to  trap.  This  multiplies  their  chances 
of  having  someming  in  them  next  morning.  An- 


other secret  of  old  hunters  is  to  take  the  parts 
peculiar  to  the  sex  of  the  female  wolf,  fox  or  dog, 
and  preserve  it  in  alcohol  or  whisky  for  use.  A 
small  piece  of  this  is  used  in  drawing  either  fox 
or  wolf  to  traps,  and  proves  irresistible  to  the 
male,  and  no  matter  from  which  species  it  is 
taken,  it  proves  alike  attractive  to  cither  fox  or 
wolf.  It  is  not  used  as  a  bait  that  is  as  food,  but 
as  the  trail  or  drag  is  to  bring  the  animal  toward 
the  trap.  The  trap  may  be  baited  as  usual,  or 
this  substance  may  be  suspended  over  the  trap ; 
in  trying  to  reach  it  to  smell  at  it,  the  animal 
steps  into  the  trap.  Foxes,  wolves  and  all  the 
weasel  tribe  will  take  flesh  and  fish  of  any  kind 
with  tliis  exception;  foxes,  wolves  (and  dogs) 
will  not  eat  their  own  kind;  weasels  of  every 
kind  will.  Toasted  cheese  forms  a  strong  allure- 
ment for  a  fox.  The  beaj:  will  go  anywhere  for 
honey,  and  it  is  usual  to  smear  this  over  a  piece 
of  pork  or  beef,  or  even  upon  an  ear  of  corn,  or 
just  to  smear  it  on  the  tree  or  stump  near  where 
the  trap  is  set.  The  skunk  considers  mice  a 
dainty,  and  raccoons  will  travel  far  for  frogs,  fish 
(broiled),  salt  or  fresh;  but  an  ear  of  corn  is  not 
disdained  by  him.  Squirrels  take  Indian  corn, 
nuts,  etc.  Woodchucks  will  take  roots,  corn  and 
bread.  Wild  cats  take  flesh  or  fish  of  any  kind. 
In  the  northwest  they  are  also  taken  with  the 
bark-stone  bate  previously  described.  In  arrang- 
ing traps  for  small  birds  hemp-seed  will  be  found 
more  attractive  than  any  other.  Buckwheat  is  per- 
haps more  attractive  for  quails  than  any  other  grain. 
The  partridge — also  called  pheasant  in  some  places 
— may  be  caught  with  an  apple  once  in  a  hundred 
years.  We  think  even  that  unlikely.  Otters, 
also,  can  be  caught  with  the  various  grains — the 
small  grains  being  best. 

TRAP  SPRINGS,  To  Temper.— See  "Work- 
ers in  Metals"  department. 

TRAP,  Dead  Fall.— The  simplest  dead  fall  is 
made  with  one  log,  heavy  enough  to  hold  the 
creature  which  it  is  proposed  to  trap.  Cut  a 
notch  into  a  stump,  or  drive  a  short  stake  with 
a  notch  in  it,  or  fasten  the  log  with  a  withe  to  a 
stake  or  sapling,  or  in  any  case  allow  it  a  hinge- 
like  motion.  This  is  done  with  the  log  lying  on 
the  ground.  Raise  one  end  and  support  it  upon 
a  figure  four,  baited  of  course  (see  description 
hereafter).  The  bait  stick  of  the  figure  four  must 
be  at  right  angles  with  the  log,  and  enclosed  with 
stakes  or  otherwise  to  ailow  the  animal  to  ap- 
proach only  from  one  side,  and  obliging  it  to 
stand  across  the  line  in  which  the  log  would  fall. 
Another  way  is  to  arrange  two  logs,  one  to  fall  on 
the  other  in  the  same  way.  Stakes  may  be  driven 
at  the  side,  if  found  necessary,  to  insure  one  log 
falling  on  top  of  the  other. 

TRAP,  FARMERS,  Far  Mink,  Weasels, 
Skunks,  etc. — ^Take  boards  ^  inch  thick,  and 
make  a  box  the  two  sides  and  top  12  inches  long, 
with  one  end  closed ;  the  size  of  the  box  inside 
being  4  inches  square.  A  steel  spring  is  fastened 
on  the  closed  end  of  the  box,  to  which  is  fastened 
a  square  ring  at  its  extremity,  through  which 
the  game  thrusts  its  head  to  reach  the  bait  at  one 
end  of  a  catch,  which  holds  the  ring  depressed 
and  held  by  a  wire  running  from  the  front  end  of 
the  trap  to  the  catch  on  the  upper  extremity  of 
the  bait  hook.  One  who  has  tried  it  extensively 
says:  "This  is  the  best  trap  for  skunks  in  the 
world,  I  believe.  I  have  used  many  different 
kinds,  but  none  work  so  well  as  this.  You  can 
set  it  at  the  hole  in  a  wall  or  fence.  It  is  sure  fire." 


INKS  AND  BLACKING. 


197 


TRAP,  Figure  Four. — The  "figure  four" 
^hich  forms  the  basis  in  the  construction  of  a 
large  variety  of  traps,  is  made  of  three  sticks — 
an  upright,  a  diagonal  piece  and  the  trigger  or 
horizontal  piece.  The  first  may  be  made  say  8 
inches  in  length,  the  upper  end  being  whittled  to 
a  thick  edge — not  a  ponit.  The  horizontal  piece 
or  trigger,  about  10  inches  long  and  square,  has 
a  notch  on  one  side,  about  7  inches  from  one  end. 
On  the  upper  face  of  the  trigger,  about  6^  in- 
ches from  the  side  notch,  is  another  notch.  The 
diagonal  has  both  ends  beveled  or  brought  to  a 
wide  edge,  and  a  notch  cut  near  one  end.  In 
setting  up  the  figure  hold  the  perpendicular  up, 
fit  the  trigger  to  its  side,  then  adjust  the  notch 
in  the  diagonal  to  the  perpendicular,  and  then 
insert  the  other  end  of  the  diagonal  in  the  notch 
near  the  end  of  the  trigger.  Now  let  the  lid  of 
the  trap  or  the  fall,  wjiatcver  it  may  be,  rest  on 
the  end  of  the  diagonal  immediately  over  the 
trap;  this  makes  the  figure  four  stand  firmly,  yet 
ready  to  fall  at  a  very  slight  pull  upon  the  trig- 
ger, to  which  the  bait  is  fastened — the  trigger 
extending  some  3  inches  from  the  perpendic- 
ular. 

TRAP,  Sieve. — ^Take  a  large  sieve  and  prop 
it  up  with  a  stick  to  the  middle  of  which  one  end 
of  a  piece  of  string  is  tied.  Strew  some  crumbs 
of  bread  or  seeds  under  the  trap,  and  also  a  few 
near  by,  and  taking  the  other  end  of  the  string  in 
your  hand,  retire  and  conceal  yourself  at  some 
distance  until  the  birds  are  attracted  by  the  bait. 
As  soon  as  you  perceive  them  feeding  directly 
under  the  trap,  jerk  the  string  quickly  and  the 
sieve  falls.  This  is  the  simplest  of  boy's  traps, 
but  answers  very  well  when  there  is  time  to  spare. 
When  a  chicken  is  wanted  about  the  farm-house, 
it  is  often  time  saved  to  catch  it  in  this  way, 

TRAP,  Quail. — A  quail  trap  may  be  any  kind 
of  coop,  supported  by  a  figure  4.  The  spindle  of 
the  figure  must  cither  be  so  made  as  to  hold 
grain,  or,  what  is  better,  some  grains  of  wheat 
or  buckwheat  are  strung  over  a  strong  thread 
•with  the  aid  of  a  needle  and  tied  to  the  spindle. 
Quails  and  prairie  hens  easily  enter  a  trap  when 
the  ground  is  covered  with  snow.  At  other  times 
it  is  rather  difficult  to  catch  them. 

TRAP,  Wild  Turkey. — A  wild  turkey  trap  is 
made  by  first  digging  a  ditch ;  then  over  one  end 
i-s  built  a  rude  structure  of  logs,  covered  at  the 
top.  The  structure  should  not  be  tight,  but,  of 
course,  sufficiently  close  not  to  let  the  birds 
through.  Indian  corn  is  scattered  about  and  in 
the  ditch,  and  in  the  inside  of  the  pen.  The 
turkeys  follow  up  corn  in  the  ditch,  and  emerge 
from  it  on  the  inside.     Once  there,  the  silly 


birds  never  think  of  descending  into  the  ditch, 
but  walk  round  and  round  the  pen,  looking 
through  the  chinks  of  the  logs  for  escape  that  way. 
To  make  all  sure,  the  ditch  should  end  about  the 
centtr  of  the  pen,  and  a  bridge  of  slicks,  grass 
and  earth  should  be  built  over  the  ditch,  just 
inside  of  the  pen,  and  close  to  the  logs.  Other- 
wise in  going  around  the  bird  might  step  inside 
the  ditch,  and  once  there,  it  would  follow  the 
light  and  thereby  reach  the  outside  of  the  pen. 

TROUT  BREEDING.— The  experience  of 
a  breeder  on  Long  Island  is  as  follows:  He  has 
put  in  use  a  race  with  a  floor  of  slats ;  and  upon 
the  slats  a  layer  of  gravel  of  the  size  preferred 
by  the  fish  for  spawning  ground.  The  water  is 
admitted  from  a  powerful  spring  "piped"  to  the 
spot,  (and  from  other  springs  in  the  bottom, ) 
beneath  the  floor  of  slats,  and  wells  up  with 
great  uniformity  through  the  entire  mass  of 
gravel,  so  that  everywhere  there  is  an  upward 
rising,  yet  very  gentle,  current.  This  race  is 
290  feet  in  length,  varying  from  4  to  8  feet  in 
width;  the  water  standing  from  12  to  18  inches 
deep  over  the  gravel,  and  having  a  very  percep- 
tible flow  at  the  outlet  where  the  race  is  widest. 
Below  the  race  is  the  nursery,  a  low  building, 
100  feet  in  length  by  10  in  width,  made  of  rough 
boards,  and  entirely  occupied  by  the  water-course 
and  a  narrow  walk.  From  the  nursery  the  water 
flows  through  "the  brook,"  a  boarded,  roofed, 
and  gravelled  channel,  500  feet  long,  to  its  out- 
let into  the  main  pond.  This  is  a  beautiful  sheet 
of  the  purest  water,  long  and  narrow,  doubling 
upon  itself,  and  filled  with  breeding  trout,  some 
of  which  are  of  very  large  size.  The  parent 
trout  seek  the  race  of  their  own  accord  and  make 
hardly  any  nests  in  this  beautifully  clean  and 
well-prepared  bed,  but  lay  indiscriminately  any- 
where. The  eggs  disappear  among  the  gravel, 
and  are  not  touched.  The  old  fish  return  to  the 
pond,  and,  after  the  laying  season,  are  shut  off. 
The  race  is  roofed  in  its  entire  length,  the  roof 
being  movable,  and  not  entirely  excluding  the 
light.  The  feeding  of  the  fry  takes  place  at 
certain  spots  in  the  race,  and  here  the  largest 
quantity  of  excrement  accumulates.  The  upward 
flowing  water  makes  it  easy  to  collect  and  remove 
this,  but  the  fry  are  chiefly  fed  in  the  nursery. 

VELLUM,  Tomake.—'YMx's,  is  a  species  of 
parchment  made  of  the  skins  of  abortives,  or 
sucking  calves ;  it  has  a  much  finer  grain,  and  is 
white  and  smoother  than  parchment,  but  is 
prepared  in  the  same  manner,  except  its  not  be- 
mg  passed  through  the  lime-pit.  The  article  is 
used  for  binding  superior  books,  and  covering  of 
drum  heads. 


INKS  AND  BLACKING. 


BLACKING. 

BLA  CKING,  Preliminary  remarks  on  mak- 
ing.— To  produce  a  first-rate  article  of  blacking 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  ingredients  be 
of  the  best  quality,  and  used  in  the  proper  pro- 
portions; and  that  the  order  of  their  admixture, 
and  ■&€  general  manipulations,  be  conducted, 


under  ordinary  circumstances,  in  tlie  manner 
described  in  the  first  of  the  following  formulas. 
The  proportions  of  the  molasses  and  the  oil,  the 
most  expensive  of  the  ingredients  should  not  be 
stinted ;  and,  indeed,  that  of  the  latter  may  be 
safely  increased  in  quantity,  without  materially 
affecting  the  polish,  and  with  manifest  advantage 
as  far  as  the  softness  and  durability  of  the  leather 


198 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


to  which  it  is  apphed,  is  concerned.  The  manip- 
ulations required  in  the  manufacture  of  both  paste 
blacking  and  liquid  blacking,  are  essentially  the 
same ;  the  difference  between  the  two  articles, 
when  the  same  materials  are  used,  depending 
entirely  on  the  quantity  of  liquid  added.  Thus, 
by  diluting  paste  blacking  with  water,  vinegar, 
or  beer  bottoms,  it  may  be  converted  into  liquid 
blacking  of  a  nearly  similar  quality;  and,  by 
using  less  fluid  matter,  the  ingredients  of  liquid 
blacking  will  produce  paste  blacking.  One 
thing  must,  however,  be  observed,  and  that  is, 
that  the  ivory-black  used  for  liquid  blacking 
should  be  reduced  to  a  much  finer  powder  than 
for  paste  blacking;  as,  if  this  is  not  attended  to, 
it  is  apt  to  settle  at  the  bottom,  and  to  be  with 
difficulty  again  diffused  through  the  liquid.  Per- 
sons who  object  to  the  use  of  blacking  contain- 
ing oil  of  vitroil,  will  find  recipes  in  which  it  is 
omitted  below.  The  vitriol,  however,  greatly 
contributes  to  promote  the  shining  properties  of 
the  blacking ;  and  in  small  quantities,  or  in  the 

firoper  proportion,  is  not  so  injurious  to  the 
eather  as  some  persons  have  represented ;  as  it 
wholly  unites  itself  to  the  lime  of  the  bone- 
phosphate  contained  in  the  ivory  -black,  and  is 
thus  neutralized,  insoluble  sulphate  of  lime,  and 
an  acid-phosphate,  or  super-phosphate,  being 
formed.  It  is  the  latter  that  gives  the  acidity  to 
a  well  made  sample  of  blacking,  and  not  the 
sulphuric  acid  originally  added  to  it.  In  this 
way,  the  larger  portion  of  the  ivory-black  is 
reduced  to  a  state  of  extremely  minute  division, 
and  with  the  other  ingredients  forms  a  strongly 
adhesive  paste,  which  clings  to  the  surface  of 
the  leather,  and  is  susceptible  of  receiving  a 
high  polish  by  friction  when  in  a  scarcely  dry 
state.  This  is  the  reason  why  lamp-black  should 
never  be  employed  for  blacking  to  the  exclusion 
of  the  necessary  proportion  of  bone-black,  as  it 
has  no  earthly  base  to  absorb  or  neutralize  the 
acid,  which,  if  left  in  a  free  state,  would  prove 
very  hurtful  to  the  leather.  Oil  of  vitriol  is  now 
employed  in  the  manufacture  of  all  the  more 
celebrated  and  expensive  blackings;  and  that, 
simply  because  no  other  substance  is  known  so 
efficient,  and  so  little  injurious  to  the  leather.  In 
the  common  blackings  of  Germany,  hydrochloric 
acid  is  often  used  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  oil  of 
vitriol;  but  blacking  so  prepared  possesses 
several  disadvantages  from  which  the  better 
qualities  are  free.  In  the  best  German  blackings 
only  a  small  portion  of  this  acid  is  used.  The 
addition  of  white  of  egg,  isinglass,  and  similar 
articles  to  blacking,  alwavs  proves  injurious,  as 
they  tend  to  stiffen  the  leather,  and  to  make  it 
crack,  without  at  all  improving  its  polishing 
properties.  Even  gum-arabic,  in  quantity,  is  on 
this  account,  objectionable.  Oil  has  an  opposite 
tendency,  and,  as  already  stated,  the  quantity 
commonly  used  may  be  increased  with  advantage. 
Resin  oil  should  be  particularly  avoided. 

The  only  improvement  that  has  been  in- 
troduced in  the  manufacture  of  blacking,  since 
the  early  days  of  the  celebrated  Day  &  Martin, 
is,  a  few  hours  after  the  conclusion  of  the  mixture 
of  the  ingredients,  but  before  adding  the  vinegar, 
if  any,  to  simmer  the  whole  very  gently,  for 
about  8  or  lo  minutes,  obser\-ing  to  stir  it  as- 
siduously all  the  time.  The  fire  must  then  be 
withdrawn,  and  the  pan  covered  over  until  it  is 
quite  cold,  when  half  an  hour's  lusty  stirring  will 
finish  the  process.    In  this  way  a  degree  of 


maturity  and  brilliancy  will  be  imparted  to  the 
product,  which  without  the  application  of  heat, 
it  would  take  months  to  acquire,  if  indeed  it  ever 
reached  it. 

As  it  is  generally  more  convenient  to  measure 
than  to  weigh  liquids,  it  may  be  useful  to  remem- 
ber that,  in  round  numbers : 

I  gal.  of  oil  weighs    9^  pounds. 

I       "      sour  beer     "       loj^       " 

I       •'      vinegar)      „  „ 

I       "      water     \  ^" 

We  may  here  further  remark  that  the  blackings 
of  different  houses  vary  considerably  in  some  of 
their  properties ;  as  also  do  those  of  even  the 
satne  maker  by  age.  Some  blackings  dry  off  rap- 
idly, and  give  a  very  brilliant  polish  with  very 
little  labor ;  while  others  take  a  little  longer  to  . 
dry  off,  and  somewhat  more  labor  to  pohsh  them. 
The  former  are  best  adapted  to  hasty  use,  and 
when  a  very  brilliant  surface  is  desired ;  the  lat- 
ter, when  depth  of  polish,  without  extreme  bril- 
liancy, satisfie's  the  wearer.  The  first  meets  best 
the  requirements  of  fashionable  life;  the  last, 
those  of  the  middle  classes  and  pedestrians  ex- 
posed to  dirt,  mud,  and  the  various  vicissitudes 
of  travelling  and  weather.  Time,  however, 
equalizes  the  qualities  of  these  two  classes. 
Blackings  which  are  crude,  moist,  and  oily,  lose 
these  properties,  and  become  drier  and  more 
brilliant  by  age.  The  practice  of  several  of  the 
first-class  London  boot  and  shoemakers  is  never 
to  use  a  blacking  which  they  have  not  had  in  their 
stock  at  least  a  twelvemonth. 

Blacking,  both  liquid  and  paste,  should  be 
stored  in  a  cool  and  moderately  dry  cellar ;  and 
when  in  use  should  be  kept  corked  or  otherwise 
excluded  from  the  air.  Exposure  or  desiccation 
destroys  most  of  its  best  qualities. 

AUTOMATIC  or  Self-Shining.— i.  Gum- 
arabic,  4  oz. ;  molasses  or  coarse  brown  sugar, 
lyi  oz.;  good  black  ink,  %  pint;  strong  vinegar, 
2  oz. ;  rectified  spirit  of  wine  and  sweet  oil,  of 
each  I  oz.;  dissolve  the  giim  in  the  ink,  add  the 
oil,  and  rub  them  in  a  mortar,  or  shake  them 
together  for  some  time,  until  they  are  thoroughly 
united;  then  add  the  vinegar,  and  lastly,  the 
spirits. 

2.  Lamp-black,  ^  oz. ;  indigo  in  fine  powder, 
I  dr. ;  put  them  in  a  mortar,  or  basin,  and  rub 
them  with  sufficient  mucilage  (made  by  dissolv- 
ing 4  oz.  of  gum  in  X  pii^*  of  strong  vinegar)  to 
form  a  thin  paste ;  add  very  gradually,  of  sweet 
oil,  I  oz. ;  and  triturate  until  their  union  is  com- 
plete, adding  toward  the  end  the  rest  of  the  mu- 
cilage; then  further  add  of  molasses,  i^oz. ; 
and  afterward,  successively,  of  strong  vinegar,  2 
oz. ;  rectified  spirit,  i  oz. ;  lastly,  bottle  for  use. 

3.  Mix  the  whites  of  2  eggs  with  a  tablespoon- 
ful  of  spirit  of  wine,  2  large  lumps  of  sugar  crush- 
ed, and  sufficient  finely  powdered  ivory-black  to 
give  the  required  color  and  thickness,  avoiding 
excess. 

The  above  are  chiefly  used  for  dress  boots  and 
shoes.  The  first  two  are  applied  to  the  leather 
with  the  tip  of  the  finger,  or  a  sponge,  and  then 
allowed  to  dry  out  of  the  dust.  The  third  is 
commonly  laid  on  with  a  sponge  or  soft  brush, 
and  when  almost  dry  or  hard  may  have  its  polish  ' 
hightened  with  a  brush  or  soft  rubber,  after 
which  it  is  left  for  a  few  hours  to  harden.  It  may 
also  be  used  to  revive  the  faded  black  leather 
seats  and  backs  of  old  chairs.  They  all  possess 
great  brilliancy  for  a  time;  but  are  only  adapted 


I.VA'S  AND  BLACKING. 


199 


to  clean,  dry  weather,  or  indoor  use.  They 
should  all  be  applied  to  the  leather  as  thinly  as 
possible,  as  otherwise  they  soon  crack  off. 

BALLS,  Heel. — i.  Mutton  suet,  4  oz.,  bees'- 
wax,  I  oz.,  sweet  oil,  i  oz.,  oil  of  turpentine,  ^ 
oz.,  melt  and  add  gum  Arabic,  I  oz.,  lamp  black, 
Yxoz. 

2.  Bees'-wax,  8  oz,,  tallow,  I  oz.,  melt  and 
add  powdered  gum  Arabic,  i  oz.,  lamp  black  to 
color.  Used  by  shoemakers,  and  to  copy  in- 
scriptions, or  raised  patterns,  by  lying  paper  on 
the  pattern  and  rubbing  the  ball  on  it. 

CAOUTCHOUC^  Blacking.— \%  ounces  ot 
caoutchouc  are  to  be  dissolved  in  about  9  pounds 
of  hot  rape  oil.  To  this  solution  60  pounds  of 
fine  ivory  black  and  45  pounds  of  molasses  are 
to  be  added,  along  with  i  pound  of  finely-powder- 
ed gum  arabic,  previously  dissolved  in  20  gallons 
of  vinegar.  These  mixed  ingredients  are  to  be 
finely  triturated  in  a  paint-mill,  till  the  mixture 
becomes  perfectly  smooth.  To  this  varnish  12 
pounds  of  sulphuric  acid  are  to  be  now  added,  in 
small  successive  quantities,  with  powerful  stirr- 
ing for  half  an  hour ;  at  the  end  of  which  time,  3 
pounds  of  finely-ground  gum  arabic  are  added; 
after  which  the  stirring  is  repeated  half  an  hour, 
for  14  days  longer,  when  the  liquid  blacking  is 
ready  for  use.  In  making  the  paste  blacking, 
the  patentees  prescribe  the  above  quantity  of 
India-rubber  oil,  ivory  black,  molasses,  and  gum 
arabic — the  latter  being  dissolved  in  only  12 
pounds  of  vinegar.  These  ingredients  are  to  be 
well  mixed  and  than  ground  together  in  a  mill, 
till  they  form  a  perfectly  smooth  paste.  To  this 
paste  12  pounds  of  sulphuric  acid  are  to  be  added 
in  small  quantities  at  a  time,  with  powerful  stirr- 
ing, which  is  to  be  continued  half  an  hour  after 
the  last  portion  of  the  acid  has  been  introduced. 
Ready  for  use  in  seven  days. 

FOR  MOROCCO  SHOES.— Vound  some 
black  sealing  wax,  and  put  in  a  bottle  with  half  a 
pint  of  alcohol;  shake  it  frequently,  and  when  ir  is 
dissolved,  you  may  rub  it  on  Morocco  sho^s 
when  they  are  scaled  or  defaced,  and  they  will 
look  almost  like  new ;  dry  it  on  in  the  sun. 

GERMAN  Blacking. — Ivory-black,  i  part; 
molasses,  ^  part;  sweet  oil,  y%  part;  mix,  as 
before ;  then  stir  in  a  mixture  of  hydrochloric 
acid,  Yi  part ;  oil  of  vitriol,  %  part  each  separat- 
ely diluted  with  twice  its  weight  of  water  before 
mixing  them.  This  forms  the  ordinary  paste 
blacking  of  Germany,  according  to  Liebig. 

GRAIN-SIDE  Blacking.— rvikQ  a  barreland 
put  into  it  quite  a  quantity  of  old  iron,  cast  or 
•wrought,  then  fill  nearly  full  of  soft  water,  and 
add  I  pt.  of  oil  of  vitriol ;  stir  it  up  well,  and  in 
a  month  or  two  you  have  just  as  good  blacking 
for  the  grain-side,  as  could  be  made  by  using 
vinegar  in  place  of  water. 

HARNESS  Blacking. — i.  Good  glue  or  ge- 
latine, 4  oz. ;  gum  arabic,  3  oz. ;  water,  }^  pint; 
dissolve  by  heat ;  add  of  molasses,  5  oz. ;  ivory- 
black  in  very  fine  powder,  5  oz. ;  and  gently 
evaporate,  with  constant  trituration,  until  of  a 
proper  consistence  when  cold ;  when  nearly  cold 
put  it  in  bottles,  and  cork  them  down.  For  use, 
the  bottle  may  be  warmed  a  little  to  thin  it,  it 
necessary.  Does  not  resist  the  wet. — 2.  Mutton 
suet,  2  oz. ;  bees-wax  pure,  6  oz. ;  soft  soap,  2 
oz.;  lamp-black,  2j4  oz. ;  indigo  (in  fine  powder) 
%  oz. ;  when  thoroughly  incorporated,  further 
add  of  oil  of  turpentine  ^  pint ;  and  pour  it  into 
pots  or  tins.     Waterproof. — ^3.  Bees-wax,  I  lb. ; 


soft  soap,  6  oz. ;  ivory-black  %  lb. ;  Prussian 
blue,  I  oz.;  ground  in  linseed  oil,  2  oz. ;  oil  of 
turpentine,  ^  pint ;  to  be  mixed,  etc. ,  as  before. 
Waterproof. — 4.  {English  Water  Proof.)  Take 
3  ounces  turpentine,  2  ounces  white  wax,  to  be 
dissolved  together  over  a  slow  fire ;  then  add  i 
ounce  of  ivory-black  and  I  dram  of  indigo,  to 
be  ^vell  pulverized  and  mixed  together.  When 
the  wax  and  the  turpentine  are  dissolved,  add  the 
ivory-black  and  the  indigo,  and  stir  till  cold. 
Apply  very  thin ;  brush  afterward,  and  it  will 
give  a  beautiful  polish. — 5.  A  good  blacking  is 
made  of  4  ounces  of  hog's  lard,  16  ounces  of 
neat's-foot  oil,  4  ounces  of  yellow  wax,  20  ounces 
of  ivory  black,  16  ounces  of  brown  sugar,  and  16 
ounces  of  water.  Heat  the  whole  to  boihng,  and 
stir  it  until  it  becomes  cool 'enough  to  handle, 
then  roll  it  into  balls  about  two  inches  in  dia- 
meter.— 6.  A  cheap  and  good  blacking  can  be 
made  as  follows :  Soften  two  pounds  of  glue  in 
one  pint  of  water,  dissolve  two  pounds  of  soap 
(castile  is  the  best,  but  most  expensive)  in  one 
part  of  warm  water ;  after  the  glue  has  become 
thoroughly  soaked,  cook  it  in  a  glue-kettle,  and 
then  turn  it  into  a  large  pot ;  place  the  pot  over 
a  hot  fire  and  pour  in  the  soap-water,  slowly 
stirring  urttil  all  is  well  mixed ;  then  add  a  half- 
pound  of  yellow  wax  cut  in  slices.  Let  the  mass 
boil  until  the  wax  becomes  melted,  then  add  half 
a  pint  of  neat's-foot  oil  and  a  sufficient  quantity 
of^  lampblack  to  give  it  color ;  let  it  boil  a  few 
minutes,  and  it  will  be  fit  for  use. — 7.  When  a 
harness  has  become  soiled,  it  can  be  restored  by 
the  use  of  the  French  polish.  The  ingredients 
are  4^  pounds  stearine,  6?/  pounds  turpentine, 
and  3  ounces  of  coloring  or  ivorj'  black.  I3eat  the 
stearine  out  to  thin  sheets  with  a  mallet,  then 
mix  it  with  the  turpentine,  and  subject  it  to  a 
water  bath.  While  heating,  it  must  be  stirred 
continually;  the  coloring  matter  is  thrown  in 
after  the  mass  has  become  thoroughly  heated.  It 
is  thrown  into  another  pot  and  stirred  until  it  is 
cool  and  thick ;  if  not  stirred,  the  mass  will  crys- 
tallize and  the  parts  become  separated.  When 
used,  it  must  be  warmed,  and  a  small  quantity 
rubbed  on  the  leather  with  a  cloth  ;  use  but  little 
at  a  time  and  put  on  very  thin.  After  it  has  par- 
tially dried,  rub  with  a  silk  cloth,  and  a  pohsh 
will  be  produced  equal  to  that  of  newly  varnished 
leather.  This  polish  is  also  good  for  carriage- 
tops,  straps,  etc.,  and  will  in  no  way  injure  3ie 
leather. 

INDIA  RUBBER  LIQUID,  Blackiitg.— 
Take  of  India  rubber  (in  small  pieces),  18  oz.; 
hot  rape  oil,  9  lb.  (say  I  gal.);  dissolve ;  to  the 
solution  add  of  ivory  black  (in  very  fine  powder), 
60  lb.;  jnolasses  45  lb.;  mix  thoroughly  ;  further 
add  of  gum-arabic,  i  lb.,  dissolved  in  vinegar 
(No.  24),  20  gal.;  reduce  the  whole  to  a  perfect 
state  of  smoothness  and  admixture  by  trituration 
in  a  paint  mill ;  throw  the  compound  into  a 
wooden  vessel,  and  add,  very  gradually,  of  sul- 
phuric acid,  12  lb.;  continue  the  stirring  for  ^ 
hour,  re[5eating  it  daily  for  14  days  ;  then  add  of. 
gum-arabic  (in  fine  powder),  3  lb.;  again  mix 
well,  and  repeat  the  stirring  for  %  an  hour  daily 
for  14  days  longer,  when  the  liquid  blacking  will 
be  ready  for  use,  or  for  bottling.  The  quality  is 
very  excellent ;  but  this,  probably,  does  not  de- 
pend on  the  presence  of  India  rubber,  but  on  the 
general  correctness  of  the  proportions,  and  the 
care  and  completeness  Avith  which  they  are 
mixed. 


soo 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


INDIA  RUBBER  PASTE,  Blacking.— 
Of  India  rubber,  oil,  ivory-black,  molasses,  and 
gum-arabic,  the  same  as  for  their  liquid  blacking 
(see  above),  but  dissolving  the  last  in  only  12 
pounds,  say  5  quarts,  instead  of  20  gals,  of  vin- 
egar; grinding  to  a  smooth  paste  in  a  color-mill, 
and  then  adding  of  oil  of  vitriol,  12  lbs.,  as  be- 
fore. The  mass  is  to  be  stirred  daily  for  a  week, 
when  it  will  be  fit  for  use,  or  potting. 

LEATHER  SEATS,  Blacking  for.— '^^zX 
well  the  yolks  of  two  eggs  and  the  white  of  one ; 
mix  a  table-spoonful  of  gin  and  a  tea-spooniul  of 
sugar,  thicken  it  with  ivory-black,  add  it  to  the 
eggs,  and  use  as  common  blacking ;  the  seats  or 
cushions  being  left  a  day  or  two  to  harden.  ITiis 
is  good  for  dress  hpots  and  shoes. 

LIQUID  BLACKING.— \.  Take  of  bone- 
black  (commercial  ivory-black)  16  parts;  molas- 
ses, 12  parts;  oil  of  vitriol,  3  parts  ;  sperm  oil,  2 
parts;  gum-arabic,  I  part;  strong  vinegar,  or 
sour  beer,  48  to  50  parts  ;  (all  by  weight ; )  place 
the  'bone-black'  in  a  capacious  wooden,  stone- 
ware, or  enameled  iron  vessel,  (avoid  vessels  of 
metal  only),  add  the  oil,  and  rub  them  well  to- 
gether ;  next  gradually  add  the  molasses,  and 
actively  and  patiently  grind  or  rub  the  mass, 
after  each  addition,  until  the  oil  is  perfectly  killed, 
and  finally  for  some  time  afterward,  to  insure 
complete  admixture ;  then  cautiously  dilute  the 
vitriol  with  about  three  times  its  bulk  of  water, 
and  add  it  in  sepaiate  portions,  to  the  former 
mixture,  observing  to  stir  the  whole  together,  as 
rapidly  as  possible,  on  each  addition  of  the  acid, 
and  for  some  minutes  after  the  whole  is  added, 
so  as  to  render  the  mass  thoroughly  smooth  and 
homogeneous ;  let  it  stand,  covered  over,  for  two 
or  three  days,  or  longer,  stirring  it,  in  the  mean 
time,  for  15  or  20  minutes  daily;  lastly,  having 
dissolved  the  gum  in  the  vinegar,  add  the  solution 
gradually  to  the  rest,  and  stir  the  whole  together 
briskly  for  some  time,  and  again  daily  for  3  or  4 
days.  It  maybe  further  diluted,  at  will,  with  a 
little  more  vinegar  or  beer,  or  with  water  ;  but 
unnecessary  or  excessive  dilution  should  be 
avoided,  as  the  richness  and  quality  of  the  black- 
ing becomes  proportionately  reduced.  If  all  the 
ingredients  (except  the  vitriol)  be  made  hot  be- 
fore admixture,  the  shining  quality  of  the  pro- 
duct will  be  greatly  improved,  and  the  process 
may  be  shortened. — 2.  Ivory-black,  16  parts ; 
molasses,  8  parts  ;  oil  of  vitriol,  4  parts  ;  (diluted 
with)  water,  2  parts ;  oil,  2  parts;  gum-arabic,  i 
part ;  soft  water  (for  the  final  dilution,  instead  of 
vinegar),  64  parts;  mixed,  etc.,  as  before.  Ex- 
cellent.— 3.  As  the  last ;  but  taking  only  6  parts 
of  molasses,  I  part  of  oil,  and  omitting  the  gum- 
arabic.  Good.  A  commoner  article  oY  liquid 
blacking  does  not  sell. — 4.  (Without  vitriol.) 
Take  of  ivory  black  (in  very  fine  powder),  2  lb.; 
molasses,  \%  lb.;  sperm  oil,  ^pmt;  mix  as  be- 
fore; then  add  of  gum-arabic,  i  oz.;  (dissolved 
in)  strong  vinegar,  )^  pint ;  mix  well ;  the  next 
day  further  add  of  good  vinegar,  or  strong  sour 
beer,  3  to  4  pints;  stir  briskly  for  a  ^of  an 
hour,  and  again  once  a  day  for  a  week.  Excellent, 
A  cheaper,  but  inferior  article,  maybe  made  by 
the  reductions  and  omissions  noticed  above. — 
^^  From  paste  blacking  (see  below),  by  reducing 
it  with  sufficient  vinegar,  sour  beer  or  water  to 
give  it  the  liquid  form. 

PASTE  BLACKING.— I.  Qualities  from 
good  to  superexcellent  may  be  made  from  any 
of  the  preceding  formulas,  by  simply  omitting 


the  final  dilution  with  the  vinegar,  sour  beer,  or 
water,  therein  ordered  at  the  end  of  the  process. 
— 2.  Ivory-black,  I  cwt.;  molasses,  28  lb.;  rape 
oil  or  other  cheap  oil,  i  gal.;  mix  as  before;  then 
add  of  oil  of  vitriol,  21  lb.;  diluted  with  water,  2 
gal.;  mix  them  quickly  and  thoroughly  by  forci- 
ble stirring  with  a  strong  wooden  spatula,  and  as 
soon  as  admixture  is  complete,  but  while  still 
fuming,  put  the  cover  on  the  tub  and  leave  it  till 
the  next  day,  when  without  further  stirring  it 
will  be  fit  for  use  or  sale.  Good  ordinary.  Used 
for  tins. — 3.  As  the  last ;  but  adding,  with  the 
ivory-black,  etc.,  14  to  28  lb.  of  coal-soot  sifted, 
omitting  one  half  of  the  oil,  and  diluting  the 
vitriol  with  an  extra  gallon  of  water.  Inferior. 
Chiefly  used  for  low  price  packages. — 4.  Ivory- 
black,  "killed"  with  a  tablespoonful  alcohol,  ^ 
pound ;  sweet  oil,  I  fluid  ounce ;  molasses,  y^, 
pint;  hydrochloric  acid,  i  ounce;  sulphuric  acid, 
I  ounce;  mix  the  first  three  ingredients,  add  the 
acids,  and  3  pints  of  vinegar  if  it  is  to  be  liquid 
blacking.     No  "challenge  blacking"  equals  this. 

VARMSII  Blacking.— I.  Take  9§  per  cent, 
alcohol,  I  gal.;  white  pine  turpentine,  i^  lbs.; 
gum  shellac,  lyi  lbs.;  Venice  turpentine,  i  gill. 
Let  these  stand  in  a  jug  in  the  sun  or  by  a  stove 
until  the  gums  are  dissolved,  then  add  sweet  oil 
I  gill,  and  lamp-black,  2ozs.,  rub  the  lamp-black 
first  with  a  little  of  the  varnish. — 2.  Alcohol,  I . 
gallon,  white  turpentine,  i^  lbs.,  gum  shelac, 
lyi  lbs.,  Venice  turpentine,  i  gill.  Let  these 
stand  in  a  jug  in  the  sun,  or  by  a  stove,  until  the 
gums  are  dissolved,  then  add  sweet  oil,  i  gill, 
and  lampblack,  2  oz.,  and  you  have  a  varnish 
which  will  not  crack  when  the  harness  is  twisted 
like  the  the  old  shellac  varnish. 

VARNISH,  for  Edge.— Tike  98  per  cent  al- 
cohol, I  pt.;  shellac  3  ozs.;  rosin,  2  ozs.;  pine ! 
turpentine,  i  oz.;  lamp-black,  ^  oz.;  mix,  and 
when  the  gums  are  all  cut,  it  is  ready  to  use ; 
but  bear  in  mind  that  low  proof  alcohol  will  not 
cut  gums  properly,  for  any  varnish. 

WA  TER  PROOF  Blacking.— Take  an  old 
pair  of  India  rubber  shoes,  (boots  or  any  old 
India  rubber,)  cut  them  up  and  pull  off  the  cloth- 
lining  ;  put  the  rubber  into  about  a  pint  of  neat's 
foot  oil,  and  set  it  on  the  stove  until  the  rubber 
is  entirely  melted,  stirring  it  once  in  a  while. 
Don't  let  it  boil  or  burn.  It  will  take  about  two 
days  to  melt  the  rubber.  As  soon  as  the  rubber 
is  melted,  stir  in  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  beef 
or  mutton  tallow,  and  one-half  pound  of  bees- 
wax. If  it  is  not  black  enough,  you  may  add  a 
little  lamp-black.  To  apply  to  the  boots  :  Wash 
them  clean  of  mud  and  blacking.  When  they 
are  nearly  dry,  apply  the  water-proof  all  over 
them.  If  the  weather  is  cold,  work  near  the 
stove.  The  best  thing  to  use  in  applying  this 
blacking  is  one's  hands,  and  considerable  elbow- 
grease  to  rub  it  well  into  the  leather.  Two  days 
after  it  is  applied  to  leather,  the  leather  will  re- 
ceive a  polish  from  ordinary  blacking  which  will 
resist  both  fresh  and  salt  water. 


INKS. 

ASIA  TIC. — Logwood  shavings  and  powdered 
galls,  of  each  2  lbs. ;  green  vitriol  i  lb. .  gum 
yi  lb. ;  pomegranate  bark  ^  lb. ;  water  i  gal- 
lon ;  infuse  14  days,  with  frequent  agitation. 

AUTHOGRAPHIC,  for  Lithographers.— 
W^hite  soap,  25  parts ;  white  wax,  25  parts ; 
mutton  suet,  6  parts ;  lamp-black,  6  parts :  shell 


INJCS  AND  BLACKING. 


lac,  lo  parts;  mastic,  lo  parts.  Mix  with  heat, 
and  proceed  as  for  lithographic  ink. 

BLUE. — I.  Take  soft  Prussian  blue  and  oxalic 
acid  in  equal  parts,  powder  them  finely,  and  then 
add  soft  water  to  bring  it  to  a  thin  paste.  Let 
it  stand  for  a  few  days,  then  add  soft  water  to 
make  the  desired  shade  of  color,  adding  a  little 
gum  arable  to  prevent  its  spreading. 

2. — Chinese  blue,  3  ounces,  oxalic  acid  (pure), 
%  of  an  ounce:  gum  arabic,  powdered;  I  ounce, 
distilled  water ;  6  pints.  Mi^. 

BLUE,  Indelible. — This  ink,  for  marking 
clothing,  is  made  of  five  parts  of  oxide  of  molyb- 
oenum  dissolved  in  the  requisite  quantity  of 
hydrochloric  acid ;  two  parts  of  the  extract  of 
liquorice,  and  six  of  gum  arabic  dissolved  in 
200  parts  of  water.  These  two  solutions  are 
mixed,  and  after  writing  with  them  on  the  ob- 
jects, the  side  written  upon  is  moistened  with  a 
solution  of  chloride  of  tin  in  water.  This  in- 
delible ink  not  only  withstands  washing,  but  also 
all  kinds  of  soaps  and  alkalies,  except  those 
which  also  destroy  the  linen. 

BLUE  ^Z^CA:— Bruised  galls,  lib.,  water, 
6  quarts  ;  steep  for  ten  days,  add  iron  filings,  i 
oz.,  sulphuric  acid,  I  oz.,  copperas,  3  oz.  ;  stir 
frequently,  and  in  a  few  days  strain  the  liquor. 
Powder  i  oz.  of  indigo  very  finely,  dry  it  by  a 
strong  heat,  and  stir  it  into  40Z.  of  the  strongest 
sulphuric  acid ;  reduce  the  product  by  heat  to 
the  consistence  of  syrup.  After  twenty- four 
hours  add  i  pint  of  water,  and  mix  with  the 
ink.  The  free  acid  must  now  be  neutralized  with 
chalk  or  whiting.  A  little  of  this  ink,  properly 
prepared,  should  color  a  pint  of  clear  water 
throughout  immediately. 

BRANDE'S. — Galls,  6  oz.,  water,  6  pints; 
boil,  and  add  4  oz.  each  of  gum  and  copperas ; 
bottle,  and  add  to  each  pint,  i  grain  of  bi-chloride 
of  mercury,  or  4  drops  of  creosote. 

BROOME' S.—Q2\\%,  10  lbs.,  logwood,  4 
lbs.,  copperas,  4  lbs.,  brown  sugar,  i  lb.,  water, 
13^  gallons,  gum,  4  lbs.  Boil  the  galls,  log- 
wood, and  gimi  separately,  mix  the  liquors,  add 
tlie  copperas ;  and  make  up  13  5^  gallons. 

BROWN. — Digest  powdered  catechu,  4 parts, 
with  water,  60  parts,  for  some  hours ;  filter,  and 
add  sufficient  of  a  solution  of  bichromate  of 
potassa,  I  part  in  16  of  water. 

CARBON.  —  Mix  good  Indian-ink  with 
common  writing-ink.  A  useful  ink  for  ticket 
and  shop-window  labels. 

CARMIN^E. — Boil  i  pound  4  ounces  of 
ground  cochineal,  and  a  very  little  of  the  carbon- 
ate of  soda  in  4  gallons  of  soft  water  for  20 
minutes ;  then  take  it  from  the  fire,  and  add  6 
drachms  of  alum,  and  stir  the  mixture  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  let  it  stand  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
for  the  dregs  to  subside;  then  run  off  the  clear 
liquor ;  strain  the  sediment  through  a  fine  sieve 
or  cloth,  and  then,  when  cold,  add  the  white  of 
two  eggs  with  the  sediment ;  fish  glue  or  isin- 
glass will  answer  as  well  as  the  eggs.  The 
muriate  of  tin  may  be  used  instead  of  alum. 
The  weight  of  the  cochineal  may  be  reduced  to 
,'  any  amount  to  make  a  small  quantity  if  the 
proportions  are  preserved. 

CHINESE  INK,  See  "India  Ink." 

COPPER-PLATE,  Printers.Ink.—lnV.  for 
the  rolling-press  is  made  of  linseed-oil,  burnt 
just  as  for  common  printing-  ink,  and  is  then 
mixed  with  Frankfort  black,  finely  ground. 
There  are  no  certain  proportions,  every  workman 


adding  oil  or  black  to  suit.  Good  ink  depends 
most  on  the  purity  of  the  oil,  and  on  its  being 
thouroughly  burned.  Test  it  occasionally  by 
cooling  a  drop  on  the  inside  of  an  oyster-shell ; 
feel  it  between  the  thumb  and  finger,  and  if  it 
draws  out  into  threads,  it  is  burnt  enough. 
Weak  oil  well  charged  with  black  is  called  stiff 
ink.  Oil  fully  burned  and  charged  with  as  much 
black  as  it  will  take  in,  is  termed  strong  ink. 
The  character  of  the  engraving  to  be  printed 
determines  which  is  suitable. 

COPYING.— I.  Take  two  gallons  of  rain 
water,  and  put  into  it  %  pound  of  gum  arabic, 
%  pound  brown  sugar,  ^  pound  clean  copperas, 
%  pound  powdered  nut  galls.  Mix,  and  shake 
occasionally  for  ten  days,  and  strain.  If  needed 
sooner,  let  it  steep  in  an  iron  kettle  until  the 
strength  is  obtained. — 2.  Take  2  gallons  rain 
water,  and  put  into  it  gum  arabic,  %  lb. ;  brown 
sugar,  ^  lb.  ;  clean  copperas,  %  lb. ;  powdered 
nutgails,  ^  lb. ;  mix,  and  shake  occasionally  for 
ten  days,  and  strain ;  if  needed  sooner,  let  it 
stand  in  an  iron  kettle  until  the  strength  is 
obtained.  This  ink  will  stand  the  action  of  the 
atmosphere  for  centuries,  if  required. 

COPYING,  Requiring  no  Press. — A  black 
copying  ink,  which  flows  easily  from  the  pen, 
and  will  enable  any  one  to  obtain  very  sharp 
copies  without  the  aid  of  a  press,  can  be  prepared 
in  the  following  manner:  One  ounce  of  coarsely 
broken  extract  of  logwood  and  two  drachms  of 
crystalized  carbonate  of  soda  are  placed  in  a 
porcelain  capsule  with  eight  ounces  of  distilled 
water,  and  heated  until  the  solution  is  of  a  deep 
red  color,  and  all  the  extract  is  dissolved.  The 
capsule  is  then  taken  from  the  fire.  Stir  well 
into  the  mixture  one  ounce  ot  glycerine  of  spe- 
cific gravity  of  1.25,  fifteen  grains  of  neutral 
chromate  of  potash,  dissolved  in  a  little  water, 
and  two  drachms  of  finely  pulverized  gum  arabic, 
which  may  be  previously  dissolved  in  a  little  hot 
water  so  as  to  produce  a  mucilaginous  solution. 
The  ink  is  now  complete  and  ready  for  use.  In 
well  closed  bottles  it  maybe  kept  for  a  long  time 
without  getting  moldy,  and,  however,  old  it  may 
be,  will  allow  copies  of  writing  to  be  taken  with- 
out the  aid  of  a  press.  It  does  not  attack  steel 
pens.  This  ink  cannot  be  used  with  a  copying 
press.  Its  impression  is  taken  on  thin  moistened 
copying  paper,  at  the  back  of  which  is  placed  a 
sheet  of  writing  paper. 

DRA  WING.  —  A  very  black  and  indelible 
drawing  ink  can  be  madd  by  dissolving  shellac 
in  a  hot  aqua  solution  of  borax,  and  rubbing  up 
in  this  solution  a  fine  quality  of  Indian  ink.  After 
using,  dip  the  drawing  pen  in  alcohol,  and  wipe  . 
dry  to  keep  it  clean  and  bright. 

ELDERBERRY.— ThQ  bruised  berries  are 
placed  in  an  earthen  vessel,  and  kept  in  a  warm 
place  for  three  days,  than  pressed  out  and  filtered. 
The  filtered  juice  is  of  such  an  intense  dark  color 
that  it  takes  200  parts  of  water  to  reduce  it  to 
the  shade  of  dark  red  wine.  Add  to  12^  quarts 
of  this  filtered  juice  i  oz.  of  sulphate  of  iron,  and 
the  same  quantity  of  crude  pyroligneous  acid ; 
and  an  ink  is  prepared  which,  when  first  used, 
has  a  violet  color,  but  when  dry  is  indigo-blue 
black.  This  ink  is  said  by  a  German  chemist  to 
be  superior  in  many  respects  to  that  prepared 
with  galls ;  it  does  not  become  thick  so  soon,  it 
flows  easier  from  the  pen  without  gumming,  and 
in  writing  the  letters  do  not  run  into  one  another. 

EXCHEQUER,— Bx\iisQ^  gall,  4  parts;  gum 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


arable,  powdered,  i  part ;  green  vitriol  nine-tenth 
of  a  part ;  rain  water,  or  the  water  of  melted  ice, 
45  parts  ;  mix  and  let  stand ;  shake  once  a  day. 
Fit  for  use  in  three  weeks. 

FADED  INK,  To  Restore.— Wriiing  rendered 
illen'ible  by  age  may  be  restored  by  moistening 
it  by  means  of  a  feather  with  anmfusion  of  galls, 
or  a  solution  of  prussiate  of  potash  slightly  aci- 
dulated with  muriatic  acid,  observing  so  to  apply 
the  liquid  as  to  prevent  the  ink  spreading. 

FLUIDS,  WRITING. —yN\ia.\.  are  called 
writing  fluids,  in  distinction  from  ink,  are  fluids 
which  flow  freely  from  the  pen  and  do  not  clog 
— have  a  good  color  when  written,  but  do  not 
necessarily  retain  that  color  after  the  lapse  of  a 
few  months.  Ink,  distinguished  from  writing 
fluids,  retains  its  colors,  if  rightly  made,  for  cen- 
turies ;  and  it  is  evidently  necessary  that  it  should 
do  so,  for,  on  account  of  its  use  in  legal  docu- 
ments, the  most  important  interests  of  society 
are  dependent  upon  that  very  quality. 

The  best  writing  fluids  are  made  either  from 
logwood  extract  or  a  decoction  of  logwood,  with 
the  aid  of  a  bichromate  of  potass  in  the  former 
case,  and  the  chromate  (yellow)  in  the  latter — or 
from  some  of  the  many  forms  of  Prussian  blue. 
I.  Dissolve  ordinary  soluble  Prussian  blue  in 
clean  soft  water  until  the  desired  shade  is  ob- 
tained. This  gives  a  good  color,  and  is  not  af- 
fected by  alcohol ;  but  any  salt  added  to  the  water 
will  throw  down  the  color.  Should  this  happen, 
throw  away  the  salty  water  and  redissolve  the 
Prussian  blue  in  fresh  soft  water.  Gradual  ex- 
posure to  the  air  on  or  near  the  seacoast,  and  the 
constant  use  of  a  steel  pen,  will  therefore  cause 
this  ink  to  have  a  sediment ;  but  notwithstanding 
that,  when  frequently  made,  or  kept  from  the  air 
as  much  as  possible,  it  is  quite  good. — 2.  Soluble 
ferro-cyanide  of  potassium  and  iron  dissolved  in 
water,  as  in  No.  I.  Alcohol  throws  down  the 
coloring  matter  in  this  solution  as  well  as  salt. — 

3.  Powdered  Prussian  blue,  one  ounce ;  mu- 
riatic (hydrochloric)  acid,  concentrated,  one  and 
a  half  fluid  ounces.  Mix  in  abottle;  after  thirty 
hours,  dilute  with  water  to  the  required  shade. — 

4.  {Lavis^s  Black  Writing- Fluid.)  One  part 
powdered  copperas,  I  part  logwood,  3  parts 
crushed  gall-nuts,  I  part  gum-arabic,  100  parts 
white  wine  or  vinegar, — 5-  {,Reban  Cortes  Writ- 
ing-Fluid. )  Boil  8  parts  powdered  Aleppo  gall- 
nuts,  and  4  parts  thin  shavings  of  logwood,  for 
one  hour,  in  200  parts  of  water  until  reduced  to 
100  parts.  Filter  and  add  4  parts  copperas,  3 
parts  gum  arabic,  I  part  blue  vitriol,  (cupric  sul- 
phate, )  and  I  part  white  sugar ;  let  the  mixture 
stand  one  day  and  preserve  in  closed  bottles.  In 
these  six  prescriptions,  of  German,  English,  and 
French  origin,  copperas  or  sulphate  of  iron  is 
the  chief  ingredient.  Lately,  however,  a  sub- 
stitute has  been  found  in  the  chromate  compound, 
which  is  the  chief  ingredient  in  the  following 
prescription:  6.  {Runge's  Writing-Fluid  for  Steel 
Fens,)  consists  of  1000  parts  of  extract  of  log- 
wood, made  by  boiling  down  155  parts  of  log- 
wood in  2000  parts  of  water ;  filter  and  add  i 
part  of  yellow  chromate  of  potash.  This  ink  is 
of  a  very  bluish  tint  when  first  used ;  but  unlike 
those  made  from  iron,  it  leaves  no  deposit  when 
exposed  to  the  air.  To  prevent  mould,  add  a 
few  drops  of  a  solution  of  bi-cloride  of  mercury. 

FLUID,  BLUE  WRITING.— l.  Ferrocya- 
nide  of  iron,  powdered,  and  strong  hydrochloric 
acid,   each  2  parts.     Dissolve,  and  dilute  with 


soft  water. — 2.  {Indestructible.)  Shellac,  4  parts; 
borax,  2  parts  ;  soft  water,  36  parts.  Boil  in  a 
close  vessel  till  dissolved ;  then  filter,  and  take  of 
gum  arabic,  2  parts ;  soft  water,  4  parts.  Dis- 
solve and  mix  the  two  solutions  together,  and  boil 
for  five  minutes  as  before,  occasionally  stirring 
to  promote  their  union ;  when  cold,  add  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  finely-powdered  indigo  and 
lamp-black  to  color ;  lastly,  let  it  stand  for  two 
or  three  hours,  until  the  coarser  powder  has  sub- 
sided, and  bottle  for  use.  Use  this  fluid  with  a 
clean  pen,  and  keep  it  in  glass  or  earthen  ink- 
stands, as  many  substances  will  decompose  it 
while  in  the  liquid  state.  When  dry,  it  will  re- 
sist the  action  of  water,  oil,  turpentine,  alcohol, 
diluted  sulphuric  acid,  diluted  hydrochloric  acid, 
oxalic  acid,  chlorine,  and  the  caustic  alkalies  and 
alkaUne  earths. 

GEIZZLER'S  BLACK.— \  lb.  crushed  gall- 
nuts  ;  10  ozs.  copperas;  3  ozs.  gum-arabic;  I  qt. 
vinegar,  and  7  qts.  water.  Let  the  mixture  stand 
for  two  weeks,  and  pour  off"  the  liquid,  which  is 
the  ink.  The  residum  at  the  bottom  will  be 
the  gall-nuts  with  some  ink  adhering,  and  may 
be  used  again  by  adding  3  ozs.  copperas,  I  oz. 
gum-arabic,  and  a  corresponding  quantity  of 
water  and  vinegar — keeping  the  preparation  in  a 
warm  place. 

GREEN. — I.  Digest  I  part  of  gamboge  with 
from  7  to  10  parts  of  the  blue  ink. — 2.  To  pow- 
dered bichromate  of  potassa,  8  parts,  contained 
in  a  porcelain  dish,  add  oil  of  vitriol,  8  parts, 
prcN-iously  diluted  with  64  of  water ;  then  heat, 
while  evaporating,  add  gradually  24  parts  of  al- 
cohol, and  reduce  to  56  parts,  which  filter,  and 
in  the  clear  liquor  dissolve  8  parts  of  gum  arabic. 

GREGORY'S  {Having  a  greenish  tint.)— 
Bruised  galls,  I  pound ;  logwood,  %,  pound ;  gum 
6  ounces ;  copperas,  8  ounces ;  blue  vitriol,  i 
ounce ;  sugar,  i  ounce.  Boil  the  galls  and  log- 
wood in  twenty  pints  of  water  down  to  ten  pints, 
strain,  dissolve  the  other  ingredients,  and  bottle. 

GOLD. — Genuine  gold  leaf  is  rubbed  on  a 
glass  or  agate  plate  with  honey,  by  means  of  a 
muller,  until  a  perfectly  uniform  mixture  is  ob- 
tained ;  this  is  Avashed  in  a  glass  or  other  suitable 
vessel,  and  the  honey  removed  by  frequent  wash- 
ing with  pure  water.  The  resulting  gold  powder 
is  dried,  and  when  used  is  suspended  in  a  so- 
lution of  gum  arabic.  After  writing  with  this 
ink,  the  letters  are  to  be  burnished  with  a  smooth 
piece  of  ivory,  to  produce  their  golden  color  and 
brightness. 

HAENLE'S  Black. — This  ink,  it  is  claimed, 
does  not  attack  steel  pens.  Two  parts  crushed 
gall-nuts,  I  part  gum-arabic,  I  part  copperas,  and 
16  parts  distilled  or  rain-water,  adding  a  few 
grains  of  mercurial  sublimate  to  prevent  mould. 
In  prescription  No.  I,  the  latter  is  avoided  by 
using  vinegar. 

INCORRODIBLE  Black.— l.  A  black  ink, 
not  corroding  steel  pens,  and  neutral,  may  be 
prepared  by  digesting  in  an  open  vessel  42  ounces 
coarsely  powdered  nutgall,  15  ounces  of  gum  Se- 
negal, 18  ounces  of  sulphate  of  iron,  free  from 
copper,  3  drachms  of  aqua  ammonia,  24  ounces 
of  alcohol,  and  18  quarts  of  distilled  or  rain  water. 
Continue  the  digestion  until  the  fluid  has  assum- 
ed a  deep  black  color. — 2.  Boil  i^  ozs.  of  well- 
picked  logwood  in  little  more  than  a  quart  of 
water,  down  to  a  pint ;  let  it  cool ;  then  add  1 7 
or  18  grains  of  chromate  of  potash,  and  stir  it 
briskly.     The  ink  is  then  ready  for  use.     It  re- 


INKS  AND  B LA  CITING. 


S03 


sists  the  action  of  all  ordinary  destructive  agents 
better  than  the  old  ink.  It  may  be  washed,  after 
use,  with  a  wet  sponge,  or  steeped  for  24  hours 
in  water,  or  even  tested  with  dilute  acids,  and 
yet  preserve  its  original  blackness.  As  it  con- 
tains neither  gum  nor  acid,  and  is  a  perfect  liquid, 
it  neither  thickens,  deposits  a  sediment,  nor  cor- 
rodes the  steel  of  the  pen. 

INDESTRUCTIBLE.— On  many  occasions, 
it  is  of  importance  to  employ  an  ink  indestructible 
by  any  process,  that  will  not  equally  destroy  the 
material  on  which  it  is  applied.  For  black  ink, 
25  grains  of  copal,  in  powder,  are  to  be  dissolved 
in  200  grains  of  oil  of  lavender  by  the  assistance 
of  a  gentle  heat,  and  are  then  to  be  mixed  with 
2  J^  grains  of  lampblack,  and  half  a  grain  of  indigo. 
This  ink  is  particularly  useful  for  labeling  phials, 
etc.,  containing  chemical  substances  of  a  corro- 
sive nature. 

INDELIBLE.— X.  To  4  drachms  of  lunar 
caustic,  in  4  ounces  of  water,  add  60  drops  of  nut- 
galls,  made  strong  by  being  pulverized  and  steep- 
ed in  soft  water.  The  mordant  which  is  to  be 
appUed  to  the  cloth  before  writing,  is  composed 
of  I  ounce  of  pearlash  dissolved  in  4  ounces  of 
water,  with  a  little  gum  arabic  dissolved  in  it. 
Wet  the  spot  with  this  ;  dry  and  iron  the  cloth ; 
then  write. — 2.  1%  drachms  of  nitrate  of  silver, 
I  ounce  of  distilled  water,  j4  ounce  of  strong  mu- 
cilage of  gum  arabic,  ^  of  a  drachm  of  liquid 
ammonia.  Mix  the  above  in  a  clean  glass  bottle, 
cork  tightly,  and  keep  in  a  dark  place  till  dis- 
solved, and  ever  afterwards.  Directions  for  use: 
Shake  the  bottle,  then  dip  a  clean  quill  pen  in 
the  ink,  and  write  or  draw  what  you  require  on 
the  article  ;  immediately  hold  it  close  to  the  fire 
(without  scorching),  or  pass  a  hot  iron  over  it, 
and  it  will  become  a  deep  black. 

INDELIBLE,  Aniline— rhe  discovery  of 
an  aniline  black  has  led  to  the  employment  of 
this  coloring  matter  in  marking  linen.  This  ink 
has  the  advantage  of  being  cheaper  than  the  ink 
prepared  from  nitrate  of  silver.  It  has  also  an- 
other advantage  over  the  latter  salt,  viz. :  that  it 
is  chemically  indelible.  The  ink  made  with 
nitrate  of  silver  can  be  removed  by  washing  the 
linen  with  a  solution  of  hyposulphite  of  soda,  or 
by  moistening  it  with  a  solution  of  bichloride  of 
copper  and  then  washing  with  liquid  ammonia. 
This  is  not  the  case  with  the  aniline  ink,  the 
color  of  which  cannot  be  removed  by  any  chemi- 
cal agent  whatever.  Linen  therefore  marked 
with  this  ink  can  never  be  appropriated  by  other 
persons  than  the  right  owner. 

I.  Such  aniline  ink  may  be  prepared  in  the 
following  way :  ^%  grains  of  bichloride  of  cop- 
per are  dissolved  in  30  grains  of  distilled  water, 
then  are  added  10  grains  of  common  salt,  and 
9%  grains  of  liquid  ammonia.  A  solution  of 
30  grains  of  hydrochlorate  of  aniline  in  20  grains 
of  distilled  water  is  then  added  to  20  grains  of 
a  solution  of  gum  arabic,  containing  2  pints  water, 
I  pint  gum  arabic,  and  lastly  10  grains  of  glycerine 
4  parts  of  the  analine  solution  thus  prepared  are 
mixed  with  one  part  of  the  copper  solution. 
'  The  liquid  which  results  has  a  green  appear- 
ance, and  may  be  at  once  employed  for 
marking  linen,  since  it  invariably  becomes  black 
after  a  few  days.  A  steel  pen  may  be  employed 
as  well  as  a  quill.  If  it  is  desirable  not  to  wait 
so  long  for  the  appearance  of  the  black  color,  a 
hot  iron  may  be  passed  over  the  writing  when 
the  ink  is  dry,  or  the  linen  may  be  held  over  the 


flame  of  a  spirit  lamp,  or  over  a  hot  plate,  or  hot 
water,  when  the  black  tint  will  readily  appear. 

2.  {Ptisckcr's.)  Dissolve  4  parts  of  aniline 
black  in  16  parts  by  weight  of  alcohol,  with  60 
drops  strong  hydrochloric  acid,  and  dilute  the 
dark  blue  solution  with  90  parts  by  weight  of 
water,  in  which  6  parts  of  gum  arabic  has  been 
previously  dissolved. 

INDELIBLE,  To  be  used  with  Type.— The 
thin  nitrate  of  silver  marking  inks  may  be  thick- 
ened with  gum  or  sugar  or  with  printer's  ink  to 
bring  them  to  the  proper  consistency.  Inks  for 
using  with  types  or  stencil  plates  are  sometimes 
prepared  by  taking  sulphate  of  manganese,  two 
parts;  lampblack,  one  part;  sugar,  four  parts; 
all  in  fine  powder  and  triturated  to  a  paste  with 
a  little  water.  Or  black  oxide  of  manganese  and 
hydrate  of  potassa  are  mixed,  heated  to  redness 
in  a  crucible,  and  then  triturated  with  an  equal 
weight  of  pure  white  clay,  and  water  enough  to 
give  consistency.  The  work  to  be  rinsed  well  in 
water  after  it  has  become  dry. 

INDIA  /iVA''.— Take  8  parts  well-burnt  lamp- 
black, 64  parts  water,  4  parts  fine  pulverized  in- 
digo, well  rubbed  up  and  boiled  till  the  greater 
portion  of  the  water  is  evaporated;  then  add  5 
parts  gum-arabic,  2  parts  bone-glue,  i  part  ex- 
tract of  succory ;  boil  till  the  mixture  is  as  thick 
as  paste,  then  mould  in  wooden  forms,  well 
greased  with  olive  or  almond-oil,  in  order  to 
prevent  adhesion.  By  using  burnt  peach  kernels 
or  cork,  in  place  of  ordinary  lamp-black,  a  finer 
quality  may  be  given  to  the  ink.  The  glue  would 
better  be  left  out,  and  gum-arabic  substituted. 
The  mass  is  then  pressed  into  flat  cakes  weighing 
from  one  to  two  pounds,  and  left  to  ripen  for  a 
couple  of  days,  after  which  it  is  formed  into  the 
customary  shape.  The  moulder  takes  for  this 
purpose  a  piece  of  the  dough,  and  warms  it  by 
means  of  a  basin  full  of  live  coals,  kneads  it  long 
enough  in  his  hands  and  then  fills  the  form,  which 
he  puts  under  a  long  lever,  pressing  it  by  his 
own  weight,  while  in  the  meantime  he  works  the 
next  piece  of  the  mass.  The  moulds  are  made  of 
wood,  and  also  the  pistons  on  which  are  cut  the 
letters.  The  lustre  is  produced  by  brushing  the 
dried  ink  with  a  hard  brush  saturated  with  rosin, 
which  also  prevents  the  ink  from  blackening  the 
fingers  afterwards.  The  peculiar  odor  is  derived 
from  a  small  quantity  of  camphor  or  musk,  which 
is  incorporated  with  the  warm  dough.  All  or- 
dinary inks  are  without  it.  The  colored  letters 
are  painted  on  with  a  fine  brush ;  the  gold  and 
silver  colors  by  suspending  the  finely  divided 
metals  in  water  to  which  has  been  added  a  little 
gelr,tine. 

INDIA  INK,  Hcna  to  6>/^r/.— Indian  ink  for 
drawings  is  best  tested  in  the  following  manner: 
Rub  off  a  portion  on  a  porcelain  surface  with 
water  to  the  proper  consistency,  then  with  a  ruler 
draw  a  number  of  lines  of  varying  thickness  on 
a  piece  of  drawing-paper.  When  dry,  brush  over 
with  water  freely.  If  good  the  ink  lines  will  keep 
sharp  and  clear,  whilst  jjoor  ink  will  run  or  spread 
sideways.  A  piece  of  slate  is  better  than  glass/ 
for  rubbing  it  clown  to  the  condition  fit  for  use. 

INDIA  INK,  For  Ordinary  Writing. — India 
ink  is  composed  of  carbon,  and  will  keep  for  any 
length  of  time  without  undergoing  change,  al- 
though dissolved  in  water.  Neither  great  heat 
nor  extreme  cold  affects  it.  All  that  is  requisite 
is  to  keep  the  liquid  from  evaporating — so  far  as 
that  is  possible, — and  to  protect .  it  from  dust. 


204 


DICTIONAR  YOF  E  VER  Y-DA  V  WANTS. 


The  solution  makes  an  excellent  ink,  and  is  of  a 
fine  black. 

INDIA  INK,  Substitute  for.  — Boil  parchment 
slips  or  cuttings  of  glove-leather  in  water  till  it 
forms  a  size,  which,  when  cool,  becomes  of  the 
consistence  of  jelly;  then,  having  blackened  an 
earthen  plate,  by  holding  it  over  the  flame  of  a 
candle,  mix  up,  with  a  camel-hair  pencil,  the  fine 
lampblack  thus  obtained  with  some  of  the  above 
size,  while  the  plate  is  still  warm.  This  black 
requires  no  grinding,  and  produces  an  ink  of  the 
same  color,  which  works  as  freely  with  the  pen- 
cil, and  is  as  perfectly  transparent  as  the  best 
"Indian-ink. 

yAHN^S Black. — Two  parts  ground  logwood, 
12  parts  Bablah,  (an  oriental  gum  containing 
tannin,  and  derived  from  acacias, )  200  parts 
water.  Boil  down  to  100  parts,  filter  through 
linen,  and  add  i  part  powdered  gum-arabic,  I 
part  sugar,  and  3  parts  copperas.  To  prevent 
mould,  add  a  solution  of  l-ioo  part  of  mercurial 
sublimate  in  i  part  water. 

yAPAN Black. — In  6  quarts  of  water  boil  4 
ounces  of  logwood  in  chips  cut  very  thin  across 
the  grain.  The  boiling  may  be  continued  for 
nearly  an  hour,  adding  from  time  to  time,  a  little 
boiling  water  t»  compensate  for  waste  by  evapora- 
tion. Strain  the  liquor  while  hot;  allow  it  to 
cool,  and  make  up  the  quantity  equal  to  five  quarts 
by  the  further  addition  of  cold  water.  To  this 
decoction  put  one  pound  of  blue  galls  coarsely 
bruised,  or  %  pound  of  the  best  galls  in  sorts, 
4  ounces  of  sulphate  of  iron  calcined  to  whiteness, 
^  ounce  of  acetate  of  copper,  previously  mixed 
with  the  decoction  till  it  forms  a  smooth  paste,  3 
ounces  of  coarse  sugar,  and  6  ounces  of  gum 
Senegal  or  arabic.  These  several  ingredients 
may  be  introduced  one  after  another,  contrary  to 
the  advice  of  some,  who  recommend  the  gum, 
etc.,  to  be  added  when  the  ink  is  nearly  made. 
The  composition  produces  the  ink  usually  called 
Japan  ink,  from  the  high  gloss  which  it  exhibits 
when  written  with. 

LEIVIS'. — Bruised  galls,  3  lbs.,  gum  and 
copperas,  of  each  i  lb.,  vinegar,  I  gallon,  water, 
2  gallons ;  macerate,  with  frequent  shaking,  for 
14  days.     Product  3  gallons. 

LITHOGRAPHIC.  —  i.  Take  Venice  tur- 
pentine, I  part;  lampblack,  2  parts  ;  tallow,  6 
parts ;  hard  tallow  soap,  6  parts ;  mastic  in  tears, 
8  parts;  shell  lac,  12  parts;  wax,  16  parts.  Melt 
and  pour  it  out  on  a  slab.  2.  Take  dry  tallow 
soap,  5  parts ;  mastic  in  tears,  5  parts ;  Scotch 
soda,  5  parts ;  shell  lac,  25  parts ;  lampblack,  2 
parts.  Fuse  the  soap  and  lac,  then  add  the 
remainder. 

For  use  this  ink  must  be  rubbed  down  with 
water,  in  a  saucer  (warmed),  until  an  emulsion 
is  formed  of  a  proper  consistence  to  flow  easily 
from  a  pen  or  pencil. 

L  UMINO  US  /«^.—Phosphorus,half  drachm; 
oil  cinnamon,  half  ounce ;  mix  in  vial,  cork  tight- 
ly, heat  it  slowly  until  mixed.  A  letter  written 
with  this  ink  can  only  be  read  in  a  dark  room, 
when  the  writing  will  have  the  appearance  of  fire. 

MARKING  Ink,  .See  "IttJelMe". 

MARKING  Ink,  To  Take  out.— UosimM- 
ible  ink  contains  silver  as  a  basis,  and  may  be  re- 
moved by  a  solution  of  cyanide  of  potassium.  When 
the  basis  of  the  ink  is  carbon,  however,  this  will  fail. 
Chlorine  will  destroy  stains  and  markings  depend- 
ent upon  organic  matters  except  the  carbon  ink. 

MARKING  Ink  for  Parcels. — Dissolve  as- 


phaltum,  grahamite,  albertite,  or  any  mineral  of 
this  character  in  naphtha  or  oil  of  turpentine  to 
a  thin  fluid,  and  you  will  obtain  an  ink  to  answer 
all  purposes,  viz.,  to  dry  quickly,  not  to  spread, 
and  the  markings  to  be  nearly  indestructible. 

METALS,  Inks  for  Writing  on.—i.  Mix  I 
oz.  of  powdered  sulphate  of  copper  and  ^  oz.  of 
powdered  sal  ammoniac,  with  2  oz.  of  diluted 
acetic  acid;  adding  lampljlack  or  vermilion. — 2. 
Dissolve  I  part  of  copper  in  10  of  nitric  acid,  and 
dilute  with  10  parts  of  water.  The  above  two 
receipts  will  answer  for  writing  on  steel,  or  tinplate 
or  sheet  zinc. — 3.  Verdigris,  one  ounce ;  sal  am- 
moniac, I  ounce;  lampblack,  half  an  ounce;  water, 
half  a  pint.  Mix  in  an  earthenware  mortar,  with- 
out usmg  a  metal  spatula.  To  be  shaken  before 
use,  and  used  with  a  clean  quill  pen  on  bright, 
freshly-cleaned  zinc. 

MOULD  in  Ink,  To  Prevent.— Iht  micros- 
cope has  revealed  the  fact  that  mould  is  a  plant, 
propagated  like  other  plants ;  and  any  thing  that 
will  kill  vegetation  will  prevent  ink  or  any  other 
mould.  The  common  remedies  applied  for  this 
purpose  are,  creosote,  carbolic  acid,  oil  of  cloves, 
bergamot,  or  many  other  ethereal  oils,  acetic 
acid,  alcohol,  corrosive  sublimate,  arsenic,  etc. ; 
but  always  added  in  comparatively  small  quan- 
tities. 

OILINESSin  Ink,  To  Rem(n>e.—M<\.  a  little 
ox-gall  and  vinegar  to  the  ink. 

PERMANENT  Ink,  For  Use  with  Stamps 
or  Type. — I.  Equal  parts  of  black  oxide  of  man- 
ganese and  hydrate  of  potash  are  mixed,  heated 
to  redness,  rubbed,  with  an  equal  quantity  of 
smooth  white  clay,  into  a  paste,  water  being 
added  for  the  purpose. — 2.  Sulphate  of  manga- 
nese, 2  drams;  lampblack,  i  dram;  powdered 
loaf  sugar,  4  drams;  rubbed  into  paste  with 
water.  Ai^ter  stamping,  dry  the  linen,  etc.,  and 
wash  well  in  water. 

•  PERPETUAL  Ink,  For  Tombstones  etc.— 
Pitch,  II  lbs.;  lampblack,  I  lb.;  turpentine 
sufficient :  mix  with  heat. 

PREROGATIVE  Court  /«/&.— Galls,  i  lb., 
gum,  6  oz.,  alum,  2  oz.,  copperas,  70Z.,  kino,  3 
oz.,  logwood,  4  oz.,  water,  8  lbs.  Used  to  write 
on  parchment. 

PRINTING  INK.—?,e:t  on  a  fire,  in  a  large 
iron  pot,  12  gallons  of  clear  linseed  oil,  boil,  and 
stir  until  it  smokes,  then  ignite  it,  remove  it  from 
the  fire,  and  let  it  burn  until  a  sample  will  draw 
into  strings  between  the  fingers.  Put  the  lid  on 
to  extinguish  the  flame,  then  add  i  lb.  of  resin 
to  each  quart  of  oil ;  dissolve,  and  add  gradually 
in  slices  l^  lb.  of  soap ;  heat  the  pot  until  the 
solution  is  complete,  when  the  varnish  is  ready. 
— Two  sorts  are  kept,  one  thick,  and  the  other 
thin,  so  as  to  mix  when  required ;  the  difierence 
is  caused  in  the  boiling  and  firing  being  kept  up 
for  different  periods.  For  large  printing-type  a 
thin  is  required,  as  thick  ink  would  only  print 
in  patches  ;  for  small  type  very  stiff  ink  is  used, 
to  prevent  it  running  off.  For  making  black  ink, 
mix  together  mineral  lamp-black,  8  lbs.,  vege- 
table black,  7  lbs.,  indigo  and  Prussian  blue,  of 
each  5  oz.,  Indian  red,  2  oz.;  grind  this  with  suf- 
ficient varnish,  gradually  added  as  the  grinding 
goes  on.  In  most  manufactories  steam  is  em- 
ployed for  this  purpose.  For  colored  ink  use 
colored  pigments,  according  to  the  required 
shade. 

PRINTING,  SA  VA  GES  —Take  of  balsam 
of  copaiba  (pure),  90Z.;  lampblack,  30Z.;  indigo 


IiVJCS  AND  BLACKING. 


205 


and  Prussian  blue,  of  each  yi  oz.;  Indian  red,  3^ 
oz.;  yellow  soap  (dry),  3  oz.;  grind  the  mixture 
to  an  impalpable  smoothness  by  means  of  a  stone 
and  muUer.  Canada  balsam  may  be  substituted 
for  balsam  of  copaiba  where  the  smell  of  the  lat- 
ter is  objectionable,  but  the  ink  dries  very  quickly. 

PRINTING,  KIRCHER'S,  {Patented.)  — 
This  ink  consists  of  10  parts  of  hydrated  peroxide 
of  iron,  6  parts  of  hydrated  protoxide  of  iron, 
and  from  10  to  16  parts  of  varnish.  The  two 
first-named  ingredients  are  mixed  in  a  moist 
state  by  stirring  ;  48  parts  of  water  are  then 
added ;  and  the  water  being  evaporated  by  boil- 
ing converts  the  mixture  into  a  fine  velvety  black 
powder.  This  powder  is  washed  and  dried,  and 
finally  mixed  with  the  varnish,  the  proportion  of 
which  varies  in  accordance  with  the  desired  qua- 
lity of  the  ink. 

The  advantages  claimed  for  this  ink  are  that  it 
never  changes  its  color.  It  has  no  disagreeable 
odor ;  it  is  a  fine  glossy  black ;  and  is  one  third 
cheaper  than  ordinary  ink. 

POVVDERJNK. — I.  Sulphate  of  copper,  i 
dr.;  gum  arable  %  oz.;  copperas,  I  oz.;  nutgalls 
and  extract  of  logwood,  4  ozs.  each ;  all  to  be 
pulverized  and  evenly  mixed. — 2.  Sulphate  of 
iron,  2  parts ;  galls,  5  parts  ;  gum,  i  part.  Re- 
duce to  a  powder  and  divide  into  one-ounce  pa- 
pers, each  of  which  will  make  half  a  pint  of  ink. 
— 3.  Aleppo  galls,  3  lbs.;  copperas  (dry  but  not 
calcined),  i  lb.;  gum  arable,  6  oz.;  white  sugar, 
2  ozs.;  all  in  powder ;  mix.  I  pint  of  boiling 
water  poured  on  l^  or  2  ozs.,  makes  a  pint  of 
ink. 

POWDER,  {INK) PLATZER' S.— Take  100 
parts  dry  extract  of  logwood,  well  mixed  and 

f  round  with  one  part  fine  bi-chromate  of  potash, 
[alf  an  ounce  is  sufficient  to  change  a  whole  pint 
of  water  into  beautiful  black  ink. 

PURPLE. — A  beautiful  purple  ink  is  made  by 
boiling  I  ounce  of  ground  logwood  in  i^  pints 
of  soft  water,  and  ^  ounce  of  pulverized  alum. 
Boil  20  minutes,  strain,  and  bottle  for  use.  Keep 
the  air  out,  and  it  will  keep  a  long  time. 

RED. — I.  Pernambuco-wood,  4  parts  ;  alum 
and  cream  of  tartar,  each  I  part,  with  30  of  water; 
boil  down  to  16  parts,  let  stand,  pour  off,  filter, 
and  dissolve  in  the  liquid  gum  arable,  1/^2  parts  ; 
white  sugar,  i  part. 

2.  Digest  powdered  cochineal,  8  parts,  and 
carbonate  of  potash,  16  parts,  in  144  of  water, 
for  24  hours  ;  then  boil  up  with  powdered  alum, 
4  parts,  and  add  24  of  cream  of  tartar,  with  3 
parts  of  tartaric  acid,  and,  when  efTervescence  has 
ceased,  another  part  of  the  acid,  or  enough  to 
produce  the  color ;  let  cool,  filter,  and  boil  the  re- 
sidue on  the  filter  with  12  parts  of  water;  filter 
again,  mix  the  liquids  and  dissolve  in  them  24 
parts  of  gum  arable,  and  lastly  ^  part  of  oil  of 
cloves.  No  iron  vessels  must  be  used  in  this 
process. 

3.  Digest  powdered  cochineal,  16  parts ;  oxalic 
acid,  2  parts  ;  dilute  acetic  acid,  80  parts  ;  distilled 
water,  40  parts,  for  36  hours ;  then  add  powdered 
alum,  I  part ;  gum  arable,  I  to  10 ;  shake  up,  let 
stand  for  12  hours,  and  strain. 

4.  Dissolve  I  part  of  cirmine  in  8  to  10  parts  of 
aqua  ammonia,  and  add  mucilage  of  gum  arable 
sufficient  to  reduce  it  properly. 

RED,  PERMANENT.— \Qrrm\\on,  4  parts; 
sulphate  of  iron,  i  part ;  drying  oil  to  mix.  Any 
other  color  will  answer  besides  red.  This  ink 
will  resist  most  of  the  usual  reagents. 


RESIN-OIL  /A/A'.— Melt  together  13  ounces 
of  resin,  i  pound  of  resin  oil,  and  1%  ounces  of 
soft  soap ;  when  cold,  add  lamp-black. 

RIBAU COURT'S.— G&Ws,  i  lb.,  log-wood, 
^  lb.,  gum,  6 ozs.,  copperas,  8  ozs.,  blue  vitriol 
and  sugar,  of  each  I  oz.  Boil  the  galls  and  log- 
wood in  20  pints  of  water  down  to  10  pints — 
strain ;  dissolve  the  other  ingredients,  and  bottle. 

RULING,  Black,  for. — Take  good  black  ink, 
and  add  gall  as  for  blue ;  do  not  cork  it,  as  it  will 
prevent  it  from  turning  black. 

RULING,  Blue  for. — ^Take  4  ounces  of  vitriol, 
best  quality,  to  I  ounce  of  indigo ;  pulverize  the 
indigo  very  fine ;  put  the  indigo  on  the  vitriol, 
let  them  stand  exposed  to  the  air  for  six  days,  or 
until  dissolved ;  then  fill  the  pot  with  chalk,  add 
half  a  gill  of  fresh  gall,  boiling  it  before  use. 

RULING,  Red  for.— One  pound  of  Brazil- 
wood to  one  gallon  of  the  best  vinegar;  let  the 
vinegar  simmer  before  you  add  the  wood,  then 
let  them  simmer  together  for  half  an  hour,  then 
add  three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  alum  to  set  the 
color;  strain  it  through  a  woollen  or  cotton  cloth, 
cork  it  tight  in  a  stone  or  glass  bottle.  For  rul- 
ing, add  half  a  gill  of  fresh  gall  to  one  quart  of 
red  ink,  then  cork  it  up  in  a  bottle  for  use. 

SCARLET, — Take  garancine  of  best  quality 
I  ounce,  digest  with  liquor  ammonia  I  ounce,  add 
I  pint  of  cold  distilled  water,  triturate  together  in 
a  mortar,  filter,  and  dissolve  in  the  solution  ^ 
ounce  of  gum  arable,  or  take  pure  carmine  20 
grains,  liquor  ammonia  3  fluid  ounces,  dissolve 
and  add  18  grains  of  powdered  gum. 

SIL  VER. — Triturate  in  a  mortar  equal  parts 
of  silver  foil  and  sulphate  of  potassa,  until  reduced 
to  a  fine  powder ;  then  wash  out  the  salt,  and  mix 
the  residue  with  a  mucilage  of  equal  parts  of  gum 
arabic  and  water. — 2.  Mix  to  aproper  consistency 
finely  ground  mica,  with  a  solution  of  gum  ara- 
bic, in  water. 
SYMPA  THETIC  INKS,  For  secret  and  other 
Correspondence. — Chemistry  gives  us  the  means 
of  performing  many  curious  feats.  Among  the 
most  interesting  of  these  are  the  perfectly  color- 
less fluids,  clear  as  water,  which  however,  when 
written  with,  produce  a  variety  of  colored  letters, 
by  reason  of  simple  chemical  changes  taking 
place  as  soon  as  the  fluid  touches  the  paper.  We 
will  describe  a  few  of  these  transformations  : —  To 
■write  blue  letters  with  a  colorless  liquid. — A  piece 
of  writing  paper  is  prepared  by  moistening  with 
a  solution  of  oxalic  acid,  and  drying ;  and  a  dilut- 
ed (colorless)  solution  of  nitrate  of  cobalt  is  used 
for  writing.  The  oxalate  of  cobalt  which  results 
from  the  contact  is  blue.  Or,  the  paper  may  be 
moistened  with  the  nitrate  of  cobalt,  and  the  writ- 
ing done  with  the  oxalic  acid.  Another  shade 
of  blue  is  produced  by  moistening  the  paper  with 
a  solution  of  yellow  prussiate  of  potash.  After 
drying  it  is  read^  for  use  ;  and  when  it  is  written 
on  with  a  solution  of  chloride  or  sulphate  of  iron, 
letters  of  Prussian  blue  will  appear.  The  paper 
may  also  be  prepared  with  sulphate  of  iron  and 
the  writing  performed  with  the  prussiate  of  pot- 
ash.— To  write  red  letters  with  a  colorless  liquid. 
— Prepare  the  paper  with  a  weak  solution  of  sul- 
phate of  iron,  to  which  a  little  nitric  acid  has 
been  added ;  then  write  with  a  very  dilute  solu- 
tion of  sulpho-cyanide  of  potassium.  If  the  so- 
lution is  strong,  the  color  is  very  dark ;  if  weak, 
bright  red. — To  write  black  letters  with  a  colorless 
liquid. — Prepare  the  paper  with  a  decoction  of 
gall-nuts  or  a  solution  of  tannic  acid,  and  write 


206 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


with  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  iron;  or,  prepare 
wth  the  latter  and  write  with  the  former.  An- 
other black  is  obtained  by  preparing  the  paper 
with  a  weak  solution  of  bichromate  of  potash, 
and  writing  with  a  solution  of  extract  of  logwood; 
or  inversely.  Or,  prepare  the  paper  with  a  so- 
lution of  nitrate  of  bismuth  or  acetate  of  lead, 
and  write  with  a  fresh  solution  of  sulphate  of 
potassium. —  7"o  zL'rite  yellow  letters  'with  a  color- 
less liquid. — Prepare  the  paper  with  acetate  of 
lead,  and  write  with  bichromate  of  potash;  or 
inversely.  Or,  prepare  the  paper  with  a  decoc- 
tion of  gall-nuts,  and  write  with  chloride  of  anti- 
mony; or  inversely. — To  ivrite  orange  letters 
•with  a  colorless  liquid. — Prepare  the  paper  with 
a  solution  of  the  yellow  protochromate  of  potash, 
and  write  with  the  extractum  Saturni  of  the  drug- 
gists; or  inversely. — To  write  beautiful  purple 
letter  luith  a  colorless  liquid. — Prepare  the  paper 
with  a  solution  of  chloride  of  tin,  and  write  with 
a  solution  of  chloride  of  gold. 

If  in  any  of  the  above  manipulations  the  pre- 
paration of  the  paper  is  omitted,  the  letters  writ- 
ten will  be  entirely  invisible,  or  nearly  so,  and 
will  become  visible  in  their  respective  colors 
when  moistened  with  the  solution  otherwise  used 
for  the  preparation.  In  this  manner,  a  secret 
correspondence  is  often  kept  up,  one  party,  for 
instance,  writing  with  a  solution  of  yellow  prus- 
siate  of  potash,  while  another,  for  whom  the 
writing  is  intended,  knows  the  secret  to  moisten 
the  paper  with  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  iron, 
when  the  letters  will  appear  in  blue;  or,  one 
writing  with  chloride  of  gold,  the  other  party 
moistening  with  a  tin-salt,  when  the  letters  appear 
in  purple. 

Sometimes  it  is  desirable  that  the  writing  may 
be  made  to  disappear  again.  For  this  purpose, 
the  writing  is  performed  with  a  solution  of  nitrate 
of  silver.  After  becoming  dry,  it  is  made  visible 
by  means  of  a  solution  of  common  salt,  and  ex- 
posure to  the  sun  or  daylight.  When  desired  to 
disappear,  it  is  washed  with  a  solution  of  bichlo- 
ride of  mercury;  and  then  it  may  be  made  to 
resppear  a  second  time  by  moistening  with  a  so- 
lution of  hyposulphite  of  soda. 

SYMPATHETIC  Inks,  Other.— l.  Write 
upon  paper  with  a  diluted  solution  of  muriate  of 
copper,  when  dry  it  will  not  be  visible,  but  on 
being  warmed  before  the  fire  the  writing  will  be- 
come of  a  beautiful  yellow. 

2.  Write  with  a  solution  of  muriate  of  cobalt, 
and  the  writing,  while  dry,  will  not  be  percep- 
tible ;  but  if  held  towards  the  fire,  it  will  then 
gradually  become  visible ;  and  if  the  muriate  of 
cobalt  be  made  in  the  usual  way,  the  letters  will 
appear  of  an  elegant  green  color. 

3.  Write  with  acetate  of  cobalt,  or  with  a  mu- 
riate of  cobalt,  previously  purified  from  the  iron 
which  it  generally  contains.  When  the  writing 
is  become  dry,  these  letters  will  also  be  invisible. 
Warm  the  paper  a  little,  and  the  writing  will  be 
restored  to  a  beautiful  blue. 

4-  Draw  a  landscape  with  Indian  ink,  and 
paint  the  foliage  of  the  vegetables  with  muriate 
of  cobalt,  some  of  the  flowers  with  acetate  of 
cobalt,  and  others  with  muriate  of  copper.  While 
this  picture  is  cold  it  will  appear  to  be  merely  an 
outline  of  a  landscape,  or  winter  scene;  but 
when  gently  warmed,  the  trees  and  flowers 
will  be  displayed  in  their  natural  colors,  which 
thej  will  preserve  only  while  they  continue  warm. 
This  may  be  often  repeated. 


5.  Write  with  dilute  nitrate  of  silver,  which 
when  dry  will  be  entirely  invisible;  hold  the 
paper  over  a  vessel  containing  sulphate  of  am- 
monia, and  the  writing  will  appear  very  distinct. 
The  letters  will  shine  with  the  metallic  brilliancy 
of  silver. 

6.  Write  witli  a  solution  of  nitrate  or  acetate  of 
lead.  When  the  writing  is  dry  it  will  be  invisible. 
Then  having  prepared  a  glass  decanter  with  a 
little  sulphuret  of  iron  strewed  over  the  bottom 
of  it,  pour  a  little  very  dilute  sulphuric  acid  upon 
the  sulphuret,  so  as  not  to  wet  the  mouth  of  the 
decanter,  and  suspend  the  writing,  by  means  of 
the  glass  stopper,  within  the  decanter.  By  an 
attention  to  the  paper  the  writing  will  become 
visible  by  degrees,  as  the  gas  rises  from  the  bot- 
tom of  the  vessel. 

7.  Write  with  a  weak  solution  of  sulphate  of 
iron,  let  it  dry,  and  it  will  be  invisible.  By  dip- 
ping a  feather  in  tincture  of  galls  and  drawing 
the  wet  feather  over  the  letters,  the  writing  will 
be  restored  and  appear  black. 

8.  Write  with  a  similar  solution,  and  when 
dry  wash  the  letters  in  the  same  way  with  prus- 
siate  of  potash,  and  they  will  be  restored  to  a 
beautiful  blue. 

9.  Write  with  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  copper, 
wash  as  before  with  prussiate  of  potash,  and  the 
writing  will  be  revived  of  a  reddish-brown  color. 

10.  Write  on  paper  with  a  solution  of  nitrate 
of  bismuth ;  when  this  is  dry  the  writing  will  be 
invisible ;  but  if  the  paper  be  exposed  to  sulphu- 
retted hydrogen  gas,  the  words  will  be  distinctly 
legible. 

1 1 .  A  letter  written  with  a  diluted  solution  of 
bismuth,  becomes,  when  dry,  illegible:  but  a 
feather  dipped  in  a  solution  of  sulphuret  of  pot- 
ash, will  instantly  blacken  the  oxide,  and  reyive 
the  writing. 

TICKETING  Ink,  For  Grocers,  ^/r.— Dis- 
solve I  oz.  of  gum  arable  in  6  oz.  water,  and 
strain;  this  is  the  mucilage;  for  a  black  color, 
use  drop-black,  powdered,  and  ground  with  the 
mucilage  to  extreme  fineness;  for  blue,  ultra- 
marine is  used  in  the  same  manner;  for  green, 
emerald  green;  for  white,  flake  white;  for  red, 
Vermillion,  lake,  or  carmine;  for  yellow,  chrome 
yellow.  When  ground  too  thick,  they  are  thin- 
ned with  a  little  water.  Apply  to  the  cards  with 
a  small  brush.  The  cards  may  be  sized  with  a 
thin  glue,  and  afterwards  varnished,  if  it  is  de- 
sired to  preserve  them. 

TRANSFER  Ink. — Mastic  in  tears,  4  ounces ; 
shellac,  6  ounces ;  Venice  turpentine,  ^  ounce ; 
melt  together ;  add  wax,  ^  pound ;  tallow,  3 
ounces.  When  dissolved,  further  add  hard  tallow 
soap  (in  shavings),  3  ounces ;  and  when  the 
whole  is  combined,  add  lampblack,  2  ounces. 
Mix  M'ell,  cool  a  little,  and  then  pour  it  into 
molds.  This  ink  is  rubbed  down  with  a  little 
water  in  a  cup  or  saucer,  in  the  same  way  as 
water-color  cakes.  —  In  winter,  the  operation 
should  be  performed  near  the  fire. 

LIRE'S. — Galls,  12  lbs.,  gum,  5  lbs.,  coppe- 
ras, 5  lbs.,  rain-water,  12  gallons.  Boil  the  galls 
in  9  gallons  of  water  for  3  hours,  adding  water 
as  it  evaporates.  Pour  off  the  clear,  add  the 
strained  solution  of  gum,  dissolve  the  copperas 
separately;  and  mix  the  whole.  To  make  12 
gallons. 

VIOLET- — I.  Take  aniline  violet,  ^  ounce, 
and  digest  it  in  5  ounces  of  alcohol  in  a  glass  or 
an  enamelled  iron  vessel  for  3  hours ;  then  add 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


207 


a  full  quart  of  distilled  water  and  heat  gently  for 
several  hours,  or  until  the  odor  of  the  spirit  has 
disappeared ;  then  mix  in  2  drachms  of  gum  ara- 
ble dissolved  in  ^  pint  of  water,  and  allow  the 
•  whole  to  settle.-  Experiment  will  determine  for 
you  the  precise  quantity  of  coloring  matter  that 
will  be  required. — 2.  Eight  parts  of  logwood  and 
64  parts  of  water ;  boil  down  to  one-half,  then 
strain  and  add  I  part  of  chloride  of  tin. 

VARIOUS  OTHER  Formulas  for  Black 
Ink. — I.  A  method  of  making  this  has  been  re- 
commended which  is  worthy  of  notice.  Put  into 
a  stoneware  jar,  containing  a  gallon  of  water,  ^ 
of  a  pound  of  bruised  nutgalls,  and  then,  24  hours 
after,  add6ozs.  of  copperas,  6  ozs.  of  gum  arable, 
and  4  or  5  drops  of  creosote.  The  vessel  is  to  be 
closed  and  left  for  2  or  3  weeks,  but  shaken  every  2 
days.  The  contents  are  then  allowed  to  settle, 
and  the  clear  liquor  will  be  fit  for  use,  of  a  deep 
black. — 2.  To  l  gal.  boiling  soft  water,  add  J/ 
ounces  extract  logwood,  boil  2  minutes,  remove 
from  the  fire  and  stir  in  48  grains  of  bichromate 
of  potash,  48  grains  of  powdered  gum  arable,  and 
8  grains  of  prussiate  potash.  "For  10  gallons,  use 
7^  ounces  extract  of  log\vood,  i  ouiY;e  bichro- 
mate potash. — 3.  Take  2  ounces  extract  logwood; 
I  gallon  soft  water ;  boil  slightly,  or  simmer  in 
an  iron  vessel  15  minutes;  dissolve  in  a  little  hot 
water  24  grains  bichromate  of  potash,  12  grains 
Prussiate  of  potash,  and  stir  into  the  liquid  a  few 
minutes  while  over  the  fire ;  take  off,  and  when 
settled,  strain  it  twice  through  common  muslin 
or  sheeting  cloth.  The  above  ink  is  a  jet  black 
from  the  first,  flows  beautifully  from  the  pen, 


and  is  so  indellible  that  even  oxalic  acid  will  not 
remove  it  from  paper. — 4.  I  pound  of  logwood  is 
boiled  for  2  hours  with  7  pounds  of  water ;  the 
latter  must  be  renewed  as  fast  as  it  evaporates ; 
after  cooling,  50  grains  of  yellow  chromate  of 
potash  are  added,  and  the  whole  strained  through 
a  cloth.  It  is  then  ready  for  use. — 5.  Take  cop- 
peras 4  ounces,  nutgalls  12  ounces,  logwood,  8 
ounces,  gum  arabic  l  ounce,  glycerine,  )^  ounce, 
water  48  ounces ,  all  the  substances  are  to  be 
pulverized  and  boiled  for  I  hour  together;  they 
are  then  set  to  cool,  strained  through  a  flannel 
bag,  and  after  that  filtered  through  a  folded  filter.  . 
A  drop  of  oil  of  cloves  is  added,  the  whole  well 
shaken  and  filled  into  bottles. 

WRITING  WHICH  DISAPPEARS  IN 
A  FE  W  DA  YS,  Ink  for. — A  piece  of  sal  am- 
moniate  is  placed  for  4  or  5  days  in  nitric  acid, 
and  then  powder  of  touchstone,  such  as  jewelers 
use  for  trying  gold  and  silver,  is  mixed  with  the 
liquid  in  sufficient  quantity,  this  gives  a  writing 
fluid  which  bleaches  after  six  to  eight  days.  A 
still  better  ink  of  this  kind  may  be  obtained  as 
follows :  Boil  four  ounces  crushed  gall-nuts  in 
diluted  nitric  acid,  and  add  two  ounces  sulphate 
of  iron  and  some  chloride  of  ammonium.  Writ- 
ing done  with  this  mixture  will  disappear  in  a 
few  days. 

YELLOW.  —  I.  French  berries,  I  pound; 
alum,  2  ounces ;  water,  i  gallon.  Boil  and  strain, 
then  add  gum  arabic,  4  ounces. 

2.  A  little  alum,  added  to  saffron,  in  soft  hot 
water,  makes  a  beautiful  yellow  ink. 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


ABORTION.— The  expulsion  of  the  human 
foetus,  after  the  sixth  week,  and  before  the  sixth 
month  of  pregnancy.  In  its  most  extended  sense, 
the  terra  has  been  applied  synonymously  with 
miscarriage.  The  latter  term,  however,  has  been 
generally  restricted  to  the  first  six  weeks  after 
conception.  The  expulsion  of  the  foetus  after 
the  sixth  but  before  the  ninth  month,  is  termed 
premature  labor. — Causes. — Nervous  irritability, 

f)lethora,  advanced  age,  scurvy,  syphilitic,  scro- 
ulous,  or  mercurial  taints,  malformation  of  spine 
or  pelvis,  luxurious  and  indolent  habits  of  living, 
excessive  indulgence  of  the  passions,  extreme 
terror,  anger,  joy,  etc. ;  falls,  blows,  violent 
exercise,  vomiting,  coughing,  and  rough  purga- 
tives; hot  baths,  stimulating  liquors,  and  other 
excitants  generally. —  Treatment. — Avoid  all  the 
above  mentioned  exciting  causes,  and  immediately 
on  the  appearance  of  any  suspicious  symptoms 
seek  a  recumbent  posture,  and  repose  in  every 
shape  practicable.  An  aperient  should  be  Liken, 
and  should  there  be  much  hemorrhage,  injections 
of  cold  water,  or  cold  infusion  of  black  tea,  must 
be  had  recourse  to.  A  cold  hipbath,  or  sponging 
the  lower  part  of  the  body  with  water  and  vin- 
egar, often  proves  successful.  Should  the  symp- 
toms continue  unabated,  medical  assistance 
should  be  sought.  Should  the  preceding  meas- 
ures prove  ineffectual,  and  no  violent  symptoms 


supervene,  the  remaining  treatment  may  consist 
in  continuing  the  recumbent  posture,  keeping  the 
bowels  regular,  taking  a  light  nutritious  diet,  and 
avoiding  exposure  to  draughts  of  cold  air.  This 
treatment  may  be  gradually  abandoned  by  the 
patient  for  her  usual  course  of  life,  in  proportion 
as  she  feels  herself  able  to  do  so.  In  many  cases, 
however,  the  only  treatment  required  throughout, 
is  simply  the  adoption  for  a  few  days  of  the  re- 
cumbent posture,  gentle  laxatives,  and  a  light 
nutritious  diet. 

AGUE. — A  species  of  fever  which  comes  on 
only  at  stated  intervals,  (hence  called  intermit- 
tent,) leaving  the  patient  between  the  periods  of 
attack,  in  apparently  good  health.  The  attacks 
of  this  disease  usually  return  with  great  regula- 
rity, and  have  in  consequence  been  distinguished 
by  names  having  reference  to  the  periods  of  their 
visits.  From  this  characteristic  nosologists  have 
divided  them  into  the 

Quotidian,  returning  after  a  lapse  of  24  hours. 

Tertian 48     do. 

Quartan 72      do. 

and  so  on  until  the  interval  extends  to  9  or  lo 
days,  as  in  the  nonanus  and  decimanus. — Symp. 
— The  cold  stage,  marked  by  debility,  paleness, 
coldness,  drowsiness,  and  general  rigors  through- 
out the  body,  impaired  respiration,  nausea, vomit- 
ing, etc    These  symptoms  gradually  abate,  and 


208 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


are  fol'owed  by —  2.  The  hot  stage,  distinguished 
by  the  usual  marks  of  fever,  and,  in  some  cases, 
-snolent  delirium,  etc.  After  a  certain  time  the 
disease  passes  into. —  3.  The  sweating  stage, 
marked  by  a  copious  perspiration  breaking  out, 
and  a  gradual  return  of  most  of  the  functions  of 
the  bodv  to  their  ordinary  state.  In  many  cases, 
however,  not  only  do  the  symptoms,  but  the  suc- 
cession of  the  stages  and  their  duration  also  vary. 
— Causes,  Exposure  to  the  miasmata  of  marshes 
and  stagnant  water,  putrefying  animal  and  vege- 
table matter,  etc.,  poor  diet,  exposure  to  cold  and 
damps,  damp  bed-chamber  or  linen ;  excessive 
grief,  fatigue,  etc.  To  cure  without  quinine, — 
take  mandrake  root,  fresh  dug,  pound  it,  and 
squeeze  \%  tablespoonfuls  of  the  juice,  add  an 
equal  quantity  of  molasses,  divide  into  3  doses 
of  I  tablespoonful  each,  to  be  given  2  hours  apart, 
commencing  so  that  all  will  be  taken  before  the 
chill.  Then  steep  dogwood  bark  (some  call  it 
boxwood),  make  it  strong,  and  continue  to  drink 
it  freely  for  a  week  or  two  at  least. 

AGUE  in  the  BREAST.— Take  i  part  of 
gum  camphor,  2  parts  yellow  beeswax,  3  parts 
clean  lard ;  let  all  melt  slowly,  in  any  vessel, 
(earthen  best,)  on  stove.  Use  either  cold  or 
warm  ;  spread  very  thinly  on  cotton  or  linen 
cloths,  covering  those  with  flannel.  No  matter 
if  the  breast  is  broken,  it  will  cure  if  persevered 
in.  Do  not,  no  matter  how  painful,  cease  from 
drawing  milk  from  the  breast  that  is  affected. 

ANKLE,  SERA INED.— Wush  the  ankle  fre- 
quently with  cold  salt  and  water,  which  is  far  better 
than  warm  vinegar  or  decoctions  of  herbs.  Keep 
your  foot  as  cold  as  possible  to  prevent  inflam- 
mation, and  sit  with  it  elevated  on  a  cushion. 
Live  on  very  low  diet,  and  take  every  day  some 
cooling  medicine.  By  obeying  these  directions 
'  only,  a  sprained  ankle  has  been  cured  in  a  few 
days. 

'/  APOPLEXY. — Occurs  only  in  the  corpulent 
or  obese,  and  the  gross  or  high  livers.  To  treat, 
raise  the  head  to  a  nearly  upright  position ;  un- 
loose all  tight  cloths,  strings,  etc. ,  and  apply  cold 
water  to  the  head  and  warm  water  and  warm 
cloths  to  the  feet.  Have  the  apartment  cool  and 
well  ventilated.  Give  nothing  by  the  mouth  un- 
til the  breathing  is  relieved,  and  then  only 
draughts  of  cold  water. 

APPETITE,  Loss  of. — ^This  may  be  caused 
by  the  use  or  abuse  of  stimulants,  tobacco  or  vio- 
lent mental  emotion,  and  can  be  remedied  by  the 
avoidance  of  the  exciting  cause,  regularity  in  eat- 
ing and  simplicity  in  diet. 

ASTHMA. — A  disease  characterized  by  diffi- 
culty of  breathing,  coming  on  by  fits,  accomp- 
anied by  a  wheezing  sound,  cough,  and  tightness 
of  the  chest,  and  generally  terminating  in  a  co- 
pious expectoration,  after  the  lapse  of  a  few 
hours.  Asthma  is  principally  confined  to  the 
later  periods  of  life,  and  appears  in  many  cases 
to  be  hereditary.  The  fits  vary  from  two  to 
several  hours'  duration.  Sometimes  copious  ex- 
pectoration attends  asthma,  which  has  led  to  its 
division  into  two  kinds, — dry  (asthma  siccum) 
and  humid,  (asthma  humidum).  It  is  brought 
on  by  sudden  exposure  from  heat  to  cold,  to  un- 
wholesome effluvia,  by  h.ird  drinking,  full  meals, 
violent  exercise,  and  by  cold,  damp,  and  foggy 
weather. —  Treatment.  Avoid  the  above  exciting 
causes.  Seek  a  dry,  warm,  and  airy  situation. 
Wear  flannel,  keep  the  bowels  regular,  and  the 
stomach  in  order.    The  severity  of  the  paroxysm 


may  be  lessened  by  adopting  the  sitting  posture, 
and  inhaling  the  vapor  of  hot  water,  or  an  infusion 
of  chamomile.  Emetics  and  diaphoretics,  follow- 
ed by  mild  purgatives,  may  also  be  administered 
with  advantage.  Various  other  remedies  have 
also  been  recommended;  among  them  are  the 
following : — 

ASTHAIA,  Cure/or. — i.  One  ounce  bonesett, 
one  ounce  slippery  elm,  one  ounce  flax-seed, 
stick  liquorice.  Simmer  together  in  one  quart  of 
water,  strain  carefully,  add  one  pint  of  the  best 
molasses  and  one  haU  pound  of  loaf  sugar.  Sim- 
mer them  altogether  and  when  cold,  bottle  tight. 
— 2.  A  tea  made  from  the  leaves  of  the  common 
chestnut,  which  have  fallen  from  the  tree  in  au- 
tumn, sweetened  well,  and  used  as  a  common 
drink  for  2  or  3  months  has  eflected  a  cure.  A 
light  nutritious  diet  and  strictly  regular  habits 
should  be  adopted,  which  will  often  produce  a 
marked  improvement  and  effect  a  cure,  when  me- 
dicines have  failed. 

A  TROPHY.— A  wasting  of  the  whole  body- 
generally  produced  by  the  body  receiving  an  in- 
sufficient supply  of  nourishment,  arising  from 
imperfect  digestion,  diarrhoea,  and  in  children, 
very  frequently  from  worms.  The  best  treat- 
ment is  to  keep  the  bowels  regular,  and  ad- 
minister mild  tonics,  or  alteratives,  accompanied 
with  a  nutritious  diet ;  cleanliness,  fresh  air,  and 
moderate  exercise  are  also  essential.  When 
worms  are  the  cause,  attempts  should  be  imme- 
diately made  to  remove  them. 

BACK,  Weak. — Take  a  beefs  gall,  pour  it 
into  I  pint  alcohol,  and  bathe  frequently.  It 
acts  like  a  charm.  Avoid  the  use  of  corsets  and 
all  constrictions  of  dress. 

BATHERS,  Aphorisms  for. — Avoid  bathing 
within  two  hours  after  a  meal. 

Avoid  bathing  when  exhausted  by  fatigue  or 
from  any  other  cause. 

Avoid  bathing  when  the  body  is  cooling  after 
perspiration ;  but 

Bathe  when  the  body  is  warm,  provided  no 
time  is  lost  in  getting  into  the  water. 

Avoid  chilling  the  body  sitting  or  standing 
naked  on  the  bank  or  in  boats  after  having  been 
in  the  water. 

Avoid  remaining  too  long  in  the  water.  Leave 
the  water  immediately  there  is  the  slightest  feel- 
ing of  chilliness. 

Avoid  bathing  altogether  in  the  open  air  if, 
after  having  been  a  short  time  in  the  water,  there 
is  a  sense  of  chilliness  with  numbness  of  the  hands 
and  feet. 

The  vigorous  and  strong  may  bathe  early  in 
the  morning  on  an  empty  stomach. 

The  young  and  those  that  are  weak,  had  bet- 
ter bathe  three  hours  after  a  meal.  The  best 
time  for  such  is  from  two  to  three  hours  after 
breakfast. 

Those  who  are  subject  to  attacks  of  giddiness 
and  faintness,  and  those  who  suffer  from  palpi- 
tation and  other  sense  of  discomfort  at  the  heart, 
should  not  bathe  without  first  consulting  their 
medical  adviser. 

BA  TH,  The  <•<>/</.— Temperature  35  to  65  de- 
grees. The  application  of  cold  water  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  body  is  attended  with  an  immediate 
tonic  effect.  This  is  evident  from  the  glow  which 
takes  place  and  the  sense  of  renewed  strength  in- 
dicating an  increased  action  in  all  the  vessels  ol 
the  system.  The  application  of  the  cold  water 
possesses  the  power  of  contracting  the  solid  parts 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


2og 


of  the  body,  and  this  contraction  is  followed  by 
a  reaction  in  which  the  nerves,  bloodvessels  and 
all  the  organs  of  the  system  are  excited  to  a  more 
healthy  and  energetic  performance  of  their  func- 
tions. The  best  method  of  taking  a  cold  bath  is 
in  the  sea  or  in  a  river,  and  it  is  well  not  to  pro- 
tract the  process,  since  the  benefit  derived 
depends  on  the  first  impression  the  cold  water 
makes  on  the  skin  and  nerves. 

BA  TH,  The  Shower.—  The  shower  bath  is 
most  useful  when  there  is  any  determination  of 
the  fluids  to  the  head.  Several  other  reasons 
may  here  be  stated  for  the  superiority  of  the 
shower  bath.  The  sudden  contact  of  the  water 
which  in  the  ordinary  cold  bath  is  but  momentary, 
may  in  the  shower  bath  be  prolonged,  repeated, 
and  modified  at  pleasure.  The  first  shock  is  re- 
ceived on  the  head,  and  the  blood  is  therefore 
impelled  downwards ;  the  shower  bath  descends 
in  single  streams  and  drops,  and  for  this  reason 
is  more  stimulating  and  pleasant  than  immersion 
in  cold  water.  It  is  indeed  an  indefinite  repe- 
tition of  the  one  single  effect  produced  by  a 
plunge  into  cold  water,  and  it  is  easily  procured 
and  readily  adapted  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
patient. 

BA  TH,  The  Tepid.— T\ie  water  for  this  bath 
ought  to  be  from  85  to  95  degrees  of  the  thermo- 
meter. The  tepid  bath  has  much  efificacy  in  re- 
ducing the  general  excitement,  lessening  the  pul- 
sation in  fevers,  and  is  of  great  service  in  pre- 
gnancy and  infancy.  It  is  also  very  important 
in  complaints  of  the  stomach  and  liver,  in  the 
debility  produced  by  long  residence  in  hot  cli- 
mates, in  the  languor  and  weakness  accompany- 
ing delicate  habits,  and  in  gout,  rheumatic  affec- 
tions, and  cutaneous  diseases.  It  is  admirably 
adapted  for  persons  in  advanced  life.  The  best 
period  for  the  bath  is  the  morning,  between  ten 
and  twelve  o'clock. 

BA  TH,  The  IVarm.—Yor  this  bath  the  water 
should  be  from  93  to  98  degrees  of  heat.  It  is 
of  great  utility  in  a  variety  of  ailments,  such  as 
inflammatory  and  rheumatic  affections,  diseases 
of  the  skin,  intestinal  obstructions,  nervous  irri- 
tation, and  debility,  whether  constitutional  or 
arising  from  previous  illness,  intemperance,  late 
hours  and  hard  study,  or  irregularity  in  diet  or 
exercise.  Women,  who  are  delicate,  weak,  and 
nervous,  may,  with  much  confidence,  expect  re- 
lief from  the  use  of  a  warm  bath.  If  the  warm 
bath  is  not  intended  to  produce  perspiration,  it 
can  properly  be  used  at  any  time  from  an  hour 
after  breakfast  till  dinner,  but  if  increased  per- 
spiration be  the  object  the  evening  is  the  best 
time  for  this  bath,  and  the  patient  should  be  con- 
veyed from  the  bath  to  a  warm  bed. 

BATH,  The  /(^t^A— Temperature  98  to  104 
degrees.  Bathing  in  tepid  and  warm  water  has 
a  sedative  effect.  It  excites  the  sensation  of  heat, 
lowers  the  pulse,  relaxes  the  skin,  diminishes  ex- 
citement, and  proves  eminently  refreshing.  On 
the  contrary,  hot  baths  are  stimulating  ;  they 
quicken  the  action  of  the  heart,  redden  the  skin, 
make  the  respiration  more  frequent,  and  produce 
copious  perspiration. 

BATH,  The  Vapor.  —  lOO  to  115  degrees. 
This  species  of  bath  is  recommended  for  the  same 
classes  of  ailments  for  which  the  warm  bath  is 
applicable,  and  it  has  not  unfrequently  succeeded 
in  producing  the  desired  effects  when  warm  bath- 
ing has  failed  to  do  so. 

BATH,  The  Turkish.— 1\Cvs,  bath,  has  been 


greatly  lauded,  by  those  interested,  as  a  perfect 
panacea  for  all  human  ills,  whereas  it  has  been 
proven  by  impartial  judges  that  its  use,  only  oc- 
casionally, does  grievous  harm  to  the  strength 
of  the  person,  and  invariably  retards  a  recovery 
to  perfect  health.  Every  time  a  Turkish  bath  is 
taken,  the  patient,  whether  healthy  or  sickly 
looses  a  certain  proportion  of  his  vital  force — of 
his  ability  to  generate  life  power,  and  in  this 
way,  is  lost  the  power  to  resist  contagious  or 
inflamatory  diseases.  The  lungs  are  also  injured, , 
they  cannot  help  being  so,  breathing  such  a 
super-heated  atmosphere  as  is  attached  to  Turk- 
ish baths.  The  healthy,  and  elastic  tone  of  the 
skin  of  the  whole  body  is  impaired.  The  most 
effeminate,  idle  and  unprogressive  of  all  nations 
— the  Turks — are  made  largely  so,  by  the  use  of 
this  bath,  (where  it  originated)  and  its  almost  in- 
valuable accessories, —  tobacco,  coffee  and  licen- 
tiousness. 

BA  TH,  The  Russian. — ^The  remarks  made 
under  the  heading  of  Turkish  Baths,  apply  with 
equal  force  to  the  Russian,  and  should  be  avoid- 
ed, by  all  who  wish  to  keep  their  strength  of 
body  mtact,  or  to  recover  from  sickness. 

BILIOUSNESS. — Persons  subject  to  bilious 
attacks  should  be  particularly  careful  to  avoid 
excess  in  eating  and  drinking,  and  should  espe- 
cially avoid  using  those  articles  of  food  which, 
from  experience,  they  find  to  disagree  with  them. 
Tea,  coffee,  chocolate,  tobacco,  alcoholic  liquors 
sugar,  sweetened  food,  and  grease  in  any  shape, 
if  avoided  will  have  a  marked  effect  on  a  speedy 
recovery. 

BLOOD,  Spitting  of.  —  i.  Take  two  spoon- 
fuls of  the  juice  of  nettles  every  morning,  and  a 
large  cup  of  the  decoction  of  nettles  at  night,  for 
a  week. — 2.  Take  three  spoonfuls  of  sage-juice 
in  a  little  honey.  This  presently  stops  either 
spitting  or  vomiting  blood. — 3.*  Take  twenty 
grains  of  alum  ir.  water  every  two  hours. 

BLOOD,  Transfusion  of. — This  operation 
may  be  described  in  six  parts : 

1st.  Preparation.  The  points  to  be  attented  to 
are — to  have  a  good  light ;  the  two  subjects  to 
be  operated  on  close  to  one  another ;  two  glasses 
standing  in  a  basin  of  water  at  temperature  of 
29"  R. ;  a  bundle  of  fine,  clean  twigs ;  a  fine 
piece  of  linen  to  strain  the  blood  through  after 
defibrination ;  a  bistoury,  scissors,  thermometer, 
sponges,  restoratives,  cold  water.  Also,  a  stout 
double  thread,  and  ear-sound,  or  Dechampsche' 
needle. 

2d.  Consists  of  bareing  and  binding  the  arm  as 
for  venesection ;  choosing  the  largest  vein ;  mak- 
ing an  incision  one  and  a  half  inches  long  parallel 
and  down  to  it.  If  there  be  any  bleeding  it  must 
be  checked  by  cold,  and  the  vein,  as  it  lies  in  the 
centre  of  the  cut,  must  be  carefully  dissected 
loose  from  the  cellular  tissue  for  about  half  an 
inch,  and  the  double  thread  be  passed  under  it. 
A  cold-water  compress  should  now  be  laid  on  the 
wound. 

The  3d  act  consists  in  drawing  five  or  six  oun- 
ces of  blood  into  one  of  the  glasses,  whipping  it 
five  to  eight  minutes  with  the  bundle  of  twigs, 
and  then  straining  it  into  the  other  glass. 

The  4th  act  consists  in  placing  the  canula  in 
the  vein.  The  latter  is  drawn  out  of  the  wound 
by  the  threads— the  bandage  having  been  pre- 
viously taken  from  the  arm,and  a  V-shaped  piece, 
two  lines  long,  cut  out  of  the  vein  with  the  scis- 
sors, or  the  vein  cut  half  through.  The  canula 
14 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


or  tube  of  the  syringe  is  now  introduced,  it  hav- 
ing been  previously  warmed  and  carefully  filled 
with  blood,  so  that  no  air  may  be  contained  in  it 
(the  point  in  this  respect  must  be  especially  look- 
ed to).  When  the  tube  is  inserted  the  threads 
must  be  tied  around  it  tightly,  so  as  to  prevent 
any  escape  of  the  blood.  Some  use  a  Nussbaum's 
or  conical  canula,  which  itself  fills  up  the  vein 
and  prevents  any  return  of  the  blood. 

The  5th  act  is  the  transfusion  proper.  The 
blood  must  be  forced  into  the  vein  very  slowly 
and  carefully,  always  remembering  the  results  of 
the  introduction  of  a  little  air.  The  point  of  the 
wanned  syringe  should  never  be  entirely  emptied. 
If  a  refilling  of  the  syringe  is  required  the  vein 
should  be  held  just  above  the  point  of  the  canula. 

rhe  6th  act  consists  of  placing  a  large  wet 
compress  over  the  wound,  and  binding  it  firmly 
by  a  roller  bandage.  Sticking-plaster  and  other 
methods  of  drawmg  the  lips  of  the  wound  to- 
gether should  be  eschewed,  as  conducive  to  phle- 
bitis. 

Woman's  blood  should  always,  if  possible,  be 
used  in  injecting  into  a  woman,  man's  blood  for 
a  man,  although,  if  necessary,  this  precept  may 
be  departed  from.  The  blood  should  be  taken 
only  from  a  strong,  healthy  individual.  Blood 
defibrinated  by  whipping  is  preferable  to  simple 
blood,  unless  time  be  so  important  that  the  few 
minutes  occupied  in  preparing  it  are  of  conse- 
quence. If  simple  blood  be  used,  it  must  be 
taken  into  the  syringe  as  fast  as  it  flows  from  the 
veins,  as  exposure  to  the  air  favors  greatly  co- 
agulation. 

BOILS. — Boils  are  first  formed  from  a  little 
knot  of  veins,  nerves,  etc.,  as  warts  and  corns. 
It  first  shows  itself  in  a  small,  tender,  red  spot, 
which  continues  to  enlarge  for  four  or  eight  days, 
when  it  opens  and  discharges  a  little  pus  and 
blood,  and  exposes  to  view  a  mass  of  dead  mat- 
ter, called  the  core.  In  two  or  three  days  more 
this  comes  away,  and  the  cup-like  cavity  gradual- 
ly fills  up.  When  there  are  many  of  them  in 
succession,  constitutional  treatment  is  needed; 
generally  the  blood  lacks  alkalies,  which  must 
be  supplied ;  or  it  may  need  iron.  A  boil  should 
always  run  its  course,  and  should  not  be  disturb- 
ed, except  to  apply  a  flaxseed-poultice,  when 
painful.  An  incipient  boil  may  be  stopped  by 
touching  it  with  lunar  caustic.  1 1  is  well  to  poul- 
tice a  boil  for  two  or  three  days  after  it  opens, 
and  after  these  a  stimulating  salve.  To  Prevent, 
eat  simple  food,  and  less  of  it,  and  avoid  grease, 
sugar,  and  hot  drinks. 

BOWELS,  Acute  Inflammation  of . — This  is  an 
inflammation  of  the  mucous  membrane  which 
lines  them.as  it  is  generally  understood,  but  really 
involves  more  or  less  the  whole  substance  of  the 
bowel. — Symptoms. — The  disease  begins  with  a 
chill,  and  with  uneasiness  and  slight  gripingpains, 
which  increase  in  severity  until  they  are  intense 
and  burning.  Pressure  aggravates  the  pain, 
which  is  greatest  about  the  navel,  but  extends 
over  the  whole  bowel.  There  is  sickness  at  the 
itomach,  and  sometimes  vomiting;  loss  of 
strength,  costivcness,  great  anxiety,  thirst,  heat 
and  fever,  dry,  furred,  and  red  tongue,  and  but 
little  urine,  with  p.  in  in  passing  it.  The  matters 
passed  from  the  bowels  are  dark  and  fetid,  and 
the  whole  belly  is  sore  to  the  touch.  The  pulse 
is  quick,  hard,  and  small.  If  the  stomach  sym- 
pathizes but  little  with  the  disease,  it  indicates 
the  seat  of  it  to  be  in  the  lower  portion  of  the 


bowels.  The  length  of  time,  also,  before  drink 
and  medicine  are  vomited  up  after  being  swal- 
lowed, is  a  pretty  sure  indication  of  the  distance 
of  the  disease  from  the  stomach.  To  discrimi- 
nate this  disease  from  colic,  it  is  necessary  to 
know  that  pressure  produces  pain,  which  it  does 
not  in  colic ;  the  pain  never  wholly  ceases,  as  it 
does  in  colic ;  the  knees  are  drawn  up  and  the 
breathing  short,  or  altered,  as  they  are  not  in 
colic. —  Treatment. — Hot  fomentations,  mustard- 
poultices,  soothing  and  quieting  injections,  cool- 
ing drinks,  such  as  slippery  elm,  flaxseed-tea, 
etc.,  with  tincture  of  veratrum  viride  in  full 
doses,  or  ten  drops  every  hour,  to  keep  up  a 
free  perspiration,  will  generally  be  all  that  is 
necessary.  If  the  disease  has  been  occasioned 
by  the  strangulation  of  a  gut,  or  by  hernia,  it  is 
very  unmanageable.  The  gut  may  be  disentan- 
gled by  applying  a  large  dry  cup,  or,  what  is 
better,  a  number  of  small  ones,  but  the  tender- 
ness of  the  belly  makes  this  difficult. 

BOWELS,  Chronic  Inflammation  ^— The 
signs  of  this  disease  are,  a  dull  pain  in  the  belly, 
the  tongue  bordered  with  red,  abdomen  either 
swelled  or  flat,  skin  dry  and  husky,  cold  extrem- 
ities, small,  frequent  pulse,  thirst,  loss  of  flesh, 
low  spirits,  scanty  urine,  slimy  discharges  from 
the  bowels  from  one  to  four  times  a  day.  The 
treatment  commences  with  mustard -poultices, 
and  hot  fomentations.  Cold  compresses  at  night, 
the  body  well  covered  up  in  flannel,  should  be 
used  if  the  bowels  are  very  feverish.  The  warm 
bath  twice  a  week,  taking  care  not  to  get  cold. 
The  diet  must  be  very  simple  and  unstimulating 
— beginning  with  gum  water,  rice  or  barley- 
water,  sago  or  arrow-root  gruel,  and  gradually 
raising  it  to  chicken-broth,  beef-tea  or  tender 
beef-steak.  Gentle  carriage-exercise,  as  soon  as 
the  patient  is  able,  will  prove  beneficial.  A  very 
mild  laxative  should  be  given  on  the  inflamma- 
tion being  subdued. 

BRAIN,  Inflammation  of. — Acute  and  general 
inflammation  of  the  brain  has  two  stages.  The 
stage  of  excitement,  in  which  there  is  intense  and 
deep-seated  pain  in  the  head,  extending  over  a 
large  part  of^it,  a  feeling  of  tightness  across  the 
fore-head,  throbbing  of  the  temporal  arteries,  a 
flushed  face,  injected  eyes,  looking  wild  and 
brilliant,  contraction  of  the  pupils,  great  shrink- 
ing from  light  and  sound,  violent  dehrium,  want 
of  sleep,  general  convulsions,  a  parched  and  dry 
skin,  a  quick  and  hard  pulse,  a  white  tongue, 
thirst,  nausea  and  vomiting,  and  constipation  of 
the  bowels.  The  Stage  of  collapse,  in  which  there 
are  indistinct  mutterings,  dull  and  perverted 
hearing  and  vision,  double  vision,  the  pupil  from 
being  contracted  expands  largely  and  becomes 
motionless,  twitchings  of  the  muscles,  tremors 
and  palsy  of  some  of  the  limbs,  a  ghastly  and 
cadaverous  countenance,  cold  sweats,  profound 
coma,  and  death.  The  disease  will  not  show  all 
these  symptoms  in  any  one  case.  It  runs  a  rapid 
course,  causing  death,  sometimes,  in  twelve  or 
twenty-four  hours ;  or  it  may  run  two  or  three 
weeks. — Treatment. — ^The  treatment  should  be 
very  energetic,  and  early  administered.  The 
measures  usually  employed  are  cold  water  applica- 
tions to  the  head;  hot  application  to  the  feet,  and 
emptying  the  bowels  by  copious  injections  of 
water. 

BRAIN,  Enlargement  of. — This  chiefly  aflfects 
children,  and  consists  in  an  unnatural  growth  of 
the  brain.  The  skull  may  grow  with  it,  and  there 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


211 


be  no  symptoms  of  disease,  though  children  with 
this  large  brain  are  apt  to  die  of  some  brain 
disease.  The  symptoms  of  enlargement  of  the 
brain  are,  dullness  of  intellect,  indifference  to  ex- 
ternal objects,  irritable  temper,  inordinate  appe- 
tite, giddiness,  and  habitual  headache.  Some- 
times there  are  convulsions,  epileptic  fits,  and 
idiocy.  There  is  also  a  peculiar  prdection  of 
the  parietal  bones  in  this  disease, —  TreaUnenL 
As  much  as  possible,  repress  all  exercise  of  th« 
mind.  Do  not  suffer  the  child  to  go  to  school; 
but  put  it  to  the  most  active  and  muscular  exer- 
cise in  the  open  wc.  The  moment  there  is  any 
heat  in  the  top  of  the  head,  apply  cold  water,  ice, 
or  cold,  evaporating  lotions.  The  diet  should  be 
very  simple,  bread  and  milk  only,  if,  as  the  child 
grows  up,  the  signs  of  disease  increase. 

BRAIN,  Softening  of-, — When  this  follows 
inflammation,  the  most  marked  symptom  is  the 
rigid  contraction  of  the  muscles  which  draw  up 
the  limbs  ;  the  hand  may  be  clenched  and  pressed 
against  the  shoulder ;  or  the  heel  drawn  up  to 
the  hip.  The  other  symptoms  are — tingling  and 
numbness  in  the  ends  of  the  fingers ;  perverted 
vision,  or  blindness;  paralysis  of  one  limb,  or 
half  of  the  body ;  difficulty  of  answering  ques- 
tions; forgetfulness,  makmg  it  difficult  some- 
times for  the  patient  to  remember  his  own  name. 

BREA  TIT,  F(Etid. —  Scarcely  any  thing  is 
more  disagreeable  or  disgusting  than  a  stinking 
breath.  Various  means  have  been  proposed  to 
remove  this  annoyance,  depending  principally  on 
the  administration  of  aromatics,  which  by  their 
odor  might  smother  it  for  a  time ;  but  these  re- 
quire continual  repetition,  and  are  liable  to  in- 
terfere with  the  functions  of  digestion.  The  real 
cause  of  a  stinking  breath  is  either  a  diseased 
stomach  or  carious  teeth  ;  when  the  former  is  the 
case  aperients  should  be  administered;  and  if 
these  do  not  succeed,  an  emetic  may  be  given, 
followed  by  a  dose  of  salts,  or  castor  oil  occasion- 
ally. When  rotten  teeth  are  the  cause,  they 
should  be  removed ;  or,  if  this  be  impossible, 
they  should  be  kept  clean.  Dirty  teeth  often 
cause  the  breath  to  smell.  The  use  of  the  tooth- 
brush should  be  a  daily  habit.  Occasionally 
rinsing  out  the  mouth  with  a  little  clean  water, 
to  which  a  few  drops  of  a  solution  of  chloride  of 
lime,  or  chloride  of  soda,  has  been  added,  is  an 
effective  method.  The  following  lozenges  have 
also  been  recommended  : — 

BREATH,  {FCETID)  Lozenges  for.— Qmxq. 
catechu,  2  oz.;  white  sugar,  4  oz.;  orris  powder, 
I  oz.;  make  them  into  a  paste  with  mucilage,  and 
add  a  drop  or  two  of  neroli.  One  or  two  may 
be  sucked  at  pleasure. 

BREASTS,  Caked.— -^6\\  a  handful  of  camo- 
mile,  and  as  much  mallows  in  milk  and  water. 
Foment  with  it  between  two  flannels,  as  hot  as 
can  be  borne,  every  twelve  hours.  It  also  dis- 
solves  any  knot  or  swelling  in  any  part  where 
there  is  no  inflammation. 

BRIGHT S  DISEASE,  Milk  m.— Dr.  Ar- 
thur Scott  Donkin  extols  a  skim-milk  diet  in 
this  disease.  "The  first  appreciable  action", 
he  says,  "of  skim-milk  taken  to  the  extent  of  six 
or  seven  pints  daily,  is  that  of  a  most  energetic 
diuretic,  a  profuse  flow  of  urine  being  rapidly 
produced.  The  effect  of  this,  in  Bright's  disease, 
is  to  flush  the  uriniferous  tubules,  and  to  dislodge 
and  wash  out  the  concrete  casts  of  diseased  epi- 
thelial cells  bv  which  they  are  blocked  up  and 
distended.   This  emptying  of  the  tubules  relieves 


their  pressure  on  the  surrounding  secondary  ca- 
pillaries ;  the  blood  begins  to  flow  more  freely 
through  them ;  the  distension  of  the  primary 
Malpighian  capillaries  is  relieved,  less  and  less 
albumen  escapes  through  their  walls  until  the 
renal  circulation  is  gradually  restored,  when  it 
finally  disappears  from  the  urine.  While  this 
beneficial  change  is  progressing,  healthy  epi- 
thelium is  developed  in  the  tubules,  and  the  urin- 
ary excrement  is  withdrawn  from  the  blood.  In 
short,  a  healthy  nutrition  becomes  re-established 
in  thekMneys  through  the  agency  of  milk,  which, 
above  all  other  substances,  seems  to  exercise  a 
controlling  influence  over  this  process. 

B  RON  CHOC ELE,  {Enlarged  neck.)  — To 
cure  take  iodide  of  potassium,  2  drs.;  iodine,  i  dr.; 
water,  2)4  ozs.;  mix  and  shake  a  few  minutes 
and  pour  a  little  into  a  vial  for  internal  use. — 
Dose. — Five  to  ten  drops  before  each  meal,  to  be 
taken  in  a  little  water. — External  application. — ' 
With  a  feather  wet  the  enlarged  neck,  from  the 
other  bottle,  night  and  morning,  until  well. 

BRONCHITIS,  ^r«//.— This  disease  begins 
with  chills  followed  by  fever ;  tightness  across 
the  chest,  difficulty  of  breathing,  hoarseness, 
loss  of  strength,  costive  bowels,  and  a  quick,  hard 
pulse.  Water  runs  from  the  eyes  and  nostrils, 
and  there  is  a  dry,  harsh,  croupy, cough.  After 
a  few  days  mucus  begins  to  be  raised,  which  is 
thick  and  ropy,  and  occasionally  streaked  with 
blood.  There  is  more  or  less  pain  in  the  chest ; 
pain  across  the  forehead,  increased  by  coughing, 
and  a  pale,  anxious  countenance.  In  severe 
cases  there  is  a  tightness  across  the  chest,  causing 
the  patient  to  call  for  the  windows  to  be  opened, 
to  avoid  suffocation.  There  is  difficulty  of  breath- 
ing, a  paleness  and  lividity  of  the  cheeks  and 
lips ;  a  loud  wheezing  and  rattling  in  the  throat, 
followed  by  cold  sweat,  insensibility  and  death. — 
Treatment. — In  mild  cases,  give  warm  flaxseed 
or  balm-tea,  or  hot  lemonade — at  the  same  time 
soaking  the  feet  in  warm  water,  and  on  retiring 
to  bed,  placing  bottles  of  hot  water  to  the  feet 
and  sides  to  produce  sweating.  If  the  bowels 
be  costive,  give  rhubarb  and  magnesia,  or  salts 
and  senna.  In  severe  cases,  an  active  emetic  is 
needed,  followed  by  tincture  of  veratrum  viride  in 
full  doses,  so  as  to  reduce  the  pulse.  The  room 
should  be  kept  warm,  and  the  air  should  be  moist, 
if  there  is  difficulty  of  breathing.  A  gentle  per- 
spiration should  be  kept  up,  either  by  compound 
tincture  of  Virginia  snake-root,  by  tincture  of  ver- 
atrum, or  by  frequent  bathing  of  the  surface.  A 
mustard-paste  on  the  chest,  and  soles  of  the  feet,  is 
important ;  and  the  diet  should  be  of  barley-water, 
toast-water,  rice-water,  or  a  solution  of  gum-arabic. 
The  cough  may  be  managed  by  a  mixture  of  tinc- 
ture of  lobelia,  half  an  ounce ;  syrup  of  squills, ' 
half  an  ounce.  Mix  and  give  twenty  drops  four 
or  five  times  a  day. 

BUNION. — The  bunion,  or  swelling  on  the 
ball  of  the  great  toe,  is  produced  by  the  same 
cause  as  the  corn — pressure  and  irritation  by 
friction.  It  may  be  checked  in  their  early  deve- 
lopment by  binding  the  joint  with  adhesive 
plaster  and'  keeping  it  on  as  long  as  any  uneas- 
iness is  felt.  The  bandaging  should  l)e  perfect, 
and  it  might  be  well  to  extend  it  round  the  foot. 
An  inflamed  bunion  should  be  poulticed,  and 
larger  shoes  be  worn.  Iodine,  twelve  grains ; 
lard  or  spermaceti  ointment,  half  an  ounce,  makes 
a  capital  ointment  for  bunions.  It  should  be 
rubbed  on  gently  twice  or  thrice  a  day. 


212 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


BURYING  ALIVE.— To  know  when  death 
has  really  occur*  d  and  so  prevent  burying  alive 
hold  a  lighted  ca  idle  to  any  portion  of  the  body, 
a  blister  will  soon  rise;  if  on  puncture  it  gives 
out  a  fluid  substance,  death  has  not  taken  place  ; 
if  it  emits  air  only,  it  is  perfectly  certain  that  life 
has  become  entirely  extinct,  for  which  we  offer 
but  one  reason  among  others,  in  case  of  actual 
death  the  blood  is  congealed  in  a  sense, 
there  is  no  moisture,  simply  a  little  air,  this  being 
rarihed  under  the  flame,  raises  up  the  skin ;  if 
there  is  life,  the  flame  causes  an  inflayimation 
and  nature,  in  her  alarm,  sends  increased  mate- 
rial there  for  repair,  a  kind  of  glairy  fluid,  and 
this  being  sent  there  in  excess,  causes  the  skin 
to  rise  ;  inability  to  feel  the  pulse  or  heart  beat ; 
cold  skin,  no  dew  on  a  bit  oiglass,  none  of  these 
are  conclusive,  as  there  has  been  life,  when  none 
of  these  were  observed. 

CANCER,  Treatment  of. — Cancer  has  rwo 
stages:  that  of  induration  or  stony  hardness;  the 
second,  ulceration  or  open  cancer.  Cancer  most 
often  attacks  the  female  breast,  the  skin,  the 
tongue,  the  stomach,  the  neck  of  the  womb, 
the  lips,  etc.  It  rarely  occurs  in  subjects  under 
thirty-five  years  of  age,  and  not  often  in  persons 
under  forty-five. 

The  symptoms  of  cancer  in  the  breast  are,  a 
puckered  condition,  and  a  dull,  leaden  color  of 
the  skin,  a  hard,  knotty,  and  uneven  feel,  and 
occasional  sharp  pains.  When  it  attacks  the  skin 
and  mucous  membrane,  there  is  a  hard,  warty 
lump,  which  ulcerates  after  a  time,  producing  an 
open  sore,  with  a  hard  base.  The  sore  discharges 
an  irritating,  excoriating  matter,  which  has  a  pe- 
culiarly fetid  odor,  so  offensive  and  so  different 
from  any  other  smell  that  it  i^  seldom  forgotten. 
Various  modes  of  treating  cancer  have  been, 
r  at  different  times,  recommended  by  the  faculty 
and  empirics.  Among  these,  extirpation  with 
the  knife  appears  to  be  most  in  favor  with  the 
former,  when  practicable.  The  removal  of  the 
tumor  does  not,  however,  destroy  the  constitu- 
tional taint,  although  it  may  lessen  its  intensity, 
and  render  the  subsequent  treatment  of  the  dis- 
ease less  diflScult.  Recently,  the  application  of 
intense  cold  has  been  highly  recommended  in 
cancerous  affections  of  the  glands.  A  little  pound- 
ed ice  is  tied  up  in  the  corner  of  a  thin  silk  hand- 
kerchief or  a  piece  of  bladder,  and  the  "pad" 
thus  formed  pressed  gently  against  the  tumor 
and  the  parts  immediately  adjacent  for  a  short 
time,  once  or  twice  a  day.  The  degree  of  cold 
may  be  increased  by  mixing  an  equal  weight 
of  common  salt  with  the  pounded  ice,  by  which 
tlie  benumbing  effect  of  the  application  will  be 
greatly  augmented.  It  should  be  frozen  solid  to 
Us  roots,  after  which  the  skin  should  be  carbo- 
lized  to  insensibility,  and  a  crucial  incision  made 
down  to,  but  not  into,  the  tumor,  in  which  the 
'  caustic,  consisting  of  chloride  of  zinc ;  carbolic 
acid,  and  tannin,  is  to  be  inserted  and  allowed 
to  remain  five  hours,  after  which  time  it  becomes 
very  painful  and  should  be  removed.  Then  cover 
with  a  mild  poultice.  In  four  or  five  days  the 
cancerous  mass  will  slough  off. 

The  reason  why  a  cancerous  tumor  should  not 
be  cut  info,  nor  cut  around,  is,  that  the  minute 
germs,  cells,  or  molecules,  which  constitute  its 
nuclei,  iiny  be  diffused  into  the  adjacent  struc- 
ture, and  in  a  few  months  reproduce  the  cancer ; 
and  this  is  why  the  ordinary  practice  of  surgeons 
in  cutting  them  out  never  euros,  while  the  caustic 


treatment  if  properly  managed,   destroys   these 
germs,  and  results  in  permanent  recovery, 

CANCER,  Other  Remedies  for. — Common 
salt  has  been  put  forth  as  a  remedy  by  Col.  Us- 
sory,  of  De  Soto,  who  says  he  learned  the  secret 
of  a  Spanish  woman.  His  mode  of  using  this 
remedy  is  as  follows :  Take  an  egg  and  break  it, 
pour  out  the  white,  retaining  \he  yolk  in  the 
shell,  put  in  salt,  mix  it  with  the  yolk  as  long  as 
it  will  receive  it,  and  stirr  them  together  until  a 
salve  is  formed ;  put  a  portion  of  this  on  a  piece 
of  sticking  plaster,  and  apply  it  to  the  cancer 
twice  or  thrice  a  day.  He  says  that  he  has  tried 
the  remedy  twice  in  his  own  family,  with  com- 
plete success. — 2.  The  following  is  said  to  be  a 
sure  cure  for  cancer :  A  piece  of  sticking  plaster 
is  put  over  the  cancer,  with  a  circular  piece  cut 
out  of  the  centre,  a  little  larger  than  the  cancer, 
so  that  the  cancer  and  a  small  circular  rim  of 
healthy  skin  next  to  it  is  exposed.  Then  a 
plaster,  made  of  chloride  of  zinc,  bloodroot,  and 
wheat  flour,  is  spread  on  a  piece  of  muslin  the 
size  of  this  circular  opening,  and  applied  to  the 
cancer  for  twenty-four  hours.  On  removing  it, 
the  cancer  will  be  found  burned  into  and  appear 
of  the  color  and  hardness  of  an  old  shoe  sole,  and 
the  circular  rim  outside  of  it  will  appear  white 
and  parboiled,  as  if  scalded  by  hot  steam.  The 
wound  is  now  dressed,  and  the  outside  rim  soon 
separates,  and  the  cancer  comes  out  in  a  hard 
lump  and  the  place  heals  up.  The  plaster  kills 
the  cancer,  so  that  it  sloughs  like  dead  flesh,  and 
never  grows  again.  The  remedy  was  discovered 
by  Dr.  Fell,  of  London,  and  has  been  used  by 
him  for  six  or  eight  years  with  unfailing  success, 
and  not  a  case  has  been  known  of  the  reappear- 
ance of  the  cancer  when  this  remedy  has  been 
applied. — 3.  A  salve  made  from  the  juice  of  the 
wood  sorrel,  gathered  in  a  green  state,  the  juice 
expressed  and  evaporated  to  the  consistency  of  a 
paste,  on  a  pewter  plate,  in  the  sun,  and  applied 
to  the  cancerous  part,  will,  —  it  is  said  — 
successfully  remove  the  diseased  part.  The 
oxalic  acid  of  the  plant  acts  upon  the  lead,  and 
the  product  is  a  salve  which  operates  with  more 
healing  power  on  cancerous  sores  than  anything 
so  easily  obtained. — i,.  Boil  fine  Turkey  figs  in 
new  milk,  which  they  will  thicken ;  when  they 
are  tender,  split,  and  apply  them,  as  warm  as  can 
be  borne,  to  the  part  affected,  whether  broken  or 
not;  the  part  must  then  be  washed,  every  time 
the  poultice  is  changed,  with  some  of  the  milk; 
use  a  fresh  poultice  night  and  morning,  and  at 
least  once  during  the  day,  and  drink  a  quarter  of 
a  pint  of  the  milk  the  figs  are  boiled  in,  twice  in 
the  twentyfour  hours.  If  the  stomach  will  bear 
it, this  must  be  persevered  in  three  or  four  decades 
at  least.  The  first  application  gives  a  good  deal 
of  pain,  but  afterwards  each  dressing  gives  relief. 
— 6.  The  latest  discovered  remedy  is  a  plant  call- 
ed "cundurango"  discovered  in  Ecquador.  This 
is  said  to  be  a  specific,  but  from  the  limited  use  of 
it  at  this  date  of  writing,  it  is  impossible  to  po- 
sitively determine  its  supposed  specific  qualities. 

CANKER. — To  cure  take  I  large  teaspoonfiil 
of  watdr,  2  teaspoonfuls  of  honey,  2  of  loaf  sugar, 
3  of  powdered  sage,  2  of  powdered  goldthread, 
and  I  of  alum.  Stir  up  all  together;  put  into  a 
vessel,  and  let  it  simmer  moderately  over  a  steady 
fire.  An  oven  is  better.  Then  bottle  for  use. 
Give  a  teaspoonful  occasionally  through  the  day. 

CARBUNCLE.— Thi?.  is  a  large  and  painful 
boil,  having  a  surface  more  flat  than  a  boil,  and 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL, 


213 


greater  inflammation.  Tlie  constitutional  symp- 
toms are  also  more  severe.  It  generally  appears 
on  the  thighs,  back  or  buttock,  and  goes  through 
the  same  process  as  a  boil,  only  discharging  a 
much  larger  core.  To  treat  make  an  incision  the 
full  extent  of  the  carbuncle,  and  stuff  it  with  cot- 
ton saturated  with  pure  carbolic  acid,  also  paint- 
ing the  whole  surface  of  the  hardened  mass  with 
the  acid.  This  will  be  followed  with  a  sharp, 
burning  sensation  for  a  few  minutes,  after  which 
the  pain  will  subside  completely  and  will  not 
again  appear.  In  the  same  way  the  insertion  of  the 
acid  is  to  be  renewed  daily  until  a  cure  is  effected. 
CATARRH. — Catarrh  is  generally  only  a 
cold — if  it  becomes  chronic  it  assumes  a  dif- 
ferent form.  The  phlegm  or  waste  matter  be- 
comes acrid  and  almost  poisonous,  and  serves 
to  keep  up  the  disease.  The  phlegm  or  waste 
matter  appears  to  be  matter  which  is  not  carried 
off  by  the  usual  channels.  The  remedy  when  the 
catarrh  is  not  of  long  standing  is  the  same  as 
for  a  cold — restore  the  perspiration.  This  can  be 
done  by  drinking  warm  gruel,  or  hot  lemonade, 
and  putting  the  feet  in  hot  water,  and  going  to 
bed  immediately.  Or  by  wringing  out  a  towel 
in  tepid  water  and  applying  to  the  throat  and 
chest,  putting  two  or  three  dry  ones  over  it,  so 
that  the  chest  and  throat  are  well  covered.  Warm 
drinks-  help  this  also.  The  hot  air  bath,  made 
by  putting  a  lamp  on  the  floor,  and  sitting  over 
it  in  loose  but  warm  clothing,  the  whole  care- 
fully surrounded  by  blankets,  is  also  a  good 
process.  Of  course  it  needs  to  be  carefully  con- 
ducted. Its  purpose  is  also  to  induce  perspira- 
tion. Sometimes  a  cold  runs  into  catarrh  by 
such  slow  degrees  as  not  to  be  noticed  until  the 

Eatient  begins  to  feel  as  if  there  were  a  threader 
air  in  the  roof  of  his  mouth  or  throat.  This  is 
the  beginning  of  chronic  catarrh.  The  phlegm 
is  becoming  a  source  of  disease.  In  connection 
with  the  above  any  of  the  following  local  appli- 
cation may  be  used. — I.  Snuff  strong  saltwater 
three  times  a  day ;  draw  up  into  the  nostrils  from 
the  palm  of  the  hand  all  that  can  be  taken,  then 
close  the  nostrils  and  retain  the  salt  water  as  long  as 
it  can  be  endured.  It  is  quite  painful,  but  the 
cure  depends  wholly  upon  this.  Cleanse  the  part 
affected  thoroughly  each  time  it  is  used. — 2.  Dr. 
Pallon,  a  French  physician,  has  discovered  that 
ammonia  inhaled  through  the  nose  will  cure 
catarrh.  If  the  case  is  severe,  the  inhalation 
should  be  continued  until  the  sense  of  smell  is 
restored,  when  it  should  cease  for  a  minute,  and 
then  re-applied  for  a  shorter  period,  and  so  re- 
peated seven  or  eight  times  in  the  course  of  five 
minutes. — ^3.  Take  one  part  finely  pulverized  salt- 
petre, and  mix  with  two  parts  white  sugar  re- 
duced to  flour.  It  must  be  snuffed  up  the  nose 
a  dozen  times  or  more  a  day,  according  to  the 
severity  of  the  affection. 

CAUSTICS,  New  Alode  of  Ust'n^.— The. ex- 
treme danger  of  conveying  infection  on  the  point 
of  a  frequently  used  pencil  of  caustic,  will  recom- 
mend this  simple  dence  to  the  medical  profes- 
sion :  Take  a  bundle  of  splints  of  wood,  similar 
to  lucifer  matches  ;  dip  the  ends  in  melted  cau- 
stic, seperate  them,  and  allow  them  to  dry.  A 
fresh  match  of  caustic  may  be  used  for  each  af>- 
plication,  and  a  fine  caustic  point  is  thus  always 
'  at  hand.  Lunar  and  carbolic  acid,  and  all  the 
solid  caustic  bodies,  may  be  used  in  this  manner. 
CHAFING,  Remedy  for. — Among  the  annoy- 
ances to  which  persons  of  an  obese  physique  are 


subject  in  hot  weather,  especially  if  they  walk 
much,  is  chafing  in  those  parts  where  a  con- 
glomeration of  muscles  unite.  Nothing  is  better, 
as  a  remedy  and  also  as  a  preventive,  than  a 
lotion  of  alum  in  water.  It  should  be  applied 
with  a  soft  linen  or  cotton  rag  at  night,  l)efore 
retiring.  A  piece  of  alum  as  large  as  a  hazel  nut, 
dissolved  in  half  a  pint  of  water  is  sufficient.  It 
will  quickly  heal  excoriated  skin  and  harden  the 
unabraded  cuticle.  The  use  of  this  for  years 
with  the  most  beneficial  results,  is  sufficient 
authority  for  trial  of  this  simple  remedy.  It  is 
good  aUo  for  tender  feet  and  soft  corns. 

CHILBLAINS. — An  inflammatory  swelling, 
of  a  purple  or  lead  color,  produced  by  the  action 
of  cold.  Children,  especially  those  of  a  scrof- 
ulous habit,  and  elderly  persons  are  generally 
most  liable  to  chilblains.  The  common  cause  of 
chilblains  is  holding  the  hands  or  feet  to  the  fire, 
after  exposure  to  cold.  The  sudden  change  of 
temperature  partially  destroys  the  vitality  and 
prevents  the  proper  flow  of  blood  through  the 
part  The  best  preventives  of  chilblains  are 
woollen  socks  or  stocking,  good  waterproof 
shoes,  woollen  gloves,  exercise  and  friction. 
Among  the  cures  for  chilblains,  are  the  following 
recipes: — i.  Sulphate  of  copper,  (blue  vitriol), 
I  oz.;  rosemary  water,  I  pt.  Dissolve.  Apply 
as  a  wash. — 2.  Sal  ammoniac,  I  oz.;  vinegar,  y^ 
pt. — 3.  Sal  ammoniac,  i  oz.;  rum,  ^  pt.;  cam- 
phor, I  dr.  The  affected  part  is  wetted  night 
and  morning,  and  when  dry,  is  touched  with  a 
little  simple  ointment  of  any  kind — cold  cream 
or  pomatum. — 4.  Oil  of  turpentine,  2  oz.;  cam- 
phor, 3  dr.;  oil  of  cajeput,  I  dr.  Apply  with 
friction. — 5,  Sulphate  of  copper,  20  gr.;  water, 

1  oz.  As  a  wash,  and  twice  a  day. — 6.  Hydro- 
chloric acid,  I  oz.;  water,  il  oz. — 7.  Olive  oil, 

2  oz.;  white  wax,  2  dr.;  dissolved  by  the  aid  of 
heat;  balsam  of  Peru,  i  dr.;  hydrochloric  acid, 
2  dr.  Mix  well.  To  be  used  for  unbroken 
blains. — 8.  Olive  oil,  ^  pt.;  white  spermaceti,  J^ 
oz.;  camphor,  y^  oz.;  mix  with  heat;  addhydro- 
cloric  acid,  ^  fluid  oz.  For  unbroken  blains 
and  good. — 9. — Russian  remedy. — ^The  rind  of 
perfectly  ripe  cucumbers,  with  part  of  the  flesh 
of  the  fruit  tied  on,  having  previously  been  soak- 
ed in  warm  water,  with  the  inner  side  toward  the 
affected  part 

All  the  above  are  for  unbroken  chilblains. — 
10.  For  broken  blains.  Black  oxide  of  iron,  I 
dr.;  bole,  i  dr.;  oil  of  turpentine,  i  dr.;  bees- 
wax, Yj,  oz.;  rosin,  ^  oz.;  sweet  oil,  ]A^  oz.;  or 
better  still: — 11.  Rosin,  i  oz.;  beeswax,  1^2  oz.; 
sweet  oil,  3  oz.;  calamine,  (prepared  carbonate 
of  lead)  %  oz.  All  but  the  last  are  melted  to- 
gether, and  the  last  gradually  stirred  in  until  it 
is  cool.     Any  bottom  sediment  is  rejected. 

Of  all  the  recipes  above  given,  we  think  the 
last  the  most  valuable. 

CHILDREN  Care  of.  —  Dress  children 
warmly,  woolen  flannel  next  their  person  during 
the  whole  year.  By  every  consideration,  protect 
the  extremities  well.  It  is  an  ignorant  barbarism 
that  allows  a  child  to  have  bare  arms,  and  legs,  and 
feet,  even  in  summer.  The  circulation  should 
be  invited  to  the  extremities  ;  warmth  does  that; 
cold  repels  it.  It  is  at  the  hands  and  feet  we 
begin  to  die.  Those  who  have  cold  hands  and 
feet  are  never  well.  Plenty  of  warmth,  plenty 
of  substantial  food  and  ripe  fruits,  and  plenty  of 
joyous  out-door  exercise,  would  save  millions  of 
chiildren  annually. 


214 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


CHLOROFORM,  To  prevent  Death  from.— 
Experiments  on  inferior  animals  show  that  they 
may  be  restored  from  apparent  death  from  chlo- 
roform by  the  continuous  galvanic  current,  the 
negative  pole  being  put  in  the  mouth  and  the  po- 
sitive pole  in  the  rectum.  In  some  cases  the 
animal  was  left  for  two  minutes  in  a  state  of  ap- 
parent death  and  then  restored. 

CHOLERA. — The  symptoms  in  this  disease 
are,  a  derangement  in  the  digestive  organs,  pain 
in  the  loins  or  knees,  twitchings  of  the  calves  of 
the  legs,  impaired  appetite,  thirst,  and  a  slight 
diarrhea.  These  may  last  from  a  few  hours  to 
several  days.  It  has  been  recently  averred  that 
the  pulse  is  down  to  forty  or  fifty  beats  a  min- 
ute for  several  days  before  the  attack.  In  the 
second  stage  there  is  vomiting  and  purging  of  a 
thin,  whitish  fluid,  severe  cramps  in  the  legs,  and 
in  the  bowels  and  stomach.  By  these  cramps  the 
muscles  are  drawn  into  knots.  The  tongue 
is  pale  and  moist ;  the  pulse  feeble,  though  some- 
times full  and  firm ;  the  breathing  hurried,  with 
distress  about  the  heart ;  great  thirst,  with  a  feel- 
ing of  internal  warmth;  arid  the  secretion  of 
urine  entirely  stopped.  The  watery  portion  of 
the  blood  is  soon  run  off,  and  the  patient  sinks 
into  the  third  stage,  which  is  characterized  by 
great  prostration;  pulse  hardly  perceptible;  skin 
cold  and  clammy;  face  blue  or  purple,  and  eyes 
sunken;  hands  dark -colored  and  sodden;  breath- 
ing short  and  laborious;  great  heat  in  the 
stomach,  and  intense  thirst.  Recoveries  from 
this  stage  seldom  take  place.  Treatment. — The 
usual  treatment  of  this  disease  is  with  laudanum, 
administered  every  three  hours,  in  doses  of  five 
to  ten  drops,  to  check  the  diarrhea,  in  the  first 
stage ;  and  to  give  chloroform,  opium,  and  other 
powerful  narcotics.  Pills  made  of  pulverized 
camphor,  half  a  dram;  pulverized  opium,  sixteen 
grains ;  pulverized  cayenne,  half  a  dram,  made 
into  sixteen  pills,  and  taken,  one  every  hour,  is 
a  popular  and  often  effectual  remedy.  It  is  as 
often,  however,  that  the  stimulants  without  the 
narcotics  effect  a  cure.  Brandy  and  cayenne, 
given  freely,  have  proven  very  potent  to  arrest 
the  disease.  To  these  must  be  added  warming 
injections ;  and  the  whole  surface  of  the  body 
must  be  warmed  by  hot  bottles  or  bricks,  by 
rubbing  with  flannel,  and  tincture  of  cayenne. 
The  treatment  must  always  be  very  active,  as  the 
disease  makes  rapid  progress. 

CHOLERA  MORBUS.— This  disease  be- 
gins  with  sickness  and  distress  at  the  stomach, 
succeeded  by  violent  gripings,  with  vomiting  of 
thin,  dirty-yellowish,  whitish,  or  greenish  fluid, 
^ith  discharges  from  the  bowels  similar  to  that 
vomited.  The  nausea  and  distress  continue 
between  the  vomiting  and  purging,  and  the  pain 
at  times  is  intense.  The  pulse  is  rapid,  soon 
becoming  small  and  feeble,  the  tongue  dry,  the 
urine  high-colored,  and  there  is  much  thirst, 
though  no  drink  can  be  retained  on  the  stomach. 
Treatment. — Apply  a  large  mustard-poultice 
over  the  stomach  and  liver.  Give  large  drafts 
of  warm  teas,  by  which  means  the  stomach  will 
be  cleansed  of  all  its  solid  contents.  Every 
half-hour  give  tablespoonful  doses  of  the  com- 
pound powder  of  rhubarb  and  potassa,  until  the 
vomiting  is  checked.  Warm  injections  must  be 
given  frequently,  and  hot  bricks  applied  to  the 
feet,  while  the  whole  body  should  be  swathed  in 
warm  flannels.  To  get  up  a  warmth  of  the  body 
and  the  stomach,  is,  in  fact,  the  most  important 


thing  in  this  disease.  Hot  brandy,  in  which  is 
a  dose  of  cayenne,  is  excellent,  to  quiet  the 
vomiting  and  griping.  A  few  drops  of  laudanum 
in  the  injections  may  be  given,  if  the  pain  is  ex- 
cessive; but  generally  it  is  not  needed. 

COLD,  To  avoid  catching. — Accustom  your- 
self to  the  use  of  sponging  with  cold  water  every 
morning  on  first  getting  out  of  bed.  It  should 
be  followed  with  a  good  deal  of  rubbing  with  a 
wet  towel.  It  has  considerable  effect  in  gi\-ing 
tone  to  the  skin,  and  maintaining  a  proper  action 
in  it,  and  thus  proves  a  safeguard  to  the  in- 
jurious influence  of  cold  and  sudden  changes  of 
temperature.  Sir  Astley  Cooper  said:  "The 
methods  by  which  I  have  preserved  my  own 
health  are — temperance,  early  rising,  and  spong- 
ing the  body  every  morning  with  cold  water,  im- 
mediately after  getting  out  of  bed;  a  practice 
which  I  have  adopted  for  thirty  years  without 
ever  catching  cold. " 

COLD,  To  put  back. — So  soon  as  you  feel 
that  you  are  taking  a  cold — and  you  will  generally 
have  notice  before  it  amounts  to  much — place 
your  feet  into  water  made  as  warm  as  you  can 
bear ;  and  keep  them  there  about  ten  minutes. 
Change  them,  then,  into  a  vessel  containing  cold 
water — if  icewater,  all  the  better — and  hold  them 
into  it  about  one  minute ;  after  which  wipe  dry 
and  put  on  warm  stockings. 

COLD,  To  care. — Before  retiring  soak  the 
feet  in  mustard  water  as  hot  as  can  be  endured, 
and  to  bear  it  at  any  great  temperature,  the  feet 
should  at  first  be  plunged  in  a  pail  half  full  of 
luke-warm  water,  adding  by  degrees  very  hot 
water  until  the  desired  heat  is  arrived  at;  of 
course  the  upper  part  of  the  body  and  the  knees 
should  be  well  protected  with  a  blanket.  On 
getting  into  bed  take  a  hot  camphor  sling.  Take 
with  one  tablespoonful  of  white  sugar  twelve  or 
fourteen  drops  of  strong  spirits  of  camphor, 
with  two  tablespoonfuls  of  boiling  water.  Rub 
the  bridge  of  the  nose  between  the  eyes  with  a 
little  oil.     Cuddle  in  bed  and  sleep  it  off. 

COLIC,  BILIOUS.— Th\%  is  a  dangerous 
disease.  There  is  griping,  twisting,  tearing 
pain,  about  the  navel  or  sometimes  over  the 
whole  belly.  It  comes  and  goes  by  paroxysms. 
Sometimes  the  abdomen  is  drawn  in,  at  other 
times  swelled  out,  and  stretched  like  a  drumhead. 
At  first,  the  pain  is  relieved  by  pressure,  but 
after  a  time  the  belly  grows  tender  to  the  touch. 
There  is  thirst  and  heat,  and  a  discharge  of 
bilious  matter  from  the  stomach.  In  the  worst 
cases,  the  pulse  is  small,  the  face  pale,  the  features 
shrunk,  and  the  whole  body  covered  with  a  cold 
sweat.  It  is  caused  by  irritating  articles  taken 
into  the  stomach,  vitiated  bile,  long  exposure  to 
cold,  torpid  liver  and  skin,  great  unnatural  heat, 
etc. —  Treatment. — Administer  an  active  purgat- 
ive injection  immediately.  Give  a  mixture  of 
pulverized  camphor,  four  grains ;  cayenne,  twelve 
grains;  white  sugar,  one  scruple.  This,  divided 
into  four  powders,  and  given  once  in  fifteen 
minutes,  will  relieve  the  pain — at  the  same  time 
mustard-poultice  should  be  laid  upon  the  belly. 
The  sickness  of  stomach  may  be  allayed  by  hot 
drafts  over  the  stomach,  in  which  are  a  few  drops 
of  laudanum.  Also  on  the  feet.  Croton  oil, 
one  drop  done  up  in  a  crumb  of  bread,  will  often 
purge  successfully;  or  castor  oil  and  spirits  ol 
turpentine,  equal  parts,  in  t\vo  great-spoonful 
doses,  may  be  used  before  trying  the  other.  A 
warm  bath  is  good,  and  bottles  filled  with  hot 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL, 


215 


water,  placed  at  the  feet  and  sides,  to  promote 
perspiration. 

COLIC,  fVIND.— This  is  a  severe  and  dis- 
tressing pain  in  the  bowels,  sometimes  a  stop- 
page, and  swelling  about  the  pit  of  the  stomach 
and  navel.  The  complaint  may  be  caused  by 
weakness  in  the  digestive  organs,  by  indigestible 
food,  unripe  fruit,  or  costiveness. — Treatment. — 
If  the  pain  is  caused  by  having  eaten  any  thing 
indigestible,  an  emetic  should  be  immediately 
taken.  If  this  does  not  bring  relief,  a  dose  of 
salts,  or  sweet  tincture  of  rhubarb  may.  If  there 
is  no  sickness  at  the  stomach,  a  little  essence  of 
peppermint  in  water,  may  be  sufficient  to  expel 
the  wind  and  give  relief.  If  there  be  costiveness, 
and  continued  pain,  a  stimulating  injection  should 
be  given. 

COLIC,  LEAD. — Is  a  disease  to  which  pain- 
ters, and  workers  in  red  and  white  lead,  are  sub- 
ject, causing  severe  pains,  tedious  sickness,  and 
often  death.  The  disease  is  partially  owing  per- 
haps to  breathing  the  fumes,  but  mainly  from 
particles  taken  into  the  stomach  by  the  food 
which  is  handled.  Workmen  can  effect  a  total 
exemption  from  the  disease  by  attending  rigidly 
to  three  things. — I.  Keep  the  finger  nails  trimm 
ed  closely  so  as  to  prevent  particles  of  lead  from 
collecting  under  them  and  transference  to  the 
bread  in  eating  it. — 2.  Wash  the  hands  well  with 
soap  and  water,  and  rinse  the  mouth  before  eat- 
ing.— 3.  Drink  half  a  pint  of  sweet  milk  at  each 
meal  to  antagonize  the  influence  of  any  particles 
of  lead  which  may  find  their  way  into  the  stomach. 
It  has  been  found  in  thousands  of  cases  that  an 
habitual  attention  to  these  things  secures  an  en- 
tire exemption  from  lead  colic. 

CONSUMPTION.— \\.%  symptoms  and  effects 
are  only  too  well  known.  It  remains  only  to  be 
said,  that  where  any  such  tendency  exists,  much 
may  be  done  toward  preventing  its  development, 
by  attention  to  the  general  laws  of  health.  Fresh 
air,  out-door  exercise,  cheerful  company,  and  all 
things  that  promote  our  best  condition  of  health, 
will  do  something  toward  warning  off  this  dis- 
ease, or  even  to  cure  it. 

CONSUMPTION,  Remedy  for.— Tht  follow- 
ing is  said  to  be  an  effectual  remedy,  and  will  in 
time  completely  eradicate  the  disorder.  Live 
temperately — avoid  spirituous  liquors — wear  flan- 
nel next  the  skin — and  take,  every  morning, 
half  a  pint  of  new  milk,  mixed  with  a  wine-glass- 
ful of  the  expressed  juice  of  green  hoarhound. 
One  who  has  tried  it  says — "Four  weeks'  use  of 
the  hoarhound  and  milk  relieved  the  pains  of  my 
breast,  gave  me  ability  to  breathe  deep,  long,  and 
free,  strengthened  and  harmonized  my  voice,  and 
restored  me  to  a  better  state  of  health  than  I 
had  enjoyed  for  years." 

CORNS,  To  cure. — Corns  are  entirely  owing 
to  continued  pressure,  such  as  wearing  small 
boots  or  shoes.  At  first  they  are  the  production 
of  the  outer  skin  only,  but  by  gradually  thick- 
ening they  at  length  come  to  be  connected  with 
the  true  skin  beneath,  and  even  with  the  subja- 
cent muscles.  Prevention  is  better  than  cure. 
Wear  woollen  stockings,  and  see  that  there  is  no 
local  and  permanent  pressure  on  any  part  of  the 
foot. — To  cure  : — i.  Put  the  feet  for  hah  an  hour, 
two  or  three  successive  nights,  in  a  solution  of 
soda — two  tablespoonfuls  of  soda,  in  a  small  foot 
tub  of  hot  water.  The  alkali  dissolves  the  in- 
durated cuticle,  and  the  corns  fall  out. — 2.  Tie  a 
piece  of  raw  cotton  to  the  corn,  and  wet  it  several 


times  a  day  with  spirits  of  turpentine ;  this  will, 
in  three  days,  cure  the  corn  without  the  least  ap- 
parent pain. — 3.  Soak  the  feet  in  warm  water, 
pare  off  as  much  as  possible  of  the  horny  part  of 
the  corn,  then  l.iy  upon  it  a  moistened  wafer, 
and  again  upon  this  a  piece  of  buckskin,  with  a 
hole  cut  through  it  the  size  of  the  corn.  Renew 
the  moist  wafer  twice  a  day,  and  in  a  few  days 
the  corn  will  work  out. — 4.  To  cure  corns,  take 
a  lemon,  cut  a  piece  of  it  off,  then  nick  it  so  as 
to  let  in  the  toe  with  the  corn.  Tie  this  on  at 
night  so  that  it  cannot  move,  and  you  will  find 
the  next  morning  that,  with  a  blunt  knife,  the 
corn  will  come  away  to  a  certain  extent.  Two 
or  three  applications  will  efl'ect  a  thorough  cure. 
— 5.  The  strongest  acetic  acid,  applied  night  and 
morning  with  a  camel's  hair  brush.  In  one  week 
the  corn  will  disappear. — 6.  Dissolve  glue  as  you 
would  to  mend  furniture ;  spread  it  on  the  corns; 
place  muslin  rags  over  them  to  prevent  the  glue 
from  sticking  to  the  stocking ;  repeat  the  appli- 
cation a  few  times,  and  the  cure  will  be  effectuaL 

CORNS,  SOFT,  Tocure.—Soii  corns  may 
also  be  easily  removed  by  applying  ivy  leaf  pre- 
viously soaked  in  strong  vinegar,  changing  the 
piece  every  morning ;  or  by  placing  a  dressing  of 
soap  cerate,  spread  on  a  "bit  of  lint  or  old  rag,  be- 
tween the  toes.  Or  take  a  piece  of  cotton  just 
large  enough  to  fit  comfortably  between  the  toes, 
spread  it  out  and  sprinkle  prepared  chalk  over 
it;  then  roll  it  up  and  place  between  the  toes 
where  the  corn  is.  The  cotton  and  chalk  absorb 
the  moisture  from  the  toe,  and,  by  keeping  the 
corn  dry,  soon  effects  a  cure. 

COSTIVENESS,  {Constipation).— This  is  a 
sluggish  state  of  the  bowels  which  causes  them 
to  retain  the  feces  longer  than  warrented  by 
health,  is  a  very  common  disorder.  In  this 
complaint,  it  is  not  always  the  case  that  the  dis- 
charges from  the  bowels  are  less  frequent  than 
they  should  be,  but  they  may  be  less  in  quan- 
tity, hard,  compacted,  and  passed  with  difficulty. 
It  occasions  headache,  dizziness,  feverishness, 
and  bad  feelings  in  the  head  not  easily  described, 
loss  of  appetite,  sometimes  nausea,  but  little  de- 
sire to  go  to  stool,  a  weight  and  heaviness  about 
the  lower  part  of  the  belly,  and  a  sense  of  con- 
finement over  the  whole  body.  The  disorder  is 
caused  by  sedentary  habits,  especially  when  con- 
nected with  close  application  of  the  mind,  astring- 
ent medicines,  stimulating  diet,  nervous  diseases, 
and  irregular  habits  of  evacuating  the  bowels. 

Treatment. — The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to 
establish  the  habit  of  attempting  to  evacuate  the 
bowels  at  a  particular  hour  every  day.  The  best 
hour  for  most  people  is  just  after  breakfast  in  the 
morning.  Whether  successful  or  not,  the  effort 
should  on  no  account  be  omitted,  as  this  regu- 
larity will  do  much  to  break  up  the  costive  habit. 
To  this  should  be  added  a  diet  composed  of  the 
most  digestible  food.  Bread  made  from  unbolted 
flour  is  the  only  suitable  bread  in  this  disorder. 
Fresh  vegetables  and  fruit  are  the  proper  diet ; 
and  puddings,  cakes,  doughnuts,  etc.,  must  be 
avoided  until  a  cure  is  effected.  Exercise,  not 
to  fatigue,  between  meals  is  important.  Frequent 
bathing,  and  water  injections,  are  the  most  cer- 
tain and  simple  remedies.  The  injection  should 
be  taken  just  before  going  to  stool,  at  the  regular 
hour,  and  whenever  the  disposition  to  evacuate 
the  bowels  is  felt,  until  they  are  able  to  relieve 
themselves  without  much  effort. 

COLD  in   the   HEAD. — ^According  to  an 


2l6 


DICTION  A  R  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


eminent  French  physician,  a  cold  in  the  head  can 
be  cured  by  inhaling  hartshorn.  The  inhalation 
should  be  by  the  nose,  seven  or  eight  times  in 
five  minutes. 

COUGHS  AND  COLD,  Remedies  for.— x. 
Drop  3  eggs  in  i  pint  of  vinegar,  and  let  them 
stand  for  three  days,  then  add  ^  pound  of  hon- 
ey, and  mix  well  together.  Boille  tight,  and 
take  a  wine-glassful  night  and  morning.  This 
remedy  is  unequalled. — 2.  Take  one  teacup  of 
flaxseed,  soak  all  night.  In  the  morning  put  in 
a  kettle,  2  quarts  of  water,  a  handful,  split  up,  of 
licorice  root,  )^o{&  pound  of  good  raisins,  broke 
in  half.  Let  them  boil  until  the  strength  is  thor- 
oughly, extracted,  then  add  the  flaxseed,  which 
has  been  previously  soaked.  Let  all  boil  about 
half  an  hour  more,  watching  and  stirring,  that 
the  mixture  may  not  burn.  Then  strain  and  add 
lemon-juice  and  sugar  to  taste.  Take  any  quan- 
tity, cold,  through  the  day,  and  half  a  thimble- 
ful, warm,  at  night. — 3.  AcofFee-cup  of  flaxseed, 
2  quarts  of  water,  boil  several  hours  until  reduc- 
ed to  a  jelly;  strain  through  a  thin  cloth,  squeeze 
in  the  pulp  and  juice  of  a  large  lemon ;  roll  ^  of 
a  pound  of  the  best  raisins,  mix  them  in  the  jelly, 
simmer,  without  boiling,  one  hour ;  strain  again, 
add  half  a  teacup  of  the  best  loaf-sugar.  Take  a 
tablespoonful  every  hour. 

COUGHS,  Soreness  or  Hoarseness  frovi. — 
Spikenard  root,  bruised  and  steeped  in  a  tea-pot, 
by  using  half  water  and  half  spirits  ;  then  inhal- 
ing the  steam,  when  not  to  hot,  by  breathing 
through  the  spout,  will  relieve  the  soreness  and 
hoarseness  of  the  lungs,  or  throat,  arising  from 
much  coughing. 

COUGH,  WHOOPING.— TYie  attack  gene- 
rally begins  as  a  common  cold,  with  slight  feverish 
symptoms.  In  eight  or  ten  days  the  fever  par- 
tially subsides,  and  the  child  gets  attacks  of  con- 
-Vidsive  coughing,  accompanied  by  the  peculiar 
•'whoop"  which  gives  the  disease  its  name.  The 
number  of  attacks  varies  from  one  or  two  to  ten, 
or  even  fifteen  in  the  twenty-four  hours,  accord- 
ing to  the  severity  of  the  disease.  The  child 
should  be  kept  in  a  warm  room.  He  ought  to 
be  clothed  in  flannel ;  his  diet  should  be  light 
and  nourishing,  such  as  fish,  milk,  light  puddings, 
and  new-laid  eggs. 

When  the  severity  of  the  disease  has  passed 
off,  change  of  air  will  be  found  most  useful ;  and 
if  the  child  has  become  debilitated,  tonics  with 
nutritious  diet  should  be  given. 

This  disease  being  very  infectious,  great  care 
should  be  taken  to  prevent  communication  of  any 
kind  with  houses  where  there  are  children  who 
have  not  already  had  whooping-cough. 

COUGH  WHOOPING,  Remedies  for.— i. 
Into  half  a  pint  of  white  vinegar  break  a  freshly 
laid  egg :  when  the  egg  is  dissolved,  add  half  a 
pound  of  rock  candy.  Dose  from  three  to  four 
tablespoonfuls  per  day. — 2.  Onions  and  garlics, 
sliced,  of  each  i  gill ;  sweet  oil,  i  gill ;  stew  them 
in  the  oil,  in  a  covered  dish,  to  obtain  the  juices; 
then  strain  and  add  honey,  i  gill ;  paregoric  and 
spirits  of  camphor,  of  each  ^oz.;  bottle  and  cork 
tight  for  use.  Dose — For  a  child  of  2  or  3  years, 
I  tea-spoon  3  or  4  times  daily,  or  whenever  the 
cough  is  troublesome,  increasing  or  lessening, 
according  to  age. — 3.  Mix  a  quarter  of  a  pound 
of  ground  elecampane  root  in  half  a  pint  of  strain- 
ed honey  and  half  a  pint  of  water.  Put  them  in 
a  glazed  earthen  pot,  and  place  it  in  a  stone  oven, 
with  half  the  heat  required  to  bake  bread.    I^t 


it  bake  until  about  the  consistence  of  strained 
honey,  and  take  it  out.  Administer  in  doses  of 
a  teaspoonful  before  each  meal,  to  a  child ;  if  an 
adult,  double  the  dose. 

CROUP.  —  Croup  seldom  comes  on  sud- 
denly. Generally  it  has  at  first  no  other  symp- 
toms than  those  of  a  common  cold,  but  the  very 
moment  the  child  is  seen  to  carry  his  hands 
towards  his  throat,  indicating  discomfort  there, 
it  should  he  considered  an  attack  of  croup,  and 
should  be  treated  accordingly.  In  this  disease, 
speedy  action  is  important.  The  best  treatment 
is  by  water.  Immediately  put  cold,  wet  cloths 
upon  the  throat,  and  upper  part  of  the  chest, 
covered  warmly  by  flannel,  over  the  cloth. 
Change  them  often.  Keep  the  wet  cloths  on  un- 
til the  inflammation  is  subdued.  The  moment  a 
mother  observes  croupy  symptoms  in  a  child 
from  two  to  eight  years,  the  especially  croupy 
age,  she  should  keep  the  child  in  her  own  room, 
by  her  own  side,  day  and  night,  not  allowing  it 
for  a  moment  to  go  outside  of  the  doors,  keeping 
it  comfortably  warm,  so  that  no  chilliness  or 
draft  of  air  shall  come  over  it.  Light  food  should 
be  eaten,  no  meats,  hot  bread  or  berries.  The 
whole  body,  the  feet  especially,  should  be  kept 
warm  all  the  time. 

CROUP,  Other  Remedies  for.  —  I.  Let  a 
healthy  person  fill  his  lungs  with  pure  air,  then 
slowly  breathe  upon  the  patients  throat  and  chest, 
commencing  at  the  point  of  the  chin,  and  mov- 
ing slowly  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  windpipe. 
Repeat  for  a  few  minutes  and  it  will  give  relief 
in  cases  where  all  other  means  fail. — 2.  Cut 
onions  into  thin  slices ;  between  them  but  brown 
sugar  and  let  it  dissolve;  a  teaspoonful  of  the  syr- 
up will  give  instant  relief. 

DEAFNESS. — When  deafness  is  present  in 
infancy  and  childhood,  it  is  accompanied  with 
dumbness,  or  imperfect  articulation,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  impossibility  of  conveying  a  know- 
ledge of  the  sounds  necessary  for  the  exercise  of 
the  imitative  faculty  of  speech.  A  common 
cause  of  deafness  is  some  imperfection  or  ob- 
struction of  the  passage  leading  to  the  membrane 
of  the  tympanum  or  drum  of  the  ear.  In  some 
cases  this  passage  is  totally  occluded  by  a  mem- 
brane, or  some  malformation  of  the  tube,  which 
may  frequently  be  removed  by  a  surgical  oper- 
ation. Even  instances  of  partial,  obliteration  of 
this  passage  have  occurred,  which  have  been 
effectually  cured.  A  more  frequent  cause  of 
deafness  is,  however,  the  presence  of  foreign 
bodies  in  the  aural  passages,  or  the  accumulation 
of  hardened  wax.  In  these  cases  the  best 
treatment  is  to  inject  warm  water  into  the  ear  by 
means  of  a  proper  syringe,  the  head  being  placed 
with  that  side  upwards  during  the  operation. 
Insects  may  be  destroyed  by  pouring  a  spoonful 
of  warm  olive  oil,  or  camphorated  oil,  into  the 
ear  over  night,  retaining  it  there  until  the  next 
morning  by  means  of  a  piece  of  cotton  wool, 
when  it  may  be  washed  out  with  a  little  mild 
soap  and  warm  water.  When  there  is  a  deficient 
secretion  of  wax,  or  a  dryness  of  the  aural  pas- 
sage, mild  oleaginous  stimulant.s  should  be  em- 
ployed. For  this  purpose  a  little  olive  or  almond 
oil,  to  which  a  few  drops  of  oil  of  turpentine, 
oil  of  juniper,  or  camphor  liniment,  have  been 
added,  may  be  used  with  advantage.  When 
deafness  is  accompanied  with  continued  acute 
pain,  or  a  discharge  of  a  purulent  matter,  in- 
flammation of   the  tympanum,   or  some  other 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


217 


perlion  of  the  internal  ear,  probably  exists,  and 
medical  advice  should  be  sought  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. The  deafness  that  frequently  accompanies 
a  \-iolent  cold,  is  generally  caused  by  obstructions 
in  the  Eustachian  tube,  and  goes  off  as  soon  as 
the  secretions  return  to  a  healthy  state.  When 
imperfect  hearing  depends  upon  obtundity  of  the 
auditory  nerve,  or  an  extensive  obliteration  or 
malformation  of  the  internal  ear,  it  scarcely  ad- 
mits of  cure. 

DEAFNESS,  Remedies  for.—l.  Oil  of  al- 
monds 1  lb. ;  garlic,  bruised  2  oz.;  alkanet  root 
yi,  oz.;  infuse  and  strain.  A  little  is  poured  into 
the  ear  in  deafness. — 2.  Take  a  quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  shark's  oil,  ten  drops  of  laudanum,  and 
five  drops  of  turpentine,  mix.  Put  three  drops 
in  each  ear  every  morning,  and  insert  soft  wool, 
so  as  to  keep  out  the  cold. 

DEAFNESS  {Temporary')  To  Cure. — ^Tem- 
porary deafness,  arising  from  cold,  sitting  in  a 
draught,  and  other  causes,  may  be  relieved  and 
cured  by  letting  fall  into  the  ear  ten  drops  of  a 
mixture  of  sweet  oil  and  one  of  glycerine  every 
night,  until  the  duct  which  leads  from  the  ear  to 
the  nose  is  cleared ;  this  will  be  known  by  the 
sensation  of  the  fluid  passing  from  the  ear  into 
the  nostril. 

DEA  TH,  Sure  Sign  of. — Stick  a  needle  an 
inch  or  so  into  the  supposed  corpse.  In  the  liv- 
ing tissues  the  needle  will  soon  become  tarnished 
and,  oxidised,  whilst  in  the  actually  dead  it  will 
retain  its  polish.     See  also  "Burying  alive." 

DELIRIUM  ;,TREMENS.—ThQ  greatest 
difficulty  in  the  treatment  of  mania-potu  is  to 
procure  sleep,  which  is  the  indispensable  con- 
dition of  recovery.  The  desideratum  seems  to 
have  been  secured  in  Dublin  by  the  use  of  red 
pepper.  In  a  case  recently  treated,  a  60-grain 
dose  made  into  a  pill  was  taken  without  any 
difficulty.  The  immediate  and  sensible  effects 
were  a  burning  sensation  in  the  mouth  and 
throat,  and  a  sense  of  diffused  warmth  through 
the  stomach  and  bowels  for  a  brief  period  sub- 
sequently. In  less  than  an  hour  after  the  pill 
was  taken  the  patient  fell  into  a  quiet  sleep,  and 
after  two  or  three  hours  awoke  perfectly  calm, 
conscious  and  convalescent.  The  results  thus 
obtained  are  fully  borne  out  by  the  experience 
acquired,  on  a  far  larger  scale  of  observation,  in 
the  West  Indies  and  in  the  Mehille  Hospital, 
Dublin. 

DIABETES. — ^To  cure  take  syrup  of  yarrow 
2/i  ozs.  Mix — take  4  ounces  once  in  4  hours. 
This  must  be  continued  for  30  days,  or  until  per- 
fectly well.  The  food  should  be  boiled  beef- 
steak and  nothing  else,  except  a  very  little  bread 
once  a  day.  The  bowels  should  be  moved  by  a 
mild  catharic,  one  ounce  (sixty  grains)  of  Rhu- 
barb at  bed  time. 

DIARRHEA.— This  is  a  looseness  of  the 
bowels  occasioned  either  by  unwholesome  or 
irritating  food,  by  inflammation  of  some  portion 
of  the  bowels,  or  by  debility.  It  is  accompanied 
by  a  rumbling  noise  in  the  bowels,  some  bearing 
down  and  uneasiness  just  before  an  evacuation, 
and  generally  griping.  The  strength  soon  be- 
comes reduced,  the  skin  pale,  dry,  and  after  a 
time  sallow.  —  Treatment. — The  first,  the  most 
important,  and  the  most  indispensable  item  in  the 
arrest  and  cure  of  looseness  of  the  bowels,  is  ab- 
solute quietude  on  a  bed.  Nature  herself  always 
prompts  this  by  disinclining  us  to  locomotion. 
The  next  thing  is  to  eat  nothing  but  common 


rice  parched  like  coffee,  and  then  boiled,  and 
taken  with  a  little  salt  and  butter.  Drink  little 
or  no  liquid  of  any  kind.  Bits  of  ice  may  be 
eaten  and  swallowed  at  will.  Every  step  taken 
in  diarrhea,  every  spoonful  of  liquid,  only  aggra- 
vates the  disease.  If  locomotion  is  compulsory, 
the  misfortune  of  the  necessity  may  be  lessened 
by  having  a  stout  piece  of  woolen  flannel  bound 
tightly  around  the  abdomen,  so  as  to  be  doubled 
in  front,  and  kept  well  in  its  place.  In  the  prac- 
tice of  many  years  we  have  never  failed  to  notice 
a  gratifying  result  to  follow  these  observances. 

DIARRHEA,  Remedies  for.— i.  Take  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  salt,  the  same  of  good  vinegar,  and  a 
tablespoonful  of  water  :  mix  and  drink.  It  acts 
like  a  charm  on  the  system,  and  even  one  dose 
will  generally  cure  obstinate  cases  of  diarrhea  or 
the  first  stages  of  cholera.  If  the  first  does  not 
bring  complete  relief,  repeat  the  dose,  as  it  is 
quite  harmless. — 2.  The  best  rhubarb  root,  pul- 
verized, I  oz.;  peppermint  leaf,  I  oz.;  capsicum, 
y%  oz.;  cover  with  boiling  water  and  steep  thor- 
oughly, strain,  and  add  bi-carbonate  of  potash 
and  essence  of  cinnamon,  of  each  %,  oz.;  with 
brandy  (or  good  whiskey)  equal  in  amount  to  the 
whole,  and  loaf  sugar,  4  oz.  Dose — For  an 
adult  I  or  2  table-spoons ;  for  a  child  i  to  2  tea- 
spoons, from  3  to  6  times  per  day,  until  relief  is 
obtained. — 3.  To  half  a  bushel  of  blackberries,  1 
well  mashed,  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  allspice, 
2  ounces  of  cinnamon,  2  ounces  of  cloves ;  pul- 
verize well,  mix  and  boil  slowly  until  properly 
done  ;  then  strain  or  squeeze  the  juice  through 
home-spun  or  flannel,  and  add  to  each  pint  of  the 
juice  I  pound  of  loaf-sugar,  boil  again  for  some 
time,  take-  it  off,  and,  while  cooling,  add  half  a 
gallon  of  the  best  cognac  brandy. 

DIARRHEA  {Chronic),  Injection  for.— "^t^ 
milk,  with  thick  mucilage  ot  slippery  elm,  of 
each  I  pint;  sweet  oil,  i  gill;  molasses,  Yz  pt.; 
salt,  I  oz.;  laudanum,  I  dr.  Mix,  and  inject 
what  the  bowels  will  retain. 

DISINFECTANTS.— \.  Quicklime,  to  ab- 
sorb  moisture  and  putrid  fluids.  Use  fresh  stone 
lime ;  finely  powdered ;  sprinkle  it  on  the  place 
to  be  dried,  and  in  damp  rooms  place  a  number 
of  plates  or  pans  filled  with  the  lime  powder. 
Whitewash  with  pure  lime,  and  not  with  kalso- 
mine.  —  2.  Charcoal  powder,  to  absorb  putrid 
gases.  The  coal  must  be  dry  and  fresh,  and 
should  be  combined  with  lime.  This  compound 
is  the  "calx  powder",  as  sold  in  the  shops. — 3. 
Chloride  of  lime,  to  give  off  chlorine,  to  absorb 
putrid  effluvia  and  to  stop  putrefaction.  Use  it 
as  lime  is  used,  and  if  in  cellars  or  close  rooms 
the  chlorine  gas  is  wanted,  pour  strong  vinegar 
or  diluted  sulphuric  acid  upon  your  plates  of 
chloride  of  lime  occasionally,  and  add  more  of 
the  chloride. — 4.  Sulphate  of  iron  (copperas)  and 
carbolic  acid,  to  disinfect  the  discharges  from 
cholera  patients  and  to  purify  privies  and  drains. 
Dissolve  8  or  10  pounds  of  copperas  in  a  common 
pailful  of  water,  and  pour  this  strong  solution 
mto  the  privy,  water-closets  or  drain,  every  hour, 
if  cholera  discharges  have  been  thrown  in  those 
places ;  but  for  ordinary  use,  to  keep  privies  or 
water-closets  fi-om  becoming  offensive,  pour  a 
pint  of  this  solution  into  every  water-closet  pan 
or  privy  seat  every  night  and  morning.  If  there 
is  cholera  in  the  house  or  district,  let  carbolic 
acid  be  added  to  this  iron  solution — one  half  pint 
of  the  fluid  acid  to  five  gallons  of  the  solution. 
Bed-pans  and  chamber-vessels  are  best  disinfected 


2X8 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


with  this  mixed  solution  using  a  gill  at  a  time. — 
5.  Permanganate  of  potassa,  to  be  used  in  dis- 
infecting clothing  and  towels  from  cholera  and 
fever  patients,  during  the  night,  or  when  such 
articles  cannot  be  instantly  boiled.  Throw  the 
soiled  articles  immediately  into  a  tub  of  water  in 
which  there  has  been  dissolved  an  ounce  of  the 
permanganate  salt  to  every  three  gallons  of  water. 
Boil  the  clothing  as  soon  as  it  is  removed  from 
this  colored  solution. — 6.  Carbolic  acid,  (fluid) 
mr.y  be  diluted  at  the  rate  of  from  forty  to  one 
hundred  parts  of  water  to  one  of  fluid  acid.  Use 
this  solution  for  the  same  purposes  as  copperas 
is  used ;  also  to  sprinkle  upon  any  kind  of  garb- 
age or  decaying  matter,  and  on  foul  surfaces  or 
m  drains.  When  used  to  disinfect  clothing,  car- 
bolic acid  of  good  quality  should  be  thoroughly 
mixed  with  its  own  quantity  of  strong  vinegar, 
and  next  be  dissolved  in  two  hundred  times  its 
own  quantity  of  water,  before  the  clothing  is 
immersed  in  it.  This  mixture  with  vinegar  in- 
sures such  complete  solution  of  the  carbolic  acid 
that  the  clothing  will  not  be  "burned"  by  undis- 
solved drops  of  acid  when  disinfected  in  the  car- 
bolic water.  This  weak  solution  ( i  part  to  200) 
will  not  injure  common  clothing.  But  to  destroy 
clothing  as  well  as  infection,  instantly,  use  the 
acid  diluted  only  ten  to  thirty  times  in  its  own 
quantity  of  water.  The  dismfecting  and  anti- 
septic gower  of  good  carbolic  acid  is  so  great  that 
one  part  of  it  to  fifty  or  one  hundred  parts  of 
water  is  sufficient  for  ordinary  purposes.  For 
drains,  sewers,  foul  heaps,  stables,  and  privies, 
the  cheap  "dead  oil"  of  coal  tar  or  the  crude  car- 
bolic acid  answers  every  purpose  when  freely 
applied.  Coal-tar  itself  is  available  as  a  disin- 
fectant to  paint  upon  the  walls  of  stables,  privy 
vaults  and  drains.  By  mixing  with  sawdust  or 
dry  lime,  coal-tar  or  crude  acid  may  be  used  on 
foul  grounds  or  heaps  of  refuse. — 7.  Boiling  or 
high-steam  heat.— Whenever  foul  clothing  and 
infected  things  can  be  boiled,  or  have  a  boiling 
heat  steadily  applied  and  kept  up  for  an  hour, 
this  is  one  of  the  simplest  and  best  modes  of  dis- 
infection. But  until  such  high  heat  is  actually 
applied  to  the  infected  things,  some  one  of  the 
disinfecting  solutions  must  be  used.  A  common 
steam  tub  (in  a  laundry  or  elsewhere)  with  a 
tight  cover  is  a  good  disinfecting  vat. 

First — Things  that  should  be  disinfected  are : 
Beds,  bedding  and  upholstered  stuffs.  Expose 
to  sunlight  and  ventilation  freely  and  frequently. 
If  actually  infected,  thoroughly  moisten  everv 
part  with  best  solution  of  6 or  5.  Second — Soil- 
ed clothing,  etc.,  from  the  sick  with  cholera  or 
any  contagious  disease.  Use  solution  5  or  6 
precisely  as  directed,  and  as  soon  as  the  soiled 
articles  are  removed  from  the  patient ;  or  im- 
merse them  at  once  in  boiling  water.  In  any 
case  of  infectious  disease  the  clothing  must  be 
boiled  previous  to  washing  or  drying.  Infected 
clothing  must  be  thrown  into  the  water  at  boil- 
ing heat,  and  that  temperature  should  be  kept  up 
for  an  hour.  Third — Carpets,  sofas,  lounges, 
mattresses,  floors,  etc.,  infected  by  cholera  ex- 
crement or  small-pox  and  other  contagions: — I. 
Thoroughly  moisten  every  infected  thing  with 
one  of  the  carbolic  or  permanganate  solutions 
(No.  5  or  6). — 2.  To  give  still  greater  complete- 
ness to  the  disinfection  required  for  an  infected 
apartment  and  thick  woollen  stuffs,  carpets,  etc., 
to  which  boiling  heat  cannot  be  applied,  fumigate 
with  sulphurous  acid,  thus : — 3.  Arrange  to  va- 


cate the  room  for  twelve  hours ;  close  every 
window  and  aperture,  and  upon  an  iron  pipkin 
or  kettle  with  legs,  burn  a  few  ounces  of  sul- 
phur. Instantly  after  kindling  it  every  person 
must  withdraw  from  the  place,  and  the  room 
must  remain  closed  for  succeeding  eight  hours. 
If  any  other  kind  of  fumigation  is  resorted  to  (as 
that  by  chlorine,  bromine  or  nitrous  acid,)  a  sa- 
nitary officer  or  a  chemist  should  superintend  the 
process.  Fumigation  should  be  resorted  to  in 
dwelling  houses  only  by  official  orders  or  per- 
mission, as  the  disinfecting  gases  are  very  poi- 
sonous. Fourth— Finally  let  fresh  air  and  sunlight 
purify  every  place  they  can  reach.  Open  and  dry 
all  cellars  and  vaults,  and  keep  the  grounds  and 
surfaces  about  dwellings  as  dry  and  clean  as  pos- 
sible. Use  fresh  lime  or  the  "calx  powder" 
freely  upon  wet  or  offensive  surfaces.  Flush  the 
water-closets  and  drains  daily  before  throwing  in 
the  disinfectants  as  directed.  Let  domestic  and 
personal  cleanliness  be  everywhere  observed. 
There  are  no  substitutes  for  fresh  air  and  water. 

DISINFECTANTS,  other.— \.  One  of  the 
best  and  most  pleasant  disinfectants  is  coffee; 
the  simplest  way  to  use  it  is  to  pound  the  well- 
dried  raw  beans  in  a  mortar  and  strew  the  powder 
over  a  moderately  heated  iron  plate.  The  simple 
traversing  of  the  house  with  a  roaster  contain- 
ing freshly-roasted  coffee  will  clear  it  of  offensive 
smells. — 2.  The  onion  is  a  superior  disinfectant. 
Two  or  three  good-sized  ones,  cut  in  halves,  and 
placed  on  a  plate  on  the  floor,  absorb  the  noxious 
effluvia,  etc.,  which  are  generated  in  the  sick- 
room, in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time.  They 
should  be  changed  every  few  (say  3)  hours, 

DIPTHEKIA. — I.  A  French  medical  journal 
gives  the  following  particulars  of  a  case  of 
diptheria  that  was  cured  by  ice :  The  patient  was 
a  woman  of  twenty-four,  who  had  just  been 
confined.  She  complained  of  sore  throat,  could 
hardly  swallow,  and  her  tonsils,  uvula,  palate, 
and  adjacent  parts  were  covered  with  an  extrem- 
ely adventitious  membrane  ;  the  sub-maxillary 
ganglions  were  swollen  and  painful,  and  a  short 
cough  was  occasionally  heard.  After  trying  some 
other  remedies,  ice  was  prescribed.  During 
seven  hours  the  patient  constantly  kept  a  bit  of 
ice  in  her  mouth ;  it  gave  her  pleasure,  and  she 
felt  that  it  eased  her  considerably.  In  the  course 
of  that  time,  the  membranes  had  nearly  disap- 
peared entirely,  the  pulse  had  fallen  from  eighty 
to  seventy-six,  and  the  general  state  of  the  patient 
had  improved.  In  the  course  of  the  following 
day  the  cure  was  complete. — 2.  Take  a  common 
tobacco  pipe,  place  a  live  coal  in  the  bowl,  drop 
a  little  tar  upon  the  coal,  draw  the  smoke  into 
the  mouth,  and  discharge  through  the  nostrils. — 
3.  A  simple  and  successful  treatment  of  diptheria 
may  be  found  in  the  use  of  lemon  juice.  Gargle 
the  throat  freely  with  it  at  the  same  time  swal- 
lowing a  portion,  so  as  to  reach  all  the  affected 
Earts.  A  French  physician  claims  that  he  saved 
is  own  life  with  this  pleasant  remedy. 

DISEASES  OF  CHILDREN— ChMrcn 
might  be  saved  a  great  many  kinds  of  disease, 
if  proper  care  was  given  them.  By  this  I  do 
not  mean  that  mothers  should  wear  themselves 
out  in  waiting  upon  them — that  is  what  they  do 
now — but  that  they  should  give  them  the  right 
kind  of  care. 

In  the  first  place,  their  young  lungs  must  have 
pure  air,  and  enough  of  it.  Their  sleeping- 
rooms  should  be  well  ventilated,  and  they  should 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


219 


be  out  of  doors  as  much  as  possible.  The  next 
thing  is  to  clothe  them  warmly,  so  that  they  can 
be  out  of  doors,  safely  and  comfortably.  Put 
flannel  next  their  skin;  let  them  wear  high  dres- 
ses, moderately  long;  woolen  stockings  and 
worsted  drawers  in  winter,  and  cotton  in  sum- 
mer; thick  shoes,  long  sleeves,  etc.  If  they  do 
not  look  quite  so  pretty  for  it  now,  they  will 
repay  you  in  good  looks  and  good  health  when 
they  are  older. 

Keep  their  skin  clean  and  active,  by  frequent 
baths;  not  exposing  them  to  the  air  immediately 
after  bathing,  unless  it  is  to  have  a  good  run. 
Give  them  plain,  simple,  nourishing  food,  plenty 
of  it ;  but  not  too  much,  nor  at  irregular  times. 
Stuffed  children  always  have  a  bowel  complaint, 
as  they  must.  Give  them  plenty  of  sleep,  too, 
and  have  them  go  to  bed  always  by  a  certain 
early  hour.  Treat  them  kindly  but  firmly.  Do 
not  disturb  their  digestion  with  cross  humors, 
nor  allow  them  to  do  so  themselves.  Only  by 
habits  of  obedience  can  they  be  made  either 
healthy  or  good.  Do  not  give  young  children 
tea,  or  coffee,  or  liquors.  They  do  not  need 
them,  and  are  better  without  them. 

DISEASE  IN  CHILDREN,  Signs  of.— 
In  the  case  of  a  baby  not  yet  able  to  talk,  it 
must  cry  when  it  is  ill.  The  colic  makes  a  baby 
cry  loud,  long,  and  passionately,  and  shed  tears 
— stopping  for  a  moment  and  beginning  again. 
If  the  chest  is  affected,  it  gives  one  sharp  cry, 
breaking  off  immediately,  as  if  crying  hurt  it. 

If  the  head  is  affected,  it  cries  in  sharp,  pierc- 
ing shrieks,  with  low  moans  and  wails  between. 
Or  there  may  be  quiet  dozing,  and  startings 
between. 

It  is  easy  enough  to  perceive,  where  a  child  is 
attacked  by  disease,  that  there  has  some  change 
taken  place ;  for  either  its  skin  will  be  dry  and 
hot,  its  appetite  gone;  it  is  stupidly  sleepy,  or 
fretful  and  crying;  it  is  thirsty,  or  pale  and 
languid,  or  in  some  way  betrays  that  something 
is  wrong.  When  a  child  vomits,  or  has  a 
diarrhea,  or  is  costive  and  feverish,  it  is  owing 
to  some  derangement,  and  needs  attention.  But 
these  various  symptoms  may  continue  for  a  day 
or  two  before  the  nature  of  the  disease  can  be 
determined.  A  warm  bath,  warm  drinks,  etc., 
can  do  no  harm,  and  may  help  to  determine  the 
case.  On  coming  out  of  the  bath,  and  being 
well  rubbed  with  the  hand,  the  skin  will  show 
symptoms  of  rash,  if  it  is  a  skin  disease  which 
has  commenced.  By  the  appearance  of  the  rash, 
the  nature  of  the  disease  can  be  learned.  Measles 
are  in  patches,  dark-red,  and  come  out  first 
about  the  face.  If  scarlet  fever  is  impending, 
the  skin  will  look  a  deep  pink  all  over  the  body, 
though  most  so  about  the  neck  and  fate.  Chicken- 
pox  shows  fever,  but  not  so  much  running  at  the 
nose,  and  appearances  of  cold,  as  in  measles, 
nor  is  there  as  much  of  a  cough.  Besides,  the 
spots  are  smaller,  and  do  not  run  much  together, 
and  are  more  diffused  over  the  whole  surface  of 
the  skin;  and  enlarge  into  little  blisters  in  a  day 
or  two. 

DIZZINESS. — ^This  may  come  from  dys- 
pepsia, over  exertion,  or  any  derangement  of  the 
circulation.  Avoid  the  cause,  and  keep  the  feet 
•warm,  and  the  head  cool. 

DRINKING  IN  SUMMER.— \{  very 
thirsty  sip,  do  not  gulp,  especially  if  drinking 
iced  water.  The  sudden  deaths  while  drinking 
freq;uently  recorded  in  summer,  are  due  to  para- 


lysis of  the  stomach,  produced  by  drenching  it 
suddenly  with  iced  water.  By  sipping  thirst  is 
more  thoroughly  quenched  and  less  water  is 
needed ;  for  in  all  seasons  the  quantity  taken  is 
an  important  matter,  nearly  as  important  as  the 
temperature. 

DRUNKENNESS,  Remedies  for.—\.  Who- 
ever  makes  the  attempt  to  abandon  spirit-drink- 
ing, will  find,  from  time  to  time,  ^  rankling  in 
the  stomach,  with  a  sensation  of  sinking,  cold- 
ness and  inexpressible  anxiety.  The  following 
tonic  will  help  restore  the  vigor  of  the  stomach. 
Take  of  gentian  root,  %,  ounce;  valerian  root, 
I  drachm,  best  rhubarb  root,  2  drachms ;  bitter 
orange  peel,  3  drachms ;  cardamon  seeds,  y^  an 
ounce,  and  cinnamon  bark  i  drachm.  Having 
bruised  all  the  above  together  in  a  mortar  (the 
druggist  will  do  it,  if  requested),  pour  upon  it 
l^  pints  of  boiling  water,  and  cover  up  close; 
let  it  stand  till  cold;  strain,  bottle,  and  cork 
securely;  keep  in  a  dark  place.  Two  table- 
spoonfuls  may  be  taken  every  hour  before  meals, 
and  half  that  quantity  whenever  the  patient  feels 
that  distressing  sickness  and  prostration,  so  gen. 
erally  present  for  some  time  after  alcoholic  stim. 
ulants  have  been  abandoned. — 2.  Sulphate  of 
iron,  5  grains;  magnesia,  10  grains;  peppermint 
water,  1 1  drachms ;  spirits  of  nutmeg,  I  drachm ; 
twice  a  day. 

DRUNKARDS,  To  Reform.— Tzxizx  emetic, 
eight  grains,  rose  water,  four  ounces,  mix.  Put 
a  tablespoonful  into  the  whole  quantity  the  man 
drinks  through  the  day,  and  let  him  take  it  as 
usual ;  be  sure^ot  to  exceed  this  quantity.  An- 
other cure  is  to  compel  the  patient  to  drink 
nothing  but  strong  spirits  for  a  week;  he  will  be 
thoroughly  disgusted. 

DYSENTERY.— TiM^  is  an  inflammation  of 
the  mucous  membrane  lining  the  lower  bowels. 
The  rectum,  or  lowest  bowel,  is  generally  the 
part  most  affected.  The  disease  comes  on  with 
lassitude,  shivering,  a  hot  skin,  and  quick  pulse. 
These  are  followed  by  griping  pains  in  the  bow- 
els, and  a  constant  desire  to  pass  their  contents. 
In  general,  the  passages  are  small,  composed  of 
mucus  mixed  with  blood,  and  are  attended  with 
griping  and  straining;  and  sometimes  by  nausea 
and  vomiting.  The  natural  feces  pass  off  in  small, 
round,  hard  lumps.  The  mucous  discharges  are 
at  first  without  much  smell,  but  as  the  disease 
increases  become  very  offensive  in  odor.  The 
disease  is  caused  by  sudden  changes  from  hot  to 
cold,  by  which  the  perspiration  is  suddenly 
checked.  Hot  weather  and  indigestible  food  may 
produce  it. 

DYSENTERY,  C«w  >r. —Tincture  of 
rhubarb,  tincture  of  capsicum,  tincture  of  cam- 
phor, essence  of  ginger  and  laudanum,  equal 
parts ;  mix,  shake  well,  and  take  from  ten  to 
twenty  drops  every  thirty  minutes  until  relief  is 
obtained.  This  is  a  dose  for  an  adult.  Half  the 
amount  for  a  child  under  twelve  years  of  age. — 
2.  Take  some  butter  off  the  churn,  immediately 
after  being  churned,  just  as  it  is,  without  being 
salted  or  washed;  clarify  it  over  the  fire  like 
honey.  Skim  off  all  the  milky  particles  when 
melted  over  a  clear  fire.  Let  the  patient  (if  an 
adult)  take  two  tablespoonfuls  of  the  clarified 
remainder,  twice  or  thrice  within  the  day.  This 
has  never  fkiled  to  effect  a  cure,  and  in  many 
cases  it  has  been  almost  instantaneous. — 3.  In 
diseases  of  this  kind,  the  Indians  use  the  roots 
and  leaves  of  the  blackberry-bush — a  decoction 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


of  which  in  hot  water,  well  boiled  down,  is  taken 
in  doses  of  a  gill  before  each  meal,  and  before 
retiring  to  bed.  It  is  an  almost  infallible  cure. 
— ^4.  Beat  one  egg  in  a  teacup;  add  one  Lible- 
spoonful  of  loaf  sugar  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
ground  spice;  fill  the  cup  with  sweet  milk.  Give 
the  patient  one  tablespoonful  once  in  ten  minutes 
until  relieved. — 5.  Take  one  tablespoonful  of 
common  salt,  and  mix  it  with  two  tablespoonfuls 
of  vinegar  and  pour  upon  it  a  half-pint  of  water, 
either  hot  or  cold  (only  let  it  be  taken  cool.)  A 
wine-glass  full  of  this  mixture  in  the  above  pro- 
portions, taken  every  half-hour,  will  be  found 
quite  efficacious  in  curing  dysentery.  If  the 
stomach  be  nauseated,  a  wine-glass  full  taken 
every  hour  will  suffice.  For  a  child,  the  quantity 
should  be  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  and  one  of  vinegar 
in  a  teacupful  of  water. 

DYSPEPSIA. — ^This  disease,  from  which  so 
many  suffer,  and  which  is  caused  in  so  many 
various  ways,  gives  the  physician  a  great  amount 
of  trouble.  Its  symptoms  are  now  so  well  known 
as  hardly  to  need  description ;  and  they  vary  so 
much  according  to  the  stage  or  cause  of  the  dis- 
ease, that  it  is  difficult  to  give  them  in  a  small 
space.  Most  often  there  is  a  sensation  of  tight- 
ness or  weight  in  the  stomach,  after  meals,  a 
changeable  appetite,  flatulency,  acidity  of  stom- 
ach, general  distress  and  nervousness,  and  some- 
times vomiting.  A  feeling  of  sinking  and  empti- 
ness in  the  stomach  is  also  one  of  its  signs,  and  a 
weakness  so  great  at  that  particular  spot,  that  it 
is  hard  to  sit  up  straight.  The  tongue  is  coated 
white,  and  there  is  a  bad  taste  in  the  mouth,  oc- 
casional heartburn,  headache,  palpitation,  and 
tenderness  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach.  The  urine 
is  high-colored,  and  bowels  irregular.  Some- 
times the  nervous  system  becomes  so  affected  by 
long-continued  indigestion,  as  to  produce  a  com- 
plication of  disorders  very  difficult  to  cure. 

The  causes  are  insufficient  mastication  of  food, 
too  highly-seasoned  food,  and  sedentary  habits, 
as  well  as  anxiety  of  mind. 

The  treatment  should,  in  the  first  place,  re- 
move the  cause.  The  bowels  should  be  kept 
open,  the  quantity  of  food  taken  should  be  rather 
small,  and  well  chewed,  nothing  exciting  to  the 
stomach  should  be  taken  into  it,  and  out-door 
exercise  should  be  taken,  but  not  too  soon  after 
meals.  For  removing  costiveness,  give  a  pre- 
paration of  rhubarb  and  bicarbonate  of  potassa. 
For  acidity,  prepared  charcoal,  in  teaspoonful 
doses,  m.iy  be  used.  A  good  remedy  is  pulver- 
ized guaiacum,  rhubarb,  and  prepared  charcoal, 
equal  parts,  in  teaspoonful  doses.  Too  much 
brain-work  must  not  be  done,  and  the  spirits 
should  be  kept  cheerful,  and  the  body  active. 
Nothing  is  better  for  digestion  than  laughter.  A 
remedy  that  has  effected  a  cure  is  to  take  a  piece 
of  rennet,  the  size  of  a  dollar,  and  soak  in  a  cup 
of  water.  Give  one  great  spoonful  three  times  a 
day.  This  simple  preparation  has  effected  a 
complete  cure,  after  trying  every  thing  else,  to 
no  purpose,  for  several  years. 

EAR-ACHE,  Remedies  for. — Generally  heat 
is  the  best  remedy.  Apply  a  warm  poultice  or 
warm  oil  to  the  ear.  Rub  the  back  of  the  ear 
with  warm  laudanum.  In  case  of  a  fcetid  dis- 
charge, carefully  syringe  the  ear  with  warm  milk 
and  water.  In  all  cases  keep  the  ear  thoroughly 
cleansed.  Relief  is  often  given  by  rubbing  the 
back  of  the  ear  with  a  little  hartshorn  and  water. 
—2.  Drop  some  warm  glycerine  into  the  ear  by 


means  of  a  quill,  and  afterwards  introduce  a 
piece  of  wool.  Wool  plucked  from  a  blanket  is 
the  most  suitable ;  the  fibres  are  elastic,  ahd  do 
not  coalesce  into  a  hard  pellet  as  cotton  is  apt 
to  do. 

EAR,  To  Remove  Insects  that  have  Entered 
it. — Let  the  person,  under  this  distressing  cir- 
cumstance, lay  his  head  upon  a  table,  the  side 
upwards  that  is  afflicted;  at  the  same  time,  let 
some  friend  carefully  drop  into  the  ear  a  little 
sweet  oil,  or  oil  of  almonds.  A  drop  or  two  will 
be  sufficient,  which  will  instantly  destroy  the  in- 
sect and  remove  the  pain,  however  violent.  Then 
syringe  with  warm  water. 

EAR,  To  Remove  Foreign  Bodies  from. — Dr. 
Hutchinson,  in  the  London  Medical  Times,  says 
the  safest  and  most  effective  way  of  removing  all 
foreign  substances  from  the  ear,  is  to  make  six 
inches  of  very  fine  and  flexible  wire  into  a  loop, 
pass  it  down  to  the  tympanum,  and  turn  it  gently 
around.  He  thinks  it  far  preferable  to  the  scoop 
or  to  syringing. 

ERYSIPELAS. — This  is  an  inflammation  of 
the  skin,  affecting  only  a  portion  of  the  body's 
surface,  and  is  accompanied  by  fever,  which  is 
thought  to  be  contagious.  The  local  inflammation 
spreads;  it  is  deep,  and  attended  by  swelling, 
burning,  and  tingling  heat;  and  by  a  redness 
which  disappears  when  the  skin  is  pressed  by 
the  finger,  and  returns  on  remitting  the  pressure. 
— Symptoms. — Chilliness  and  shaking,  followed 
by  lieat ;  depression  of  spirits ;  weariness,  pains 
in  the  back  and  limbs  and  in  the  head ;  quick, 
hard  pulse,  thirst,  loss  of  appetite,  tongiie  coated 
white,  bitter  taste  in  the  mouth,  nausea,  vomit- 
ing, pain  in  the  stomach,  and  costiveness.  These 
symptoms  appear  several  days  before  the  local 
inflammation ;  they  increase  with  the  redness  of 
the  skin,  and  disappear  upon  its  decline.  The 
nervous  system  is  very  much  affected,  and  a  low 
delirium  comes  on.  When  the  inflammation 
subsides,  the  bowels  relax,  and  the  scarf-skin 
peels  off.  Sometimes  matter  forms  under  the 
skin,  and  occasionally  mortification  takes  place. 
The  face  is  generally  the  seat  of  the  disease ;  and 
it  commonly  begins  on  one  side  of  the  nose,  and 
spreads  over  that  side  of  the  face,  closing  up  the 
eye,  and  disfiguring  the  features  shockingly.  In 
from  three  to  five  days  small  blisters  are  discern- 
ible on  the  inflamed  parts,  which  increase  in  size 
until  they  break  and  discharge  the  water.  The 
disease  runs  about  nine  days,  when  the  blisters 
dry,  and  the  skin  peels  off. — To  cure  keep  the 
patient  in  bed,  on  a  low  diet, — bread  and  water 
— the  nearer  a  starvation  diet  the  better,  keeping 
the  inflamed  part  of  the  face  or  other  part  of  the 
body  covered  by  soft  linen  cloths,  wrung  out  of 
cool  water  and  changed  every  half  hour  or  hour. 
A  poultice  made  of  cranberries,  pounded  fine, 
and  applied  in  a  raw  state  has  been  recommended. 

EMISSIONS,  Involuntary. — An  in\'oluntary 
emission  of  semen  during  sleep,  inducing  great 
emaciation  and  debility. —  Treatment. — Abstain 
from  all  sexual  indulgence  and  lascivious  ideas  or 
books,  sleep  on  a  hard  bed,  use  the  cold  bath 
daily,  with  a  generous  and  nourishing  diet. 
Chalybeate  water  and  all  the  different  jirepara- 
tions  of  iron,  with  the  cold  infusion  of  bark  and 
elixir  of  vitriol,  as  directed  for  indigestion,  should 
be  freely  employed. 

EPILEPSY. — This  is  a  disease  characterized 
by  asudden  loss  of  consciousness,  strong  spasms, 
and  intervals  between  the  fits.     The  attack  is 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


221 


sudden,  and  the  patient  falls  do\yn,  sometimes 
with  a  cry,  sometimes  in  silence;  either  with  con- 
vulsions, and  foaming  at  the  mouth,  or  with  a 
mere  suspension  of  consciousness.  In  a  short 
time  the  struggles  cease,  if  there  be  any,  and  the 
patient  seems  to  sleep,  after  which  he  recovers, 
and  is  apparently  well. —  Treatment. — Very  little 
can  be  done  for  the  patient  during  the  fit,  except 
to  protect  him  from  injuring  himself  by .  the  vi- 
olence of  the  convulsions,  A  piece  of  leather  or 
cork  should  be  placed  between  the  back  teeth  to 
prevent  the  tongue  being  bitten.  Remove  the 
neck-cloth  and  collar;  and  if  the  bowels  are  sus- 
pected to  be  overloaded,  give  an  injection.  The 
treatment  during  the  intervals  must  depend  on 
the  cause.  If  it  be  worms,  expel  them  ;  if  diffi- 
cult breathing,  lance  the  gums  ;  if  by  uterine  dis- 
turbance, search  out  the  nature,  and  treat  ac- 
cordingly ;  if  the  complaint  arise  from  indigestible 
food,  great  attention  must  be  given  to  diet  and 
the  general  health.  Regular  habits,  and  light, 
digestible  and  nourishing  food,  are  very  import- 
ant. The  bowels  must  be  kept  regular  by  the 
food  if  possible;  if  not,  by  mild  laxatives.  Ton- 
ics must  be  given,  and  some  strengthening  lini- 
ment rubbed  upon  the  spine  daily. 

EXCORIA  TION.—Yowng  children  are  very 
apt  to  be  chafed  under  the  arms,  behind  the  ears, 
between  the  thighs,  and  in  the  wrinkles  and  folds 
of  the  skin,  unless  great  attention  is  paid  to  clean- 
liness and  wiping  the  skin  perfectly  dry  after 
washing.  Whenever  there  is  a  tendency  to  ex- 
coriations of  this  kind,  either  in  adults  or  children, 
a  little  finely  powdered  starch,  or  violet  powder, 
applied  by  means  of  a  pufT,  or  a  small  bag  of 
muslin,  once  or  twice  a  day,  will  generally  re- 
move them,  and  prevent  their  occurrence  m  fu- 
ture.    See  also  "Chafing". 

EYESIGHT,  To  Fresenie.—\.  Never  sit 
for  any  length  of  time  in  absolute  gloom,  or  ex- 
posed to  a  blaze  of  light.  The  reason  on  which 
this  rule  is  founded  proves  the  impropriety  of 
going  hastily  from  one  extreme  to  the  other, 
whether  of  darkness  or  of  light,  and  shows  us  that 
a  southern  aspect  is  improper  for  those  whose 
sight  is  weak  and  tender. 

2.  Avoid  reading  small  print,  and  straining  the 
eyes  by  looking  at  minute  objects. 

3.  Do  not  read  in  the  dusk,  nor,  if  the  eyes  be 
disordered,  by  candle-light 

4.  Do  not  permit  the  eyes  to  dwell  on  glaring 
objects,  more  particularly  on  first  waking  m  the 
morning ;  the  .sun  should  not  of  course  be  suf- 
fered to  shine  in  the  room  at  that  time,  and  a 
moderate  quantity  of  light  only  should  be  ad- 
mitted. For  the  same  reasons,  the  furniture, 
walls,  and  other  objects  of  a  bed-room  should  not 
be  altogether  of  a  white  or  glaring  color ;  indeed, 
those  whose  eyes  are  weak,  would  find  considera- 
ble advantage  in  having  green  for  the  furniture, 
and  as  the  prevailingcolor  of  their  bed-chambers. 
Nature  confirms  the  propriety  of  this  direction, 
for  the  light  of  the  day  comes  on  by  slow  degrees, 
and  green  is  the  universal  color  she  presents  to 
our  eyes. 

5.  Those  individuals  who  are  rather  long- 
sighted should  accustom  themselves  to  read  with 
the  book  somewhat  nearer  to  the  eye  than  what 
they  naturally  like ;  while  others,  that  are  rather 
short-sighted,  should  use  themselves  to  read  with 
the  book  as  far  of  as  possible.  By  these  means, 
both  will  improve  and  strengthen  their  sight, 
while  a  contrary  course  increases  its  natural  im- 


perfections. It  is  well  to  read  or  sew  with  the 
light  above  or  behind,  rather  than  in  front  of  the 
face,  or  with  a  shade  to  protect  the  eyes  from 
glare. 

EYES,  To  yudge  when  they  require  the 
Assistance  of  SPECTACLES.— \.  When  weare 
obliged  to  remove  small  objects  to  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  eye  in  order  to  see  them  dis- 
tinctly. 

2.  If  we  find  it  necessary  to  get  more  light  than 
formerly,  as,  for  instance  to  place  the  candle  be- 
tween the  eye  and  the  object. 

3.  If,  on  looking  at,  and  attentively  considering 
a  near  object,  it  fatigues  the  eye  and  becomes 
confused,  or  if  it  appears  to  have  a  kind  of  dim- 
ness or  mist  before  it. 

4.  When  small  printed  letters  are  seen  to  run 
into  each  other,  and  hence,  by  looking  steadfastly 
on  them,  appear  double  or  treble. 

5.  If  the  eyes  are  so  fatigued  by  a  little  exer- 
cise, that  we  are  obliged  to  shut  them  from  time 
to  time,  so  as  to  relieve  them  by  looking  at  dif- 
ferent objects. 

When  all  these  circumstances  concur,  or  any 
of  them  separately  takes  place,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  seek  assistance  from  glasses,  which  will 
ease  the  eyes,  and  in  some  degree  check  their 
tendency  to  become  worse  :  whereas,  if  they  be 
not  assisted  in  time,  the  weakness  will  be  con- 
siderably increased,  and  the  eyes  be  impaired  by 
the  efforts  they  are  compelled  to  exert. 

EYE,  {Black)  How  to  cure. — Immediately 
after  the  eye  has  been  struck  with  force  enough 
to  make  it  black,  apply  a  cloth  wet  with  water 
just  as  hot  as  you  can  bear  it ;  keep  on  applying 
the  water  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  and  the 
coagulated  blood  will  become  thin  and  pass  oft 
into  its  natural  channels,  and  leave  the  eye  per- 
haps   swollen,  but  clear  of  blackness. 

EYE  {Sty,  in)  To  cure. — Put  a  teaspoonful 
of  soda  in  a  small  bag,  pour  on  it  just  enough 
boiling  water  to  moisten  it,  then  put  it  on  the  eye 
pretty  warm,  keep  it  on  all  night,  and  in  the 
morning  the  stye  will  most  likely  be  gone;  if  not, 
a  second  application  is  sure  to  remove  it. 

EYE,  ( IVeak  and  Sore)  Remedies  for. — I.  Sul- 
phate of  zinc  three  grains,  tincture  of  opium 
ten  drops,  water  two  ounces.  To  be  applied 
three  or  four  times  a-day. — 2.  Take  an  egg  and 
roast  it  after  which  remove  the  shell,  then  half 
it,  take  the  yolk  out  and  fill  the  cavities  left  in 
the  whites  with  finely  pulverized  alum.  Place 
in  a  thin  cloth  and  press  all  the  juice  out.  Bottle 
the  liquid  thus  obtained,  and  bathe  the  eyes  with 
it.  For  ordinary  sore  eyes  it  is  an  excellent  re- 
medy.— 3.  Table  salt  and  white  vitriol,  of  each, 
I  table-spoon  ;  heat  them  upon  copper  or  earthen 
until  dry;  the  heating  drives  off  the  acrid  or  bi- 
ting water  called  the  water  of  crystallization, 
making  them  much  milder  in  their  action  ;  now 
add  to  them  soft  water,  ^  pt. ;  putting  in  white 
sugar,  I  table-spoon;  blue  vitriol  a  piece  the  size 
of  a  common  pea.  If  it  should  prove  too  strong 
in  any  case,  add  a  little  more  soft  water  to  a  vial 
of  it.  Apply  it  to  the  eyes  3  or  4  times  daily. — 
4.  Bathe  the  eyes  night  and  morning  with  tepid 
water,  and  then  use  the  following  lotion: — Oxide 
of  zinc,  I  drachm  ;  rose  water,  8  ounces.  Mix. 
If  the  eyelids  stick  together  in  the  morning  a 
little  weak  citrine  ointment  slightly  warmed 
should  be  applied  at  bedtime  to  the  edges  of  the 
lids  with  a  feather  or  the  tip  of  the  finger. — 5.  An 
alum  lotion  is  beneficial  to  weak  and  watery 


222 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


eyes.  It  may  be  made  by  mixing  half  a  drachm 
of  purified  alum  with  six  ounces  of  rose-water. — 
6.  Sulphate  of  zinc,  2  grs.;  tincture  of  opium, 
(laudanum),  i  dr.;  rose-water,  2  ozs.;  mix.  Put 
a  drop  or  two  in  the  eye  2  or  3  times  daily. — "j. 
Sulphate  of  zinc,  acetate  of  lead,  and  rock  salt,  of 
each  %  oz.;  loaf  sugar,  I  oz.;  soft  water,  12  ozs.; 
mix  without  heat,  and  use  as  other  eye  water. — 
8.  Sulphate  of  zinc,  I  oz.;  sugar  of  lead,  ^  oz.; 
precipitated  carbonate  of  iron,  ^  oz.;  salt,  and 
sugar,  of  each  i  table  spoon  ;  the  whites  of  2  eggs; 
soft  water,  32  ozs.;  mix  the  whites  of  the  eggs, 
zinc,  salt,  lead,  sugar,  and  iron  well  together, 
then  add  the  water.  — 9.  When  excessively  in- 
cammed.  Poultice  by  boiling  a  handful  of^hops 
in  water,  putting  in  from  |^  to  I  dr.  of  opium, 
while  boiling;  when  still  warm,  lay  the  hops 
over  the  eyes  and  keep  them  wet  with  the  water 
in  which  they  were  boiled. — 10.  If  sore  eyes 
shed  much  water,  put  a  little  of  the  oxide  of  zinc 
into  a  vial  of  water,  and  use  it  rather  freely — it 
will  soon  cure  that  difficulty. — II.  Castile  soap, 
scraped  fine,  and  half  the  quantity  of  very  finely 
pulverized  chalk  ;  wet  them  up  to  a  paste  with 
strong  juice  of  tobacco ;  when  desired  to  apply  to 
the  eye,  drop  two  or  three  drops  of  brandy  mto 
the  box  of  paste ;  then  take  out  a  bit  of  it  where 
the  brandy  was  dropped,  equal  in  size  to  the 
fourth  of  a  grain  of  wheat,  to  the  diseased  eye ; 
wet  it  on  a  bit  of  glass,  and  put  it  into  the  eye 
with  a  camel's  hair  pencil. — 12.  Salve.  Take 
white  precipitate,  i  tea-spoon  and  rub  it  into  a 
salve  with  3  tea-spoons  of  fresh  lard,  and  applied 
upon  the  outside  of  the  lid  of  the  worst  chronic, 
(long  continued),  sore  eyes,  has  cured  them 
when  they  were  so  bad  that  even  the  eye-lashes, 
(cilia),  had  fallen  out,  from  the  disease. 

FAINTIN^G. —  Pl.ice  the  patient  upon  the 
back,  with  the  head  low ;  let  fresh  air  into  the 
room  instantly,  and  apply  gentle  friction.  Apply 
camphor  or  spirits  of  hartshorn  upon  the  fore- 
head, and  about  the  nostrils. 

FEET,  Care  of. — Many  are  careless  in  the 
keeping  of  the  feet.  If  they  wash  them  once  a 
week,  they  think  they  are  doing  well.  They  do 
not  consider  that  the  largest  pores  of  the  system 
are  located  in  the  bottom  of^  the  foot,  and  that 
the  most  offensive  matter  is  discharged  through 
the  pores.  They  wear  stockings  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end  of  the  week  without  change,  which 
becomes  wholly  saturated  with  offensive  matter. 
— Ill  health  is  generated  by  such  treatment  of 
the  feet.  Thfe  pores  are  not  repellants,  but  ab- 
sorbants,  and  this  foetid  matter,  to  a  greater  or 
less  extent,  is  taken  back  into  the  system.  The 
feet  should  be  washed  every  day  with  pure  water 
only,  as  well  as  the  armpits,  from  which  an  of- 
fensive odor  is  also  emitted,  unless  daily  abolution 
is  practiced.  Stockings  should  not  be  worn  more 
than  a  day  or  two  at  a  time.  They  may  be  worn 
one  day,  and  then  aired  and  sunned,  and  worn 
another  day,  if  necessary. 

FEET,  BLISTERED.— To  cure  blistered 
feet  from  long  walking,  rub  the  feet,  at  going  to 
bed,  with  spirits  mixed  with  tallow. 

FEET,  Cold. — The  best  method  of  averting 
coldness  in  the  feet  and  lower  limbs  is  to  wear 
two  pairs  of  stockings  of  different  fabrics,  one  of 
silk  or  cotton,  and  the  other  of  wool ;  the  two 
fabrics  serving  to  keep  in  the  natural  heat  of  the 
feet. 

FEET,  {Cold)  at  Bed-Time.— DT&vf  off  the 
stocking,  just  before  undressing,  and  rub  the 


ankles  and  feet  with  the  hand  as  hard  as  can  be 
borne  for  5  or  10  minutes.  This  will  diffuse  a 
pleasurable  glow,  and  those  who  do  so  will  never 
nave  to  complain  of  cold  feet  in  bed.  Frequent 
washing  and  rubbing  them  thoroughly  dry  with 
a  linen  cloth  or  flannel,  is  useful  for  the  same 
purpose. 

FEET,  Frosted. — To  relieve  the  intense 
itching  of  frosted  feet,  dissolve  a  lump  of  alum  in 
a  little  water,  and  bathe  the  part  with  it,  warm- 
ing it  before  the  fire.  One  or  t<vo  applications 
are  sure  to  give  relief. 

FEET,  Tender.  — Wear  woollen  socks  or 
stockings,  and  change  them  frequently.  Bathe 
both  your  feet  and  lower  limbs  in  a  solution  ol 
common  salt,  a  pound  of  salt  to  a  gallon  of  water. 
When  spring  water  is  used,  add  a  tablespoonful 
of  carbonate  of  soda  to  every  pint  of  water.  Use 
boots  or  shoes  with  soft  leather  uppers,  and  soles 
not  too  thin. 

FELON,  Cures  for. — As  soon  as  the  disease 
is  felt  put  directly  over  the  spot  a  fly  blister, 
about  the  size  of  your  thumb  nail,  and  let  it  re- 
main for  six  hours,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
time,  directly  under  the  surface  of  the  blister  may 
be  seen  the  felon,  which  can  be  instantly  taken 
out  with  the  point  of  a  needle  or  a  lancet. — 2. 
Take  equal  quantities  of  soft-soap  and  quick-lime, 
mix  till  about  the  consistency  of  putty,  make 
into  little  balls,  and  as  often  as  one  dnes  apply 
another;  they  will  need  to  be  changed  about 
every  half  hour,  and  will  be  increasingly  painful 
with  each  successive  change,  but  in  three  or  four 
hours  the  suppuration  will  be  complete,  and  the 
felon  all  drawn  out,  leaving  a  little  hole  running 
to  the  bone,  which  will  soon  heal  up,  needing 
only  to  be  washed  daily  with  Castile  soap  and 
warm  water,  and  kept  covered  with  adhesive 
plaster.  Hard-soap  may  be  dissolved  in  warm 
water  and  used  instead  of  soft,  but  soap  made  of 
woodashes  is  best. — 3.  A  poultice  of  onions, 
applied  morning,  noon  and  night,  for  three  or 
four  days,  will  cure  a  felon. — 4.  Insert  the  finger 
or  thumb,  whichever  the  case  may  be,  into  a 
lemon,  in  the  first  stages  of  the  disease,  and  keep 
it  on  twelve  to  twenty-four  hours,  and  it  will  re- 
lieve the  pain  and  cure  without  any  further 
trouble. — 5.  Take  equal  parts  of  gum  camphor, 
opium,  Castile  soap,  brown  sugar;  wet  to  a  paste 
with  spirits  of  turpentine,  and  apply  like  a  salve. 
Those  who  have  tried  it  say  it  is  an  invaluable 
remedy. — 6.  Take  common  rock  salt,  such  as  is 
used  in  salting  down  beef  or  pork,-  and  mix  with 
spirits  of  turpentine  in  equal  parts,  and  as  it 
gets  dry  put  on  more,  and  in  twenty-four  hours 
you  are  cured. — 7.  When  you  fear  a  felon  is  com- 
ing, put  a  pint  tin  of  boiling  water  on  the  stove; 
then  add  to  that  a  teaspoonful  of  saleratus  and  a 
wineglass  of  vinegar ;  heat  this  every  little  while, 
say  from  half  an  hour  to  an  hour,  and  hold  your 
finger  in  it  till  the  pain  subsides ;  repeat  this  till 
you  see  all  the  matter  drawn  to  one  place ;  then 
have  it  opened  and  your  finger  will  heal. 

FEVER. and  AGUE.—Thh,  the  true  inter- 
mittent fever,  comes  on  with  an  ague-fit,  which 
has  three  st.iges — the  cold,  the  hot,  and  the 
sweating.  In  the  first  stage,  the  patient  yiiwns, 
stretches,  feels  weak,  has  no  appetite,  and  does 
not  wish  to  move.  The  face  and  extremities  become 
pale,  the  skin  shrinks,  and  is  covered  with  goose- 
flesh  ;  the  patient  shakes,  and  his  teeth  chatter. 
Then,  after  a  time,  these  symptoms  decline,  and 
the  patient's  fever  comes  on  very  violently,  and 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


2*3 


with  various  uncomfortable  sensations.  As  the 
fever  passes  off,  the  sweating  stage  comes  on, 
when  the  perspiration  is  generally  profuse ;  the 
body  returns  to  its  natural  temperature,  the  pains 
and  aches  vanish,  and  a  feeling  of  health  comes 
back,  and  generally  a  voracious  appetite.  There 
is  not  much  regularity  in  the  time  of  coming  on, 
or  going  off,  of  the  ague-fits,  though  usually  they 
are  a  little  later  each  day  in  appearing.  In  this 
disease  the  spleen  is  very  mucn  oppressed  with 
blood  driven  in  from  the  surface,  and  often  be- 
comes so  much  enlarged  as  to  be  plainly  felt  by 
the  hand.  This  is  a  malarious  disease. — Treat- 
ment.— The  bowels  may  be  opened  with  a  gentle 
physic,  such  as  salts  and  senna.  In  the  cold 
stage,  give  hot  and  stimulating  drinks,  use  foot- 
baths, not  bottles,  etc.,  and  try  every  expedient 
to  promote  warmth.  In  the  hot  stage,  give  cool- 
ing drinks,  and  administer  quinine  mixture,  as 
the  following:  quinine,  one  scruple;  alcohol, 
four  ounces ;  sulphuric  acid,  five  drops.  Mix. 
Give  a  teaspooniul  every  half-hour  during  the 
fever,  at  the  same  time  giving  five-drop  doses  of 
veratrum  viride  every  hour.  When  the  sweating 
stage  comes  on,  stop  the  veratrum,  and  rub  the 
patient  with  dry  towels.  In  the  intermission 
give  quinine.  In  mild  cases,  other  tonics  than 
quinine  often  effect  a  cure.  The  nursing  of  the 
patient,  and  bathing,  sweating  and  rubbing  are 
the  most  important  part  of  the  treatment,  in  this, 
as  in  most  other  diseases.  In  ague  districts,  the 
hot  sun,  and  evening  air,  are  to  be  avoided. 

FE  VER  and  A  G  UE,  Other  Remedies  for.— 
I.  Take  two  ounces  of  gum  camphor  and  enclose 
it  in  a  flannel  bag  about  four  or  five  inches 
square.  Suspend  the  bag  over  the  pit  of  the 
stomach  by  the  means  of  a  cord  around  the  neck, 
and  a  speedy  cure  will  be  effected.  When  the 
camphor  is  dissolved  the  ague  is  gone, — 2.  Ger- 
man physicians,  as  appears  from  medical  jour- 
nals, have  found  a  tincture  of  the  leaves  of  the 
Eucalyptus  globulus,  or  Australian  gum-tree,  to 
be  a  remedy  for  intermittent  fever.  Dr.  Lorimer 
gave  it  to  fifty-three  patients,  of  whom  forty- 
three  were  completely  cured. — 3.  The  ordinary 
sunflower,  if  planted  around  a  house,  will  free 
the  atmosphere  from  the  animal  and  vegetable 
germs,  supposed  to  contain  the  miasma  product- 
ive of  fever  and  ague. — ^4.  See  also  ^'Quinine,  a 
substitute  for'^  on  page  81. 

FEVER,  Bilious'  Remittent.— This,  makes  its 
attack  in  a  sudden  and  marked  manner.  There 
are  no  premonitory  symptoms  except,  perhaps,  a 
little  languor  and  debility,  slight  headache,  and 
a  bad  taste  in  the  mouth,  sometimes  some  pain 
in  the  joints.  Its  commencement  is  with  a  chill, 
sometimes  slight,  sometimes  severe  and  prolong- 
ed. The  chill  may  begin  in  the  feet,  or  shoul- 
ders, or  back,  running  thence  like  streams  of 
cold  water.  There  is  seldom  more  than  this  one 
chill,  the  fever  coming  on  afterward  without  the 
cold  stage.  At  certain  periods  of  the  day,  there 
is  greater  intensity  of  the  symptoms,  and  possibly 
the  chill,  though  probably  not.  Between  these 
periods  of  increased  fever,  the  disease  seems  to 
decrease,  though  there  is  still  some  fever.  Un- 
like fever  and  ague,  it  does  not  go  entirely  off. 
During  the  hot  stage  the  pulse  is  up  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty,  or  still  higher,  and  there 
are  pains  in  the  head,  hack,  and  limbs,  of  the 
most  distressing  kind.  The  tongue  is  covered 
with  a  yellowish  fur,  and,  in  bad  cases,  is  parch- 
ed, brown,  or  almost  black  in  the  center,  and  red 


at  the  edges.  The  appetite  is  gone,  and  there  is 
generally  nausea  and  vomiting,  and  pain  or  ten- 
derness in  the  upper  part  of  the  bowels.  At  first 
there  is  costiveness,  but  afterward  the  bowels 
become  loose,  and  the  evacuations  are  dark  and 
offensive.  This  disease  is  produced  by  malaria, 
aiid  prevails  in  hot  climates,  and  in  our  summer 
and  autumn. — Treatment. — In  the  very  begin- 
ning, the  disease  may  be  arrested  by  an  emetic 
of  lobelia  or  ipecac,  followed  by  a  mild  cathartic. 
But  if  the  disease  is  fully  developed,  sponge  the 
body  all  over,  several  times  a  day,  with  water, 
and  give  cooling  drinks,  such  as  cream  tartar,'* 
two  scruples,  in  a  quart  of  water,  lemonade,  etc. 
To  allay  the  fever,  give  tincture  of  veratrum 
viride,  m  ten-drop  doses.  Cold  water  and  ice 
may  be  given  the  patient,  if  desired.  Cool  the 
head,  when  it  aches,  with  cold  applications,  and 
put  a  mustard-poultice  on  the  stomach,  if  tender. 
During  the  remissions  between  the  fever,  quin- 
ine, and  other  tonics,  must  be  given,  as  in  fever 
and  ague. 

FEVER,  Congestive. — Another  form  of  mala- 
rious fever,  is  the  congestive.  It  may  be  either 
remittent,  that  is,  abating  considerably ;  or  in- 
termittent, that  is,  having  intervals  of  entire  free- 
dom from  fever.  It  may  have  intervals  of  twenty- 
four  or  of  forty-eight,  hours.  The  first  attack  does 
not  differ  from  that  of  a  simple  intermittent,  and 
may  excite  but  little  attention;  but  the  second 
is  always  severe,  producing  great  coldness,  and 
a  death-like  hue  of  the  face  and  extremities.  The 
advancement  of  the  disease  brings  dry,  husky, 
parched,  and  pungently  hot  skin,  followed  after 
a  time,  by  a  cold,  clammy  sensation.  The  eyes 
are  dull,  watery,  and  sometimes  glassy;  the 
countenance  dull,  sleepy,  distressed ;  the  tongue, 
at  first  white,  changes  to  brown  or  black,  and  is 
usually  tremulous ;  the  breathing  is  hurried  and 
difficult.  Pressure  over  the  liver,  stomach,  or 
bowels,  produces  pain.  The  mind  is  often  dis- 
turbed, and  falls  into  lethargy  and  stupor,  or  is 
delirious. —  Treatment. — This  should  be  nearly 
the  same  as  in  bilious  remittent.  While  con- 
valescing, the  diet  must  be  light  and  nutritious 
at  first,  increasing  in  quantity  as  the  strength 
returns.  Use  a  mild  tonic,  if  the  patient  is  weak. 
Exercise  out  of  doors  must  not  be  neglected. 

FE  VER,  HA  Y  (^ot  Asthma). — This  very  pecu- 
liar disease  appears  generally  as  a  severe  attack 
of  catarrh,  with  asthmatic  symptoms  superadded. 
The  lining  membrane  of  the  eyes,  nose,  throat, 
and  lungs  is  all  more  or  less  affected.  The  pa- 
tient sujfers  from  headache,  sometimes  severe, 
sneezing,  irritation  of  the  nose  and  throat,  \vith 
a  dry  harassing  cough.  The  asthmatic  attacks 
come  on  generally  towards  evening,  and  last 
from  one  to  three  hours  causing  great  distress. 
Hay  fever  is  not  a  very  common  complaint,  and 
only  attacks  those  persons  who  from  some  pe- 
culiarity of  constitution  are  susceptible  to  the 
causes  producing  it.  It  is  supposed  to  be  caused 
by  the  inhalation  of  the  pungent  aroma  of  spring 
grass  and  hay,  but  the  inhalation  of  the  powder 
of  ipecacuanha  will  also  produce  it  in  certain  in- 
dividuals. In  the  United  States,  where  the  rose 
is  largely  cultivated,  similar  attacks  sometimes 
occur ;  it  is  then  called  rose  fever  or  rose  catarrh. 
The  best  treatment  is  change  of  air,  to  the  sea- 
side if  possible.  During  the  attacks  antispasmod- 
ics, such  as  sal  volatile,  ether,  or  an  emetic,  if 
the  patient  is  able  to  bear  it,  inhalations  of  hot 
steam  medicated  with  creosote,  carbolic  acid,  or 


224 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


turpentine  will  be  found  useful.  When  the  at- 
tack passes  off  the  general  health  should  be  im- 
proved by  tonics,  diet,  etc. 

FEVER,  SCARLET.— This  is  an  acute  in- 
flammation of  the  skin,  both  external  and  inter- 
nal, and  connected  with  an  iniectious  fever. — 
Symptoms. — The  fever  shows  itself  between  two 
or  ten  days  after  exposure.  On  the  second  day 
of  the  fever  the  eruption  comes  out  in  minute 
pimples,  which  are  either  clustered  together,  or 
spread  over  the  surface  in  a  general  bright  scarlet 
color.  The  disease  begins  with  languor,  pains 
in  the  head,  back,  and  limbs,  drowsiness,  nausea 
and  chills,  followed  by  heat  and  thirst.  When 
the  redness  appears  the  pulse  is  quick,  and 
the  patient  is  restless,  anxious,  and  often  delir- 
ious. The  eyes  are  red,  the  face  swollen,  and  the 
tongue  covered  in  the  middle  with  white  mucus, 
through  which  are  seen  elevated  points  of  ex- 
treme redness.  The  tonsils  are  swollen,  and  the 
throat  is  red.  By  the  evening  of  the  third  or 
fourth  day  the  redness  has  reached  its  height, 
and  the  skin  becomes  moist,  when  the  scarf-skin 
begins  to  come  off  in  scales. 

In  this  fever  the  flesh  pufTs  up  so  as  to  distend 
the  fingers,  and  disfigure  the  face.  As  it  pro- 
gresses the  coating  suddenly  comes  off  the  tongue, 
leaving  it  and  the  whole  mouth  raw  and  tender. 
The  throat  is  very  much  swollen  and  inflammed, 
and  ulcers  form  on  the  tonsils.  "The  eustachian 
tube  which  extends  up  to  the  ear,  the  glands  un- 
der the  ear  iind  jaw,  some  times  inflame  and 
break;  and  the  abscesses  formed  in  the  ear  fre- 
quently occasion  deafness  more  or  less  difficult 
to  cure.  The  symptoms  of  this  disease  may  be 
distinguished  from  that  of  measles  by  the  absence 
of  cough ;  by  the  finer  rash  ;  by  its  scarlet  color; 
by  the  rash  appearing  on  the  second  instead  of 
m  the  fourth  day ;  and  by  the  ulceration  of  the 
throat. — Treatment. — In  ordinary  cases  the  treat- 
ment required  is  very  simple.  The  room  where 
the  patient  lies  should  be  kept  cool,  and  the  bed- 
covering  light.  The  whole  body  should  be 
sponged  with  cool  water  as  often  as  it  becomes 
hot  and  dry,  and  cooling  drinks  should  be  ad- 
ministered. If  there  is  much  fever  and  soreness 
of  throat,  give  cold  water  to  drink  and  apply 
cloths,  wrung  out  of  ice  water.  It  would  also  be 
useful  to  commence  treatment  with  an  emetic ; 
and  to  soak  the  feet  and  hands  in  hot  water  con- 
taining a  little  mustard  or  cayenne  pepper;  con- 
tinuing this  bath  twenty  minutes,  twice  a  day, 
for  two  or  three  days.  The  cold  stage  being 
passed,  and  the  fever  having  set  in,  warm  water 
may  be  used  without  the  mustard  or  pepper.  If 
the  head  is  affected,  put  drafts  upon  the  feet ;  and 
if  the  bowels  be  costive,  give  injections  of  warm 
water.  Solid  food  should  not  be  allowed;  but  when 
the  fever  sets  in,  cooling  drinks,  such  as  lemon- 
ade, tamarind-water,  rice-water,  flaxseed-tea, 
thin-gruel,  or  cold  water  may  be  given  in  reaso- 
nable quantities. 

FEVER,  TYPB'OII).  —Typhoid  fever  is 
generally  preceded  by  several  days  of  languor, 
low  spirits  and  indisposition  to  exertion.  There 
is  also,  usually,  some  pain  in  the  back  and  head, 
loss  of  appetite,  and  drowsiness,  though  not  rest. 
The  disease  shows  itself  by  a  chill.  During  the 
first  week  there  is  increased  heat  of  the  surface, 
frequent  pulse,  furred  tongue,  restlessness  and 
sleeplessness,  headache  and  i^ain  in  the  back; 
some  times  diarrhea  and  swelling  of  the  belly, 
and  sometimes  nausea  and  vomiting.  The  second 


week  is  often  distinguished  by  small,  rose-colored 
spots  on  the  belly,  and  a  crop  of  little  watery 
pimples  on  the  neck  and  chest,  having  the  ap- 
pearance of  minute  drops  of  sweat ;  the  tongue  is 
dry  and  black,  or  red  and  sore ;  the  teeth  are 
foul ;  there  may  be  delirium,  and  dullness  of 
hearing ;  and  the  symptoms  every  way  are  more 
serious  than  during  the  first  week.  Occasionally, 
the  bowels  are  at  this  period  perforated  or  ate 
through  by  ulceration,  and  the  patient  suddenly 
sinks.  If  the  disease  proceeds  unfavorably  into 
the  third  week,  there  is  low,  muttering  delirium; 
great  exhaustion ;  sliding  down  of  the  patient  to- 
ward the  foot  of  the  bed ;  twitching  of  the  musc- 
les ;  bleeding  from  the  bowels ;  and  red  or  purple 
spots  upon  the  skin.,  If  on  the  other  hand,  the 
patient  improves,  the  countenance  brightens  up, 
the  pulse  moderates,  the  tongue  cleans,  and  the 
discharges  look  healthy. — Treatment. — Give  the 
patient  good  air,  and  frequent  spongings  with 
water,  cold  or  tepid,  as  most  agreeable.  Keep 
the  bowels  in  order,  and  be  more  afraid  of  diar- 
rhea than  costiveness.  Diarrhea  should  be  re- 
strained by  injection  of  cold  water.  For  costive- 
ness, give  mild  injections,  made  slightly  loosen- 
ing by  castor  oil,  or  common  molasses.  To  keep 
down  the  fever,  and  produce  perspiration,  give 
tincture  of  veratrum  viride,  ten  drops  every  hour. 
If  the  bowels  are  swelled,  relieve  them  by  hot 
fomentation  of  hops  and  vinegar.  If  the  pain  in 
the  head  is  very  severe  and  constant,  let  the  hair 
be  cut  short,  and  the  head  bathed  frequently  with 
cold  water.  Give  light  nourishment,  and  if  the  de- 
bility is  great,  broth  will  be  needed.  Cleanse 
the  mouth  with  very  weak  tea — old  hyson.  If 
the  fever  runs  a  low  course,  and  the  patient  is 
very  weak,  quinine  maybe  given  from  the  begin- 
ning. Constant  care,  and  good  nursing,  are  very 
important.  Typhus  fever  is  distinguished  from 
typhoid  by  there  being  no  marked  disease  of  the 
bowels  in  typhus. 

FEVER,  YELLOW.  —This  disease  is  most 
prevalent  in  hot  climates,and  southern  cities  of  our 
country.  It  comes  in  the  latter  part  of  summer, 
and  lasts  till  frosty  weather. — Symptoms. — The 
disease  begins  with  a  chill,  generally  not  very 
severe.  Following  the  chill,  there  is  moderate 
fever,  and  some  heat  of  the  surface,  but  this 
rarely  rises  to  any  great  height,  and  only  con- 
tinues to  the  second  or  third  day,  when,  in  fatal 
cases,  it  gives  place  to  coldness  of  surface,  etc. 
In  many  cases  there  is  sweating.  The  pulse  is 
peculiar,  not  often  over  a  hundred,  but  feeling 
like  a  bubble  under  the  finger,  which  breaks  and 
vanishes  before  it  can  be  fairly  felt.  The  tongue 
is  moist  and  white  in  the  first  and  second  days ; 
but  red,  smooth,  shining  and  dry  as  the  disease 
advances  toward  the  close,  having  a  dry,  black 
streak  in  the  middle.  The  most  striking  symp- 
toms are  nausea  and  vomiting,  which,  in  fatal 
cases,  is  very  persistent,  and  toward  the  last  a 
yellowish  or  greenish  matter  is  thrown  up,  fol- 
lowed by  a  discharge  of  thin  black  fluid,  which 
is  called  the  black  vomit.  The  bowels  are  gener- 
ally costive,  with  tenderness  in  the  upper  bowels 
or  stomach.  There  is  generally  severe  head- 
aches, and  a  peculiar  expression  efface,  in  which 
the  lips  smile,  while  the  rest  of  the  face  is  fixed 
and  sad,  sometimes  wild.  The  patient  continues 
wakeful  night  and  day.  There  are  discharges  of 
blood,  often  from  the  nose,  the  gums,  the  ears, 
the  stomach,  the  bowels,  and  the  urinary  pas- 
sages.— Treatment. — First  move  the  bowels  with 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


22S 


some  mild  physic,  such  as  sweet  tincture  of  rhub- 
arb, four  ounces;  bicarbonate  of  soda,  two  drams. 
Mix.  Give  a  tablespoonful  once  in  three  hours 
until  it  operates.  During  the  chill,  use  all  the 
usual  means  of  warming  the  body  by  hot  bottles, 
mustard  foot-bath,  warm  drinks,  drafts,  etc.  A 
warm  poultice  on  the  stomach  is  useful — some 
would  advise  cupping.  During  the  second,  or 
calm  stage,  give  gentle  stimulants,  warm  drinks, 
and  five-drop  doses  of  veratrum  viride,  also 
quinine.  In  the  third  stage,  brandy,  quinine, 
and  all  stimulants  freely.  To  quiet  the  vomiting, 
give  of  this  preparation :  creosote,  twenty  drops ; 
spirits  of  mindererus,  six  ounces  ;  and  alcohol, 
enough  to  dissolve  the  creosote.  Dose,  half  an 
ounce,  every  two  hours. 

Temperance,  cleanliness,  and  all  good  habits, 
do  much  to  prevent  this  disease. 

FITS. — See  "Epilepsy". 

FOOD  for  BABIES.— MothtTs  who  are  not 
able  to  nurse  their  babies,  find  it  almost  impos- 
sible to  keep  the  milk  they  are  compelled  to  use 
so  perfectly  sweet  as  not  to  injure  their  little 
ones.  Ice,  if  it  can  be  had,  does  not  wholly 
answer,  even  if  its  excessive  cold  does  not  change 
the  character  of  the  milk.  A  few  years  since  the 
writer  of  this,  while  in  a  southern  state,  recom- 
mended the  following  plan  to  a  mother  :  Mix 
your  babe's  food  milk  with  its  due  proportion  of 
sugar,  and  place  the  pitcher  holding  it  in  a  deep 
plate — a  soupe-plate  or  pie-dish  will  do — and  fill 
the  plate  with  cold  water.  Take  a  piece  of  thin 
muslin,  large  enough  to  cover  the  whole  pitcher 
and  reach  down  all  sides  into  the  water.  Have 
no  cover  on  the  pitcher,  wet  the  cloth  and  cover 
the  pitcher  with  it ;  put  its  ends  into  the  water, 
and  set  the  whole  in  a  place  where  a  draught  of 
air  will  pass  over  it.  The  mother  tried  the  plan, 
and  during  an  exceedingly  hot  summer,  through 
the  most  sultry  days  and  nights  of  a  long  season, 
the  milk  never  turned  at  all.  The  rationale  of 
the  thing  is  easy.  The  milk  is  not  confined  in  a 
close  vessel,  or  in  danger  of  being  tainted  by 
nearness  to  other,  perhaps  not  wholesome  food ; 
the  thin  gauze  protects  it,  yet  leaves  it  open ; 
the  draught  of  air  keeps  the  temperature  down 
by  the  constant  evaporation,  while  the  water  is 
constantly  sucked  up  by  the  cloth,  acting  like  a 
wick  in  a  lamp  to  supply  the  moisture. 

GONORRHCEA,  {Clap).—K  tingling  sensa- 
tion at  the  end  of  the  penis,  which  swells,  looks 
red  and  inflamed,  followed  by  a  discharge  of 
matter  that  stains  the  linen,  first  of  a  whitish, 
then  of  a  yellow  or  green  color,  a  scalding  pain 
in  making  water,  involuntary  and  painful  erec- 
tion.—  Treatment. —  There  are  two  kinds  of  this 
affection,  the  mild  and  the  virulent.  The  first 
is  of  so  trivial  a  nature,  that  plentiful  draughts 
of  any  soothing  liquid,  as  barley-water,  or  flax- 
seed-tea,  with  a  low  diet,  are  sufficient  to  remove 
it.  The  second  produces  effects  more  or  less 
violent  on  different  persons,  and  occasionally  re- 
sists for  months  every  remedy  that  can  be  thought 
of.  If  there  be  much  pain  and  inflammation  in 
the  penis,  apply  a  bread  and  milk  poultice  to  it, 
take  a  dose  of  salts,  and  lose  some  blood.  This 
is  the  more  necessary  if,  in  consequence  of  the 
swelling  of  the  foreskin,  it  cannot  be  drawn  back, 
or  being  back,  cannot  be  drawn  forward.  In  the 
meantime,  take  pretty  large  doses  of  the  balsam  co- 
paiva  daily.  A  very  low  diet  should  beadheredto, 
and  the  patient  should  remain  perfectly  quiet. 
GLEET. — The  weeping  of  thin  glairy  fluid, 


like  the  white  of  an  egg,  from  the  penis,  caused 
by  a  long-continued  clap. — Treatment. — A  gleet 
is  exceedingly  difficult  to  get  rid  of,  and  frequently 
defies  every  effort  that  is  made  for  that  purpose. 
It  must  be  attempted,  however,  by  the  daily  use 
of  the  cold  bath,  and  thirty  drops  of  the  muriated 
tincture  of  iron,  taken  three  times  a  day,  for 
months,  in  a  glass  of  the  cold  infusion  of  bark. 
The  best  advice  to  be  given  in  this  case  is  to 
apply  at  once  to  an  intelligent  surgeon,  who  will 
prescribe  injections  of  alum,  sulphate  of  zinc,  or 
nitrate  of  silver. 

GRA  VEL. — Gravel,  which  is  a  deposit  of  un- 
natural substances  in  the  urine,  is  indicated  by  a 
sudden  attack  of  pain  in  the  region  of  the  kid- 
neys, so  acute  and  severe  as  to  frequently  cause 
fainting,  and  even  convulsions.  The  pain  runs 
down  to  the  groin  and  thigh,  causing  a  numbness 
of  the  affected  side,  and  a  drawing  up  of  the 
testicle.  The  pain  is  excessive  at  times,  and  then 
remits.  Finally  it  stops  suddenly.  The  pain  is 
caused  by  the  passing  along  the  tubes  which  lead 
from  the  kidneys  to  the  bladder,  the  stones  or 
gravel  which  is  found  there.  Sometimes  the 
gravel  is  so  fine  as  to  cause  no  pain,  and  is  depo- 
sited with  the  urine  at  the  bottom  of  the  vessel. 
The  deposites  are  of  various  kinds,  indicating  the 
state  of  the  health,  and  must  be  treated  differ- 
ently. But  as  none  but  a  chemist  or  physician 
could  determine  the  nature  of  the  deposits, 
whether  they  where  acid  or  alkaline,  we  will 
leave  the  treatment  also  entirely  to  them. 

GOUT,  To  cure. — Take  hot  vinegar,  and  put 
into  it  all  the  table  salt  which  it  will  dissolve, 
and  bathe  the  parts  affected  with  a  soft  piece  of 
flannel.  Rub  in  with  the  hand,  and  dry  the  foot, 
etc.,  by  the  fire.  Repeat  this  operation  four 
times  in  the  24  hours,  15  minutes  each  time,  for 
four  days;  then  twice  a  day  for  the  same  period; 
then  once,  and  follow  this  rule  whenever  the 
symptoms  show  themselves  at  any  future  time. 
A  better  cure,  as  also  an  infallible  preventive,  is 
to  live  on  bread  and  water  alone  twice  a  day,  and 
earn  it  by  hard  physical  labor. 

HEALTH,  Rttles  for  Preserving.— I.  Pure 
atmospheric  air  is  composed  of  nitrogen,  oxygen, 
and  a  very  small  proportion  of  carbonic  acid  gas. 
Air  once  breathed  has  lost  the  chief  part  of  its 
oxygen,  and  acquired  a  proportionate  increase  of 
carbonic  acid  gas ;  therefore,  health  requires  that 
we  breathe  the  same  air  only  one. 

2.  The  solid  parts  of  our  bodies  are  continually 
wasting  away,  and  require  to   be  repaired   by^ 
fresh  substances  ;  therefore,  food,  which  is  to  re- 
pair the  loss,  should  he  taken  with  due  reference 
to  exercise  and  the  waste  of  body. 

3.  The  fluid  part  of  our  bodies  also  wastes  con- 
stantly ;  there  is  but  one  fluid  in  animals,  which 
is  water;  therefore,  water  only  is  necessary,  and 
no  artifice  can  produce  a  better  drink. 

4.  The  fluid  of  our  bodies  is  to  the  solid  in 
proportion  as  nine  to  one ;  therefore,  a  like  pro- 
portion should  prevail  in  the  total  amount  of 
food  taken. 

5.  Light  exercises  an  important  influence  upon 
the  growth  and  vigor  of^  animals  and  plants; 
therefore,  our  dwellings  should  freely  admit 
light. 

6.  Decomposing  vegetable  and  animal  matter 
yields  various  noxious  gases,  which  enter  the 
lungs  and  corrupt  the  blood ;  therefore,  all  im- 
purities should  be  kept  away  from  our  abodes, 
and  every  precaution  used  to  secure  pure  air. 

IS 


226 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


7.  Warmth  is  necessary  to  all  the  bodily  func- 
tions ;  therefore,  an  equal  bodily  temperature 
should  be  maintained  by  exercise,  clothing  or 
fire. 

8.  Exercise  warms,  invigorates,  purifies  the 
body;  clothing  preserves  the  warmth  the  body 
generates ;  fire  imparts  warmth  externally ;  there- 
fore, to  obtain  and  preserve  warmth;  exercise 
and  clothing  are  preferable  to  fire. 

g.  Fire  consumes  the  oxygen  of  the  air,  and 
produces  noxious  gases;  therefore,  the  air  is 
less  pure  in  the  presence  of  candles,  gas,  or  coal- 
fire  than  otherwise ;  and  the  loss  should  be  re- 
paired by  increased  ventilation. 

10.  The  skin  is  a  highly-organized  membrane, 
full  of  minute  pores,  cells,  blood-vessels,  and 
nerves ;  it  imbibes  moisture,  or  throws  it  off,  ac- 
cording to  the  state  of  the  atmosphere  and  the 
temperature  of  the  body.  It  also  breathes,  as  do 
the  lungs,  though  less  actively.  All  the  internal 
organs  sjonpathize  with  the  skin;  therefore,  it 
should  be  cleansed  frequently. 

11.  Late  hours  and  anxious  pursuits  exhaust 
the  nervous  system,  and  produce  disease  and 
premature  death;  therefore,  the  hours  of  study 
and  labor  should  be  short. 

12.  Mental  and  bodily  exercise  are  equally  es- 
sential to  health  and  happiness;  therefore,  re- 
creation and  study  should  succeed  each  other. 

13.  Man  will  live  most  healthily  upon  simple 
solids  and  fluids,  of  which  a  sufficient  but  tem- 
perate quantity  should  be  taken ;  therefore,  strong 
drinks,  tobacco,  snuff,  and  opium,  and  all  mere 
indulgences,  should  be  avoided. 

14.  Sudden  alternations  of  heat  and  cold  are 
dangerous,  especially  to  the  young  and  aged; 
therefore,  the  clothing  should  be  sufficient,  and 
adapted  to  changes  of  temperature. 

15.  Moderation  in  eating  and  drinking,  in  labor 
and  study ;  recreation  taken  with  regularity ;  rest, 
cleanliness,  even  temper,  an  equable  tempera- 
ture, are  the  great  essentials  of  health — which  far 
surpasses  wealth  in  value. 

HEADACHES. — Headaches  are  always 
symptoms  of  some  derangement  of  the  system  in 
some  of  its  parts,  and  should  not  be  neglected. 
In  children,  they  generally  indicate  the  ap- 
proach of  some  disease.  In  adults,  they  are  oc- 
casioned frequently  by  a  bad  circulation,  impaired 
digestion,  and  by  affections  of  the  nerves.  For 
the  first,  active  exercise,  and  a  slight  physic,  are 
only  necessary ;  for  the  second,  light  diet,  with 
exercise  and  a  dose  of  some  bitter  alkali  after 
meals ;  and  for  the  third,  the  same  treatment  as 
for  neuralgia,  being  careful  about  the  diet.  Some- 
limes  a  patient  is  subject  to  rheumatic  headache, 
which  may  be  treated  with  warm  fomentations, 
stimulating  liniment,  and  a  gentle  physic.  The 
patient  should  dress  warmly,  and  avoid  exposure 
to  cold  and  wet  feet. 

HEADACHE,  Remedies pr.—i.  A  doctor  in 
Paris  has  published  a  new  remedy  for  headaches. 
He  uses  a  mixture  of  ice  and  salt,  in  proportion 
of  one  to  one  half,  as  a  cold  mixture,  and  this  he 
applies  by  means  of  a  little  purse  of  silk  gauze, 
with  a  rim  of  g-itta  percha,  to  limited  spots  on 
the  head,  when  rheumatic  headaches  are  felt.  It 
gives  instantaneous  relief.  The  skin  is  subjected 
to  the  process  from  half  a  minute  to  one  and  a 
half  minutes,  and  is  rendered  hard  and  white  by 
the  application.— 2.  Put  a  handful  of  salt  into  a 
quart  of^water,  add  one  ounce  of  spirits  of  harts- 
horn and  half  an  ounce  of  camphorated  spirits  of 


wine.  Put  them  quickly  into  a  bottle,  and  cork 
tightly  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  spirit.  Soak 
a  piece  of  rag  with  the  mixture,  and  apply  it  to 
the  head ;  wet  the  rag  afresh  as  soon  as  it  gets 
heated. — 3.  It  is  stated  that  two  tea-spoons  of 
finely  powdered  charcoal,  drank  in  half  a  tumbler 
of  water,  will,  in  less  than  15  minutes,  give  relief 
to  the  sick  headache,  when  caused,  as  in  most 
cases  it  is,  by  superabundance  of  acid  on  the 
stomach.  We  have  tried  this  remedy  time  and 
again,  and  its  efficacy  in  every  instance  has  been 
signally  satisfactory. 

HEAD  {Scald),  in  Infants. — This  complaint 
begins  in  brownish  spots  on  the  head,  and  in  a 
few  days  forms  a  scab,  and  discharges  a  thick, 
gluey  matter,  that  sticks  upon  the  hair.  The 
sores  gradually  increase,  until  the  whole  head  is 
covered  with  a  scab,  discharging  this  matter, 
which  is  very  offensive.  The  hair  is  to  be  cut  of? 
as  close  as  possible,  and  the  head  washed  every 
night  and  morning  with  lime  water.  This  is 
easily  prepared  by  slacking  a  piece  of  quicklime, 
of  the  size  of  a  hen's  egg,  in  a  quart  of  water, 
and  when  settled,  it  is  to  be  put  into  a  bottle  and 
corked  for  use. 

HEART,  Palpitation  ^.  —  Palpitation  and 
irregular  action  of  the  heart  are  often  experienced 
in  persons  between  the  ages  of  sixteen  and 
twenty  years ;  they  are,  or  have  generally  been, 
growing  rapidly,  are  of  delicate  appearance,  and 
frequently  are  addicted  to  some  vicious  habits. 
In  such  persons,  the  blood  is  thin  and  poor,  and 
the  heart  and  nerves  fail  to  perform  their  proper 
function  for  want  of  support.  Derangement  of 
the  stomach  often  gives  rise  to  these  symptoms, 
and  they  may  persist  for  a  long  period  from  this 
cause.  A  lady  who  for  years  suffered  from  vio- 
lent paroxysms  of  palpitation,  which  many  phy- 
sicians attributed  to  organic  disease  of  the  heart, 
happened  on  one  occasion  to  take  some  medicine 
which  induced  vomiting,  and  this  act  was  follow- 
ed by  immediate  recovery.  Subsequently,  when- 
ever she  had  the  symptoms  of  an  approaching  at- 
tack  of  palpitation,  she  resorted  to  an  emetic, 
which  not  only  gave  relief  to  the  paroxysm,  but 
finally  relieved  her  altogether.  In  another  case, 
a  patient  entered  a  hospital  suffering  severely 
from  violent  action  of  the  heart ;  he  was  bled, 
and  blistered,  and  purged  without  benefit;  hav- 
ing taken  a  large  dose  of  medicine,  vomitmg  en- 
sued, with  immediate  and  permanent  relief. 

Tea,  and  especially  green  tea,  is  very  liable  to 
disturb  the  heart's  action  when  used  by  suscep- 
tible persons.  And  there  is  no  doubt  that  an 
immense  number  of  persons  in  every  community 
suffer  from  minor  forms  of  heart  derangement, 
due  to  the  use  of  tea. 

Tobacco,  either  smoked  or  che^ved,  invariably 
effects  the  hearts  action,  and  produces  irregular- 
ity and  palpitation. 

HE  A  RTB[/RN~  Anxiety  and  pain  about  the 
region  of  the  stomach,  generally  attended  by  a 
sense  of  gnawing  and  heat;  hence  called  heart- 
bum.  Faintness,  nausea,  and  eructation  of  a 
thin,  acidulous,  watery  liquid,  especially  in  the 
morning,  are  common  symptoms  of  this  com- 
plaint. The  usual  causes  of  heartburn  are  excess 
in  eating  or  drinking,  the  use  of  improper  food, 
and  sedentary  habits.  A  good  remedy  is  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  carbonate  of  magnesia,  or  carbonate 
of  soda,  in  a  glass  of  peppermint  or  cinnamon 
water,  to  which  a  little  powdered  ginger  may  be 
added  with  advantage.     This  dose  may  be  taken 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


227 


2  or  3  times  daily  until  the  disease  is  removed. 
Articles  of  food  that  easily  undergo  fermentation 
should  at  the  same  time  be  avoided,  and  a  dry 
diet  had  recourse  to  as  much  as  possible.  Soda- 
water,  toast  and  water,  and  weak  spirits  and 
water,  are  the  most  suitable  beverages  in  this 
complaint. 

HEMORRHAGE,  Uterine,  To  Prevent.— 
Take  sugar  of  lead,  10  grs. ;  ergot,  10  grs.  ; 
opium,  3  grs, ;  ipecac,  I  gr. ;  all  pulverized  and 
well  mixed.  Dose,  10  to  12  grs.,  given  in  a 
little  honey  or  syrup.  In  very  bad  cases  after 
childbirth,  it  might  be  repeated  m  30  minutes,  or 
the  dose  increased  to  15  or  18  grs. ;  but  in  cases 
of  rather  profuse  masting,  repeat  it  once  at  the 
end  of  3  hours,  or  as  the  urgency  of  the  case  may 
require. 

HICCOUGH — A  convulsive  motion  of  the 
diaphragm  and  parts  adjacent.  The  common 
causes  are  flatulency,  indigestion,  acidity,  and 
worms.  It  may  usually  be  removed  by  the  ex- 
hibition of  warm  carminatives,  cordials,  cold 
water,  weak  spirits,  camphor  julep,  or  spirits  of 
sal  volatile.  A  sudden  fright  or  surprise  will 
often  produce  the  like  elTect,  An  instance  is  re- 
corded of  a  delicate  young  lady  that  was  troubled 
with  hiccough  for  some  months,  and  who  was 
reduced  to  a  state  of  extreme  debility  from  the 
loss  of  sleep  occasioned  thereby,  who  was  cured 
by  a  fright,  after  medicines  and  topical  applica- 
tions had  failed.  A  pinch  of  snuff,  a  glass  of 
cold  soda-water,  or  an  ice-cream,  will  Sso  fre- 
quently remove  this  complaint. 

HOARSENESS,  Remedy  for.— Takz  one 
drachm  of  freshly  scraped  horse-radish  root,  to 
be  infused  with  four  ounces  of  water  in  a  close 
vessel  for  three  hours,  and  made  into  a  syrup, 
•with  double  its  quantity  of  vinegar.  A  teaspoon- 
fol  has  often  proved  effectual. 

HYDROPHOBIA.— TKxs  terrible  disease,  the 
result  of  the  bite  of  a  mad  dog,  or  mad  wolf,  is  a 
disease  for  which  there  is  no  certain  remedy.  The 
symptoms,  after  being  bitten,  are  lancinating 
pains  in  the  scar  of  the  wound,  which  dart  toward 
the  body,  if  it  be  a  limb  that  was  bitten.  Some- 
times the  wound  feels  cold,  or  stiff,  or  numb,  or 
grows  red,  swelled,  or  livid,  and  sometimes 
breaks  open  and  discharges  matter.  The  patient 
feels  a  strange  anxiety,  is  depressed  in  spirits, 
has  an  occasional  chill,  and  disturbed  sleep,  or 
spasmodic  twitches.  The  pulse  is  above  its  na- 
tural state,  both  in  quickness  and  strength,  and 
the  nervous  system  is  very  impressible.  The 
senses  are  all  more  acute;  trifling  noises  produce 
agitation,  and  the  eyes  are  so  disturbed  by  the 
light  that  the  patient  sometimes  hides  himself  in 
a  dark  place ;  and  the  appetite  is  lost.  In  the 
second  stage  there  is  thirst ;  but  when  the  patient 
attempts  to  drink,  a  spasmodic  shudder  comes 
over  him;  he  pushes  away  the  water  in  horror, 
and  the  awful  conviction  flashes  over  him  that  he 
is  mad.  After  this  he  can  not  swallow  fluids ; 
has  stiffness  in  the  neck ; .  is  thrown  into  convul- 
sions by  the  sight  or  sound  of  water,  by  a  breath 
of  air  blowing  upon  him,  or  by  a  bright  light. 
His  throat  is  full  of  a  viscid,  glairy  matter,  which 
he  continually  tries  to  clear  away.  Between  con- 
vulsions and  exhaustion  he  lingers  three  or  four 
days,  and  dies. 

In  regard  to  preventive  treatment,  which  is  so 
efficient,  and  therefore  of  vast  importance,  let  it 
be  remembered  thr.t  a  mere  scratch  on  the  hand 
or  face  is  the  most  dangerous — a  bite  through 


clothing  not  without  danger.  As  the  poison  ad- 
heres to  the  part  some  time  after  the  bite  be- 
fore it  produces  the  effect,  let  the  wound  be  in- 
standy  washed,  again  and  again,  with  soap  and 
water.  If  a  physician  were  to  vaccinate  a  child 
in  the  arm,  and  an  hour  after  should  wash  the 
part  with  soap  and  water,  no  efiect  would  result. 

While  washing  is  being  done,  send  instantly 
to  the  nearest  druggist  for  a  piece  of  caustic  pot- 
ash. This  comes  in  small  cylindrical  pieces.  If 
the  tooth  of  the  dog  has  penetrated,  cut  the  cau- 
stic in  the  shape  of  a  pencil  or  a  dog's  tooth,  in- 
sert it  in  the  wound  and  hold  it  there  firmly  for 
a  quarter  of  a  minute  vnthout  regard  to  the  pain, 
which  will  be  severe. 

Caustic  potash  can  be  made  extempore  by 
pouring  boiling  water  on  wood  ashes,  straining 
out  the  ley,  and  boiling  it  down  to  the  consistence 
of  molasses.  It  may  be  applied  with  a  smooth 
stick. 

When  the  wound  is  a  scratch,  and  therefore 
the  most  dangerous,  wipe  it  over  briskly  with  the 
same  material.  If  the  caustic  potash  cannot  be 
procured,  use  nitric  acid  (aquafortis)  or  sulphuric 
acid  (oil  of  vitriol).  Milder  causdcs,  which  do 
not  destroy  the  surface  of  the  wound  in  which 
the  poison  is  lodged,  are  not  worthy  of  confi- 
dfence,  although  Mr.  Youatt  recommends  the  ni- 
trate of  silver  (lunar  caustic).  The  part  may  be 
poulticed  with  bread  and  milk  for  two  days,  and 
then  dressed  with  simple  salve. 

It  is  too  common  a  practice  to  kill  instantly  a 
savage  dog  who  has  bitten  a  person.  This  is 
exceedingly  wrong,  as  the  person  lives  for  years 
with  the  torturing  apprehension  that  he  has  been 
bitten  by  a  rabid  dog.  The  animal  should  be 
shut  up  and  regularly  fed.  If  rabid,  he  will  cer- 
tamly  die ;  but  if  he  lives  a  week  and  takes  food 
there  is  no  danger. 

It  is  generally  believed  that  canine  madness 
occurs  almost  exclusively  in  summer,  and  espe- 
cially during  what  are  termed  the  "dog  days." 
This  is  a  popular  error.  According  to  the  best 
authority,  the  disease  is  communicated  only  by 
contagion,  and  just  as  likely  to  be  propagated  in 
winter  as  in  summer,  and  therefore  city  ordinan- 
ces, which  allow  dogs  to  be  at  large  at  one  season 
and  not  at  another,  are  absurd.  See  also  "Mad 
Dog  Bites"  on  page  ll. 

INDIGESTION,  Remedy  for.  —  Half  an 
ounce  of  ground  Turkey  rhubarb ;  i  drachm  of 
sulphate  of  quinine ;  I  drachm  of  extract  of  sar- 
saparilla.  Put  the  sarsaparilla  into  a  cup  with 
3  or  4  teaspoonfuls  of  cold  water ;  let  it  stand  till 
disolved ;  then  add  the  other  ingredients.  Make 
it  into  a  stiff  paste;  it  will  then  be  ready  to  make 
into  pills  with  the  use  of  a  little  flour.  The 
whole  costs  but  a  small  sum  and  makes  nearly 
100  pills.     The  dose  is  2  pills  every  other  night. 

INFLUENZA. — Influenza,  which,  in  its 
lighter  form,  is  simply  a  cold,  may  become  a 
very  serious  and  troublesome  complaint.  It  be- 
gins generally  with  a  tingling  and  sense  of  full- 
ness in  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  nose,  mak- 
ing breathing  through  the  nose  difficult,  and  pro- 
ducing sneezing.  The  eyes  become  red  and 
watery,  the  throat  is  sore,  and  there  is  a  dry 
cough,  hoarseness,  thirst,  lassitude,  and  chilli- 
ness. The  mucous  membrane  of  the  nose,  throat, 
and  breathing-tulies,  is  red  and  inflamed,  some- 
times swollen  and  painful.  Tlie  water  runs  from 
the  eyes  and  nose,  and  the  cough  begins  to  be 
accompanied  by  expectoration  of  yellow  matter. 


228 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


Pain  in  the  back  and  limbs,  alternate  heat  and 
chills,  and  loss  of  appetite,  accompany  the  dis- 
ease.—  Treatment. — A  very  mild  treatment  is 
required  only,  such  as  bathing  the  feet  in  warm 
■water,  sweating,  drinking  warm  herb-teas,  slip- 
pery elm,  and  taking  a  very  light  diet.  Some 
slight  laxative  may  also  be  given.  If  the  disease 
is  very  severe,  it  may  be  necessary  to  give  an 
emetic  of  the  compound  tincture  of  lobelia,  or 
the  powder  of  ipecac,  lo  to  20  grains.  If  the 
cough  is  severe,  give  this :  tincture  of  lobelia, 
half  an  ounce ;  syrup  of  squills,  half  an  ounce. 
Mix.     20  drops  four  or  five  times  a  day. 

INTOXICA  TION,  Remedies  >r.— Among 
the  remedies  employed  to  remove  the  intoxication 
produced  by  the  use  of  alcoholic  drinks,  the  pre- 
parations of  ammonia  and  the  vegetable  acids  are 
the  most  common  and  important.  About  2  or  3 
fluid  drachms  of  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia 
(spirits  of  sal  volatile)  mixed  with  a  wineglassful 
of  water  will  generally  neutralize  or  greatly  les- 
sen the  action  of  intoxicating  liquors.  This  some- 
times produces  vomiting,  but  this  is  a  desirable 
result,  as  nothing  so  effectually  removes  the 
drunken  fit  as  the  thorough  removal  of  the  liquor 
from  the  stomach:  hence  tickling  the  throat  with 
the  finger  or  a  feather  is  a  common  resource. 
Soda-water  acts  by  the  free  carbonic  acid  it  con- 
tains, and  serves  also  as  a  tonic  to  the  stomach. 
Vinegar,  among  the  acids,  is  one  of  the  most 
effective  remedies,  a  small  teaspoonful  being  a 
customary  dose.  In  the  West  Indies,  lime  juice 
and  lemon  juice  are  used.  The  use  of  bitter  al- 
monds, as  a  means  of  lessening  or  retarding  the 
effects  of  fermented  liquors,  was  known  to  anti- 
quity, and  is  still  common  among  heavy  drinkers 
at  the  present  day.     See  also  ''Drunkeness." 

ITCH. — This  disease  is  generally  consequent 
upon  personal  uncleanliness,  yet  all  classes  are 
liable  to  it.  Its  symptoms  are  the  eruption  of 
distinct,  cone-like,  watery  pimples,  transparent 
on  their  summits,  accompanied  by  excessive  itch- 
ing, which  is  made  worse  by  high-seasoned  food, 
by  drinking  liquor,  and  by  the  heat  of  the  bed. 
When  these  pimples  are  scratched  and  torn,  a 
sticky,  watery  fluid  is  poured  out,  which  forms 
small  scabs ;  and  in  time,  if  the  disease  is  not 
cured,  these  scabs  being  torn  off,  bad  sores  are 
made.  This  disease  is  caused  by  a  minute  insect, 
which  forces  its  way  into  the  skin,  and  makes 
cavities  for  its  own  occupation,  while  the  victim 
itches  and  scratches  in  consequence. 

Treatment. — To  kill  the  insect  which  causes  the 
annoyance  is  the  way  to  cure  the  disturbance. 
For  this  purpose,  the  compound  sulphur  ointment 
is  a  sovereign  remedy.  Four  ounces  of  this 
should  be  well  rubbed  into  the  skin,  before  the 
fire,  morning  and  evening,  for  three  or  four  days. 
Caustic  potash,  one  part,  to  twelve  parts  of  water, 
as  a  wash  to  be  thoroughly  applied,  is  a  good  re- 
medy. Before  using  any  application,  the  person 
should  be  washed  with  warm  water  and  soap, 
and  well  dried.  The  Prussian  military  authori- 
ties cure  itch  by  smearing  the  parts  with  a  mix- 
ture of  two  parts  of  liquid  storax  with  one  part 
of  sweet  oil.  The  cure  is  said  to  be  complete  in 
twenty  four  hours. 

ITCH,  Pctroleu7)i  for. — Dr.  Decaisne,  of  Bel- 
gium, rejjorts  having  used  successfully  the  oil  of 
petroleu:n  in  upward  of  six  hundred  cases  of 
Itch.  In  the  great  majority  of  cases  the  disease 
•was  completely  cured  after  a  single  friction;  in 
several  after  two,  and  in  a  very  few  instances 


three  or  four  applications  were  required.  The 
method  failed  in  two  or  three  cases  only,  and  in 
these  sulphurate  of  lime  was  necessary  to  etTect 
a  cure.  It  is  not  necessary,  as  some  military  sur- 
geons have  thought,  to  rub  in  the  oil  with  coarse 
towels  and  brushes,  but  on  the  contrary,  the  sof- 
test brushes  should  be  used  to  spread  the  oil  on 
the  skin.  Dr.  Decaisne,  from  experiments  insti- 
tuted in  the  military  hospital  and  garrison  at 
Antwerp,  on  the  disinfection  of  the  clothing,  be- 
lieves that  this  process  is  quite  unnecessary.  Even 
if  some  of  the  germs  of  the  itch  insect  should  ad- 
here to  the  wearing  apparel,  these  are  destroyed 
by  the  action  of  the  petroleum  with  which  the 
person  of  the  patient  is  saturated. 

ITCH,  Bat-bet's. — This  appears  on  the  hairy 
part  of  the  face — the  chin,  upper  lip,  the  region 
of  the  whiskers,  the  eyebrows,  and  nape  of  the 
neck.  It  consists  in  little  conical  elevations, 
which  maturate  at  the  top,  and  have  the  shaft  of 
a  hair  passing  through  them.  These  pimples  are 
of  a  pale,  yellowish  color.  In  a  lew  days  they 
burst,  and  the  matter  running  out,  forms  into 
hard,  brownish  crusts.  These  crusts  fall  off  in 
one  or  two  weeks,  leaving  purplish,  sluggish 
pimples  behind  which  disappear  very  slowly. 
The  disease  is  thought  to  be  caused  by  using  a 
dull  razor  in  shaving;  and  is  very  obstinate, 
lasting  for  months,  or  even  years. —  Treatment. 
The  most  important  part  of  the  treatment  is  the 
removal  of  the  cause.  The  beard  must  not  be 
pulled  will  a  dull  razor,  and  the  shaving  had 
better  be  discontinued  altogether,  the  beard  being 
simply  cropped  off  with  the  scissors.  All  intem- 
perance, in  eating  or  drinking  must  be  avoided, 
as  well  as  exposing  the  face  to  heat.  A  light, 
cool  diet  will  do  much  toward  a  cure. 

ITCH,  Bakers.  —  This  disease  is  of  common 
occurence  on  the  hands  of  bakers ;  hence  the  vul- 
gar name. — Treat. — Frequent  ablution  in  warm 
water,  keeping  the  bowels  open  with  saline  pur- 
gatives, and  the  nightly  use  of  sulphur  ointment 
will  generally  effect  a  cure.  Salt  food  should  be 
avoided  as  much  as  possible,  as  well  as  keeping 
the  hands  covered  with  dough  and  flour;  the  lat- 
ter being  the  cause  of  the  disease. 

yAUNDICE. — ^The  most  prominent  symp- 
toms of  this  disease  are,  yellowness  of  the  skin 
and  whites  of  the  eyes,  saffron-colored  urine,  and 
whitish  or  clay-colored  stools.  An  infusion  of 
thoroughwort,  drank  freely  every  day,  is  a  good 
remedy.  The  diet  should  be  plain,  wholesome 
and  nourishing,  composed  mostly  of  vegetable 
articles.     Cold  water  should  be  the  only  drink. 

KIDNEYS,  Acute  Inflammation  ^/.— The 
symptoms  ofthis  disease  are,at  first,  cold  chills  and 
rigors,  especially  in  the  back  and  loins,  followed 
by  fever  and  pain.  The  pain  frequently  extends 
to  the  bladder,  the  loins,  the  thighs,  and  is  of  a 
severe  and  lancinating  kind — though  a  little  ob- 
tuse. Pressure,  motion,  straining,  or  taking  a 
full  breath,  add  to  its  pungency.  The  urine  is 
scanty  and  high-colored,  sometimes  bloody,  and 
can  only  be  passed  drop  by  drop.  In  the  loins 
there  is  a  sense  of  heat,  gnawing,  and  constric- 
tion, and  the  bowels  are  irregular.  A  numbness 
of  the  thigh,  and  drawing  up  of  the  testicle,  are 
marked  and  peculiar  symptoms.  In  some  cases 
thereis  nausea  .ind  vomiting,  faintness,  hiccough, 
distension  of  the  bowels,  which  rumble,  etc.  The 
skin  is  dry  and  hot ;  pulse  hard  and  frequent. — 
Treatment. — Either  put  the  feet  in  a  hot  mus- 
tard bath,  or  put  drafts  of  mustard  on  the  feet. 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


229 


Also  apply  the  same  upon  the  small  of  the  back, 
and  follow  it  up  with  hot  fomentations  of  hops  or 
stramonium-leaves.  Induce  perspiration  by  the 
use  of  veratrum  viride,  in  ten-drop  doses  every 
hour.  If  the  bowels  are  costive,  open  them  with 
salts  or  cream  of  tartar,  or,  better  still,  by  fre- 
quent and  copious  injections  of  warm  water  con- 
taining a  few  drops  of  rincture  of  arnica.  The 
drinks  must  be  slippery  elm,  flaxseed-tea,  and 
the  like  cooling  infusions.  If  the  disease  be- 
comes chronic,  which  is  indicated  by  weakness 
in  the  small  of  the  back,  and  dull,  heavy  pain  in 
the  kidneys,  by  the  small  quantity  of  urine  pas- 
sed often,  and  its  white  color,  use  the  diuretics, 
buchu,  trailing  arbutus,  queen  of  the  meadow, 
and  open  the  bowels  with  a  gentle  physic,  if 
necessary.  Use  the  alkaline  Ijath,  daily,  with 
friction.  A  mustard-poultice,  two  or  three  times 
a  week,  upon  the  small  of  the  back,  should  be 
used.     The  diet  should  be  very  careful. 

LEAD  Poisoning;. — M.  Didierjean,  a  red-lead 
manufacturer,  has  discovered  that  the  use  of  milk 
at  their  meals,  which  he  has  made  obligatory  on 
his  workmen  to  the  extent  of  one  litre  daily,  pre- 
serves those  employed  in  lead  works  free  from 
any  svmptom  of  lead  disease. 

LEECHES,  To  Apply.— One  of  the  opera- 
tions generally  intrusted  to  the  nurse  is  the  ap- 
plication of  leeches.  The  part  to  which  they  are 
to  be  applied  should  be  carefully  and  thoroughly 
washed  with  soap  and  warm  water,  then  dried, 
and  again  just  moistened  with  fresh  milk.  The 
leeches  having  been  put  into  a  wineglass  or 
tumbler  (according  to  their  number),  it  should 
be  quickly  inverted,  and  pressed  firmly  on  the 
skin,  so  as  to  prevent  them  from  escaping  under 
the  edge  of  the  glass. 

LEUCORRHEA,  («  Whites.")  This  is  the 
term  applied  to  a  colorless,  white  or  yellowish 
discharge,  secreted  from  either  the  Mucus  Mem- 
brane of  the  Vagina  or  Uterus,  or  both.  The 
cause  which  produces  the  Whites  may  have  its 
seat  either  in  the  Vagina,  or  in  the  neck  of  the 
Womb.  If  it  be  thin  and  watery,  or  thick  and 
cream  like,  it  is  from  the  Vagina ;  if  ropy,  gluey 
or  albuminous,  like  white  of  egg,  it  is  from  the 
cavity  of  the  neck.  The  treatment  consists  in 
strengthening  the  parts,  by  the  wearing  of  perfect- 
ly loose  clothing,  hip  baths,  and  cold  water  injec- 
tions five  or  six  times  a  day,  with  active  friction 
on  the  back,  hips  and  lower  part  of  the  abdomen. 
No  sexual  intercourse  must  be  allowed  while  a 
cure  is  unaffected. 

LIVER,  Acute  Inflammation  of. — ^The  office 
of  the  liver  is  to  take  the  superabundant  carbon 
out  of  the  blood  This  carbon  unites  with  other 
elements,  and  forms  bile — the  peculiar  bitter  sub- 
stance which  is  poured  into  the  upper  bowel,  and 
greatly  aids  digestion.  The  hver  is  liable  to 
become  inflamed  from  several  causes:  such  as 
gravel-stones,  external  violence,  suppressed  se- 
cretions, hot  climates,  inflammation  of  the  duo- 
denum, etc  The  symptoms  of  acute  inflammation 
of  this  organ  are,  fever,  with  pain  in  the  right 
side,  and  a  sense  of  tension,  inability  to  lie  on  the 
left  side,  difficulty  of  breathing,  a  dry  cough,  vom- 
iting and  hiccough.  The  pain  is  generally  acute 
and  lancinating,  though  sometimes  dull  and  ten- 
sive. When  sharp,  it  is  like  the  stitch  of  pleurisy, 
and  it  indicates  that  the  peritoneum  which  covers 
the  liver  is  inflamed.  When  dull,  it  is  in  the  body 
of  the  liver  itself.  The  pulse  is  full,  hard  and 
strong,  the  bowels  costive,  and  the  stools  clay- 


colored,  owing  to  not  being  tinged  with  bile — 
this  having  stopped  flowing.  The  tongue  is  cov- 
ered  ^vith  a  yellow,  dark-brown,  or  even  black 
coat,  and  there  is  a  bitter  taste  in  the  mouth. 

Treatment. — It  may  be  necessary  to  apply  wet 
cups,  or  leeches,  over  the  liver.  Purgatives  must 
be  used  pretty  freely,  and  those  which  produce 
watery  stools  are  the  best.  Senna-leaves,  two 
drachms,  stetped  in  a  pint  of  water,  to  which  is 
added,  when  cool,  one  ounce  of  Epsom  salts. 
Strain,  and  give  one-fourth  of  the  preparation  for 
a  dose ;  this  is  a  brisk  purge.  It  will  be  neces- 
sary  to  blister  the  surface  over  the  liver  generally, 
though  a  mustard-poultice  will  answer  in  mild 
cases.  A  poultice  of  mustard  on  the  spine  is  also 
of  service  in  relieving  the  pain.  A  foot-bath  fric- 
tion, and  sour  drinks,  are  good.  Perspiration, 
induced  by  a  vapor-bath,  and  kept  up  by  giving 
the  tincture  of  American  hellebore,  from  three  to 
ten  drops  an  hour,  is  excellent.  When  the  urine 
is  scanty  and  high-colored,  give  some  diuretic,  as 
an  infusion  of  marshmallow-root,  or  the  seeds  of 
the  pumpkin  steeped  to  make  a  tea.  The  diet 
should  be  of  the  lightest  kind,  until  the  patient  is 
somewhat  recovered. 

LIVER,  Chronic  Inflammation  of. — This  is  a 
difficult  disease  to  cure.  Its  symptoms  are  a 
sense  of  fullness  and  weight  in  the  right  side, 
with  some  enlargement,  and  shooting  pains  in 
the  same  region,  especially  when  it  is  pressed, 
with  pains  in  one  or  both  shoulders,  and  under 
the  shoulder-blades  ;  uncomfortable  sensation 
when  lying  on  the  left  side ;  yellowness  of  the 
skin,  eyes,  and  urine  ;  bowels  irregular,  loose  or 
costive ;  appetite  disturbed ;  sometimes  a  dry, 
hacking  cough ;  shortness  of  breath,  tongue 
whitish,  and  brown  or  yellow  toward  the  root ; 
a  bitter  and  bad  taste  in  the  morning.  The  urine 
deposits  a  sediment  on  standing.  There  is  usually 
a  low  and  desponding  state  of  the  mind,  wth  ir- 
ritability and  peevishness  of  temper.  The  sldn 
is  often  covered  with  yellow  spots,  and  with  a 
branny  substance.  The  various  symptoms  of 
dyspepsia  are  present.  The  nervous  system  is 
apt  to  be  disturbed,  and  there  is  a  disinclmation 
to  apply  the  mind,  or  a  dread  of  some  impending 
evil. 

Treatment. — If  there  is  much  tenderness  of  the 
liver,  begin  with  mustard-poultices,  and  the  com- 
pound pills  of  podophyllin,  or  the  compound  pills 
of  leptandrin :  podophyllin,  fifteen  grains ;  lep- 
tandrin,  two  scruples ;  cream  of  tartar,  five  scru- 
ples. Mix.  Divide  into  ten  powders.  One  is 
a  dose.  The  compound  tar-plaster  is  often  very 
useful.  Kw  alterative  will  be  found  useful.  The 
daily  alkaline  sponge-bath  must  on  no  account  be 
neglected.  Vigorous  friction  should  follow  it. 
If  the  constitution  will  bear  it,  it  is  well  to  vary 
the  sponge-bath  with  an  occasional  shower-bath. 
The  diet  must  be  simple,  yet  nourishing,  and  em- 
bracing but  a  small  amount  of  fat.  But,  above 
all,  out-door  exercise  must  be  taken  to  the  full 
amount  of  the  strength,  and  the  thoughts  occupied 
with  cheerful  subjects.  Avoid  the  hot  sun,  and 
let  the  summer  exercise  be  taken  in  the  cool  of 
the  day.  The  recovery  from  any  chronic  disease 
must  necessarily  lie  slow,  therefore  the  patient 
must  not  be  discouraged,  but  should  persevere 
steadilv  until  the  benefit  is  felt. 

LOCK-JA IV.  — This  is  a  spasmodic  con- 
traction or  stiffness  of  the  voluntary  muscles. 
Sometimes  it  is  partial,  and  sometimes  extends  to 
the  whole  system.     It  is  produced  by  exposure 


230 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


to  cold,  by  bodily  injuries,  or  by  the  injury  of  a 
nerve.  Symptoms. — There  is  long-continued, 
violent  and  painful  cramping  of  the  voluntary 
muscles.  At  first  there  is  difficulty  and  uneasi- 
ness in  turning  the  head,  with  inability  to  open 
the  mouth  easily — then  the  jaws  close  gradually, 
but  vnth  great  firmness,  s^vallowing  becomes 
difficult,  and  a  pain,  starting  from  the  breast  bone, 
pierces  through  to  the  back — probably  caused  by 
cramp  of  the  midriff.  The  cramps  now  extend  to 
the  whole  body,  the  muscles  of  which  continue  in 
a  state  of  rigid  spasm  till  the  disease  yields  or 
the  patient  dies.  The  appearance  of  the  patient 
is  frightful,  the  face  being  contorted,  and  the  fea- 
tures set  in  a  ghastly  grin. — Treatment. — The 
only  known  remedy  for  this  disease  is  chloroform 
or  ether,  taken  either  into  the  stomach,  or  by  in- 
halation, in  quantities  sufficient  to  control  the 
spasm — being  repeated  as  long  as  the  spasms 
occur.  The  costiveness  must  be  removed  by  one 
or  two  drops  of  Croton  oil,  given  in  a  spoonful 
of  gruel. 

LUNGS,  Hffw  to  ascertain  state  of. — Persons 
desirous  of  ascertaining  the  true  state  of  their 
lungs,  are  directed  to  draw  in  as  much  breath  as 
they  conveniently  can ;  they  are  then  to  count  as 
far  as  they  are  able,  in  a  slow  and  audible  voice, 
without  drawing  in  more  breath.  The  number 
of  seconds  they  can  continue  counting  must  be 
carefully  observed;  in  a  consumptive  the  time 
does  not  exceed  ten,  and  is  frequently  less  than 
six  seconds ;  in  pleurisy  and  pneumonia  it  ranges 
fi-om  nine  to  four  seconds.  When  the  lungs  are 
in  a  sound  condition,  the  time  will  range  as  high 
as  from  twenty  to  thirty-five  seconds. 

LUNGS,  How  to  Strengthen. — Many  inven- 
tions have  been  sought  out  for  expanding  the 
lungs,  but  the  following  simple  means  will  ac- 
complish the  work  as  well  as  it  can  possibly  be 
done.  Go  into  the  air,  stand  erect,  throw  back 
the  head  and  shoulders,  and  draw  the  air  through 
the  nostrils  into  the  lungs  as  much  as  possible. 
After  having  thus  filled  the  lungs,  raise  your 
arms,  still  extended,  and  suck  in  the  air.  When 
we  have  thus  forced  the  arms  backwards,  with 
the  chest  open,  change  the  process  by  which  you 
draw  in  your  breath,  till  the  lungs  are  emptied. 
Go  through  the  process  several  times  a  day,  and 
it  wiU  enlarge  the  chest,  give  the  lungs  better 
play,  and  serve  very  much  to  ward  off  consump- 
tion. If  the  lungs  are  tender,  or  the  blo6d  ves- 
sels weak,  due  care  must  be  used  at  first  not  to 
over-strain  them. 

LUNGS,  Inflammation  of. — ^The  patient  lies 
upon  his  back,  and  has  some  pain  in  his  side, 
some  difficulty  of  breathing,  a  dry  cough  at  first, 
but  soon  accompanied  by  a  mixture  of  phlegm 
and  blood.  As  the  disease  increases,  this  matter 
becomes  more  tenacious ;  there  is  increased  dif- 
ficulty in  breathing;  greater  prostration ;  and 
often  some  delirium.  In  the  first  stage  of  the 
disease,  the  lungs  are  crowded  with  blood;  in 
the  second  the  lungs  are  so  swelled  and  thickened 
up  as  to  force  out  the  air,  and  become  solid;  in 
the  third  stage,  matter  is  found  diffused  through 
the  whole  substance  of  the  lungs.  The  matter 
raised  is  thinner,  and  looks  like  prune-juice. 
From  this  stage  persons  rarely  recover. — Treat- 
ment.— The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  give  an 
emetic,  either  of  compound  powder  of  lobelia, 
tartrate  of  antimony,  or  pulverized  ipecac.  The 
next  thing  is  to  produce  sweating  by  the  same 
means  as  in  pleurisy.  ^  If  there  is  much  fever. 


and  a  rapid  pulse,  it  is  better  to  give  tincture  ol 
veratrum  viride,  every  hour,  in  from  three  to 
ten-drop  doses,  for  the  purpose  of  sweating. 
Mustard-plaster  on  the  chest,  to  be  put  on,  and 
taken  off  several  times,  an^  when  the  surface 
grows  sore,  it  must  be  changed  to  another,  so  as 
to  affect  the  chest  extensively. 

Open  the  bowels  with  a  preparation  rf  salts,  or 
magnesia.  Give  the  patient  for  drinks  flaxseed 
or  slippery  elm  tea,  and  let  the  diet  be  barley- 
water,  lemonade,  Indian-meal  gruel,  very  thin, 
crust-coffee,  etc.  As  the  fever  abates,  the  cough 
will  need  attention.  To  quiet  this,  give  Tartar 
emetic,  one  grain;  boiling  water,  ten  drams. 
Mix.  Take  one  teaspoonful  every  hour.  When 
the  fever  is  gone,  if  the  patient  is  feeble  and  low, 
give  tonics,  such  as  compound  infusion  of  gen- 
tian, eight  ouirees;  nitro-muriatic  acid,  thirty 
drops.  Mix.  Take  a  tablespoonful  three  times 
a  day ;  and  guard  against  a  relapse. 

If  the  fever  takes  a  typhoid  form,  great  care 
must  be  used  not  to  give  reducing  remedies. 
The  purgatives  must  be  more  mild,  and  the  ton- 
ics used  more  freely,  while  the  cough  is  kept 
loose  by  slippery  elm,  or  flaxseed,  or  marshmal- 
low-tea. 

MEASLES. — This  is  an  acute  inflammation 
of  the  skin,  both  external  and  internal,  combined 
with  an  infectious  fever. —  Symptoms. — Chills, 
succeeded  by  great  heat,  languor,  and  drowsiness, 
pains  in  the  head,  back,  and  limbs;  quick  pulse; 
soreness  of  throat;  thirst,  nausea,  vomiting,  a 
dry  cough,  and  high  -  colored  urine.  These 
symptoms  increase  in  \-iolence  for  four  days. 
The  eyes  are  inflamed  and  weak;  and  the  nose 
pours  forth  a  watery  secretion,  with  frequent 
sneezing.  There  is  considerable  inflammation  of 
the  larynx,  windpipe,  and  bronchial  tubes,  with 
soreness  of  the  breast,  and  hoarseness.  About 
the  fourth  day  the  skin  is  covered  with  a  break- 
ing out  which  produces  heat  and  itching ;  and  is 
red  in  spots,  upon  the  face  first,  gradually 
spreading  over  the  whole  body.  It  goes  off  in 
the  same  way,  from  the  face  first,  and  then  from 
the  body,  and  the  hoarseness  and  other  symptoms 
decline  with  it.  At  last  the  outside  skin  peels 
off  in  scales. —  Treatment. — In  a  mild  form  noth- 
ing is  required  but  a  light  diet,  slightly  acid 
drinks,  and  flaxseed  or  slippery  elm  tea.  Warm 
herb  teas,  and  frequent  sponge  baths  with  tepid 
water,  serve  to  allay  the  fever.  Care  should  be 
taken  not  to  let  the  patient  take  cold. 

MEASLES,  {False)  or  Rose-Rash.— This  z<p^ 

f)ears  with  the  same  general  symptoms  as  meas- 
es, and  continues  for  about  five  days ;  or  some- 
times comes  and  goes  for  several  weeks.  The 
rash  appears  in  small  irregular  patches,  paler 
than  those  of  measles,  and  of  a  more  roseate 
color. —  Treatment  should  be  a  light  di^t,  acid 
drinks  and  gentle  laxatives ;  or  if  the  disease 
assumes  a  darker  red,  and  the  patches  are  more 
elevated,  a  tonic  is  needed. 

MENSTRUATION,  Age  at  which  it  Com~ 
mences. — Dr.  Walter  Rigden  gives  the  subjoined 
statistics  obtained  from  females  who  were  con- 
fined at  University  College  Hospital.  In  2,696 
cases  menstruation  occured  for  the  first  time : 
At  the  age  of —  At  the  age  of — 

9  in      3  cases.  14  in  560  cases. 

10  "     14     "  15  "  540     " 

11  "    60     ««  16  "455     '  ' 

12  "  170     "  17  "  272     " 

13  "  353    "  18  '«  150    " 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


231 


At  tlie  age  of — 

19  in    76  cases. 

20  "    29     " 

21  "      7     " 

22  "      3     " 


At  the  age  of — 

23  in      2  cases. 

24  '♦      o     " 

25  "      o     " 

26  "      2     " 


It  appears  that  it  is  most  common  at  14  years 
of  age. 

MENSTRUATION',  Retained.— This  may 
be  known  by  a  sense  of  weight  or  fulness  in  the 
pelvic  region,  which  is  increased  at  each  men- 
strual period ;  a  feeling  of  weakness  and  heaviness 
in  the  back  and  loins,  aching  sensation  down  the 
thighs,  etc  The  treatment  requires  the  aid  of  a 
surgeon. 

MENSTRUATION,  Painful.— This  is  ge- 
nerally caused  by  sudden  colds  at  the  menstrual 
period,  or  soon  after  delivery,  by  exhaustion, 
caused  by  the  luxurious  indulgences  of  civi- 
lized life,  by  unnatural  or  excessive  excitement  of 
the  organs.  The  symptoms  are  pain  in  the  pel- 
vis, weakness  and  distress  in  the  small  of  the 
back,  tenderness  and  swelling  of  the  breasts, 
headache,  etc.  Clots  of  blood  are  formed  in  the 
uterus,  and  sometimes  a  false  membrane  isthrowm 
off,  either  entire  or  in  shreds,  which  is  expelled 
with  violent  bearing-down  efforts,  with  intervals 
of  comparative  ease,  like  those  of  child-birth. 
These  pains,  and  the  expulsion  of  a  membrane, 
might  readily  be  mistaken  for  a  miscarriage.  The 
attacks  last  from  one  to  four  days,  during  which 
time  many  patients  are  unable  to  walk  or  even 
stand,  and  especially  so  during  the  bearing-down 
contractions  of  the  uterus,  while  others  are  oblig- 
ed to  keep  their  beds.  A  cure  can  only  be  ef- 
fected by  means  of  proper  treatment  during  the 
intervals.  The  bowels  should  be  kept  regular 
by  right  diet,  and,  when  constipated,  should  be 
freed  by  enemas  of  tepid  water.  Vaginal  injec- 
tions of  warm  water,  and  warm  or  hot  sitz-baths, 
should  be  employed.  Every  law  of  health  should 
be  obser%'ed,  and  every  possible  cause  of  ill  health 
abstained  from.  A  free,  happy,  unexcited  and 
unexhausting  life  will  greatly  help.  During  the 
attack  a  cold  or  hot  sitz-bath  should  be  taken, 
and  continued  while  the  pain  lasts.  The  relief 
is  more  immediate  by  the  hot  bath ;  but  the  cold 
bath,  at  a  temperature  of  from  sixty  to  seventy- 
five  degrees,  is  the  best.  At  the  same  time  a  hot 
foot-bath,  as  well  as  vaginal  injections,  may  be 
employed.  These  baths  should  be  repeated  on 
every  return  of  the  pain. 

MILK  SICKNESS.  —  This  is  a  disease 
which  prevails  in  the  West,  in  the  neighborhood 
chiefly  of  level,  heavily  timbered,  rather  wet  oak 
land.  The  plant  the  eating  of  which  causes  the 
milk  to  be  poisonous  is  not  known.  The  symp- 
toms of  the  disease  are,  a  sickness  at  the  stomach, 
and  weakness  and  trembling  of  the  legs.  There 
is  vovaiting,  and  a  peculiarly  offensive  breath. 
These  symptoms  continue  for  weeks,  and  are 
often  all  that  are  shown  in  this  complaint ;  but  in 
some  severer  cases,  there  are  chills  and  flashes 
of  heat,  great  oppression  about  the  heart,  anxiety, 
deep  breathing,  heat  in  the  stomach,  violent 
retching  and  vomiting,  alarming  beatings  of  the 
heart,  and  throbbing  of  the  large  vessels,  and 
cold  extremities.  In  most  cases,  the  vomiting 
returns  every  hour  or  two,  attended  by  a  great 
burning  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  the  substance 
thrown  up  havin  g  a  peculiar  bluish-green  color, 
and  a  sour  smell.  As  soon  as  this  discharge 
takes  place,  the  patient  falls  back  upon  the  pillow, 
and  lies  easy  until  another  turn  comes  round. 


The  tongue  is  covered  with  a  whitish  coat,  and 
the  bowels  are  obstinately  costive.  The  pulse  is 
small  and  quick.  The  treatment  does  not  vary 
much  from  that  pursued  for  inflammation  of  the 
stomach. 

MOUTH,  Ulceration  of. — This  frequently 
takes  place  in  children  whose  state  of  health  is 
below  par.  It  is  caused  chiefly  by  a  disordered 
state  of  the  stomach,  but  occasionally  the  cause 
is  local,  viz.,  the  stump  or  sharp  edge  of  a  de- 
cayed tooth.  The  ulcers  sometimes  appear  as 
little  white  specks  on  the  tongue  and  lining 
membrane  of  the  mouth,  constituting  the  disease 
called  thrush  or  aphthae.  This  form  is  frequently 
seen  in  infants  when  nursing,  and  may  be  trans- 
ferred from  the  infant's  mouth  to  the  mother's 
nipple. 

When  the  ulcers  are  caused  by  a  disordered 
state  of  the  stomach,  two  or  three  tablespoonfuls 
of  the  following  mixture  should  be  taken  every 
second  or  third  morning :  powdered  rhubarb  and 
bicarbonate  of  soda,  of  each  two  drachms  ;  infu- 
sion of  rhubarb  and  infusion  of  gentian,  of  each 
four  ounces.  Mix.  When  caused  by  the  sharp 
edge  or  stump  of  a  tooth,  the  tooth  must  be  re- 
moved or  the  sharp  edge  filed  away.  Children 
suffering  from  thrush  should  be  given  a  nutritious 
diet  with  tonics ;  the  tongue  and  inside  of  the 
mouth  should  be  freely  painted  over  with  a 
gargle,  composed  of  borax,  two  drachms ;  and 
glycerine,  one  ounce,  a  camel's  hair  pencil  being 
used. 

MUMPS. — This  disease,  most  common 
among  children,  begins  with  soreness  and  stiff- 
ness in  the  side  of  the  neck.  Soon  a  swelling  of 
the  paraotid  gland  takes  place,  which  is  painful, 
and  continues  to  increase  for  four  or  five  days, 
sometimes  making  it  difficult  to  swallow,  or  open 
the  mouth.  The  swelling  sometimes  comes  on 
one  side  at  a  time,  but  commonly  upon  both. 
There  is  often  heat  and  sometimes  fever,  with  a 
dry  skin,  quick  pulse,  furred  tongue,  constipated 
bowels,  and  scanty  and  high-colored  urine.  The 
disease  is  contagious.  The  treatment  is  very 
simple, — a  mild  diet,  gentle  laxatives,  occasional 
hot  fomentations,  and  wearing  a  piece  of  flannel 
round  the  throat. 

NEURALGIA. — This  is  a  pain  of  the  nerves, 
the  disease  only  affecting  the  nervous  tissue,  and 
giving  but  one  symptom — pain.  It  may  occur 
in  almost  any  part  of  the  system,  and  is  known 
under  various  names — Tic  Douloureux,  Face- 
ache,  Hemicrania,  Sciatica — according  to  its  lo- 
cation. It  may  be  occasioned  by  miasm,  in  fever 
and  ague  districts ;  or  by  whatever  debilitates 
the  system,  as  hysterics,  too  long  suckling  an  in- 
fant, or  low  diet. —  Treatment. — For  external  use, 
the  following  liniment  is  excellent:  white  soap, 
twelve  ounces  ;  camphor,  six  ounces ;  oil  of  rose- 
mary, one  and  a  half  ounces ;  alcohol,  four  pints  ; 
opium,  three  ounces.  Mix  and  filter.  Where 
the  disease  is  caused  by  miasm,  the  treatment 
must  be  with  quinine,  iron  and  other  tonics,  to 
get  up  the  blood.  Plenty  of  exercise  in  the  open 
air  is  important,  if  well  protected  from  the 
weather. 

A-ER  VOUSNESS.— The  cure  of  nervousness 
is  best  effected  by  restoring  the  healthy  action  of 
the  stomach  and  bowels,  .ind  by  the  use  of  pro- 
per exercise,  especially  in  the  open  air.  The 
stomach  should  not  be  overloaded  with  indigest- 
ible food,  and  the  bowels  should  be  occasionally 
relieved  by  the  use  of  some  mild  aperient.  Aber- 


Z32 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


nethy's  injunction  to  a  nervous  and  dyspeptic 
lady,  "Dismiss  your  servants,  madam,  and  make 
your  own  beds",  should  be  recollected  by  all 
as  a  proof  of  the  importance  that  eminent  surgeon 
attached  to  exercise. 

NEURALGIA,  Other  Remedies  for.— \.  The 
application  of  bruised  horse-radish.  —  2.  One 
drachm  doses  of  hypophosphite  of  soda,  taken 
three  times  a  day  in  beef  tea,  is  a  pood  remedy 
for  this  painful  affection. — 3.  The  oil  of  pepper- 
mint lightly  applied  to  the  seat  of  pain  with  a 
camel-hair  pencil  will  afford  relief. 

NIGHTMARE,  To  pre^'ent.—^?X  nothing 
after  3  o'clock  p.  m.  and  no  night-mare  will  ever 
assert  it?;  suffocating  presence. 

NIPPLES,  Sore. — Nursing  mothers  are  some 
times  seriously  troubled  with  this  painful  aflic- 
tion,  and  would  be  willing  to  make  almost  any 
sacrifice  to  have  a  cure  for  it.  The  following 
simple  mixture,  will  give  immediate  relief:  Pow- 
dered borax,  a  small,  even  teaspoonful ;  pure 
water  two-thirds  of  a  teacupful,  alcohol,  one  and 
a  half  tablespoonful.  Mix  and  use,  washing  the 
nipples  with  it.  Or  take  ripe  raw  tomatoes,  pare 
and  cut  them  up ;  then  stir  in  flour  enough  to 
make  a  stiff  dough.  Roll  and  work  it  with  the 
hands  until  it  becomes  very  smooth.  Spread  a 
thin  plaster  and  apply  it  to  the  affected  part  with 
a  cloth  over  it,  changing  the  dry  plasters  for  fresh 
ones  as  often  as  necessary.  This  keeps  up  a  con- 
stant perspiration,  which  is  what  is  needed.  If 
you  cannot  get  tomatoes,  a  dough  made  with 
cold  water  and  flour  will  answer. 

NOSE-BLEED. — This  may  be  caused  by 
violence,  or  may  arise  from  an  impoverished  state 
of  the  blood.  When  it  occurs  in  persons  of 
middle  age  it  is  more  serious,  as  it  is  then  often 
a  symptom  of  some  other  disease.  The  bleeding 
can  generally  be  stopped  by  making  the  patient 
raise  both  his  arms  above  his  head,  and  hold 
them  there  for  some  time.  Sponging  with  cold 
or  iced  water  to  the  forehead  and  face,  or  apply- 
ing a  towel  wet  with  cold  water  between  the 
shoulders,  will,  in  most  cases,  succeed.  The 
application  of  a  strong  solution  of  alum  or  iron- 
alum  to  the  inside  of  the  nostrils  or  plugging 
the  nostrils  with  lint  or  cotton  wool  soaked  in 
the  solution,  may  be  necessary  if  the  bleeding 
is  profuse.     See  also  page  12. 

NURSING  SICK  CHILDREN— Thxs  is  a 
more  delicate  task  than  nursing  adults.  The 
greatest  watchfulness  and  judgment  are  necessary 
to  determine  the  meaning  of  their  symptoms,  and 
in  giving  medicines.  Just  as  great  care  should 
be  observed  not  to  disturb  them,  as  if  tjiey  were 
able  to  make  complaints  of  any  carelessness. 
Let  the  room,  where  a  child  is  sick,  be  shady, 
quiet,  and  cool.  Be  careful  not  to  speak  so  sud- 
denly as  to  startle  the  half-sleeping  patient ;  and 
handle  it  with  the  greatest  tenderness,  when  it  is 
necessary  to  move  it. 

If  it  is  the  lungs  that  suffer,  have  the  little  pa- 
tient somewhat  elevated  upon  pillows  for  easier 
breathing,  and  doing  every  thing  to  soothe  and 
make  it  comfortable,  so  as  not  to  have  it  cry,  and 
thus  distress  its  inflamed  lungs. 

In  all  fevers  and  bowel  complaints,  especial 
attention  must  be  given  to  frequent  sponging  of 
the  skin  with  tepid  water  ;  and  great  care  exer- 
cised not  to  burden  the  stomach  with  too  much 
food  or  drink.  If  the  skin  becomes  irritated  for 
any  reason,  sprinkle  it  with  flour  or  pulverized 
starch.     If  the  child  is  very  weak,  be  careful  not 


to  move  it  too  suddenly,  as  it  maybe  startled int© 
convulsions.  In  administering  a  bath,  the  greatest 
pains  must  be  taken  not  to  frighten  the  child.  It 
should  be  put  in  so  gradually,  and  so  insensibly 
amused  by  something  placed  in  the  water  on  pur- 
pose, as  to  forget  its  fear. 

PAPULOUS  .SC^ZZ.— Papulous  scall  is  a 
mattery  pimple  developed  in  a  highly  inflamed 
skin.  The  blisters  are  about  the  size  of  a  split 
pea,  and  are  surrounded  by  a  red  ring.  They 
are  generally  separate,  not  clustered  like  crusted 
tetter.  They  are  scattered  over  various  parts  ol 
the  body,  and  are  followed  by  a  hard  black  crust, 
or  by  a  sore.  The  disease  is  either  acute  01 
chronic.  The  chronic  form  is  found  in  weakly 
children,  or  persons  reduced  by  sickness  or  \o\i 
living. — Treatment. — For  the  acute  form,  low 
diet,  gentle  laxatives,  cold  sponge-bath  on  the 
sound  parts,  and  an  ointment  of  oxide  of  zinc, 
one  dram;  spermaceti  ointment,  one  ounce, 
mixed.  For  the  chronic  form,  tonics  should  be 
given  internally,  and  the  above  ointment  used. 

PILES. — This  is  another  very  common  com- 
plaint, and  one  which  causes  great  distress.  It 
consists  in  a  fullness  of  blood,  and  languid  circu- 
lation in  the  lower  part  of  the  bowel  or  rectum. 
In  consequence  of  this  congestion,  either  the 
veins  of  the  gut  become  enlarged  or  varicose,  or 
the  blood  gets  infiltrated  into  the  cells  beneath  the 
mucous  membrane,  and  collects  so  as  to  form 
bloody  tumors.  These  tumors,  which  are  seK 
dom  absent,  are  the  leading  feature  of  the  piles. 
Sometimes  they  appear  externally,  around  the 
anus;  this  is  external  piles.  At  other  times  they  are 
within  the  bowel ;  the  complaint  is  then  called 
internal  piles.  When  the  blood  is  discharged, 
they  are  called  bleeding  piles ;  and  when  not, 
blind  piles. 

Symptoms. — Usually  there  is  a  sense  of  weight 
and  weakness  in  the  lower  part  of  the  back  and 
loins,  with  a  painful  itching  about  the  anus.  On 
going  to  stool,  there  is  a  burning,  cutting  pain 
experienced,  which  is  followed  by  bearing  down 
and  tenesmus.  If  it  be  bleeding  piles,  the  little 
tumors  will  bleed  at  every  motion  of  the  bowels. 
There  is  often  disagreeable  sensations  in  the  head, 
and  an  irritable  state  of  mind,  and  a  sense  of 
fullness  and  anxiety  in  the  stomach.  The  disease 
is  caused  by  habitual  costiveness,  sitting  a  great 
deal,  riding  much  on  horseback,  high-seasoned 
food,  over  exertion,  and  induration  of  the  liver. 
It  is  also  very  common  in  pregnancy  from  sev- 
eral causes. 

Treatment. — Medicines — spurges  in  particular 
— must  not  be  taken.  The  costiveness  may  be 
corrected  as  before  mentioned ;  or  if  it  is  neces- 
sary to  give  something  to  move  the  bowels,  let  it 
be  this:  confection  of  senna,  two  ounces;  cream 
tartar,  one  ounce ;  flower  of  sulphui',  one  ounce; 
syrup  of  ginger,  enough  to  make  a  stiff  paste. 
Mix.  A  piece  as  large  as  a  nutmeg  is  to  be  taken 
as  often  as  necessary  to  keep  the  bowels  open. 
A  soothing  ointment,  piade  of  two  ounces  of 
lard,  and  one  dram  of  sulphur,  and  rubbed  be- 
tween two  plates  of  lead  until  it  is  well  blackened, 
is  excellent  for  an  application  to  the  parts.  Fre- 
quent injections  of  cool  water  will  do  as  much  as 
any  thing  to  allay  the  inflammation.  Steaming 
the  parts  over  a  hot  decoction  of  hops,  or  stra- 
monium, will  frequently  give  relief.  The  diet 
must  be  cooling  and  loosening. 

PIMPLES,  DR  K— Dry  Pimples,  under  the 
several  names  of  Red  Gum,  Tooth  Rash,  as  seen 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


233 


in  children,  and  Lichen  and  Prurigo  in  adults, 
are  exceedingly  troublesome,  and  if  much  scratch- 
ed and  torn,  may  form  painful  sores.  Prurigo 
often  causes  elderly  people  a  great  deal  of  suffer- 
ing, giving  them  no  rest  day  or  night,  from 
the  tormenting  sensation  of  numberless  ants 
crawling  upon  the  skin,  or  red-hot  needles  pierc- 
ing it. 

Treatment. — Careful  diet,  and  gentle  cathartics, 
or  tonics,  according  to  the  condition  of  the  system. 
Externally,  cold,  salt-water  sponge-bath,  and 
glycerine,  applied  with  a  soft  sponge,  vinegar 
and  water,  or  creosote  ointment.  If  the  itching 
affects  some  very  sensitive  parts,  a  wash  of  rose- 
water,  four  ounces;  pulverized  borax,  half  an 
ounce ;  sulphate  of  morphine,  six  grains,  should 
be  used  many  times  a  day. 

PLEURISY.  —  This  is  an  inflammation  of 
that  membrane  which  lines  the  chest,  and  covers 
the  outer  surface  of  the  lungs.  It  generally 
commences  by  shiverings,  which  are  soon  follow- 
ed by  a  high  fever,  with  a  peculiarly  hard,  resist- 
ing pulse;  sharp,  stabbing  pain  in  the  side  — 
generally  just  below  the  nipple,  but  sometimes 
extending  to  the  shoulder,  arm  pit  and  back; 
hurried  and  interrupted  breathing ;  and  a  short, 
dry  cough.  The  pain  is  aggravated  by  motion, 
coughing,  or  taking  a  long  breath.  The  patient 
can  not  lie  on  the  affected  side,  he  is  anxious, 
and  afraid  to  move  for  fear  of  the  pain,  which 
often  causes  him  to  cry  out.  At  a  more  advanced 
stage,  the  patient  lies  on  the  ailing  side,  in  order 
to  leave  the  other  lung  more  at  liberty. —  Treat- 
ment.— Bleeding  is  commonly  resorted  to  in  this 
disease;  but  it  should  not  be  resorted  to,  if  thor- 
ough sweating  can  be  made  to  answer  the  pur- 
pose. The  compound  tincture  of  Virginia  snake- 
root  will  generally  induce  free  perspiration,  if 
given  every  half-hour  in  teaspoonful  doses.  It 
may  be  given  in  an  infusion  of  balm,  or  catnip. 
At  the  same  time  the  affected  side  should  be  fo- 
mented with  hops,  tansy,  wormwood,  etc.,  appli- 
ed quite  hot. 

PRO  UD  FL ESff,  To  Remove.  —  Pulverize 
loaf-sugar  very  fine,  and  apply  it  to  the  part  af- 
fected. This  is  a  new  and  easy  remedy,  and  is 
said  to  remove  it  entirely  without  pain. 

POX,  CHICKEN.— Aner\x'pii\e  skin  disease, 
consisting  of  smooth  vesicles  of  various  sizes, 
which  afterwards  become  white  and  straw  colored, 
and  about  the  fourth  day  break  and  scale  off.  In 
hot  weather  the  discharge  sometimes  becomes 
purulent,  and  at  others  the  eruption  is  attended 
with  considerable  fever.  The  treatment  consists 
in  the  adoption  of  a  light  vegetable  diet,  and  in 
the  administration  of  mild  aperients  and  cooling 
drinks. 

POX,  COW.  — This  disease  was  proposed  as 
a  substitute  and  preventive  of  smallpox,  by  Dr. 
Jenner  in  1 798.  The  success  which  has  followed 
its  artificial  production  has  nearly  led  to  the  ex- 
tinction of  smallpox  in  England.  The  process 
of  vaccination  is  similar  to  that  of  inoculation  for 
the  smallpox,  before  noticed.  About  the  third 
day  the  puncture  usually  becomes  red  and  ele- 
vated, and  continues  to  enlarge  and  become  vesic- 
ular, until  at  about  the  8th  or  9th  day,  it  is  at  its 
height,  and  the  vesicle  is  surrounded  with  a  florid 
areola.  About  the  eleventh  or  twelfth  day  these 
symptoms  decline ;  the  centre  of  the  pustule  be- 
comes brown,  and  a  dark  scale  gradually  forms 
and  separates,  leaving  the  arm  as  heretofore. 
This  disease  seldom  requires  medical  treatment; 


but  should  febrile  symptoms  come  on,  an  aperient 
may  be  given. 

Pox,  SMALL. — ^This  disease  comes  on  with 
the  usual  symptoms  of  inflammatory  fever.  About 
the  third  day,  red  spots,  resembling  flea  bites, 
make  their  appearance  on  the  face  and  head,  "and 
gradually  extend  over  the  whole  body.  About 
the  fifth  day  small  circular  vesicles,  depressed  in 
the  centre,  surrounded  by  an  areola,  and  con- 
taining a  colorless  fluid,  begin  to  form,  when  the 
feverish  symptoms  abate ;  about  the  sixth  day 
the  throat  becomes  sore ;  about  the  eighth  day 
the  face  is  swollen,  and  about  the  eleventh  day 
the  pustules  acquire  the  size  of  a  pea,  and  cease 
to  enlarge,  the  matter  which  they  contain  be- 
comes opaque  and  yellow,  a  dark  central  spot 
forms  on  each,  the  swelling  of  the  face  subsides, 
and  secondary  symptoms  of  fever  come  on ;  the 
pustules  become  rough,  break  and  scab  over, 
and  a  dark  spot  remains  for  some  days,  often  fol- 
lowed by  permanent  indentation.  At  the  end  of 
the  sixteenth  or  eighteenth  day,  the  symptoms 
usually  disappear.  In  the  confluent  smallpox, 
the  pustules  coalesce,  the  eruption  is  irregular  in 
its  progress,  and  the  inflammatory  symptoms  are 
more  severe.  The  treatment  of  ordinary  cases 
of  sm.illpox  resembles  that  mentioned  above  for 
chicken-pox.  The  apartment  should  be  large, 
cool,  and  well-ventilated.  The  windows  should 
be  open  day  and  night,  and  the  linen  changed 
daily.  During  the  discharge  of  the  pustules, 
change  it  twice  a  day.  The  patient  should  be 
taken  into  the  open  air  often.  Children  and 
others,  even  if  they  have  been  vaccinated,  should 
not  visit  the  sick-room,  though  they  need  not 
leave  the  house.  After  the  disease  is  over,  the 
bed  and  bedding  should  be  scoured,  the  room 
fumigated,  and  thoroughly  cleansed.  It  is  stated 
that  if  a  patient,  in  the  beginning  of  the  attack, 
be  put  in  a  room  from  which  absolutely  all  light 
is  excluded  Save  that  of  a  candle,  the  effect  is  to 
arrest'  the  disease  in  the  papular  or  vesicular 
stage;  it  never  becomes  purulent,  and  the  skin 
between  the  vesicles  is  never  inflamed  or  swollen; 
the  liquor  sanguinis  is  prevented  from  becoming 
pus ;  the  large  scabs  of  matter  never  form  over 
the  face ;  there  is  no  intense  pain,  and  only  tri- 
fling itching,  and  the  smell  is  either  very  slight 
or  altogether  wanting. 

POX,  {SMALL)  Remedies  for.— \.  The  treat- 
ment  of  small-pox  in  the  State  Almshouse  in 
Massachusetts,  where  the  disease  prevailed 
for  three  months,  has  been  singularly  successful. 
Out  of  about  sixty  cases,  but  one  fatal  result 
occurred,  and  that  was  in  the  case  of  a  man  who 
was  taken  to  the  house  in  the  last  stage  of  the 
disease.  The  remedy  used  with  so  much  success 
was  a  tea  made  from  a  plant  known  in  the  Ma- 
teria Medica  as  Serracenia  Purpura,  familiarly 
called  Ladies'  Saddle  or  Water  Cup,  the  medicinal 
virtue  of  which  lies  in  the  root.  The  effect  of 
the  remedy,  which  has  been  newly  discovered 
and  found  remarkably  efficient  whenever  tried, 
is  to  allay  the  fever  and  irritation  caused  by  the 
formation  of  pustules,  which  are  rapidly  dried  up, 
leaving  but  slight,  if  any,  traces. 

2.  A  remedy  practiced  in  China  is  when  the 
preceding  fever  is  at  its  height,  and  just  before 
the  eruption  appears,  the  chest  is  rubbed  with 
croton  oil  and  tartar  emetic  ointment.  This 
causes  the  whole  of  the  eruption  to  appear  in 
that  part  of  the  body,  to  the  relief  of  the  rest. 
It  also  secures  a  full  and  complete  eruption,  and 


234 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


thus  prevents  the  disease  from  attacking  the  inter- 
nal organs. 

POX  {Small),  Pitting  in. — I.  In  a  case  re- 
cently treated,  in  which  the  eruption  so  com- 
pletely covered  the  face  that  it  vv^as  almost  im- 
possible to  place  the  point  of  the  finger  on  it, 
without  toutching  it  in  one  or  more  places,  Dr.  J. 
C.Whitehall,  succeeded  in  absorbing  the  "pocks" 
completely,  by  anointing  the  face  freely  with  a 
solution  of  carbolic  acid,  I  scruple,  and  bi-sul- 
phate  of  soda,  2  drachms,  in  an  ounce  of  piire 
fresh  glycerine,  and  causing  each  vesicle,  as  soon 
as  formed,  to  be  punctured  with  a  finely  pointed 
hard  wood  skewer  and  some  of  the  solution  in- 
troduced. At  the  same  time  light  was  excluded, 
as  far  as  possible,  from  the  room,  and  a  liniment 
of  croton  oil  used  over  the  chest  as  a  revulsive. 
Not  a  "pit"  was  formed  on  the  face. — 2.  I.  H. 
Bird,  M.  D.,  uses  an  ointment  made  of  charcoal 
and  lard  to  prevent  pitting  in  smallpox.  This  is 
applied  freely  over  the  surface  of  the  face,  neck 
and  hands,  as  soon  as  the  disease  is  distinguish- 
ed, and  continued  until  all  symptoms  of  suppu- 
rative fever  have  ceased.  The  application  allays 
the  itching,  and  seems  to  shorten  the  duration  of 
the  disease,  and  leaves  the  patient  without  a 
blemish,  the  eruption  protected  by  the  ointment 
not  even  showing  signs  of  pustulation ;  the  char- 
coal preventing  the  action  of  light,  and  lard  that 
of  air. — 3.  The  Melia  Azidavaclita  L.  of  India  is 
used  in  that  country  by  the  natives  to  cover  the 
bodies  of  patients  recovering  from  small-pox,  it 
being  believed  to  prevent  the  marks  becoming 
permanent.  Dr.  Wight  says  of  it :  The  leaves 
beaten  into  a  pulp  and  externally  applied  act  like 
a  charm  in  removing  the  most  intractable  form 
of  psora  and  other  pustules  of  an  eruptive  nature. 
— ^4.  Sweet  oil  and  lime-water,  as  these  are  ge- 
nerally prepared  for  applications  to  burns  or 
water-scalds,  will  operate  to  prevent  or  allay  all 
irritation,  and  hinder  the  discoloration  of  the 
cuticle  and  the  pitting,  which  are  so  often  the  ac- 
companiment of  this  fearful  disorder. 

QUINSY. — This  is  an  inflammation  of  the 
tonsils,  or  common  inflammatory  sore  throat ; 
commences  with  a  slight  feverish  attack,  with 
considerable  pain  and  swelling  of  the  tonsils, 
causing  some  difficulty  in  swallowing;  as  the  at- 
tack advances  these  symptoms  become  more  in- 
tense, there  is  headache,  thirst,  a  painful  sense 
of  tension,  and  acute  darting  pains  in  the  ears. 
The  attack  is  generally  brought  on  by  exposure 
to  cold,  and  lasts  from  five  to  seven  days,  when 
it  subsides  naturally,  or  an  abscess  may  form  in 
tonsil  and  burst,  or  the  tonsil  may  remain  enlarg- 
ed, the  inflammation  subsiding. 

Treatment. — The  patient  should  remain  in  a 
warm  room,  the  diet  chiefly  milk  and  good  broths, 
some  cooling  laxative  and  diaphoretic  medicine 
may  be  given;  but  the  greatest  relief  will  be  found 
in  the  frequent  inhalation  of  the  steam  of  hot 
water  through  an  inhaler,  or  in  the  old-fashioned 
way  through  the  spout  of  a  teapot. 

RHEUMATISM.— K\iQ\xm'aS:\%xn  is  a  painful 
affection,  brought  on,  when  acute,  most  frequent- 
ly by  exposure  to  cold,  and  wet  feet.  Rheuma- 
tism is  caused  by  acrid  or  poisonous  matter  in 
the  blood,  and  has  for  its  seat  the  fibrous  tissue, 
or  that  thready  texture  which  enters  into  the  com- 
position of  the  cords  and  muscles  of  the  human 
body.  The  lining  membrane  of  the  joints  is 
peculiarly  liable  to  rheumatic  affection. 

RHEUMATISM,  AcuU,—l\^\%  has  for  its 


symptoms,  high  fever,  full  pulse,  furred  tongue, 
profuse,  sour  sweat,  scanty,  high-colored  urine, 
swelling  of  the  joints,  with  slight  redness,  great 
tenderness,  and  severe  pain.  It  often  changes 
from  one  set  of  joints  to  another,  or  to  various 
parts  of  the  body.  This  sudden  shifting  is  very 
dangerous,  for  the  inflammation  is  apt  to  seize 
upon  the  lining  membrane  of  the  heart,  which 
may  prove  fatal. —  Treatvient. — Keep  the  bowels 
open.  Give  tincture  of  black  cohosh  and  tinc- 
ture of  veratrum  viride— one  drachm  of  the 
first,  and  two  ounces  of  the  last;  mix,  and 
give  a  teaspoonful,  three  times  a  day,  or 
often  enough  to  produce  sweating.  If  the  disease 
is  reduced  by  this,  and  the  exhaustion  not  too 
great,  continue  it  until  the  disease  abates.  Tinc- 
ture of  black  cohosh-root,  and  tincture  of  col- 
chicum-root,  in  proportion  of  two  parts  of  the 
first  to  one  of  the  last,  is  an  excellent  remedy. 
Forty  drops  is  a  dose.  Fomentations  of  hops, 
on  the  inflamed  joints,  will  generallyTiring  relief. 
The  system  wants  building  up  with  tonics  and 
nourishing  diet,  when  subject  to  this  disease. 

RHEUMATISM,  Chronic.— IMx?,  is  not  at- 
tended by  fever,  but  generally  lasts  a  long  time, 
and  is  the  cause  of  much  suffering.  Its  symptoms 
are,  stiffness  and  lameness  of  the  joints,  some- 
times a  little  swelling,  and  inability  to  move 
these  joints  without  great  trouble  at  first ;  but  as 
the  patient  grows  warm  with  exercise,  the  dif- 
ficulty disappears. 

Treatment. — The  electro-magnetic  treatment 
is  excellent,  generally  perfectly  successful.  Lini- 
ment of  sweet  oil,  one  ounce;  water  of  ammonia, 
one  ounce ;  mixed  and  rubbed  on  with  flannel, 
is  very  good;  or,  soap  liniment,  two  ounces; 
chloroform,  one  dram ;  mixed.  Tincture  of  black 
cohosh  is  very  useful  as  an  internal  remedy. 
Dose,  forty  drops.  A  piece  of  oiled  silk,  worn 
over  the  joint,  keeps  up  a  perspiration,  and  aids 
in  the  cure.  Sweet  oil,  rubbed  on  before  the  fire 
on  going  to  bed,  is  also  good.  The  bowels  should 
be  kept  regular. 

RHEUMATISM,  Other  Remedies  f<yr.—\. 
Bathe  the  parts  affected  with  water  in  which  po- 
tatoes have  been  boiled,  as  hot  as  can  be  borne, 
just  before  going  to  bed ;  by  the  next  morning  it 
will  be  much  relieved,  if  not  removed.  One  ap- 
plication of  this  simple  remedy  has  cured  the 
most  obstinate  of  rheumatic  pains. — 2.  Half  an 
ounce  of  pulverized  salpetre  put  in  half  a  pint  of 
sweet  oil ;  bathe  the  parts  affected,  and  a  sound 
cure  will  be  speedily  effected. — 3.  Rheumatism 
has  frequently  been  cured  by  a  persistent  use  of 
lemon-juice,  either  undiluted  or  in  the  form  of 
lemonade.  Suck  half  a  lemon  every  morning 
before  breakfast,  and  occasionally  during  the  day, 
and  partake  of  lemonade  when  thirsty  in  prefer- 
ence to  any  other  drink.  If  severely  afflicted,  a 
physician  should  be  consulted;  but,  in  all  cases, 
lemon-juice  will  hasten  the  cure. — 4.  By  the 
valerian  bath,  made  simply  by  taking  one  pound 
of  valerian  root,  boiling  it  gently  for  about  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  in  one  gallon  of  water,  strain- 
ing and  adding  the  strained  liquid  to  about 
twenty  gallons  of  water  in  an  ordinary  bath.  The 
temperature  should  be  about  98",  and  the  time 
of  immersion  from  twenty  minutes  to  half  an 
hour.  Pains  must  be  taken  to  dry  the  patient 
perfectly  upon  getting  out  of  the  bath.  If  the 
inflammation  remain  refractory  in  any  of  the 
joints,  linseed  meal  poultices  should  be  made  with 
a  strong  decoction  of  valerian  root,  and  applied. 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


23S 


RING  ( TIGHT),  To  Remcwe.—\\.  is  seldom 
necessary  to  file  off  a  ring,  too  tight  to  readily 

J)ass  the  joint  of  the  finger.  If  the  finger  is  swol- 
en,  apply  cold  water  to  reduce  the  inflammation, 
then  wrap  a  small  rag  wet  in  hot  water  around 
the  ring  to  expand  the  metal,  and  soap  the  finger. 
A  needle  threaded  with  strong  silk  can  then  be 
passed  between  the  ring  and  finger,  and  a  person 
holding  the  two  ends  and  pulling  the  silk  while 
slowly  sliding  it  around  the  periphery  of  the  ring 
majr  readily  remove  the  ring.  If  the  ring  is  a 
plam  hoop  this  process  is  easy;  if  it  has  a  setting 
or  protuberance  more  care  will  be  required.  An- 
other method  is  to  pass  a  piece  of  sewing  silk 
under  the  ring  and  wind  the  thread,  in  pretty 
close  spirals  and  snugly,  around  the  finger  to  the 
end.  Then  take  the  lower  end — that  below  ring 
— and  begin  unwinding.  The  ring  is  certain  to 
be  removed  unless  the  silk  is  weak.  The  wind- 
ing compresses  the  finger  and  renders  the  opera- 
tion less  difficult. 

RINGWORM.— \.  Take  yellow-dock  root; 
cut  in  small  pieces,  and  simmer  them  in  vinegar, 
and  when  the  strength  is  extracted,  strain  off  the 
vinegar,  which  apply  to  the  part  affected  at  least 
three  times  a  day.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  well 
to  drink  a  tea  made  of  the  same  root;  or  take 
some  of  the  extract  of  yellow-dock  root,  which 
can  be  found  at  any  drug  store. — 2.  The  head  to 
be  washed  twice  a  day  with  soft  soap  and  warm 
soft  water ;  when  dried,  the  places  to  be  rubbed 
■with  a  piece  of  linen  rag  dipped  in  ammonia  from 
gas  tar. — 3.  Take  the  back  of  a  silver  watch  or 
any  smooth  piece  of  silver,  rub  on  and  around 
the  sore  a  few  minutes  four  to  six  times ;  it  will 
soon  cure  it. 

ROOM,  How  to  Cool. — The  simplest  and  cheap- 
est way  to  cool  a  room  is  to  wet  a  cloth  of.any 
size,  the  larger  the  better,  and  suspend  it  in  the 
place  you  want  cooled.  Let  the  room  be  well 
ventilated,  and  the  temperature  will  sink  from 
ten  to  twelve  degrees  in  less  than  an  hour.  This 
is  the  plan  adopted  by  many  Eastern  nations. 

RUPTURE.— T\iQ  first  thing  to  be  done  Is  to 
put  the  bowel  back  in  its  place,  by  gently  press- 
ing and  kneading  the  tumor,  and  swaying  it  back 
and  forth — being  careful  to  use  no  violence — 
until  it  can  be  pushed  within  the  abdominal 
■walls.  It  is  then  to  be  kept  in  its  place  by  the 
use  of  a  truss,  worn  all  the  time. 

SCRATCHES.— Tx^mg  as  scratches  often 
seem,  they  ought  never  to  be  neglected,  but 
should  be  covered  and  protected,  and  kept  clean 
and  dry,  until  they  have  completely  healed.  If 
there  is  the  least  appearance  of  inflainmation,  no 
time  should  be  lost  in  applying  a  large  bread 
and  water  poultice,  or  hot  flannels  repeatedly 
applied,  or  even  leeches  in  good  numbers  may 
be  put  on  at  some  distance  from  each  other. 

SCROFULA. — It  is  useless  to  describe  this 
disease,  or  to  mention  its  causes.  It  is  an  evil 
as  patent  as  it  is  dreadful.  Being  hereditary,  it 
may  never  be  eradicated  wholly  from  the  consti- 
tution, but  may  no  doubt  be  alleviated. — Treat- 
ment.— Iodine  is  the  one  great  remedy  for  this 
disease.  Dissolve  one  scruple  of  iodine  and 
two  scruples  of  iodide  of  potassium  in  seven  tea- 
spoonfuls  of  water.  Of  this,  give  ten  drops  three 
times  a  day  in  a  little  water,  gradually  increasing 
the  dose  to  one  and  a  half  or  two  times  that 
amount.  ^^'Tlere  there  is  much  debility,  the 
iodide  of  iron,  in  doses  of  twenty-five  or  thirty 
drops,  in  water,  three  times  a  day,  should  be 


given.  Medicinal  springs,  containing  iodine,  are 
excellent.  The  condition  of  the  bowels  should 
be  always  looked  to,  keeping  them  open.  Bath- 
ing frequently,  exercise  out  of  doors,  healthy  air, 
cheerfulness,  and  a  nourishing  diet,  are  all  ne- 
cessary. Either  flannel  or  silk  should  be  worn 
next  the  skin  summer  and  winter. 

The  tumors  should  be  bathed,  before  they  be- 
come much  sore,  with  a  solution  of  muriate  of 
lime,  several  times  a  day.  If  they  are  inflamed, 
apply  poultices  of  slippery  elm,  and  powdered 
bayberry,  equal  parts.  Flaxseed-poultices  are 
good.  When  the  tumors  are  opened,  the  ulcers 
must  be  washed  out  with  soap-suds,  and  dressed 
with  a  salve  made  of  beeswax  and  sweet  oil; 
change  two  or  three  times  a  day.  Red  iodide  of 
mercury-ointment  is  needed  when  the  ulcers  are 
indolent.  Saleratus-water  baths  are  good. 
■  SCURVY. — ^This  is  a  disease  which  seamen 
on  a  long  voyage,  and  men  on  long  journeys 
over  uninhabited  countries,  are  subject  to;  and 
is  occasioned  probably  by  too  much  salt  food, 
and  other  unnatural  habits.  Its  symptoms  are, 
languor,  loss  of  strength,  and  great  depression 
of  mind.  The  patient  has  no  energy  to  move ; 
the  whole  skin  looks  pale  and  bloated,  and  the 
breath  has  a  fetid  smell.  The  gums  are  soft,  red, 
swelled,  and  spongy,  and  bleed  upon  the  slight- 
est touch ;  sometimes  the  blood  oozes  from  them 
spontaneously.  The  teeth  get  loose,  and  often  fall 
out.  The  skin  is  spotted  with  purple,  as  if  it 
were  bruised,  and  the  spots  running  together, 
form  large  discolored  patches.  Ulcerous  sores 
break  out  on  various  parts  of  the  body,  and  dis- 
charge a  thin  matter.  The  ulcers  are  covered 
with  a  crust.  Twinging  pains  assail  even  the 
bones ;  the  pulse  is  weak;  all  the  secretions  have 
an  offensive  smell ;  and,  in  truth,  the  whole  body 
is  approaching  putridity;  the  flesh  dwindles 
away,  and  the  bones  break  easily.  In  bad  cases, 
blood  is  discharged  from  the  bladder,  bowels, 
womb,  nose,  mouth  ;  and  the  smallest  exertion 
is  followed  by  fainting,  and  in  some  cases  by 
sudden  death. — Treatment. — Quinine  is  one  of 
the  most  important  medicines  in  this  disease ;  it 
may  be  given  in  from  one  to  two-grain  doses, 
twice  or  three  times  a  day.  Gentian  and  quassia 
are  also  suitable  remedies ;  so  is  muri.itic  tincture 
of  iron.  But  better  than  all  are  fresh  and  juicy 
vegetables  and  fruits.  Spinage,  sorrel,  lettuce, 
dandelion,  cresses,  and  the  like,  are  the  very 
best  things,  when  they  can  be  had.  Lemon-juice 
is  excellent.  Potatoes,  when  scraped  and  eaten 
raw,  are  especially  good ;  also  valuable  cooked. 
Spruce-beer  is  good,  and  may  be  made  at  sea 
from  the  essence,  as  may  also  many  kinds  of 
beer.  To  correct  costiveness,  cream  of  tartar  in 
water,  drank  freely,  will  be  needed.  For  loose- 
ness, give  a  tea  made  of  logwood  or  geranium. 
Apply  a  solution  of  alum  to  the  gums,  or  tinc- 
ture of  myrrh.  Vinegar  is  good  in  this  disease, 
and  should  always  be  carried  to  sea,  together 
with  dried  fruits,  and  various  dried  herbs.  The 
patient  suffering  with  this  disease  should  lie 
moved  with  care,  as  life  may  be  easily  extin- 
guished. 

SEA  S/CAWESS.— Those  liable  to  be  sick 
should  make  a  hearty  meal  not  more  then  two  or 
threehours  before  going  on  board.  They  should 
select  a  spot  as  near  as  possible  to  the  centre  of 
the  vessel,  and  lie  down  before  she  gets  under 
weigh.  The  horizontal  position  should  be  rigidly 
kept  during  the  whole  passage.      The  person 


236 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


should  be  well  covered,  not  only  to  protect  from 
cold,  but  to  shield  from  disagreeable  sounds, 
sights,  and  smells.  A  stateroom  should  be  se- 
lected as  near  as  possible  to  the  center  of  the  ship, 
but  not  near  the  furnaces.  In  going  to  Europe, 
it  is  better  to  be  on  the  starboard,  and,  in  return- 
ing on  the  port  side  which  will  be  the  sunny 
one.  The  following  suggestions  for  the  preven- 
tion of  sea  sickness  have  proven  efficacious : 

1.  Have  every  preparation  made  at  least 
twenty-four  hours  before  starting,  so  that  the 
system  may  not  be  exhausted  by  overwork  and 
want  of  sleep.  This  direction  is  particularly  im- 
portant for  ladies,  though  useful  to  all. 

2.  Eat  as  hearty  a  meal  as  possible  before  going 
on  board. 

3.  Go  on  board  sufficiently  early  to  arrange 
such  things  as  may  be  wanted  for  the  first  day  or 
two,  so  that  they  may  be  easy  of  access;  then 
undress  and  go  to  bed  before  the  vessel  gets  un- 
der weigh.  The  neglect  of  this  rule  by  those 
who  are  liable  to  sea-sickness  is  sure  to  be  re- 
gretted. 

4.  Eat  regularly  and  heartily,  but  without 
raising  the  head,  for  at  least  one  or  two  days. 
In  this  way  the  habit  of  digestion  is  kept  up,  the 
strength  is  preserved,  while  the  system  be- 
comes accustomed  to  the  constant  change  of  equi- 
librium. 

5-  On  the  first  night  out,  take  some  mild  laxa- 
tive pills,  as  for  example,  two  or  three  of  the 
compound  rhubarb  pills.  Most  persons  have  a 
tendency  to  become  constipated  at  sea,  although 
diarrhoea  occurs  in  a  certain  per-centage.  Con- 
stipation not  only  results  from  sea-sickness,  but 
in  turn  aggravates  it.  The  effervescing  laxa- 
tives, like  the  seidlitz,  or  the  solution  of  the 
citrate  of  magnesia,  taken  in  the  morning  on  an 
empty  stomach,  are  bad  in  sea-sickness. 

6.  After  having  become  so  far  habituated  to  the 
sea  as  to  be  able  to  take  your  meals  at  the  table 
and  to  go  on  deck,  never  think  of  rising  until 
you  have  eaten  something,  as  a  plate  of  oatmeal 
porridge,  or  a  cup  of  coffee  or  tea,  with  sea  bis- 
cuit or  toast. 

7.  If  subsequently  during  the  voyage  the  sea 
should  become  unusually  rough,  go  to  bed  before 
getting  sick.  It  is  foohsh  to  dare  anything  when 
there  is  no  glory  to  be  won,  and  something  may 
be  lost. 

SICK",  Food  for. — ^The  greatest  care  should  be 
taken  in  the  preparation  of  food  for  the  sick.  It 
should  be  just  right,  or  the  weakened  and  sen- 
sitive appetite  will  refuse  it.  If  gruel  is  scorched 
in  preparing,  or  whatever  you  attempt  fails  the 
first  time  to  be  as  nice  as  it  should  be,  throw  it 
away  and  make  more.  Be  scrupulously  neat  in 
serving  it  up.  Use  your  prettiest  dishes  and 
finest  napkins.  Something  depends  upon  looks; 
and  the  eye  of  a  sick  person  may  be  xmusually 
critical.  Except  in  the  preparation  of  light  pud- 
dings, the  process  of  baking  is  inadmissible  for 
the  sick.  Roasting  is  better — a  light  roast  po- 
tato is  sometimes  very  acceptable.  Meats  should 
.  be  delicately  broiled,  except   when    boiled    for 

broths. 

SICK-ROOM,  Pure  Air  /«.— The  disagreeable 
and  unhealthy  evil  of  the  foul  gas  escaping  from 
a  kerosene  lamp  burnt  all  night  in  a  sick-room  is 
very  easily  remedied.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to 
take  a  raisin  or  any  suitable-sized  box,  that  will 
contain  the  lamp  when  set  up  on  end.  Place  the 
lamp  in  the  box,  outside  the  window,  with  the 


open  side  facing  the  room.  When  there  are 
blinds,  the  box  can  be  attached  to  each  by  leav- 
ing them  a  little  open  and  fastening  with  a  cord; 
or  the  lamp  box  can  be  nailed  to  the  window 
casing  in  a  permanent  manner.  The  lamp  bums 
quite  as  well  outside,  and  a  decided  improvement 
of  the  air  in  the  room  is  experienced. 

SICK-ROOM,  Caution  in  visiting. — Never 
venture  into  a  sick-room  in  a  violent  perspiration 
(if  circumstances  require  a  continuance  there  for 
any  time),  for  the  moment  the  body  becomes 
cold,  it  is  in  a  state  likely  to  absorb  the  infection, 
and  receive  the  disease.  Nor  visit  a  sick  person 
(especially  if  the  complaint  be  of  a  contagious 
nature),  with  an  empty  stomach  ;  as  this  disposes 
the  system  more  readily  to  receive  the  infection. 
In  attending  a  sick  person,  stand  where  the  air 
passes  from  the  door  or  window  to  the  bed  of  the 
diseased,  not  betwixt  the  diseased  person  and 
any  fire  that  is  in  the  room,  as  the  neat  of  the 
fire  will  draw  the  infectious  vapor  in  that  direc- 
tion, and  much  danger  would  arise  from  breath- 
ing in  it.  Do  not  enter  the  room  the  first  thing 
in  the  morning  before  it  has  been  aired ;  and 
when  you  come  away,  take  some  food,  change 
your  clothing  immediately,  and  expose  the  latter 
to  the  air  for  some  days. 

S'KINy  Discolored. — As  moles,  freckles,  sun- 
burn, etc.,  is  the  result  of  diseased  action.  It  is 
not  best  to  meddle  with  moles.  For  the  change 
of  color  called  sunburn,  a  lotion  made  of  two 
ounces  of  lime-water,  and  two  ounces  of  flaxseed 
oil,  is  the  best.  Freckles  are  removed  with  the 
same,  or  with  this  :  corrosive  sublimate,  five 
grains ;  almond  mixture,  half  a  pint.  Mix  and 
apply.  If  the  skin  is  bleached  in  spots,  apply 
some  stimulating  liniment. 

SKIN-GRAFTING.— \n  a  letter  to  theLon- 
don  Lancet,  David  Fiddes,  Surgeon  to  the  Royal 
Infirmary,  states  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  put  the 
patient  to  the  pain  of  cutting  a  piece  ot  healthy 
skin  from  the  body  for  the  purpose  of  transplan- 
tation. All  that  is  necessary  to  be  done,  is  to 
take  a  long  bistoury  or  razor  and  shave  or  scrape 
off  the  epidermis  scales  from  the  convex  aspects 
of  the  forearms  and  thighs,  and  place  them  on 
the  healthy  granulations.  This  can  best  be  done 
by  brushing  the  scales  off  the  bistoury  with  a 
camel  hair  pencil.  After  securing  them  in  situ 
for  three  or  four  days  by  means  of  adhesive 
plaster,  the  granulations  on  which  the  epidermis 
scales  were  placed  assume  a  glazed,  bluish  ap- 
pearance, which  gradually  grows  into  skin,  and 
meets  the  nearest  edge  of  the  healing  ulcer, 
which  edge  shoots  out,  and  meets  the  newly 
formed  skin  on  the  granulation. 

SLEEPLESSNESS,  Cure  for.— Qo  without 
supper.  If  accustomed  to  drink  tea,  take  none 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  day,  and  gradually  leave 
it  off  altogether.  Spend  some  hours  of  the  after- 
noon in  the  open  air;  avoid  everything  calculated 
to  excite  the  mind  in  the  latter  part  of  the  dav, 
sedulously  putting  away  all  thought  and  taftc 
about  business  ;  seek  cheerful,  but  not  boisterous 
sociability — that  which  is  sedative  rather  than 
that  which  is  exciting ;  have  the  sleeping  room 
well  ventilated ;  avoid  sleeping  on  feathers  ;  at 
night  lay  off  all  garments  worn  during  the  day 
and  put  on  fresh  ones  ;  sleep  alone ;  and  getting 
into  bed  take  a  comfortable  position  and  deter- 
minedly keep  it  till  sleep  comes,  compelling  your- 
self to  avoid  tossing  and  tumbling,  and  fidgeting 
about.     Learn  to  control  your  mental  activities ; 


MEDICAL  AXD  SURGICAL. 


237 


•when  you  get  to  bed  stop  thinking;  if  your 
thoughts  begin  to  wander  in  any  direction,  bring 
them  back  and  hold  them  steadily  to  a  fixed  point. 
Keep  this  up  till  you  become  master  of  your 
thoughts.  Then  in  all  directions  seek  to  bring 
the  entire  system  under  the  control  of  the  laws 
of  life  and  health,  and  be  patient.  Sleeplessness 
is  a  thing  not  to  be  overcome  in  a  day,  any  more 
than  rheumatism  or  bronchitis. 

If  you  find  yourself  inclined  to  wake  up  at  a 
regular  hour  in  the  night  and  remain  awake,  you 
can  break  up  the  habit  in  three  days,  by  getting 
up  as  soon  as  you  wake,  and  not  going  to  sleep 
again  until  your  usual  hour  for  retiring ;  or  retixe 
two  hours  later,  and  rise  two  hours  earlier,  for 
three  days  in  succession  not  sleeping  a  moment 
in  the  daytime. 

Nervous  persons,  who  are  troubled  with  wake- 
fulness and  excitability,  usually  have  a  strong 
tendency  of  blood  to  the  brain,  with  cold  extremi- 
ties. The  pressure  of  the  blood  on  the  brain 
keeps  it  in  a  stimulant  or  wakeful  state,  and  the 
pulsations  in  the  head  are  often  painful.  Let 
such  rise,  and  chafe  the  body  and  extremities 
with  a  brush  or  towel,  or  rub  smartly  with  the 
hands  to  promote  circulation  and  withdraw  the 
excessive  amount  of  blood  from  the  brain,  and 
they  will  fall  asleep  in  a  few  moments.  A  cold 
bath,  or  a  sponge  bath  and  rubbing,  or  a  good 
run,  or  a  rapid  walk  in  the  open  air,  or  going  up 
and  down  stairs  a  few  times  just  before  retiring, 
will  aid  in  equalizing  circulation  and  promoting 
sleep. 

SLEEP  for  INFANTS.  —Infants  can  not 
sleep  too  long;  it  is  well  when  they  can  enjoy  a 
calm  and  long-continued  rest,  of  which  they 
should  by  no  means  be  deprived,  as  this  is  the 
jjreatest  support  granted  them  by  nature.  A 
child  lives  comparatively  much  faster  than  an 
adult;  its  blood  flows  more  rapidly,  and  sleep 
promotes  more  uniform  circulation,  and  facili- 
tates digestion,  while  a  horizontal  position  is  fa- 
vorable to  growth  and  development.  Still,  sleep 
should  be  proportioned  to  the  age.  After  six 
months,  the  time  of  sleep,  can  be  regulated.  An 
infant  should  always  sleep  the  whole  night  in 
preference  to  the  day,  and  as  it  grows  older,  a 
few  hours  morning  and  afternoon ;  and,  after  a 
while,  to  sleep  after  dinner  will  be  sufficient. 
After  a  child  is  four  or  five  years  old,  its  time  of 
sleep  may  be  shortened  one  hour  every  succeed- 
ing year,  so  that  a  child  of  seven  will  not  require 
to  sleep  more  than  eight  or  nine  hours. 

SLEEP,  Position  in. — Sleeping-rooms  should 
always  be  so  arranged,  if  possible,  to  allow  the 
head  of  the  sleeper  to  be  towards  the  north. 
Frequently,  in  cases  of  sickness,  a  person  will 
find  it  impossible  to  obtain  rest  if  the  head  is  in 
any  other  direction,  and  often  a  cure  is  retarded 
for  a  long  time.  A  Vienna  physician  had  a  pa- 
tient who  was  suffering  from  acute  rheumatism, 
with  painful  cramps  running  from  the  shoulders 
to  the  fingers ;  and,  while  his  head  was  to  the 
south,  he  could  do  nothing  towards  his  relief. 
On  turning  the  bed,  however,  so  the  head  was 
towards  the  north,  the  patient  uttered  expressions 
of  pleasure,  and  in  a  few  hours  a  great  improve- 
ment had  taken  place,  and  he  was  in  a  few  days 
almost  entirely  cured.  Many  other  cases  are 
^ven  by  scientific  persons ;  and  people,  in  build- 
ing houses,  should  alwavs  have  this  in  ^^ew. 

SLEEPING  TOGETHER.  — T>\XT\ng  the 
night  there  is  considerable  exhalation  from  our 


bodies,  and  at  the  same  time  we  absorb  a  large 
quantity  of  the  vapors  of  the  surrounding  air. 
Two  healthy  young  children  sleeping  together 
will  naturally  give  and  receive  healthy  exhala- 
tions; but  an  old,  weak  person  near  a  child  will, 
in  exchange  for  health,  only  return  weakness. 
A  sick  mother  near  her  daughter  communicates 
sickly  emanations  to  her ;  if  the  mother  has  a 
cough  of  long  duration,  the  daughter  will  at 
some  time  also  cough  and  suffer  by  it;  if  the 
mother  has  pulmonary  consumption,  it  will  be 
ultimately  communicated  to  her  child.  It  is 
known  that  the  bed  of  a  consumptive  is  a  power- 
ful and  sure  cause  of  contagion,  as  well  for  men 
as  for  women,  and  the  more  so  for  young  per- 
sons. Parents  and  friends  ought  to  oppose  as 
much  as  is  in  their  power  the  sleeping  together 
of  old  and  young  persons,  of  the  sick  and  of  the 
healthy.  Another  reason  ought  to  forbid  every 
mother  or  nurse  keeping  small  children  with  them 
in  bed ;  notwithstanding  the  advice  of  prudence, 
no  year  passes  that  we  do  not  hear  of  a  new  in- 
voluntary infanticide.  A  baby  full  of  life,  health 
and  vigor  in  the  evening  is  found  dead  the  next 
morning,  suffocated  by  its  parents  or  nurse. 

SPLINTERS,  To  Extract. —TYiorns  and 
splinters  finding  their  way  under  the  skin  fre-^ 
quently  give  no  inconsiderable  pain,  and  unless 
extracted,  the  annoyance  may  be  very  great,  as 
inflammation  will  in  all  probability  ensue,  which 
is  the  process  nature  adopts  for  getting  rid  of  the 
cause  of  irritation.  If  the  splinter  or  thorn  can- 
not be  immediately  extracted, — for  which  purpose 
a  needle  will  be  found  in  most  cases  a  sufficient 
surgical  instrument, — linen  dipped  in  hot-water 
ought  to  be  bound  round  the  place,  or  the  part 
may  be  bathed  in  hot  water.  In  the  event  of 
inflammation,  which  may  probably  issue  on  the 
production  of  an  ulcer,  the  steam  of  hot  water 
should  be  applied,  and  afterwards  a  poultice  of 
bread  and  milk. 

SPLEEN,  Chronic  Inflammation  of.  —  The 
symptoms  are  a  feeling  of  tightness  and  pain  in 
the  left  side — ^the  pain  being  increased  on  pressure, 
or  by  lying  upoii  the  left  side.  Sometimes  the 
organ  enlarges,^©  as  to  be  felt  by  the  hand. 
There  is  sometimes  numbness,  weakness  of  the 
legs,  palpitation  of  the  heart,  difficulty  of  breath- 
ing, inability  to  exercise  much,  obstinate  con- 
stipation, vomiting  of  food,  piles,  dry  skin,  tongue 
coated  white  or  red,  low  spirit^,  and  occasionally 
dropsical  affections.  Treatm.ent  should  be  about 
the  same  as  in  inflammation  of  the  liver.  After 
the  active  inflammation  is  subdued,  the  warm 
bath  may  be  used  once  or  twice  a  week.  In  the 
chronic  form  of  the  disease,  counter  irritation  with 
the  compound  tar-plaster,  with  mustard-poul- 
tices, Croton  oil,  or  tincture  of  iodine,  will  be 
particularly  needed.  Keep  the  bowels  open,  and 
if  the  patient  is  pale  and  bloodless,  give  iron  as 
a  tonic. 

SPRAIN. — As  soon  as  possible  after  the  acci- 
dent get  a  calico  bandage  one  to  two  yards  long, 
and  two  to  two  and  a  half  inches  wide;  wet  it  in 
cold  water,  and  roll  it  smoothly  and  firmly  round 
the  injured  part.  Keep  the  limb  at  rest,  exposed 
to  the  air,  and  continu^ly  damp  with  cold  water. 
The  sooner  after  the  accident  the  bandage  is  ap- 
plied, the  less  pain  and  swelling  there  will  be ; 
but  if  pain  becomes  excessive,  care  must  be  taken 
to  slightly  loosen  the  bandage. 

SPASMS,  Remedy  for.  —Take  of  acetate  of 
morphia,  I  grain ;  spirit  of  sal  volatile,  I  fl.  oz.; 


238 


DICTIONAR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


sulphuric  ether,  I  fl.  oz.;  Camphor  julep,  4fl.  oz. 
Mix.  It  should  be  kept  closely  corked,  in  a  cool 
place,  and  should  be  well  shaken  before  use.  — 
Dose.  A  teaspoonful  in  a  glassful  of  cold  water 
or  wine,  as  required. 

SQUINTING.  — Squinting  frequently  arises 
from  the  unequal  strength  of  the  eyes,  the  weaker 
eye  being  turned  away  from  the  object,  to  avoid 
the  fatigue  of  exertion.  Cases  of  squinting  of 
long  standing  have  often  been  cured  by  covering 
the  stronger  eye,  and  thereby  compelling  the 
weaker  one  to  exertion. 

It  is  well  known  that  in  infancy  there  is  not 
unfrequently  a  tendency  to  squint ;  this  often 
passes  away  as  the  child  increases  in  age ;  but  it 
sometimes  becomes  quite  a  fixed  habit,  demand- 
ing the  knife  of  the  oculist  for  its  permanent 
cure.  A  means  of  rendering  this  operation  un- 
necessary by  curing  the  tendency  in  early  life 
has  been  suggested,  which  is  worthy  of  trial.  A 
pair  of  spectacles  is  procured  without  any  glasses 
m  them.  OnS  of  the  orifices  opposite  the  eye 
that  squints  is  to  be  filled  with  thin  horn  or  with 
ground  glass,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  horn  or 
glass  is  to  be  made  a  small  hole.  It  is  obvious 
that  to  see  with  the  squinting  eye  it  is  necessary 
for  the  child  to  look  directly  through  the  orifice 
in  the  centre.  He  will  thus  acquire  the  habit  of 
looking  forward  towards  an  object,  instead  of 
looking  to  the  right  or  left  hand  of  it.  It  is  not 
at  all  improbable  that  the  slight  squint,  which  in 
infancy  is  apparently  only  a  habit,  may  be  re- 
medied by  this  means. 

STOMACH,  y^r/^.— Prepared  chalk,  to  be 
found  always  at  druggists,  is  an  excellent  remedy 
for  this  complaint,  and  all  the  unpleasant  head- 
aches and  sickness  to  which  it  gives  rise.  This 
is  one  form  of  dyspepsia,  and  is  sometimes  re- 
lieved by  the  use  of  this  simple  remedy. 

STOMACH,  Acute  Inflammation  of. — This  is 
a  rare  disease,  and  generally  comes  from  irritat- 
ing and  corrosive  substances  being  taken  into 
the  stomach.  Blows,  sudden  stoppage  of  sweat, 
and  excessive  use  of  ardent  spirits,  may  also 
excite  it.  The  symptoms  are,  a  burning  pain  in 
the  stomach,  thirst,  restlessness,  anxiety,  con- 
stant vomiting,  prostration  of  strength,  quick, 
hard  and  smallpulse,  incessant  retching,  a  sunken 
countenance,  hiccough,  cold  hands  and  feet,  and 
a  damp  skin. — Treatment. — If  the  inflammation 
be  excited  by  poison,  the  remedies  named  under 
antidotes  for  poisons,  must  be  first  employed. 
The  poison  being  neutralized  or  thrown  off,  the 
inflammatory  condition  must  be  comb.ited  with 
the  remedies  usual  for  such  states.  Mustard- 
poultices  to  the  feet,  along  the  spine,  and  over 
the  pit  of  the  stomach,  wul  be  among  the  first 
things  resorted  to,  and  should  be  followed  by  hot 
fomentations  with  stramonium-leaves  or  hops, 
repeating  these  applications  as  long  as  required. 
For  drinks,  give  rice-water,  toast-water,  arrow- 
root gruel,  slippery-elm  infusion,  and  cold  water. 
These  should  be  taken  in  very  small  quantities 
— a  teaspoonful  at  a  time — about  twenty  drops 
of  tincture  of  aconite-root  being  added  to  halt  a 
tumblerful.  Lumps  of  ice  held  to  the  mouth,  or 
occasionally  swallowed,  may  be  uselul.  Neither 
physic  nor  emetics  are  proper  now,  but  injections 
of  simple  soapsuds  will  r>e  required.  The  re- 
medies must  be  followed  up  until  the  tenderness 
of  the  stomach  is  all  gone.  Be  v*ry  careful  not 
to  overload  the  stomach  before  perfect  recovery 
has  taken  place.     Only  the  simplest  and  most 


cooling  diet  can  be  used  during  the  period  of  re^ 
covery. 

STOMACH,  CJironicInflammation  of. — This 
is  known  by  a  pain  in  the  stomach,  increased  by 
the  presence  of  food,  by  belching  up  gas,  by 
vomiting,  fickle  appetite,  seasons  of  thirst,  tongue 
white  in  the  center  and  red  at  the  tip,  or  some- 
times red  and  smooth,  is  a  disease  which  some- 
times ends  by  ulceration  of  the  stomach,  and 
death. 

Treatment. — Counter-irritants  over  the  stom- 
ach, as  in  acute  inflammation,  frequent  warm  or 
cold  baths,  according  to  the  patient's  constitution; 
a  cold  compress  worn  on  tne  stomach  at  night ; 
and  the  most  careful  diet,  consisting  mostly  of 
gum-water,  rice-water,  arrow-root  gruel,  toast 
without  butter,  etc.  In  two  or  three  weeks  the 
disease  will  yield,  under  this  persistent  starving 
and  cooling  system. 

STRICTURES.  — A.  difficulty  in  passing 
water,  which,  instead  of  flowing  in  a  full  stream, 
either  dribbles  away,  twists  like  a  corkscrew,  or 
splits  and  forks  in  two  or  three  directions.  They 
are  occasioned  by  strong  injections,  long-con- 
tinued or  ill-treated  clap.  The  cause,  however, 
is  not  always  to  be  satisfactorily  ascertained. — 
Treatment. — Procure  several  bougies  of  different 
sizes.  Take  the  largest  one,  dip  it  in  sweet  oil, 
and  pass  it  into  the  urethra  till  it  meets  with  the 
stricture,  then  make  a  mark  on  the  bougie,  so 
that  when  it  is  withdrawn  you  can  tell  how  far 
down  the  passage  the  obstruction  exists,  and 
having  ascertained  this,  take  the  smallest  one, 
well  oiled,  and  endeavor  to  pass  it  an  inch  or 
two  beyond  the  stricture.  If  tliis  can  be  accom- 
plished, let  it  remain  so  a  few  minutes.  This 
must  be  repeated  every  day,  letting  tlrfe  instru- 
ment remain  somewhat  longer  each  time  it  is 
passed,  and  after  a  few  days  using  one  a  little 
larger,  and  so  on  progressively  until  the  largest 
one  can  be  introduced.  If  this  fails,  apply  to  a 
surgeon,  who  may  destroy  it  with  caustic  or  the 
knife. 

ST.  VITUS'  DANCE.~Th\s  disease  aflects 
mostly  the  muscles  and  the  limbs,  r.rd  consists 
of  an  involuntary  motion  of  both.  A  jerking  of 
the  limbs  prevents  their  obeying  the  will,  and 
the  patient  in  vain  essays  to  do  what  he  wishes 
at  the  first  attempt.  The  disease  is  believed  to 
be  a  partial  palsy  of  the  muscles.  It  is  caused 
by  whatever  excites  and  weakens  the  nervous 
system. —  Treatment. — Remove,  in  the  first  place, 
all  causes  o^  excitement,  and  substitute  active 
out-door  exercise.  Be  careful  not  to  excite  fear, 
anger,  or  any  strong  emotion.  If  the  food  has 
been  too  stimulating,  replace  it  by  cooling,  simple 
diet ;  or  if  too  low,  give  more  nourishing  articles. 
Regulate  the  bowels,  and  build  up  the  nervous 
system  by  giving  tonics,  and  nerve  medicines. 
This  is  a  good  medicine :  extract  of  scullcap,  two 
drams;  extract  of  chamomile,  two  drams;  extract 
of  boneset,  one  dram ;  quinine,  one  dram ; 
cayenne,  one  scruple;  oil  of  valerian,  half  a 
dram.  Beat  well  together,  and  make  ninety 
pills.  For  an  adult,  one  pill  every  two  or  three 
hours.  A  tepid  shower-bath  is  excellent,  unless 
it  frightens  the  patient,  when  it  should  be  changed 
for  the  sponge-oath. 

SUNSTROKE,  to  Avoid.— There  is  something 
to  be  remembered  by  those  most  liable  to  sun- 
stroke. SAbriety  is  a  great  preventative.  The 
man  who  abstains  from  all  spirituous  drinks  dur- 
ing excessively  hot  weather  is  vastly  less  liable 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


239 


to  sunstroke  than  he  who  drinks  habitually.  Re- 
gular hours  for  sleep  and  meals,  and  the  avoid- 
ance of  all  irregiilarities  and  excesses,  are  among 
the  other  preventatives.  Bathing,  washing,  or 
sponging  the  skin  all  over  in  the  morning  is  a 
wholesome  precaution.  Every  one  employed  out 
doors,  that  can  possibly  do  it,  should  wear  a 
light,  easy-fitting,  broad-brimmed  hat.  Brick- 
layers, carpenters,  laborers,  mortar  -  makers, 
hod-carriers,  and  all  others  working  in  the  sun, 
should  have  some  kind  of  shed  or  shade  handy, 
where  they  can  rest  for  a  few  minutes  at  short 
intervals  of  half  an  hour  or  so.  People  otherwise 
engaged  on  the  streets,  or  who  have  to  go  about 
on  business,  should  be  careful  to  keep  on  the 
shady  side,  to  look  well  to  their  head  gear,  so  as 
to  insure  that  which  is  light  and  porous,  and 
those  who  have  leisure  should  carry  sun-umbrel- 
las.    To  cure  see  page  19. 

SWEA  TING,  Profuse. — An  old  remedy  for 
excessive  sweating  is  cold  sage  tea.  It  is  made 
by  taking  a  large  teaspoonful  of  chopped  sage 
leaves,  and  boiling  them  in  six  ounces  of  water 
for  two  or  three  minutes.  The  decoction  is  then 
left  to  stand  and  cool,  and  is  strained  and  sweet- 
ened to  the  taste.  This  remedy  has  been  used 
with  benefit  in  the  colliquative  sweating,  as  it  is 
called,  of  pulmonary  consumption. 

SWEA  TING,  To  Produce.— Vonr  alcohol  in- 
to a  saucer,  to  about  half  fill  it ;  place  this  under 
a  chair ;  strip  the  person,  to  be  sweated,  of  all 
clothing,  and  place  him  in  the  chair,  putting  a 
comforter  over  him,  also ;  now  light  a  match  and 
throw  into  the  saucer  of  alcohol,  which  sets  it  on 
fire,  and  by  the  time  the  alcohol  is  burned  out 
he  will  be  in  a  profuse  perspiration,  if  not,  put 
in  half  as  much  more  01  alcohol  and  fire  it  again, 
which  will  accomplish  the  object ;  then  rise  up 
and  draw  the  comforter  around  you,  and  get  into 
bed,  following  up  with  hot  teas  and  sweating 
drops. 

SWELLING,  White.— Dt.  Kirkland  recom- 
mends a  volatile  plaster  for  this  disease,  made 
after  the  following  manner :  Melt  together  in  an 
iron  ladle,  or  earthen  pipkin,  two  ounces  of  soap 
and  half  an  ounce  of  litharge  plaster.  When 
nearly  cold,  stir  in  one  drachm  of  sal  ammoniac, 
in  fine  powder ;  spread  upon  leather,  and  apply 
to  the  joint  as  above.  If  the  above  method  fail, 
and  ulceration  take  place,  a  surgeon  should  be 
applied  to  without  delay. 

TAPE  WORM.— I.  A  boy,  six  years  old,  had 
been  troubled  for  about  a  year  with  tapeworm, 
was  directed  to  take  fifteen  drops  of  turpentine, 
in  the  form  of  an  emulsion,  three  times  daily,  for 
a  week,  and  afterward  that  two  ounces  of  the 
kernels  of  pumpkin  seeds  be  thoroughly  ground 
up  with  sugar  to  a  fine  pulp,  and  sufficient  mint 
water  added  to  make  an  emulsion  of  twelve  fluid 
ounces.  This  was  taken  in  the  morning,  between 
six  and  seven,  in  divided  doses,  upon  an  empty 
stomach.  At  9  A.  M.,  two  tablespoonfuls  of 
castor  oil  were  given,  and  at  1 1  A.  M.  the  usur- 
per rapidly  beat  a  retreat  before  the  advancing 
foe,  and  twenty-one  feet,  head  and  shoulders, 
were  carefully  bottled  up ;  since  which  time  the 
boy  has  rapidly  gained  in  health  and  spirits. — 2. 
Dr.  Lurtel  has  tried  with  success  the  following 
method :  He  gives  in  one  dose  two-thirds  of  an 
ounce  of  ether,  followed  two  hours  afterwards  by 
an  ounce  of  castor-oil.  The  worm  is  discharged 
entire  or  almost  so,  and  always  with  the  head 
intact.     No  pain  is  caused  by  this  treatment. 


TEETHING.  —  Young  children  whilst  cut- 
ting  their  first  set  of  teeth  often  suffer  severe  con- 
stitutional disturbance.  At  first  there  is  restless- 
ness and  peevishness,  with  slight  fever,  but  not 
unfrequently  these  are  followed  by  convulsive 
fits,  as  thev  are  commonly  called,  which  depend 
on  the  bram  becoming  irritated ;  and  sometimes 
under  this  condition  the  child  is  either  cut  off 
suddenly,  or  the  foundation  of  serious  mischief 
to  the  brain  is  laid.  The  remedy,  or  rather  the 
safeguard,  against  these  frightful  consequences 
is  trifling,  safe,  and  almost  certain,  and  consists 
merely  in  lancing  the  gum  covering  the  tooth  , 
which  is  making  its  way  through.  When  teeth- 
ing is  about  it  may  be  known  by  the  spittle  con- 
stantly drivelling  from  the  mouth  and  wetting 
the  frock.  The  child  has  its  fingers  often  in  its 
mouth,  and  bites  hard  any  substance  it  can  get 
hold  of.  If  the  gums  be  carefully  looked  at,  the 
part  where  the  tooth  is  pressing  up  is  swollen 
and  redder  than  usual ;  and  if  the  finger  be  pres- 
sed on  it  the  child  shrinks  and  cries  showing  that 
the  gum  is  tender.  When  these  symptoms  occur, 
the  gum  should  be  lanced,  and  sometimes  the 
tooth  comes  through  the  next  day,  if  near  the 
surface ;  but  if  not  so  far  advanced  the  cut  heals 
and  a  scar  forms,  which  is  thought  by  some  ob- 
jectionable, as  rendering  the  passage  of  the  tooth 
more  difficult.  This,  however,  1.'=  untrue,  for  the 
scar  will  give  way  much  more  easily  than  the 
uncut  gum.  If  the  tooth  does  not  come  through 
after  two  or  three  days,  the  lancing  may  be  re- 
peated ;  and  this  is  more  especially  needed  if  the 
child  be  very  fractious,  and  seem  in  ipuch  pain. 
Lancing  the  gums  is  further  advantageous,  be- 
cause it  empties  the  inflamed  part  of  its  blood, 
and  so  relieves  the  pain  and  inflammation.  The 
relief  children  experience  in  the  course  of  two  or 
three  hours  from  the  operation  is  often  very 
remarkable,  as  they  almost  immediately  become 
lively  and  cheerful. 

TETTER. — After  a  slight  feverish  attack, 
lasting  two  or  three  days,  clusters  of  small, 
transparent  pimples,  filled  sometimes  with  a 
colorless,  sometimes  M'ith  a  brownish  lymph,  ap- 
pear on  the  cheeks  or  forehead,  or  on  the  ex- 
tremities, and  at  times  on  the  body.  The  pimples 
are  about  the  size  of  a  pea,  and  break  after  a  few 
days,  when  a  brown  or  yellow  crust  is  formed 
over  them,  which  falls  off  about  the  tenth  day, 
leaving  the  skin  red  and  irritable.  The  eruption 
is  attended  with  heat,  itching,  tingling,  fever  and 
restlessness,  especially  at  night.  Ringworm  is  a 
curious  form  of  tetter,  in  which  the  inflamed 
patches  assume  the  form  of  a  ring. — Treatment 
^hould  consist  of  light  diet,  and  gentle  laxatives. 
If  the  patient  be  advanced  in  life,  and  feeble,  a 
tonic  will  be  desirable.  For  a  wash,  white 
vitriol,  one  dram  ;  rose-water,  three  ounces, 
mixed;  or  an  ointment  made  of  elder-flower  oint- 
ment, one  ounce  ;  oxide  of  zinc,  one  dram. 

TETTER,  HUMID.  —This  is  an  eruption 
of  minute,  round  pimples,  about  the  size  of  a 
pin's  head,  filled  with  colorless  fluid,  and  term- 
inating in  scurf.  It  is  preceded  by  languor, 
faintness,  perspiration,  and  a  pricking  of  the 
skin.  Another  species  of  this  disease  is  called 
sun-heat,  which  is  an  eruption  of  a  white  or 
brownish  color,  which  generally  terminates  in 
yellow  scabs.  It  occurs  only  in  summer,  and 
affects  those  parts  which  are  uncovered.  In  still 
another  species,  the  eruption  is  attended  with 
pain,  heat,  itching,  intense  smarting,  and  a  swell- 


240 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS, 


ing  of  the  affected  part.  When  the  blisters  break, 
the  water  runs  out,  irritates  and  inflames  the 
skin,  which  becomes  red,  rough,  and  thickened — 
covered  sometimes  with  a  thick  crust.  Treat- 
ment.— Low  diet,  cooling  drinks,  gentle  purga- 
tives, and  warm  baths.  In  old  chronic  cases, 
apply  externally  either  lime-water,  or  corrosive 
sublimate  in  a  wash  proportioned  of  five  grains 
to  one  pint  of  soft  waier.  In  the  last  two  forms 
of  the  affection  apply  nitrate  of  silver  in  solution, 
to  the  parts. 

TETTER,  CRUSTED.— 'YV\%  ^rm^Woxi 
consists  at  first  of  slightly  elevated  pustules  or 
pimples,  closely  congregated,  with  an  inflamed 
border.  These  break,  and  the  surface  becomes 
red,  excoriated,  shining,  and  full  of  pores, 
through  which  a  thin,  unhealthy  fluid  is  poured 
out,  which  gradually  hardens  into  dark,  yellow- 
ish-green scabs.  When  this  tetter  invades  the 
head  or  scalp,  it  causes  the  hair  to  fall  off,  and  is 
termed  a  scall. —  Treatment. — Vapor-bath  and 
water-dressing.  The  crusts  should  be  removed 
by  a  weak  lye,  made  from  hard-wood  ashes  or 
potash ;  then  an  ointment  should  be  applied,  made 
of  mild  nitrate  of  mercury  ointment,  three 
drachms ;  sugar  of  lead,  sixteen  grains ;  rose- 
water  ointment,  one  ounce. 

THROAT,  {SORE),  Remedies  for.— i.  In 
many  cases  of  slight  soreness  of  the  throat,  it  is 
not  deemed  necessary  to  apply  to  a  physician  for 
a  prescription.  In  such  cases  a  gargle  composed 
of  hydrochloric  acid,  two  drams;  water,  six 
drams;  and  decoction  of  Peruvian  bark,  four 
ounces. — 2.  Pour  a  pint  of  boiling  water  upon 
twenty-five  or  thirty  leaves  of  common  sage  ;  let 
the  infusion  stand  for  half  an  hour.  Add  vinegar 
sufficient  to  make  itmoderately  acid,  and  honey, 
according  to  the  taste.  This  combination  of  the 
astringent  and  the  emohent  principle  seldom  fails 
to  produce  the  desired  effect.  The  infusion  must 
be  used  as  a  gargle  several  times  a-day.  It  has 
this  advantage  over  many  gargles — it  is  pleasant 
to  the  taste,  and  may  be  swallowed  occasionally, 
not  only  without  danger,  but  with  advantage. — 
3.  Dissolve  a  teaspoonful  of  chlorate  of  potash  in 
a  tumbler  of  water  and  gargle  with  it  It  is 
nearly  tasteless,  and  not  at  all  offensive  to  take, 
and  well  adapted  to  children. — ^4.  Make  a  poul- 
tice of  wormwood,  boiled  in  sweet  milk,  and 
apply  it  to  the  throat. 

TIC-DOLOREUX,  To  Ck^^.— Take  half  a 
pint  of  rose-water,  add  two  teaspoonfuls  of  white 
vinegar,  to  form  a  lotion.  Apply  it  to  the  part 
affected  three  or  four  times  a  day.  It  requires 
fresh  linen  and  lotion  each  application ;  this  will, 
in  two  or  three  days,  gradually  take  the  pain 
away.     See  also  "Neuralgia". 

toe-nails,  IN.GROlVING.—'nas  most 
painful  of  the  diseases  of  the  nails  is  caused  by 
the  improper  manner  of  cutting  the  nail  (gener- 
ally of  the  great  toe),  and  then  wearing  a  narrow, 
badly-made  shoe.  The  nail  beginning  to  grow 
too  long,  and  rather  wide  at  the  corners,  is  often 
trimmed  around  the  corner,  which  gives  tempo- 
rary relief.  But  it  then  begins  to  grow  wider  in 
the  side  where  it  was  cut  off;  and,  as  the  shoe 
presses  the  flesh  against  the  corner,  the  nail  cuts 
more  and  more  into  the  raw  flesh,  which  becomes 
excessively  tender  and  irritable.  If  this  state 
continue  long,  the  toe  becomes  more  and  more 
painful  and  ulcerated,  and  fungus  (proud  flesh) 
sprouts  up  from  the  sorest  points.  Walking 
greatly  increases  the  suffering,  till  positive  rest 


becomes  indispensable. —  Treatment. — We  omit 
all  modes  of  cutting  out  the  nail  by  the  root,  and 
all  other  cutting  or  torturing  operations.  Jiegin 
the  effort  at  cure  by  simple  application  to  the 
tender  part  of  a  small  quantity  of^  perchloride  01 
iron.  It  is  found  in  drug  stores  in  a  fluid  form, 
though  sometimes  in  powder.  There  is  im- 
mediately a  moderate  sensation  of  pain,  constric- 
tion, or  burning.  In  a  few  minutes  the  tender 
surface  is  felt  to  be  dried  up,  tanned,  or  mum- 
mified,  and  it  ceases  to  be  painful.  The  patient, 
who  before  could  not  put  his  foot  to  the  floor, 
now  finds  that  he  can  walk  upon  it  without  pain. 
By  permitting  the  hardened,  wood-like  flesh  to 
remain  for  two  or  three  weeks,  it  can  be  easily 
removed  by  soaking  the  foot  in  warm  water.  A 
new  and  healthy  structure  is  found,  firm  and 
solid,  below.  If  therealter  the  nails  be  no  more 
cut  around  the  corners  or  sides,  but  always  curv- 
ed in  across  the  front  end,  they  will  in  future 
grow  only  straight  forwards  ;  and  by  wearing  a 
shoe  of  reasonably  good  size  and  shape,  all 
further  trouble  will  be  avoided. 

Another  method  is  with  a  knife,  or  a  piece  of 
glass,  scrape  the  centre  of  the  nail  until  it  be- 
comes almost  as  thin  as  the  thinnest  paper ;  then 
cut  the  nail  in  the  form  of  a  cresent,  the  convex 
side  being  inward.  This  will  compel  the  sides 
of  the  nail  to  grow  outward  in  the  natural  way. 

TOOTIIACHE,Remediesfor.—\.  One  drachm 
of  alum  reduced  to  an  impalpable  powder,  three 
drachms  of  nitrous  spirit  of  ether,  mix,  and  apply 
them  to  the  tooth  on  cotton. — 2.  Mix  a  little  salt 
and  alum,  equal  portions,  grind  it  fine,  wet  a 
little  lock  of  cotton,  fill  it  with  the  powder  and 
put  it  in  your  tooth.  One  or  two  applications 
seldom  fail  to  cure. — 3.  To  one  drachm  of  collo- 
dion add  two  drachms  of  Calvert's  carbolic  acid. 
A  gelatinous  mass  is  precipitated,  a  small  portion 
of  which,  inserted  in  the  cavity  of  an  aching 
tooth,  invariably  gives  immediate  relief. — ^4.  Sa- 
turate a  small  liit  of  clean  cotton  wool  with  a 
strong  solution  of  ammonia,  and  applying  it  im- 
mediately to  the  affected  tooth.  The  pleasing 
contrast  instantaneously  produced  in  some  cases 
causes  a  fit  of  laughter,  although  a  moment  pre- 
vious extreme  suffering  and  anguish  prevailed. — ^ 
5.  Sometimes  a  sound  tooth  aches  from  sympa- 
thy of  the  nerves  of  the  face  with  other  nerves. 
But  when  tooth-ache  proceeds  from  a  decayed 
tooth  either  have  it  taken  out,  or  put  hot  fomen- 
tations upon  the  face,  and  hot  drinks  into  the 
mouth,  such  as  tincture  of  cayenne. 

TRICHINA.— Tnchmii  is  the  term  applied 
to  a  minute  animal  (parasite)  known  for  some 
time  to  have  existed  in  the  -muscles  of  nian,  and 
which  could  be  bred  in  the  muscles  of  some  other 
mammals  by  feeding  them  with  it.  More  recently 
it  has  been  discovered  to  occur  naturally  in  the 
muscles  of  swine.  It  is  a  minute,  slender,  and 
transparent  worm,  scarcely  I -20th  of  an  inch  in 
length.  After  this  animal  becomes  introduced 
into  the  stomach  of  man,  or  other  animals  sus- 
ceptible to  its  ravages,  and  which  may  feed  upon 
flesh  infected  with  it,  the  worms  become  freed 
from  their  capsules  by  the  action  of  the  digestive 
fluid,  and  range  freely  in  the  stomach  and  intes- 
tines of  the  custodian.  Their  development  pro- 
ceeds rapidly,  and  procreation  takes  place  within 
4  or  5  days ;  each  female  gives  birth  to  from  60 
to  100  young,  and  dies  soon  after.  The  young 
thread-like  worm  remains  for  a  short  time  within 
the  lining  membrane  of  the  intestines,  causing 


MEDICAL  AND  SURGICAL. 


241 


irritatipn,  diarrhoea,  and  sometimes  death  if  pre- 
sent ia  sufficient  numbers.  After  attaining  a 
proper  size  and  strength,  these  young  trichinae 
begin  to  penetrate  the  walls  of  the  intestines,  and 
make  their  way  toward  their  proper  homes,  the 
voluntary  muscles.  In  traversing  the  muscles 
they  do  not  seem  to  penetrate  the  fibre  of  the 
muscle,  but  to  wind  their  way  between  them. 
At  this  time  they  cause  to  those  afflicted  great 
muscular  pain  and  soreness,  cramps,  and  even 
tetanic  symptoms.  After  about  4  weeks  migra- 
tion they  commence  to  encyst  themselves  in  the 
muscular  fibre,  none  having  ever  been  found 
encysted  in  fat  or  the  other  tissues.  They  per- 
forate the  walls  of  the  fibre  selected  as  their 
abode,  pass  into  it,  and  fasten  themselves  in  the 
space  so  made.  The  worm  then  secretes  a  deli- 
cate membranous  sac,  which  finally  becomes  cal- 
careous by  still  further  secretions.  It  is  only  in 
man,  however,  that  these  calcareous  cysts  have 
been  observed,  hogs  being  usually  killed  long  be- 
fore time  has  elapsed  for  the  accumulation  of  suf- 
ficient lime.  The  young  trichina  having  now 
reached  Us  torpid  stage,  it  will  so  remain  during 
the  lifetime  of  its  custodian.  It  feeds  no  longer, 
but  goes  on  slowly  in  development  until  it  has 
reached  the  condition  of  puberty,  and  then  awaits 
its  chances  of  freedom  to  "commence  its  cycle," 
They  can  breed  but  once  in  the  body  of  one  and 
the  same  animal. 

There  is  no  cure  when  once  they  find  a  lodge- 
ment in  the  human  body,  so  that  prevention  is  a 
necessity  to  all  who  would  avoid  dying  by 
trichina.  And  prevention  is  only  secured  by  not 
eating  pork.  Hog's  are  the  scavengers  of  all 
creation,  fit  only  "to  cast  out  devils  in"  and  no 
man  or  woman,  of  fine  tastes,  unless  they  are  on 
the  verge  of  starvation  will  eat  pork.  Whatever 
may  be  your  religion,  be  a  Jew  in  your  regard 
for  pork,  and  trichina,  scrofula  and  other  foul 
humors  will  never  come  near  you. 

URINE,  Suppression  of. — In  this  disease  there 
is  urine  in  the  bladder,  but  it  is  retained  from 
some  inability  to  pass  it.  There  are  several 
causes  of  suppression,  and  the  treatment  must 
vary  accordingly.  If  inflammation  of  the  neck  of 
the  bladder  has  caused  it,  warm  fomentations 
should  be  applied,  and  warm  hipbaths.  Three 
or  four  drops  of  Croton  oil  may  be  rubbed  on, 
to  bring  out  an  eruption.  Cooling  diuretics,  as 
infusions  of  marshmallow,  buchu,  or  pumpkin- 
seeds,  should  be  used, 

URINE,  Inability  to  hold. — ^This  is  quite  com- 
mon among  children,  but  is  not  common  in  adult 
life  except  among  the  old.  It  is  caused  by  irrita- 
tion of  the  roots  of  the  spinal  nerves  which  go  to 
the  bladder,  mechanical  injuries  of  the  bladder, 

Ealsy  of  the  bladder,  debility  of  the  neck  of  the 
ladder,  general  weakness  of  the  nervous  system, 
worms  in  the  bowels,  whites,  and  gravel. — 
Treatment. — Pains  should  be  taken  to  create  a 
healthy  action  of  the  skin  by  bathing  and  rub- 
bing, and,  if  in  children,  not  much  drink  should 
be  allowed  them.  When  it  proceeds  from  de- 
bility, the  compound  infusion  of  the  trailing 
arbutus,  and  a  custard  made  of  isinglass,  may  be 
used  freely.  Sometimes  cold  water  douched  upon 
the  black,  or  a  stimulating  plaster,  will  do  good 
when  the  disease  is  from  weak  nerves, 

VOMITING. — Where  vomiting  is  not  a  part 
of  some  particular  disease  and  treated  along  with 
it,  or  where  it  persists  very  obstinately,  it  may 
require  the  sixth  or  quarter  of  a  grain  of  morphia 


to  check  it.  But  generally  some  aromatic,  as 
ginger,  spearmint,  peppermint,  or  spice-tea  will 

Eut  an  end  to  it.  A  cordial  or  stimulant,  as 
randy,  champagne,  tincture  of  ginger,  paregoric; 
or  strong  coffee  without  milk  or  sugar,  will  an- 
swer as  well.  If  caused  by  irritability  of  the 
stomach,  a  pill  of  extract  of  belladonna  and 
ipecac,  will  answer  to  quiet  the  disturbance.  The 
patient  should  lie  still  in  bed,  and  in  bad  cases  a 
mustard-poultice  on  the  stomach  may  be  needed. 
The  vomiting  of  children  may  be  quieted  by  wet- 
ting a  cloth  in  laudanum,  and  laying  it  on  the 
stomach. 

In  cases  of  sea-sickness,  the  patient  should  lie 
upon  deck,  in  the  open  air  if  possible,  A  wine- 
glass of  brandy,  or  from  ten  to  forty  drops  of 
laudanum,  will  relieve  the  sickness  very  much. 
Ten  drops  of  hartshorn,  in  a  half-tumbler  of 
water,  is  very  good.  But  the  best-known  remedy 
is  chloroform,  taken  in  doses  of  from  forty  to 
eighty  drops,  suspended  in  water  by  means  of  a 
little  gum-arabic, 

IVA  TER  BRASH.— 1\i\%  consists  in  a  dis- 
charge  from  the  stomach,  generally  in  the  morn- 
ing, of  a  thin,  glairy  fluid,  sometimes  insipid, 
often  sweetish,  and  at  other  times,  sour.  A 
burning  heat  or  pain  of  the  stomach  attends  it, 
and  seems  to  cause  the  discharge.  The  amount 
thrown  up  varies  from  a  spoonful  to  a  pint  or 
more.  The  complaint  is  caused  by  a  poor,  in- 
nutritious  diet,  or  by  whatever  causes  the  blood 
to  become  thin  and  watery. —  Treatment. — Ten 
or  fifteen  drops  of  ammonia-water,  in  half  a 
tumblerful  of  cold  water,  will  quiet  the  distress, 
and  stop  the  discharge.  The  best  remedy  for 
this  discharge,  is  the  trisnitrate  of  bismuth,  taken 
at  meal  times,  three  times  a  day,  in  thirty-grain 
doses.  The  tincture  of  nux  vomica  is  good.  The 
blood  should  be  restored  by  tonics  of  some  pre- 
paration of  iron,  and  the  food  should  be  nourish- 
ing and  digestible, 

WARTS,  To  Cure. — Warts  are  formed  by 
the  small  arteries,  veins,  and  nerves  united  to- 
gether, taking  on  a  disposition  to  grow  by  extend- 
ing themselves  upward,  carrying  the  scarf-skin 
along  with  them,  which  thickening  forms  a  wart. 
Corns  are  a  similar  growth,  brought  about  by 
the  friction  of  tight  boots  and  shoes. — i.  Take  a 
piece  of  diachylon  plaster,  cut  a  hole  in  the  centre 
the  size  of  the  wart,  and  stick  it  on,  the  wart 
protruding  through.  Then  touch  it  daily  with 
aquafortis,  or  nitrate  of  silver.  They  may  be 
removed  by  tying  a  string  tightly  around  them. — 

2,  Take  a  blacksmith's  punch,  heat  it  red  hot 
and  burn  the  warts  with  the  end  of  it.  When  the 
burn  gets  well  the  warts  will  be  gone  forever. — 

3.  Scrape  down  enough  dry  cobwebs  to  make  a 
ball  large  enough  to  a  little  more  than  cover  the 
wart  and  not  touch  the  flesh  around  the  same  ; 
lay  it  on  top  of  the  wart,  ignite  it,  and  let  it  be 
until  it  is  all  burnt  up.  The  wart  will  turn  white, 
and  in  a  few  days  come  out. — 4.  Pass  a  pin 
through  the  wart;  apply  one  end  of  the  pin  to 
the  flame  of  a  lamp  ;  hold  it  there  until  the  wart 
fries  under  the  action  of  the  heat,  A  wart  so 
treated  will  leave, — 5.  Dissolve  as  much  common 
washing  soda  as  the  water  will  take  up;  wash 
the  warts  with  this  for  a  minute  or  two,  and  let 
them  dry  without  wiping.  Keep  the  water  in  a 
bottle  and  repeat  the  washing  often,  and  it  will 
take  away  the  largest  warts. — 6.  They  may  be 
cured  surely  by  paring  them  down  until  the  blood 
comes  slightly  and  then  rubbing  them  with  lunar 

16 


242 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


caustic.  It  is  needless  to  say  this  hurts  a  little, 
but  is  a  sure  cure.  The  hydrochlorate  of  lime 
applied  in  the  same  way  will  cure  after  several 
applications  and  some  patience;  so  will  strong 
wood  vinegar,  and  so  it  is  said  will  milk  weed. 
The  cures  founded  upon  superstitious  practices 
such  as  muttering  some  phrases  over  the  excres- 
cence, stealing  a  piece  of  beef,  rubbing  the  wart 
therewith  and  then  burying  it  under  the  leaves 
to  await  its  decay,  etc.,  etc.,  are  all  the  remnants 
of  a  past  state  of  ignorance  and  are  of  no  use 
whatever.  Warts  are  generally  only  temporary 
and  disappear  as  their  possessors  grow  up. 

WENS,  To  Cure.  —  Dissolve  copperas  in 
water  to  make  it  very  strong ;  now  take  a  pin, 
needle,  or  sharp  knife,  and  prick,  or  cut  the  wen 
in  about  a  dozen  places,  just  sufficient  to  cause  it 
to  bleed ;  then  wet  it  tiioroughly  with  the  cop- 
peras water,  once  daily. 

WHITLOW. —  There  are  very  few  affections 
that  commence  so  simply  but  afterwards  become 
so  painful  and  serious  in  their  results  as  whitlow. 
It  is  most  frequently  found  in  people  in  a  low 
state  of  health,  and  in  nervous  and  delicate  fe- 
males. The  commencement  of  an  attack  is  gene- 
rally marked  by  pain  and  redness  in  the  finger, 
or  palm  of  the  hand,  as  the  case  may  be.  The 
pain,  slight  at  first,  becomes  gradually  more  in- 
tense and  throbbing,  and  entirely  prevents  sleep. 
The  patient  suffers  from  loss  of  appetite,  and  falls 
into  an  irritable  state  from  the  constant  pain  and 
want  of  sleep,  and  in  some  severe  cases,  unless 
relief  is  obtained,  delirium  may  come  on.  Whit- 
low is  somtimes  found  as  a  consequence  of  cer- 
tain constitutional  diseases,  and  may  also  be 
caused  by  wounds  from  a  thorn,  a  splinter  of 
wood,  a  rusty  nail,  or  the  sting  of  a  fish.  The 
latter  is  a  common  cause  amongst  fishermen.  For 
a  cure  see  "Felon". 

WORMS. — In  grown  persons  the  symptoms 
of  worms  are  quite  obscure,  except  an  intolerable 
itching  within  the  anus,  which  generally  indicates 
pin-worms,  which  live  in  the  rectum.  In  chil- 
dren, worms,  are  indicated  by  paleness,  itching 
of  the  nose,  grinding  of  the  teeth,  and  starting 
in  sleep;  irregular  appetite,  bad  breath,  swelled 
upper  lip,  picking  of  the  nose,  and  hard,  swelled 
belly,  and  one  cheek  constantly  flushed.  —  i. 
Spirits  of  turpentine,  half  an  ounce ;  oil  of  anise, 
half  an  ounce;  castor  oil ;  one  ounce ;  wormseed 
oil,  one  ounce.  Mix.  The  dose  is,  for  a  child 
of  one  or  two  years,  ten  to  twenty  drops,  every 
two  or  three  hours.  In  three  days  a  brisk  phy- 
sic should  be  given. — 2.Carolina  pink-root,  sen- 
na leaf,  manna,  and  American  worm-seed,  of 
each  yi  ounce ;  bruise  and  pour  on  boiling  water 
I  pt;  and  steep  without  boiling.  Sweeten  well, 
add  half  as  much  milk.  Dose — A  child  of  five 
years,  may  take  i  gill  3  times  daily,  before  meals, 
or  sufficient  to  move  the  bowels  rather  freely.— r 


3.  Steep  or  boil  in  a  pewter  vessel,  oyer  a  mo- 
derate fire,  very  strong,  the  bark  of  spotted  alder 
or  witch-hazel.  For  a  year  old,  a  tablespoonful ; 
increase  the  dose  according  to  age.  Give  four 
or  five  times  a  day,  for  several  days.  It  is  sure 
and  safe.  Or  fine  powdered  sage,  mixed  with 
honey ;  a  teaspoonful  for  a  dose.  Sweetened 
milk,  with  the  addition  of  a  little  alum,  will  turn 
the  worms.  Flour  and  sulphur,  mixed  with  honey, 
is  very  good.  Heat  very  hot,  in  a  smith's  fur- 
nace, a  piece  of  steel ;  lay  on  it  a  roll  of  brim- 
stone, melt  the  steel,  let  it  fall  into  water,  and  it 
will  be  in  round  lumps.  Pound  them  very  fine, 
mix  the  dust  with  molasses.  Give  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  night  and  morning,  fasting.  Or,  give 
as  much  as  will  lie  on  a  sixpence,  of  dried  man- 
drake roots,  powdered  and  mixed  with  honey,  in 
the  morning,  three  or  four  times  successively. 
If  a  child  have  fits,  proceeding  from  worms,  give 
as  much  paregoric  as  it  can  bear;  it  will  turn  the 
worms,  and  ease  the  child.  To  prevent  worms, 
let  children  eat  onions,  raw  or  cooked.  Raw 
are  the  best.  Salt  and  water  will  turn  worms, 
and  a  dose  or  two  of  flour  and  sulphur  after, 
will  bring  them  away,  without  any  other  medicine. 
WOUNDS,  Treatment  by  Veniilatiou.—T'his 
consists,  in  fact,  ofleaving  small  wounds  exposed 
to  the  air,  and  in  acting  on  large  ones  by  means 
of  the  domestic  bellows  for  a  period  varying  from 
five  to  twenty  minutes,  every  two,  three  or  four 
hours,  according  to  the  discharge  and  moisture 
that  may  be  present.  The  object  is  to  secure 
the  formation  of  a  crust  over  the  surface  of  the 
wounds  under  which  healing  takes  place  far  more 
rapidly  than  when  the  surface  is  not  so  protected; 
and  hence  the  application  of  the  air  must  be  suf- 
ficiently frequent  and  prolonged  to  keep  up  this 
crust  of  a  certain  thickness.  When  the  crust  is 
hard,  however,  it  must  be  displaced  and  another 
formed,  and  when  the  discharge  is  very  abund- 
ant, the  alcoholic  dressings,  now  so  much  m 
vogue,  in  the  Paris  hospitals,  should,  for  a  while, 
precede  the  ventilation.  The  influence  of  this 
last  in  improving  the  condition  of  the  wound  is 
almost  immediate,  a  disposition  to  cicatrize  and 
a  diminution  of  the  discharge  soon  being  apparent. 
In  burns  of  the  second  and  third  degree,  which 
assume  the  appearance  of  a  simple  denuded 
wound,  ventilation  may  advantageously  supersede 
cotton  and  other  impermeable  applications.  This 
treatment  is  not  suited  to  deep  or  penetrating 
wounds.  Among  the  secondary  advantages  of 
the  treatment  by  ventilation,  originating  with  M. 
Boisson,  may  be  mentioned  its  simplicity,  its 
easy  applicability  by  the  patient  or  his  friends, 
its  economy  and  its  cleanliness.  It  substitutes  a 
dry  for  a  moist  surface,  diminishing  the  chance 
of  putrid  decomposition  and  of  infection  of  the 
surrounding  atmosphere. 


ORNAMENTAL  WORK. 


ANGLO-JAPANESE  WORK.— This  is  an  I  may  be  ornamented  with  these  simple  materials 
elegant  and  easy  domestic  art.  Take  yellow,  — an  old  work-box,  tea  caddy,  fire  screen,  flower 
withered  leaves,  dissolve  gum,  get  mixed  black  pots,  etc.  Select  perfect  leaves,  dry  and  press 
paint  aad  some  copal  varnish,  etc.    Any  articles  I  them  between  the  leaves  of  books,  rub  the  sur- 


ORNAMENTAL  WORK. 


243 


face  of  the  article  to  be  ornamented  with  fine 
sand  paper;  then  give  it  a  coat  of  fine  black 
paint,  which  should  be  procured  mixed  at  a  color 
shop.  When  dry,  rub  smooth  with  pumice 
stone;  then  apply  two  other  coats.  Dry;  ar- 
range leaves  in  any  order,  according  to  taste. 
Gum  the  leaves  on  the  under  side,  and  press 
them  upon  their  places.  Then  dissolve  some 
isinglass  in  hot  water,  and  brush  it  over  the  work 
while  the  solution  is  warm ;  when  dry,  give  three 
coats  of  copal  varnish,  allowing  ample  time  for 
each  coat  to  dry.  Articles  thus  ornamented  last 
for  years,  and  are  very  pleasing. 

ANTIQUE  FAINTING.— Ay^\y  with  a 
stiff  brush  a  very  thin  coat  of  Antique  varnish, 
which  will  be  thoroughly  dry  in  six  hours  ;  then 
apply  another  coat  of  the  same,  thin  and  very 
equal  and  smooth;  allow  this  to  dry  one  hour  or 
until  nearly  dry,  strongly  adhering  to  the  finger 
when  touched,  but  not  sticky.  Then  put  on  the 
engraving,  (having  dampened  it  thoroughly  with 
warm  water,  not  too  wet,  absorbing  the  extra 
moisture  with  a  cloth  or  blotter, )  with  the  face 
to  the  varnished  side  of  the  glass ;  press  it  gently 
until  every  part  adheres  to  the  surface,  rub  care- 
fully with  your  finger  a  part  of  the  figure,  being 
sure  not  to  rub  through  the  engraving;  after  it 
has  dried  twelve  hours,  wet  again  and  rub  off  all 
the  paper  leaving  only  the  engraving;  when 
again  dry  moisten  carefully  with  fine  bleached 
drying  oil.  It  is  then  fit  for  painting.  The 
colors  will  strike  through  very  freely,  as  there  is 
no  paper  left,  and  will  not  spot  as  the  Grecian  is 
liable  to  do.  Do  not  use  any  Turpentine  in  this 
style.  The  Directions  are  the  same  as  for  Gre- 
cian Painting,  except  more  pains  should  be  taken 
to  shade  and  blend  in  the  colors,  to  help  the 
shading  in  the  engraving,  particularly  the  flesh- 
color  with  the  hair. 

BOTANICAL  SPECIMENS,  To  Diy  for 
Preservation. — The  plants  you  wish  to  preserve 
should  be  gathered  when  the  weather  is  dry; 
and  after  placing  the  ends  in  water,  let  them 
remain  in  a  cool  place  till  the  next  day.  When 
about  to  be  submitted  to  the  process  of  drying, 
place  each  plant  between  several  sheets  of  blot- 
ting paper,  and  iron  it  with  a  large  smooth  heater 
pretty  strongly  warmed,  till  all  the  moisture  is 
dissipated.  Colors  may  thus  be  fixed  which 
otherwise  become  pale  or  nearly  white. 

Some  plants  require  more  moderate  heat  than 
others,  and  herein  consists  the  nicety  of  the  ex- 
periment; but  I  have  generally  found,  that  if  the 
iron  be  not  too  hot,  and  is  passed  rapidly,  yet 
carefully,  over  the  surface  of  the  blotting  paper, 
it  answers  the  purpose  equally  well  with  plants 
of  almost  every  variety  of^hue  and  thickness.  In 
compound  flowers,  with  those  also  of  a  stubborn 
and  solid  form,  some  little  care  and  skill  are  re- 
quired in  cutting  away  the  under  part,  by  which 
means  the  profile  and  forms  of  the  flowers  will 
be  more  distinctly  exhibited.  This  is  especially 
necessary  when  the  method  employd  by  Major 
Velley  is  adopted,  viz.,  to  fix  the  flowers  and 
fruit  down  securely  with  gum  upon  the  paper, 
previous  to  ironing,  by  which  means  they  be- 
come almost  incorporated  with  the  surface. 
When  this  very  delicate  process  is  attempted, 
blotting  paper  should  be  laid  under  every  part 
excepting  the  blossoms,  in  order  to  prevent 
staining  the  white  paper.  Great  care  must  be 
taken  to  keep  preserved  specimens  in  a  dry  place, 
and  also  to  handle  them  gently;  and  thus  they 


can  be  kept  a  long  time,  affording  a  source  of 
great  pleasure. 

BOUQUETS  of  Colored  Grass.— Tb^  grasses 
should  be  gathered  while  the  seeds  are  green,  so 
that  after  having  been  hung  in  a  dry,  dark  place 
a  week  or  two,  or  until  thorougly  dried,  the  seed 
will  not  rattle  off  when  shaken.  The  finer  seeded 
the  grasses  the  handsomer  the  bouquets ;  and  yet 
sprigs  of  green  oats  work  up  tastily. 

The  ingredients  required  are  simple  and  cheap, 
viz.:  Common  starch  and  dry  chrome  paints  of  as 
many  colors  as  you  wish ;  an  ounce  of  each  is 
sufficient  for  makmg  a  good  sized  bouquet.  Dis- 
solve in  cold  water  three  tablespoonfuls  of  starch; 
then  pour  on  boiling  water  until  cooked;  let 
cool ;  arrange  upon  the  table  your  paints,  grasses 
and  starch.  Into  the  starch  dip  the  sprays  re- 
quired for  the  several  colors,  shake,  and  then 
brush  into  the  paint  of  whatever  color  you  wish; 
shake  again  and  lay  them  one  side  upon  a  board 
or  convenient  place  to  let  remain  undisturbed 
until  dry.  Serve  the  sprays  for  each  different 
color  in  the  same  way.  When  dry,  lightly  shake 
off  the  the  surplus  paint,  if  any,  and  then  form 
into  bouquets.  These,  particularly  when  used  in 
connection  with  crystahzed  grasses  and  put  into 
a  nicely  made  wall-basket,  of  shield  form,  and 
hung  upon  the  wall,  or  even  into  a  vase,  are  well 
worth  the  "care  and  trouble"  of  making. 

CONE  WORK. — Select  good  clear  cones,  and 
dissect  some  which  have  handsome,  large  scales, 
and  brush  them  clean ;  lay  nice  white  putty,  or 
a  similar  adhesive  substance,  smoothly  on  your 
frame;  set  into  this  putty  whole  cones,  large  and 
small,  in  such  figures  as  suit  your  taste,  and  fill 
up  the  entire  groundwork  with  the  scales,  lapping 
one  neatly  over  the  other. 

Cut  oval  and  round  frames  for  light  pictures, 
from  bookbinder's  pasteboard,  and  cover  with 
the  scales  in  layers  or  rows.  Scallop  the  edges 
with  small  whole  cones,  set  in  large  cones  sur- 
rounded by  little  ones  equidistant,  if  the  frame 
be  broad,  and  fill  in  with  the  scales.  When  dry, 
take  out  those  which  are  not  firm,  and  replace. 
Add  acorns  ad  libitum.  Varnish  the  whole  once 
or  twice.  If  you  wish  something  nice,  go  over 
every  part  with  a  fine  brush,  and  leave  no  var- 
nish standing  in  drops. 

Cones  can  be  found  by  almost  any  one  m  an 
hour's  walk  through  pine  woods.  Indeed,  if  one 
has  a  taste  for  the  beautiful,  and  is  quick  in  per- 
ception, it  is  impossible  to  ramble  through 
wood  and  fields  without  finding  many  curiosities 
in  the  shape  of  mosses,  grasses,  cones,  etc. 

FUNGI,  To  Preserve. — Take  two  ounces  of 
sulphate  of  copper,  or  blue  vitriol,  and  reduce  it 
to  powder,  and  pour  upon  it  a  pint  of  boiling 
water,  and  when  cold,  add  half  a  pint  of  spirits 
of  wine;  cork  it  well,  and  call  it  "the  pickle." 
To  eight  pints  of  water  add  one  pint  and  a  half 
of  spirits  of  wine,  and  call  it  "the  liquor."  Be 
provided  with  a  number  of  wide-mouthed  bottles 
of  different  sizes,  all  well  fitted  vith  corks.  The 
fungi  should  be  left  on  the  table  as  long  as  pos- 
sible, to  allow  the  moisture  to  evaporate ;  they 
should  then  be  placed  in  the  pickle  for  three 
hours,  or  longer,  if  necessary ;  then  place  them 
in  the  \>ottles  intended  for  their  reception,  and 
fill  with  the  liquor.  They  should  then  be  well ; 
corked  and  sealed,  and  arranged  in  order  with 
their  names  in  front  of  the  bottles. 

DEC  A  LCOMANIA— Or  the  Art  of  Orna- 
menting China,  Glass,   Earthenware,  Wooden- 


244 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY^DAY  WANTS. 


ware.  Fancy  Boxes,  Ivory,  and  Paper  Mache 
Goods,  Japannedware,  Binding  of  Books,  Fans, 
Leather  Work,  etc.,  etc. — Directions.  —  Cover 
the  picture  entirely  (taking  care  not  to  go  beyond 
the  outhnes)  with  a  sh'ght  coat  of  fixing  varnish; 
then  put  the  picture  on  the  object  to  be  orna- 
mented, being  careful  to  place  it  properly  at  once, 
in  order  not  to  spoil  it  by  moving.  The  varnish 
newly  applied  being  too  liquid,  the  picture  should 
be  left  to  dry  eight  or  ten  minutes,  and  placed  on 
the  object  to  be  ornamented,  when  just  damp 
enough  to  be  still  adherent :  this  done,  cover  the 
back  of  the  picture  with  a  piece  of  cloth  steeped 
in  water,  then,  by  means  of  a  knife  or  pen-holder, 
rub  it  all  over,  so  as  to  fix  every  part  of  it;  then 
remove  the  piece  of  cloth  and  rinse  the  paper 
with  a  paint-brush  steeped  in  water ;  at  the  end 
of  a  few  minutes  the  paper  will  come  off,  leaving 
the  painting  transferred. 

Care  must  be  taken  that  the  piece  of  cloth, 
without  being  too  wet,  should  be  sufficiently  so 
for  the  paper  to  be  entirely  saturated.  The  pic- 
ture must  now  be  washed  with  a  wet  paint-brush, 
and  dried  very  lightly  with  some  blotting  paper. 
The  ornamented  article  should,  after  this,  be  put 
near  the  stove  or  any  other  warm  place,  to  make 
it  dry  well  and  to  improve  the  adhesiveness  of 
the  pictures.  The  polishing  varnish  should  not 
be  applied  until  the  next  day,  keeping  the  pictures 
in  the  meantime  carefully  out  of  the  dust.  The 
latter  varnish  should  be  put  on  as  lightly  as 
possible. 

If  dark -colored  objects  are  to  be  ornamented, 
such  as  bindings  of  books,  Russian  leather,  leather 
bags,  etc.,  the  picture  must  first  be  covered  with 
a  mixture  of  white  lead  and  turpentine,  following 
the  outlines  of  the  design  and  covering  it  entirely. 
When  this  coat  is  perfectly  dry,  proceed  accord- 
r  ing  to  the  above  instructions. 

To  print  on  silk,  paper,  or  materials  that  can- 
not bear  washing  after  the  process,  proceed  as 
follows  :  Cover  the  picture  entirely  with  a  light 
coat  of  fixing  varnish  and  let  it  dry  for  an  hour 
or  two ;  then  pass  a  sponge,  lightly  damped,  over 
the  whole  surface  of  the  paper,  in  order  to  take 
away  the  composition  which  is  on  it  in  the  blank 
parts,  and  which  often  cleans  the  material. 

When  the  paper  is  dry,  re-varnish  the  picture, 
and  transfer  it  on  to  the  material  by  means  of  a 
paper  cutter,  avoiding  to  employ  the  piece  of 
cloth  or  anything  damp ;  then,  with  a  paint-brush 
slightly  steeped  in  water,  wet  the  paper  lightly, 
and  leave  it  a  full  quarter  of  an  hour  on  the  ob- 
ject before  removing  it. 

To  remove  a  spoiled  print,  rub  it  with  a  soft 
rag  imbibed  in  turpentine. 

Our  readers  will  at  once  appreciate  the  merits 
of  this  invention ;  the  facility  with  which  it  can 
be  applied,  also  its  numerous  applications. 

DIAPHANIE. — ^This  is  a  process  by  means 
of  which  colored  designs  may  be  transferred 
from  the  paper  on  which  they  are  originally 
printed,  for  the  decoration  in  colors  of  glass 
which  is  intended  to  admit  light.  It  is,  in  fact, 
a  method  of  glass-staining  which  costs  only  a 
fraction  of  the  expense  of  the  ancient  process, 
produces  quite  as  bold  and  brilliant  effects,  is 
sufficiently  durable  for  all  ordinary  purposes,  and 
can  be  practised  by  amateurs  of  either  sex  at  their 
own  homes.  That  diaphanie  fully  answers  the 
purpose  for  which  it  is  mainly  intended  —  the 
staining  of  glass  —  is  abundantly  proved  by  the 
fact  that  many  church  windows  are  colored  by 


means  of  it,  and  that  they  are  esteemed  quite  as 
telling  and  beautiful  specimens  of  decoration  as 
those  that  owe  their  origin  to  the  old  and  expen- 
sive art.  For  ordinary  purposes  the  process 
may  be  described  in  a  few  words.  In  the  first 
place,  designs  must  be  obtained,  and  these  can 
be  got  in  every  variety,  and  suitable  for  any  size 
of  window  or  pane.  First  wet  the  back,  or  the 
uncolored  side,  with  a  sponge  and  cold  water, 
and  apply  a  coating  of  prepared  transferring  var- 
nish to  the  colored  surface  with  a  wide  camel- 
hair  brush.  Then  at  once  apply  the  cemented 
side  to  the  glass  in  the  proper  position,  and  press 
down  with  a  roller.  To  insure  success,  two  or 
three  sheets  of  paper  should  be  laid  upon  the 
back  of  the  design  before  the  using  of  the  roller 
is  commenced ;  then  begin  rolling  from  the  centre 
outward  to  the  circumference.  The  work  is 
now  to  be  left  until  the  varnish  has  become  per- 
fectly dry,  which  it  will  do  in  two  days.  The 
design  has  by  this  time  become  printed  upon  the 
glass,  and  the  next  step  is  to  remove  the  paper 
from  which  the  design  has  been  transferred. 
This  is  done  by  wetting  and  gently  rubbing  with 
a  cloth  or  sponge.  When  the  paper  has  been 
wholly  removed,  a  thin  coatingof  "clearingliquid" 
is  applied  to  the  design,  and  when  this  has  be- 
come perfectly  dry,  one  or  two  coatings  of  the 
"washable  varnish"  are  laid  on,  and  the  work  is 
finished. 

No  special  knowledge  of  art  is  required  for  the 
practise  of  diaphanie.  The  work  is  especially 
suitable  for  hall  and  lobby  doors  and  windows, 
for  school  and  church  windows,  staircase,  study, 
and  other  windows  in  houses  where  it  may  be 
desirable  to  shut  out  the  prospect  of  a  smoke- 
dried  back  yard,  or  a  range  of  mews.  The  spe- 
cial advantage  of  diaphanie  is  that  while  impart- 
ing a  graceful  and  artistic  character  wherever 
used,  it  does  not  exclude  the  light,  and  it  renders 
blinds  unnecessary. 

It  should  be  specially  kept  in  view  that  the 
designs  must  be  transferred  before  the  glass  is 
fitted  to  the  window,  and  that  the  colored  side 
is  kept  inwards.  The  glass  may  be  cleaned  in 
the  usual  manner,  if  ordinary  care  be  taken,  as 
the  coatings  of  "washable  varnish"  are  quite  a. 
sufficient  protection  to  the  picture. 

GAS-LIGHT  PICTURES.  —  Cut  all  the 
white  paper  close  up  to  the  engraving,  and  place 
the  engraving  on  the  glass,  like  the  Antique 
Painting,  then  paint  a  wreath  around  the  engra- 
ving, on  the  glass,  oval  shape  or  round.  Make 
a  back-ground  by  painting  the  back  board  with 
white  paint,  and  before  it  dries  take  white  or 
blue  frosting,  a  pinch  at  a  time,  with  the  fingers 
and  scatter  thickly  all  over  the  painted  board. 
When  the  board  is  dry,  shake  off  what  frosting 
there  is  that  does  not  adhere,  and  save  it  for  the 
next  time.  A  sufficient  quantity  will  adhere  to 
present  the  appearance  of^  myriads  of  diamonds, 
and  is  very  effective,  especially  by  gas-light.  In 
putting  the  back  board  on  the  picture  in  this 
style,  put  paste-board  strips  or  thin  wood  be- 
tween the  glass  and  the  back  to  keep  the  glass 
from  mashing  down  the  frosting. 

GRASSES,  To  Crystalize. — Pulverize  a  pound 
of  the  best  white  alum,  and  dissolve  it  over  a 
slow  fire  in  a  quart  of  pure,  soft  water.  Do  not 
let  it  boil,  and  be  careful  to  keep  everything  out 
of  the  solution  that  would  possibly  stain  it,  for 
the  beauty  of  the  grasses  depends  on  the  pure 
whiteness  of  the  crystals.    A  new  earthen  bowl 


ORNAMENTAL  WORK. 


245 


is  the  best  dish  for  the  purpose;  when  the  alum 
is  dissolved,  let  the  solution  cool  down  to  blood 
heat;  meanwhile  arrange  your  grasses  in  the 
bowl  and  pour  the  solution  over  them ;  cover  up 
and  set  away  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then  take 
them  out .  carefully,  dry  them  in  the  sun  four  or 
five  hours,  and  put  them  in  the  vase  prepared 
for  them. 

If  you  form  the  grasses,  etc.,  into  a  bouquet 
before  crystalizing  them,  procure  a  glazed  earthen 
jar,  suspend  the  bouquet  from  a  stick  laid  across 
the  top  of  the  jar,  take  care  that  the  tops  of  the 
grasses  are  not  bent  or  doubled  over,  and  then 
pour  on  the  solution,  proceeding  as  above  direct- 
ed. What  remains  of  the  alum  water  may  be 
reheated,  tinged  blue,  or  purple,  or  scarlet,  by  a 
few  drops  of  dye,  and  used  as  before. 

Of  course  the  same  preparation  is  suitable  for 
all  kinds  of  plants. 

GRECIAN  PAINTING.— ?TOCMre  a  light 
pine  frame,  a  trifle  larger  than  the  Engraving: 
(this  need  not  be  of  the  nicest  workmanship; 
simply  4  pieces  of  wood  nailed  together,  to  act 
as  a  support  to  the  picture  while  painting)  then 
moisten  your  Engraving  with  water,  and  while 
wet,  paste  it  to  the  frame,  dry  slowly,  not  over  a 
fire,  and  it  will  become  quite  smooth  and  tight; 
now,  moisten  again  on  the  wrong  side  with  pure 
Spirits  of  Turpentine,  and  while  wet,  with  a  coat 
of  Grecian  Varnish  on  the  same  side,  which  con- 
tinue to  apply  (keeping  damp  only,  not  too  wet, 
or  it  will  filter  through  in  spots, )  until  it  is  wholly 
transparent  and  without  spots.  If  it  is  found 
('ifficuit  to  remove  the  spots,  apply  the  second 
coat  of  Spirits  and  afterwards  the  Grecian  Var- 
nish. When  ready  to  paint,  the  back  will  have 
an  even  gloss  all  over  it.  When  perfectly  clear 
it  should  remain  two  or  three  days  before  paint- 
ing, which  is  done  on  the  side  that  you  have  var- 
nished, the  shading  of  the  Engraving  serving  the 
same  purpose  in  painting;  this  process  is  so 
simple  that  a  child  able  to  read  this  can  under- 
stand it.  Varnish  the  picture  but  once,  on  the 
face  after  it  is  framed,  (not  before,)  with  outside 
varnish ;  this  must  be  put  on  evenly,  and  with 
care  that  it  does  not  run ;  have  but  little  in  the 
brush  at  a  time. 

LEAF  IN  COPPER,  To  make  a  FacSimilie 
of. — This  beautiful  experiment  can  be  performed 
by  any  person  in  possession  of  a  common  galvanic 
battery.  The  process  is  as  follows : — Soften  a 
piece  of  gutta-percha  over  a  candle,  or  before  a 
fire ;  knead  it  with  the  moist  fingers  upon  a  table, 
until  the  surface  is  large  enough  to  cover  the  leaf 
to  be  copied ;  lay  the  leaf  flat  upon  the  surface, 
and  press  every  part  well  into  the  gum.  In 
about  five  minutes  the  leaf  may  be  removed, 
when,  if  the  operation  has  been  carefully  per- 
formed a  perfect  impression  of  the  leaf  will  be 
made  on  the  gutta-percha-  This  must  now  be 
attached  to  the  wire  in  connection  with  the  zinc 
end  of  the  battery  (which  can  easily  be  done  by 
heating  the  end  of  the  wire,  and  pressing  it  into 
the  gutta-percha),  dusted  well  over  with  the  best 
black  lead,  with  a  camel's  hair  brush — the  object 
of  which  is  to  render  it  a  conductor  of  electricity, 
and  then  completely  immersed  in  a  saturated 
solution  of  sulphate  of  copper.  A  piece  of  copper 
attached  to  the  wire  in  connection  ^vith  the  cop- 
per end  of  the  battery,  must  also  be  inserted  into 
the  copper  solution,  facing  the  gutta-percha,  but 
not  touching  it ;  this  not  only  acts  as  a  conductor 
to  the  electricity,  but  also  maintains  the  solution 


of  copper  of  a  permanent  strength.  In  a  short 
time  the  copper  will  be  found  to  creep  over  the 
whole  surface  of  the  gutta-percha,  and  in  about 
twenty-four  hours,  a  thick  deposit  of  copper  will 
be  obtained,  which  may  then  be  detached  from 
the  mould.  The  accuracy  with  which  a  leaf  may 
thus  be  cast  is  truly  surprising. 

Casts  taken  in  this  way  delineate  every  fiber 
and  nerve,  in  fact,  the  minutest  arts,  with  the 
greatest  fidelity. 

LEAVES,  PLANTS,  ETC.,  To  Take  Im- 
pression of. — Take  half  a  sheet  of  fine  wove  paper 
and  oil  it  well  with  sweet  oil ;  after  it  has  stood 
a  minute  or  two,  to  let  it  soak  through,  rub  off 
the  superfluous  oil  with  a  piece  of  paper,  and  let 
it  hang  in  the  air  to  dry ;  after  the  oil  is  pretty 
well  dried  in,  take  a  lighted  candle,  and  move 
the  paper  over  it,  in  a  horizontal  direction,  so  as 
to  touch  the  flame,  till  it  is  perfectly  black. — 
When  you  wish  to  take  off  impressions  of  plants, 
lay  your  plant  carefully  on  the  oiled  paper,  lay  a 
piece  of  clean  paper  over  it,  and  rub  it  with  your 
finger  equally  in  all  parts  for  half  a  minute  ;  then 
take  up  your  plant  and  be  careful  not  to  disturb 
the  order  of  the  leaves,  and  place  it  on  the  paper 
on  which  you  wish  to  have  the  impression  ;  then 
cover  it  with  a  piece  of  blotting  paper,  and  rub 
it  with  your  finger  for  a  short  time,  and  you  will 
have  an  impression  superior  to  the  finest  engrav- 
ing. The  same  piece  of  black  paper  will  serve 
to  take  off  a  great  number  of  impressions.  The 
principal  excellence  of  this  method  is,  that  the 
paper  receives  the  impression  of  the  most  minute 
veins  and  hairs,  so  that  you  obtain  the  general 
character  of  most  flowers.  The  impression  may 
afterwards  be  colored. 

LEAVES,  SKELETON— 'S&.e^^K.ori  leaves 
are  among  the  most  beautiful  objects  in  nature, 
and  as  they  can  be  arranged  either  in  groups  un- 
der glass  shades,  made  into  pictures,  as  it  were, 
and  hung  against  the  wall,  or  placed  in  either 
blank-books  or  albums,  they  come  within  the 
means  of  all,  and  can  be  used  to  decorate  the 
palace  or  the  cottage.  The  most  suitable  leaves 
for  the  purpose  are  those  from  what  botanists 
call  exogenous  plants,  and  may  be  known  by  the 
veins  of  the  leaf  branching  from  a  central 
vein  or  midrib ;  those  from  endogenous  plants 
rising  from  the  base  and  curving  towards  the 
apex  of  the  leaf.  The  object  in  view  is  to  de- 
stroy what  may  be  called  the  fleshy-part  of  the  leaf, 
as  well  as  the  skin,  leaving  only  the  ribs  or  veins. 
The  most  successful,  and  probably  the  simplest, 
way  to  do  this  is  to  macerate  the  leaves  in  rain- 
water till  they  are  decomposed.  For  this  pur- 
pose, when  the  leaves  are  collected  they  should 
be  placed  in  an  earthen-ware  pan  or  a  wooden 
tub,  kept  covered  with  rain-water,  and  alloived 
to  stand  in  the  sun.  In  about  a  fortnight's  time 
they  should  be  examined,  and  if  found  pulpy  and 
decaying,  will  be  ready  for  skeletonizing,  for 
which  process  some  cards,  a  camel's-hair  brush, 
as  well  as  one  rather  stiff  (a  tooth-brush,  for  in- 
stance), will  be  required."  When  all  is  prepared, 
gently  float  a  leaf  on  to  a  card,  arici  with  the  soft 
brush  carefully  remove  the  skin.  Have  ready  a 
basin  of  clean  water,  and  when  the  skin  of  one 
side  is  completely  removed,  reverse  the  card  in 
the  water,  and  slip  it  under  the  leaf,  so  that  the 
other  side  is  uppermost.  Brush  this  to  remove 
the  skin,  when  the  fleshy  part  will  most  likely 
come  with  it ;  but  if  not,  it  will  readily  wash  out 
in  the  basin  of  water. 


246 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


If  particles  of  the  green-colored  matter  still  ad- 
here to  the  skeleton,  endeavor  to  remove  them 
with  the  soft  brush ;  but  if  that  is  of  no  avail,  the 
hard  one  must  be  used.  Great  care  will  be  ne- 
cessary to  avoid  breaking  the  skeleton,  and  the 
hard  brush  should  only  be  used  in  a  perpen- 
dicular direction  (a  sort  of  gentle  tapping),  as 
any  horizontal  motion  or  "brushing"  action  will 
infallibly  break  the  skeleton.  Never  attempt  to 
touch  the  leaves  or  the  skeleton  in  this  state  with 
the  fingers,  as  when  they  are  soft  their  own 
weight  will  often  break  them. 

A  very  good  way  of  bleaching  the  skeletons  is 
to  prepare  a  solution  of  chloride  of  lime,  which 
must  be  allowed  to  settle,  and  the  clear  liquid 
poured  into  a  basin,  in  which  the  skeletons  may 
be  put  by  floating  them  off  the  card.  It  is  as 
well  to  have  half  a  dozen  ready  to  bleach  at  once, 
as  they  require  watching,  and  if  allowed  to  re- 
main in  too  long  will  fall  to  pieces.  From  two 
to  four  hours  will  generally  suffice  to  bleach  the 
skeleton  of  all  ordinary  leaves,  after  which  they 
should  be  washed  in  several  changes  of  water, 
and  finally  left  in  clean  water  for  half  an  hour. 

After  the  leaf  has  been  sufficiently  washed  it 
should  be  floated  on  to  a  card  and  dried  as  quickly 
as  possible,  care  being  taken  to  arrange  the  skele- 
ton perfectly  flat,  and  as  near  as  possible  to  the 
natural  shape.  This  can  be  done  with  the  as- 
sistance of  the  soft  brush.  When  dry  the  skele- 
ton should  be  perfectly  white,  and  should  be 
mounted  on  dark  backgrounds,  as  black  velvet 
or  paper. 

Well-grown  leaves  should  always  be  chosen, 
and  be  thoroughly  examined  for  flaws  before 
maceration.  Leaves  containing  much  tannin 
cann6t  be  skeletonized  by  this  process,  but  are 
generally  placed  in  a  box  with  a  number  of  cad- 
dis worms,  which  eat  away  the  fleshy  parts,  when 
the  skeletons  can  be  bleached  in  the  usual  way. 
Holly  leaves  must  be  placed  in  a  separate  vessel 
on  account  of  their  spines,  which  would  be  apt  to 
damage  other  leaves ;  they  make  beautiful  skele- 
tons, and  are  sufficiently  strong  to  be  moved  with 
the  fingers. 

LEATHER  WORK'.—T]\&  materials  re- 
quired are  the  basil  leather,  thin  skiver  leather, 
a  bottle  of  oak  varnish,  Kquid  glue,  stiffening, 
small  hammer,  veining  tool,  brad  awl,  scissors, 
sharp  knife,  cutting  board,  mold  (or  grapes  for 
large  peas)  brushes,  black  lead  pencil  and  the 
frame,  bracket  or  whatever  you  wish  to  orna- 
ment. 

The  leather  used  for  general  purposes  is  basil; 
it  should  be  of  an  even  texture,  close  grain,  free 
from  grease,  hard,  and  of  a  light  color  as  the 
lighter  colored  takes  the  oak  varnish  stain  better 
than  the  dark.  There  is  a  faced  basil  very  at- 
tractive to  the  eye,  but  unserviceable  for  many 
operations  where  firmness  is  required ;  it  an- 
swers well  for  rolling  into  stems  M'hen  the  work 
is  intended  to  be  colored.  Lamb  skin  and  deer 
skin  may  be  used  in  some  parts  but  in  all  cases, 
avoid  a  soft,  flabby  ftnd  of  leather ;  the  skiver 
leather  is  used  for  making  grapes,  but  old  kid 
gloves  can  take  the  place  of  this  very  well. 

For  making  the  leaves. — Select  a  leaf  such  as 
you  wish  to  make;  sketch  it  carefully  on  paste 
board  and  cut  it  out  thin ;  place  a  piece  of  leather 
in  cold  water  for  half  a  minute  (not  longer),  un- 
less the  leather  is  unusually  thick.  Take  it  out  of 
the  water  and  press  in  a  linen  cloth  until  the 
surface  becomes  dry.  Place  it  flat  upon  a  smooth 


board  and  place  upon  it  your  pasteboard  pattern 
and  draw  around  it  with  a  fine  lead  pencil,  while 
the  leather  is  damp ;  cut  out  the  leaf  with  a  pair 
of  scissors  or  knife.  Small  or  large  leaves  may 
be  made  in  the  same  way. 

Vein  the  leaves  with  the  veining  tool  (using  it 
as  a  lead  pencil  in  drawing  upon  the  smooth  side 
of  the  leaf;  bear  heavily  where  the  strong  inden- 
tations are  required  and  lightly  where  the  finer 
veins  are  wanted.  Each  leaf  must  now  be  bent 
and  molded  to  suit  the  position  it  is  to  occupy 
when  the  work  is  done ;  they  should  now  be 
dried  quickly  and  hardened  ;  this  is  done  by  ap- 
plying a  coating  of  the  prepared  stiffening.  Great 
care  should  be  taken  to  cover  the  edges ;  a  rather 
large  camel's  hair  pencil  is  the  best  to  apply  it 
with ;  the  leaves  will  soon  dry  and  be  ready  for 
the  staining.  Brush  them  over  with  the  oak  stain 
varnish,  thinly  but  evenly  ;  a  child's  hair  brush 
is  best  for  this.  The  stain  must  not  be  allowed 
to  lodge  in  the  veined  parts,  or  the  veins  will 
appear  too  black.  When  the  leaves  are  dry  they 
are  ready  for  use,  if  they  are  not  dark  enough  a 
second  application  of  the  stain  will  be  needed. 

To  make  stems,  etc. — Cut  strips  of  basil  one- 
third  of  an  inch  wide  and  as  long  as  the  leather 
will  allow,  soak  thoroughly  in  water ;  then  roll 
up,  the  smooth  side  out,  as  round  as  possible, 
on  a  table  or  other  smooth  surface.  Dry  quickly 
by  the  fire.  If  the  stems  are  wanted  very  ^tiff 
wire  should  be  rolled  inside  the  leather.  A  pret- 
tier effect  is  produced  by  cutting  the  stem  and 
leaf  in  one  piece  and  made  to  look  like  a  vine. 

To  make  Tendrils. — Tendrils  are  made  the 
same  as  stems,  using  the  skiver  leather  instead 
of  the  basil.  Take  a  piece  of  the  prepared  tendril 
the  length  required  for  winding ;  damp  it  slightly 
and  immediately  wind  it  around  the  point  of  a 
brad  awl,  taking  care  to  secure  both  ends  of  the 
tendril ;  dry  by  the  fire,  and  remove  from  the 
awl,  and  a  delicately  formed  tendril  will  be  the 
result.  The  stems  and  tendrils  should  be  hard- 
ened and  stained  in  the  same  way  as  the  leaves. 

Flowers  should  be  made  in  as  few  pieces  as 
possible.  Roses,  Dahlias,  etc.,  can  be  formed 
very  prettily ;  the  number  of  stamina  should  be 
carefully  observed  and  inserted  in  the  middle  of 
the  flower  using  wire  for  the  stems. 

For  Grapes. — Large  sized  round  peas  are  good; 
for  this  cut  from  your  skiver  or  old  kid,  rounds 
of  the  right  size  ;  strain  and  tie  closely  over  the 
pea,  winding  tightly  the  loose  ends  of  the  kid  to 
form  a  ^tem ;  they  should  be  stained  and  made 
into  clusters,  it  is  necessary  to  observe  in  making 
the  clusters,  that  the  tying  should  be  entirely 
concealed. 

To  make  Acorns. — Procure  some  natural  acorn 
cups,  choose  such  cups  as  are  perfectly  sound, 
pierce  two  holes  through  the  bottom  of  the  cup, 
pass  a  piece  of  fine  wire  through  the  holes,  lear- 
mg  the  two  ends  long  enough  to  be  twisted  into 
a  stalk ;  if  the  stalk  is  to  be  exposed  it  must  be  cov- 
ered with  skiver  and  made  fast  with  glue.  The 
most  correctly  formed  acorn  tops  are  those  turn- 
ed in  wood,  which  can  be  firmly  placed  in  the 
cup  with  the  aid  of  glue. 

To  cover  a  frame. — Procure  a  wood  frame  the 
size  and  form  required,  taking  care  to  have  it 
made  of  well  seasoned  wood ;  size  it  all  over  with 
patent  size.  Leave  it  for  an  hour  to  dry,  then 
apply  a  coating  of  oak  varnish  stain  and  when  dry 
it  is  ready  for  use.  Commence  the  process  of 
covering  by  attaching  the  stems  with  small  tacks 


ORNAMENTAL   WORK. 


247 


all  around  in  a  zig-zag  direction.  If  the  vine 
pattern  frame  is  selected,  cover  the  wood  with 
four  or  five  gradations  of  foliage,  well  arranged 
so  as  to  preserve  as  nearly  as  possible  the  na- 
tural appearance  of  the  vine.  Too  great  a  pro- 
fusion  of  grapes  should  be  avoided,  one  large 
cluster  in  each  corner,  (if  the  frame  is  square)  to 
hang  down  over  the  glass,  and  give  it  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  round  frame  in  tlie  inside,  is  very 
handsome. 

MODELING  IN  CLA  Y.  —  As  an  in- 
teresting, intellectual  occupation  for  leisure  hours, 
modeling  in  clay  has  recently  been  looked  upon, 
especially  by  ladies,  with  growing  favour.  The 
occupation  is  really  a  cleanly  one,  though  at  first 
it  might  not  be  thought  so.  The  clay  employed 
is*  fine  white  clay — the  clay  of  which  pipes  are 
made,  —  and  is  readily  removed  by  washing. 
And  though  no  sensible  amateur  would  willingly 
set  up  his  modeling  apparatus  in  a  drawing- 
room  if  he  could  obtain  the  use  of  a  room  less 
expensively  furnished,  yet  even  here  the  work 
may  be  carried  on  by  an  ordinarily  careful  person 
without  endangering  carpet  or  furniture. 

Of  the  noble  art  of  sculpture,  modeling  is  by 
far  the  most  important  part — is  the  only  part,  in 
fact,  which  exclusively  employs  the  genius  of  the 
sculptor  himself;  for  the  subsequent  processes  of 
casting  and  carving  in  marble  are  carried  out  in 
great  part,  if  not  entirely,  by  workmen  and  as- 
sistants. The  tools  employed  are  chiefly  those 
with  which  nature  has  furnished  us — the  fingers 
and  thumbs ;  and,  as  clay  can  be  purchased  for  a 
mere  trifle,  the  material  required  in  modeling 
will  cost  the  amateur  no  more  than  a  very  few 
shillings. 

In  carving  we  cut  down  our  material  to  the  de- 
sired form;  in  modeling  we  build  up  our  clay  to 
the  required  form.  The  process  consists  of  lay- 
ing on  the  clay  and  smoothing  down  until  gra- 
dually the  model  assumes  the  full  proportions  of 
the  object  we  desire  to  reproduce.  Suppose, 
then,  we  have  to  copy  a  vase  in  low  relief,  from 
a  plaster  cast.  We  place  the  cast  before  us  ;  and 
having  provided  a  slate  slab,  we  draw  upon  the 
slab  the  outline  of  the  cast  with  a  slate  pencil. 
Preserving  this  drawing  as  the  outline,  we  com- 
mence to  lay  on  the  clay,  modeling  it  as  we  pro- 
ceed with  the  fingers.  This  process  is  continued 
until  the  model  projects  from  the  slab  precisely 
as  the  vase  does  in  the  casts ;  and  is,  in  fact,  a 
fac-simile  of  it.  If  the  face  have  no  ornamenta- 
tion upon  it — and  the  simplest  possible  copy 
should  be  selected  for  a  first  attempt  in  modeling 
— this  work  may  all  be  done  with  the  fingers. 
When  there  is  ornamentation,  the  clay  must  be 
laid  on  cautiously  and  worked  into  form  by 
means  of  the  tools,  which  are  usually  made  of 
boxwood,  with  points  resembling  the  extremities 
of  the  fingers  in  shape.  When  the  student  has 
had  some  little  practice  in  manipulating  the  clay 
and  reproducing  simple  forms,  he  should  attempt 
to  copy  a  simple  mask — like  that  of  Dant« — in 
which  the  surfaces  are  broad,  the  features  large 
and  sharply  defined,  so  that  the  whole  of  the  work 
may  be  done  with  the  thumbs  and  fingers. 
These  masks  or  face  may  be  obtained  at  a  trifling 
cost  from  any  figure  moulder. 

MONO  CROMA  TIC  DRA  WING.  —  The 
board,  or  material  suitable  for  this  drawing,  can 
be  purchased  at  any  artist  store,  either  in  tinted 
or  plain  colors.  You  need  tor  this  painting  a 
knife  or  eraser,  crayons,   fine  sponge,  pencils, 


cork,  rubber,  piece  of  kid,  and  crayon  holders. 
Fold  several  pieces  of  kid  and  soft  leather,  and 
use  in  shading  the  sharp-folded  corners ;  also, 
double  some  pieces  over  the  ends  of  pointed  and 
rounded  sticks  ;  the  learner  wU  find  use  for  se- 
veral kinds.  Always  commence  painting  with 
the  dark  shades,  and  blend  gradually  into  the 
light.  For  very  dark  shades,  rub  the  crayon  di- 
rectly upon  the  surface  with  a  light  hand,  and 
blend  off  carefully. 

Paint  the  sky  first,  as  in  water  colors.  It  is 
well  to  shade  distant  mountains  very  light  first, 
and  be  sure  to  have  the  edges  soft  and  faint. 

For  water,  scrape  some  black  crayon  into  pow- 
der, and  lay  it  on  your  board  with  the  kid,  work- 
ing it  horizontally,  and  making  the  light  and 
shades  stronger  as  it  comes  nearer.  Your  sponge 
may  do  good  in  rendering  the  water  transparent 
Make  sharp  lights  with  the  penknife.  Ruins 
overgrown  with  moss,  and  dilapidated  buildings, 
may  make  pretty  pictures.  We  have  seen  moon- 
light views,  in  this  style  of  painting,  more  beau- 
tiful than  anything  else. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  to  do  the  foliage 
well.  Many  a  picture,  which  would  otherwise 
have  been  good,  has  been  spoiled  by  a  stiff,  ugly 
tree.  By  the  delicate  use  of  the  round  point  of 
a  penknife,  beautiful  effects  can 'be  produced  in 
crayon  shading.  Figures,  animals,  etc.,  are  put 
in  last,  and  a  person  knowing  how  to  shade  in 
pencil  will  find  no  difficulty  in  this, 

MOSS  ArOi?A'.— Collecting  and  arranging, 
in  various  forms  of  grace  and  beauty,  the  delicate 
and  many-colored  mosses  with  which  our  fields 
and  forests  abound,  has  long  been  a  favorite 
pastime  with  all  lovers  of  the  beautiful  in  nature. 
A  fertile  imagination  and  inventive  mind  will 
readily  perceive  the  many  objects  for  which  moss 
work  is  well  adapted. — Vases,  neatly  and  taste- 
fully covered  with  delicate  mosses,  arranged  with 
an  eye  to  the  harmony  of  colors,  are  very  appro- 
priate for  holding  dried  grasses ;  crosses,  little 
towers,  "ancient  and  moss-grown,"  for  watch 
stands  ;  frames  for  holding  collections  of  leaves, 
grasses  or  flowers  ;  indeed,  it  is  needless  to  par- 
ticularize. Beautiful  landscapes  can  be  made, 
closely  resembling  nature. 

Collect  all  the  varieties  of  wood  moss,  beauti- 
ful bits  of  bark  and  dried  leaves  within  your 
reach. — Make  a  design — perhaps  of  a  landscape 
— in  which  are  ruins,  rocks,  etc.  Paint  a  sky, 
as  in  water  colors  ;  then  glue  thin  bits  of  bark 
and  moss  on  the  ruins ;  moss  on  rocks ;  dried 
forest  leaves  on  the  distant  mountains,  and  the 
bright-colored  and  green  mosses  of  various  hues 
on  the  foreground.  Such  a  landscape  is  cal- 
culated to  draw  out  the  ingenuity  of  the  pupil, 
and  requires  no  little  study,  and  when  well  done, 
is  a  very  pleasant  picture.     Set  in  a  deep  frame. 

ORIENTAL  FAINTING.— Set  "Theorem 
Painting". 

PAPER  /rZC'/F^i?^.— Occasionally  we  see 
very  handsome  paper  flowers  ;  but  then  they  are 
made  by  persons  of  taste  with  great  care  and 
from  the  best  of  French  tissue  paper. 

Dip  a  large  camel's  hair  pencil  in  thin  gum 
arabic,  and  brush  quickly  over  the  whole  surface 
of  the  paper  from  which  you  intend  to  cut  your 
flower ;  this  fills  the  pores  of  the  paper,  and 
gives  it  a  little  stiffness. 

Cut  roses,  japonicas,  etc.,  from  paper  patterns; 
then  paint  with  water  color.  Form  the  petal 
with  your  fingers  and  a  pair  of  scissors.     Cut  a 


248 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


fringe  of  yellow  paper  for  stamens.  Make  your 
leaves  and  calyx  of  green  tissue  paper,  well  sized 
with  gum.  Cover  fine  well-annealed  wire  with 
green  paper  for  stalks,  and  fasten  the  parts  of  the 
flower  together  with  gum. 

For  a  daisy,  chrysanthemum,  or  aster,  double 
the  paper  two  or  three  times ;  cut  down  two 
thirds;  roll  the  uncut  side  firmly  round  and 
round  the  bent  end  of  a  piece  of  wire  suitable  for 
the  stalk. 

Buds,  pericarps,  etc.,  are  made  either  by  stuff- 
ing with  a  bit  of  cotton,  or  winding  up  paper. 

Variegated  pinks  look  well.  Paint  strips  of 
paper  in  plashes  here  and  there,  as  you  see  on 
the  petal  of  the  carnation — some  very  dark  car- 
mine, some  merely  light  touches.  Cut  off  suit- 
able width  for  petals,  and  wind  around  a  paper 
center.     Take  natural  flowers  for  models. 

PEARL  WORK  (^Imitation),  for  Embroidery. 
— We  do  not  think  that  a  preparation  of  fish 
scales  has  ever  been  used  in  this  country  instead 
of  the  so  much  admired  pearl ;  and  so  we  give  it 
to  our  readers,  knowing  that  they  will  like  some- 
thing entirely  new. 

Take  the  shining  scales  from  a  carp,  or  any 
other  fish — the  larger  the  scales,  the  better ;  put 
them  in  strong  salt  water  over  night ;  lay  them 
on  a  linen  cloth  or  smooth  board;  wipe  them 
carefully  on  both  sides,  and  lay  them  between 
clean,  strong  paper,  under  a  board,  on  which 
place  a  weight ;  let  them  remain  a  day  or  two, 
until  the  scales  are  pressed  dry  and  become  hard. 
Draw  something,  say  an  ivy  leaf,  on  strong  draw- 
ing paper ;  cut  it  out,  and  lay  it  on  each  scale  as  a 
pattern,  by  which  to  cut  the  scales  with  very  fine 
scissors.  Such  a  pattern  however,  is  superfluous  to 

f)ersons  acquainted  with  drawing,  who  can  cut 
eaves  of  that  kind  without  one.  Vein  your  scale 
leaves  with  a  fine  steel  needle  ;  do  it  slowly,  bearing 
on  hard  to  give  clearness ;  the  leaves  are  now  ready. 

Stretch  a  rich,  dark-colored  silk  velvet  tightly 
in  an  embroidery  frame ;  place  the  pattern,  which 
you  intend  to  copy,  before  you,  and  imitate  it  by 
sewing  the  scale  leaves,  one  at  a  time,  on  the 
velvet,  with  fine  gold  thread,  and  the  leaf  stalks 
and  tendrils  embroidered  with  the  same.  It  is 
well  to  draw  the  thread  through  water  before 
using  it,  to  render  it  flexible. 

The  beautiful  effect  produced  by  this  simple 
process  fully  repays  one  for  the  trouble.  That 
manifold  changes  may  be  made  according  to  the 
taste  and  ingenuity  of  the  copyist,  is  evident  to 
the  reader. 

POTCHIMONI.—Tske  plain  glass  jars  or 
vases,  in  any  shape,  and  clean  them  thoroughly ; 
then  obtain  two  or  three  sheets  of  figures,  flowers, 
or  views,  in  imitation  of  Chinese,  Egyptian,  or 
Swiss  painting.  These  goods,  as  well  as  the 
jars,  can  be  obtained  in  any  of  the  principal 
cities.  Now,  in  whatever  style  you  determine  to 
ornament  your  vase  or  jar  in,  cut  out  the  figures 
from  your  sheet  and  secure  them  in  different 
parts  inside  the  jar,  with  the  figures  looking  out- 
wards. The  best  material  for  making  them  ad- 
here is  to  boil  a  piece  of  parchment ;  this  makes 
a  good  size.  Having  secured  the  prints,  make  a 
varnish  of  balsam  of  fir  and  turpentine,  and  apply 
all  over  inside  with  a  fine  brush.  When  the  first 
coat  is  dry,  give  another  coat;  now  take  any 
color  you  choose — black,  blue,  green,  yellow, 
white,  pink,  brown  or  red — and  grind  the  paint 
fine  with  the  best  white  varnish,  and  apply  a  coat 
of  this  paint  over  the.  whole  inside;  let  it  dry, 


and  then  repeat  coat  upon  coat  until  the  color  is 
sufficiently  strong  to  show  even  and  bright  out- 
side. Jars  and  vases  may  be  decorated  in  end- 
less variety  by  this  method.  Some  use  cuttings 
of  prints,  silks,  etc. 

SHELL  WORE'.  — This  is  very  pretty  for 
vases,  frames,  boxes,  etc.  Many  shell  flowers, 
animals,  birds,  and  the  like,  are  brought  here 
from  the  Mediterranean.  \\e  have  seen  some 
that  we  would  like  to  own ;  but  in  general  they 
have  a  stiff  appearance.  However,  we  will  tell 
you  how  they  are  made. 

Assort  your  shells  according  to  size  and  color 
— the  more  rice  and  other  small  shells  you  have, 
the  better.  Melt  white  wax  and  glue  together, 
two  parts  of  the  former  and  one  of  the  latter. 
Have  a  clear  idea  of  what  you  intend  to  do ;  or, 
what  is  better,  make  a  pattern  before  you  begin 
to  set  your  shells.  If  you  will  onipnient  a  box, 
a  rose  in  the  center  looks  well.  Take  thin  round 
shells,  those  most  resembling  rose  leaves,  of  the 
smaller  size,  and  dipping  the  lower  ends  in  the 
hot  wax  mixture,  set  them  close  together  for  the 
center  of  a  rose;  place  other  similar  shaped  shells 
around  in  circles,  the  largest  outward.  Care  must 
be  taken  to  form  the  shells  into  perfect  circles, 
and  to  take  up  wax  enough  to  make  them  adhere 
to  the  cover.  Shells  of  different  form,  say  more 
oblong,  can  be  used  for  leaves.  After  arranging 
such  figures  as  you  like  with  the  shells  you  have, 
fill  up  the  spaces  with  the  very  small  ones.  Rice 
shells  are  the  prettiest,  but  they  are  costly.  Some 
prefer  sticking  the  shells  into  a  puttied  surface, 
which  does  very  well.  Varnish  with  a  very  little 
copal  varnish,  using  great  care. 

SHELLS,  Etching. — It  is  done  simply  by 
means  of  acids.  The  parts  not  to  be  acted  upon 
must  be  protected  by  a  so-called  etching-ground, 
which  is  nothing  but  a  thin  layer  of  varnish  black- 
ened in  a  flame  so  as  to  see  plainly  the  figures 
afterward  drawn  on  it.  Be  careful  when  doing 
this  to  make  a  clear  drawing  or  writing  in  which 
the  shell  is  exposed  at  the  bottom  of  every  line, 
as  any  remaining  varnish  would  protect  those 
parts,  and  the  writing  would  not  be  brought  out. 
The  acid,  either  strong  acetic,  diluted  nitric,  or 
hydro-chloric,  is  then  applied,  and  when  its  action 
is  sufficient  it  is  washed  off  with  water,  the 
varnish  is  rubbed  off  with  turpentine  or  alcohol ; 
when  the  drawing  or  lettering  will  appear,  and 
look  as  if  cut  in  with  an  engraver's  tool.  You 
may  also  make  your  design  with  varnish  on  the 
shell  by  means  of  a  fine  brush,  then  the  acid  will 
dissolve  the  surface  around  the  lines  drawn, 
when  the  writing  will  appear  in  relief,  the  letters 
being  elevated  in  place  of  being  sunk  in  as  by  the 
former  process.  The  latter  is  the  more  common 
way  in  which  these  shells  are  treated.  This 
method  is  applied  to  many  other  objects;  all 
that  is  wanted  being  a  liquid  dissolving  the  ma- 
terial to  be  acted  upon,  and  a  varnish  to  protect 
some  parts  from  its  action. 

THEOREM  FAINTING.— This  style  of 
painting  has  been  called  Oriental  Painting,  and 
several  other  names.  It  is  best  adapted  to  fruits, 
birds,  etc.  It  enables  you  to  paint  on  paper, 
silk,  velvet,  crape,  and  light-colored  wood. 

To  Make  Horn  Paper. — Take  equal  parts 
mastic  and  Japan  varnish ;  add  to  it  half  as  much 
balsam  of  fir  as  there  is  of  either  of  the  varnishes, 
and  a  piece  of  white  wax  the  size  of  a  thimble; 
simmer  together  till  the  wax  is  melted.  If  it  is 
too  thick,  add  a  little  spirits  of  turpentine. — Put 


ORNAMENTAL  WORK. 


249 


it  on  one  side  of  the  paper  while  it  is  warm,  the 
paper  having  previously  been  prepared  with 
painters'  oil,  to  make  it  transparent.  The  oil 
must  be  put  upon  both  sides  rather  warm,  and 
the  whole  of  the  paper  lie  together  one  night ; 
then  wiped  with  a  cloth  to  absorb  the  oil  on  the 
surface,  and  dried  one  week  in  the  sun  before 
varnishing.  Each  side  of  the  paper  must  be  var- 
nished twice,  and  the  greatest  care  taken  to  dry 
it  well. 

Trace  the  picture  to  be  copied  on  white  paper 
with  a  soft  lead  pencil,  and  mark  those  parts 
which  do  not  touch  each  other  with  a  figure  I. 
Mark  another  piece  of  horn  paper  for  theorem  2, 
and  cut  again.  Thus  continue  till  you  have 
enough  theorems  for  your  whole  picture.  It 
takes  mora  time  to  cut  a  set  of  theorems  nicely 
than  to  draw  one  picture;  but  a  good  set  of 
theorems  is  equal  to  twenty  or  thirty  sketches, 
and  the  durability  depends  upon  the  care  with 
which  you  treat  them.  You  need  a  brush  for 
every  color  used;  of  course,  you  must  have 
plenty  of  stiff  brushes.  Put  a  few  drops  of  water 
on  your  palette  with  the  end  of  the  brush,  to 
avoid  dipping  the  bristles  in  water. 

Lay  the  theorem  on  the  paper  to  be  painted. 
Good  drawing  paper  is  best  for  the  first  attempt. 
Press  the  theorem  firmly  down  at  each  corner 
with  weights,  and  then  proceed  to  paint.  Com- 
mence with  a  leaf;  take  plenty  of  paint,  a  very 
little  moist,  on  your  brush,  and  pamt  in  the  cut 
leaf  of  the  theorem ;  hold  the  brush  upright,  and 
work  quickly  with  a  circular  motion.  Commence 
a  little  distance  from,  and  work  towards,  the 
edges.  If  you  take  enough  paint,  it  goes  on 
smoothly;  if  too  much,  it  looks  dauby;  if  too 
little,  spotted.  In  shading  leaves,  cut  bits  of 
horn  paper  on  the  edge,  in  the  form  of  large 
veins,  and  laying  on  the  leaf  already  painted, 
paint  from  this  edge  into  the  leaf.  Slip  the  pa- 
per and  paint  other  vained  parts  the  same 
way.  If  successful  with  leaf,  try  a  grape,  which 
paint  first  purple,  then  blue,  and  finish  with  car- 
mine. On  removing  the  last  of  your  theorem,  if 
you  see  any  irregularity  in  the  painted  parts,  lay 
the  theorem  on  again,  and  correct;  if  any  spaces, 
dot  in  with  a  fine  brush.  All  fibers,  stalks,  dots, 
etc.,  must  be  put  in  Avith  camel's  hair  pencils. 
To  highten  the  effect,  paint  may  be  stuck  on  here 
and  there  with  a  stiff  brush,  and  the  edges  blend- 
ed together  to  produce  softness. 

To  Paint  on  Wood. — Choose  hard  wood  of 
light  color ;  paint  as  above,  and  varnish  when 
done. 

To  Paint  on  Velvet. — Use  firm  white  cotton 
velvet.     Use  paint  a  little  more  moistened. 

To  Paint  on  Silk,  Satin,  and  Crape. — Size 
the  parts  to  be  painted  with  gum  arable  or  isin- 
glass, and  proceed  as  with  drawing  paper.  In 
this  way  ball  dresses  may  be  painted  with  belt 
and  neck  ribbon  to  match ;  also  white  crape  dres- 
ses, with  vines  of  gold  and  silver, 

TRANSFERRING,  To  G'/ajj-.— Colored  or 
plain  engravings,  photographs,  lithographs,  water 
colors,  oil  colors,  crayons,  steel  plates,  news- 


paper cuts,    mezzotints,    pencil,    writing,  show 
cards,  labels — or,  in  fact,  anything. 

Directions. — Take  glass  that  is  perfectly  clear 
— window  glass  will  answer;  clean  it  thoroughly; 
then  varnish  it,  taking  care  to  have  it  perfectly 
smooth ;  place  it  where  it  will  be  entirely  free 
from  dust;  let  it  stand  over  night;  then  take 
your  engraving,  lay  it  in  clear  water  until  it  is 
wet  through,  (say  ten  or  fifteen  minutes)  then  lay 
it  upon  a  newspaper,  that  the  moisture  may  dry  ' 
from  the  surface  and  still  keep  the  other  side 
damp.  Immediately  varnish  your  glass  the 
second  time ;  then  place  your  engraving  on  it, 
pressing  it  down  firmly,  so  as  to  exclude  every 
particle  of  air ;  next  rub  the  paper  from  the  back 
until  it  is  of  uniform  thickness — so  thin  that  you 
can  see  through  it ;  then  varnish  it  the  third  time 
and  let  it  dry. 

Materials  used  for  the  above  Art. — Take  two 
ounces  balsam  of  fir  to  one  ounce  of  spirits  of 
turpentine ;  apply  with  a  camel's  hair  brush. 

TRANSFERRING,  To  Wood.—T>is.so\vQ  salt 
in  soft  water;  float  your  engraving  on  the  sur- 
face, picture  side  up;  let  it  remain  about  one 
hour.  Your  screen  box  or  table  should  be  of 
bird's-eye  maple,  or  other  light-colored  hard 
wood ;  varnish  with  best  copal  or  transfer  varnish. 

Take  the  picture  from  the  water ;  dry  a  little 
between  linen  rags;  then  put  the  engraving, 
picture  side  down,  on  the  varnished  wood,  and 
smooth  it  nicely.  If  the  picture  entirely  covers 
the  wood  after  the  margin  is  cut  off,  so  that  no 
varnish  be  exposed,  lay  over  it  a  thin  board  and 
heavy  weight ;  leave  it  thus  in  press  over  night. 
If  you  wish  but  a  small  picture  in  the  centre  of 
your  wood,  apply  the  varnish  only  to  a  space 
the  size  of  your  picture.  Dip  your  fore-finger  in 
salt  and  water,  and  commence  with  rubbing  off 
the  paper ;  the  nearer  you  come  to  the  engrav- 
ing, the  more  careful  you  must  be,  as  a  hole 
would  spoil  your  work. — Rub  slowly  and  pa- 
tiently till  you  have  taken  off  every  bit  of  the 
paper  and  left  only  the  black  lines  and  touches 
of  your  picture  on  the  wood,  in  an  inverted 
direction.  Finish  up  with  two  or  three  coats  of 
copal  varnish. 

TRANSPARENCIES,  r^itfa/^A— Take  some 
prettily  colored  landscape  and  cut  a  slit  into  the 
broad  lights  of  it  with  a  penknife ;  put  a  white 

{)aper  of  medium  thickness  behind  it,  and  inter- 
ine  with  orange  or  rose-colored  paper ;  bind  the 
three — that  is,  the  landscape,  the  colored  paper, 
and  the  paper  which  forms  the  back — together 
with  some  suitable  color  for  a  frame ;  now  se- 
parate the  cut  edges  of  your  landscape  by  pres- 
sing them  apart.  Hang  up  in  the  window,  and 
when  the  sun  shines  through,  the  effect  is  beauti- 
ful.    Try  it ;  we  are  sure  you  will  be  pleased. 

An  engraving  prepared  as  for  Grecian  painting 
is  very  pretty  for  a  screen,  or  to  hang  in  the 
window.  Lamp  shades  may  be  made  in  this 
way,  and  many  pretty  designs  will  suggest  them- 
selves ;  bouquets,  wreaths,  vines,  running  round 
the  shade,  etc.  Also  still  more  beautiful  is  the 
antique  style,  before  painting. 


250 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


PAINTING  AND  PAPERING, 

INCLUDING,  VARNISHING,  POLISHING,  STAINING  AND  GILDING. 


BLACKS. — Lamp  Black,  is  merely  the  smoke 
iirom  various  substances.  The  best  is  from  coal 
tar.  This  is  the  best  black  for  all  common 
painting. — Ivory  Black,  or  bone  black,  is  only 
charred  bone.  It  has  not  the  body,  nor  does  it 
work  as  freely  as  lamp  black.  —  Asphaltum,  al- 
though so  very  transparent,  is,  when  several 
coats  are  laid  on,  a  most  intense  black,  but  not 
of  milch  service  when  exposed  to  the  weather. 
It  is  best  used  dissolved  in  turpentine,  slightly 
warm,  with  or  without  a  little  boiled  oil.  With- 
out the  oil,  it  dries  very  quick;  with  it,  much 
slower.  It  makes  the  black  varnish  used  for 
japanning  tin  and  other  metals.  Gum  asphaltum 
IS  gathered  from  the  surface  of  the  Dead  Sea,  or 
the  Lake  Asphaltites,  in  Judea. 

BL  UES.  —  Copper  is  the  base  of  most  blues, 
though  some  are  formed  from  iron  and  cobalt.  — 
Prussian  Blue  is  properly  a  ferrocyanuret 
of  iron,  produced  by  various  processes.  As  a 
vehicle,  dried  or  calcined  blood  and  horns  and 
hoofs  are  used. — There  are  other  methods,  where 
animal  matter  is  not  used,  in  which  pearlash, 
coke,  and  iron-filings  form  the  compound.  It  is 
also  chemically  prepared  with  sulphate  of  iron 
and  prussiate  of  potash;  but  in  all  these  prepara- 
tions the  composition  is  iron  and  prussic  acid. 
The  prussic  acid,  however,  is  not  in  sufficient 
quantity  to  make  the  color  in  the  least  degree 
poisonous.  —  Ultramarine.  This  beautiful 
tlue  was  formerly  made  from  lazulite,  the  beau- 
tiful variegated  blue  mineral,  and  was  once  worth, 
in  Italy,  twenty-five  dollars  an  ounce.  That  used 
in  the  arts  now  is  composed  of  carbonate  of  soda, 
sulphur,  and  kaolin,  colored  with  cobalt.  This 
color  has  but  little  body  as  an  oil  color,  but  is  of 
a  most  brilliant  hue,  and  wears  about  as  well  as 
the  Prussian  blue.  In  oil  it  is  a  transparent  color, 
but  is  more  dense  in  distemper,  and  covers  better. 

BLUE,  PRUSSIAN.  — Voizsh.  or  pearlash, 
10  parts;  coke,  cinders,  or  coal,  10  parts;  iron 
turnings,  5  parts.  Grind  into  a  coarse  powder 
and  expose  for  half  an  hour  to  a  full  red  heat, 
in  an  open  crucible,  stirring  the  mixture  occasion- 
ally. When  the  small  jets  of  purple  flame  cease, 
which  will  be  in  about  the  time  named,  allow  the 
mass  to  cool ;  then  add  water  to  dissolve  the 
soluble  matter,  and  set  aside  the  black  foot  that 
remains  for  a  future  operation.  Next  filter  the 
solution,  and  add  sulphate  of  iron  (copperas), 
five  parts  (dissolved),  and  brighten  the  color  of 
the  precipitate  by  the  addition  of  muriatic  acid. 
This  process  yields  twenty-five  percent,  of  Prus- 
sian blue  (ferrocyanide  of  iron)  on  the  quantity 
of  pure  potash  in  the  salt  employed.  The  larger 
the  quantity  operated  on,  the  greater  the  relative 
product 

BLUE  for  CEILINGS.  —Boil  slowly  for  3 
hours  I  lb.  blue  vitriol  and  ^  lb.  of  the  best 
whiting  in  about  3  pts.  water  ;  stir  it  frequently 
while  boiling,  and  also  on  taking  it  off  the  fire. 
When  it  has  stood  till  quite  cold,  pour  off  the 
blue  liquid,  then  mix  the  cake  of  color  with  good 
size,  and  use  it  with  a  plasterer's  brush  in  the 
same  manner  as  whitewash,  either  for  walls  or 
ceilings. 


BROWN  FREESTONE,  To  Imitate.— Thhs. 
paint  is  not  made  by  mixing  the  ground  stone  nor 
any  thing  in  it.  First,  make  a  pretty  thick  oil 
paint  of  the  same  color  as  the  stone  to  be  imi- 
tated, which  may  be  done  in  different  ways.  The 
basis  is  white-lead  or  zinc  white,  colored  with 
umber  and  Mars  red,  or  any  other  pigments 
which  suit  you  ;  put  it  on  as  usual,  and  while  yet 
sticky  throw  common  fine  sand  against  it ;  tnis 
will  not  affect  the  color,  and  make  a  rough,  sandy 
coat  imitating  the  surface  of  the  stone, 

BRUSHES,  Care  of.  —  Brushes  used  for 
applying  finishing  varnishes  should  be  cared  for 
with  the  utmost  pains,  as  good  work  depends 
much  upon  the  good  condition  of  the  brushes. 
A  good  way  to  keep  them  is  to  suspend  them  by 
the  handles  in  a  covered  can,  keeping  the  points 
at  least  half  an  inch  from  the  bottom,  and  apart 
from  each  other.  The  can  should  be  filled  with 
slow  drying  varnish  up  to  a  line  about  a  sixteenth 
of  an  inch  above  the  bristles  or  hair.  The  can 
should  then  be  kept  in  a  close  cupboard,  or  in  a 
box  fitted  for  the  purpose. 

As  wiping  a  brush  on  a  sharp  edge  of  tin  will 
gradually  split  the  bristles,  cause  them  to  curl 
backward,  and  eventually  ruin  the  brush,  the  top 
of  the  can  should  have  a  wire  soldered  along  the 
edge,  or  the  edge  of  tin  turned  over,  in  order  to 
prevent  injury.  Finishing  brushes  should  not 
oe  cleansed  in  turpentine,  except  in  extreme 
cases.  When  taken  from  the  can  prepare  them 
for  use  by  working  them  out  in  varnish,  and  be- 
fore replacing  them  cleanse  the  handles  and  bind- 
ing with  turpentine. 

CARMINE. — Take  cochineal,  i  pound ;  car- 
bonate ot  potass,  31^  drachms;  water,  7  gallons. 
Simmer  for  a  little  time,  then  remove  the  copper 
from  the  fire,  and  scatter  powdered  alum,  8 
drachms,  over  the  surface;  let  it  stand  fifteen 
minutes,  until  clear,  then  decant  and  put  the 
solution  into  a  clean  copper,  heat  it,  and  add 
isinglass,  3^  drachms,  previously  dissolved  in  2 
quarts  of  water  and  strained.  Then  bring  it  to 
a  boil,  and  when  a  coagulum  is  formed,  take  it 
from  the  fire  and  stir  it  with  a  clean  spatula ;  let 
it  rest  for  twenty  minutes,  and  the  carmine  will 
be  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  liquid.  Decant,  and 
drain  the  carmine  upon  a  piece  of  fine  linen. 

The  remaining  solution  will  make  fine  car- 
minated  lake. 

CARMINE,  C"^y?J/^A^.— Take  cochineal, 
I  pound;  water,  7  gallons.  Boil  for  five  minutes, 
then  add  alum,  I  ounce.  Boil  for  five  minutes 
more,  filter  and  set  aside  the  decoction  in  glass 
or  porcelain  vessels  for  three  days,  then  decant 
the  liquor  and  dry  the  carmine  in  the  shade. 
The  remaining  liquor  will  still  deposit  color  of 
an  inferior  quality,  by  standing. 

CARMINE  {Cotnmoti)  To  Improve. —Take 
carmine,  one  part;  water  of  ammonia  to  dissolve. 
Digest  in  the  sun  until  the  ammonia  is  saturated 
with  the  coloring  part  of  the  carmine,  then  pre- 
cipitate the  color  with  alcohol  and  acetic  acid. 
Wash  the  precipitate  carefully  with  alcohol  and 
dry  it. 

CHESTNUT.COLOR,  To  make.—'Thxi  color 


PAINTING  yrND  PAPERING. 


251 


is  composed  of  red,  yellow  and  black.  The  eng- 
lish  red,  or  red  ochre  of  Auvergne,  ochre  de  rue 
and  a  little  black,  form  a  dark  chestnut  color.  It 
is  proper  for  painting  of  every  kind.  If  English 
red,  which  is  dryer  than  that  of  Auvergne,  be 
employed,  it  will  be  proper,  when  the  color  is 
intended  for  varnish,  to  grind  it  with  drying  nut- 
oil.  The  ochre  of  Auvergne  may  be  ground 
with  the  mastic  gallipot,  and  mixed  up  with  galli- 
pot varnish. 

The  most  experienced  artists  grind  dark  colors 
with  linseed  oil,  when  the  situation  will  admit  of 
its  being  used,  because  it  is  more  drying.  For 
articles  without  doors  nut-oil  is  preferable.  The 
colors  of  oak-wood,  walnut-tree,  chestnut,  olive, 
and  yellow,  require  the  addition  of  a  little 
litharge  ground  on  porphyry :  it  hastens  the  des- 
iccation of  the  color,  and  gives  it  body. 

But  if  it  is  intended  to  cover  these  colors  with 
varnish,  as  is  generally  done  in  wainscoting,  they 
must  be  mixed  up  with  essence,  to  which  a  little 
oil  has  been  added.  The  color  is  then  much 
better  disposed  to  receive  the  varnish,  under 
which  it  exhibits  all  the  splendor  it  can  derive 
from  the  reflection  of  the  light. 

COLORS,  To  Mix  and  Use.  —  Priming. 
Quite  too  little  attention  is  paid  to  this  depart- 
ment. The  color  is  usually  mixed  up  too  thin 
and  put  on  too  heavy.  The  reverse  is  much  the 
best.  Let  the  priming  be  as  thick  as  will  spread 
easily,  and  then  be  well  rubbed  out  under  the 
brush.  Litharge  is  the  only  drying  necessary 
in  priming.  All  work,  inside  or  out,  may  be 
primed  the  same. — Puttying.  After  the  priming; 
all  work  should  have  the  nail-  heads  and  cracks 
puttied  up.  It  should  be  done  with  a  putty-knife; 
puttying  up  with  the  fingers  is  a  barbarous  prac- 
tice, and  does  not  fill  the  holes  well. — Sand- 
Papering  and  dusting  should  be  done  before  the 
puttying;  being  done  afterwards,  is  apt  to  dish 
out  the  puttied  places. — Second  Coat — (Outside). 
Mix  with  raw  oil  and  use  it  as  thick  as  it  will 
spread  easily.  After  the  work  is  all  covered,  it 
should  be  cross-smoothed  till  it  has  an  even  sur- 
face, and  then  finished  lengthwise,  with  long 
sweeps  of  the  brush,  pressing  lightly. —  Third 
Coat. — Made  a  little  thinner  than  for  the  second 
coat,  and  rubbed  out  as  much  as  possible,  cross- 
smoothed,  and  finished  with  the  tip  of  the  brush 
very  lightly,  so  as  not  to  show  the  brush  marks. 
Second  Coat — (Inside).  Mixed  as  thick  as  it  will 
work,  with  equal  parts  of  raw  oil  and  turpentine. 
Particular  care  should  be  taken  to  ruS  this  out 
well,  cross-smoothing  and  finishing  with  the  tip 
of  the  brush ;  else  the  color  will  lie  in  ridges, 
which  the  next  coat  will  not  hide. — Third  Coat. 
Mixed  with  three  parts  turpentine  and  one  of 
raw  oil,  rubbed  out  thoroughly  and  smoothed 
carefully,  so  as  to  show  no  brush  marks. — Fourth 
Coat — Flatting.  Mixed  with  all  turpentine  thin 
enough  so  that  it  may  be  spread  before  it  sets. 
Spread  over  quickly,  without  cross-smoothing; 
finish  lengthwise  with  light  sweeps  of  the  tip  of 
the  brush ;  three  or  four  strokes  will  be  as  much 
as  one  can  do  before  it  sets.  Square  up  and  finish 
each  piece  of  work  before  beginning  another. — 
Drawn  Flatting.  Mix  up  the  ground  lead  with 
turpentine,  nearly  as  thin  as  for  flatting.  Let  it 
stand  till  the  lead  settles  and  the  oil  and  turpen- 
tine rise  to  the  top.  Pour  it  off  and  mix  again, 
and  repeat  the  operation  till  that  which  rises  to 
the  top  is  clear  turpentine.  By  this  process  the 
oil  in  which  the  lead  is  ground  is  entirely  drawn 


out,  and  the  lead  is  mixed  with  turpentine.  This 
color,  however,  is  quite  different  from  what  it 
would  be  if  the  lead  had  been  ground  in  turpen- 
tine.    It  is  more  tenacious,  and  flows  better. 

Much  care  must  be  taken  to  spread  this  on 
thickly  and  evenly.  The  room  must  be  kept  close, 
and  free  from  any  draught  of  air,  as  the  color  sets  as 
fast  as  put  on.  This  is  used  only  as  a  fourth 
coat. — Polish  White.  This  chaste  and  durable 
finish  requires  the  zinc  white  to  do  it  properly. 
It  is  made  by  mixing  the  zinc  white  with  white 
varnish. — Common  Method.  After  priming  and 
second-coating  in  the  usual  way  with  lead,  finish 
with  the  polish  white. — Best  Method.  Put  on 
two  coats,  as  above,  and  then  spread  on  several 
coats  of  yellow  ochre,  turpentine,  and  japan,  with 
a  little  litharge.  When  dry,  rub  smooth  and 
level  with  pumice  stone.  Then  put  on  one  coat 
of  inside  second  coating,  and  flatten  as  usual ; 
rub  down  with  pumice  stone,  then  a  coat  of  pol- 
ish white,  and  finish  with  a  flowing  coat  of  white 
varnish,  in  which  is  mixed  some  of  the  zinc 
white. — (Remarks.)  When  work  is  to  be  fin- 
ished with  a  gloss,  the  previous  coat  should  be  a 
dead  surface ;  when  it  is  to  be  flattened,  the  pre- 
vious coat  should  have  a  degree  of  gloss. 

Lead  is  the  white  referred  to  in  the  above  de- 
scriptions, yet  the  rules  given  for  mixing  may  be 
applied  to  all  other  colors,  except  that  the  darker 
colors  are  generally  finished  with  a  gloss,  inside 
or  out.  They  require  no  turpentine  only  when 
they  are  to  be  varnished. 

Oil  dries  with  a  glossy,  turpentine,  with  a  flat 
surface. 

It  is  a  wrong  idea  to  put  on  heavy  coats  of 
paint ;  the  more  it  is  rubbed  out,  the  better  will 
the  work  look  and  wear.  Each  coat  should 
stand  two  or  three  days  before  receiving  another 
coat. 

Color  needs  more  drying  in  winter  than  in  sum- 
mer. Outside  work  lasts  longer  if  painted  in 
cold  weather,  as  not  so  much  of  the  liquid  is  eva- 
porated, and  a  heavier  body  is  thus  dried  upon 
the  surface. 

Litharge  or  japan  is  a  good  dryer  for  outside 
work,  and  for  priming  in  the  inside,  or  for  dark 
colors ;  but  sulphate  of  zinc  is  only  fit  for  the  last 
coats  on  the  inside,  though  sugar  of  lead  is  used. 
Either  of  them  may  be  dissolved  in  water,  and 
stirred  into  the  color. 

Transparent  colors  will  work  more  freely,  and 
spread  on  with  an  evener  flow,  by  being  mixed 
with  raw  oil  and  japan,  with  a  little  water  stirr- 
ed in. 

In  mixing  thick  colors,  the  liquid  should  be 
added  gradually,  else  the  lumps  will  not  be  thor- 
oughly broken. 

COPAL,  To  Dissolve  in  Alcohol.  —  Copal, 
which  is  called  gum  copal,  but  which  is  not,  strictly, 
either  a  gum  or  a  resin,  is  the  hardest  and  least 
changeable  of  all  substances  adapted  to  form  var- 
nishes, by  their  dissolution  in  spirit,  or  essential, 
or  fat  oils.  It,  therefore  forms  the  most  valuable 
varnishes  ;  though  we  shall  give  several  receipts 
where  it  is  not  employed,  which  form  cheaper 
varnishes,  sufficiently  good  for  many  purj^oses, 
adding  only  the  general  rule,  that  no  varnish 
must  be  expected  to  be  harder  than  the  substance 
from  which  it  is  made. 

To  dissolve  copal  in  alcohol,  dissolve  half  an 
ounce  of  camphor  in  a  pint  of  alcohol ;  put  it  into  a 
circulating  glass,  and  add  four  ounces  of  copal  in 
small  pieces ;  set  it  in  a  sand-heat,  so  regulated 


252 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY~DAY    WANTS. 


that  the  bubbles  maybe  counted  as  they  rise  from 
the  bottom,  and  continue  the  same  heat  till  the 
solution  is  completed. 

The  process  above  mentioned  will  dissolve 
more  copal  than  the  menstrum  viill  retain  when 
cold.  The  most  economical  method  will  there- 
fore be,  to  set  the  vessel  which  contains  the  solu- 
tion by  for  a  few  days,  and,  when  it  is  perfectly 
settled,  pour  off  the  clear  varnish,  and  leave  the 
residue  for  future  operation. 

The  solution  of  copal  thus  obtained  is  very 
bright.  It  is  an  excellent  varnish  for  pictures, 
and  would,  doubtless,  be  an  improvement  in 
japanning,  where  the  stoves  used  for  drying  the 
varnished  articles  would  drive  off  the  camphor, 
and  leave  the  copal  clear  and  colorless  in  the 
work. 

COPAL,  To  Dissolve  in  Spirits  of  Turpentine. 
Reduce  two  ounces  of  copal  to  small  pieces,  and  put 
them  into  a  proper  vessel.  Mix  a  pint  of  the  best 
spirits  of  turpentine  with  one-eighth  of  spirits  of  sal 
ammoniac ;  shake  them  well  together,  put  them  to 
the  copal,  cork  the  glass,  and  tie  it  over  with  a 
string  or  wire,  making  a  small  hole  through  the 
cork.  Set  the  glass  in  a  sand-heat  so  regulated 
as  to  make  the  contents  boil  as  quickly  as  possible, 
but  so  gently  that  the  bubbles  may  be  counted 
as  they  rise  from  the  bottom.  The  same  heat 
must  be  kept  up  exactly  till  the  solution  is  com- 
plete. 

It  requires  the  most  accurate  attention  to  suc- 
ceed in  this  operation.  After  the  spirits  are 
mixed,  they  should  be  put  to  the  copal,  and  the 
necessary  degree  of  heat  be  given  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, and  maintained  with  the  utmost  regularity. 
If  the  heat  abates,  or  the  spirits  boil  quicker  than 
is  directed,  the  solution  will  immediately  stop, 
and  it  will  afterwards  be  in  vain  to  proceed  with 
the  same  materials  :  but  if  properly  managed,  the 
spirit  of  sal  ammoniac  will  be  seen  gradually  to 
descend  from  the  mixture,  and  attack  the  copal, 
which  swells  and  dissolves,  excepting  a  very 
small  quantity  which  remains  undissolved. 

It  is  of  much  consequence  that  the  vessel 
should  not  be  opened  till  some  time  after  it  has 
been  perfectly  cold ;  for  if  it  contain  the  least 
warmth  when  opened,  the  whole  contents  will  be 
blown  out  of  the  vessel. 

Whatever  quantity  is  to  be  dissolved  should  be 
put  into '  a  glass  vessel  capable  at  least  of  con- 
taining four  times  as  much,  and  it  should  be  high 
in  proportion  to  the  width. 

This  varnish  is  of  a  deep  rich  color,  when 
viewed  in  the  bottle,  but  seems  to  give  no  color 
to  the  picture  upon  which  it  is  laid.  If  it  be  left 
in  the  damp,  it  remains  racky,  as  it  is  called,  a 
long  time;  but  if  kept  in  a  warm  room,  or  placed 
in  the  sun,  it  dries  as  well  as  any  other  turpen- 
tine varnish,  and  when  dry  it  appears  to  be  as 
durable  as  any  other  solution  of  copal. 

Copal  may  also  be  dissolved  in  spirits  ot  tur- 
pentine by  the  assistance  of  camphor. 

Turpentine  varnishes  dry  more  slowly  than 
those  made  with  alcohol,  and  arc  less  hard ;  but 
they  are  not  so  liable  to  crack. 

COPAL-LACKER,  Iniprm/ed  Process  for  the 
Preparation  of. — Copal-lacker  is  generally  pre- 
pared by  carefully  melting  copal,  adding  linseed 
oil  varnish,  and  afterwards  oil  of  turpentine.  By 
Hoedfield's  process  (patented  in  France)  twice 
the  amount  of  oil  of  turpentine  that  generally  is 
taken  is  used  to  procure  a  more  complete  solution 
of  the  copal,  and  to  obtain  the  lacker  clearer  and 


more  colorless.  Air  is  then  passed  into  the  mix- 
ture for  some  time,  when  the  oxygen  under  the 
influence  of  the  oil  of  turpentine  becomes  ozoniz- 
ed, and  acting  upon  the  oil  hastens  its  drying. 
As  soon  as  the  oxidation  is  thought  sufficient, 
half  of  the  oil  of  turpentine  is  distilled  off;  the 
remaining  lacker  contains  therefore  not  more  of 
the  oil  than  ordinarily,  prepared  lacker,  but  it 
dries  quicker  and  is  more  colorless.  The  distill- 
ed oil  of  turpentine  is  greatly  superior  for  the 
preparation  of  fresh  portions  of  the  lacker,  on  ac- 
count of  the  azone  it  still  contains,  and  is  used 
solely  for  this  purpose. 

DRYER,  JAPAN— \.  Take  linseed  oil,  i 
gallon;  put  into  it  gum  shellac,  %  lb.;  litharge 
and  burned  Turkey  umber,  each  ^Ib.;  red  lead, 
Yz  lb.;  sugar  of  lead,  6  oz.  Boil  in  the  oil  till  all 
are  dissolved,  which  will  require  about  four 
hours  ;  remove  from  the  fire,  and  stir  in  spirits 
turpentine,  I  gallon,  and  it  is  done. — 2.  Lin- 
seed oil,  5  gallons;  add  red  lead  and  litharge, 
each  3^  lbs.;  raw  umber,  i  «4  lbs.;  sugar  of  lead 
and  sulphate  of  zinc,  each  l^  lb.;  pulverize  all  the 
articles  together,  and  boil  in  the  oil  dissolved ; 
when  a  little  cool,  thin  with  turpentine,  5  gal- 
lons. 

DR  YER,  for  Painting.  —  Vitreous  oxide  of 
lead  (litharge),  is  of  no  other  use  in  painting 
than  to  free  oils  from  their  greasy  particles,  for 
the  purpose  of  communicating  to  them  a  drying 
quality.  Red  litharge,  however,  ought  to  be 
preferred  to  the  greenish  yellow ;  it  is  not  so 
hard,  and  answers  better  for  the  purpose  to  which 
it  is  destined. 

When  painters  wish  to  obtain  a  common  color 
of  the  ochrey  kind,  and  have  no  boiled  oil  by 
them,  they  may  paint  with  linseed  oil,  not  freed 
from  its  greasy  particles,  by  mixing  with  the  color 
about  2  or  3  parts  of  litharge,  ground  on  a  piece 
of  porphyry  with  water,  dried,  and  reduced  to 
fine  powder,  for  l6  parts  of  oil.  The  color  has 
a  great  deal  of  body,  and  dries  as  speedily  as  if 
mixed  with  drying  oil. 

DRYING  OIL,  {Colorless).— BoW  linseed  oil 
for  two  hours  with  three  per  cent,  of  red  lead, 
filter  it,  and  then  expose  it  to  sunlight  in  large 
shallow  vessels,  frequently  renewing  the  air 
above, 

DR  YING  OIL  for  ZINC  PAINT.  —  In  or- 
der  to  avoid  the  use  of  oxide  of  lead  in  making 
drying  oil  for  zinc  paint,  oxide  of  manganese  has 
been  proposed  as  a  substitute.  The  process  to 
be  adopted  is  as  follows  : 

The  manganese  is  broken  into  pieces  about  the 
size  of  peas,  dried,  and  the  powder  separated  by 
means  of  a  sieve.  The  fragments  are  then  to  be 
introduced  into  a  bag  made  of  iron-wire  gauze. 
This  is  hung  in  the  oil  contained  in  an  iron  or 
copper  vessel,  and  the  whole  heated  gently  for 24 
or  36  hours.  The  oil  must  not  be  allowed  to 
boil,  in  which  case  there  is  great  danger  of  its 
running  over.  When  the  oil  has  acquired  a  red- 
dish color,  it  is  to  be  poured  into  an  appropriate 
vessel  to  clear. 

For  100  parts  of  oil  10  of  oxide  of  manganese 
may  be  employed,  which  will  serve  for  several 
operations  when  freshly  broken  and  the  dust  sep- 
arated. Experience  has  shown,  that  when  fresh 
oxide  of  manganese  is  used  it  is  better  to  intro- 
duce it  into  the  oil  upon  the  second  day.  The 
process  likewise  occupies  a  longer  time  with  the 
fresh  oxide.  Very  great  care  is  requisite  in  this 
operation  to  prevent  accident,  and  one  of  the 


ORNAMENTAL  WORK. 


253 


principal  points  to  be  observed  is  that  the  oil  is 
not  overheated.  If  the  boiling  should  render 
the  oil  too  thick,  this  may  be  remedied  by  an 
addition  of  turpentine  after  it  has  thorouglily 
cooled. 

DRYING  {Quick)  PA  INT.— Twelve  parts 
of  shellac  and  four  parts  of  borax  are  added  to 
one  hundred  parts  of  water ;  heat  is  carefully  ap- 
plied, while  the  mixture  is  continually  stirred, 
and  soon  a  complete  solution  is  obtained  which  is 
colorless  or  brown  according  to  the  color  of  the 
shellac  employed.  This  solution,  as  we  have 
said,  forms  a  varnish  perfectly  impermeable  to 
Tvater,  and  not  acted  on  by  the  atmosphere.  It 
can  be  used  with  oil  paints,  to  make  them  dry 
quickly,  by  adding  an  equal  part  of  the  varnish 
with  a  little  turpentine  to  the  oil  color,  and  rub- 
bing them  together  vlntil  a  homogeneous  fluid 
mixture  is  obtained.  This  mixture  dries  in  from 
ten  to  fifteen  minutes,  and  hence  only  a  small 
quantity  must  be  prepared  at  a  time. 

DARK  WOODS,  To  Imitate.— The  appear- 
ance  of  walnut  may  be  given  to  white  woods,  by 
painting  or  sponging  them  with  a  concentrated 
warm  solution  of  permanganate  of  potassa.  The 
effect  is  different  on  different  kinds  of  timber, 
some  becoming  stained  very  rapidly,  others  re- 
quiring more  time  for  this  result.  The  per- 
manganate is  decomposed  by  the  woody  fibre; 
brown  peroxyd  of  manganese  is  precipitated, 
which  is  afterward  removed  by  washing  with  wa- 
ter. The  wood,  when  dry,  may  be  varnished, 
and  will  be  found  to  resemble  very  closely  the 
natural  dark  woods. 

FRESCO  PAINTING.  —The  ground  upon 
•which  fresco  is  painted  is  a  lime  ground ;  and, 
in  order  to  have  a  permanent  picture,  we  must 
have  a  firm  and  stable  ground.  First  of  all,  the 
wall  must  be  absolutely  dry ;  there  must  be  no 
leakage  of  moisture  from  behind.  Lime  which 
has  been  run  (as  it  is,  I  believe,  technically  called 
by  builders)  for  a  year  or  a  year  and  a  half,  is 
best  to  be  employed,  for  in  proportion  as  the 
lime  has  been  carbonated  (though  it  must  not  be 
so  to  too  great  an  extent)  by  the  action  of  the 
carbonic  acid  of  the  air,  it  makes  a  better  and  a 
harder  mortar.  With  this  lime  must  be  mixed 
river  sand,  of  even  grain;  the  sand  should  be 
mixed  with  water,  and  allowed  to  pass  along 
down  a  small  stream,  so  that  in  the  centre  of  the 
stream  you  would  have  sand  the  grains  of  which 
would  be  pretty  nearly  equal  in  size.  This  is  a 
point  of  considerable  importance.  The  reason 
why  new  lime  cannot  and  ought  not  to  be  used 
is  because  it  blisters ;  small  blisters  appear  on 
the  surface,  and  that  of  course  would  be  ruinous 
to  a  picture.  A  well  plastered  wall  should  not 
have  a  blister  or  a  crack  in  it,  and  this  is  secured 
by  having  your  lime  run  for  some  time,  of  good 
quality  to  start  with,  and  mixed  with  good 
sand.  There  is  no  chemical  process  that  I  know 
of  that  takes  place  in  fresco  painting  other  than 
this,  that  silicates  are  formed  by  the  action  of  the 
lime  upon  the  sand,  and  carbonates  by  the  action 
of  the  carbonic  acid  of  the  air  upon  the  lime. 

In  painting  a  fresco  picture,  inasmuch  as  there 
is  no  retouching  the  work  when  it  is  finished,  the 
artist  must  make  his  drawing  very  carefully.  The 
cartoon  is  made  upon  ordinary  paper;  then  it  is 
fixed  against  the  wall,  where  the  picture  is  to  be 

Eainted.     The  part  where  the  artist  decides  to 
egin  his  work  is  uncovered ;    that  is  to  say,  a 
portion  of  the  paper  .is  turned  down  and  cut  away. 


but  in  such  a  manner  that  it  may  be  replaced. 
Then  the  plasterer  puts  fresh  plaster,  about  an 
eight  of  an  inch  thick,  upon  the  uncovered  por- 
tion of  the  wall ;  and  the  plasterer's  work  is  of 
the  utmost  importance  in  fresco  painting.  The 
workman  ought  to  practice  it  well  before  he 
attempts  to  prepare  the  ground  for  a  large  picture, 
and  I  have  found  it  of  the  greatest  importance 
to  allow  the  man  to  practice  for  several  weeks 
before  he  was  allowed  to  prepare  any  portion  of 
the  ground,  even  for  decorative  painting.  In 
this  way  he  beconies  accustomed  to  the  suction 
of  the  wall,  and  upon  the  suction  of  the  wall 
depends  the  soundness  of  the  ground  and  the 
success  of  fresco  painting.  When  the  plaster  is 
first  put  on,  of  course  it  is  very  soft ;  the  piece 
of  the  cartoon  is  replaced  upon  it,  and  the  lines 
of  the  picture  are  gone  over  with  a  bone  point  so 
that  an  indentation  is  made,  and  then  the  artist 
begins  his  painting.  At  first  he  finds  his  colors 
work  greasy;  you  cannot  get  the  tint  to  lie  on, 
it  works  streaky  j  but  you  must  not  mind  that, 
you  must  paint  on,  but  you  must  only  paint  on 
for  a  certain  time,  for  if  you  go  on  painting  too 
long,  you  will  interfere  with  the  satisfactory  suc- 
tion of  the  ground,  which  is  so  necessary  to  pro- 
duce a  good  fresco  painting.  Of  course,  nothing 
but  practice  can  tell  any  one  the  period  at  which 
he  ought  to  stop.  I  cannot  describe  it,  because  ■ 
I  should  be  simply  trying  to  describe  a  sensation, 
which  I  cannot  do.  After  some  practice,  you 
know  perfectly  well  by  the  feel  when  you  ought 
to  stop.  If  you  feel  your  color  flownng  from  your 
brush  too  readily,  you  ought  to  stop  at  this  period. 
You  must  then  leave  your  work  for  a  time,  and 
go  back  to  it  again.  And  then  you  will  find,  as 
the  plaster  sucks  in  the  color  which  you  have 
first  laid  on,  that  there  will  be, — it  may  be  in  the 
course  of  half  an  hour,  it  may  be  an  hour ;  that 
depends  upon  the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere, 
—  a  pleasant  suction  from  your  brush,  the  color 
going  from  it  agreeably,  and  you  will  find  that  it 
will  cover  better.  Now  is  the  time  to  paint  ra- 
pidly, and  complete  the  work  you  have  in  hand. 
When  the  color  leaves  your  brush  as  though  the 
wall  were  thirsty  for  moisture,  you  should  cease 
painting ;  every  touch  that  is  applied  after  that 
will  turn  out  gray  when  it  dies,  and  the  color  will 
not  be  fast  upon  the  wall. 

FIRE-PROOF  PAINT,  fof  Roofs,  etc.  — 
Slack  stone  lime  by  putting  it  into  a  tub,  to  be 
covered,  to  keep  in  the  steam.  When  slacked, 
pass  the  powder  through  a  fine  sieve;  and  to 
each  6  qts.  of  it  add,  i  qt.  of  rock-salt,  and  water 
I  gal. ;  then  boil  and  skim  clean.  To  each  5 
gals,  of  this  add,  pulverized  alum  I  lb,  pulverized 
copperas  yi  lb.;  and  still  slowly  add  powdered 
potash  y^  lb,;  then  fine  sand  or  hickory  ashes 
4  lbs.  Now  add  any  desired  color,  and  apply 
with  a  brush —  looks  better  than  paint,  and  is  as 
durable  as  slate.  It  stops  small  leaks  in  roofs, 
prevents  moss,  and  makes  it  incombustible  and 
renders  brick  impervious  to  wet. 

FROSTING  GLASS.— \.  Take  sug:ar  of  lead 
well  ground  in  oil,  applied  as  other  paint;  then 

Eounced,  while  fresh,  with  a  wad  of  batting  held 
etween  the  thumb  and  finger.  After  which  it 
is  allowed  to  partially  dry;  then  with  a  straight- 
edge laid  upon  the  sash,  you  run  along  by  the 
side  of  it,  a  stick  sharpened  to  the  width  of  line 
you  wish  to  appear  in  the  diamonds,  figures,  or 
squares,  into  which  you  choose  to  lay  it  off; 
most  frequently,  however,  straight  lines  are  made 


254 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERV-DA  Y  WANTS. 


an  inch  or  more  from  the  sash,  according  to  the 
size  of  hght,  then  the  centre  of  the  hglit  made 
into  diamonds. — 2.  A  common  preparation  for 
frosting  glass  to  prevent  the  too  direct  action  of 
the  solar  heat  in  green-houses,  etc.,  is  a  wash  of 
whiting  and  glue-water.  It  must  not  contain  too 
much  glue,  as  it  is  desired  to  wash  it  off  late  in 
the  season  by  the  action  of  rain,  to  compensate 
for  the  decrease  in  temperature. 

FURNITURE  CREAAI.— Beeswax,  i  lb. ; 
soap,  4  oz. ;  pearlash,  2  oz. ;  soft  water,  I  gal. ; 
boil  together  until  mixed. 

FURNITURE  OIL.—i.  Acetic  acid,  2  drs. ; 
oil  of  lavender,  ^  dr. ;  rectified  spirit,  1  dr. ; 
linseed-oil,  4  oz. — 2.  Linseed-oil.  I  pt. ;  alkanet- 
root,  2  oz. :  heat,  strain,  and  add  lac  varnish,  I 
oz. — 3.  Linseed-oil,  i  pt. ;  rectified  spirit,  2  oz. ; 
butter  of  antimony,  4  oz. 

FURNITURE  TASTE.— i.  Turpentine,  1 
pt. ;  alkanet-root,  ^  oz. ;  digest  until  sufficiently 
colored,  then  add  beeswax,  scraped  small,  4  oz. : 
put  the  vessel  into  hot  water,  and  stirr  till  dis- 
solved. If  wanted  pale,  the  alkanet-root  should 
be  omitted. — 2.  (White.)  White  wax,  i  lb.; 
liquor  of  potassa,  )4  g^l-  >  boil  to  a  proper  con- 
sistence.—3.  Beeswax,  i  lb.;  soap,  ^  lb.;  pearl- 
ash,  3  oz.  (dissolved  in  water,  ^  gal.,  and 
strained);  boil  as  last. — 4.  Yellow  wax,  16  parts; 
resin,  i  part;  alkanet-root,  I  part;  turpentine, 
6  parts;  linseed-oil,  6  parts.  First  steep  the 
alkanet  in  the  oil  with  heat,  and,  when  well 
colored,  pour  off  the  clear  on  the  other  ingre- 
dients, and  again  heat  till  all  are  dissolved. 

GILDING,  Mixture  for,  and  How  to  Use  it. 
— Gold  size  may  be  used  as  a  laying  coat.  How- 
ever, the  mixture  of  the  house-gilders  is  prefer- 
able, and  consists  of  an  addition  of  white  lead 
and  chrome  yellow,  ground  very  fine  with  linseed 
oil. 

This  mixture  must  be  used  quite  dry,  that  is 
to  say,  often  stirred,  and  the  brush  or  pencil 
pressed  against  the  sides  of  the  cup  to  remove  all 
excess.  A  good  mixture  may  receive  the  gold 
twelve  hours  after  it  has  been  laid  down,  and  the 
same  process  answers  for  bronzing.  WTien  the 
gilder  has  delivered  his  work  to  the  painter,  the 
latter  must  wash  it  with  plenty  of  water,  taking 
care  not  to  scratch  the  gold.  It  is  better  to  wait 
three  or  four  days  before  washing.  The  gold 
striping  receives  a  first  fixing  with  gelatine  dis- 
solved in  water  and  a  second  with  white  varnish 
diluted  with  turpentine.  When  all  is  dry,  the 
portions  of  gold  which  may  have  stuck  against 
the  paint  of  the  groundwork  are  covered  with  the 
same  color ;  or,  if  we  desire  to  avoid  this  extra 
work,  we  rub  the  body  and  gears  with  a  sponge 
dipped  into  water  containing  finely  levigated  clay. 

GILDING  LIQUID.— T^^ie  of  fine  gold  five 
ounces  (troy);  nitra-muriatic  acid,  fifty-two  oun- 
ces; dissolve  by  heat,  and  continue  the  heat 
until  red  or  yellow  vapors  are  evolved ;  decant 
the  clean  liquid  into  a  proper  vessel ;  add  of 
distilled  water,  four  gallons ;  pure  bicarbonate 
of  potash,  20  lbs ;  boil  for  two  hours. 

GILDING,  Out  Doors.— Take  unruled  writ- 
ing paper,  and  wax  it.  First  put  on  the  size, 
and  then  take  the  book  of  leaf,  and  laying  it  on 
any  convenient  surface,  slip  the  waxed  paper  into 
the  gold  leaf,  pressing  it  down  with  the  hand  so 
as  to  bring  the  waxed  surface  in  contact  with  all 

{)arts  of  the  leaf,  then  withdraw  the  paper  and  the 
eaf  will  adhere  to  it.  In  this  way  a  hurricane 
may  be  defied. 


GILDING,  To  Improz'c. —  Mix  a  gill  of  water 
with  two  ounces  of  purified  niter,  one  ounce  of 
alum,  one  ounce  of  common  salt ;  lay  this  over 
gilt  articles  with  a  brush,  and  the  color  will  be 
much  improved. 

GILDING,  Burnished. — Coat  the  wood  first 
with  size,  and  afterwards  with  size  and  whiting 
mixed  until  a  sufficient  thickness  is  obtained. 
Between  each  coat,  glass  paper  must  be  used  to 
smooth  the  surface.  The  gold  size  is  now  applied 
thinly,  and  when  nearly  dry  the  leaf  is  attached, 
and  afterwards  burnished. 

GILDING  on  Glass. — I.  Mix  powdered  gold 
with  thick  gumarabic  and  powdered  borax.  With 
this  trace  the  design  on  the  glass,  and  then  bake 
it  in  a  hot  oven.  Thus  the  gum  is  burnt  and  the 
borax  is  vitrified,  at  the  same  time  the  gold  is 
fixed  on  the  glass.  To  make  powdered  gold: 
Rub  down  gold  leaf  with  pure  honey  on  a  marble 
slab,  wash  the  mixture,  and  the  "precipitate"  is 
the  gold  used. — 2.  Dissolve  in  boiled  linseed  oil 
an  equal  weight  either  of  copal  or  amber,  and 
add  as  much  oil  of  turpentine  as  will  enable  you 
to  apply  the  compound  or  size  thus  formed  as 
thin  as  possible  to  the  parts  of  glass  intended  to 
be  gilt.  The  glass  is  to  be  placed  in  a  stove,  till 
so  warm  as  almost  to  burn  the  fingers  when 
handled.  At  this  temperature  the  size  becomes 
adhesive,  and  a  piece  of  leaf  gold,  applied  in  the 
usual  way,  will  immediately  stick.  Sweep  oflf  the 
superfluous  portions  of  the  leaf,  and  when  quite 
cold  it  may  be  burnished.  Take  care  to  interpose 
a  piece  of  Indian  paper  between  the  gold  and 
burnisher. 

GILDERS  GL  UE. — A  very  superior  article 
of  the  so  called  gilders'  glue  is  obtained  by  cut- 
ting rabbit-skins  into  fine  shreds,  and  boiling  ia 
water,  then  turning  the  mixture  into  a  basket, 
through  which  the  liquid  passes,  leaving  the  re- 
fuse behind.  About  fifteen  hundred  grains  of 
sulphate  of  zinc  and  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  of  alum  are  then  to  be  separately  dissolved 
in  pure  boiling  water,  and  poured  into  the  first- 
mentioned  liquid,  and  the  whole  well  stirred 
together  while  hot.  The  mixture  is  then  to  be 
passed  through  a  sieve  into  a  rectangular  box,  in 
which  the  jelly  remains  twenty-four  hours  ia 
winter,  or  about  forty-eight  in  summer.  The 
mass  now  having  become  solid,  is  to  be  separated 
from  the  box,  and  cut  into  slices  of  proper  thick- 
ness, and  laid  upon  nets  to  dry,  either  in  the 
open  air  or  by  means  of  some  kind  of  artificial 
heat. 

GILDING,  Sizing  for. — The  best  sizing  for 
gilding  on  glass  is  made  as  follows :  Put  a  piece 
of  isinglass  as  large  as  an  old  fashioned  cent  into 
a  teacup ;  fill  half  full  with  boiling  water.  When 
well  mixed,  and  before  cold,  fill  nearly  full  with 
spirits  of  wine. 

GLAZING. — Sashes  are  primed  before  glaz- 
ing. Glass  laid  in  with  the  crown  or  convex 
side  out.  The  tins  driven  in  with  a  chisel  or 
glazing  hammer;  four  tins  to  each  glass  on  the 
two  long  sides,  about  one  fourth  of  the  distance 
from  the  corners.  If  tins  are  put  in  the  center, 
they  are  apt  to  break  the  glass,  especially  in  cold 
weather. — Back  Futtying.  In  good  work  and 
medium-sized  glass,  after  the  glazing  is  done  and 
the  putty  well  set,  fill  the  spaces  on  the  inside. 
Use  the  putty  soft,  or  it  will  press  the  glass  out. 
— Bedding,  for  superior  work  and  large  glass, 
is  the  best.  Glaze  the  rabbet  with  soft  putty, 
and  press  the  glass  down  into  it  as  close  as  it  will 


ORNAMENTAL  WORK. 


255 


lay,  pressing  on  the  edges  and  not  the  middle  of 
the  glass,  then  glaze  as  usual.  Where  the  mould- 
ing of  the  sash  is  to  go  outside,  the  crown  side 
of  the  glass  should  be  out  also. — Cleaning  after 
the  glazing  is  done,  with  water  and  a  brush,  or 
with  whiting  and  a  dry  brush.  The  line  of  the 
putty  should  come  just  even  with  the  line  of  the 
moulding  on  the  other  side  of  the  glass. 

GOLD  LEAF,  To  Prroent  the  Adhesion  of. 
— Painters  and  decorators  will  find  the  following 
plan  a  good  one  to  simplify  a  most  troublesome 
part  of  their  work:  A  small  piece  of  ball  liquorice, 
dissolved  in  water,  applied  with  a  flat  camel's 
hair  brush  to  the  place  intended  to  be  left  ungilt, 
will  prevent  the  leaf  adhering.  The  solution  must 
be  weak.  Made  thick  and  gummy,  it  is  very 
useful  to  protect  ornamental  parts  of  w^ork  that  is 
to  be  re-painted. 

GRAINING. — In  order  to  obtain  any  degree 
of  perfection  in  the  imitations  of  woods  and 
marbles,  it  is  necessary  to  procure  panels  or  bits 
of  veneer,  and  copy  the  color  and  form  of  the 
grains  as  near  as  possible. — Graining  in  Oil, 
Mix  the  grain  color  in  boiled  oil  and  turpentine, 
and  add  a  little  soap,  or  whiting,  or  even  both ; 
it  makes  it  flow  better.  Clean  the  sponge,  etc., 
in  oil  or  turpentine. — For  Distemper,  the  grain 
color  is  ground  in  ale,  beer,  vinegar,  or  whiskey; 
the  object  being  to  bind  the  color  so  that  it  will 
not  rub  off.  As  a  general  thing,  stale  ale  or  beer 
is  the  best.  Whiskey,  however,  in  cold  weather, 
might  be  preferred,  because  it  does  not  creep  like 
other  fluids ;  but  if  the  ground-work  is  rubbed 
over  with  whiskey  it  will  be  sufficient.  Graining 
should  be  done  with  a  free  and  careless  motion 
of  the  hand,  yet  having  an  eye  to  the  character 
of  the  wood. — Distemper  Graining  requires  the 
ground-work  to  be  dampened  by  rubbing  all 
over  with  a  sponge  wrung  out  of  the  ale,  previous 
to  putting  on  the  grain  color.  The  ground-work: 
as  in  other  mixtures,  take  the  body  color  first, 
and  add  the  positive  colors  by  degrees,  till  the 
required  tint  is  produced.  The  work  may  be 
primed,  as  for  other  work,  with  any  light  color. 
The  second  coat  must  approach  to  the  ground- 
color, and  the  third  coat  must  be  the  tint  to  grain 
upon,  and  is  best  mixed  with  a  gloss,  either  for 
inside  or  out.  Less  than  three  coats  of  ground 
color  will  not  make  a  good  job.  In  particulariz- 
ing the  specific  quantities  of  proportion  of  in- 
gredients, we  are  governed  only  by  general  prin- 
ciples. The  artist  must  regulate  the  tint  accord- 
ing to  taste.  The  brush,  cloth,  or  sponge,  or 
whatever  tools  may  be  used,  must  be  frequently 
washed  out  in  water  while  doing  a  job. — Glazing 
colors  are  transparent,  and  are  mixed  very  thin, 
whether  the  vehicle  is  oil  or  water. — Blending 
must  be  done  by  brushing  the  tit  of  the  blender 
back  and  forth  lightly  over  the  work  while  it  is 
wet. — Blazing  is  done  by  sliding  the  blaze  stick 
up,  and  bearing  round  to  the  right  or  left.  The 
same  motion  is  required  in  packing  in  the  fine 
check  grain  with  the  side  of  the  blender ;  striking 
with  the  flat  side  of  the  blender,  pushing  the 
hand  upward. 

GRAINING,  Black  Walnut.— Tools.  Same 
as  for  mahogany.  —  Ground.  Drab,  made  of 
lead,  yellow  ochre,  Venetian  red,  and  black. — 
Grain  Color.  Burnt  umber.  The  grain  is  made 
almost  the  same  as  for  mahogany,  only  that  the 
blaze  stick  is  used  more  freely;  and  by  specimens 
of  the  real  wood,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  blazes 
run  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  branch,  and 


more  regular  than  mahogany,  running  gradually 
from  bottom  to  top. 

GRAINING,  Mahogany. —  Tools.  A  sponge, 
or  cloth,  or  a  piece  of  buckskin  for  wiping  out 
the  lights.  A  common  paint  brush,  to  put  on  the 
color.  A  blaze  stick,  to  make  the  bright  blazes 
in  the  center  of  the  branch.  It  is  made  of  a 
piece  of  wood  shaved  down  thin,  or  a  paper  card, 
three  inches  long  and  one  inch  wide,  and  very 
thin.  A  blender,  to  soften  the  work.  A  top 
grainer,  to  put  in  the  dark  grain.  —  Grottnd. 
Chrome  yellow  and  orange  red  lead.  About  one 
third  lead,  but  sufficient  to  tint  to  a  bright  orange.  * 
— Grain  Color.  Burnt  terra  de  sienna.  Dampen 
the  work  with  the  fluid  you  grain  with.  Spread 
on  the  grain  color  with  a  brush ;  blend  crosswise. 
Wipe  out,  with  a  sponge  or  cloth,  the  light  parts. 
Blend  again  till  soft.  Put  in  the  blazes  up  through 
the  center  with  the  blaze  stick.  Blend  down  the 
crude  roughness  of  this  lengthwise.  When  dry, 
rub  off  with  the  hand  or  a  soft  cloth,  the  rough 
particles.  Give  a  coat  of  thin  varnish. — For 
Glazing.  Add  a  small  quantity  of  asphaltum  to ' 
the  grain  color,  so  that  it  is  a  shade  darker  than 
before,  and  add  ale  till  it  is  quite  thin.  Rub  it 
well  out  over  the  w-hole  surface.  Blend  it  cross- 
wise. Peck  it  all  over  with  the  side  of  the  blender, 
pushing  the  hand  upward  to  produce  the  fine 
check  grain.  When  dry,  put  on  the  dark  top 
grain.  Another  method  is,  instead  of  making  the 
check  grain,  to  wipe  the  blender  through  the 
glazing,  making  the  top  grain  in  that  way.  Dark 
or  light  mahogany  is  made  by  using  correspond- 
ing colors  in  the  ground,  grain,  and  glazing. 
When  the  graining  does  not  tint,  it  may  all  be 
rubbed  off  with  the  wet  sponge,  and  grained  over 
again. 

GRAINING,  Maple.— Tools.  Brush,  to  put 
on  color.  Buckskin,  to  wipe  out  lights.  Blender 
and  top  grainer. — Ground.  Cream  color,  made 
with  white  lead  and  yellow  ochre. — Grain  Color. 
Raw  sienna  and  raw  umber,  equal  parts  in  all. 
Coat  the  work.  Fold  the  buckskin,  and  with  the 
edge  wipe  out  the  lights  which  make  the  curl. 
Blend  lengthwise  of  the  curl.  Varnish  with  thin 
varnish,  and  when  dry,  glaze  over  the  whole 
with  the  grain  color  made  very  thin,  and  to 
which  is  added  a  very  little  asphaltum.  Wipe 
out,  with  the  sponge,  large  patches  of  lights,  and 
blend  crossings.  When  dry,  top  grain  with  the 
glaze  color. — Bird^s-eye  is  managed  the  same 
way,  except  that,  after  the  grain  color  is  laid  on, 
patches  of  light  are  wiped  out  with  a  wet  sponge. 
Blend,  and  then  dot  over  the  whole,  in  patches, 
by  sticking  the  ends  of  the  fingers  over  it.  Then 
blend  very  lightly. 

GRAINING,  Oah.—i:\\&  most  important  and 
best  system  of  graining  oak  is  the  oil-color  pro- 
cess. It  must  be  understood  that  oak  has  two 
distinct  characteristics.  The  first  is  the  grain 
of  the  wood,  which  is  formed  by  the  pores,  and 
which  always  runs  the  length  way  of^  the  plank, 
and,  in  fact,  of  the  tree  also,  and  this  is  fine  or 
coarse,  as  the  case  may  be ;  the  other  is  technic- 
ally called  "the  figure" — the  dapple,  the  veining, 
and  the  lights  of  the  oak.  These  markings,  al- 
most in  every  case,  run  across  the  grain,  and,  as 
a  rule,  have  a  silvery  reflection,  and  stand  out 
lighter  and  brighter  than  the  grain,  and  some- 
times they  have  a  light  silvery  edge  and  a  dark 
center.  Of  course,  both  the  grain  and  the  mark- 
ings are  different  in  different  descriptions  of  oak. 
In  the  English  oak  the  grain  and  the  veining,  or 


2S6 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


figure,  are  much  finer  and  closer  tJian  in  the 
foreign  oak.  The  Dantzic  oak,  for  instance,  is 
exceedingly  coarse  or  open  in  its  grain  or  pores, 
and  the  "lights,"  or  figure,  as  a  rule  in  broad  or 
thick  lumps,  without  much  gKce  or  beauty  of 
form ;  while  the  figure  in  English  oak  is  arranged 
or  flows  in  graduated  curves,  having  a  beauty 
peculiarly  its  own.  The  grain  and  the  markings 
require  different  methods  of  working,  and  there 
is  no  method  yet  invented  which  does  this  so 
effectively  and  so  well  as  the  oil  process. 

New  work  should  be  well  dusted  before  being 
primed.  After  the  first  coat  is  dry,  it  should  be 
rubbed  down  with  sandpaper  and  stopped  with 
good  sound  putty.  Three  coats  should  then  be 
put  on  and  the  work  sandpapered  between  each 
coat;  except  this  be  done,  no  good  work  can  re- 
sult. The  finishing  coat  should  be  mixed  with 
three  parts  of  oil  to  one  of  turps.  The  color  for 
light  or  new  oak,  commonly  called  wainscot, 
should  be  a  light  creamy  buff,  made  with  Oxford 
ocher  and  white,  and  a  little  vermilion  or  Venetian 
red.  Some  grainers  like  a  white  ground  for  this 
very  light  oak,  but  it  has  a  rawness  of  look  which 
is  not  at  all  pleasant  to  look  upon. 

For  a  middle  shade  of  oak  the  color  should  be 
stained  with  Oxford  ocher,  Venetian  red,  and  a 
little  burnt  umber ;  and  for  dark  oak,  with  burnt 
timber,  Venetian  red,  and  a  little  orange  chrome. 
These  may  all  be  modified  by  admixture  with 
black,  in  a  degree  according  to  whether  the  oak 
•when  finished  is  to  be  warm  or  cool  in  tone.  And 
here  we  may  note  that  the  color  of  the  ground  is  of 
vital  importance  to  the  effect  of  the  work  when 
finished.  Many  persons  don't  care  much  about 
the  ground  color  so  that  it  is  light  enough,  as 
they  depend  upon  the  glazing  color  to  bring  it 
up  to  the  required  shade.  This  we  are  quite 
?  certain  is  a  mistake,  for  if  two  panels  be  grained, 
one  on  a  white  or  nearly  white  ground,  and  the 
other  on  a  rich  colored  ground,  the  former  can- 
not by  any  amount  of  glazing  be  brought  to  the 
same  richness  of  the  color  as  the  latter ;  therefore 
it  is  the  wisest  plan  to  work  upon  ground  colors 
which  are  of  the  same  tone  of  color,  or  nearly  so, 
as  the  work  is  intended  to  be  finished.  The  con- 
trast also  between  the  graining  color  and  the 
ground  color  should  never  be  violent.  When  it 
IS  so,  the  work  has  a  staring  vulgarity  about  it 
very  undesirabe.  The  "figure"  or  markings 
stand  out  so  prominently  and  so  positively  that 
all  flatness  and  repose  is  destroyed.  This  is  a 
very  common  fault  with  graines,  and  one  which 
should  be  avoided.  Grainers  of  this  class  are 
very  fond  of  bright  chrome-yellow  ground,  and 
of  glazing  their  work  with  burnt  sienna,  thus 
making  it  "foxy,"  and,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
ugly  and  vulgar. 

GRAINING,  Rose -Wood.  — Tools.  A  flat 
brush,  sponge,  blender,  camel's  hair  pencil,  and 
fitches. — Ground,  Drop  black.  Spread  on  the 
color,  and  wipe  out  with  the  sponge  or  flat  brush. 
The  grains  are  put  in  with  the  top  grainer  and 
pencils.  Glaze  with  rose-pink  and  asphaltum 
mixed,  and  wipe  out  any  knots  or  shadows  to 
suit  the  fancy 

GREENS. — All  mmeral  greens  have  their 
bases  in  copper,  and  some  of  them  contain  ar- 
senic.— Bnins'Mick  or  Bremen  Green  is  a  com- 
pound of  carbonate  of  copper  and  chalk,  and  the 
best  has  a  portion  of  lead.  This  is  a  fine,  lasting 
green,  and  is  much  more  neglected  than  it  should 
be.     It  is  less  poisonous  than  most  greens,  as 


it  contains  little  or  no  arsenic  When  used 
alone,  it  is  of  too  blue  a  cast,  but  being  lightened 
up  with  light  chrome,  or  lemon  chrome  yellow, 
it  makes  a  green  almost  equal  to  emerald,  both 
in  brilliancy  and  durability,  and  has  a  softer  plea- 
santer  tone.  An  equal  quantity  of  emerald  mixed 
with  it  increases  its  brilliancy. — ScheeWs  Green 
is  composed  of  acetate  of  copper  and  arseniate  of 
potash.  It  is  very  poisonous,  without  being  re- 
deemed by  beauty  or  durability.  —  Emerald 
Green.  This  intensely  brilliant  color  is  a  com- 
pound  of  yellow  arsenic  and  verdigris,  and  con- 
sequently the  most  deadly  poison  with  which 
painters  have  to  deal.  Some  years  ago,  when 
verdigris  was  in  vogue,  painters  complained  of 
the  deleterious  effect  of  that  miserable  color;  but 
they  may  now  well  find  fault  when  they  are 
obliged  to  stand  the  ravages  of  the  combined 
force  of  that  and  arsenic  also.  It  was  first  dis- 
covered and  manufactured  in  France,  and  has 
only  been  in  use  a  few  years,  and  it  is  to  be  hop- 
ed that  its  future  existence  will  be  as  brief  at  its 
past;  for  its  effects  upon  the  people  who  have 
their  rooms  painted,  washed,  and  papered  with 
it  are  almost  as  bad  as  upon  the  painter  who  uses 
it. — Chrome  Green  was  formerly  made  from  the 
blue  oxide  of  chromium,  but  that  which  is  now 
mostly  in  use  is  a  compound  of  potash,  sulphur, 
and  chromic  acid.  Some  factories,  however,  are 
now  preparing  it  from  the  chemical  Prussian  blue 
and  chrome  yellow.  This  is  a  very  soft,  rich, 
and  durable  color,  but  in  the  rage  for  the  glaring 
emerald ;  it  has  been  much  overlooked. 

GREEN  FAINT.  —  Every  green  color, 
simple  or  compound,  when  mixed  up  with  a 
white  ground,  becomes  soft,  and  gives  a  sea- 
green  of  greater  or  less  strength,  and  more  or 
less  delicate,  in  the  ration  of  the  respective  quan- 
tities of  the  principal  colors.  Thus,  green  oxides 
of  copper,  such  as  chrome  green,  verdigris,  dry 
crystallized  acetate  of  copper,  green  composed 
with  blue  verditer,  and  the  Dutch  pink  of  Troyes,' 
or  any  other  yellow,  will  form,  with  a  base  of  a 
white  color,  a  sea-green,  the  intensity  of  which 
may  be  easily  changed  or  modified.  The  white 
ground  for  painting  in  distemper  is  V  generally 
composed  of  Bougival  white  (white  marl),' or 
white  of  Troyes  (chalk),  or  Spanish  white  (pure 
clay) ;  but  for  varnish  or  oil  painting,  it  is  sbught 
for  in  a  metallic  oxide.  In  this  case,  ceruse  or 
pure  white  oxide  of  lead  is  employed. 

GREEN,  SCHEELE'S.— Carbonate  of  pot- 
ass, 32  parts ;  water,  325  parts.  Dissolve,  then 
add  arsenious  acid,  1 1  parts.  Next,  sulphate  of 
copper,  32  •  parts  ;'•  water,  480  parts.  Dissolve 
and  filter  each  solution  separately,  then  add  the 
first  to  the  second,  until  it  ceases  to  produce  a 
rich  grass-green  precipitate ;  collect  and  wash  the 
green  powder  in  clean  water. 

GREEN,  CHROME.  — Take  Pans-white, 
6)4  lbs.;  sugar  of  lead,  and  blue  vitriol,  of  each 
3^  lbs.;  alumi  lo^  ozs.;  best  soft  Prussian  blue 
and  chrome  yellow,  of  each  3^  lbs.  Mix  thor- 
oughly while  in  fine  powder,  and  add  water,  I 
gal.,  stirring  well  and  let  stand  3  or  4  hours. 

GREEN,  FARIS.— Take  unslacked  lime  of 
the  best  quality  slack  it  with  hot  water ;  then 
take  the  finest  part  of  the  powder  and  add  alum 
water,  as  strong  as  can  be  made,  sufficient  to 
form  a  thick  paste,  then  color  it  with  bi-chromate 
of  potash  and  sulphate  of  copper  until  the  color 
suits  your  fancy,  N.  B. — The  sulphate  of  copper 
gives  the  color  a  blue  tinge — the  bi-chromate  of 


PAINTING  AND  PAPERING. 


257 


potash  a  yellow.    Observe  this  and  you  will  never 
fail. 

GREEN  for  fVALLS.— Take  4  lbs.  Roman 
vitriol,  and  pour  on  it  a  tea-kettle  full  of  boiling 
water.  When  dissolved,  add  2  lbs.  pearlash, 
and  stir  the  mixture  well  with  a  stick  until  the 
effervescence  ceases;  then  add  l^  lb.  pulverized 
yellow  arsenic,  and  stir  the  whole  together.  Lay 
It  on  with  a  paint-brush  ;  and,  if  the  wall  has  not 
been  painted  before,  two,  or  even  three,  coats 
will  be  requisite.  If  a  pea-green  is  required,  pat 
in  less,  if  an  apple-green,  more  of  the  yellow 
arsenic.  This  paint  does  not  cost  the  quarter  of 
oil-paint,  and  looks  better. 

ISINGLASS  SIZE. — This  may  also  be  pre- 
pared in  the  manner  above  directed  for  the  glue, 
by  increasing  the  proportion  of  the  water  for 
dissolving  it,  and  the  same  holds  good  of  parch- 
ment size.  A  better  sort  of  the  copimon  size 
may  be  likewise  made  by  treating  cuttings  of 
glovers'  leather  in  the  same  manner. 

KA  ISO  MING.  —  The  rough  unfinished  ap- 
pearance of  a  white  or  yellow  washed  wall  is  not 
Its  most  disagreeable  peculiarity.  It  perpetually 
gives  off  its  dirt,  and  its  own  fabric  in  powder,  to 
any  one  who  brushes  it  with  his  garments,  or 
who  hangs  his  clothes  against  it.  The  superior 
smoothness  and  glaze  of  a  good  kalsomined  wall 
is  a  great  improvement  to  the  style  of  the  interior 
of  a  house ;  and  if  well  made,  such  a  surface  is 
suitable  to  the  best  rooms  of  a  good  house,  and 
is  so  cheap  as  to  be  within  the  means  of  the 
poorest.  It  requires  care  and  judgment  in  the 
selection  of  the  not  expensive  materials,  and 
above  all,  capability  and  skill  in  applying  it  to  the 
wall. 

The  plaster  is  made  of  Paris  white,  a  fine  pow- 
der produced  by  the  pulverization  and  elutriation 
of  common  chalk,  mixed  with  fine,  clear  white 
glue,  dissolved  in  water.  The  Paris  white  costs 
about  three  cents  a  pound,  but  the  wandering 
operatives  who  apply  for  jobs  ask  a  much  higher 
price  for  it. 

The  process  should  be  commenced  by  soaking 
four  ounces  of  glue  in  a  quart  of  warm  water  for 
twenty  or  twenty-four  hours;  then  a  pint  of 
water  should  be  added  ;  and  the  vessel  (of  tin  or 
other  thin  metal)  should  be  placed  in  a  kettle 
of  hot  water  over  a  fice,  the  glue  being  agitated 
till  it  is  thoroughly  dissolved  and  the  solution 
quite  clear.  Put  five  or  six  pounds  of  powdered 
Paris  white  into  a  large  bucket,  and  add  hot 
water  sufficient  for  the  mixture  to  be  of  the  con- 
sistency  of  cream.  Then  mix  the  glue  water 
with  it,  stir  it  well,  and  paint  the  walls  with  the 
mixture  with  the  usual  whitewash  brush. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  kal- 
somining  mixture  be  spread  very  smoothly,  and 
to  secure  this,  a  little  hot  water  must  be  added, 
if  the  stuff  be  too  thick  for  easy  and  level  appli- 
cation. The  quantities  given  above  are  sufficient 
for  two  coats  on  a  large  room,  say  one  eighteen 
feet  square ;  and  for  good  work  two  coats  should 
always  be  applied.  A  little  care  in  manipulation 
will  produce  by  kalsomining  a  neat  and  hand- 
some effect,  even  in  the  hands  of  the  most  in- 
experienced operator. 

KILLING  GREASE.— 0\di  work  is  always 
more  or  less  greasy  and  smoky.  Wash  over  the 
smoky  or  greasy  parts  with  nitre,  or  with  very 
thin  lime  whitewash.  Soda  will  do,  but  lime  is 
the  best  and  cheapest. 

KILLING   KNOTS.  —  Glue  size  and  red 


lead.  Gum  shellac  dissolved  in  alcohol,  and 
mixed  with  red  lead.  Gutta  percha  dissolved  in 
ether.  But  through  all  or  any  of  these  will  the 
pitch  of  the  knot  exude  if  exposed  to  the  sun. 
Perhaps  the  very  best  method  is,  to  size  the  knot 
with  oil  size,  and  then  lay  a  leaf  of  gold  or  silver 
on  it.  In  a  very  choice  piece  of  work,  a  hot  iron 
may  be  held  over  the  knot  till  a  good  portion  of 
the  pitch  has  come  out  and  been  scraped  off, 
when  the  two  coats  of  the  leaf  will  be  sure  to 
keep  out  both  the  pitch  and  any  discoloration. 

LA CQUERS.  —  I.  Deep  Golden  Lacquer.  — 
Seed-lac,  3  ozs.;  turmeric,  i  oz.;  dragon's-blood, 
X  oz-;  alcohol,  I  pint.  Digest  for  a  week, 
shaking  frequently;  then  decant  and  filter.  — 
2.  Golden  Lacquer. — Turmeric,  I  lb.;  gamboge, 
\yi  ozs.;  gum  sandarac,  3^  lbs.;  shellac,  ^  lb., 
(all  in  powder;)  rectified  alcohol,  2  gallons. 
Dissolve,  strain,  and  add  i  pint  of  turpentine 
varnish. — 3.  Red  Lacquer. —  Spanish  annotto,  3 
lbs.;  dragon's-blood,  I  lb.;  gum  sandarac,  3^ 
lbs,;  rectified  alcohol,  2  gallons ;  tui-pentine  var- 
nish, I  quart.  Dissolve  and  mix,  as  in  No.  2. 
—  4.  Pale  Brazen  Lacquer.  —  Gamboge,  (cut 
small,)  I  oz.;  cape  aloes,  (do.,)  3  ozs.;  pale 
shellac,  I  lb.;  rectified  alcohol,  2  gallons.  Dis- 
solve and  mix,  as  in  No.  2. — 5.  Another  Brazen 
Lacquer.  —  Seed-lac,  dragon's-blood,  annotto, 
and  gamboge,  each,  4  ozs.;  saffron,  I  oz.;  recti- 
fied alcohol,  10  pints.  Dissolve,  etc.,  as  in 
No.  2. 

As  these  lacquers  are  often  wanted  of  different 
shades  of  color,  it  is  well  to  keep  on  hand  a  con- 
centrated solution  of  each  coloring  ingredient,  so 
that  it  may  be  added  at  any  time  to  produce  the 
desired  tint. 

LACQUER,  COLORLESS.— mssolve  2)4 
ounces  of  shellac  in  I  pint  of  rectified  spirits  of 
wine;  boil  for  a  few  minutes  with  5  ounces  of 
well-burned  and  recently  heated  animal  charcoal. 
A  small  portion  of  the  solution  should  then  be 
filtered,  and  if  not  colorless,  more  charcoal  must 
be  added.  When  all  color  is  removed,  press  the 
liquid  through  a  piece  of  silk,  and  afterward  filter 
through  fine  blotting  paper. 

LAMPBLACK,  To  make.  —  Suspend  over  a 
lamp  a  funnel  of  tin  plate,  having  above  it  a  pipe 
to  convey  from  the  apartment  the  smoke  which 
escapes  from  the  lamp.  Large  mushrooms,  of  a 
very  black,  carbonaceous  matter,  and  exceedingly 
light,  will  be  formed  at  the  summit  of  the  cone. 
This  carbonaceous  part  is  carried  to  such  a  state 
of  division  as  cannot  be  given  to  any  other  matter, 
by  grinding  it  on  a  piece  of  porphyry. 

This  black  goes  a  great  way  in  every  kind  of 
painting.  It  may  be  rendered  drier  by  calcina- 
tion in  close  vessels. 

The  funnel  ought  to  be  united  to  the  pipe, 
which  conveys  off  the  smoke,  by  means  of  wire, 
because  solder  would  be  melted  by  the  flame  of 
the  lamp. 

LIME  WA  Tlf'i^.— Equal  parts  of  lime  water 
and  linseed  oil,  which  will  mix  if  well  shaken, 
when  united  with  any  body  matter,  particularly 
lead,  form  a  solid  and  almost  imperishable  ce- 
ment, which,  for  priming  and  second  coating, 
or  even  the  last  coat,  is  far  superior  tooil'paint; 
and  the  painter  who  supposed  he  was  cheating 
his  employer,  was  actually  benefiting  him.  The 
color,  however,  works  badly,  as  it  is  thick,  light,,, 
and  creamy,  and  harder  to  spread ;  and  if  fifty 
per  cent,  is  saved  in  the  oil,  thirty  per  cent,  is, 
lost  in  time,  and  ten  per  cent- in  the  extra.quan- 
17 


258 


DICTION AR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


tity  used ;  so,  after  all,  there  is  not  much  saved 
in  its  use. 

LINSEED  OIL,  To  bleach.— To  bleach  lin- 
seed oil  expose  the  oil  to  the  rays  of  the  sun  in 
glass  bottles,  and  it  very  soon  becomes  white 
and  clear,  with  a  deposit  of  the  impure  matters 
at  the  bottom.  Some  persons  filter  the  oil 
through  animal  charcoal.  Another  good  method 
is  to  heat  the  oil  in  a  wooden  vessel  by  means 
of  a  steam  pipe,  having  first  added  to  each  gallon 
about  one  pound  of  "filtering  powder",  made  by 
drying  pure  clay  of  fuller's  earth  by  a  gentle  heat, 
and  giinding  it  to  powder.  The  oil  must  then 
be  filtered  through  bags  made  of  Canton  flannel 
or  felt.  Bags  are  now  made  from  the  latter  ma- 
terial for  this  purpose,  without  seam,  by  the 
same  process  as  that  employed  for  hat  bodies. 

MADDER  LAKE.  —  Ground  madder,  I 
pound ;  water,  8  pounds.  Boil  for  fifteen  minu- 
tes, then  add  alum,  2  ounces.  Dissolve  and 
strain,  then  precipitate  the  color,  with  a  strained 
solution  of  pearlash,  added  gradually;  lastly, 
collect  and  well  wash  the  powder.  The  lake 
thrown  down  on  the  first  addition  of  the  potash 
is  of  the  finest  quality,  and  each  successive  por- 
tion decreases  in  value. 

MAHOGANY,  To  Imiiaie.— The  surface  of 
any  close  grained  wood  is  planed  smooth,  and 
then  rubbed  with  a  solution  of  nitrous  acid.  Next 
apply  with  a  soft  brush  a  mixture  of  one  ounce 
of  dragon's  blood  dissolved  in  a  pint  of  alcohol 
and  with  the  addition  of  a  third  of  an  ounce  of 
carbonate  of  soda.  When  the  polish  diminishes 
in  brilliancy,  it  may  be  restored  by  the  use  of  a 
little  cold  drawn  linseed  oil. 

MAHOGANY  COLOR  forWood.—LogwooA, 
two  ounces,  is  boiled  down  half  with  a  pint  of 
water,  then  strained,  and  the  filtrate  mixed  with 
half  an  ounce  of  chloride  of  barium.  Most  woods 
employed  for  furniture  may  be  stained  a  close 
imitation  of  mahogany,  varying  in  depth  with  the 
length  of  immersion.  An  oak  color  results  when 
the  bath  is  diluted  with  rain  water. 

MARBLES,  To  Imiiafe.— Paint  the  ground- 
work, and  when  dry  and  rubbed  down,  dampen 
the  whole  surface  with  boiled  oil,  rubbed  on  with 
a  cloth.  For  the  light  marbles,  however,  some 
prefer  to  work  the  grain  in  the  ground  color 
while  wet. 

MARBLES,  Gray  and  White.— This  is  very 
simple,  though  it  requires  some  skill  to  do  it 
nicely.  Paint  with  white  or  lead  color,  and  vein 
and  mottle  with  black  and  slate  color,  in  the  wet 
paint,  and  blend  it  all  down  softly  with  a  paint 
brush. 

MARBLE,  Italian.  —  Tools.  Camel's  hair 
pencils,  blender,  and  sponge. — Ground.  Black. 
—  Grain  Color.  Gold  tint,  for  bright  veins. 
Burnt  sienna,  white  and  yellow  ochre,  fluid,  oil, 
and  turpentine. 

Scramble  out,  in  patches,  with  thin  white  lead, 
with  a  sponge;  blend;  then,  with  the  hair  pencil, 
trace  in  the  larger  dark  veins  with  burnt  sienna, 
then  with  yellow  ochre,  and  lastly  with  the  gold 
tint,  running  the  lines  over  each  other,  yet  all 
having  the  same  general  direction.  It  will  be 
seen,  from  the  specimens,  that  these  veins  are 
series  of  irregular  loopholes  and  patches  of  light, 
crossed  and  connected  by  sharp,  crinkled,  and 
angular  lines,  the  whiter  lines  being  the  sharpest. 

When  veined  and  dry,  glaze  with  very  thin 
asphaltum,  in  patches,  to  give  it  depth.  Then 
varnisb,  and,  if  desired,  poUsh. 


OIL,  DRYIA'G. — A  good  drying  linseed  oil, 
prepared  without  the  usual  process  of  boiling. 
Mix  with  old  linseed  oil,  the  older  you  can  get  it 
the  better,  2  per  cent,  of  its  weight  of  manganese 
borate  (this  salt  is  readily  prepared  by  precipi- 
tating a  solution  of  sulphate  of  manganese  with 
a  solution  of  borax,  wash  the  precipitaie,  and  dry 
it  either  at  the  ordinary  temperature  of  the  air  or 
at  loo"),  and  heat  this  mixture  on  a  water-bath, 
or,  if  you  have  to  work  with  large  quantities, 
with  a  steam-bath  to  loo'',  or  at  most  no*';  you 
thus  obtain  a  very  excellent,  light-colored,  rap- 
idly-drying oil ;  by  keeping  the  mixture  stirred, 
that  is  to  say,  by  always  exposing  fresh  portions 
to  air,  the  drying  property  of  the  oil  is  greatly 
promoted.  The  rapidity  of  the  drying  of  the  oil 
after  it  has  been  mixed  with  paint,  on  surfaces 
besmeared  therewith,  does  not  simply  depend 
upon  the  drying  property  of  the  oil,  but,  in  a 
very  great  measure,  upon  the  state  of  the  atmos- 
phere— viz.,  whether  dry  or  moist,  hot  or  cold 
—  the  direct  action  of  sunligbt,  and  the  state  of 
the  surfaces  on  which  the  paint  is  brought. 
Really  genuine  boiled  linseed  oil,  if  well  prepa- 
red, leaves  nothing  to  be  desired  as  regards  ra- 
pidity of  drying,  but  it  is  retarded  by  various 
substances  which  are  added  in  practice,  among 
which,  especially,  oil  of  turpentine  is  injurious. 

OIL,  Eumiture. — Take  linseed  oil,  put  it  into 
a  glazed  pipkin  with  as  much  alkanet  root  as  it 
will  cover.  Let  it  boil  gently,  and  it  will  become 
of  a  strong  red  color ;  when  cool,  it  will  be  fit 
for  use. 

OIL,  {^Prcparal)  For  Catriage  etc. — To  i  gal- 
lon linseed  oil  add  2  lbs.  gum  shellac ;  litharge, 
1/2  lb.;  red  lead,  %  lb.;  umber,  I  oz.  Boil  slowly 
as  usual  until  the  gums  are  dissolved;  grind 
your  paints  in  this  (any  color),  and  reduce  w  ith 
turpentine.  Yellow  ochre  is  used  in  floor  painting. 

PAIA^TING. — ^The  value  of  paints  prepared 
from  oxides  of  iron  is  very  generally  overlooked 
by  architects.  These  paints  some  men  of  ex- 
perience pronounce  to  be  superior  to  those  pre- 
pared from  the  oxides  of  lead ;  at  any  rate,  they 
answer  equally  well,  and  the  cost  is  considerably 
less.  But  I  propose  to  allude  to  the  value  of 
these  paints,  especially  for  use  upon  iron.  It  has 
been  acknowledged  for  years  that  the  oxides  of 
lead,  or  copper,  if  put  upon  iron,  will  eat  into  it, 
and  promote  corrosion,  and  yet  how  frequently 
do  we  meet  with  the  requirement  that  iron-work 
shall  have  a  coat  of  red-lead  before  leaving  the 
foundry:  a  worse  provision  could  hardly  be  made, 
unless  it  be  to  specify  verdigris,  a  preparation 
from  copper;  this  also  is  sometimes  used,  though 
it  eats  holes  into  the  iron  in  a  very  short  time. 
Very  shortly  after  iron-work  is  painted,  the  iron 
will  be  observed  corroded,  and  the  remark  be 
upon  every  body's  tongue,  "This  ought  not  to 
be  going  so  soon,  ought  not  to  want  painting  so 
soon."  The  fact  is,  lead  has  been  put  upon  it, 
and  nothing  else  could  be  expected.  The  reason 
red  or  white  lead  causes  metal  to  corrode  so 
quickly  is  explained  thus :  directly  the  air  gets 
to  the  metal,  not  only  does  natural  corrosion  take 

f)lace,  but  a  chemical  action  sets  in  between  the 
ead  and  the  iron,  and  increases  the  corrosion. 
No  harm  can  result  from  painting  iron  with  red 
or  white  lead,  so  long  as  the  oxygen  of  the  air, 
or  water,  does  not  get  to  the  metal ;  but  as  it  is 
almost  sure  to  do  so,  it  is  best  not  to  run  ihe 
risk.  The  same  quantity  of  jyiint,  made  from 
the  oxide  of  iron,  will  cover  a  surface  of  twice 


PAINTING  AND  PAPERING, 


259 


the  area  as  that  of  paint  prepared  from  lead, 
though  the  price  is  much  less.  Aqua  fortis,  one 
of  the  strongest  acids,  if  poured  upon  red  or 
•wliite  lead,  will  fuse  it  instantly,  but  has  no  effect 
upon  paint  prepared  from  the  oxide  of  iron. 
With  regard  to  the  numerous  anti-corrosive  paints 
in  existence,  I  may  say,  in  one  word,  it  is  of  no 
use  trying  to  cheat  nature;  anti  -  corrosive 
paints  will  not  answer  the  purpose  their  names 
imply:  all  paints  must  yield  eventually  to  the 
action  of  the  oxygen,  and  the  work  be  repainted, 
and  for  many  reasons  it  is  well  that  all  work 
should  be  repainted  at  proper  intervals.  All  that 
can  be  done  to  attain  the  objects  of  such  paints  is 
to  so  pick  and  form  the  stuff  as  to  reduce  the 
power  of  the  elements  to  affect  it  to  a  minimum. 
This  is  found  best  secured  when  the  composition 
forming  the  paint  is  granular,  not  so  finely  pow- 
dered as  ordinarily.  The  finer  the  powder  of  the 
mixture,  the  greater  the  tendency  for  air-holes  to 
form,  as  the  paint  is  being  laid  on ;  paint  that  is 
more  gritty,  or  granular,  affords  a  better  oppor- 
tunity for  the  air  to  escape,  and  therefore  reduces 
the  liability  of  corrosion  to  the  utmost  limit.  The 
coating  of  oil  is  the  best  preservative,  and  not  the 
paint  mixtures ;  and  therefore  those  mixtures 
which,  like  lamp-black,  go  a  long  way  in  mixing 
with  oil,  answer  better  than  those  that  require 
more  of  the  mixture  to  form  the  paint.  For  cover- 
ing urinals  or  other  work  exposed  to  the  influence 
of  strong  acid,  black  varnish  is  the  best  article  to 
use ;  it  should  be  frequently  applied,  and  is  in- 
expensive. Woodwork  before  painting  ought  to 
be  well  soaked  with  good  priming,  principally 
turpentine ;  this  keeps  damp  out  of  the  wood ; 
a  coat  of  paint  has  not  the  same  power,  as  it 
forms  a  skin  on  the  wood,  instead  of  soaking  into 
it.  The  priming  should  pass  over  all  the  wood- 
work, where  exposed;  otherwise  damp  may  come 
into  contact  with  the  portion  not  primed,  and  it 
will  find  its  way  down  the  wood,  and  cause 
blisters  in  the  paint,  where  we  have  thought  them 
unlikely;  blistering  is  often  a  result  of  insufficient 
priming.  Painters,  as  a  rule,  neglect  to  prime 
the  tops  of  outside  doors ;  damp  gets  down  the 
wood,  and  blistering  results.  Knots  will  some- 
times show  through  paint-work,  and  lead  to  the 
inference  that  no  knotting  has  been  used,  %vhere- 
as  the  effect  may  be  merely  the  result  of  using 
inferior  stuff.  It  is  of  great  importance  that  knot- 
ting of  good  quality  be  used ;  it  may  be  purchas- 
ed at  half  the  cost  of  the  well  known  patent  knot- 
ting, but  will  answer  no  purpose.  The  best 
driers  are  prepared  from  sugar  of  lead;  the 
lighter  the  driers  the  better  their  quality.  The 
quantity  of  driers  required  depends  upon  the 
time  of  the  year  the  paint  is  used,  and  the  charac- 
ter of  the  oil.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  bad  oil  in 
use  now,  distilled,  or  by  other  means  prepared 
from  resin ;  this  will  not  dry  properly,  do  what 
you  will  with  it,  and  it  should  be  condemned  for 
paint-work  at  once.  It  does  not  cost  half  so 
much  as  linseed  oil,  and  there  is,  therefore,  at  all 
times  danger  of  it  getting  into  our  Avork.  \Vhen 
fresh,  and  sometimes  when  of  long  standing,  it 
may  be  killetl  by  an  application  of  petroleum  spirit, 
or  potash ;  but  generally,  when  this  oil  proves  to 
be  in  tlie  paint,  the  best  course  is  to  scrape  the 
whole  off  with  salamancas,  or  hot  irons,  in  the 
usual  way.  Xo  oil  will  answer  so  well  as  linseed 
oil,  well  boiled  or  raw,  when  there  is  not  the  ne- 
cessity for  so  much  driers ;  raw  oil  may  be  used 
in  summer  weather,  aiid  should  always  be  used 


for  white  paints,  as  the  boiled  oil  discolors  them; 
driers  in  this  latter  case  must  be  added.  Often 
when  we  specify  the  best  copal  varnish,  we  get 
nothing  but  common  oak,  though  the  difference 
in  cost  may  be  from  seven  shillings  to  twenty- 
one  per  gallon.  The  best  proceeding  for  the 
architect  is  to  price  the  varnish,  and  take  special 
means  for  obtaining  it.  For  ordinary  purposes, 
where  we  usually  specify  common  oak  varnish, 
copal  varnish  diluted  with  oil  answers  better, 
and  in  practice  is  often  adopted, 

PAINTING,  Rules  for.— \.  Let  the  ground- 
work becarefuUy  prepared  and  dry. — 2.  See  that 
the  colors  are  well  ground  and  duly  mixed. — 3. 
Do  not  mix  much  more,  nor  any  less  paint  than 
you  think  will  be  necessary  for  the  present  work. 
— 4.  Keep  the  paint  well  mixed  before  using. — 
5.  See  that  the  paint  is  neither  too  thick  to  work 
well,  nor  too  thin  to  cover  properly,  and  apply  it 
evenly. — 6.  Do  not  apply  a  succeeding  coat  be- 
fore the  previous  one  is  dry. — 7,  Do  not  use  a 
lighter  color  over  a  darker. — 8.  Do  not  add  driers 
to  colors  long  before  using, ^-9.  Use  just  as  little 
driers  as  will  do  the  work, — 10,  Do  not  over- 
charge the  brush  with  paint. — 1 1.  Begin  with  the 
highest  part  of  your  work  and  proceed  downward. 

PAINTING  Outside  Houses. — Repeated  ex- 
periments prove  that  paint  applied  between  No- 
vember and  March,  will  last  twice  as  long  as 
that  applied  in  warm  weather.  The  reason  is 
that  in  cold  weather  the  component  parts  of  the 
paint  form  a  hard  substance  on  the  surface ;  al- 
most as  hard  as  glass ;  but  in  warm  weather  the 
oil  penetrates  the  boards  and  the  paint  wears  off. 

PAINTS,  To  Mix — In  mixing  paints,  ob- 
serve, that  ior  out-door  work  you  must  use  prin- 
cipally, or  wholly,  boiled  oil,  unless  it  is  for  the 
decorative  parts  of  houses,  etc.,  then  mix  as  for 
in-door  work. 

For  in-door  work  use  linseed  oil,  turpentine, 
and  a  little  drj'ers,  observing  that  tlie  less  oil, 
the  less  will  be  the  gloss,  and  that  for  flatted 
white,  eta,  the  color  being  ground  in  oil,  will 
scarcely  require  any  further  addition  of  that  ar- 
ticle, as  the  object  is  to  have  it  dull, 

PAINI\  FkxiiU,  —  Yellow  soap  cut  into 
slices,  lyi  lbs.;  boiling  water,  i  gall.;  dissoh-e 
and  mix  while  hot  with  oil  paint,  l^  cwt.  Used 
to  paint  canvass. 

PAINT  {Cheap),  for  Fences,  ete.—l.  Take  a 
bushel  of  well  burnt  lime,  white  and  unslacked ; 
20  pounds  of  Spanish  whiting,  17  pounds  of  rock 
salt,  and  12  pounds  of  brown  sugar.  Slake  the 
lime  and  sift  out  any  coarse  lumps  and  mix  it 
into  a  good  whitewash  with  about  40  gallons  of 
water,  and  then  add  the  other  ingredients,  and 
stir  the  whole  together  thoroughly,  and  put  on 
two  or  three  coats  with  a  common  brush.  This 
is  a  cheap  paint.  Five  dollars'  worth  ought  to 
make  the  building  look  a  hundred  dollars'  worth 
better.  This  makes  a  coat  that  does  not  wash 
off,  or  easily  rub  off,  and  it  looks  well,  while  it 
will  go  far  to  preserve  the  wood.  It  is,  there- 
fore, especially  adapted  to  the  outside  of  build- 
ings that  are  exposed  to  the  weather.  Three 
coats  are  needed  on  brick  and  tw  o  on  wood.  If 
you  want  to  get  a  fine  cream  color,  add  three 
pounds  of  yellow  ochre  to  the  above.  If  you  pre- 
fer a  fawn  color,  add  four  pounds  of  i;ml)er,  one 
Eound  of  Indian  red,  and  oic  pound  of  lamp- 
lack.  If  you  want  a  gray  1  r  stone  color,  add 
four  pounds  of  raw  umber  and  two  pounds  of 
lamp-black.     This  will  be  more  durable  than 


26o 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


common  whitewash.  —  2.  Take  freshly-burned 
unslaked  lime  and  reduce  it  to  powder.  To  one 
peck  or  one  bushel  of  this  add  the  same  quantity 
of  fine  white  sand  or  fine  coal  ashes,  and  twice  as 
much  fresh  \v<)od  ashes,  all  these  being  sifted 
through  a  fine  sieve.  They  should  then  be  thor- 
oughly mixed  together  while  dry.  Afterwards 
mix  them  with  as  much  common  linseed  oil  as 
will  make  the  whole  thin  enough  to  work  freely 
with  a  painter's  brush.  This  will  make  a  paint  of 
light  gray  stone  color,  nearly  white.  To  make 
it  fawn  or  drab,  add  yellow  ochre  and  Indian  red; 
if  drab  is  desired,  add,  burnt  umber,  Indian  red, 
and  a  little  black ;  if  dark  stone  color,  add  lamp- 
black; or  if  brown  stone,  then  add  Spanish  brown. 
All  these  colors  should,  of  course,  be  first  mixed 
in  oil  and  then  added.  This  paint  is  much  cheaper 
than  common  oil  paint.  It  is  equally  well  suited 
to  wood,  brick,  or  stone.  It  is  better  to  apply 
it  in  two  coats  ;  the  first  thin,  the  second  thick. 

FAINT,  MILK,  for  Barns,  «i-.— Mix  water 
lime  with  skim-milk,  to  a  proper  consistence  to 
apply  with  a  brush,  and  it  is  ready  to  use.  It 
will  adhere  well  to  wood,  whether  smooth  or 
rough,  to  brick,  mortar  or  stone,  where  oil  has 
not  been  used,  (in  which  case  it  cleaves  to  some 
extent,)  and  forms  a  very  hard  substance,  as 
durable  as  the  best  oil  paint.  It  is  too  cheap  to 
estimate,  and  any  one  can  put  it  on  who  can  use 
a  brush. 

FAINT,  Fetroleum  as. — This  can  be  used  to 
great  advantage  on  a  farm  as  a  preserver  of 
wood.  It  is  not  properly  a  paint.  No  coloring 
matter  should  ever  be  mixed  with  it.  Ordinary  lin- 
seed-oil paint  preserves  wood  by  forming  a  coat 
that  excludes  the  atmosphere  from  the  pores. 
Petroleum  penetrates  the  wood  and  excludes  the 
air  by  filling  up  the  pores. 

Old  barns  from  which  the  paint  is  worn  off  will 
be  much  improved  by  a  liberal  coat  of  petroleum. 
It  can  be  put  on  with  a  whitewash  brush.  The 
point  is  to  get  on  as  much  as  the  wood  will  ab- 
sorb. It  is  better  to  go  over  the  work  rapidly 
and  then  the  next  day  go  over  it  again.  For 
shingle  roofs,  new  or  old,  nothing  is  better  than 
•petroleum.  In  making  a  new  roof  we  would  dip 
the  shingles  by  the  bunch  in  petroleum,  until 
they  were  saturated,  before  putting  them  on. 
This  would  save  the  expense  of  applying  it  on 
the  roof  with  a  brush. 

The  sills  and  timbers  of  barns  and  other  build- 
ings, in  the  parts  most  liable  to  decay,  should  be 
treated  with  petroleum.  A  good  way  to  do  this 
is  to  bore  a  hole  with  an  auger  into  the  stick  of 
timber,  and  fill  it  with  the  oil,  and  as  it  is  absorb- 
ed, add  more.  The  hole  should  afterwards  be 
plugged  up.  The  ends  of  all  the  timber  should 
also  be  washed  over  repeatedly  with  petroleum 
before  being  put  into  the  building.  In  this  way 
soft  maple,  black  ash,  and  bass  wood  may  be 
made  durable  timber,  and  as  useful  as  oak  -when 
strength  is  not  required. 

FAINT  .S'AVA'iy.— Dissolve  sal-soda,  ^  lb., 
in  rain-water,  I  gal.  The  skins  that  dry  upon 
the  top  of  paint,  which  has  been  left  standing 
for  any  length  of  time,  may  be  made  fit  for  use 
again  by  covering  them  with  the  sal-soda-water 
and  soaking  them  therein  for  a  couple  of  days;  then 
heat  them,  adding  oil  to  reduce  the  mixture  to  a 
proper  consistence  for  painting,  and  straining. 
Painters  who  are  doing  extensive  business  will 
save  many  dollars  yearly  by  this  simple  process. 

FAINT  {fill),  To  Reduce  with  WaUr,— Gum 


shellac,  I  lb.;  sal-soda,  }4  lb.;  water,  3  parts  ; 
boil  all  togetlier  in  a  kettle,  stirring  ti'l  dissolv- 
ed. If  it  does  not  all  dissolve,  add  a  little  more 
sal-soda;  when  cool,  bottle  for  use;  mix  up  2 
quarts  of  oil  paint  as  usual,  any  color  desired, 
using  no  turpentine,  put  I  pint  of  the  gum 
shellac  mixture  with  the  oil  paint  when  it  be- 
comes thick  ;  it  can  then  be  reduced  with  water 
to  a  proper  thickness  to  lay  on  with  a  brush. 

FAFER  HANGING.— i:ht  first  thing  to  be 
thought  of  is  the  .selection  of  paper  hangings. 
According  to  the  taste  or  judgment  with  which 
the  pattern  is  chosen,  so  will  the  appearance  of 
the  room,  when  prepared,  be  agreeable  or  dis- 
pleasing. Large  patterns  should,  of  course,  be 
only  used  in  large  rooms.  Dark-tinted  papers  are 
most  suitable  for  light  rooms,  and  light  papers 
for  dark  rooms ;  many  a  dingy  or  gloomy  apart- 
ment may  be  made  to  wear  a  cheerful  aspect  by 
attention  to  this  particular.  Stripes,  whether  on 
a  lady's  dress,  or  on  the  walls  of  a  room,  always 
give  the  effect  of  hight ;  consequently  a  low  room 
is  improved  by  being  hung  with  a  striped  paper. 
The  effect  is  produced  by  a  wavy  stripe  as  well 
as  a  straight  one,  and,  as  curved  lines  are  the 
most  graceful,  they  should  generally  be  prefer- 
red. Any  pattern  with  lines  crossed  so  as  to 
form  a  square,  is  unsuitable  for  alow  room  ;  but 
with  the  lines  made  sloping  or  diagonal,  there  is 
not  the  same  objection.  A  diamond  trellis  pat- 
tern, with  a  small  plant  creeping  over  it,  looks 
well  in  a  small  summer  parlor.  For  a  common 
sitting-room,  a  small  geometrical  pattern  is  very 
suitable;  being  well  covered,  it  does  not  show 
accidental  stains  or  bruises,  and,  in  the  constant 
repetition  of  the  design,  there  is  no  one  object  to 
attract  the  eye  more  than  another.  These  are 
sometimes  called  Elizabethan  patterns ;  they  are 
much  used  for  staircases,  halls,  and  passages, 
but  they  are  not  to  be  chosen  at  random.  Ac- 
cording to  the  hight  and  dimensions  of  the  pas- 
sage or  staircase,  such  should  be  the  pattern. 
A  large  pattern  on  a  narrow  staircase,  and  in  a 
passage  not  more  than  eight  feet  in  hight,  has  a 
very  heavy  and  disagreeable  effect.  A  light  gray, 
or  yellow  marble,  divided  into  blocks  by  thm 
lines,  and  varnished,  will  be  found  suitable  for 
most  passages,  if  care  be  taken  to  adapt  the  size 
.  of  the  blocks  to  the  place  where  they  are  to  ap- 
pear. A  size  that  would  look  well  in  a  hall 
twenty  feet  wide,  would  be  altogether  too  large 
in  one  of  only  four  or  six  feet.  Many  persons 
must  have  noticed,  in  their  visits  of  business  or 
pleasure,  that  some  houses  present  a  cheerful 
aspect  as  soon  as  the  door  is  opened,  while  others 
look  so  dull  that  they  make  one  low-spirited  upon 
entering  them.  The  difference  is  caused  by  the 
good  or  bad  taste  with  which  they  have  been 
papered  and  painted.  A  safe  rule  with  regard 
to  paper-hangings,  is  to  choose  nothing  that 
looks  extravagant  or  unnatural.  Regard  should 
be  had  to  the  uses  of  an  apartment ;  a  drawing- 
room  should  be  light  and  cheerful;  a  parlor 
should  look  warm  and  comfortable  without  being 
gloomy ;  bedroom  papers  should  be  cool  and 
quiet,  and  generally  of  a  small  pattern,  and  of 
such  colors  as  harmonize  with  bed-furniture  and 
other  fittings.  It  is  worth  while  to  consider  the 
sort  of  pictures  to  be  hung  on  a  wall;  gilt  frames 
show  best  on  a  dark  ground,  and  dark  frames  on  a 
light  ground;  taking  care  however  to  avoid  violent 
contrasts.  Heavy  borders  are  seldom  used  now; 
they  make  a  room  low,  without  being  ornamentaL 


PAINTING  AND  PAPERINC, 


261 


The  paper  being  purchased,  the  walls  should 
next  be  looked  to,  m  order  to  be  sure  that  they 
are  in  proper  condition  to  hold  the  paper.  A 
new  unwhitewashed  wall  will  absorb  the  paste  so 
rapidly  that,  before  drying,  there  will  be  left  too 
little  body  of  paste  on  the  sur&ce  to  hold  the 
paper.  A  coating  of  good  glue  size,  made  by 
dissolving  a  half  a  pound  of  glue  in  a  gallon  of 
water,  or  a  coating  of  good  paste,  put  on  and 
allowed  to  dry  before  the  paper  is  hung,  will 
provide  for  this  difficulty. 

If  the  wall  has  already  been  papered  it  should 
be  removed.  Many  lives  have  been  lost  from 
the  laziness  or  ignorance  of  paper-hangers,  who 
have  laid  on  one  paper  above  another,  instead  of 
tearing  off  the  old  one  before  hanging  the  new. 
There  was  a  very  handsome  house  near  one  of 
our  provincial  towns  which  could  never  keep  its 
tenants,  and  at  last  stood  empty  and  became 
worthless,  because  a  detestable  fever  seized  upon 
every  family  that  lived  in  it  A  ready-witted  ob- 
server promised  the  owner  to  find  out  the  cause. 
He  traced  the  mischief  to  one  room,  and  present- 
ly conjectured  what  was  the  matter  there.  He 
let  a  slip  of  glass  into  the  wall,  and  found  it  the 
next  day  dimmed  with  a  foetid  condensed  vapor. 
He  tore  down  a  strip  of  paper,  and  found  abund- 
ant cause  for  any  amount  of  fever.  For  genera- 
tions the  walls  had  been  papered  afresh,  without 
the  removal  of  anything  underneath.  And  there 
was  the  putrid  size  of  old  paper  inches  deep !  A 
thorough  clearance,  and  scraping,  and  cleaning, 
put  an  end  to  the  fever,  and  restored  the  value 
of  the  house. 

If  the  wall  be  whitewashed,  it  should  be 
scratched  with  a  stiff  brush,  to  remove  every  par- 
ticle of  loose  lime  from  the  surface ;  after  which 
it  should  be  thoroughly  swept  down  with  a 
broom,  and  coated  with  the  glue  size  or  thin  paste. 

A  long  table  of  thin  boards  cleated  together 
and  placed  on  wooden  horses,  such  as  are  used 
by  carpenters,  a  pair  of  sharp  shears — with  long 
blades  if  possible — a  whitewash  brush,  a  pail  for 
paste,  and  a  yard  of  cotton  clotli,  are  the  imple- 
ments required.  The  table  or  board  platform 
should  be  level  on  its  upj^er  surface  to  facilitate 
the  distribution  of  the  paste.  The  latter  should 
be  free  from  lumps,  and  should  be  laid  on  as 
evenly  as  possible.  It  should  be  made  of  good 
sweet  rye  or  wheat  flour,  beaten  smooth  in  cold 
water  before  boiling,  and  should  not  be  allowed 
to  boil  more  than  a  minute  or  two,  but  should  be 
raised  to  the  boiling  point  slowly,  being  con- 
tinually stirred  till  it  is  taken  from  the  fire. 

Inexpert  hands  often  find  difficulty  in  making 
the  patterns  match  in  the  juxtaposed  pieces.  No 
general  directions  can  be  given  for  this,  but  a 
little  study  at  the  outset  will  often  save  cutting 
to  waste,  and  other  difficulties-  In  this  matter, 
as  in  others,  it  is  wise  to  "first  be  sure  you  are 
right,  then  go  ahead."  As  soon  as  the  proper 
way  to  cut  the  paper  is  decided  upon,  a  whole 
roll,  or  more,  may  be  cut  at  once,  and  the  pieces 
laid,  printed  side  downwards,  upon  the  table, 
weights  being  placed  upon  the  ends  to  prevent 
curling.  The  paste  should  then  be  applied  to 
the  back  of  the  uppermost  piece,  as  expeditiously 
as  possible,  as  the  longer  the  time  employed  in 
this  part  of  the  operation,  the  more  tender  will 
the  paper  get,  and  the  more  difficult  it  will  be 
to  lay  it  properly. 

The  upper  end  of  the  piece  should  then  be 
taken  by  tlie  comers,  and  the  operator,  stepping 


upon  a  bench  or  step-ladder,  should  barely  stick 
the  piece  at  the  top,  and  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  edge  shall  coincide  with  the  piece  previously 
hung ;  this  can  -be  done  by  sighting  down  the 
trimmed  edge  of  the  piece,  while  it  is  held  in  the 
hands.  The  cloth  should  now  be  held  in  a  loose 
bunch,  and  the  paper  smoothed  with  it  from  top 
to  bottom,  care  being  taken  to  work  out  all  air 
from  under  the  paper,  which,  if  not  thoroughly 
done,  will  give  it  a  very  unsightly  blistered  ap- 
pearance. 

If  the  wall  be  uneven  or  crooked,  as  is  often 
the  case  in  old  houses,  it  will  be  difficult  to  avoid 
wrinkles,  but  they  can  be  mostly  got  rid  of,  by 
cutting  the  paper  and  allowing  the  cut  edges  to 
lap  over  each  other,  in  places  where  there  would 
otherwise  be  a  wrinkle. 

By  following  these  directions  the  most  inex- 
perienced will  be  able  to  do  a  reasonably  tidy 
piece  of  work,  but  of  course  much  skill  is  only 
secured  by  practice. 

PAPER  HANGING,  Improved  Paste  for.— 
A  new  form  of  paste  for  attacliing  paper  hangings 
to  walls,  and  one  which,  besides  possessing  the 
merit  of  cheapness,  has  the  advantage  of  prevent- 
ing the  paper  from  separating  or  peeling  off,  is 
prepared  by  first  softening  18  pounds  of  finely 
powdered  bole  in  water,  and  then  draining  off  the 
surplus  water  from  the  mass.  One  and  a  quarter 
pounds  of  glue  are  next  to  be  boiled  into  glue 
water,  and  the  bole  and  two  pounds  of  gypsum 
are  then  stirred  in,  and  the  whole  mass  forced 
through  a  sieve  by  means  of  a  brush.  This  is 
afterwards  diluted  with  water  to  the  condition  of 
a  thin  paste  or  dressing,  when  it  is  ready  for  use. 
This  paste  is  not  only  much  cheaper  than  the  or- 
dinary flour  paste,  but  it  has  the  advantage  of 
adhering  better  to  whitewashed  surfaces,  espe- 
cially to  walls  that  have  been  coated  over  several 
times,  and  from  which  the  coating  has  not  been 
carefully  removed.  In  some  cases  it  is  advisable, 
when  putting  fine  paper  on  old  walls,  to  coat 
them  by  means  of  this  paste  with  a  ground  paper, 
and  to  apply  the  paper  hanging  itself  to  this  with 
the  ordirjary  paste. 

POLISH,  French. — Gum  saudarach,  fourteen 
ounces  and  two  di-achms ;  gum  mastic  in  drops, 
seven  ounces  and  one  drachm ;  shellac  (the  yel- 
lower the  better),  fourteen  ounces  and  two 
drachms;  alcohol.ofo.8295sp.gr.  three  quarts 
one  pint. 

Pound  the  resinous  gums,  and  effect  their  so- 
lution by  continued  agitation,  without  the  aid  of 
heat- 

If  the  woods  are  porous,  seven  ounces  and 
one  drachm  of  Venice  turpentine. 

If  also  an  equal  weight  of  ground  glass  with 
the  gums  be  added,  the  solution  will  be  more 
quickly  made,  and  otherwise  benefited  by  it.  Be- 
fore using,  the  wood  should  be  made  to  imbibe  a 
little  linseed  oil,  the  excess  of  which  should  be 
removed  by  an  old  flannel. 

The  varnish  should  be  applied  by  saturating  a 
piece  of  old  soft  coarse  linen  cloth,  folded  into  a 
sort  of  cushion,  rubbing  the  wood  softly  at  first, 
turning  the  linen  from  tiine  to  time  until  nearly 
dry.  The  linen  should  be  saturated  afresh,  and 
the  rubbing  continued  until  the  pores  of  the  wood 
are  completely  filled. 

Two  or  three  coats  are  generally  sufficient. 
Do  not  rub  hard.  If  the  varnish  become  sticky, 
apply  a  very  little  drop  of  olive  oil  uniformly 
over  the  surface  of  the  cushion. 


262 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-BAY    WANTS. 


The  finishing  process  consists  in  pouring  a 
little  pure  alcohol  upon  a  clean  piece  of  linen, 
which  is  lightly  rubbed  over  the  varnished  wood, 
and  as  the  hnen  and  varnish  dry,  the  wood  is 
rubbed  more  briskly,  until  it  takes  a  beautiful 
polish  like  a  looking-glass. 

The  above  may  be  relied  upon  as  the  orig- 
inal and  genuine  French  polish,  it  being  in  the 
Dictionaire  Technologique,  an  accurate  French 
work. 

POLISHING  WOOD  CARVING.— TAsi  a 
piece  ot  wadding,  soft  and  pliable,  and  drop  a  few 
drops  of  white  or  transparent  polish,  or  French 
polish,  according  to  the  color  of  the  wood.  Now 
wrap  the  wetted  wadding  up  in  a  piece  of  old 
linen,  forming  it  into  a  pad ;  hold  the  pad  by  the 
surplus  linen;  touch  the  pad  with  one  or  two 
drops  of  linseed  oil.  Now  pass  the  pad  gently 
over  the  parts  to  be  polished,  working  it  round 
in  small  circles,  occasionally  re-wetting  the  wad- 
ding in  polish,  and  the  pad  with  a  drop  or  so  of 
oil.  The  object  of  the  oil  is  merely  to  cause  the 
pad  to  run  over  the  wood  easily  without  sticking, 
therefore  as  litde  as  possible  should  be  used,  as 
it  tends  to  deaden  the  polish  to  a  certain  extent. 
Where  a  carving  is  to  be  polished  after  having 
been  varnished,  the  same  process  is  necessary ; 
but  it  can  only  be  applied  to  the  plainer  portions 
of  the  work.  Plain  surfaces  must  be  made  per- 
fectly smooth  with  sand-paper  before  polishmg, 
as  every  sciatch  or  mark  will  show  twice  as  badly 
after  the  operation.  When  the  polish  is  first  rub- 
bed on  the  wood,  it  is  called  the  "bodying-in ;" 
it  will  sink  into  the  wood  and  not  give  much 
glaze.  It  must,  when  dry,  have  another  body 
rubbed  on,  and  a  third  generally  finishes  it ;  but 
if  not,  the  operations  must  be  repeated.  Just  be- 
fore the  task  is  completed,  greasy  smears  will 
show  themselves ;  these  will  disappear  by  con- 
tinuing the  gentle  rubbing  without  oilmg  the  pad. 
You  should  now  be  able  to  see  your  face  in  the 
wood. 

PR  USSIAN  BL  UE,  TumbtilVs.  —  Ferro- 
cyanide  of  potassium,  lo  ounces;  solution  ter- 
sulphate  of  iron,  i  pint;  water,  3  pints.  Dissolve 
the  ferrocyanide  of  potassium  in  two  parts  of 
water,  and  add  the  solution,  gradually,  to  the 
solution  of  tersulphate  of  iron  previously  diluted 
with  the  remainder  of  the  water,  stirring  the  mix- 
ture during  the  addition.  Then  filter  the  liquid 
and  wash  the  precipitate  on  the  filter  with  boil- 
ing water  until  the  washings  pass  nearly  taste- 
less.   Lastly,  dry  it,  and  rub  it  into  fine  powder. 

PUMICE  STONE.— Tt^xi.  is  the  lava  of  the 
volcanoes,  is  found  floating  upon  the  surface  of 
the  sea.  It  is  a  very  useful  article,  which  should 
be  used  much  more  than  it  is  for  rubbing  down 
painted  work. 

PUTTY,  To  Soften  when  Hard.— Break  the 
putty  in  lumps  of  the  size  of  a  hen's  egg,  add  a 
small  portion  of  linseed  oil,  and  water  sufficient 
to  cover  the  putty;  boil  this  in  an  iron  vessel  for 
about  ten  minutes,  and  stir  it  when  hot.  The 
oil  will  mix  with  the  putty.  Then  pour  the  wa- 
ter off,  and  it  will  be  like  fresh  made.  For  re- 
moving hard  putty  from  a  window-sash,  take  a 
square  piece  of  iron,  make  the  same  red  hot,  and 
run  it  along  the  putty  till  it  gets  soft.  The  putty 
will  peel  off  without  injuring  the  wood  work. 
Concentrated  lye,  made  of  lime  and  alkali  will 
affect  the  wood  and  make  it  rot  quicker. 

REDS. — Reds  have  their  bases  in  iron  mostly, 
and  some  have  supposed  that  all  reds  are  depend- 


ent upon  the  presence  of  iron  for  their  color.  — 
Car7)iine  is  kaolin,  or  China  clay,  colored  with 
cochineal,  and  being  prepared  with  much  difficul- 
ty, it  is  very  expensive.  A  common  article  is 
composed  of  alum  and  cream  of  tartar,  colored 
with  cochineal.  This  color  fades  rapidly  on  ex- 
posure to  the  sun,  and  is  of  little  use  in  out-door 
work.  It  is  a  rich,  transparent  color.  —  Vetmil- 
ioti  is  composed  of  sulphur  and  quicksilver.  The 
first  quality,  at  present,  comes  from  France,  it 
being  difficult  to  get  Chinese  vermilion  that  is 
free  from  pulverized  glass ;  in  fact,  the  greater 
portion  of  the  Chinese  vermilion  now  in  the 
market  is  almost  worthless  in  consequence  of 
this  adulteration.  The  English  and  American 
vermilions  are  cheaper,  and  inferior  in  color 
rather  than  quantity. — Chrome  Red,  or  American 
vermilion,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  though  not 
so  fine  a  color  when  first  used,  is  much  cheaper 
than  vermilion,  being  one  fifth  the  price;  it 
stands  exposure  much  better,  retaining  its  hue 
long  after  the  best  Chinese  has  turned  brown. 
For  this  reason  it  is  much  better  adapted  to  all 
out-door  painting.  Its  composition  is  saltpetre 
and  chrome  yellow,  produced  by  a  process  of 
heating  and  washing.  —  Rose  Pink  is  nothing 
more  than  whiting,  tinctured  with  Brazil  wood, 
and  is  of  little  service  in  out-door  painting,  as 
it  immediately  fades  on  exposure  to  light.  It  is 
cheap,  and  being  transparent,  does  very  well  for 
a  glaze  for  chairs  or  other  furniture. — Red  Lead, 
or  red  oxide  of  lead,  is  of  more  use  in  boiling  in 
oil  to  make  it  dry  than  anything  else.  It  is  not 
much  used  among  painters  on  account  of  its  fol- 
ding quality,  though  it  is  used  in  some  compound 
mixtures.  With  chrome  yellow,  it  makes  a  rich 
ground  for  mahogany.  It  is  a  durable  color, 
and  is  therefore  preferred  by  wheelwrights  for 
painting  wagons. — Madder  Lake  is  the  only  lake 
that  does  not  fade.  A  fine,  transparent  glaze 
for  beautiful  and  delicate  work,  but  too  expensive 
for  common  work.  Its  composition  is  alum  and 
soda,  or  silicate  of  potash,  or  kaolin  colored  with 
madder.  —  Venetian  Red  is  an  earth,  found 
in  various  parts  of  the  world.  It  is  the  principal 
body  used  for  all  common  purposes. 

RED  LEAD,  How  Made,  — A  quantity  of 
lead  is  placed  on  the  bed  of  a  reverberatory  fur- 
nace of  a  peculiar  construction,  and  exposed  to  a 
high  temperature,  while  the  metal  is  constantly 
agitated  by  striking  it  upon  the  surface  with  a 
rake.  A  combination  takes  place  between  the 
lead  and  the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the 
oxide  of  lead  thus  formed  is  removed  by  the  rake 
to  the  back  of  the  furnace.  These  operations 
are  continued  during  a  period  of  twelve  hours, 
at  the  expiration  of  which  time  any  metallic  lead 
which  may  have  failed  to  become  oxidized 
is  removed,  and  the  remaining  oxide  is  exposed, 
by  constant  turning,  to  the  action  of  the  air,  and, 
at  the  termination  of  a  further  period  of  twelve 
hours,  is  withdrawn  from  the  furnace.  The  sub- 
stance thus  produced,  which  is  called  litharge,  is 
now  ground  to  an  impalpable  powder  with  water, 
and  flows  into  a  series  of  tubs,  where  it  is  kept 
in  a  state  of  agitation  by  a  revolving  stirrer  fur- 
nished with  arms.  The  particles  of  metal  which 
have  escaped  oxidation,  having  a  greater  specific 
gravity  in  them  than  the  oxide,  remain  in  the 
stirring  tubs,  while  the  oxide  of  lead  passes  on 
into  another  series  of  tubs,  where  it  subsides  from 
the  water.  The  supernatant  water  is  afterward 
removed  by  a  syphon,  and  the  moist  litharge 


PAINTING  AND  PAPERING. 


263 


transferred  to  a  reverberatory  furnace,  where  it  is 
exposed  to  the  combined  action  of  a  low  temper- 
ature and  a  current  of  air  for  a  period  of  twenty, 
four  hours. '  During  this  process,  the  htharge 
enters  into  combination  with  a  further  quantity 
of  oxygen,  and  minium  or  red  lead  is  produced. 
The  manufacture  is  completed  by  passing  the 
substance  through  a  revolving  cylinder  of  wire 
gauze,  to  remove  any  lumps  tliat  may  have  been 
formed,  or  any  large  particles  of  foreign  matter 
with  which  it  may  have  become  intermixed  during 
the  previous  operations. 

-ROSEWOOD,  To  ' Imitate,— V>o\\  half  a 
pound  logsvood  in  three  pints  water,  till  the  mix- 
ture is  of  a  very  dark  red ;  add  half  an  ounce  salt 
of  tartar.  While  boiling  hot,  stain  your  wood 
with  two  or  three  coats,  taking  care  that  it  nearly 
dries  between  each ;  then,  with  a  stiff,  flat  brush, 
such  as  is  used  for  graining,  form  streaks  with 
the  following  black  stain  :  Boil  one  pound  log- 
wood in  four  quarts  water ;  add  a  double  hand- 
ful of  walnut  peel  or  shells ;  boil  it  up  again,  take 
out  the  chips,  add  a  pint  best  vinegar,  and  it  will 
be  fit  for  use ;  apply  while  hot.  All  this,  if  care, 
fully  executed,  will  produce  very  nearly  the  ap. 
pearance  of  dark  rosewood. 

.RULES EOR  PAINTERS.— I.  Avoid  spat- 
tering, for  it  is  unpleasant  as  well  as  dangerous 
to  be  continually  enveloped  in  robes  of  poisonous 
paint. — 2.  Never  attempt  to  eat  or  sleep  without 
nrst  washing  the  hands  and  face  and  rinsing  the 
mouth. — 3.  Wash  the  whole  surface  of  the  body 
at  least  once  a  week,  with  soft  water. — 4.  Keep 
the  buckets,  brushes,  etc.,  clean,  so  that  they 
.  may  be  handled  without  smearing  the  hands. — 
5.  Every  painter  should  wear  overalls,  or  change 
nis  clothing  throughout  once  a  week  at  least,  in 
the  mean  time  thoroughly  airing  those  he  has 
tlirown  off. — 6.  Keep  the  shops  clean  and  well 
ventilated. — 7.  Never  sleep  in  a  paint-shop,  nor 
in  a  newly-painted  room,  nor  paint  the  walls  of 
a  room  with  any  of  the  metallic  greens. — 8.  Never 
suffer  the  paint  to  accumulate  upon  the  clothing, 
nor  upon  the  finger  nails.  — 9.  Never  wash  tlie 
hands  in  turpentine,  as  it  relaxes  the  muscles 
and  injures  the  joints.  ,  Any  animal  oil,  or  even 
linseed  oil,  is  better.— 10.  Never  drink  water 
that  has  stood  any  length  of  time  in  a  paint-shop, 
or  in  a  newly-painted  room. — 11.  Never  use  spi- 
rituous liquors,  especially  when  aihng  from  the 
effect  of  paint,  as  it  unites  with  the  mineral  salts 
and  tends  to  harden  them,  and  causes  mflamma- 
tion  of  the  parts  where  they  concrete. — 12.  Milk, 
sweet  oil,  and  the  like,  should  be  used  freely,  as 
they  tend  to  soften  the  accumulated  poisons,  and 
carry  them  off.  —  13.  Vinegar  and  acid  fruits, 
used  constantly,  unite  with  the  lead  that  may 
be  in  the  stomach,  chemically  changing  it  to  the 
acetate,  or  sugar  of  lead,  which  is  by  far  the  least 
dangerous.  Acetate  of  lead  is  scarcely  recogniz- 
ed, in  medical  jurisprudence,  as  a  poison. — 14. 
Avoid  breathing  the  dust  when  emptying  papers 
of  dry  colors. — 15.  Make  your  smalts  where  there 
is  a  current  of  air ;  and,  while  stirring,  stand  to 
•the  windward,  that  you  may  not  inhale  the 
smoke. 

SIZE,  GOLD.— VeWow  ochre,  I  part ;  copal 
varnish,  2  parts;  linseed  oil,  3  parts  ;  turpentine, 
4  parts;  boiled  oil,  5  parts.  Mix.  The  ochre 
must  be  in  the  state  of  the  finest  powder,  and 
ground  with  a  little  of  the  oil  before  mixing. 

SIZE,  Best. — Raw  oil,  heated  in  a  pan  till  it 
gives  out  a  black  smoke.  ^  Set  fire  to  it  and  let  it 


burn  a  few  minutes.  Extinguish  it  by  covering 
the  pan  over.  Pour,  while  warm,  into  a  bottle 
containing  pulverized  red  lead  and  litharge.  Keep 
in  a  warm  place,  slaking  often,  for  two  weeks, 
then  decant  and  bottle. 

SIZE,  Bronzing. — Asphaltum,  boiled  oil,  and 
turpentine,  mixed  in  proportions  to  flow  evenly. 

SIZE,  Inside. — Honey,  diluted  with  water, 
vinegar,  or  any  liquor.  Glue  size,  beer  or  ale, 
white  of  egg,  gum  arable,  or  any  glutinous  or  al- 
buminous substance  may  be  used. 

SOLUBLE  GLASS,  in  Painting.— SolxxUc 
glass  appears  to  furnish  a  means  of  applying  cer- 
tain colors  to  fresh  wood,  or  clean  iron,  in  a  most 
efficient  manner,  and  at  a  very  slight  cost  com- 
pared with  oil.  It  can  also  be  used  advantage- 
ously for  painting  houses,  basket  ware,  decora- 
tions for  theatres,  etc.,  and  is  especially  suitable 
in  the  latter  case,  as  it  renders  wood  incombust- 
ible to  a  certain  extent,  instead  of  increasing  the 
danger  from  fire,  as  with  oil  paint.  Care  must, 
of  course,  be  taken  to  use  only  such  mineral 
colors  as  are  not  decomcosed  by  the  glass,  such 
as  ultramarine,  chrome  green,  Nuremburg  green, 
yellow  and  red  earth  ochre,  green  earth,  terra  de 
sienna,  etc.  In  coating  paper  with  this  paint  a 
little  glycerine  maybe  added  to  prevent  its  break- 
ing. Coralline,  Ponceau  and  Vesuvine  have  also 
been  used  to  advantage  in  connection  with  sol- 
uble glass. 

STAIN  {Black),  for  Wood.—Yom  2  qts.  boil- 
ing water  over  i  oz.  of  powdered  extract  of  log- 
wood, and,  when  the  solution  is  effected,  i  dr. 
of  yellow  chromate  of  potash  is  added,  and  the 
whole  well  stirred.  It  is  then  ready  for  use  as 
a  wood-stain,  or  for  writing-ink.  When  rubbed 
on  wood,  it  produces  a  pure  black.  Repeat  with 
two,  three  or  four  applications,  till  a  deep  black 
is  produced,  which  acquires  the  highest  beauty 
when  polished  or  stained. 

STAIN,  Blue. — i.  Solution  of  sulphate  of  in- 
digo is  used  hot,  and  while  hot,  a  solution  of 
cream  of  tartar,  3  oz.,  in  water,  i  qt. — 2.  A  solu- 
tion of  verditer  is  brushed  over  until  the  wood 
appears  a  dark  green,  and  then  a  hot  solution  is 
applied  of  pearlash,  2  ozs.,  in  boiling  water,  I 
pint. 

STAIN,  Cherry. — ^Take  rain  water,  3  qts.; 
anotta,  4  ozs.;  boil  in  a  copper  kettle  until  the 
anotta  is  dissolved ;  then  put  in  a  piece  of  potash 
the  size  of  a  common  walnut,  and  keep  it  on  the 
fire  about  half  an  hour  longer,  and  it  is  ready  for 
use.     Bottle  for  keeping. 

STAIN,  Ebony. — Take  a  solution  of  sulphate 
of  iron,  and  wash  the  wood  over  with  it  two  or 
three  times :  let  it  dry,  and  apply  two  or  three 
coats  of  a  strong  decoction  of  logwood  ;  wipe  the 
wood  when  dry  with  a  sponge  and  water,  and 
polish  with  oil. 

STAIN,   Purple. — Log\vood,    I   lb.;    Brazil 
I  wood,    4  ozs. ;   water,  I   gallon ;  boil  3  hours, 
brush  it  on  while  hot,  and  when  dry,  use  a  solu- 
tion of  pearlash,  I  drachm,  in  water,  i  quart. 

STAIN,  Red.— I.  water,  I  gallon,  Brazil 
wood,J  lb.;  pearlash,  I  oz.;  boil  for  3  hours, 
brush  it  hot  over  the  wood,  and  then,  while  wet, 
brush  the  wood  with  a  solution  of  alum,  2  ozs., 
in  water,  I  quart. — 2.  Light.  Add  to  each  gallon 
of  the  last  2  ozs.  more  pearlash. — 3.  Dayk.  Log- 
wood, 8  ozs.;  water,  2  quarts;  boil  till  of  a  deep 
color,  and  add  carbonate  of  potash,  %,oz.;  brush 
it  hot  over  the  wood. 

STAIN,  Rosewood.  —  Take  equal  parts  of 


264 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y.  WANTS.. 


logwood  and  redwood  chips,  and  boil  well  in  just 
sufficient  water  to  mak^  a  strong  stain ;  apply  it  to 
the  furniture  while  hot,  I  or  2,  or  even  3  coats 
may  be  put  on,  one  directly  after  the  other,  ac- 
cording to  the  depth  of  color  desired. 

STAIN,  Yellow. — I.  Water,  I  gallon;  French 
berries,  l  lb.;  alum,  ^  oz.;  boil  for  2  hours,  and 
use  it  hot.  —  2.  Logwood  decoction  without  a 
mordant. — 3.  Spirit  of  wine,  I  pint;  turmeric,  I 
oz.;  digest  14  days,  and  strain. 

STAIN,  Bright  Yell<nv.  —  i.  Brush  over 
with  the  tincture  of  turmeric. —  2.  Warm  the 
work,  and  brush  it  over  with  weak  aquafortis  : 
varnish  or  oil  as  usual. — 3.  A  very  small  bit  of 
aloes  put  into  the  varnish  will  give  a  rich  yellow 
color  to  the  wood. 

STAIN  for  FLOORS.  — To  strong  lye  of 
wood-ashes  add  enough  copperas  for  the  required 
oak  shade.  Put  this  on  with  a  mop,  and  varnish 
afterwards. 

TIMBER,  Why  it  should  be  painted.— V^'h^n. 
water  is  applied  to  the  smooth  surface  of  timber, 
a  thin  layer  of  the  wood  will  be  raised  above  its 
natural  position  by  the  expansion  or  swelling  of 
the  particles  near  the  surface.  In  colloquial 
phrase,  workmen  say  that  when  water  is  applied 
to  a  smooth  board,  the  grain  of  the  timber  will 
be  raised.  Every  successive  wetting  will  raise 
the  grain  more  and  more;  and  the  water  will 
dissolve  and  wash  away  the  soluble  portions  with 
which  it  comes  in  contact.  As  the  surface  dries, 
the  grain  of  the  timber  at  the  surface,  having 
been  reduced  in  bulk,  must  necessarily  shrink  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  produce  cracks.  Now,  if  a 
f)iece  of  oil-cloth  be  pasted  over  the  surface,  the 
timber  will  be  kept  quite  dry.-  Consequently, 
the  grain  of  the  wood  will  not  be  subjected  to 
the  alternate  influences  of  wet  and  heat.  As  it 
is  not  practicable  to  apply  oil-cloth  ready  made, 
a  liquid  or  semi-liquid  maferial  is  employed  for 
covering  the  surface,  which  will  adhere  firmly, 
and  serve  the  purpose  of  oil-cloth  in  excluding 
water  that  would  otherwise  enter,  to  the  injury 
of  the  work.  Metallic  substances  are  painted  to 
prevent  oxidation  or  rusting  of  the  surfaces  which 
may  be  exposed  to  moisture. 

It  is  of  primary  importance  to  make  use  of 
such  materials  as  will  form  over  the  surface  a 
smooth  and  tenacious  pellicle,  impervious  to 
water.  Any  material  that  will  not  exclude  water 
sufficiently  to  prevent  the  expansion  of  the  grain 
of  the  timber,  or  the  oxidation  of  metallic  sub- 
stances, must  be  comparatively  worthless  for 
paint.  Linseed-oil  possesses  the  property  of  dry- 
ing when  spread  on  a  surface,  and  forming  a  te- 
nacious covering,  impervious  to  water.  Spirits  of 
turpentine,  benzine,  benzole,  and  certain  kinds 
of  lubricating  oil,  all  of  which  are  frequently 
used  in  preparing  paint,  will  not  form  a  covering 
sufficiently  tough  and  hard  to  resist  the  action  of 
water ;  for  which  reason,  the  paint  that  is  made 
by  employing  these  volatile  materials  will  be 
found  comparatively  worthless  for  outside  work. 
A  pigment  is  mingled  with  the  oil  to  prevent  the 
timber  to  which  the  paint  is  applied  from^bsorb- 
ing  the  oil.  The  design  is  not  to  saturate  the 
wood  with  oil,  but  simply  to  cover  the  surface 
with  a  coating  resembling  a  thin  oil-cloth. 

TINTS,  Mixing. — ^The  first  principle  in  mix- 
ing tints  is  to  take  the  body  color,  or  that  ingre- 
dient which  predominates,  and  add  to  it,  gradu- 
ally, the  other  colors.  The  principal  ingredient 
may  be  thick,  but  the  others  must  invariably  be 


thin,  or   the  lumps  will   spread  out  under  the 
brush,  leaving  a  streak  of  corresponding  color. 

In  describing  the  manner  of  mixing  tints,  the 
predominant  color  will  be  mentioned  first,  the 
second  next,  and  so  on,  as  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  give  the  exact  proportion  of  each  color 
used  in  any  given  tint.  Thus,  for  instance, 
violet  is  mostly  red,  the  next  in  quantity  blue, 
and  the  least  white,  and  so  on.  In  this  manner 
the  following  table  exhibits  almost  every  tint 
which  the  painter  will  be  likely  to  require,  leav- 
ing to  his  taste  the  peculiar  tone : — 

Table  of  Tints,  and  the  Colors  necessary  to 
produce  them. 
Gray,  White  Lead  and  Lampblacl;. 

Buff,  White  and  Yellow  Ochrc;   Red. 

Pearl,  White,  Black,  Blue. 

Orange,  Yellow,  Red. 

Violet,  Red,  Blue,  White 

Purple  Vi'jlet,   with    the    additioa   of  Red    and 

White. 
Gold,  White  Stone  Ochre :  Red. 

Olive,  Yellow,  Blue,  Black,  White. 

Chestnut,  Red,  Black,  Yellow. 

Flesh,  White,  Yellow  Ochre,  Vermilion. 

Limestone,  White,  Yellow  Ochre,  Black,  Red. 

Sandstone,  White,  Yellow  Ochre,  Black,  Red. 

Freestone,  Red,  Black,  Yellow  Ochre,  White. 

Fawn,  White,  Yellow,  Red. 

Chocolate,  Raw  Umber,  Red,  Black. 

Diab,  White,  Raw.and  Burnt  Umbers;  or  White, 

Yellow  Ochre,  Red,  Black. 
Bronze  Green,   Chrome  Green,  Black,  Yellow,  or  Black 

and  Yellow,  or  Black  and  Green. 
Pea  Green,         White  and  Chrome  Green. 
Rose,  White,  Madder  Lake. 

Copper,  Red,  Yellow,  Black. 

Lemon  White,  Yellow. 

Snuff,  Yellow,  Vandyke  Brown. 

Claret,  Red,  Umber,  Black. 

Dove,  White,  Vermilion,  Blue,  Yellow. 

Pink,  White,  Vermilion,  Lake. 

Cream,  White,  Yellow. 

Salmon,  White,  Yellow,  Raw  Umber,  Red. 

Straw,  White,  Chrome  Yellow. 

Peach  Blossom,  White,  Red,  Blue,  Yellow. 
Lilac,  White,  with  Violet. 

Changeable,        Red,  Green,  lightened  with  White. 

Remarks. — Any  of  the  positive  colors  are  made 
to  any  degree  of  lightness  with  white  or  yellow. 

Colors  for  tints  work  best  when  mixed  with 
raw  oil. 

All  tints  must  be  graduated  by  the  taste  of 
the  artist,  recollecting  that  practice  and  experience 
are  great  helps. 

The  finer  the  quality  of  the  colors  used,  the 
purer  and  more  beautiful  will  be  the  tints. 

All  colors  should  be  ground  before  mixing,  as 
the  dry  color  does  not  stir  in  well. 

UL  TRAMARINE.—A.  vitreous  matter  color- 
ed  by  oxide  of  cobalt,  gives  a  tone  of  color  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  the  prussiate  of  iron  and  in- 
digo. It  is  employed  for  sky-blues.  The  case 
is  the  same  with  blue  verditer,  a  preparation 
made  from  oxide  of  copper  and  lime.  Both  these 
blues  stand  well  in  distemper,  in  varnish,  and  in 
oil. 

Saxon  blue  requires  to  be  ground  with  drying 
oil,  and  to  be  mixed  with  gallipot  varnish.  If 
intended  for  oil  painting,  it  is  to  be  mixed  up 
with  resinous  drying  oil,  which  gives  body  to 
this  vitreous  matter. 

ULTRAMARINE,  Artificial.— S\x\\)h\ir,  2 
parts  ;  dry  carbonate  of  soda,  I  part.  Put  them 
into  a  Hessian  crucible,  cover  it  up,  and  apply 
heat  until  the  mass  fuses ;  then  sprinkle  into  it 
gradually  a  mixture  of  silicate  of  soda  .ind  alu- 
minate  of  soda  (the  first  containing  72  parts  of 
silica,  the  second,  70  parts  of  alumina) ;  lastly, 
calcine  for  I  hour,  and  wash  in  pure  water. 


PAINTING  AND  PAPERING. 


265 


ULTRAMARINE,  To  know  when  Adidier- 
atid. — As  the  price  of  ultramarine,  which  is 
already  very  high,  may  become  more  so  on  ac- 
count of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  lapis  lazuli,  it 
is  of  great  importance  that  painters  should  be 
able  to  detect  adulteration.  Ultramarine  is  pure 
if,  when  brought  to  a  red  heat  in  a  crucible,  it 
stands  that  trial  without  changing  its  color ;  as 
small  quantities  only  are  subjected  to  this  test,  a 
comparison  may  be  made,  at  very  little  expense, 
with  the  part  which  has  not  been  exposed  to  the 
fire.  If  adulterated,  it  becomes  blackish  or  paler. 

This  proof,  however,  may  not  always  be  con- 
clusive. When  ultramarine  of  the  lowest  quality 
is  mixed  with  azure,  it  exhibits  no  more  body 
than  sand  ground  on  porphyry  would  do ;  ultra- 
marine treated  with  oil  assumes  a  brown  tint. 

VARNISHING.  —  All  work  before  being 
varnished,  should  be  prepared  with  a  dead  sur- 
face, either  by  mixing  with  turpentine  or  by  rub- 
bing down  with  pumice  stone.  In  very  finely 
finished  work,  requiring  a  level  surface,  rub 
down  with  solid  pumice  stone  and  water ;  where 
only  smoothness  is  necessary,  rub  with  pulver- 
ized pumice  stone  with  water,  using  for  a  rubber 
any  woolen  cloth,  or  felt,  or  buckskin. — The  first 
Coats  should  be  spread  on  evenly,  and  well  rub- 
bed out.  Two,  or  four,  or  six  coats  may  be 
given  without  rubbing ;  then,  previous  to  the 
last  coat,  rub  till  the  gloss  is  destroyed,  after 
which  give  it  a  heavy  flowing  coat. — The  Flowing 
Coat.  Where  work  is  to  be  finished  on  a  cheaper 
plan,  the  rubbing  need  not  be  done.  In  this 
case  give  two  or  three  coats,  well  rubbed  out, 
and  while  the  last  coat  is  quite  sticky,  so  as  to 
make  the  brush  drag  through  a  little  toughly, 
put  on  a  heavy  flowing  coat  of  thick  varnish — 
put  on  so  heavily  that  it  will  flow  evenly  of  it- 
self. This,  after  thoroughly  dry,  may  be  polish- 
ed.— Polishing.  Rub  down  with  finely  pulverized 
pumice  stone  till  smooth  and  even;  wash  off. 
Then  rub  witb  rotten  stone  and  sweet  oil.  Clean 
ofit  the  oil,  and  polish  with  chamois  leather. 
Some  use  only  the  hand  to  finish  with,  which 
is  quite  as  good  after  being  rubbed  with  rotten 
stone  and  sweet  oil.  If  the  under  coats  of  paint 
are  not  thoroughly  dry,  the  varnish  will  be  apt 
to  crack. 

VARNISHING,  Cleaning  Paint  Previous 
to. — Provide  a  plate,  with  some  of  the  best  whit- 
ing to  be  found  in  the  market,  and  have  ready 
some  clean  warm  water  and  a  piece  of  flannel, 
which  dip  into  the  water  and  squeeze  nearly  dry; 
then  take  as  much  whiting  as  will  adhere  to  it; 
apply  it  to  the  painted  surface,  when  a  little  rub- 
bing will  instantly  remove  any  dirt  or  grease ; 
after  which  wash  the  part  well  with  clean  water, 
rubbing  it  dry  with  a  soft  cloth  or  chamois. 
Paint  thus  cleaned  looks  as  well  as  when  first 
laid  on,  without  any  injury  to  the  most  delicate 
colors.  It  is  far  better  than  cleaning  it  with 
soap,  and  does  not  require  more  than  half  the 
time  usually  employed  in  cleaning  with  that 
article. 

VARNISH,  Manufacture  of. — ^The  varnish 
we  shall  more  particularly  describe  is  that  made 
by  intimately  mixing  gum  copal  with  linseed  oil 
and  diluting  the  mixture  with  turpentine — the 
preparation  of  which  requires  no  small  amount 
of  care  and  attention,  and  was  formerly  attended 
with  no  little  danger  from  fire.  Copal  is  a  resin 
found  exuding  from  the  Rhus  copallinum,  a  tree 
growing  in  several  parts  of  America,  and  from 


the  Eloeocarpus  copallifera,  a  tree  found  in  the 
East  Indies ;  it  is  also  imported  from  the  coasts 
of  Guinea.  The  two  latter  kinds  are  generally 
allowed  to  be  the  best,  and  are  commonly  known 
as  African. 

The  object  to  be  obtained  in  the  preparation  of 
varnish  is  to  impart  to  it  a  quick-drying  property, 
retaining  at  the  same  time  transparency  and 
elasticity.  To  secure  these  characteristics  great 
care  is  necessary,  in  melting  the  gum,  in  boiling 
that  and  the  oil  together  for  the  requisite  time 
and  at  the  proper  degree  of  heat,  and  in  the  com- 
plete solution  of  the  resinous  matter  employed. 
To  achieve  these  results  a  pure  and  limpid  sample 
of  oil  is  generally  chosen,  which  is  placed  in  a 
copper  pan  holding  from  80  to  100  gallons,  and 
heat  gradually  applied  till  the  scum  rises,  after 
removing  which  the  oil  is  allowed  to  boil  for 
about  two  hours,  when  it  is  dosed  with  calcined 
magnesia  in  the  proportion  of  an  ounce  to  every 
four  gallons  of  oil,  but  added  by  degrees  and 
with  occasional  stirrings.  This  being  completed, 
the  oil  is  again  boiled  briskly  for  about  an  hour, 
and  then,  the  furnace  being  drawn,  allowed  to 
cool.  When  the  temperature  is  sufficiently  re- 
duced, it  is  removed  to  leaden  cisterns,  where  it 
is  stored  till  fit  for  use. 

Under  the  old  system  of  making  varnish,  the 
gum  pot  and  oil  pot  were  open  to  the  atmosphere 
of  the  shop  in  which  the  operation  is  performed"; 
but  the  vapors  arising  during  the  process  are  now 
either  taken  into  the  furnace  shaft,  or  condensed 
into  liquid  by  suitable  refrigerators.  The  modus 
operandi  is  somewhat  as  follows.  The  oil  being 
placed  in  its  boiler  and  approaching  the  requisite 
degree  of  temperature — namely,  that  at  which  the 
gum  melts,  the  copal  is  placed  in  its  copper, 
about  10  lb.  being  the  usual  quantity  fused  at  a 
time.  In  a  few  minutes  it  begins  to  melt,  and 
gives  off  unpleasant  vapors.  When  thoroughly 
melted  and  clear  a  portion  of  the  oil  is  added, 
and  the  mixture  boiled  and  stirred  till  of  the  pro- 
per consistency ;  it  is  then  taken  and  emptied  into 
the  boiling  pot,  from  which  the  requisite  quantity 
of  oil  for  the  following  charges  of  gum  has  been 
previously  withdrawn.  The  gum  pot  being 
thoroughly  cleansed,  another  portion  of  the  gum 
is  placed  in  it  and  melted  in  a  similar  manner  to 
the  first,  and  so  on,  till  sufficient  gum  has  been 
fused  for  the  quantity  of  oil  prepared.  The  whole 
is  then  placed  on  the  furnace  and  boiled  till  a 
scum  rises  and  spreads  gradually  over  the  whole 
surface,  which  then  froths  up  rapidly  in  the  same 
way  as  boiling  milk,  and  must  be  instantly  re- 
moved, when  the  scum  being  stirred  down,  the 
dryers  are  added,  a  little  at  a  time,  and  the  boil- 
ing continued  till  the  mixture  feels  stringy  to  the 
fingers.  The  boiling  pot  is  then  removed  from 
the  fire,  and  when  sufficiently  cool,  turpentine  is 
added  till  the  desired  consistency  is  attained, 
when  the  varnish  may  be  placed  in  the  storing 
tanks.  Formerly  a  great  waste  of  turpentine 
took  place  by  evaporation  through  mixing  it 
while  the  varnish  was  still  too  hot ;  but  of  late 
years  a  vast  improvement  has  been  adopted 
in  this  respect,  and  it  has  been  practically  de- 
monstrated that  not  only  is  there  no  necessity 
for  "boiling"  the  oil  and  gum  after  incorporation, 
but  that  the  produce  is  equally  good  if  the  tur- 
pentine be  added  just  before  the  mixture  becomes 
too  cold  to  permit  of  a  perfect  amalgamation. 
In  fact,  it  is  now  acknowledged  that  the  oil  need 
not  be  raised  to  a  higher  temperature  than  that 


266 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


at  which  the  gum  employed  fuses,  and  that  when 
the  two  are  mixed  the  lowest  possible  degree  of 
heat  which  will  insure  their  incorporation,  is  suf- 
ficient to  secure  all  the  results  desired.  By  this 
method  a  large  quantity  of  the  turpentine  form- 
erly lost  in  evaporation  is  saved,  and  there  is, 
moreover,  less  risk  of  fire.  It  is  indeed  a  moot 
point  whether  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  add 
turpentine  in  quantity  at  all,  as  even  when  the 
loss  during  the  preparation  of  the  varnish  is  re- 
duced to  a  minimum,  a  still  further  reduction  oc- 
curs whilst  the  varnish  is  ageing  and  clearing  in 
the  storing  tanks,  and  it  is  sometimes  found  ne- 
cessary to  thin  it  before  it  can  be  used. 

To  prevent  the  workmen  being  distressed  by 
the  pungent  odors  of  the  melting  gum,  in  mo- 
dern varnish  factories  the  boiling  and  gum  pots 
are  placed  close  together,  and  by  means  of  caps 
and  heads  (provided  with  openings  to  facilitate 
stirring,)  the  pots  are  connected  with  chimneys 
which  carry  off  all  vapors  into  the  smoke  shaft, 
or  to  the  condensing  tanks.  A  close  fitting  cover 
is  also  provided  for  the  boiling  pot  to  extinguish 
the  flames  in  case  the  oil  should  take  fire — a 
great  improvement  on  the  old  fashioned  carpet, 
which  an  assistant  stood  ready  to  throw  over  in 
case  of  accident ;  while  tramways  are  laid  down 
so  that  the  boiling  mixtures  can  be  rapidly  con- 
veyed into  the  open  air  in  the  event  of  firing, 
and  for  the  purpose  of  cooling  before  the  addition 
of  the  turpentine. 

VARNISHES,  Care  of.—k%  a  rule  all  var- 
nishes  should  be  kept  in  a  dry  place  (there  may 
be  few  exceptions),  otherwise  they  are  liable  to 
become  tacky.  It  should  also  be  observed  that 
they  should  be  applied  in  a  dry  place.  Much, 
indeed,  depends  upon  the  state  of  the  weather 
when  they  are  employed — more  than  is  easily 
credited — and  the  work  should  be  kept  in  a  warm 
place  until  thoroughly  dry. 

All  varnishes  in  which  spirits  of  wine  is  the 
menstruum  should  be  used  in  a  warm  place. 

VARNISH-BRUSHES,  Care  ^/.—Brushes 
used  for  applying  finishing  varnishes  should  be 
cared  for  with  the  utmost  pains,  as  good  work 
depends  much  upon  the  good  condition  of  the 
brushes.  A  good  way  to  keep  them  is  to  sus- 
pend them  by  the  handles  in  a  covered  can,  keep- 
ing the  points  at  least  half  an  inch  from  the  bot- 
tom, and  apart  from  each  other.  The  can  should 
be  filled  with  slow-drying  varnish  up  to  a  line 
about  a  sixteenth  of  an  inch  above  the  bristles  or 
hair.  The  can  should  then  be  kept  in  a  close 
cupboard,  or  in  a  box  fitted  for  the  purpose.  As 
wiping  a  brush  on  a  sharp  edge  of  tin  will  gra- 
dually split  the  bristles,  cause  them  to  curl  back- 
ward, and  eventually  ruin  the  brush,  the  top  of 
the  can  should  have  a  wire  soldered  along  the 
edge  of  the  tin  turned  over,  in  order  to  prevent 
injury.  Finishing  brushes  should  not  be  cleans- 
ed in  turpentine,  except  in  extreme  cases.  When 
taken  from  the  can,  prepare  them  for  use  by 
working  them  out  in  varnish,  and  before  replac- 
ing them  cleanse  the  handles  and  binding  with 
turpentine. 

VARNISH,  Amber.— \.  Amber,  l  lb.;  pale 
boiled  oil,  lo  oz.;  turpentine,  i  pint.  Render 
the  amber,  placed  in  an  iron  pot,  semi-liquid  by 
heat ;  then  add  the  oil ;  mix,  remove  it  from  the 
fire,  and  when  cooled  a  little,  stir  in  the  turpen- 
tine.— 2.  To  the  amber,  melted  as  above,  add  2 
ozs.  of  shellac,  and  proceed  as  before.  This  varn- 
ish is  rather  dark,  but  remarkably  tough.    The 


first  form  is  the  best.  It  is  used  for  the  same 
purposes  as  copal  varnish,  and  forms  an  excellent 
article  for  covering  wood,  or  any  other  substance 
not  of  a  white  or  very  pale  color.  It  dries  well, 
and  is  very  hard  and  durable. 

VARNISH,  {Black)  Amber.— Amher,  I  lb.; 
boiled  oil,  ^  pint;  powdered  asphaltum,  6  ozs.; 
oil  of  turpentine,  I  pint.  Melt  the  amber,  as 
before  described,  then  add  the  asphaltum,  pre- 
viously mixed  with  the  cold  oil,  and  afterwards 
heated  very  hot,  mix  well,  remove  the  vessel 
from  the  fire,  and  when  cooled  a  little  add  the 
turpentine,  also  made  warm. 

Each  of  the  above  varnishes  should  be  reduced 
to  a  proper  consistence  with  more  turpentine  if 
it  be  required.  The  last  form  produces  the 
beautiful  black  varnish  used  by  the  coachmakers. 
Some  manufacturers  omit  the  whole  or  part  of 
the  asphaltum,  and  use  the  same  quantity  of 
clear  black  rosin  instead,  in  which  case  the  color 
is  brought  up  by  lampblack  reduced  to  an  impal- 
pable powder,  or  previously  ground  very  fine 
with  a  little  boiled  oil.  The  varnish  made  in  this 
way,  lacks,  however,  that  richness,  brilliancy, 
and  depth  of  blackness  imparted  by  asphaltum. 

VARNISH,  Black.  —  This  is  quick  drying, 
and  cheap  for  common  purposes,  such  as  iron 
fences  and  other  rough  work.  Black  Pitch,  28 
pounds,  Asphaltum,  from  Tar,  28  pounds.  Boil 
eight  or  ten  hours,  then  add  8  gallons  boiled  oil,' 
and  gradually  ID  pounds  red  lead,  and  10  pounds 
litharge.  Boil  for  3  hours  longer,  and  add,  when 
lukewarm,  enough  turpentine  to  thin  for  working 
freely. 

This  varnish  will  dry  in  a  few  minutes,  i 

VARNISH,  Black  G'/rt/.— Lampblack,  made 
of  burnt  vine-twigs,  or  black  of  pe.ich-stones. 
The  lampblack  must  be  carefully  washed  and 
afterwards  dried.  Washing  carries  off  a  great 
many  of  its  impurities. 

VARNISH,  Black  yrt/rt«.  —  Burnt  umber  8 
oz.;  true  asphaltum  3  or  4  oz.;  boiled  linseed  oil 
I  gallon;  grind  the  umber  with  a  little  of  the  oil; 
add  it  to  the  asphaltum,  previously  dissolved  in  a 
small  quantity  of  the  oil  by  heat;  mix,  add  the 
remainder  of  the  oil,  boil,  cool,  and  thin  with  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  oil  of  turpentine.     Flexible. 

VARNISH,  Camphor. — Gum  Copal,  4ounces; 
oil  lavender,  12  ounces ;  gum  camphor,  j^  ounce. 
Heat  the  oil  and  camphor  in  a  pan,  stirring ;  then 
add  the  copal  in  small  quantities. — When  dissolv- 
ed, stir  and  add  turpentine  almost  in  a  boiling 
state. 

This  is  transparent,  pli-able,  and  durable. 
For  varnishing  wire  gauze,  muslin,  etc. 

VARNISH,  CaoHtchotic.  ~  Digest  2  parts  of 
caoutchouc,  cut  in  shreds  or  small  pieces  in  64 
parts  of  rectified  oil  of  turpentine ;  strain  through 
a  linen  cloth. 

VARNISH,  Cabinet-makers'.— Ytry  pale 
shellac  5  lbs.;  mastich  7  oz.;  alcohol,  of  90  per 
cent.,  5  or  6  pints;  dissolve  in  the  cold  with  fre- 
quent stirring.  Used  for  French  polishing,  etc. 
It  is  always  opaque.  A  similar  varnish,  made 
with  weaker  spirit,  is  used  by  bookbinders  to 
varnish  morocco  leather  book  covers. 

VARNISH,  cheap.  — The  beautiful  varnish 
applied  to  Connecticut  clockcases,  wooden  picture- 
frames,  and  other  cheap  objects,  is  in  appearance 
equal  to  the  elaborate  finish  of  the  finest  furniture, 
such  as  pianos,  etc.     It  is  made  by  mixing  two 

f)ounds  of  copal  varnish  with  half  an  ounce  of 
inseed-oil  varnish.    The  mixture  is  shaken  oflen 


PAINTING  AND  PAPERING. 


967 


to  mix  it  well,  and  is  then  placed  on  a  warm  spot. 
The  wood  to  be  varnished  is  prepared  with  a 
thin  coat  of  glue- water,  dried  slowly,  and  rubbed 
down  with  fine  pumice-stone  or  something  equiv- 
alent. In  light-colored  wood,  a  light  pigment, 
such  as  chalk,  is  added  to  the  glue-water ;  in 
dark  wood,  an  equally  dark  pigment  is  added. 
When  ready,  the  articles  are  varnished  with  the 
above  mixture,  and,  after  drying,  rubbed  with  a 
solution  of  wax  in  ether,  thereby  acquiring  a 
high  polish. 

VARNISH,  Coachmakers" .  —  The  fine  black 
varnish  of  the  coachmakers  is  said  to  be  prepared 
by  melting  i6  ounces  of  amber  in  an  iron  pot, 
adding  to  it  half  a  pint  of  drying  linseed-oil,  boil- 
ing hot,  of  powdered  resin  and  asphaltum,  3 
ounces  each.  When  the  materials  are  well  uni- 
ted, by  stirring  over  the  fire,  they  are  to  be  re- 
moved, and  after  cooling  for  some  time,  a  pint  of 
warm  oil  of  turpentine  is  to  be  introduced. 

VARNISH,  Colorless. — Dissolve  two  ounces 
and  a  half  of  shellac  in  a  pint  of  rectified  spirits 
of  wine ;  boil  for  a  few  minutes  with  five  ounces 
of  well-burned  and  recently-heated  animal  char- 
coal. A  small  portion  of  the  solution  should 
then  be  filtered,  and  if  not  colorless,  more  char- 
coal must  be  added.  When  all  color  is  removed, 
press  the  liquor  through  a  piece  of  silk,  and  af- 
terward filter  through  fine  blotting-paper.  This 
kind  of  varnish  should  be  used  in  a  room  of  at 
least  sixty  degrees  Fahr.,  perfectly  free  from 
dust.  It  dries  in  a  few  minutes,  and  is  not  lia- 
ble afterward  to  chill  or  bloom.  It  is  particu- 
larly applicable  to  drawings  and  prints  that  have 
been  sized,  and  may  be  used  for  gilding. 

VARNISH,  Copal. — i.  Gum  copal,  8  pounds ; 
linseed  oil,  2  gallons ;  sugar  of  lead,  ^  pound ; 
turpentine,  3^  gallons.  Boil  till  stringy.  — 
2.  Gum  copal,  8  pounds;  oil,  2^  gallons;  sul- 
phate of  iron,  ^  pound;  turpentine,  5j^  gallons. 
This  is  a  good  varnish  for  house  and  sign  paint- 
ing. In  making  the  above  varnishes,  the  gum 
should  be  melted  in  a  small  quantity  of  boiling 
oil,  and  poured  gradually  into  the  kettle  contain- 
ing the  other  oil,  while  boiling.  When  it  is  all 
done,  and  cool  enough  so  as  not  to  ignite  the 
turpentine,  the  turpentine  should  be  added. 

VARNISH,  Copal  {Nr^  Preparation  of.)  — 
Dissolve  one  part  of  camphor  in  twelve  parts  of 
ether.  When  the  camphor  is  completely  dissolv- 
ed, add  four  parts  of  colorless  and  finely-pow- 
dered copal.  The  copal  to  be  carefully  selected. 
Place  this  mixture  in  a  bottle  and  shake  until  the 
copal  is  swollen  and  partly  dissolved,  then  add 
four  parts  of  proof  alcohol  and  one  quarter  of  a 
part  of  rectified  spirits  of  turpentine ;  shake  again 
sufficiently,  and  the  varnish  is  ready  for  use. 
After  the  bottle  has  stood  several  days,  however, 
the  varnish  divides  into  two  distinct  strata;  the 
lower  richer  in  copal,  but  the  upper  finer  and 
perfectly  colorless.  Professor  Boettger,  the 
author  of  the  formula,  claims  the  superiority  in 
transparency,  elasticity,  hardness,  and  durability 
for  this  varnish.  The  lower  stratum  may  be 
again  treated  with  camphor,  etc. 

VARNISH,  Crystal. —  Genuine  pale  Canada 
balsam  and  rectified  oil  of  turpentine,  equal  parts; 
mix,  place  the  bottle  in  warm  water,  agitate  well, 
set  it  aside,  in  a  moderately  warm  place,  and  in 
a  week  pour  oflfthe  clear.  Used  for  maps,  prints, 
drawings,  and  other  articles  of  paper,  and  also 
to  prepare  tracing  paper,  and  to  transfer  engra- 
vings. 


VARNISH,  Fat  Co/al.—Take  picked  copal, 
16  oz.;  prepared  linseed  oil,  or  oil  of  poppies, 
8  oz.;  essence  of  turpentine,  16  oz. 

Liquefy  the  copal  m  a  matrass  over  a  common 
fire,  and  then  add  the  linseed  oil,  or  oil  of  poppies, 
in  a  state  of  ebullition ;  when  these  matters  are 
incorporated,  take  the  matrass  from  the  fire,  stir 
the  matter  till  the  greatest  heat  is  subsided,  and 
then  add  the  essence  of  turpentine  warm.  Strain 
the  whole,  while  still  warm,  through  a  piece  of 
linen,  and  put  the  varnish  into  a  wide-mouthed 
bottle.  Time  contributes  towards  its  clarifi- 
cation, and  in  this  manner  it  acquires  a  better 
quality. 

VARNISH,  Flexible.  — I.  India  rubber  in 
shavings  I  oz.;  mineral  naphtha  2  lbs.;  digest 
at  a  gentle  heat  in  a  close  vessel  till  dissolved, 
and  strain. — 2.  India  rubber  i  oz.;  drying  oil  I 
quart;  dissolve  by  as  little  heat  as  possible,  em-  » 
ploying  constant  stirring,  then  strain. — 3.  Lin- 
seed oil  I  gallon ;  dried  white  copperas  and  sugar 
of  lead,  of  each  3  oz.;  litharge  8  oz.;  boil  with 
constant  agitation  till  it  strings  well,  then  cool 
slowly  and  decant  the  clear.  If  too  thick,  thin 
it  with  quick-drying  linseed  oil.  The  above  are 
used  for  balloons,  gas  bags,  etc. 

VARNISH  for  6^/ajj.— Pulverized  gum  trag- 
acanth,  white  of  egg,  equal  quantity.  Stand  till 
dissolted.  Spread  on  the  glass  carefully  with  a 
brush. 

VARNISH,  Glaze, — Powdered  sealing  wax, 
]/^  ounce ;  alcohol,  95  per  cent.,  2  ounces.  Keep 
in  a  bottle  in  a  warm  place  till  the  wax  is  dis- 
solved. 

This  varnish  gives  a  beautiful  glazed  polish  to 
paper,  straw,  leather,  and  the  like. 

VARNISH,  Gold.  —  Pulverized  gum  copal, 
I  ounce;  oil  lavender,  2  ounces;  turpentine,  6 
ounces.  Put  the  oil  in  a  pan  on  hot  sand.  When 
warm,  add  the  turpentine  and  copal  as  in  the 
camphor  varnish. 

VARNISH,  Gold-colored  CV/^/.— Take  copal 
in  powder,  I  oz.;  essential  oil  of  lavender,  2  oz.; 
essence  of  turpentine,  6  oz. 

Put  the  essential  oil  of  lavender  into  a  matrass 
of  a  proper  size,  placed  on  a  sand-bath  heated 
gently.  Add  to  the  oil  while  very  warm,  and  at 
several  times,  the  copal  powder,  and  stir  the 
mixture  with  a  stick  of  white  wood  rounded  at 
the  end.  When  the  copal  has  entirely  disappear- 
ed, add  at  three  different  times  the  essence  al- 
most in  a  state  of  ebullition,  and  keep  continually 
stirring  the  mixture.  When  the  solution  is  com- 
pleted, the  result  will  be  a  varnish  of  a  gold  color, 
exceedingly  durable  and  brilliant. 

VARNISH,  Gum  Elastic  — India,  rubber, 
cut  fine,  ^  pound;  linseed  oil,  ^  pound;  tur- 
pentine, %  pound.  Add  the  gum  to  the  oil 
while  boiling.  When  dissolved,  add  the  turpen- 
tine. Boil  the  whole  till  clear,  and  strain. 
Dries  slow ;  if  desired  to  dry  quicker,  use  boiled 
oil.  This  varnish  is  brilliant,  durable,  and  makes 
the  cloth  pliable. 

VARNISH,  Impermeable.  —  Boiled  oil,    lOO 
parts ;  finely  powdered  litharge,  6  parts ;  genuine  , , 
bees'-wax,  5  parts.     Boil  until  sufficiently  thick  j, 
and  stringy,  then  pour  off  the  clear. 

VARMISH,  India  Rubber.  —  Digest  India- 
rubber,  cut  into  small  pieces,  in  benzine  for  sev- 
eral days,  frequently  shaking  the  bottle  contain- 
ing the  materials.  A  jelly  will  be  formed,  which 
will  separate  from  the  benzine;  this  dissolved  in 
the  fixed  and  vol*tile  oils,  dries  fast,  does  not 


268 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


crack  or  shine,  unless  mixed  with  some  resinous 
substance. 

VARNISH,  Italian.  —  1.  Boil  Scio  turpen- 
tine till  brittle,  powder,  and  dissolve  in  oil  of 
turpentine.  —  2.  Canada  balsam  and  clear  white 
rosin,  of  each  6  oz.;  oil  of  turpentine  I  quart;  dis- 
solve.    Used  for  prints,  etc. 

VARNISH,  yapan. — Gum  shellac,  2  pounds; 
oil,  I  gallon;  red  lead,  I  pound;  litharge,  I 
pound ;  umber,  %  pound.  Melt  the  gum  in  a 
small  quantity  of  oil,  and  then  add  it,  gradually, 
to  the  other  oil  while  it  is  boiling.  Boil  the 
whole  till  stringy. 

This  is  a  good,  strong  drver,  which  gives  to 
the  paint  a  high  gloss. 

VARNISH,  Lac.  —  I.  Seedlac  3  oz.;  tur- 
meric I  oz.;  dragon's  blood  ^  oz.;  alcohol  i 
pint ;  digest  for  a  week,  frequently  shaking,  de- 
cant and  filter.     Deep  gold  colored. 

2.  Ground  turmeric  I  lb.;  gamboge  l^  oz.; 
gum  sandarach  3^  lbs.;  shellac  ^4  lb.;  all  in  pow- 
der ;  rectified  spirit  of  wine  2  gallons  ;  dissolve, 
strain,  and  add  turoentine  varnish  I  pint.  Gold 
colored. 

3.  Spanish  annotto  3  lbs.;  dragon's  blood  I 
lb.;  gum  sandarach  3^  lbs.;  rectified  spirit  2 
gallons;  turpentine  varnish  i  quart;  dissolve  and 
mix  as  the  last.     Red  colored. 

4.  Gamboge  cut  small  I  oz.;  Cape  aloes  cut 
small  3  oz.;  pale  shellac  I  lb.;  rectified  spirit  2 
gallons;  as  the  last.     Pale  brass  colored. 

5.  Seedlac,  dragon's  blood,  annotto,  and  gam- 
boge, of  each  ^  lb.;  saffron  I  oz.;  rectified  spirit 
of  wine  5  quarts;  as  last. 

Lacquers  are  used  upon  polished  metals  and 
wood  to  impart  the  appearance  of  gold.  As  they 
are  wanted  of  different  depths  and  shades  of  color, 
it  is  best  to  keep  a  concentrated  solution  of  each 
coloring  ingredient  ready,  so  that  it  may  at  any 
time  be  added  to  produce  any  desired  tint. 

VARNISH,  Mastic.  —  Very  pale  and  picked 
gum  mastic,  5  l^s.;  glass  pounded  as  small  as 
barley,  and  well  washed  and  dried,  1]^  lbs.; 
rectified  turpentine  2  gallons ;  put  them  into  a 
clean  4  gallon  stone  or  tin  bottle,  bung  down 
securely,  and  keep  rolling  it  backwards  and  for- 
wards pretty  smartly  on  a  counter  or  any  other 
solid  place  for  at  least  4  hours;  when,  if  the  gum 
is  all  dissolved,  the  varnish  may  be  decanted, 
strained  through  muslin  into  another  bottle,  and 
allowed  to  settle.  It  should  be  kept  for  6  or  9 
months  before  use,  as  it  thereby  gets  both  tougher 
and  clearer. 

VARNISH,  Mahogany. — Sorted  gum  anime 
8  lbs.;  clarified  oil  3  gallons;  litharge  and  pow- 
dered dried  sugar  of  lead,  of  each  ^  lb.;  boil 
till  it  strings  well,  then  cool  a  little,  thin  with  oil 
of  turpentine  ^Yt  gallons,  and  strain. 

VARNISH,  Oak.  — I.  Clear  pale  rosin,  3^ 
lbs.;  oil  of  turpentine  I  gallon;  dissolve. — 2. 
Clear  Venice  turpentine  4  lbs.;  oil  of  turpentine  5 
lbs.;  mix.  Both  are  good  common  varnishes  for 
wood  or  metal. 

VARNISH,  0/7.— Rosin  3  lbs.;  melt,  add 
Venice  turpentine  2  lbs.;  pale  drying  oil  i  gallon; 
cool  a  little  and  thin  with  oil  of  turpentine  I  quart. 
—  2.  Rosin  3  lbs.;  drying  oil  ^  gallon;  melt 
and  thin  with  oil  of  turpentine  2  quarts.  Both 
the  above  are  good  varnishes  for  common  work. 

VARNISH,  Seedlac. — Wash  three  ounces  of 
seedlac  in  several  waters,  dry  it,  and  powder  it 
coarsely.  Dissolve  it  in  one  pint  of  rectified 
spirits  of  wine,  put  it  in  a  gentle  heat,  shaking 


as  often  as  convenient,  until  it  appears  dissolved, 
pour  off  the  clear,  and  strain  the  remainder. 

VARNISH,  Shellac— Qvixa.  shellac,  %  pound; 
alcohol,  I  pint.  Keep  in  a  warm  place  till  the 
gum  is  dissolved.  • 

This  makes  a  splendid  polish  for  any  fine  ar- 
ticle of  furniture,  guns,  etc.  It  is  best  rubbed 
on  with  a  cloth ;  moisten  the  cloth  with  the  pol- 
ish, and  rub  over  the  work  briskly.  It  dries  in 
a  moment,  and  twenty  coats  may  be  put  on  in  as 
many  minutes.  It  is  also  a  good  (perhaps  the 
best)  thing  for  killing  gnats,  and  is  altogether  a 
very  useful  article,  and  no  paint-shop  should  be 
without  it.  Rough  and  weather-beaten  signs, 
cloth,  and  such  like  may  be  coated  with  it,  which 
will  make  the  work  hold  up  the  color  better.  Dry 
paints  may  also  be  ground  in  it,  for  painting 
signs  on  cloth  or  paper.  It  holds  the  colors  from 
flying,  and  will  stand  the  weather. 

VARN^ISH,  Stone.  —  The  method  of  coating 
wood  with  a  varnish  as  hard  as  stone  has  been 
introduced  into  Germany.  The  ingredients  are 
forty  parts  of  chalk,  forty  of  rosin,  four  of  lin- 
seed oil,  to  be  melted  together  in  an  iron  pot. 
One  part  of  native  oxide  of  copper  and  one  of 
sulphuric  acid  are  then  to  be  added,  after  which 
the  composition  is  ready  for  use.  It  is  applied 
hot  to  the  wood  with  a  brush,  ill  the  same  way 
as  paint,  and  as  before  observed  becomes  exceecl- 
ingly  hard  on  drying. 

VARNISH.  Tar.  {For  Wood  or  Iron.)  — 
One  gallon  of'^coal  tar,  half  a  pint  of  spirits  of 
turpentine,  two  ounces  of  oil  of  vitriol,  stirred, 
and  laid  on  like  paint.  Mix,  with  a  piece  of 
wood  or  stick,  the  tar  and  vitriol,  and  then  add 
the  turpentine,  and  apply  with  a  brush.  Mix  no 
more  than  you  can  use  at  once,  and  then  apply 
it  as  it  becomes  thick. 

VARN^ISH,  Turpentine. — Rosin,  5  pounds; 
turpentine,  I  gallon.  Boil  till  the  rosin  is  dis- 
solved. 

VARNISH,  Water  Proof.— kn  excellent  wa- 
ter proof  varnish,  without  alcohol,  for  various  ar- 
ticles, is  prepared  by  taking  three  parts,  by 
weight,  of  pale  shellac,  one  part  of  spirits  of  sal- 
ammoniac,  and  six  or  eight  of  water,  and  shak- 
ing them  together  in  a  bottle,  and  to  be  then 
corked  up  for  twelve  hours.  This  is  then  placed 
in  an  earthen  vessel  over  a  fire,  and  boiled,  with 
constant  stirring,  till  the  shellac  is  dissolved. 
This  solution  replaces  to  great  advantage  the  al- 
coholic solutions  of  shellac;  and  when  mixed 
with  about  twelve  parts  of  water,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  terra  de  sienna  or  ochre,  can  be  used  in 
the  preparation  of  oil  cloths.     After  a  little  ex- 

[)osure  to  the  air,  the  ammonia  evaporates,  and 
eaves  a  layer  entirely  impervious  to,  and  unal- 
tered by  water.  The  same  solutions  may  also  be 
used  in  various  combinations  for  staining  wood 
of  a  brown  color,  and  rendering  it  at  tlie  same 
time  water  proof. 

VARNISH,  White  CV>/<7/.  —  White  oxide  of 
lead,  ceruse,  Spanish  white,  white  clay.  Such 
of  these  substances  as  are  preferred  ought  to  be 
carefully  dried.  Ceruse  and  clay  obstinately 
retain  a  great  deal  of  humidity,  which  would  op- 
pose their  adhesion  to  drying  oil  or  varnish.  The 
cement  then  crumbles  under  the  fingers,  and 
does  not  assume  a  body. 

VARNISH,  White  China.  —There  are  two 
kinds  of  varnish  used  to  produce  the  white  gloss; 
one  a  solution  of  colorless  resin  in  turpentine; 
the  other  in  alcohol.    For  the  first,  puie  copal 


PAINTING  AND  PAPERING. 


269 


varnish  is  taken;  for  the  second,  16  parts  of 
sandarac  are  dissolved  in  sufficient  strong  alcohol, 
to  which  are  added  3  parts  of  camphor ;  and  lastly, 
when  all  dissolved  by  shaking,  5  parts  of  Vene- 
tian turpentine  are  added.  Set  for  some  days  in 
the  sun  till  clear.  However,  in  order  to  cause 
the  color  to  remain  a  pure  white,  care  must  be 
taken  not  to  mix  oil  with  the  white  paint  put  on 
previously.  Best  French  zinc  white  is  the  best, 
mixed  with  turpentine;  when  dry,  rub  down 
with  fine  sand-paper,  and  put  on  another  coat, 
and  repeat  this  if  required,  and  lastly  put  on  the 
varnish  described. 

VARNISH,  White  Hard.  —  Gum  mastic,  I 
pound;  gum  anime,  4  ounces;  gum  sandarac,  5 
ounces;  alcohol,  95  per  cent.,  2  ounces.  Add 
all  together,  put  in  a  warm  place,  and  shake  of- 
ten. When  the  gums  are  dissolved,  strain  through 

a  IjivVTl  SlCVC 

VARNISH,  To  Polish.  —Take  2  ounces  of 
tripoli  powdered,  put  it  in  an  earthen  pot,  with 
water  to  cover  it :  then  take  a  piece  of  white 
flannel,  lay  it  over  a  piece  of  cork  or  rubber,  and 
proceed  to  polish  the  varnish,  always  wetting  it 
with  the  tripoli  and  water.  It  will  be  known 
when  the  process  is  finished  by  wiping  a  part  of 
the  work  with  a  sponge,  and  observing  whether 
there  is  a  fair  even  gloss.  \Mien  this  is  the  case, 
take  a  bit  of  mutton  suet  and  fine  flour,  and  clean 
the  work. 

VI OLE  T-  COL  OR,  To  Afake.—Y'iol&l  is  made 
indifferently  with  red  and  black,  or  red  and  blue; 
and  to  render  it  more  splendid,  with  red,  white 
and  blue.  To  compose  violet,  therefore,  appli- 
cable to  varnish,  take  minium,  or  what  is  still 
better,  vermilion,  and  grind  it  with  the  camphor- 
ated mastic  varnish  to  which  a  fourth  part  of 
boiled  oil  and  a  little  ceruse  have  been  added ; 
than  add  a  little  Prussian  blue  ground  in  oil. 
The  proportions  requisite  for  the  degree  of  in- 
tensity to  be  given  to  the  color  will  soon  be  found 
by  experience.  The  white  brightens  the  tint. 
The  vermilion  and  Prussian  blue,  separated 
or  mixed,  give  hard  tones,  which  must  be 
softened  by  an  intermediate  substance  that 
modifies,  to  their  advantage,  the  reflections  of  the 
light. 

WALNUT,  To  Polish.— I.  Take  asphaltum, 
pulverize  it,  place  it  in  a  jar  or  bottle,  pour  in 
about  twice  its  bulk  of  turpentine  or  benzole, 
put  it  in  a  warm  place,  and  shake  it  from  time 
to  time.  W'hen  dissolved,  strain  it,  and  apply  to 
the  wood  with  a  clothes  or  stiff  brush.  If  it 
should  make  too  dark  a  stain,  thin  it  with  tur- 

fentine  or  benzole.  This  will  dry  in  a  few  hours, 
f  it  is  desired  to  bring  out  the  grain  still  more, 
apply  a  mixture  of  boiled  oil  and  turpentine  ;  this 
is  better  than  oil  alone.  Put  no  oil  with  the  as- 
phaltum mixture,  as  it  will  dry  very  slowly. 
\Vhen  the  oil  is  dry  the  wood  can  be  polished 
with  \^he  following: — Shellac  varnish,  of  the 
usual  consistency,  two  parts  ;  boiled  oil,  one  part. 
Shake  it  well  before  using.  Apply  it  to  the  wood 
by  putting  a  few  drops  on  a  cloth  and  rubbing 
briskly  on  the  wood  for  a  few  moments.  This 
polish  works  well  on  old  varnished  furniture.  — 
2.  Mix,  with  good  whiting,  such  colors  as  will 
produce  as  near  as  possible  the  color  of  the  wood 
to  be  filled.  This  mixture  to  be  dry.  Then  give 
the  wood  a  good  coat  of  oil,  and  sprinkle  the 
mixture  over  the  Avork  until  it  is  pretty  well 
covered;  then  with  a  soft  rag  or  other  soft  sub- 
stance, rub  this  in  well.  Wipe  off  all  superfluous 


material.    Let  dry  thoroughly  and  varnish.  This 
mode  is  far  superior  to  sizing. 

WA  TERPROOF  PAINT.— Oc\iXG,  96  parts; 
lamp-black,  16  parts ;  boiled  oil  to  mix.  Then 
add  yellow  soap,  2  parts,  dissolved  in  water,  8 
parts.  Well  mix,  and  apply  two  coats  of  this 
mixture  with  a  paint-brush,  at  intervals  of  two 
or  three  days;  lastly,  give  a  finishing  coat  of 
varnish  formed  of  lamp-black  and  boiled  oil,  well 
ground  together.  Sufficient  boiled  oil  must  be 
used  to  reduce  the  mixture  to  the  consistence  of 
a  thick  varnish. 

WHITE  PAINTS.— Nt7i.r\y  all  whites  have 
their  base  in  the  oxides  and  carbonates  of  dif- 
ferent metals. —  White  Lead  is  a  carbonate  of 
lead,  prepared  by  submitting  common  lead  to 
the  action  of  acetic  acid,  or  vinegar,  at  a  high 
temperature.  It  is  poisonous,  especially  when 
combined  with  oils  or  fatty  matter.  The  chief 
adulterations  are  barytes,  whiting,  and  silicate  of 
potash. — Carbonate  0/  Barytes  is  less  poisonous 
than  lead ;  it  is  certainly  not  as  valuable,  and 
has  very  little  body,  though  it  is  whiter,  and 
when  combined  with  lead  in  proper  proportions, 
makes  a  very  good  white,  and  does  not  injure  the 
lead  for  ordinary  purposes.  The  sulphate  of 
barytes  is  often  used  in  the  cheaper  leads,  but  is 
an  inferior  article. — Zinc  White  is  an  oxide  of 
zinc.  It  is  a  durable  and  beautiful  white,  besides 
being  harmless.  All  the  very  best  and  finest 
work  in  the  cities  is  now  finished  with  zinc.  It 
has  less  body  than  lead,  but  is  vastly  whiter  and 
more  durable,  and  does  not,  like  lead,  turn  yel- 
low when  excluded  from  the  light  and  air. — 
China  White  is  lead  that  has  been  elutriated,  or 
washed,  thereby  freeing  it  from  all  impurities. — 
Whiting  is  well  known  to  all.  It  is  a  carbonate 
of  lime.  It  is  of  no  utility  as  a  paint,  as  it  will 
become  spotted,  and  rubs  off  after  the  oil  is  eva- 
porated. It  is  properly  fit  for  putty,  and  various 
room  washes. — Pearl  White  is  generally  used 
for  the  finer  and  more  delicate  branches  of  paint- 
ing. It  is  a  submuriate  of  bismuth. — Kremlitz 
White  is  a  superior  quality  of  lead.  There  is 
little  in  the  market  at  present,  as  the  extensive 
manufactories  at  Krems  have  been  abandoned. 
All  German  leads  are  considered  the  best,  as 
their  ores  contain  less  iron. — Silver  White\%  also 
a  lead  prepared  by  elutriating.  It  is  the  best  of 
the  tube  colors  for  general  use. 

WHITE  LEAD,  Clark's  process  0/ Making. 
— A  chamber  of  12  to  15  feet  square  is  furnished 
with  a  vinegar  trough,  through  which  a  pipe  of 
about  one-inch  calibre  passes;  it  connects  at  right 
angles  with  a  large  main  of  steam-pipe  at  one 
end,  and  is  there  commanded  by  a  cock;  the 
other  end  passes  entirely  through  the  trough  and 
chamber,  and  there  discharges  the  condensed 
steam.  They  are  also  each  supplied  with  a  gas 
distributing-box  or  trunk,  which  is  about  four 
inches  square  in  the  clear  and  about  thirteen  feet 
long.  These  are  placed  an  inch  or  so  above  and 
over  the  vinegar  troughs,  having  small  holes  at 
short  intervals  through  their  sides,  and  at  one 
end  are  connected  by  means  of  a  short  pipe,  to 
which  a  cock  is  also  adapted,  to  a  main  gas-pipe 
which  is  furnished  by  means  of  a  blowing  appa- 
ratus with  the  requisite  supply  of  atmospheric 
air  and  carbonic  acid  gas.  The  sides  of  the 
chambers  have  cleats  secured  to  them  for  sup- 
porting the  rod  over  which  the  sheets  of  lead  are 
suspended  for  conversion  to  white  lead. 
A  boiler  of  iron  or  copper  is  heated  with  an- 


270 


DICTIONAR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  IVANTS. 


thracite  coal,  from  which  the  steam  and  carbonic 
acid  gas  are  obtained  for  heating  and  supplying 
the  chambers.  The  doors  of  the  chambers  fit 
close,  so  that  some  pressure  is  produced  in  them 
during  the  process  of  conversion. 

The  vinegar  in  the  troughs,  the  sheet-lead  on 
the  rods,  and  the  cisterns  being  closed,  fire  is 
applied  to  the  furnace  of  the  boiler,  the  blowing 
apparatus  is  put  in  motion,  and  the  process  of 
making  white  lead  has  commenced.  Moderate 
quantities  of  coal  and  vinegar,  and  the  constant 
attention  of  one  man,  are  necessary  to  continue 
it ;  and  one  thousand  tons  of  lead  may  be  ope- 
rated on  by  this  attention  as  well  as  one  hundred. 
The  largest  sized  chamber  will  contain  about  ten 
tons  of  the  metallic  sheets,  and  require  supplies 
of  vinegar  twice  each  twenty-four  hours.  If  the 
lead  appear  moist  and  pasty,  the  vinegar  is  with- 
held ;  and  to  these  points,  namely,  the  supply  of 
the  gases,  and  attention  to  the  fires,  the  duty  of 
the  operative  is  confined.  At  first  the  vinegar 
was  placed  on  the  floor  of  the  chambers  and 
covered  with  a  false  floor,  which  was  perforated 
at  short  intervals,  so  as  to  distribute  the  gases 
and  acid  vapor  equally  through  them.  In  this 
way  the  sheets  of  lead  became  much  more  ex- 
peditiously converted  to  white  lead,  but  ite  spe- 
cific gravity  was  lessened,  and  it  was  less  esteem- 
ed by  the  painters. 

WHITE  PAINT,  Cheap.— K  very  good 
white  paint  may  be  made  without  lead  or  oil  by 
the  mixture  of  skimmed  milk,  lime  and  whiting. 
The  casein  of  the  milk  unites  with  the  lime,  mak- 
ing a  cement  which  holds  the  whiting  in  place, 
and  a  very  durable  coating  is  thus  formed.  The 
method  of  preparing  it  is  very  simple,  as  follows : 
Take  five  pounds  of  whiting,  two  quarts  of  skim- 
med milk  and  two  ounces  of  fresh  slacked  lime ; 
put  the  whiting  in  a  stoneware  vessel,  and  add  a 
small  portion  of  the  milk  with  constant  stirring. 
When  a  smooth  thin  paste  is  formed,  add  the  re- 
mainder of  the  milk,  then  sprinkle  the  lime  upon 
the  surface  and  stir  in.  The  paint  is  then  ready 
for  use  unless  the  whiting  and  lime  be  not  quite 
fine,  when  it  may  be  necessary  to  grind  the 
whole  together.  This  paint  possesses  the  ad- 
vantage of  being  economical  and  durable,  and  will 
doubtless  come  into  extensive  use  for  many  kinds 
of  cheap  work.  Paris  white  may  be  used  instead 
of  whiting  for  superior  work, 

WHITEWASH.— \.  A  fine  brilliant  wash  is 
obtained  by  mixing  "Paris  white"  with  glue,  in 
the  proportion  of  sixteen  pounds  to  half  a  pound 
of  glue.  The  glue  should  be  the  white,  transpa- 
rent kind.  It  should  be  covered  with  cold  water 
at  night,  and  in  the  morning  carefully  heated 
until  dissolved.  The  Paris  white  should  be 
stirred  into  hot  water  until  it  is  of  the  proper 
milky  consistency  for  applying  to  the  walls,  and 
the  dissolved  glue  added  and  thoroughly  mixed. 
This  recipe  is  considered  one  of  the  best,  and  has 
the  merit  of  being  inexpensive. — 2.  The  follow- 
ing is  sent  out  by  the  Light-house  Board  of  the 
Treasury  Department :  "The  following  recipe 
for  whitewashing  has  been  found  by  experience 
to  answer  on  wood,  brick,  and  stone,  nearly  as 
well  as  oil  paint,  and  is  much  cheaper :  Slack 
half  a  bushel  of  unslacked  lime  with  boiling  water, 
keeping  it  covered  during  the  process.  Strain  it 
and  add  a  peck  of  salt,  dissolved  in  warm  water; 
three  pounds  of  ground  rice  put  in  boiling  water, 
and  boiled  to  a  thin  paste;  half  a  pound  of  pow- 
dered Spanish  whiting,  and  a  pound  of  clear  glue, 


dissolved  in  warm  water  :  mix  this  well  together, 
and  let  the  mixture  stand  for  several  days.  Keep 
the  wash  thus  prepared  in  a  kettle  or  portable 
furnace,  and  when  used  put  it  on  as  hot  as  pos- 
sible, with  painters'  or  whitewash  brushes." — 3. 
Take  a  clean,  water  tight  cask  and  put  into  it 
half  a  bushel  of  lime.  Slack  it  by  pouring  water  over 
it  boiling  hot,  and  in  sufficient  quantity  to  cover 
it  five  inches  deep,  and  stir  it  briskly  till  thor- 
oughly slackened.  When  the  lime  has  been 
slackened,  dissolve  it  in  water,  and  add  two 
pounds  of  sulphate  of  zinc  and  one  of  common 
salt.  These  will  cause  the  wash  to  harden  and 
prevent  its  cracking,  which  gives  an  unseemly 
appearance  to  the  work.  A  beautiful  cream  color 
may  be  given  to  the  wash  by  adding  three  pounds 
of  yellow  ochre ;  or  a  good  pearl  or  lead  color, 
by  the  addition  of  lamp  or  iron  black.  For  fawn 
color  add  four  pounds  of  umber,  one  pound  of 
Indian  red,  and  one  pound  of  common  black. 
For  stone  color  add  four  pounds  raw  umber .  and 
two  pounds  lamp  black.  When  applied  to  the 
outside  of  houses  and  to  fences,  it  is  rendered 
more  durable  by  adding  about  a  pint  of  sweet 
milk  to  a  gallon  of  wash. 

WHITE  WASH,  Stucco.— T'ik^  half  a  bushel 
of  nice  unslacked  lime;  slack  it  with  boiling 
water,  covering  it  during  the  process  to  keep  in 
the  steam.  Strain  the  liquor  through  a  fine  sieve 
or  strainer,  and  add  to  it  one  peck  of  clean  salt, 
previously  dissolved  in  warm  water,  three  lbs. 
of  ground  rice,  ground  to  a  thin  paste,  and  stir- 
red and  boiled  hot ;  half  a  pound  of  powdered 
Spanish  whiting,  and  one  pound  of  clean  glue, 
which  has  been  previously  dissolved  by  first 
soaking  it  well,  and  then  hanging  it  over  a  small 
fire,  in  a  small  kettle  within  a  large  one  filled 
with  water.  Add  five  gallons  of  hot  water  to  the 
whole  mixture ;  stir  it  well  and  let  it  stahd  a  few 
days,  covered  from  dirt.  It  should  be  put  on 
quite  hot;  for  this  purpose  it  can  be  kept  in  a 
kettle  on  a  portable  furnace.  It  is  said,  that 
about  one  pint  of  the  mixture  will  cover  a  square 
yard  upon  the  outside  of  a  house,  if  properly  .np- 
plied.  Brushes  more  or  less  small  may  be  used, 
according  to  the  neatness  of  the  job  required. 
Coloring  may  be  used  to  impart  any  desirable 
tinge  to  the  preparation,  which  retains  its  bril- 
liancy for  a  long  time. 

WHITEWASH,  Improved.— The:  sulphate  of 
baryta  is  said  to  possess  numerous  advantages 
over  lime  as  a  material  for  whitewashing  walls. 
Four  ounces  of  glue  are  soaked  for  twelve  hours 
in  tepid  water,  and  then  placed  until  it  boils,  in 
a  tin  vessel,  with  a  quart  of  water — the  vessel  be- 
ing placed  in  the  water,  as  in  the  usual  process 
of  melting  glue;  the  whole  is  then  stirred  until 
dissolved.  Six  or  eight  pounds  of  sulphate  of 
baryta,  reduced  to  an  impalpable  powder,  is  put 
into  another  vessel ;  hot  water  is  added,  and  the 
whole  stirred  until  it  has  the  appearance  of  milk 
of  lime.  The  sizing  is  then  added,  and  the 
whole  stirred  well  together,  and  applied  in  the 
ordinary  way  while  still  warm. 

WHITEWASHED  WALLS,  To  Faint.— 
If  the  cracks  be  in  the  plastering,  and  the  wash 
be  sound  around  the  cracks,  plaster  of  Paris  is 
the  best  thing  to  fill  them  with,  as  it  hardens 
quickly,  does  not  shrink,  and  leaves  the  surface 
on  a  plane  with  the  wall.  If  the  plaster  of  Paris 
set  before  it  can  be  worked,  wet  it  with  vinegar. 
The  stronger  the  acid,  the  slower  it  will  set.  If 
cracks  be  filled  with  putty,  and  the  wall  be  painted 


PAiirrmG  and  papering. 


«5n 


in  gloss  color,  the  streaks  of  putty  are  very  apt 
to  be  flat  (no  gloss),  and  if  painted  in  flat  color, 
the  streaks  are  quite  sure  to  have  a  gloss.  These 
streaks,  of  course,  will  spoil  the  beauty  of  the 
work,  but  do  not  affect  its  durability.  When 
filled  with  plaster  of  Paris  the  reversion  of  gloss 
never  appears,  if  done  as  directed.  If  the  cracks 
be  only  in  the  wash,  the  latter  is  loosening  from 
the  wall ;  and  if  it  has  not  begun  to  scale,  it  soon 
will,  and  all  atempts  to  fasten  it  on  and  paint  it, 
will  be  total  loss.  If  it  be  loose  enough  to  scrape 
off,  scrape  the  wall,  taking  care  not  to  gouge  into 
the  original  wall.  If  not  loose  enough,  let  it 
alone  until  it  is.  If  the  wash  be  thin,  solid,  and 
even,  it  can  be  painted  to  look  and  wear  well. 
Wlicn  the  surface  is  lumpy,  rub  the  lumps  off 
with  a  sandstone,  or  a  brick.  After  a  wall  has 
been  prepared,  as  in  either  of  above  cases,  or  if 
a  wall  that  has  never  been  washed  is  to  be  paint- 
ed, size  it  with  two  coats  of  glue  size  (3  ounces 
glue  to  one  gallon  water.)  Be  sure  the  glue  is 
all  dissolved  before  using  any  of  it.  Let  the  first 
coat  dry  before  the  second  coat  is  put  on.  When 
the  second  coat  is  dry,  paint  as  follows:  Mix  the 
first  coat  of  paint  in  the  proportion  of  I  gallon 
raw  linseed  oil  to  15  pounds  white  lead,  ground 
In  oil,  and  I  gill  of  dryer.  Second  coat:  I  gallon 
raw  linseed  oil,  25  pounds  white  lead  ground  in 
oil,  and  ^  gill  dryer.  (The  lead  should  be  the 
best.)  Then  finish  either  in  gloss  or  flat  color, 
the  same  as  if  it  were  wood  work,  with  one  good 
coat  of  priming  on.  Shade  all  the  coats  of  paint, 
as  near  as  you  can,  to  the  color  you  wish  to  fin- 
ish in.  Mix  the  third  and  fourth  coats  the  same 
as  the  first,  that  is,  about  the  same  thickness  for 
a  gloss  finish,  and  a  little  thinner  for  aflat  finish. 

WOOD,  Composition  for  Coating. — A  method 
of  coating  wood  with  a  varnish  as  hard  as  stone 
has  beeif  recently  introduced.  The  ingredients 
are  forty  parts  of  chalk,  forty  of  resin,  four  of 
linseed  oil,  to  be  melted  together  in  an  iron  pot. 
One  part  of  native  oxide  of  copper,  and  one  of 
sulphuric  acid,  are  then  to  be  added,  after  which 
the  composition  is  ready  for  use.  It  is  applied 
hot  to  the  wood,  with  a  brush,  in  the  same  way 
as  paint,  and,  as  before  observed,  becomes  ex- 
ceedingly hard  on  drying. 

WOOD,  To  Dye  Red.  —Take  chopped  Brazil 
wood,  and  boil  it  well  in  water,  strain  it  through 
a  cloth.  Then  give  your  wood  two  or  three 
coats,  till  it  is  the  shade  wanted.  If  wanted  a 
deep  red,  boil  the  wood  in  water  impregnated 
vrith  alum  and  quick-lime.  When  the  last  coat 
is  dry,  burnish  it  with  the  burnisher  and  then 
varnish. 

WOOD,  To  Polish. — Take  a  piece  of  pumice- 
stone  and  water,  and  pass  regularly  over  the 
\vork  until  the  rising  of  the  giain  is  cut  down ; 
then  take  powdered  tripoli  and  boiled  linseed  oil, 
and  polish  the  work  to  a  bright  surface. 

YELLOW  PA JNTS.—YtViovis  have  their 
bases  in  iron,  lead,  quicksilver,  and  arsenic.  — 
Chrome  Yellozv.  The  best  is  made  from  chro- 
mium and  acetate,  or  the  nitrate  of  lead,  and  is 
properly  a  chromate  of  lead.  An  inferior  article 
is  prepared  with  whiting.  The  best  now  in  use 
for  general  painting  has  its  base  in  silicate  ol  pot- 
ash and  barytes. — Gamboge  is  the  concrete  juice 
of  various  trees  in  Ceylon.  It  is  a  transparent 
color,  and  consequently  useful  as  a  glazing 
color.  —  YcVktm  Ochre  is  an  earth.  The  best 
comes  from  France.  —  Stone  Ochre  is  also  an 
earth,  found  in  many  parts  of  Europe. — Naples 


Yellow  is  an  earth  found  near  Naples,  but  most 
of  that  now  in  the  market  is  composed  of  lead, 
alum,  sal-ammonia,  and  antimony.  It  is  a  soft, 
bright,  and  durable  color.  —  Turner's  Yellow,  a 
muriate  of  lead.  This  is  a  beautiful  tint,  and 
has  formerly  been  much  used  among  coach- 
painters. 

ZINC  PAINT,  Preparation  o/.—K  useful 
hint  in  regard  to  the  preparation  of  paint  with 
oxide  of  zinc  instead  of  white  lead  will  be  found 
in  the  following  instructions,  published  in  a  Ger- 1 
man  journal:  The  ordinary  boiled  linseed-oil 
should  be  replaced  in  the  mixing  operation  by  -^ 
one  prepared  by  gently  boiling  two  hundred 
pounds  of  the  raw  oil  for  five  or  six  hours,  then 
adding  about  twenty-four  pounds  of  coarsely 
broken  lumps  of  binoxide  of  manganese,  and  con- 
tinuing the  boiling  operation  for  about  ten  hours 
longer.  In  this  manner  a  very  quickly  drying 
linseed-oil  is  obtained,  which  is  eminently  fit  for 
the  purpose  of  being  used  with  zinc-white  and 
other  zinc  colors.  According  to  the  writer  of  the 
article,  much  depends  upon  the  use  of  old  lin- 
seed-oil, and  also  upon  the  pains  taken  with  tha 
boiled  oil,  which,  unless  carefully  kept  from  the 
contact  of  the  air,  becomes  thick  in  a  very  short 
time.  The  boiled  oil  so  prepared  is  not  to  be 
used  alone  in  painting  with  zinc-white,  but  must 
be  mixed  with  from  three  to  five  per  cent,  of  rav/ 
linseed-oil  while  the  paint  is  being  mixed  to- 
gether. 

ZINC-  WA TER  PAINT.  —The  unpleasant- 
ness of  occupying  a  newly  painted  house  may,  it 
is  said,  be  avoided  by  the  use  of  zinc- water  paint. 
Powdered  oxide  of  zinc  (which  may  be  heated 
with  a  little  potato  starch  if  more  "body"  be 
wanted)  is  combined  with  the  desired  mineral 
or  vegetable  color,  and  with  this  an  aqueous  so- 
lution of  chloride  of  zinc,  to  which  some  tartrate 
of  potassa  has  been  added,  is  then  mixed ;  the 
water  paint  thus  formed  being  applied  with  a 
brush  on  the  surface  to  be  coated.  In  half  an 
hour  this  paint  will  be  perfectly  dry;  and  the  ob- 
ject of  the  alkaline  tartrate  is  to  make  the  dry- 
ing process  less  rapid.  The  advantages  of  using 
the  water  paints  are  very  numerous :  they  aro 
more  durable  than  oil  paints,  do  not  blacken  by 
exposure  to  sulphurous  vapors,  are  devoid  of 
odor,  dry  quickly,  resist  dampness  and  the  action 
of  water,  can  be  cleansed  with  boiling  water  and 
soap  like  oil  paints,  and  preserve  the  wood  to 
which  they  are  applied  from  decay  and  render  it 
less  combustible.  This  latter  property  may  be 
increased  by  the  addition  of  borax.  Both  the 
oxide  and  the  chloride  of  zinc  can  be  manufactured 
without  danger  to  the  health  of  the  workman, 
sold  at  a  low  price,  and  kept  for  any  length  of 
time  in  any  climate. 

ZINC,  Painting. — A  difficulty  is  often  expe- 
rienced in  causing  oil  colors  to  adhere  to  sheet 
zinc.  Boettger  recommends  the  employment  of 
a  mordant,  so  to  speak,  of  the  following  compo- 
sition :  One  part  of  chloride  of  copper,  one  of 
nitrate  of  copper,  and  one  of  sal  ammoniac,  are 
to  be  dissolved  in  sixty-four  parts  of  water,  to 
which  solution  is  to  be  added  one  part  of  com- 
mercial hydrochloric  acid.  The  sheets  of  zinc 
are  to  be  brushed  over  with  this  liquid,  which 
gives  them  a  deep  black  color ;  in  the  course  of 
from  twelve  to  twenty-four  hours  they  become 
dry,  and  to  their  now  dirty-gray  surface  a  coat  of 
any  oil  color  will  firmly  adhere.  Some  sheets  of 
zinc  prepared  in  this  way,  and  afterward  painted. 


27« 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


have  been  found  to  entirely  withstand  all  the 
atmospheric  changes  of  winter  and  summer. 

ZINC  WHITEWASH.  — Wm  oxide  of  zinc 
with  common  size,  and  apply  it  with  a  white- 


wash brush  to  the  ceiling.  After  this,  apply  in 
the  same  manner  a  wash  of  the  chloride  of  zinc, 
which  will  combine  with  the  oxide  to  form  a 
smooth  cement  with  a  shining  surface 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 


ALBER  T'S  NE  W  PROCESS  ofPhotoUtho- 
gmphy.  —  In  300  parts  of  pure  water,  150  parts 
of  white  of  egg  and  15  parts  of  gelatine  are  dis- 
solved, with  8  parts  of  bichromate  of  potash. 
The  solution  is  accelerated  by  gentle  heat,  then 
filtered,  and  carefully  kept  in  the  dark.  With 
this  solution  one  side  of  a  heavy  piece  of  plate- 
glass,  or  some  other  transparent  material,  is 
coated,  and  dried  in  a  dark,  warm  room.  This 
coat  of  albuminous  material  must  be  made  very 
carefully,  so  that  no  irregularities  present  them- 
selves either  in  the  smoothing  of  surface  or  in 
the  color.  Then  the  dry  surface  is  carefully  cov- 
ered with  a  heavy  black  cloth,  and  the  free  side 
of  the  glass  is  submitted  to  the  action  of  day- 
light. The  effect  of  exposure  of  from  one  and  a 
half  to  two  hours  is  to  make  the  side  of  the  coat- 
ing toward  the  glass  more  insoluble  than  the 
other.  A  second  coating,  made  without  albu- 
men, of  300  parts  water,  50  parts  gelatine,  and 
1 7  parts  bichromate  of  potassa,  is  then  applied ; 
and  this  is  again  dried  in  a  warm,  dark  room. 
This  second  coat  is  now  exposed  to  daylight, 
under  any  negative,  in  the  usual  frame,  for  a 
I  sufficient  length  of  time,  which  varies  greatly  for 
different  negatives  and  the  state  of  the  atmos- 
phere, as  every  photographer  knows.  Then  the 
glass  plate  is  removed  from  the  frame,  soaked 
for  about  fifteen  minutes  in  water,  and  exposed 
to  the  air  to  become  dry  to  a  certain  degree ;  it 
is  then  ready  to  be  printed  like  a  lithographic 
stone.  The  parts  of  the  coating  which  have  be- 
come insoluble  by  exposure  to  light  have  not 
attracted  water.  Tliese  are  dry,  and  will  take 
the  printing-ink;  while  those  parts  which  were 
protected  by  the  details  of  the  negative  have  re- 
mained soluble  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  have 
absorbed  water,  are  therefore  moist,  and  will  not 
take  the  oily  printing-ink.  The  plate  is  treated 
like  a  lithographic  stone,  alternately  with  water, 
or  moisture  applied  in  the  usual  manner,  and 
with  printing-ink  applied  by  the  printer's  roller. 
From  every  plate  thus  prepared  500  to  1,000  im- 

Eressions  may  be  made.  In  order  to  prevent  the 
reaking  of  the  plate  by  pressure  during  printing, 
it  is  placed  on  an  elastic  bed,  or  strengthened  be- 
low with  a  thick  layer  of  plaster,  cement,  or  other 
suitable  material.  To  keep  the  paper  clean 
around  the  plate,  a  thin  metallic  frame,  with  a 
hole  equal  to  the  size  of  the  picture,  is  laid  every 
time  on  the  plate,  the  same  after  inking,  as  is 
often  done  in  all  other  styles  of  printing. 

ALBERTYPE  PROCESS,  Edwards'  Im- 
provement on. — An  English  artist,  Mr.  Ernest 
Edwards,  has  been  improving  upon  the  Albert 
process  until  he  has  succeeded  in  obtaining  what 
he  and  others  call  the  perfection  of  the  art.  This 
method,  in  its  present  manipulation,  consists  in 
coating  evenly  with  wax  the  plate  of  glass,  the 


surface  of  which  has  been  ground  but  not  polish- 
ed, and  then  pouring  over  it  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  a  mixture  of  gelatine,  bichromate  of  potash, 
and  chrome  alum,  so  as  to  form,  when  spread 
out  and  subsequently  dried,  a  film  of  the  thick- 
ness of  a  very  thin  card.  The  chrome  alum  is 
of  great  importance  in  preventing  the  subsequent 
solubility  of  the  film,  as  it  has  the  property  of 
preventing  the  gelatine  from  again  becoming 
liquid  after  it  is  set ;  and  without  the  use  of  some 
such  process  it  would  be  entirely  impossible  to 
carry  on  the  work  successfully.  The  usual  pro- 
portion of  bichromate  of  potash  to  the  gelatine  is 
about  five  per  cent.,  although  this  varies  for  dif- 
ferent applications. 

After  the  glass  has  been  coated  it  is  maintained 
in  a  level  position  for  a  few  minutes,  until  the 
film  has  set  sufficiently  to  permit  its  being  placed 
edgewise,  and  stored  away  in  a  suitable  drying- 
room  to  dry — an  operation  which  usually  occu- 
pies about  twenty-four  hours.  After  this  the 
film  is  removed  from  the  glass,  the  operation 
being  facilitated  by  the  use  of  the  substratum  of 
wax.  This  constitutes  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant advances  of  the  Edwards  process  over  the 
Albert,  for  various  reasons  that  it  is  not  ne- 
cessary here  to  adduce.  The  film  is  then  to  be 
subjected  to  the  action  of  the  negative,  and  treat- 
ed as  in  the  Albert  process  ;  after  which  it  is  to 
be  attached  to  a  plate  of  zinc,  which  is  accom- 
plished by  a  special  manipulation  and  it  is  then 
ready  to  furnish  impressions.  These  are  obtained 
by  treating  as  on  lithographic  stone,  namely  by 
sponging  with  water,  removing  the  surplus,  and 
then  pressing  over  the  surface  of  the  plate  a 
sheet  of  blotting-paper.  The  ink  rollers  are  next 
passed  over  it,  the  ink  adhering  according  to  the 
action  of  the  light.  The  advantage  of  using  the 
zinc  plates  in  printing  instead  of  glass,  as  is 
found  in  the  original  Albert  process,  lies  in  the 
greater  durability  of  the  former,  and  the  immu- 
nity from  the  danger  of  cracking.  A  very  great 
Eressure  is  necessary  in  this  class  of  printing  to 
ring  out  certain  tints,  and  the  glass  plate,  how- 
ever thick,  is  apt  to  be  fractured.  It  is  stated 
that  fifteen  hundred  uniformly  good  prints  can 
1)6  obtained  from  a  single  film;  and  if  a  larger 
edition  than  this  be  required  it  is  n  very  easy 
matter  to  prepare  a  number  of  films  at  the  same 
time,  so  as  to  have  a  sufficient  supply  for  any 
purpose. 

ALBUMEN,  Substitute  /or.— A  new  substi- 
tute for  albumen,  under  the  name  of  lactarine  has 
been  announced.  It  is  a  white  or  slightly  yel- 
low  powder,  with  the  odor  of  casein.  When 
subjected  to  ether,  a  small  amount  of  saponaceous 
fat  may  be  extracted  from  the  mixture.  TTie 
powder  resists  water,  but  is  accessible  to  the  in- 
fluence of  the  alkalies,  either  caustic  orcarbonat- 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 


273 


ed.  Treated  with  the  proper  proportion  of 
either  acetic  or  hydrochloric  acid,  a  curd  is  pre- 
cipitated, which  is  found  to  be  soluble  in  excess 
of  the  acid.  In  use,  it  is  dissolved  in  ammonia, 
and  can  be  colored  to  any  required  shade. 

BA  TH,  TONING.— To  yi  g^Hon  water  add 
)^  ounce  solution  of  common  washing  soda  sa- 
turated, or  enough  to  make  it  feel  slippery 
to  the  fingers,  then  add  a  suitable  quantity  of 
chloride  of  gold. 

BATH,  FIXING.— W&tQT,  %  gal.,  hj-posul- 
phite  of  soda,  12  ozs. 

BA  TH,  NEGA  TIVE.—Toriy  grains  of  sil- 
ver to  the  ounce  of  water,  iodize  slightly  with 
iodide  of  silver;  slightly  acidulate  with  nitric 
acid. 

BA  TH,  To  Restore. — Add  fresh  silver  il  re- 
quired.' Boil  down  one  half.  Add  as  much 
water  as  necessary,  filter,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 

BA  THS,  Sensitizing. — For  positives  :  Pure 
re-crystallized  nitrate  of  silver  (437  gr.),  I  oz.; 
pure  nitric  acid,  3  minims;  alcohol,  2  drs,;  dis- 
tilled water,  10  ozs.;  iodide  of  potassium,  I  gr. 
Dissolve  the  nitrate  of  silver  in  3  ozs.  of  the  dis- 
tilled water,  add  the  iodide  of  potassium,  shake 
and  allow  to  settle  ;  test  for  acidity  with  blue  lit- 
mus paper,  and,  if  present,  neutralize  carefully 
with  a  solution  of  carbonate  of  soda.  When 
neutral,  add  the  remaining  7  ozs.  of  distilled 
water,  filter  and  add  the  alcohol  and  nitric  acid, 
and  the  bath  is  ready  for  use. 

For  negatives  :  Pure  re-crystallized  nitrate  of 
silver,  i  oz.;  glacial  acetic  acid,  5  minims  ;  alco- 
hol, 3  drs.;  iodide  of  potassium,  i  gr.;  distilled 
water,  10  ozs.  Dissolve  the  silver  in  3  ozs., 
and  treat  precisely  as  for  bath  for  positives,  ob- 
serving that  it  is  to  be  acidified  with  glacial  acetic 
acid  in  place  of  nitric  acid. 

These  baths  should  be  kept  in  a  dark  place, 
and  always  show  an  acid  test.  When  out  of 
order,  boil  for  a  few  minutes,  add  one-tenth  vo- 
lume of  distilled  water  and  restore  to  the  or- 
iginal strength  by  adding  strong  solution  of  crys- 
tallized nitrate  of  silver  in  distilled  water,  and 
acidifying  with  the  proper  acids. 

BICHROMATISM.—TUs  is  an  easy  and 
cheap  process,  carried  out  as  follows  :  Fasten  a 
piece  of  stout  transparent  tracing  paper  by  gum- 
ming the  four  corners  to  a  piece  of  strong  card- 
board, or  a  piece  of  thick,  flat,  level  glass  on 
which  the  design  on  thin  paper  has  been  pasted. 
If  you  cannot  draw  or  get  a  friend  to  draw  for 
you,  many  good  and  effective  subjects  may  be 
found  among  old  prints  and  woodcuts,  and  by 
taking  a  careful  tracing  of  the  necessary  parts,  a 
very  good  design  and  skillful  bit  of  drawing  ob- 
tained. When  the  design  is  satisfactorily  pencil- 
ed out  on  the  tracing  paper  it  must  be  gone  over 
with  a  quill  pen  and  thick  ticket  writer's  ink ; 
when  dry,  turn  it,  fasten  down,  and  go  over  the 
other  side.  About  one  penny^vorth  of  bichromate 
of  potassa  is  to  be  coarsely  pounded  and  put  into 
about  two  ounces  of  hot  water ;  strain  this  when 
cold,  and  then  brush  over  one  side  of  any  pieces 
of  paper  or  silk  that  it  may  be  desired  to  print 
upon  when  they  are  dry.  The  printing  is  done 
by  the  usual  photo  paper  printing  frame,  substi- 
tuting the  design  on  tracing  paper  for  the  glass 
negative.  They  print  quick  and  deep  if  exposed 
to  direct  sunlight;  one  or  more  trials  will  easily 
give  the  right  amount  of  time,  and  fixing  is  done 
by  washing  and  soaking  for  a  short  time  in  clean 
waier,   next   the  drying  and  pressing  with  a  - 


warm  flat  iron.  Pure  white  centers  may  be  left 
in  any  kind  of  border  by  stopping  out  in  the 
printing  with  a  piece  of  thin  card  or  blackened 
paper.  Ornamental  devices  or  ornaments  can 
be  printed  on  pieces  of  white  silk  or  ribbon 
by  marking  out  a  pattern  and  laying  on  the  bi- 
chromate solution  with  a  camel  hair  brush  inside 
the  pattern ;  when  dry,  iron  slightly,  in  order 
that  the  ribbon  may  lie  flat  on  the  tracing  pattern. 
Some  highly  effective  ornamentation  may  be  pro- 
duced in  this  way.  White  centers  may  be  left 
on  ribbon  and  paper,  and  mottoes,  verses,  etc., 
printed  with  type.  Pleasing  and  artistic  blend- 
ings  of  type  printing  and  ornament  may  be  pro- 
duced by  such  means  with  a  very  small  outlay  of 
time  or  money. 

CAMERA,  To  Adjust  for  Chemical  Foeus.— 
Take  a  photograph  of  a  printed  sheet  with  the 
full  aperture  of  the  portrait  lens,  the  central 
letters  being  carefully  focused  as  before.  Tl^en 
examine  at  what  part  of  the  plate  the  greatest 
amount  of  distinctness  of  outline  is  to  be  found. 
It  will,  sometimes,  happen  that  whereas  the 
exact  center  was  focused  visually,  the  letters  on 
a  spot  midway  between  the  center  and  edge  are 
the  sharpest  in  the  photograph.  In  that  case  the 
chemical  focus  is  longer  than  the  other,  and  by 
a  distance  equivalent  to,  but  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection of,  the  space  through  which  the  lens  has 
to  be  moved  in  order  to  define  those  particulars 
sharply  to  the  eye. 

CAMEO-MEDALLION  CARTE-DE-VL 
SITE,  To  Make. — The  apparatus  necessary  for 
the  production  of  cameo"-medallion  cartes  is  very 
simple,   and  comprised  in  the  following  articles : 

A  four-footed  metal  water  bath,  capable  of  be- 
ing heated  by  means  of  a  spirit-lamp,  into  which 
a  square  porcelain  dish  is  placed,  whose  over- 
lapping sides  fit  over  those  of  the  water  bath. 
This  dish,  which  is  furnished  with  a  lip,  is  em- 
ployed to  maintain  the  gelatin  fluid  at  a  high 
temperature. 

The  stamp,  consisting  of  two  square  wood 
blocks  connected  together  with  hinges;  between 
the  blocks  is  fixed  a  brass  plate  also  upon  hinges, 
having  in  the  middle  an  oval  opening  large 
enough  to  contain  a  bust  portrait.  The  wood 
blocks  open  in  the  manner  of  an  album,  in  which 
the  brass  plate,  as  it  were,  takes  the  place  of  the 
carte,  and  are,  on  the  outside,  perfectly  smooth. 
On  the  inside  of  one  of  the  blocks  is  an  oval,  in 
relief,  of  the  exact  dimensions  of  the  opening  in 
the  metal  plate ;  and  on  the  other  block  is  a  cor- 
responding hollow  of  oval  form. 

A  press  which  can  be  tightly  closed  by  means 
of  screws.  A  linen  or  bookbinders'  press  will 
answer  the  purpose  well,  if  such  can  be  obtained, 
but  I  have  myself  constructed  a  small  wooden 
press  expressly  for  the  process,  which  answers 
exceedingly  well. 

The  above  is  all  the  apparatus  necessary  for 
the  production  of  these  portraits.  In  the  first 
place,  some  pattern  ovals  are  cut  out  of  thick 
black  paper,  using  the  oval  opening  in  the  brass 
plate  and  a  sharp  penknife  for  the  purpose,  the 
cutting  operation  being  effected  at  one  sweep. 
In  this  way  are  obtained  masks  and  small  oval 
mats,  which  fit  precisely  into  one  another,  and 
are,  moreover,  identical  in  size  with  the  opening 
in  the  metal  plate,  and  the  relief  and  intaglio  in 
the  wood  blocks.  A  print  from  a  portrait  nega- 
tive, with  graduated  background,  is  then  taken 
out  of  the  pressure-frame,  and  over  it  is  placed 
s8 


274 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS, 


one  of  the  masks,  in  a  position  most  favorable  to 
the  picture;  and  when  the  same  has  thus  been 
centered,  the  oval  mat  corresponding  to  the  mask 
is  placed  upon  the  print,  and  the  mask  with- 
drawn. The  print  is  then  exposed  to  the  sun 
under  a  glass  plate,  the  middle  being  still  cov- 
ered with  the  black  mat,  which  must  not  be  allow- 
ed to  shift  from  its  place,  and  thus  a  darkly- 
tinted,  or  even  black,  margin  is  printed  around 
the  oval  picture.  The  print,  in  this  condition,  is 
then  toned,  fixed  and  washed,  and  finally  sized 
in  gelatin.  The  latter  operation  is  performed  by 
the  aid  of  some  glass  plates  of  the  required  size, 
which  are  carefully  cleaned,  as  if  to  serve  for 
negatives,  and  then  rubbed  over  with  finely- 
powdered  stone  alum  (luff  stone)  by  means  of  a 
tuft  of  cotton  wool,  the  superfluous  powder  being 
afterwards  removed  with  a  soft  dusting  brush. 
These  plates  are  coated  with  a  four  per  cent,  nor- 
mal collodion,  and  placed  to  dry  m  a  spot  free 
from  dust.  When  perfectly  dry,  a  quantity  of 
gelatin  is  dissolved  in  hot  water  in  a  beaker,  the 
solution  being  of  the  consistence  of  the  collodion 
previously  employed.  This  is  filtered  through  a 
piece  of  Imen  into  the  porcelain  bath,  which  has, 
in  the  interim,  been  warmed  by  means  of  the 
water  bath,  and  should  be  maintained  at  an  even 
temperature  during  the  whole  period  of  working. 
The  prints  required  to  be  gelatined  are,  in  the 
first  instance,  trimmed  to  the  right  size  by  means 
of  a  cutting  glass,  and  are  then  immersed  bodily 
into  the  gelatin  solution,  so  as  to  be  fully  im- 
pregnated with  the  same.  The  glass  plates  coated 
with  collodion  are  now  taken  in  hand ;  the  prints 
laid  face  downwards  thereon,  care  being  taken 
that  all  air  bubbles  between  the  paper  and  glass 
are  carefully  pressed  out  and  removed;  after- 
wards a  sheet  of  stout  white  paper,  somewhat 
bigger  than  the  print,  is  cemented  to  the  back  of 
each  photograph,  a  precaution  for  protecting  the 
pictures  in  the  event  of  their  spontaneously  leav- 
ing the  glass  on  drying. 

The  plates  are  allowed  to  remam  for  ten  or 
twelve  hours  (say  over  night)  in  a  dry  locality, 
and,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  the  portraits  may  be 
separated  from  the  glass  by  making  an  incision 
of  the  film  all  round  the  paper.  The  superfluous 
paper  should  be  trimmed  off  previously  to  the 
pictures  being  mounted  upon  cardboard. 

After  drying,  the  carte  is  put  through  a  steel 
press,  and  is  then  placed  in  the  embossing  stamp 
to  give  it  the  desired  relief. 

Many  of  the  manipulations  may  be  slightly 
modified  if  desired.  For  instance,  instead  of  ce- 
menting a  piece  of  paper  to  the  back  of  the  prints, 
the  card  itself,  if  not  very  thick,  may  be  at  once 
attached,  and  the  margins  thereof  thus  gelatined, 
the  process  of  rolling  being  in  this  way  obviated. 
Some  photographers  add  a  small  quantity  of 
sugar  candy  to  the  gelatin,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  sizing  solution  drying  too  rapidly,  and  to 
render  the  finished  card  more  plastic  and  impres- 
sionaljle, 

CANVAS,  To  Preparefor  OIL  PAINTING. 
— Stretch  your  canvas  on  a  board  with  tacks  and 
paint  it  simply  with  white  lead  and  raw  linseed- 
oil;  put  it  on  thin,  evenly,  and  smoothly;  if  you 
do  not  want  a  wliite  ground  to  paint  on,  you 
may  mix  in  very  little  ochre,  which  makes  it  yel- 
lowish, or  a  trace  of  lamp-black,  which  gives  a 
bluish  gray.  When  dry  and  not  smooth  enough, 
Y'ou  may  rub  it  down  with  pumice-stone  and 
vrater,  and  give  it  a  second  very  fine  and  thin 


coat.  This,  however,  is  seldom  necessary.  Then 
stretch  on  your  frame.  We  warn  you  against 
other  recipes,  and  above  all  against  the  advice 
of  using  glue  first  to  fill  the  pores  of  the  canvas ; 
your  painting  will,  in  this  case,  be  in  great 
danger  to  eventually  peel  off  in  patches  by  ex- 
posure to  dampness,  or  even  by  damp  weather 
only.  The  pores  of  the  canvas  must  be  filled 
with  oil,  which  is  water-proof,  and  not  with  glue. 
The  latter  is  only  good  for  economy,  to  save  a 
little  oil.  We  have  always  followed  this  simple  i 
advice  given  here,  and  have  never  had  any  cause 
to  abandon  it.  ! 

CRAYONS,  To  Maie.— Take  three  quarters 
of  a  pound  of  blue  clay,  three  quarters  of  a 
pound  of  the  coloring  required,  such  as  vermilion, 
chrome,  Prussian  blue,  orpiment,  etc. ,  2  ounces 
of  turpentine,  4  ounces  of  spirits  of  wine,  and  6 
ounces  of  fine  shellac.  The  clay  must  be  well 
mixed  with  water,  passed  through  a  fine  lawn 
sieve,  and  allowed  to  subside ;  the  water  is  then 
poured  off  and  the  clay  dried.  The  shellac  must 
be  dissolved  in  the  mixed  turpentine  and  spirit 
with  a  little  warmth.  The  dry  clay  and  the  co- 
loring, must  be  blended  in  a  mortar,  and  then 
the  shellac  mixture  added  and  well  incorporated 
till  the  whole  is  a  doughy  mass ;  it  is  then  to  be 
rolled  out  into  a  pencil  form  and  dried  with  stove 
heat.  To  make  the  crayons  of  uniform  sub- 
stance, the  paste  may  be  placed  in  a  cylinder,  with 
a  hole  at  one  end  and  a  piston  at  the  other  (like 
a  boy's  popgun),  the  "wormy"  pieces  that  pass 
through  are  then  cut  into  proper  lengths  and 
dried, 

COLLODION  PROCESS.— This  process  is 
one  that  generally  gives  more  pleasure  to  the 
amateur  and  his  friends  than  any  other.  The 
first  thing  requisite  is  gun  cotton :  to  make  which, 
proceed  as  follows  : — Take  half  an  ounce  of  dry 
nitrate  of  potass  (saltpetre),  and  three  quarters  of 
an  ounce  of  strong  sulphuric  acid  (oil  of  vitriol); 
mix  in  a  glass  or  porcelain  cup ;  then  add  thirty 
grains  of  dry  cotton  wool,  and  stir  the  whole  up 
with  a  glass  rod  for  about  five  minutes  ;  remove 
the  cotton,  and  wash  it  well  in  four  or  five 
waters,  (common  water  w^ill  do) ;  when  well 
washed,  dry  it  carefully.  You  thus  obtain  gun 
cotton.  About  ten  grains  of  this  is  dissolved  in 
about  three  ounces  of  sulphuric  ether,  to  which 
is  added  about  sixty  drops  of  alcohol.  This  so- 
lution is  called  collodion. 

When  collodion  is  poured  on  a  clean  plate  of 
glass,  it  almost  instantly  hardens  into  a  beauti- 
ful transparent  and  very  tenacious  film  ;  and, 
taking  advantage  of  this  property,  we  incorporate 
with  it  a  certain  amount  of  a  sensitive  salt  of 
silver,  which,  on  being  exposed  in  the  camera  in 
the  same  manner  as  paper,  produces  a  most 
beautiful  picture  in  a  space  of  time  varying  from 
the  fraction  of  a  second  up  to  ten  or  fifteen  se- 
conds; and  this  is  generally  accompanied  with 
the  most  perfect  detail  of  all  the  parts. 

There  are  several  formulas  for  the  preparation 
of  this  useful  substance ;  but  we  shall  only  give 
one,  as  more  would  confuse  the  amateur,  and  we 
have  always  found  the  following  very  certain : — 
Dissolve  twenty  grains  of  gun  cotton  in  six 
ounces  of  ether,  to  which  add  three  quarters  of 
an  ounce  of  alcohol.  If  the  cotton  does  not  en- 
tirely dissolve,  allow  it  to  remain  for  a  short 
time,  and  pour  the  clean  part  off  for  use.  Keep 
this  solution  in  a  bottle,  and  call  it  I.  To  one 
ounce  of  alcohol  (spirits  of  wine),  add  as  much 


PffOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 


275 


iodide  of  ammonium  as  it  will  dissolve ;  then  add 
as  much  iodide  of  silver  (made  from  the  nitrate 
of  silver  and  iodide  of  potassium),  as  the  solution 
will  take  up;  keep  this  in  another  bottle,  and 
call  it  2.  Procure  another  bottle  with  a  wide 
mouth,  and  pour  into  it  one  ounce  of  collodion 
out  of  I ;  to  which  add  15  or  20  drops  from  2. 
The  collodion  thus  formed  is  called  collodio- iodide 
of  silver. 

Having  well  washed  and  cleaned  a  plate  of 
glass,  of  the  same  size  as  the  frame  in  your 
camera,  coat  it  on  one  side  evenly,  and  without 
hurry,  by  passing  the  collodion  on  the  center 
from  the  bottle  ;  pour  back  any  excess  of  liquid 
from  one  corner,  and  then  draw  the  mouth  of 
the  bottle  along  the  under  edge  of  the  glass,  un- 
til you  come  to  the  other  corner  of  the  plate.  In 
this  way  you  cause  the  collodion  to  cover  the 
plate  in  an  even  manner. 

To  excite  the  plate  thus  loaded  \vith  collodion 
for  the  camera,  proceed  as  follows :  —  In  a 
trough  or  bath  made  of  gutta  percha,  glass,  or 
porcelain,  large  enough  to  hold  the  plate,  make 
a  mixture  in  the  following  proportions :  distilled 
water,  l  oz.;  nitrate  of  silver,  20  grains;  alcohol, 
30 drops;  dissolve  and  filter,  (if  the  bath  contain 
six  or  eight  ounces  you  of  course  increase  the 
quantity  of  each  six  or  eight  times;)  you  then 
carefully  and  quickly  plunge  the  coated  plate  of 
glass  into  the  bath,  and  after  lifting  it  up  and 
down  two  or  three  times,  allow  it  to  remain 
covered  by  the  solution  for  about  two  minutes. 

To  do  this  neatly,  get  a  strip  of  glass  two  or 
three  inches  longer  than  the  plate,  and  about  two 
inches  wide ;  cut  off  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
from  one  end  and  cement  it  on  the  front  of  the 
end  from  which  you  took  it;  you  thus  obtain  a 
dipper  on  which  the  plate  rests,  and  by  holding 
the  other  end  of  the  plate,  it  can  be  easily  plunged 
in  the  bath.  You  then  place  the  pbte  in  the 
frame,  and  the  frame  in  the  camera,  (ha\'ing 
previously  obtained  a  good  focus ; )  and  by  pulling 
out  the  slide  in  front  of  the  plate,  you  expose  for 
a  space  of  time  varying  from  one  to  fifteen  se- 
conds. We  cannot  give  any  rule  for  the  exact 
length  of  time,  as  it  depends  on  the  color  of  the 
object,  the  amount  of  light  shining  on  it,  the 
quality  of  that  light,  and  the  amount  of  light 
which  the  object  reflects,  etc,  a  knowledge  of 
all  which  must  be  obtained  by  practice. 

Having  closed  your  slide,  you  carry  the  frame 
into  the  dark  room, and,  taking  out  the  plate,  devel- 
op the  picture  in  the  following  manner  : — Make 
a  solution  consisting  of  distilled  water,  4  ozs.; 
pyrogallic  acid,  5  grains;  strongest  acetic  acid, 
60  minims ;  dissolve  and  filter.  In  applying  this 
solution,  hold  the  plate  perfectly  level,  the  col- 
lodion side  upwards,  and  pour  enough  of  it  on 
the  plate  to  cover  it;  in  a  very  short  time  the 
picture  will  be  developed.  Wash  it  with  water, 
and  pour  over  it  some  of  the  solution  of  hypo- 
sulphate  of  soda,  made  thus:  water,  i  pint,  hypo- 
sulphate  of  soda,  4  ozs.  Allow  it  to  remain  one 
or  two  minutes ;  and  after  thoroughly  washing  it 
all  off  again,  your  "negative"  collodion  picture 
is  finished. 

COLLODION,  Photographic.— ?\xx^  alcohol, 
10  ozs.;  pure  ether,  20  ozs.;  prepared  cotton, 
300  grs.  Pour  the  alcohol  into  a  40  oz.  glass 
bottle,  add  the  cotton,  and  shake  until  the  cotton 
is  thoroughly  wetted ;  then  add  the  ether,  shake 
well  and  set  away  in  a  cool,  dark  place  for  sev- 
eral weeks  to  settle.     In  very  warm  weather  in- 


crease  the  proportion  of  alcohol  by  addition  a  day 
before  use  or  at  time  of  iodizing. 

COLLODION,  n  Iodize.— Plain  collodion, 
3  ozs.;  iodizing  solution,  i  oz.  Mix  and  set 
away  in  a  dark,  cool  place  12  hours  before 
using. 

Any  of  the  ordinary  iodides  or  bromides  can 
be  substituted  in  the  above  formula. 

COLLODIO-ALBUMEN  PROCESS,  Tgu- 
penofs. — Cleaning  the  Glasses.  This  part  of  the 
process  must  be  conducted  with  care. — Sensi- 
tizing and  fVashing.  Employ  2  nitrate  baths  in 
this  process,  one  for  the  collodion  and  the  other 
for  the  second  film,  viz.,  the  albumen.  The  al- 
bumen nitrate  bath  must  contain  free  acetic  acid, 
and  therefore  if  one  solution  be  employed  for  both 
films  it  should  be  a  bath  of  aceto- nitrate.  Sens- 
itize the  collodion  in  the  ordinary  way,  hold- 
ing it  rather  longer  than  usual  before  dipping. 
Having  arranged  2  dishes  of  common  water, 
side  by  side,  lay  the  plate  face  uppermost  in  the 
first  dish,  and  wave  the  water  backwards  and 
forwards  for  about  30  seconds.  Then  put  the 
plate  into  the  second  dish  and  leave  it  whilst  an- 
other glass  is  being  coated  and  immersed  in  the 
sensitizing  bath.  Now  drain  plate  No.  i  closely 
on  blotting-paper,  and  it  will  be  ready  for  the 
iodized  albumen.  Plate  No.  2  remains  in  the 
sensitizing  bath  until  the  first  glass  has  been 
coated  with  albumen  and  placed  to  dry. — Pre- 
paration of  the  Iodized  Albumen.  Take  of  al- 
bumen, 3  ozs.;  distilled  water,  i  oz.;  strong  am- 
monia, 10  minims;  iodide  of  potassium,  10  grs.; 
bromide  of  ammonium,  10  grs.  First  mix  the 
ammonia  and  the  water,  then  add  the  other  in- 
gredients and  shake  together  in  a  bottle.  Iodide 
of  ammonium  may  be  advantageously  used. — T9 
Apply  the  Albumen.  For  a  stereoscopic  size, 
measure  out  I  dr.  of  the  albumen  and  pour  it  on 
and  off  twice  to  displace  the  surface  water  of  the 
washed  collodion  film.  Then  apply  a  second  quan- 
tity. Stand  the  albuminized  plates  vertically  on 
blottingpaper  to  drain  and  dry. — The  Aceto-nitrale 
Bath.  Take  an  ordinary  collodion  negative  bath 
and  add  to  each  fluid  ounce  30  minims  of  glacial 
acetic  acid,  keep  it  in  glass  or  gutta  percha  and 
continue  to  use  it  until  it  has  become  blackened 
by  the  action  of  the  albumen.  The  film  of  al- 
bumen must  be  rendered  quite  dry  by  holding  it 
to  the  fire  before  it  is  dipped  in  the  aceto-nitrate 
bath.  Leave  them  in  the  bath  any  time  between 
30  seconds  and  2  minutes,  and  then  remove  the 
wash  with  water.  Use  two  dishes  for  washing 
and  allow  20  or 30  seconds  in  each  dish;  then 
rear  up  again  to  dry,  and  the  plates  will,  be  ready 
for  exposure.  Artificial  heat  may  be  used  with 
advantage.  The  most  successful  operators  in  Tau- 
penot's  process  give  a  very  long  exposure.— 
Development.  Prepare  a  saturated  solution  of 
galUt  acid  in  distilled  water,  adding  4  grs.  to 
each  oz.  Filter  this  developer  through  paper. 
The  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver  for  use  with 
the  gallic  acid  may  be  made  of  the  strength  of 
20  grs.  to  the  ounce.  Add  15  minims  to  i  oz.  of 
gallic  acid  solution.  Pre\aous  to  the-application 
of  the  developer  the  surface  of  the  film  must  be 
moistened  with  water.  From  half  an  hour  to  an 
hour  must  be  allowed  for  the  full  development 
with  gallic  acid.  Fix  with  a  saturated  solution  of 
hyposulphite. 

DE  VELOPERS.— For  positives :  i.  Pure  sul- 
phate of  iron,  150  grs.;  glacial  acetic  acid,  6  fl. 
drs.;  water,  lo  ozs.;  nitric  acid,  2  minims.     Dis- 


275 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


solve  the  sulphate  of  iron  in  the  -water,  and  add 
the  acetic  and  nitric  acid  and  cork  tightly. 

2.  Sulphate  of  iron,  480  grs.;  nitrate  of  baryta, 
320  grs.;  alcohol,  i  oz.;  nitric  acid,  30  minims; 
water,  10  ozs.  Powder  the  nitrate  of  baryta  and 
dissolve  in  the  water  warmed ;  when  dissolved, 
add  the  powdered  sulphate  of  iron,  stirring  for  a 
few  minutes ;  filter,  and  when  the  liquid  becomes 
cold,  add  the  nitric  acid  and  alcohol  separately. 
Bottle  and  cork  tightly. 

For  negatives:  I.  Pyrogallic  acid,  10  grs.;  gla- 
cial acetic  acid,  3  drs.;  distilled  water,  10  ozs. 
Dissolve  the  pyrogallic  acid  in  the  water,  add  the 
glacial  acetic  acid,  cork  tightly. 

2.  Sulphate  of  iron  and  ammonium,  2  ozs.,  or 
sulphate  of  iron,  l^  oz.;  glacial  acetic  acid,  % 
02.,  or  acetic  acid  No.  8,  l^oz.;  alcohol,  ^  oz.; 
distilled  water,  10  ozs.  Add  to  the  distilled 
water  in  the  order  indicated,  the  iron-salt  to  be 
first  dissolved.  In  warm  weather  this  developer 
requires  dilution,  and  must  be  washed  from  the 
plate  the  instant  the  details  appear. 

DE  VELOPER,  Pyrogallic  Acid.— Forty  grs. 
of  pyrogallic  acid  being  dissolved  in  I  oz.  of  gla- 
cial acetic  acid,  and  20  minims  added  to  i  oz.  of 
water  when  required  for  use.  The  strong  solu- 
tion becomes  black  from  decomposition  in  the 
course  of  a  few  weeks,  but  when  diluted  it  has 
only  a  faint  yellow  tint,  and  is  tolerably  effective 
in  bringing  out  the  image.  In  place  of  acetic 
acid  strong  alcohol  may  be  used  as  a  solvent,  % 
a  dr.  of  pyrogallic  acid  being  dissolved  in  I  oz.  of 
spirit,  and  20  minims  of  the  resulting  liquid 
added  to  each  oz.  of  acidified  water.  No  attempt 
must  be  made,  however,  to  combine  acetic  acid 
and  spirit  in  one  solution,  since  abundance  of 
acetic  ether  would  be  generated  by  so  doing. 
These  plans  of  preparing  a  concentrated  developer 
r  are  useful  for  a  few  weeks'  keeping,  but  are  not 
recommended  for  an  unlimited  time. 

DEVELOPER,  Concentrated  Iron. — Mr. 
Hdwards  has  found  that  the  addition  of  a  small 
quantity  of  copper  to  the  iron  developer  hastens 
action,  secures  immunity  from  fogging,  and 
lirings  out  the  finest  details  without  impairing 
the  contrast  of  shadows.  He  prepares  a  stock 
solution  as  follows :  Protosulphate  of  iron,  i 
pound;  double  salt  of  iron  and  ammonia,  i 
pound;  sulphate  of  copper,  I  ounce;  water,  40 
ounces,  or  enough  to  make  a  saturated  solution. 
"When  required  for  use,  take  one  ounce  of  the 
stock  solution,  dilute  wth  16  ounces  of  water, 
and  add  an  ounce  each  of  acetic  acid  and  alcohol, 
but  their  proportions  may  be  varied  to  suit  the 
requirements  of  temperature  and  the  special 
class  of  work. 

There  are  advantages  in  having  a  stock  bottle 
ready  to  be  diluted  and  mixed  when  about  to  be 
used,  and  for  the  tourist  who  employs  the 
wet  process,  it  is  an  invaluable  method  of  work- 
ing, as  it  is  very  portable,  and  can  be  modified 
by  the  addition  of  one  or  another  solution,  to 
suit  the  ^character  of  the  work.  A  little  nitrate 
of  silver  solution  can  be  used  as  an  intensifier,  if 
required. 

DRAWING,  Crayon. — Drawing  in  crayon 
will  be  found  much  more  convenient  than  in  oil 
or  water  colors,  as  you  are  spared  the  delay  of 
waiting  for  them  to  dry.  Crayon  materials  or 
pastels  are  put  up  in  boxes  of  necessary  tints  for 
portraits  or  landscapes,  and,  by  blending,  every 
shade  and  color  can  be  obtained  as  in  oil  paint- 
ing.   The  pupil  coa  purchase  prepared  paper  or 


board.  A  good  paper  for  portraiture  is  pumice 
paper.  Your  sketch  should  be  made  as  in  pen- 
cili  ng,  and  then  proceed  to  the  shading.  For  a 
head,  we  consider  the  drapery  and  groundwork 
— and  here  allow  me  to  aavise  all  to  study  pen« 
cilmg  before  attempting  crayons  :  also,  to  begin 
by  painting  easy  things. 

The  picture  being  drawn,  proceed  to  fill  in  the 
background.  Let  the  tints  be  varied,  if  in  a 
colored  crayon,  according  to  the  ideal  or  originals 
from  which  you  are  designing  it.  For  example, 
if  the  lights  m  your  picture  are  on  the  right  side, 
the  darkest  shade  in  the  groundwork  must  be 
placed  on  the  right,  and  vice  versa.  See  that 
the  background  be  smooth,  the  dark  shades  of 
rich  brown  or  green,  and  the  light  of  gray, 
French  blue,  etc.     Then — 

1.  Paint  the  dark  shades  with  black  crayon, 
and  rub  it  in  with  a  soft  cork.  The  cork  pencils 
ready  prepared  are  best  for  that  purpose,  or  rub- 
bers of  soft  leather  will  answer. 

2.  Put  in  the  light  clear  shades  as  they  belong 
with  the  soft  and  medium  crayons,  using  care 
in  blending  to  avoid  a  dingy  and  dirty  appear- 
ance. 

3.  Lay  on  the  brown  and  other  colors.  WTien 
it  is  necessary  to  put  brown  over  black,  do  not 
rub  the  two  together ;  use  your  finger,  as  well  as 
the  cork. 

4.  In  finishing  the  picture  use  hard  crayon, 
laying  on  in  lines,  and  blend  with  cork. 

Having  a  v.iriety  of  colors  for  other  styles  of 
painting,  you  can  use  your  judgment  in  selecting 
from  your  boxes.  You  must  have  a  box  of  soft 
and  a  box  of  hard  crayons  to  obtain  what  you 
need.  Try  your  colors  first  on  a  piece  of  waste 
paper. 

Do  not  expect  it  will  be  right  by  laying  oa 
colors,  once.  You  must  work  line  over  line 
many  times  and  carefully.  Do  not  soil  your  pic- 
ture in  the  delicate  parts.  In  addition  to  your 
colors  in  boxes,  furnish  yourself  with  black  and 
white  crayons  of  different  tones,  and  a  supply  of 
dry  carmine.  We  prefer  the  lump  to  the  pencil. 
French  blue  is  much  used  to  produce  clear  lights. 
The  paper  must  be  some  available  tint,  as  its 
color  appears  through  almost  all  portions  of  the 
work.  A  low-toned  olive  tint  has  been  found 
very  desirable.  Have  your  paper  an  inch  or 
two  longer  than  the  proposed  picture;  sketch 
the  design  lightly  with  black  crayon  No.  I,  mak- 
ing sky  and  broad  tints  with  the  flat  surface  of 
broken  pieces  of  crayon  ( I  and  2)  rubbed  in  with 
the  finger.  The  breadths  of  the  nearer  and  re- 
mote distances  are  put  in  with  broken  pieces, 
blended  together.  Mountains,  trees,  etc.,  are 
drawn  in  with  black  crayon,  then  tinted  and 
glazed  with  colored  crayon. 

DRAWING  {Crayon),  Mode  of  Fixing 
by  steam. — Get  a  tin  vessel  with  a  tight-fitting 
lid,  and  a  pipe  projecting  from  the  side,  having 
a  head  perforated  with  holes.  Into  this  vessel 
put  two  ounces  of  the  strongest  alcohol  and  two 
drachms  of  powdered  sugar-candy.  Boil  it  over 
a  spirit  lamp.  Direct  the  steam  to  the  back  of 
your  picture,  until  the  papers  and  colors  are  per- 
fectly saturated. 

DRA  WINGS,  {Pencil)  To  Preserve.— \.  Best 
alcohol,  two  ounces ;  camphor,  four  gr.iins ;  after 
dissolved,  to  be  applied,  if  on  ordinary  drawing 
paper,  to  the  back;  if  on  Bristol  boards,  coat  it 
rapidly  on  the  drawing  side ;  then  hang  up  to  dry. 
•^^  Wash  over  the  penciled  surface  very  care- 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 


277 


fully  with  milk,  from  which  the  entire  fatty  parts 
or  cream  has  been  removed,  and  dry  in  the  open 
air  on  blotting-paper.  Water  in  which  has  been 
dissolved  a  little  isinglass  will  answer  the  same 
purpose.  —  3.  Prepare  a  solution  in  moderate 
strength  of  bleached  shellac  in  alcohol,  wash 
over  the  back  of  the  sheet  of  paper  with  this, 
and  the  drawing  on  the  front  will  become  fixed. 
In  this  way,  as  will  be  understood,  there  is  no 
risk  of  smearing  the  lines  of  the  drawing. 

DRA  WINGS,  Simple  method  of  Copying. — 
Silvered  albumen  paper,  after  being  washed,  may 
be  conveniently  used  for  copying  negatives  as 
well  as  positives.  It  keeps  for  weeks,  and  be- 
comes sensitive  to  light  only  after  exposure  to 
the  vapors  of  aqua  ammonia,  technically  termed 
•'smoking  with  ammonia."  Dr.  H.  Vogel  has 
greatly  simplified  the  latter  process  by  substitu- 
ting for  the  liquid  ammonia  the  powder  of  car- 
bonate of  ammonia.  He  thoroughly  impregnates 
a  piece  of  felt  or  cloth  with  this  powder,  and  lays 
it  under  the  silvered  sheet,  separated  from  it  by 
a  piece  of  blotting-paper.  The  negative  is  plac- 
ed on  the  top,  and  the  back  covered,  and  the 
■whole  is  ready  for  the  copying  frame.  One  im- 
pregnation with  the  carbonate  of  ammonia  serves 
for  several  copies.  So  very  simple  is  the  opera- 
tion that  Dr.  Vogel  has  made  use  of  it  in  public 
libraries  for  copying  complicated  drawings.  He 
places  the  silvered  ixiper,  with  the  substratum  of 
carbonate  of  ammonia  and  the  drawing  on  top, 
between  two  plates  of  glass,  and,  exposing  it  to 
the  light  of  the  window,  obtains  a  copy  quite 
distinct  in  all  its  details,  while  he  himself  may  be 
occupied  with  reading  or  other^vise.  The  copy 
obtained  is,  of  course,  in  white  lines  upon  black 
ground.  Such  photographs  merely  require  to  be 
treated  with  soda  -when  intended  for  long  preser- 
vation. They  are  generally,  however,  not  de- 
signed to  be  kept  a  great  while. 

ENGRAVING  by  PHOTOGRAPHY.— 
The  photographic  picture  is  taken  upon  sensitized 
glass,  just  as  in  the  ordinary  carte-de-visite,  pro- 
ducing a  negative  from  which  any  number  of  po- 
sitives may  be  taken.  The  picture  may  be  a 
portrait,  a  landscape,  a  group  of  sculpture,  an 
architectural  facade,  or  what  not — anything,  pro- 
vided it  assumes  the  form  of  a  glass  negative. 
The  positives  obtained  from  this  are  not  upon 
sensitized  paper,  but  upon  a  thin  film  of  gelatine, 
combined  with  bichromate  of  ammonia.  When 
light  has  been  allowed  to  pass  for  a  sufficient 
length  of  time  through  the  negative  to  the  posi- 
tive, it  shows  its  action  in  a  peculiar  way  on  the 
film:  wherever  the  light  is  the  strongest  (as  in 
the  high  lights  of  the  picture),  the  film  is  render- 
ed insoluble ;  wherever  it  is  the  weakest  (as  in 
the  shadows),  the  film  remains  easily  soluble; 
wherever  it  is  intermediate  (as  in  the  half  tints), 
the  gelatine  becomes  partially  soluble.  It  is  the 
bichromate  of  ammonia  that  renders  the  gelatine 
susceptible  to  these  peculiar  varieties  of  eftect. 
W'e  may  add  that  the  electric  light  now  furnish- 
es a  wonderful  aid  in  taking  the  positive,  render- 
ing the  photographer  independent  of  times  and 
seasons,  day  and  night,  bright  days  and  dull 
days. 

W'e  have,  then,  a  positive  picture,  taken  upon 
a  film  of  gelatine  containing  bichromate  of  am- 
monia. This  film  being  next  placed  in  warm 
water,  the  substance  dissolves  away  in  the  un- 
equal degree  just  intimated  ;  it  becomes  thinner 
in  the  parts  least  acted  on  by  the  light;  the  parts 


most  acted  on  are  scarcely  dissolved  at  all ;  while 
the  medium  degrees  of  action  produce  medium 
degrees  of  dissolving  or  thinning.  What  is  the 
total  result  ?  The  film  has  become  a  sort  of  bas- 
rehef ;  there  is  a  picture  of  raised  parts  and  de- 
pressed parts,  owmg  to  variations  in  the  thick- 
ness of  the  film ;  and  these  variations  are  so 
beautifully  graduated  as  to  produce  all  the  tints 
and  half  tints  from  high  lights  to  deep  shadows. 

The  pressure,  which  next  ensues,  is  not  the 
least  curious  part  of  the  operation.  It  seems 
scarcely  conceivable  that  a  thin  film  of  gelatine 
will  act  as  a  mold  to  impress  its  inequalities  upon 
a  plate  of  metal;  yet  such  it  certainly  does.  A 
beautifully  smooth  metal  sheet  is  prepared,  con- 
sisting of  lead  alloyed  with  a  little  antimony ;  the 
alloy  is  nearly  (but  not  quite)  the  same  as  stereo- 
type metal ;  it  has  a  nicely  determined  degree  of 
hardness  (or  softness,  whichever  we  like  to  call 
it),  settled  after  a  number  of  experimental  trials. 
The  gelatine  film  is  placed  upon  the  lead  plate, 
and  the  two  between  two  steel  plates,  the  group 
is  placed  in  a  hydraulic  press,  where  an  intense 
pressure  is  brought  to  bear  upon  it.  This  pres- 
sure amounts  to  as  much  as  forty  tons,  even  for 
a  small  picture,  and  rises  to  two  hundred  tons 
(nearly  half  a  million  pounds)  when  the  dimen- 
sions are  large.  We  might  suppose  that  this 
overwhelming  force  would  crush  the  delicate 
film  into  undistinguishable  fragments.  Nothing 
of  the  kind.  The  protuberances  or  raised  parts 
press  themselves  bodily  into  the  surface  of  the 
lead,  producing  a  sunken  or  intaglio  effect  in  all 
the  places  where  the  film  presents  a  raised  or 
cameo  effect,  and  vice  versa.  It  is  wonderful  to 
see  how  perfect  is  this  action  upon  the  plate,  the 
picture  appearing  almost  as  if  the  graver  had  pro- 
duced it.  And  it  is  scarcely  less  wonderful  that 
the  thin  film  of  gelatine  will  bear  twenty  or  thirty 
of  these  pressures,  transferring  its  picture  to 
twenty  or  thirty  plates  before  being  worn 
out. 

Lastly  comes  the  printing.  If  the  lead  plate 
were  inked  in  the  ordinary  way  with  inking- 
roUers,  and  passed  through  an  ordinary  printing- 
press,  the  print  obtained  would  consist  simply  of 
masses  of  black  and  white,  without  any  grada- 
tions or  half  tints  whatever;  this  would  result 
naturally  from  the  peculiar  mode  in  which  the 
plate  is  prepared.  An  ink  or  color,  however,  is 
got  ready,  consisting  of  water  and  gelatine  mix- 
ed with  some  kind  of  pigment  or  paint.  This 
ink,  instead  of  being  lightly  applied  by  means  of 
a  roller,  is  poured  as  a  liquid  all  over  the  plate; 
a  sheet  of  paper  is  placed  upon  it ;  a  light  pres- 
sure is  applied,  sufficient  to  squeeze  out  all  the 
superfluous  ink ;  and  the  paper  is  allowed  thus 
to  remain  until  the  gelatine  in  the  ink  has  "set," 
or  slightly  solidified.  The  print,  when  removed, 
is  dipped  in  a  fixing  bath,  which  renders  the  ink 
permanent. 

ENGRA  VINGS,  Cleaning  and  Preset-jaiion 
of.  —  In  commencing  to  restore  an  engraving, 
some  attention  must  be  given  to  the  kind  of  in- 
jury it  has  suffered.  A  general  brown  color  more 
or  less  deep,  resulting  from  atmospheric  action 
only,  is  the  least  possible  change.  Spots  and 
stains,  caused  by  ink,  colored  fluids,  oil  or  insects, 
must  be  first  treated,  and  all  pencil  marks  removed 
by  India-rubber  or  bread  crumb's.  A  fluid  acid, 
obtained  by  dissolving  I  oz.  of  crystals  of  oxalic 
acid  in  ^pt.  of  warm  water,  may  be  used  for  ap- 
plicatioa  to  all  stains,  and  the  paper  should  be 


875 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


•wet  with  it  thoroughly  where  spots  of  any  kind 
exist. 

Excepting  in  a  few  cases,  this  acid  will  not 
cause  the  removal  of  stains  immediately,  but 
generally  it  combines  with  the  bases  of  them, 
and  they  are  removed  by  subsequent  steps ;  the 
thorough  wetting  should  be  done  a  few  hours 
before  proceeding  to  clean  the  engraving.  The 
engraving  should  be  placed  in  a  shallow  tub  or 
other  vessel,  and  allowed  to  rest  upon  a  piece  of 
open  cotton  stuff,  or  millinet.  This  material  of 
suitable  dimensions,  should  have  2  rods  or  sticks 
sewn  to  opposite  edges.  These  sticks  will  hang 
over  the  sides  of  the  vessel,  and  permit  the  prints 
to  be  withdrawn  or  moved  without  any  risk  of 
injury,  and  they  should  remain  in  soak  with 
•warm  or  cold  water  for  12  or  24  hours.  When 
the  prints  no  longer  discolor  the  water  on  being 
agitated,  the  fluid  should  be  withdrawn,  and 
enough  clean  water  added  to  cover  them.  Half 
a  pound  of  chloride  of  lime  should  be  made  into 
a  paste  with  cold  water,  and  stirred  up  wth  2 
qts.  of  water,  and  allowed  to  settle  for  6  hours. 
Part  of  the  clear  solution  should  be  added  to  the 
bath  till  the  smell  of  chlorine  is  perceived,  and 
the  prints  should  be  moved  to  facilitate  the  ac- 
tion. In  very  bad  cases,  I  oz.  of  muriatic  acid 
mixed  with  a  pint  of  water  may  be  added,  and 
•when  the  bleaching  is  effected  the  prints  should 
be  well  washed  with  fresh  water  and  slowly  dried. 

ETCHING.  —  A  method  of  engraving  on 
plates  with  acids,  which  are  poured  into  lines 
drawn  on  the  plate,  covered  with  a  wax  ground. 
The  plate  is  warmed,  the  ground  is  apphed,  and 
distributed  evenly  by  heat,  and  when  coolj  a 
bodkin,  etc.,  is  used  to  engrave,  by  removing  the 
•wax,  so  as  to  expose  the  plate  in  lines  suited  to 
the  sketch.  The  acid  is  then  applied  to  bite  away 
the  exposed  portion  of  the  plate ;  it  is  prevented 
from  acting  elsewhere  by  the  untouched  wax,  and 
when  it  has  acted  sufficiently  the  wax  is  removed 
and  the  sketch  printed  from.  — Etching  Ground. 

—  Melt  in  a  glazed  earthen  vessel  2  oz.  of  pow- 
dered asphaltum,  then  add  I  oz.  of  Burgundy 
pitch;  melt,  and  add  l^  oz.  of  virgin  wax;  mix 
well,  pour  into  warm  water  and  incorporate  the 
whole  with  the  hands. —  Transparent  Etching 
Ground. — Resin,  i  oz.,  virgin  wax,  2  oz. ;  melt 
in  an  earthen  pipkin.  Or  turpentine  varnish 
mixed  with  a  small  quantity  of  oxide  of  bismuth. 

—  Bordering  Wax.  —  Burgundy  pitch,  3  lbs., 
bees'-wax,  l  lb.;  melt,  and  add  jj^pint  of  sweet 
oil.  Pour  it  into  water  and  work  it  with  the 
hands. — Etching  Fluid  for  Copper.  —  i.  Nitrous 
acid,  I  part,  water,  5  parts ;  mix  gradually,  and 
add  the  size  of  a  hazel  nut  of  sal  ammoniac  to 
each  pint. —  2.  Verdigris,  alum,  sea  salt,  and  sal 
ammoniac,  of  each  l  part,  vinegar,  2  parts ;  dis- 
solve, add  water,  4  parts,  boil  a  minute,  and 
cool.  —  3.  Iodine,  2  parts,  iodide  of  potassium, 
5  parts,  water,  8  parts. — Etching  Fluid  for  Steel. 

—  I.  Pyroligneous  acid  and  nitric  acid,  each  i 
part,  water,  6  parts. — 2.  Iodine,  i  oz.,  iron  filings, 
yi  drachm,  water,  4  oz.;  digest  until  dissolved. 
— 3.  Hydrochloric  acid,  10  parts,  distille<l  water, 
70  parts,  chlorate  of  potash,  2  parts.  Dissolve 
the  chlorate  in  the  water,  and  add  the  acid.  Di- 
luted with  water  for  use  to  the  strength  required. 

FADED  PHOTOGRAPHS,  To  Reproduce. 
— ^The  pictures  are,  in  the  first  place,  thoroughly 
impregnated  with  wax,  care  being  taken  to  re- 
move all  excess  by  hot  ironing,  subsequently 
rubbing  the  surface  with  a  tult  of  cotton.    This 


operation  itself  deepens  the  contrasts  of  the  pic- 
ture, and  brings  out  many  minor  details  previ- 
ously invisible,  the  yellowish-whites  being  ren- 
dered more  transparent,  while  the  half  tones  and 
shadows  retain  their  brown,  opaque  character. 
This  picture,  thus  prepared,  is  then  used  as  a 
negative,  and  employed  for  printing  in  the  usual 
way. 

GLASS,  Cleaning  for  a  Photograph. -~\viX' 
merse  for  several  hours  in  a  strong  solution  of 
common  washing  soda,  rinse,  and  rub  with  alco- 
hol and  Joseph  paper.  Kurz  varies  from  this  a 
little.  After  the  soda  bath,  he  puts  the  glass 
into  a  nitric  acid  and  water,  equ^  parts,  for  2 
hours.  Then  wash  under  tap,  and  rub  -with  a 
sponge,  rinse,  and  coat  with  filtered  albumen 
(wliite  of  one  egg  to  24  ounces  of  water,  well 
beaten). 

GLASS,  To  Etch  upon. — Procure  several 
thick,  clear  pieces  of  crown  glass,  and  immerse 
them  in  melted  wax,  so  that  each  may  receive  a 
complete  coating,  or  pour  over  them  a  solution 
of  wax  in  benzine.  "When  perfectly  cold  draw 
on  them,  with  a  fine  steel  point,  flowers,  trees, 
houses,  portraits,  etc.  Whatever  parts  of  the 
drawing  are  intended  to  be  corroded  with  the 
acid  should  be  perfectly  free  from  the  least  par- 
ticle of  wax.  When  all  these  drawings  are  finish- 
ed the  pieces  of  glass  must  be  immersed  one  by 
one  in  a  square  leaden  box  or  receiver,  where 
they  are  to  be  submitted  to  the  action  of  hydro- 
fluoric acid  gas,  made  by  acting  on  powdered 
fluor-spar  by  concentrated  sulphuric  acid. 

When  the  glasses  are  sufficiently  corroded  they 
are  to  be  taken  out,  and  the  wax  is  to  be  removed 
by  first  dipping  them  in  warm  and  then  in  hot 
water,  or  by  washing  with  turpentine  or  benzine. 
Various  colors  may  be  applied  to  the  corroded 
parts  of  the  glass,  whereby  a  very  fine  painting 
may  be  executed.  In  the  same  manner  sentences 
and  initials  of  names  may  be  etched  on  wine- 
glasses, tumblers,  etc. 

LEAF,  To  take  Impressions  of. — Hold  oiled 
paper  in  the  smoke  of  a  lamp  or  of  pitch,  until 
it  becomes  coated  with  the  smoke ;  to  this  paper 
apply  the  leaf  of  which  you  wish  an  impression, 
having  previously  warmed  it  between  your  hands, 
that  it  may  be  pliable.  Place  the  lower  surface 
of  the  leaf  upon  the  blackened  surface  of  the  oil 
paper,  that  the  numerous  veins  that  are  so  pro- 
minent on  this  side  may  receive  from  the  paper 
a  portion  of  the  smoke.  Lay  a  paper  over  the 
leaf,  and  then  press  it  gently  upon  the  smoked 
paper,  with  the  fingers  or  with  a  small  roller 
(covered  with  woolen  cloth,  or  some  like  soft 
material),  so  that  every  part  of  the  leaf  may  come 
in  contact  with  the  sooted  oil-paper.  A  coating 
of  the  smoke  will  adhere  to  the  leaf.  Then  re- 
move the  leaf  carefully,  and  place  the  blackened 
surface  on  a  sheet  of  white  paper,  not  ruled,  or 
in  a  book  prepared  for  the  purpose,  covering  the 
leaf  with  a  clean  slip  of  paper,  and  pressing  upon 
it  with  the  fingers,  or  roller,  as  before.  Thus 
may  be  obtained  the  impression  of  a  leaf,  show- 
ing the  perfect  outlines,  together  with  an  accurate 
exhibition  of  the  veins  which  extend  in  every  di- 
rection through  it,  more  correctly  than  the  finest 
drawing.  And  this  process  is  so  simple,  and  the 
materials  so  easily  obtained,  that  any  person, 
with  a  little  practice  to  enable  him  to  apply  the 
right  quantity  of  smoke  to  the  oil-paper,  and  give 
the  leaf  a  proper  pressure,  can  prepare  beautiful 
leaf  impressions,  such  as  a  naturalist  would  be 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 


279 


proud  to  possess.  There  is  another,  and  we 
think  a  better  method  of  taking  leaf  impressions, 
than  the  preceding  one.  The  only  difference  in 
the  process  consists  in  the  use  of  printing  ink, 
instead  of  smoked  oil-paper. 

LEAF,  To  make  a  Facsimile  in  Copper. — 
This  beautiful  experiment  can  be  i>erformed  by 
any  person  in  possession  of  a  common  galvanic 
battery.  The  process  is  as  follows  : — Soften  a 
piece  of  gutta  percha  over  a  candle,  or  before  a 
fire ;  knesui  it  with  the  moist  fingers  upon  a  table, 
until  the  surface  is  perfectly  smooth,  and  large 
enough  to  cover  the  leaf  to  be  copied;  lay  the 
leaf  flat  upon  the  surface,  and  press  every  part 
well  into  the  gutta  percha.  In  about  five  min- 
utes the  leaf  maybe  removed,  when  if  the  opera- 
tion has  been  carefully  performed  a  perfect  im- 
pression of  the  leaf  will  be  made  on  the  gutta 
percha.  This  must  now  be  attached  to  the  wire 
m  connection  with  the  zinc  end  of  the  battery 
(which  can  easily  be  done  by  heating  the  end  of 
the  wire,  and  pressing  it  into  the  gutta  percha), 
dusted  well  over  with  the  best  black  lead,  with  a 
camel's  hair  brush — the  object  of  which  is  to  render 
it  a  conductor  of  electricity — and  then  completely 
immersed  in  a  saturated  solution  of  sulphate  of  cop- 
per. A  piece  of  copper  attached  to  the  wire  in  con- 
nection with  the  copper  end  of  the  battery,  must 
also  be  inserted  into  the  copper  solution,  facing 
the  gutta  percha  but  not  touching  it;  this  not 
only  acts  as  a  conductor  to  the  electricity,  but 
also  maintains  the  solution  of  copper  of  a  per- 
manent strength.  In  a  short  time,  the  copper 
will  be  found  to  creep  over  the  whole  surface  of 
the  gutta  percha,  and  in  about  twenty-four  hours 
a  thick  deposit  of  copper  will  be  obtained,  which 
may  then  be  detached  from  the  mould.  The  ac- 
curacy with  which  a  leaf  may  thus  be  cast  is 
truly  surprising.  I  have  in  my  possession  a  cast 
of  a  hazel-leaf  made  by  the  process,  which  no- 
body would  take  to  be  a  production  of  art;  every 
fibre  and  nerve,  in  fact,  the  minutest  part,  is  de- 
lineated with  the  utmost  fidelity. 

LEAF  PRnVTIiVG.—Mia  warming  the 
leaf  between  the  hands,  apply  printing  ink,  by 
means  of  a  small  leather  ball  containing  cotton, 
or  some  soft  substance,  or  with  the  end  of  the 
finger.  The  leather  ball  (and  the  finger  when 
used  for  that  purpose),  after  the  ink  is  applied  to 
it,  should  be  pressed  several  times  on  a  piece  of 
leather  or  some  smooth  surface,  before  each  ap- 
plication to  the  leaf,  that  the  ink  may  be  smoothly 
and  evenly  applied.  After  the  under  surface  of 
the  leaf  has  been  sufficiently  inked,  apply  it  to 
the  paper,  where  you  wish  the  impression  ;  and, 
after  covering  it  with  a  slip  of  paper,  use  the 
hand  or  roller  to  press  upon  it,  as  described  in 
the  former  process. 

LITHOGRAPHIC  PAPER.  —  i.  Starch  6 
oz.;  gum  arable  2  oz.;  alum  i  oz.;  make  a  strong 
solution  of  each  separately,  in  hot  water,  mix, 
and  apply  it  while  still  warm  to  one  side  of 
leaves  of  paper,  with  a  clean  painting-brush. 
When  dry,  a  second  and  a  third  coat  may  be 
given ;  lastly,  press  it,  to  make  it  smooth. — 2. 
Give  the  paper  three  coats  of  thin  size,  one  coat 
of  good  wiiite  starch,  and  one  coat  of  a  solution 
of  gamboge  in  water ;  the  whole  to  be  applied 
with  a  sponge,  and  each  coat  to  be  allowed  to 
dry  before  the  other  is  applied.  The  whole  of 
tlie  solutions  should  be  fresh  made. 

Lithographic  paper  is  used  to  write  on  with 
lithographic  ink.     The  writing  may  be   trans- 


ferred by  simply  moistening  the  back  of  the 
paper,  and  evenly  pressing  it  on  the  stone,  when 
a  reversed  copy  is  obtained,  which  may  be  used 
to  print  from,  and  will  yield  corrected  copies, 
resembling  the  original  writing  or  drawing, 

LITHOGRAPHY.— There:  oxG  two  modes  of 
lithography  in  general  use.  For  the  one  a  draw- 
ing is  made  on  the  lithographic  stone,  with  a 
lithographic  crayon,  or  with  lithographic  ink, 
and  when  the  design  is  dry,  avery  weak  solution 
of  oil  of  vitriol,  or  muriatic  acid,  is  poured  upon 
the  stone,  which  acts  by  removing  the  alkali  from 
the  chalk  or  ink  used  to  draw  the  design,  and 
thus  leaves  them  in  a  permanent  and  insoluble 
form.  The  acid  also  removes  a  very  small  por- 
tion of  the  surface  of  the  stone  occupied  by  the 
lights  of  the  drawing,  and  renders  it  more  ab- 
sorbent. In  the  other  method,  the  design  is 
made  on  lithographic  paper,  (see  the  last  article,) 
which  paper,  on  being  moistened,  laid  on  the 
stone,  and  passed  through  the  press,  leaves  its 
design  on  the  stone,  which  is  then  acted  on  by 
acid  as  before  described.  To  print  from  stones 
so  prepared,  water  is  thrown  on  them,  and  the 
roller,  charged  with  printing  ink,  passed  over 
them,  when  the  paper  is  applied,  and  a  copy  is 
obtained  by  the  action  of  tne  press.  The  same 
process  must  be  had  recourse  to  for  each  copy. 
The  nature  of  the  stone  is  such  that  it  retains 
with  great  tenacity  the  resinous  and  oily  sub- 
stances contained  in  the  ink  or  crayon  employed 
to  form  the  design,  and  also  absorbs  water 
freely ;  this,  combined  ^vith  the  peculiar  affin- 
ity between  resinous  and  oily  substances,  and 
their  mutual  power  of  repelling  water,  occasions 
the  ink  on  the  printing  roller  to  adhere  to  the 
design,  or  resinous  portion,  and  to  leave  untouch- 
ed the  lights  or  watered  parts  of  the  stone.  The 
stones  are  prepared  by  polishing  in  the  ordinary 
way ;  the  style  of  work  for  which  they  are  in- 
tended determining  the  degree  of  labor  bestowed 
upon  them.  For  crayon  drawings,  the  surface 
should  have  a  fine  grain,  but  the  finish  of  the 
stone  must  depend  upon  the  desired  softness  of 
the  intended  drawing;  for  writing  or  drawing  on 
in  ink,  the  surface  must  receive  a  higher  polish, 
and  must  be  finished  off  with  pumice  stone  and 
water.  The  best  lithographic  stones  are  obtain- 
ed from  Solenhofen,  near  Munich,  and  from 
Pappenheim,  on  the  banks  of  the  Danube.  The 
white  lias  which  lies  immediately  under  the  blue, 
near  Bath,  also  yields  good  lithographic  stones. 

MAGIC  PHOTOGRAPHS,  To  Make.— 
Take,  in  the  first  place,  an  ordinary  print — a 
card-picture,  for  instance — on  albumen  paper, 
beneath  the  negative  in  the  usual  way,  and,  when 
sufficiently  printed,  let  it  be  carefully  washed  in 
the  dark  room,  so  as  to  remove  all  the  free  ni- 
trate of  silver,  etc.  Now  immerse  it  in  the  fol- 
lowing solution,  also  in  the  dark  room :  saturated 
solution  bichloride  of  mercury  (corrosive  subli- 
mate), one  ounce ;  hydrochloric  acid,  one  drachm. 
The  saturated  solution  is  previously  prepared  by 
putting  into  water  more  bichloride  of  mercury 
than  it  will  dissolve  by  shaking  in  about  twelve 
hours. 

The  print  will  gradually  be  bleached  in  this 
liquid,  in  the  ordinary  meaning  of  the  word — ■ 
that  is,  it  will  disappear;  but  the  fact  is,  the  print 
is  still  there — its  color  alone  is  changed,  a  double 
salt  having  been  formed  of  mercury  and  silver, 
which  is  white,  as  many  of  our  readers,  who 
have  been  in  the  habit  of  intensifying  with  a 


28o 


DICTJONAR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


mercurial  salt,  are  aware.  As  soon  as  the  print 
has  quite  disappeared,  the  paper  is  thoroughly 
washed  and  dried  in  the  dark  room  ;  it  is  also 
preserved  between  folds  of  orange-colored  paper, 
m  order  to  keep  it  from  the  action  of  light,  for 
the  surface  is  still  in  some  measure  sensitive  to 
light. 

The  bleaching  of  the  print — that  is,  its  con- 
version into  a  white  salt — is  effected  more  quick- 
ly by  keeping  it  in  motion  in  the  mercurial  solu- 
tion. 

As  we  said  before,  the  print  has  not  been 
bleached  in  reality — the  substance  which  origin- 
ally formed  it  is  still  there,  together  with  a  new 
substance,  a  salt  of  mercury.  But  the  two  salts 
of  silver  and  mercury  may  be  easily  brought  out 
and  made  visible  by  several  solutions,  such  as 
sulphide  of  ammonium,  solution  of  hydrosul- 
phuric  acid ;  in  fact,  any  of  the  soluble  sulphides, 
ammonia  and  hyposulphite  of  soda.  The  latter 
salt  is  used  in  preference  to  the  others.  Small 
pieces  of  blotting-paper,  therefore,  of  the  same 
size  as  the  prints,  are  cut  out  and  steeped  in  a 
saturated  solution  of  hyposulphite  of  soda,  and 
then  dried. 

The  magic  photographs  are  packed,  as  before 
stated,  between  folds  of  orange-colored  paper ; 
the  papers  dipped  in  hyjjosulphite  of  soda  are  the 
developers,  and  may  be  packed  between  two 
sheets  of  common  writing-paper.  The  develop- 
ment of  the  image  is  effected  in  the  following 
manner:  place  the  albumen  paper  which  contains 
the  whitened  print  on  a  pane  of  glass,  print  side 
upward ;  on  this  lay  the  dry  piece  of  blotting- 
paper  that  has  been  previously  dipped  in  hypo- 
sulphite of  soda.  Moisten  the  latter  thoroughly, 
then  place  over  it  a  pane  of  glass,  and  upon  this 
a  weight,  to  bring  the  two  pieces  of  paper  into 
intimate  contact.  In  a  very  short  time  the  pic- 
ture will  appear  in  all  its  original  detail,  and  of  a 
sepia  tone. 

MICROSCOPIC  PHOTOGRAPHY.  — 
There  are  two  kinds  of  so-called  microscopic 
photographs.  The  first  are  small  photographs  of 
large  objects,  to  be  examined  with  a  magnifying 
glass,  or  even  with  a  microscope.  These  are 
chiefly  made  as  a  curiosity  and  for  amusement, 
but  occasionally  for  a  useful  purpose.  In  pre- 
paring micrometric  scales,  for  instance,  a  very 
small  photograph  of  a  large  measure  is  made  to 
be  used  with  either  the  microscope,  spectroscope, 
solar  or  hydro-oxygen  microscope,  or  magic- 
lantern.  It  is  one  of  the  most  indispensable  tools 
of  the  investigator.  Such  microscopic  photo- 
graphs may  be  either  made  by  a  common  photo- 
graphic camera  by  providing  the  tube  between 
the  lenses  with  a  diaphragm  with  very  small 
aperture,  in  order  to  have  a  perfectly  sharp  im- 
age, and  placing  the  object  to  be  photographed 
at  a  very  great  distance ;  or  the.  photograph  may 
be  made  with  a  common  microscope,  by  inclos- 
ing the  stage  (which  carries  the  object  to  be 
examined)  in  a  box  which  excludes  all  light  ex- 
cept that  which  falls  through  the  tube.  If,  then, 
in  front  of  the  tube,  which  may  be  either  in  ver- 
tical or  horizontal  position,  a  well-illuminated 
object  is  placed,  the  microscope  lenses  will  throw 
a  very  small  image  of  it  on  the  stage,  in  the  same 
way  as  the  lenses  of  a  photographer's  earner 
throw  a  large  image  on  tne  ground  glass.  The 
operation  of  producing  the  picture  is  exactly  the 
same  as  in  common  photographs,  except  that  ex- 
traordinary care  is  required  for  the  perfect  pro- 


duction of  such  small  images,  in  which  a  single 
grain  of  dust  is  sufficient  to  ruin  the  whole. 

Use  has  been  made  of  this  means,  in  time  of 
war,  to  carry  microscopic  maps  of  fortifications, 
etc.,  inclosed  in  a  watchcase,  or  even  in  a  ring, 
which  by  their  minuteness  escaped  detection  un- 
der the  most  scrutinizing  search. 

The  second  and  much  more  important  kind  of 
microscopic  photographs,  which  we  shall  describe 
in  greater  detail,  are  the  enlarged  photographs  of 
microscopic  objects.  They  can  not  be  produced 
by  a  common  photographer's  camera,  and  re- 
quire either  a  microscope  or  a  photographic  ca- 
mera especially  made  for  the  purpose. 

First  there  is  required  a  common  compound 
microscope  placed  in  a  horizontal  position.  The 
end  of  the  tube  which  commonly  carries  the  eye- 
piece is  inserted  in  a  photographer's  camera-box, 
from  which  the  tube  and  lenses  have  been  re- 
moved. The  tube  of  the  microscope  i.s  provided 
with  a  diaphragm,  which  excludes  all  light  from 
the  box,  except  that  which  enters  through  the 
microscope  lenses.  The  object  to  be  photo- 
graphed is  held  in  place  on  the  stage  witn  pro- 
perly applied  small  springs. 

For  the  illumination,  an  independent  mirror, 
diaphragm,  lens,  andblueplateglass,may  be  used, 
the  latter  for  the  purpose  of  excluding,  during 
the  adjustment  of  the  boxes,  all  red,  orange,  and 
yellow  rays  which  do  not  contribute  to  forming 
the  image.  The  focus  found  with  this  blue  light 
will  better  coincide  with  the  chemical  focus  (which 
alone  makes  the  picture)  than  that  found  with 
the  full  light.  During  the  exposure  for  making 
the  picture  the  blue  glass  is  removed,  as  the  red, 
orange,  and  yellow  rays  intercepted  by  it  do  not 
interfere,  even  if  the  microscope  is  not  achroma- 
tic, and  the  blue  glass  itself  can  not  possibly  in- 
crease the  chemical  action  of  the  light,  but  on  the 
contrary  absorbs  some  rays  and  retards  the  ope- 
ration, the  opinion  of  certain  photographers  to 
the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

The  whole  system  for  illumination  may  be 
turned  around  an  axis  below,  causing  the  light 
not  to  fall  through  the  microscope  but  obliquely 
on  the  object,  so  that  less  light  from  the  mirror, 
but  most  from  the  small  object  near  passes 
through  the  microscope  into  the  camera-box, 
where  the  focusing  is  done  by  means  of  the 
ground  glass,  and  this  subsequently  replaced  by 
the  prepared  sensitized  surface  in  the  usual  man- 
ner. The  use  of  this  oblique  light  is  of  the  ut- 
most importance,  as  well  in  common  observa- 
tions of  very  delicate  structures  by  high  pow6rs 
with  the  eye,  as  in  the  microscopic  photography 
of  the  same.  Some  objects  are  so  exceedingly 
thin,  and  the  details  are  so  delicate,  that  they  are 
drowned  in  the  flood  of  light,  when  the  illumi- 
nation throws  the  light  directly  through  the  axis 
of  the  whole  microscope.  The  eye  sees  too  much 
light ;  much  more  of  the  light,  in  fact,  than  of 
the  object  intended  to  be  seen.  But  when  the 
light  is  thrown  obliquely  on  the  object,  so  that, 
not  the  direct  ray  from  the  reflecting  mirror,  but 
that  coming  from  the  illuminated  object  reaches 
the  eye,  details  are  seen,  impossible  to  distinguish 
in  any  other  way.  Also  in  photographing  with 
such  oblique  light,  details  may  be  i)hotographed 
which  with  direct  light  never  could  be  obtained 
at  all.  More  than  that  even ;  by  proper  arrange- 
ments details  have  been  photograplied  which 
never  have  been  seen  by  tlie  eye.  Thus,  the 
marking?  on  one  of  the  so-called  diatoms,   the 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS, 


s8i 


pleurosigma  angulatum,  of  which  a  common 
microscope  shows  no  trace,  and  which  with  a 
good  microscope  can  only  be  seen  by  oblique 
Sluminalion  as  lines,  or  by  stronger  power  as  a 
set  of  triple  lines  crossing  one  another  at  angles 
of  sixty  degress,  with  the  highest  powers  of  the 
best  microscope  appear  to  be  hexagons,  arranged 
as  in  a  honeycomb,  thus  revealing  that  the  lines 
seen  by  lower  magnifying  powers  are  but  illusions, 
produced  by  the  regular  arrangement  of  the  hex- 
agons. These  now  are  shown,  by  means  of 
microscopic  photography,  to  be  no  hexagons  at 
all,  but  circular  depressions,  which  give  the  illu- 
sion of  hexagons  by  their  arrangement,  in  which 
every  circle  is  surrounded  by  six  others. 

NA  TURE  PRINTING,  Dresser's  Process  of. 
— The  process  is  one  by  which  images  of  foliage 
may  be  taken  by  any  who  have  leisure  and  choose 
to  devote  an  hour  or  two  to  the  registration  of 
the  beautiful  forms  of  our  leaves.  The  process, 
by  its  simplicity,  commends  itself;  and  the  results 
gained  are  of  the  most  charming  character.  The 
Vienna  process  of  nature  printing  has  achieved 
much,  and  produced  results  of  the  most  admirable 
character;  but  the  process  necessitates  the  use  of 
dried  vegetable  specimens,  in  order  to  the  pro- 
duction of  the  image.  While  this  is  at  least  no 
drawback  in  the  case  of  ferns,  and  is  perhaps 
even  an  advantage,  yet  it  strongly  militates 
against  the  process  in  the  case  of  many  other 
plants.  In  order  to  meet  this  difficulty.  Dr.  Dres- 
ser suggested  an  "Improved  Nature  Printing" 
process  which  he  patented,  in  conjunction  with 
Dr.  Lyon  Playfair,  in  which  impressions  are  ta- 
ken from  Ihe  living  plant,  and  which  may  be 
substantially  described  as  follows:  A  sheet  of 
foolscap  writing-paper  should  be  provided,  a 
handful  of  fine  cotton-wool,  a  piece  of  muslin, 
one  or  moretubesof  common  oil-paint  (according 
to  the  color  required),  a  little  sw-eet-oil,  and  a 
quantity  of  smooth,  soft,  cartridge-paper,  or  bet- 
ter, plate-paper.  Having  placed  the  sheet  of 
foolscap-paper  while  doubled  (the  two  thickness- 
es making  it  a  little  softer),  on  a  smooth  table, 
squeeze  from  the  tube  about  as  much  oil-color 
as  would  cover  a  shilling,  and  place  this  on  one 
corner  of  the  sheet  of  foolscap;  now  form  a  "dab- 
ber"  by  inclosing  a  quantity  of  the  cotton-wool 
in  two  thicknesses  of  muslin,  and  tjang  it  up  so 
as  to  give  it  roundness  of  form.  Take  up  a  por- 
tion of  the  oil-paint  from  the  corner  of  the  paper, 
with  the  dabber,  and  by  dabbing  give  the  central 
portion  of  the  sheet  of  foolscap  a  coat  of  color. 
This  dabbing  may  be  continued  for  half  an  hour 
or  more  with  advantage,  taking  a  small  quantity 
more  color  when  the  paper  becomes  dry;  two  or 
three  drops  of  sweet-oil  may  now  be  added  to  the 
paper  and  distributed  by  the  aid  of  the  dabber, 
if  the  color  is  thick,  when  the  paper  will  be  fully 
prepared  for  use. 

The  paper  may  be  left  for  an  hour  or  two  after 
being  first  coated  with  color  without  injury,  and, 
indeed,  this  delay  is  favorable,  for  until  the  paper 
becomes  impregnated  with  oil,  the  results  desired 
are  not  so  favorable  as  they  become  after  the  pa- 
per is  more  fully  enriched  with  this  material. 
While  the  color  is  soaking  into  the  paper,  a  num- 
ber of  leaves  should  be  gathered  which  are  per- 
fect in  form  and  free  from  dust ;  and  these  can 
be  kept  fresh  by  placing  them  in  an  earthenware 
pan,  the  bottom  of  which  is  covered  with  a  damp 
cloth,  but  it  will  be  well  to  place  a  damp  cloth 
over  the  orifice  of  the  pan  also.     Selecting  a 


woolly,  hairy  leaf,  place  it  on  the  painted  portion 
of  the  sheet  of  foolscap,  and  dab  it  with  the  dab- 
ber till  it  acquires  the  color  of  the  paint  used; 
this  being  done  turn  the  leaf  over  and  dab  the 
other  side ;  now  lift  it  from  the  paint  paper  by 
the  stalk,  and  place  it  with  care  between  a  folded 
portion  of  the  "plate"  or  "cartridge"  paper,  and 
if  the  stalk  of  the  leaf  appears  to  be  in  the  way, 
cut  it  off  with  a  pair  of  scissors ;  now  bring  down 
the  upper  portion  of  the  folded  piece  of  paper' 
upon  the  leaf,  and  rub  the  paper  externally  with 
the  finger,  or  a  soft  rag,  bringing  the  paper  thus 
in  contact  with  every  portion  of  the  leaf.  If  the 
paper  is  now  opened,  and  the  leaf  removed,  a 
beautiful  impression  of  both  sides  of  the  leaf  will 
be  found  remaining.  In  like  manner,  impress 
sions  of  any  tolerably  flat  leaves  can  be  taken ; 
but  harsh  leaves  will  be  found  most  difficult,  and 
should  hence  be  avoided  by  the  beginner.  While 
the  paper  is  yet  rich  in  color,  downy  leaves  should 
be  chosen;  but  color  niay  at  any  moment  be  ad- 
ded, care  being  always  taken  to  distribute  the 
paint  evenly  over  the  paper  with  the  dabber  be- 
fore the  latter  is  applied  to  the  leaf,  and  the  dab- 
ber is  always  removed  from  the  painted  paper 
till  the  color  is  exhausted,  when  the  paper  is 
again  replenished  from  the  reserve  in  the  corner. 
As  the  color  on  the  paper  becomes  less  and 
less  in  quantity,  smoother  leaves  may  be  employ- 
ed; and  when  the  paper  seems  to  be  almost 
wholly  without  paint,  the  smoothest  leaves  will 
prove  successful,  for  these  require  extremely 
little  color.  Should  the  natural  color  of  the  leaf 
be  desired,  it  can  be  got  by  using  paint  of  the 
color  required ;  but,  in  many  cases,  purely  arti- 
ficial tints  produce  the  most  pleasing  and  artistic 
results ;  thus,  burnt  sienna  gives  a  very  pleasing 
red  tint ;  and  of  all  colors  this  will  be  found  to 
work  with  the  greatest  ease. 

By  the  process  now  described,  the  most  beauti- 
ful results  can  be  gained ;  but  the  effect  will  be 
better,  if,  when  the  impression  is  being  rubbed 
off,  the  leaf,  together  with  the  paper  in  which  it 
is  inclosed,  is  placed  on  something  soft,  as  half  a 
quire  of  blotting  paper.  Should  the  first  attempt 
not  prove  very  satisfactory,  a  little  experience 
will  be  found  to  be  all  that  is  required,  and  now 
the  most  common  leaf  will  be  seen  to  have  a 
form  of  the  most  lovely  character. 

Collections  of  leaves  of  forest-trees  will  prove 
of  the  deepest  interest,  or  of  all  the  species  which 
we  have  of  any  kind  of  plant ;  thus,  if  the  leaves 
of  the  black,  red,  American,  and  golden  currant 
be  printed  together  with  that  of  the  gooseberry, 
all  of  which  l>elong  to  one  botanical  genus  or 
group,  the  variation  or  modification  of  the  form 
will  lie  seen  to  be  of  the  deepest  interest. 

NEGATIVE,  Fixing  the. — Use  a  saturated 
solution  of  hyposulphate  of  soda.  In  some  of 
the  galleries  they  add  i  ounce  of  cyanide  of  potas- 
sium to  4  quarts  of  the  hypo  solution. 

NEGATIVE,  An  Auxiliary.— One  of  the 
novelties  introduced  at  a  late  convention,  was  a 
negative  for  producing  a  watered  or  grained  effect 
over  such  parts  of  the  print  as  may  be  desired. 
The  result  is  obtained  by  printing  for  a  few  mo- 
ments  under  a  fixed  position,  and  then  changing 
ever  so  little  the  position  of  the  auxiliary  negative. 
Imitations  of  watered  silk,  also  of  grains  of  wood 
can  be  readily  obtained,  and  serve  to  give  a  nevr 
character  to  the  picture. 

NEGA  TIVE  BA  THS  {old),  Preservation  of. 
— Worn  out  negative  baths  are  usually  got  rid  of 


28? 


DICTIONAR  Y   OF  E  VER  Y-DA  K }'  WANTS. 


by  precipitating  ths  silver,  reducing  to  metallic 
state,  fusing,  and  again  dissolving.  This  is  a 
process  so  long  and  complicated  that  most  photo- 
graphers shun  to  make  it,  and  pour  their  old 
baths  into  the  general  receptacle  for  slops,  to  be 
sold  or  got  rid  of  in  the  easiest  way  possible. 

Mr.  Brooks  in  the  "Year  Book"  proposes  the 
reduction  of  the  negative  bath  to  carbonate  of 
silver  to  purify  it.  Dilute  the  bath  to  about 
three  times  its  bulk  with  distilled  water,  neutral- 
ize with  carbonate  of  soda  until  a  slight  turbid- 
ity is  produced,  and  sun  for  several  hours ;  then 
decant,  if  necessary,  and  add  sufficient  carbonate 
of  soda,  free  from  chloride,  to  precipitate  all  of 
the  silver  as  carbonate.  After  well  washing  this 
precipitate  in  water,  it  is  in  condition  to  be  dis- 
solved in  nitric  acid  of  a  proper  strength  to  yield 
a  new  negative  bath. 

NEGA  TIVE  Preservers. — All  sorts  of  contriv- 
ances have  been  suggested  for  preserving  nega- 
tives, but  most  of  them  are  cumbersome  and  ex- 
pensive. It  is  now  proposed  to  put  them  into 
paper  envelopes,  and  set  them  aside  in  boxes, 
after  they  have  been  properly  designated.  The 
paper  protects  them  from  rubbing,  and  the  ex- 
pense of  grooves,  partitions,  slides,  and  other 
contrivances  is  avoided.     They  occupy  the  least 

{)ossible  bulk  when  put  up  in  this  way,  and  if 
aid  on  edge  in  boxes,  like  shelves,  can  be  readily 
removed  in  case  of  fire.  Envelopes  are  now 
made  of  the  sizes  to  fit  the  glasses  usually  em- 
ployed by  photographers. 

PAINTING,  (9/7.— First,  the  general  outline 
should  be  familiar,  and  as  correct  a  sketch  of  the 
desired  picture  obtained  as  possible.  The  re- 
quisites for  a  "fitting  out,"  consist  of  colors, 
brushes,  palette,  palette-knife,  canvas,  easel, 
hand-rest,  oils  and  varnish.  Brushes  are  round 
and  flat,  the  latter  is  used  for  the  sky,  the  badger 
brush  is  used  to  soften  and  blend  together  sky 
and  other  parts.  Clean  your  brushes  by  first 
wiping  with  dry  cloth,  and  afterwards  wash  in 
turpentine,  rinsing  in  cold  water.  To  prepare 
canvas,  coat  the  material  with  strong  warm 
isinglass  size,  when  dry  coat  with  oil  paint.  To 
facilitate  drying,  litharge,  sugar  of  lead,  etc., 
may  be  added.  Magilp  is  an  indispensable  ar- 
ticle in  oil  painting,  it  tempers  the  colors,  and 
hastens  the  drying;  it  is  made  of  equal  parts  of 
strong  mastic  and  clarified  oil ;  copal  varnish  is 
often  used  instead  of  mastic.  The  different  oils 
used,  are,  linseed,  poppy,  drying,  and  nut-oil; 
linseed  is  recommended  in  preference  to  others. 
When  smooth  surface  is  desired,  it  is  requisite  to 
rub  the  surface  with  pumice,  sand,  and  water. 
Light  while  painting  should  fall  over  the  left 
shoulder;  a  North  light  is  preferable,  because 
more  uniform. 

First  make  your  sketch ;  you  can  first  trace  it 
with  charcoal  or  white  crayon ;  then  mark  cor- 
rectly with  pencil,  dusting  off  the  crayon  as  you 
proceed.  Begin  by  preparing  tints  for  the  sky, 
get  sufficient  white  from  the  tube  at  once  and 
thin  with  oil.  Mix  the  following  colors  as  near 
the  tints  as  the  subject  demands,  viz.,  white, 
French  or  permanent  blue,  vermilion,  Naples 
yellow,  and  yellow  ochre.  The  same  tints 
strengthened  with  more  color  will  do  for 
the  mountains,  more  yellow  ochre  for  mid 
distance,  and  work  gradually  to  the  foreground, 
for  which  mix  a  set  of  requisite  tints,  all  sepa- 
rate, and  place  the  color  at  once  where  it  shall 
remain.    This  completes  the  first  painting,  and 


we  proceed  with  the  second,  third,  and  finishing, 
and  observations. — Second  Painting,  The  first 
painting  should  be  perfectly  dry  before  com- 
mencing the  second.  The  less  drying  oils  used 
the  better,  for  when  paints  are  used  in  their  na- 
tural state  they  don't  sink  as  much,  and  give  bet- 
ter satisfaction.  Prepare  the  palette  with  the 
required  tints  for  the  clouds,  and  paint  them  in 
with  a  little  more  attention  to  the  shape,  and 
light,  and  shade.  "When  done,  soften  with  a 
blender.  Next  in  order  come  the  mountains; 
attend  more  particularly  to  their  shapes  and  dif- 
ferent shades.  Let  the  early  painting  be  of  a 
light  style  of  color,  for,  in  finishing,  the  colors 
are  made  much  cooler  by  the  process  of  glazing 
and  scumbling.  You  find  that  the  colors,  while 
drying,  sink,  and  partake  a  little  of  the  color  be- 
neath them.  Therefore  this  second  painting 
should  give  a  good  idea  of  the  effect  of  what  the 
picture  should  be. —  Third  Painting.  It  may  be 
requisite  to  aid  the  effect  of  the  distance  by  a  few 
touches  of  scumbling  and  glazing,  and  also  in 
bringing  out  desirable  effects  in  the  middle- 
ground.  Such  tints  can  be  used  for  these  pur- 
poses as  occasion  requires,  either  lighter  or 
darker  than  the  parts  to  which  they  are  applied. 
When  advanced  thus  in  your  painting,  do  not 
attempt  too  much  at  one  sitting,  as  the  different 
glazings  may  interfere  with  each  other,  destroy- 
ing the  transparent  effect.  It  is  better  to  allow 
the  colors  to  dry  gradually,  and  repeat  the  glaz- 
ing another  time. — Observations.  I.  The  sky,  in 
some  pictures,  is  very  important,  having  an  in- 
fluence over  the  entire  painting.  The  tints  are 
more  or  less  gradually  mixed  with  white.  They 
are  kept  lighter  as  they  approach  the  sun.  The 
colors  vary,  but  the  tints  should  be  produced  by 
few.  The  most  useful  sky  colors  are  white, 
French  or  permanent  blue,  vermilion,  madder 
lake,  Naples  yellow,  and  yellow  ochre. 

2.  The  bounding  sky  line,  or  extreme  distance, 
varies  very  much  in  tone — sometimes  seen  plain- 
ly, and  at  others  scarcely  distinguished  from  the 
horizontal  tones.  You  need  suitable  colors  for 
these  effects.  Sometimes  distant  mountains  have 
their  summits  quite  visible,  and  their  bases,  al- 
though much  nearer,  not  seen.  This  is  caused 
by  mists  and  vapors.  Scumbling  is  necessary  to 
obtain  this  effect. 

3.  If  possible,  paint  in  the  distance,  when  the 
sky  is  moist  with  the  same  tints,  only  stronger, 
as  the  case  may  be.  Otherwise,  scumble  over 
the  lower  part  of  the  sky  at  the  next  painting. 
This  produces  a  good  effect. 

4.  Nearer  the  foreground,  as  objects  advance, 
a  little  more  distinctness  may  be  given.  Acci- 
dental touches  of  hght  are  important  in  sejjarat- 
ing  the  foliage  and  other  objects  through  the 
picture  from  distance  to  foreground.  Indian  red, 
terre  verte,  Venetian  red,  Antwerp  blue,  eme- 
rald green,  and  raw  sienna,  add  to  the  colors 
enumerated.  Grays  produced  by  vermilion  and 
emerald  green  can  l>e  varied  by  a  little  Vandyke 
brown  or  Naples  yellow. 

c.  The  color  and  shape  of  trees  and  the  dispo- 
sition of  the  branches  should  be  carefully  studied. 
Pencil  in  the  foliage  against  the  sky,  and  all  the 
extreme  parts,  with  a  small  brush  neatly. 

6.  In  foregrounds  the  landscape  is  not  intend- 
ed to  be  painted  with  botanical  accuracy.  Nor 
should  you  be  too  broad,  coarse,  and  careless, 
but  finish  with  a  general  harmony  of  the  whole. 

7.  Let  the  distance  and  horizon  meet  together 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 


aSj 


in  a  certain  degree,  so  as  to  know  where  each 
finishes  and  begins.  Mid  disUnce  should  be 
made  out  more  clearly,  and  attention  paid  to  de- 
tails of  the  foreground. 

8.  When  you  Tiave  colors  in  powder,  as  is  often 
requisite,  a  glass  slab,  in  addition  to  palette,  is 
necessary,  on  which  to  mix  and  grind  them  when 
required. 

Figure  drawing  is  indispensable  in  landscape 
painting.  Their  introduction  into  landscapes 
serve  to  enliven  and  break  the  monotony,  and 
also  serve  as  measurement,  whereby  we  form 
ideas  of  the  real  size  of  objects.  The  hight  of 
an  average  figure  is  eight  times  that  of  its  head. 
If  a  perpendicular  line  is  drawn,  allow  half  of  it 
for  the  lower  portion  of  the  body,  and  half  for 
the  upper,  from  shoulder  to  shoulder  two  heads 
wide. 

PAINTINGS,  To  Preserve  and  Restore.— 
Many  valuable  paintings  suffer  premature  decay, 
from  the  attacks  of  a  microscopic  insect  of  the 
mite  class.  The  best  method  of  preventing  this 
species  of  decay,  is  to  add  a  few  drops  of  creo- 
sote to  the  paste  and  glue  used  to  line  the  pic- 
ture, as  well  as  to  make  a  similar  addition  to  the 
varnish.  If  it  has  already  commenced,  the  paint- 
ing should  be  at  once  carefully  cleaned  and  re- 
lined,  observing  to  employ  a  little  creosote  in  the 
way  just  mentioned.  Paintings  should  be  kept 
in  as  pure  an  atmosphere  as  possible,  and  in  a 
moderately  dry  situation;  as  it  is  the  presence  of 
sulphureted  hydrogen  in  the  air  that  blackens 
the  "lights,"  and  causes  most  of  the  middle  tints 
and  shades  to  fade ;  and  it  is  exposure  to  damp 
that  produces  mouldiness  and  decay  of  the  can- 
vas. For  this  reason  valuable  paintings  should 
not  be  kept  in  churches,  nor  suspended  against 
heavy  walls  of  masonry,  especially  in  badly-ven- 
tilated buildings.  Excess  of  light,  particularly 
the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  also  acts  injuriously  on 
paintings.  The  blackened  lights  of  old  pictures 
may  be  instantly  restored  to  their  original  hue, 
by  touching  them  with  deutoxide  of  hydrogen, 
diluted  with  6  or  8  times  its  weight  of  water.  The 
part  must  be  afterwards  washed  with  a  clean 
sponge  and  water. 

PAINTING,  Water  CV/c;r.— This  is  one  of 
the  most  beautiful,  as  well  as  most  difficult,  of 
the  fine  arts.  It  will  require,  in  addition  to  a 
natural  taste,  much  industry,  which  is  indispens- 
able to  success.  There  are  two  kinds  of  water 
colors  in  general  use.  We  prefer  using  the  moist 
colors  for  landscape  painting,  and  the  dry  cake 
colors  for  flowers.  Moist  colors  are  put  in  little 
earthen  cups,  and  fitted  into  a  box,  all  complete 
for  painting  out  of  doors.  The  materials  for 
water  color  painting  are  : — Colors,  sable  brushes, 
paper,  a  drawing  board,  an  eraser  and  a  piece  of 
silk  for  wiping  out  the  lights,  a  bottle  of  gum- 
water,  a  soft  sponge,  a  one  and  a  half  inch  flat 
camel's  hair  brush,  a  china  palette,  or  set  of 
saucers. 

The  most  desirable  paper  for  landscapes 
should  be  rather  rough  on  the  surface.  If  too 
smooth,  your  painting  loses  much  of  the  bold- 
ness characteristic  of  fine  work.  Whatman's 
paper  is  thought  the  best. 

In  selecting  brushes,  get  those  which  come  to 
a  point  when  charged  with  water,  and,  when 
bent  a  little  to  one  side,  spring  back  again  with- 
out splitting. 

Colors  for  landscapes  are: — Gamboge,  French 
blue,  raw  and  burnt  sienna,  yellow  ochre,  Vene- 


tian red,  Vandyke  brown,  Prussian  blue,  olive 
green,  brown  madder,  crimson  lake,  Indian  yel- 
low, and  a  bottle  of  Chinese  white. 

To  stretch  and  prepare  the  paper."  The  paint- 
ing side  of  Whatman  s  pajjer  is  known  by  hold- 
ing up  the  paper  between  your  eye  and  the  light, 
and  reading  the  name  in  proper  position  from 
left  to  right.  This  must  be  the  right  side.  Place 
the  paper  on  a  table,  and  moisten  the  back  well 
with  a  soft  sponge  and  clean  water.  If  the  paper 
is  thick,  let  it  remain  a  short  time,  so  that  it  may 
become  saturated ;  then  place  it  in  the  frame  of 
your  drawing  board,  confining  it  with  the  cross- 
bars. Sometimes  the  paper  is  put  on  a  plain 
clamped  drawing  board,  fastened  with  glue  about 
the  edges. 

Wiping  out  lights.  "  The  parts  of  the  picture 
(after  the  color  is  on)  that  require  lights  should 
be  treated  as  follows: — Mark  out  with  your  brush 
and  clean  water  the  parts  you  wish  lighter,  and 
then  apply  blotting  paper  to  absorb  the  moisture ; 
then  wipe  it  hard  with  a  silk  handkerchief,  and, 
if  not  sufficient,  repeat  it.  If  you  desire  it  still 
lighter,  use  the  rubber. 

Before  using  the  eraser  for  extra  high  lights, 
the  painting  must  be  perfectly  dry. 

Using  the  brush.  After  making  suitable  out- 
lines with  sepia  or  Indian  ink,  it  is  well  to  com- 
mence brush  work.  As  a  rule,  the  brush  fot 
broad  shades  should  be  pretty  full  of  color ;  but, 
for  finishing,  all  colors  are  worked  much  drier 
with  the  point  of  the  brush  chiefly. 

Outline.  ^Vhen  the  paper  is  properly  stretch- 
ed on  the  drawing  board,  and  is  sufficiently  dry, 
commence  the  outline.  For  landscape,  sketch 
lightly  at  first,  so  that  the  marks  may  be  remov- 
ed, if  required,  as  hard  rubbing  is  liable  to  disturb 
the  surface  of  the  paper.  Spare  no  pains  in  the 
sketch,  and  bring  out  all  the  minute  details.  A 
good  sketch  should  be  lightness  in  the  extreme 
distance,  working  stronger  towards  the  fore- 
ground. In  the  foreground,  boldness,  with  fine- 
ness of  line  on  the  light  side,  and  depth  on  the 
shade  side. 

In  beginning  to  color,  the  drawing  should  be 
raised  at  the  back,  to  allow  the  color  to  flow 
downward.  Moisten  all  your  drawing  with  a 
large  flat  brush.  Use  blotting  paper  to  absorb 
the  moisture.  In  your  sketching-box  should  be 
little  cups.  In  one  of  these  make  a  pale  tint  of 
Indian  yellow  and  crimson  lake;  in  another, 
French  blue,  with  some  of  the  other  with  it,  so 
as  to  make  it  pearly.  Then  work  in  the  crimson 
tint,  adding  a  little  more  Indian  yellow  as  you 
approach  the  horizon.  Carry  the  tints  to  the 
edge,  and  vary  with  burnt  sienna,  yellow,  or  the 
pearly  tint,  according  to  your  subject.  When 
dry,  if  the  colors  are  not  blended  well  together, 
or  are  too  dark,  pass  the  flat  brush  with  clean 
water  back  and  forth  to  subdue  and  soften  them. 
The  whiteness  of  the  paper  will  thus  be  removed, 
and  form  an  undertone  for  colors  that  come  over 
them.  The  sky  may  now  be  tinted  with  French 
blue,  and  clouds  formed.  The  distant  hills  can 
be  carefully  painted  with  pearly  gray,  and  in-  *, 
creased  as  you  proceed  toward  middle  distance,  ^ 
adding  more  or  less  madder  brown  and  yellow 
ochre,  as  the  case  requires.  The  distant  hills 
can  be  strengthened,  if  required,  with  French 
blue,  or  warmed  with  crimson  lake.  Keep  the 
foreground  paler  than  the  general  tone.  Finish 
the  sky  and  hills  before  the  trees  are  commenced. 
,  Leave  a  little  opening  now  and  then  for  the  light 


2S4 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


to  strike  through,  beginning  at  the  top  and  work- 
ing downward  with  the  brush  well  charged,  vary- 
ing the  greens  as  you  wish,  making  them  of 
gamboge,  raw  and  burnt  sienna.  Increase  the 
tone  of  shadows  with  another  brush,  but  the 
same  color,  adding  a  trifle  more  blue  and  some 
crimson  lake  for  neutral  tint.  ,  All  foliage  that 
catches  the  sunlight  should  incline  to  a  yellow 
tint.  Paint  the  trunks  and  stems  with  Vandyke 
brown.  Repeat  the  tints  on  foliage  when  dry, 
until  the  required  form  and  depth  are  obtained. 
Gum  will  enrich  and  bring  out  tne  dark  shadows. 
Never  use  it  in  sky  or  distance,  as  it  washes  off 
easily  and  disturbs  all  colors  near  it.  For  winter 
trees,  cobalt  blue  and  Vandyke  brown,  mixed, 
make  good  color  for  network  and  branches  of 
pine  trees.  Opaque  white  is  ser\'iceable  in 
finishing  or  introducing  figures  in  the  foreground. 
Parts  can  be  penciled  in  white,  and  stained  with 
requisite  colors. 

FAINTING  (^FLOWER)  In  Water  Colors. 
^The  colors  and  materials  requisite  are  carmine, 
crimson  lake,  cobalt  blue,  Prussian  blue,  vermi- 
lion, gamboge,  raw  sienna,  burnt  sienna,  burnt 
umber,  Chinese  white,  yellow  ochre,  and  Indian 
ink— -a  set  of  saucers,  dissolved  gum  arable,  and 
a  few  sable  brushes-  Rose  pink,  royal  scarlet,  In- 
dian yellow  Indian  red,  indigo,  sepia,  Vandyke 
brown,  and  emerald  green,  may  also  be  added 
for  flowers  of  superior  finish. 

Whatman's  hot-pressed  paper,  stretched  on  a 
board,  as  in  landscape  painting,  is  used  to  good 
advantage.  Bush  flowers  are  generally  painted 
on  London  board,  the  ivory  surface  sometimes 
preferred.  Make  an  accurate  and  clean  sketch 
with  fine  pointed  pencil,  dra^ving  the  marks  faint, 
so  as  not  to  use  rubber  often.  When  sketched, 
moisten  all  parts  intended  for  painting  with  a 
^rush  moderately  filled  with  water.  Never  use 
hard  water,  unless  it  has  been  boiled.  This 
prepares  the  paper  to  receive  the  colors.  Some 
use  a  slight  shade  of  neutral  tint  or  Indian  ink  to 
coat  over  the  shaded  parts,  blending  the  shades 
so  that  they  are  imperceptibly  lost.  Flowers  and 
leaves  are  treated  the  same.  Two  brushes  are 
used,  one  charged  with  color,  the  other  nearly 
dry.  After  this  process,  cast  with  local  color, 
finish  with  soft  washes  or  small  touches,  which  is 
called  stippling,  and,  when  done  nicely,  is  beau- 
tiful; but  as  it  takes  time,  washes  are  more  gene- 
rally adopted.  Practice  will  accustom  the  eye  to 
notice  variety  of  shades,  which  before  could  not 
be  discriminated. 

Green  leaves,  when  a  yellowish  pale  green  and 
bright,  are  painted  with  gamboge  and  a  little 
Prussian  blue,  penciled  over  until  the  effect  is 
obtained.  Use  more  Prussian  blue  for  darker 
green  leaves,  finishing  with  stronger  color.  For 
the  deepest  shades,  add  a  little  crimson  lake,  or 
Vandyke  brown,  or  burnt  sienna,  as  the  shade 
requires.  For  decayed  leaves,  use  burnt  sienna, 
Indian  yellow,  and  crimson  lake. 

Yellow  Flowers.  First  examine  whether  the 
shades  are  warm  or  cool :  if  the  latter,  paint  them 
with  Indian  ink ;  if  the  former,  use  a  little  burnt 
umber.  When  dry,  coat  evenly  with  gamboge — 
the  general  tint  of  the  flower.  Where  the  high 
lights  should  be,  wash  out  a  little  with  another 
brush  while  it  is  moist.  Repeat  the  color  in  the 
stronger  parts,  finishing,  if  requisite,  with  a 
little  carmine  or  burnt  sienna  mixed  with  gam- 
boge. 

Blue  Flowers.     Coat  them  evenly  with  cobalt. 


according  to  tint.  A  little  rose  madder  a<*Jed 
to  cobalt  may  be  used,  as  the  tints  should  vary. 
Shade  the  deeper  parts  with  a  little  Prussian  blue 
added  to  it ;  and  if  a  very  deep  tint  is  required, 
add  a  little  indigo. 

Purple  Flowers.  Make  the  desired  tint  with 
carmine  and  Prussian  blue,  increasing  the  shade 
to  the  depth  required,  using  more  color  and  less 
water. 

Scarlet  Flowers.  Paint  the  shades  in  with 
cobalt  blue  and  a  little  Indian  red ;  then  coat 
smoothly  with  royal  scarlet,  or  carmine  and  gam- 
boge mixed,  finishing  up  with  carmine  on  the 
shades.  If  coated  with  royal  scarlet,  add  car- 
mine in  finishing. 

White  Flowers.  Some  are  first  shaded  with 
Indian  ink,  and  others  with  neutral  tint,  made 
of  cobalt,  rose  madder,  and  Indian  yellow. — 
When  dry,  slightly  tint  some  of  the  petals  with 
a  weak  shade  of  yellow  ochre,  some  parts  with 
cobalt,  others  with  a  greenish  neutral.  The  an- 
thers, if  not  left  white,  should  be  done  with  per- 
manent white  added  to  Indian  yellow,  and  care- 
fully dotted  with  weak  burnt  sienna. 

The  Deep  Crimson  Rose.  Shade  all  the  pe- 
tals more  or  less  with  Indian  ink,  until  it  would 
pass  for  a  finished  drawing  in  Indian  ink,  and 
then  coat  twice  with  strong  carmine,  finishing 
deep  shades  with  a  little  Prussian  blue  added  to 
carmine. 

Pink  Rose.  .  Paint  in  the  shades  with  cobalt 
blue,  and  coat  over  with  a  pale  shade  of  carmine, 
with  a  little  vermilion  added.  Repeat  this  on 
some  of  the  petals,  until  the  requisite  depth  is 
obtained.  Some  of  the  outside  petals  may  need 
a  second  coat  of  cobalt  to  give  them  a  thin,  trans- 
parent appearance. 

Arranging  and  Grouping.  With  those  who 
possess  a  good  eye  for  color,  the  most  pleasing 
arrangements  easily  suggest  themselves.  Some- 
times the  most  pleasing  effects  are  obtained  by 
placing  the  light  flowers  in  the  center,  such  as 
pink,  white,  and  pale  yellows,  placing  the  rich 
dark  colors  outside,  such  as  dark  roses,  etc., 
thereby  making  a  substitute  for  light  and  shade. 
The  most  pleasing  groups  are  painted  with  a  pre- 
dominance of  warm  coloring. 

PAPER,  TRACING.— I.  Open  a  quire  of 
double  crown  tissue  paper,  and  brush  the  first 
sheet  with  a  mixture  of  mastic  varnish  and  oil 
of  turpentine,  equal  parts;  proceed  with  each 
sheet  similarly,  and  ,dry  them  on  lines  by  hang- 
ing them  up  singly.  As  the  process  goes  on, 
the  under  sheets  absorb  a  portion  of  the  varnish, 
and  require  less  than  if  single  sheets  were  brush- 
ed separately.  It  leaves  the  paper  quite  light 
and  transparent,  it  may  readily  be  written  on, 
and  drawings  traced  with  a  pen  are  permanently 
visible.  Used  by  learners  to  draw  outlines.  The 
paper  is  placed  on  the  drawing,  which  is  clearly 
seen,  and  an  outline  is  made,  taking  care  to 
hold  the  tracing  paper  steady.  In  this  way 
elaborate  drawings  are  easily  copied. 

Tissue  paper  may  also  be  made  transparent  by 
using — 2.  Nut  oil  and  oil  of  turpentine,  equal 
parts,  dry  the  paper  with  wheat-flour  immediately. 
— 3.  Canada  balsam,  and  turpentine  to  thin  it. 

PAPER,  TRANSFER.— Uake  a  mucilage 
with  ^  oz.  of  gum  tragacanth,  strain,  add  i  oz. 
of  glue,  and  >i  oz.  of  gamboge.  Mix  French 
chalk,  4  ozs. ;  old  Paris  plaster,  j^  oz.;  starch,- 
I  oz.;  run  them  through  a  sieve,  grind  with  the 
mixed  mucilage,  add  water  to  reduce  to  the  con-- 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 


2SS 


sistente  of  oil,  and  apply  it  with  a  brush  to  thin 
sized  paper.  The  drawing  made  on  this  prepar- 
ed side  of  the  paper  is  wetted  at  the  back  and 
placed  on  the  stone,  which  is  warmed  to  125'' 
F.,  the  whole  is  then  strongly  pressed  in  the 
lithographic  press,  and  the  stone  receives  the 
impression,  which  may  be  printed  from  as  usual. 
When  two  impressions  are  required,  a  red  com- 
position is  made  of  wax,  2  parts,  soap,  I  part, 
and  vermilion  to  color,  all  melted  in  a  saucepan, 
and  ground  with  water  to  the  consistence  of 
cream.  This  is  spread  thinly  on  the  second 
stone,  an  impression  from  the  first  stone  is  next 
applied,  and  the  second  drawing  is  thus  made  to 
correspond  with  the  first  exactly.  If,  in  printing, 
the  drawing  becomes  smutty,  mix  equal  parts  of 
water,  oUve  oil,  and  oil  of  turpentine,  shake 
till  they  froth,  wet  the  stone,  throw  this 
froth  on  it,  and  rub  it  with  a  soft  sponge.  The 
printing  ink  will  be  dissolved,  and  the  drawing 
will  almost  disappear,  but,  on  rolling  it,  it  re- 
appears as  clear  as  at  first.  When  the  stone  is 
laid  by  for  future  use,  a  preserving  ink  is  ap- 
plied, to  prevent  the  surface  printing  ink  becom- 
ing too  hard.  Thick  varnish  of  linseed  oil,  2 
parts,  tallow,  4  parts,  wax  and  Venice  turpen- 
tine, of  each  i  part ;  melt ;  add,  by  degrees,  lamp- 
black, 4  parts,  mix  thoroughly,  and  preserve  in 
a  tin  case.  This  must  be  rolled  on  the  stone 
6ach  time  before  laying  it  aside  for  future  use. 
"WTien  the  whole  of  the  impressions  are  complet- 
ed, and  the  stones  required  for  other  drawings, 
two  of  the  stones  are  laid  face  to  face  and  ground 
with  sand  and  water  until  the  surfaces  are  clear. 
They  are  finally,  more  or  less,  polished  with  pu- 
mice stone,  according  to  the  required  fineness, 
and  are  then  prepared  to  receive  other  drawings. 
PAPER,  To  prepare  for  PHO  TOGRAPHS. 
— Dissolve  20  parts  of  citric  acid  in  200  parts  of 
distilled  water.  Pour  the  solution  into  an  earthen 
or  porcelain  dish  (the  bath  should  be  abundant, 
so  that  the  paper  may  swim  freely  in  it — the  ac- 
tion is  hastened  by  the  application  of  a  gentle 
heat;)  allow  severi  sheets  to  remain  in  it  for  an 
hour  or  two,  then  remove  them,  and  place  them 
on  another  dish,  containing  water  rendered  al- 
kaline by  5  per  cent,  of  ammonia,  washing  final- 
ly in  pure  water.  Removed  from  this,  suspend 
the  papers  by  one  corner,  and  allow  them  to  dry 
thoroughly,  protected  from  dust. 

PAPER,  Sensitizing. — Fredericks  uses  35 
grains  silver  to  the  ounce  of  water ;  to  each  % 
gallon  add  ^  ounce  muriatic  acid;  neutralize 
with  liquid  ammonia;  filter  to  remove  chloride, 
float  30  seconds,  fume  10  minutes.  Gurneyuses 
40  grains  silver,  slightly  alkaline,  or  with  I  drop 
ammonia  added;  float  40  seconds,  fume  10  min- 
utes. Sarony  uses  50  to  55  grains  silver,  slight- 
ly acidulated  with  nitric  acid ;  float  I  minute, 
fume  15  minutes.  Kurz  uses  60  grains  silver, 
slightly  acidulated  with  nitric  acid;  float  I  to  2 
minutes,  fume  1 5  to  20  minutes. 

PAPER  (^PHOTOGRAPHIC),  Durable 
Sensitive. — At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Berlin 
Photographic  Society,  the  President  exhibited  a 
specimen  of  silvered  albumenized  paper,  the  ad- 
vantages of  which  are  here  explained. 

In  six  ounces  of  distilled  water  is  dissolved 
one  ounce  of  nitrate  of  silver  (free  from  acid),  and 
in  another  similar  quantity  of  water  one  ounce  of 
chemically  pure  citric  acid.  \Vhen  both  com- 
pounds are  completely  dissolved  in  their  respec- 
tive liquids,  the  latter  is  poured  into  the  former, 


the  combined  solution  being  well  shaken,  and 
subsequently  filtered.  Finally  one  ounce  of  al- 
cohol IS  added. 

It  is  quite  sufficient  if  the  paper  is  allowed  to 
float  upon  the  liquid  for  the  space  of  a  minute, 
or,  at  any  rate,  until  it  swims  evenly  upon  the 
surface  in  all  parts.  Coagulated  paper  presents 
more  brilliancy,  when  printed  and  finished,  than 
that  which  is  not  coagulated. 

Upon  the  purity  of  the  citric  acid  depends  the^ 
clearness  of  the  bath,  for  if  the  acid  is  at  all  im-' 
pure,  a  grayish  precipitate  is  formed — probably 
citrate  of  silver.  At  the  same  time,  if  this  pre- 
cipitate is  filtered  off,  the  results  obtained  are  still 
of  a  favorable  character.  The  bath  will  remain 
perfectly  clear  and  transparent,  even  after  con- 
siderable use. 

The  durability  of  the  sensitive  albumenized 
paper  produced  in  this  manner  appears  to  be 
quite  unlimited,  for  some  sheets  of  the  material 
which  were  prepared  some  nine  months  back  are 
as  white  and  fresh  now  as  when  first  sensitized. 

The  advantages  entailed  by  the  employment  of 
the  citrate  silver  bath  are  not  to  be  despised,  for 
besides  the  convenience  of  always  having  sensi- 
tive paper  ready  at  hand,  there  is  obviously  less 
chance  of  loss  from  the  paper  becoming  yellow 
and  useless  during  a  lengthened  period  of  unfa- 
vorable weather. 

PICTURE,  To  Print  from  the  Print  itself— 
The  page  or  print  is  soaked  in  a  solution  first  of 
potass,  and  then  of  tartaric  acid.  This  produces 
a  perfect  diffusion  of  crystals  of  bitartrate  of 
potass  through  the  texture  of  the  unprinted  part 
of  the  paper.  As  this  salt  resists  oil,  the  ink 
roller  may  now  be  passed  over  the  surface,  with- 
out transferring  any  of  its  contents,  except  to  the 
printed  paper. 

PLATES,  Hot  Cast  Cryolite.  — These  are 
now  made  in  this  country  perfectly  flat,  from 
three  sixteenths  to  one  quarter  inch  in  thickness, 
and  are  ground  on  one  side  and  polished  on  the 
other.  They  are  a  great  improvement  on  the 
milk  glass  and  porcelain,  formerly  used  by  pho- 
tographers. "Being  of  a  pure  white  color,  rich 
tones  and  beautiful  results  are  easily  obtainable. 
Their  flatness  and  thickness  render  them  secure 
from  breakage. 

PORCELAIN,  Pictures  on.— The  plates  for 
these  pictures  are  sold  as  porcelain,  but  are  really 
an  opaque  white  glass.  The  plate  is  coated  with 
collodion,  rendered  sensitive  in  the  usual  way, 
and  the  image  received  from  a  negative  adjusted 
as  follows : 

The  negative  is  placed  at  one  end  of  a  box,  the 
other  end  of  which  joins  the  front  end  of  a  camera 
having  a  quarter  tul^e.  The  object  of  this  box  is 
to  cut  off  extraneous  light.  The  negative  is 
placed  toward  the  sun,  or  a  piece  of  white  paper 
placed  in  the  sun.  The  image  formed  by  the  ne- 
gative is  focused  on  the  ground  glass  of  the 
camera,  in  the  usual  manner.  The  box  in  front 
should  admit  of  being  varied  in  length,  in  order 
to  alter  the  size  of  the  picture,  by  changing  the 
distance  of  the  negative  from  the  lens. 

The  white  sensitive  plate  is  then  exposed  and 
developed  with  the  ordinary  iron  developer. 
After  washing  off  with  the  developer,  fix  with  a 
weak  solution  of  cyanide  of  potassium. 

The  picture  requires  to  be  darkened  with  aM'eak 
solution  of  bichloride  of  mercury,  chloride  of 
gold,  or  chloride  of  platinum.  As  soon  as  the 
picture  appears  of  the  proper  shade  arrest  the  ac- 


286 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


tion  of  the  strengthening  agent,  by  washing  the 
plate  under  a  copious  stream  of  water. 

PORCELAIN  PROCESS  and  Collodion. 
— Coat  a  porcelain  plate  with  collodion,  sensi- 
tize in  the  negative  bath,  the  same  as  proceeding 
with  an  ordinary  negative,  place  it,  when  coated, 
in  the  plate  holder,  then  take  any  negative  you 
wish  to  make  a  picture  from  (one  not  too  intense 
is  best).  Curtain  a  window  with  dark  paper  or 
cloth,  and  cut  a  small  opening  the  right  hight 
for  the  camera.  Put  your  negative  in  the  open- 
ing cut  from  the  curtain,  and  make  a  picture  on 
your  porcelain  plate,  as  the  case  may  require, 
large  or  small,  the  same  as  if  copying  a  picture ; 
develop,  then  wash,  fix  with  cyanide,  and  tone 
with  gold,  mercury,  or  sulphuret.  Wash,  dry, 
color,  and  varnish.  Exposure  from  five  to  thirty 
seconds. 

POSITIVES  {Direct)  on  Glass.— In  develop- 
ing a  glass  positive,  the  solution  of  sulphate  of 
iron  should  be  flowed  evenly  over  the  film,  and 
in  some  quantity,  so  as  to  wash  off  a  portion  of 
nitrate  of  silver  into  the  sink. 

PRINTS,  To  Transfer  to  Glass.— Take  of 
gum  sandarac,  4  oz.;  mastic,  I  oz.;  Venice  tur- 
pentine, I  oz.;  alcohol,  15  oz.  Digest  in  a  bottle, 
frequently  shaking,  and  it  is  ready  for  use.  Di- 
rections :  use,  if  possible,  good  plate  glass  of  the 
size  of  the  picture  to  be  transferred,  go  over  it 
with  the  above  varnish,  beginning  at  one  side, 
press  down  the  picture  firmly  and  evenly  as  you 
proceed,  so  that  no  air  can  possibly  lodge  be- 
tween ;  put  aside,  and  let  it  dry  perfectly,  then 
moisten  the  paper  cautiously  with  water,  and 
remove  it  piece-meal  by  rubbing  carefully  with 
the  fingers ;  if  managed  nicely,  a  complete  trans- 
fer of  the  picture  to  the  glass  will  be  effected. 

PHOTOGRAPH  COLORING.  —  Select  a 
light  photograph  for  coloring,  and  let  the  gene- 
ral hue  be  gray,  inclining  to  black  in  the  shadows. 

Albumenized  paper  seldom  requires  any  pre- 
paration, but  need  only  be  carefully  washed  with 
cold  water  and  a  soft  sponge. 

A  preparation  of  gum  is  generally  used  in  the 
colors  for  albumen  paper.  It  should  be  dissolved 
in  water,  or  allowed  to  boil  up;  after  which, 
bottle  to  keep  from  dust. 

A  little  wnite  sugar  is  added  by  some  artists ; 
and  the  preparation  should  be  used  as  thin  as 
possible  and  allow  the  colors  to  adhere  readily 
to  the  paper. 

The  following  colors  are  necessary  in  cakes, 
Windsor  and  Newton's  being  considered  the 
best: — Carmine,  vermilion,  rose  madder,  light 
red,  crimson  lake,  Roman  ochre,  Indian  yellow, 
gamboge,  cobalt  blue,  emerald  green,  indigo, 
Prussian  blue,  burnt  sienna,  burnt  umber,  sepia. 
Van  Dyke  brown,  madder  brown,  ivory  black, 
Chinese  white,  (half  cakes  at  half  price). 

Sable  brushes  are  best,  and  should  not  be  used 
too  small,  except  for  delicate  work,  such  as  mark- 
ing in  the  eyes,  nostrils,  etc  A  middling  size  is 
preferable,  but  see  that  there  are  no  straggling 
hairs  about  them  and  that  they  do  not  split  or 
divide. 

Coloring  the  Face. — Commence,  with  large 
brush,  to  wash  in  the  flesh  tint:  go  over  the 
whole  flesh  as  smoothly  as  possible;  light  red  is 
the  most  desirable,  being  a  fast  color ;  for  very 
fair  complexions  orange  vermilion  is  used. 

Put  pale  wash  of  cobalt  blue  in  the  half  tints, 
Indian  yellow  in  dark  shadows,  with  vermilion 
and  carmine  (mixed)  over  it. 


After  the  washes  in  the  face,  put  in  the  hair, 
draperies,  background,  etc. 

Stipple  the  whole  flesh  with  tints  of  light  red, 
or  Indian  yellow  and  pink  madder  mixed. 

Stipple  rose  madder  on  cheeks,  lips,  tip  of  the 
chin,  tip  of  ears  and  over  the  nose  where  the 
eyes  meet;  cobalt  blue  in  temples  and  about 
the  shadows  of  the  eyes  and  mouth. 

Stipple  light  tint  of  Indian  yellow  over  the 
cheek  bones ;  in  faces  of  old  persons  more  Indian 
yellow  is  used ;  also  in  faces  of  brunettes. 

A  pale  green,  made  of  Indian  yellow  and  cobalt 
blue,  is  sometimes  used  in  shadows  about  the 
mouth. 

Sepia  or  Van  Dyke  brown  for  brown  hair. 

Shade  with  sepia  and  carmine,  and  use  cobalt 
blue  mixed  with  burnt  sienna  for  high  lights. 

Pale  wash  of  cobalt  blue  on  high  lights  of  black 
hair,  and  shade  with  black  and  carmine. 

Roman  ochre  for  golden  hair,  with  burnt 
sienna  and  cobalt  blue  in  lights ;  shade  with 
sepia  and  Roman  ochre. 

For  gray  hair  mix  a  wash  of  cobalt  blue  and 
sepia;  shadow  with  sepia;  and  sometimes  use 
white  mixed  with  local  color  for  high  lights. 

Backgrounds. —  For  fair  complexions  or  chil- 
dren should  be  blue,  inclining  to  purple.  Cobalt 
blue  and  burnt  umber  make  very  desirable  back- 
grounds. 

Olive  grounds  are  used  for  dark  or  old  complex- 
ions. Where  the  flesh  tint  is  sallow,  use  war- 
mer colors — green  approaching  to  olive. 

Grays  produce  a  pleasing  effect  on  fair  com- 
plexions. 

Never  paint  a  bright  blue  ground  and  crim- 
son curtams,  but  keep  everj'thing  quiet  and 
subdued. 

Opaque  backgrounds  are  far  from  artistic,  and 
but  seldom  used. 

Stippling. — ^Towards  the  end  of  your  work  you 
will  observe  many  inequalities  in  the  tints. 
These  require  to  be  filled  up  with  the  point  of  a 
brush  with  an  assimilating  color ;  and  that  filling 
up  is  termed  stipphng. 

Draperies.  —  For  black  draperies,  first  use  a 
local  wash  of  ivory  black;  wash  in  the  deep 
shadows  with  a  mixture  of  crimson  lake  and 
sepia;  then  add  another  wash  of  black  over  the 
whole,  touching  in  the  shadows  as  before.  Pro- 
ceed in  this  way  for  two  or  three  washes,  and 
then  touch  in  the  high  lights  with  light  red  and 
white. 

PHOTOGRAPHS,  To  Dress  for.  —  In  dres- 
sing for  photographs  it  is  useful  to  know  that 
dark-brown,  dark-green,  maroon,  and  plain  black 
goods,  without  gloss,  will  take  a  rich  drab  color. 
Silks  of  the  same  color  will  take  considerably 
lighter.  Snuff-brown,  dark-leather,  dark-drab, 
scarlet,  cherry,  dark-orange,  crimson,  and  slate 
will  take  a  very  rich  drab  color.  Violet,  blue, 
purple,  pink,  and  magenta  will  take  very  light, 
and  should  be  avoided. 

PHOTOGRAPHIC  COLLODION,  lodizers 
for. — Iodide  of  ammonium,  90  grs.;  iodide  of 
cadmium,  90  grs.;  bromide  of  ammonium,  40 
grs.;  alcohol  ("Sio),  10  oz. 

Or,  iodide  of  magnesium,  200  grs.;  bromide 
of  cadmium,  50  grs.;  alcohol  ("Sio),  10  oz. 

Pulverize  the  salts,  and  add  gradually  to  the 

alcohol,  commencing  with  the  bromide;    shake 

until  completely  dissolved,  and  set  away  in  a 

dark  place. 

PHOTOGRAPHS^  Enameling.— 1\vt  beau- 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 


«87 


tiful  gloss  called  enameling  is  produced  as  fol- 
lows: "After  the  prints  have  been  toned  and 
•washed  in  the  usual  way,  trim  to  the  right  size 
by  means  of  a  cutting  shape ;  then  immerse  in  a 
warm  solution  of  gelatine  (which  must'  be  kept, 
whilst  operating,  nearly  as  possible  of  an  equal 
temperature)  of  about  the  same  consistency  as 
collodion.  Care  should  be  taken  always  to  filter 
the  solution  before  using.  When  thoroughly 
impregnated  with  the  same,  the  prints  are  taken 
out  and  laid,  face  down,  on  collodion  ized  glass 
plates  (preparation  of  which  is  given  below), 
care  being  taken  that  all  air  bubbles  between  the 
paper  and  glass  are  carefully  pressed  out  and 
removed.  Afterwards,  a  sheet  of  stout  white 
paper,  somewhat  larger  than  the  prints,  is  ce- 
mented to  the  back  of  each  photograph — a  pre- 
caution for  protecting  the  pictures  in  the  event  of 
their  spontaneously  leaving  the  glass  on  drying. 
The  plates  are  allowed  to  remain  for  ten  or 
twelve  hours  (s.iy  over  night)  in  a  dry  locality, 
and,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  the  portraits  may  be 
separated  from  the  glass  by  making  an  incision 
of  the  film  all  round  the  paper.  The  superfluous 
paper  should  be  trimmed  off  previously  to  the 
pictures  being  mounted  upon  the  cards. 

"Many  of  the  manipulations  may  be  slightly 
modified  if  desired;  for  instance,  instead  of  ce- 
menting a  piece  of  paper  to  the  back  of  the  prints, 
the  card  itself,  if  not  very  thick,  may  be  at  once 
attached,  the  margin  of  which  will  be  gelatinized 
in  the  same  way  as  the  picture.  Some  photo- 
graphers add  a  small  quantity  of  sugar  candy  to 
the  gelatine  in  order  to  prevent  the  sizing  solution 
drying  too  rapidly,  and  to  render  the  finished 
card  more  plastic  and  impressionable  to  the  cameo 
embossing  press,  which  apparatus  gives  to  these 
pictures  a  most  beautiful  and  pleasing  effect. — 
To  Prepare  the  Collodionized  Plate. — Glass  plates 
of  a  suitable  size,  say,  8^  by  6^2  or  10  by  8, 
and  which  have  been  carefully  cleaned,  as  if  to 
serve  for  taking  negatives  upon,  are  rubbed  over 
with  finely  powdered  pumice  stone  or  Tripoli 
powder,  which  is  afterwards  thoroughly  removed 
by  means  of  a  soft  dusting  brush.  The  plates 
are  then  coated  with  a  four  per  cent,  normal  so- 
lution of  collodion,  and  placed  to  dry  in  a  spot 
free  from  dust;  they  are  then  ready  for  use." 

PHOTO  -  GALVANOGRAPHY,  Pretsch's 
Process  of. — Take  a  plate  of  glass,  and  spread  on 
it  ordinary  glue,  to  which  bichromate  of  potash 
and  a  small  quantity  of  nitrate  of  silver  have  been 
added.  For  inst.ince,  take  2  or  3  solutions  of 
glue,  into  one  of  which  put  a  little  nitrate  of  sil- 
ver, into  another  bichromate  of  potash,  and  into 
another  iodide  of  potassium.  The  silver  and  the 
iodide  are  for  the  purpose  of  producing  a  little 
iodide  of  silver  on  the  sensitive  film,  so  as  to 
produce  on  the  picture  that  grain  which  is  neces- 
sary for  holding  the  ink  in  the  process  of  print- 
ing. Take  the  photographic  picture  obtained  by 
any  of  the  customary  processes,  and  place  it  on 
the  sensitive  plate  thus  prepared  and  exposed  to 
the  action  of  the  light.  In  the  course  of  a  short 
time  (all  those  parts  which  are  dark  in  the  photo- 
graph, protecting  the  plate  from  change,  and  all 
those  which  are  white,  allowing  the  sunlight 
freely  to  pass  through  and  the  change  to  take 
place),  we  have  a  combination  of  bichromate  of 
potash  and  gelatine  in  two  difterent  states,  one 
soluble  and  the  other  insoluble.  Consequently, 
when  the  plate  is  then  put  into  water  all  the  parts 
which  remciin  soluble  are  dissolved  out,  whilst 


the  other  parts  remain  as  they  were,  and  we  have 
the  picture  produced  not  only  in  different  lights 
and  shades,  but  also  in  different  depths,  the  so- 
lution being  eaten  into  by  the  process.  When 
the  plate  is  prepared  to  this  point,  there  is  poured 
upon  it  a  preparation  of  gutta  percha,  which,  being 
kept  under  pressure  for  a  short  time,  receives 
the  reverse  image  of  the  photographic  picture. 
This  is  now  prepared  for  the  voltaic  battery  by 
being  simply  rubbed  over  with  fine  black  lead, 
and  it  being  placed  in  connection  with  the  trough, 
copper  is  precipitated  on  the  plate,  which  receives  . 
an  image  the  reverse  of  the  mould.  Then  by** 
the  ordinary  electrotype  process  another  plate 
may  be  obtained,  from  which  copies  may  be 
printed. 

PHOTOGRAPHIC  LIGHT.— T^z  lights  in- 
tense  enough  to  make  photographs  are:  i.  sun 
and  daylight;  2.  the  electric  light;  3.  the  magne- 
sium light;  4.  the  lime  light,  produced  by  the 
hydro-oxygen  blow-pipe ;  5.  the  light  produced 
by  the  burning  of  a  cylinder  of  carbonate  of  mag- 
nesia, mixed  with  titanic  acid. 

PHOTOGRAPHERS,  New  Light  for.— Vho- 
tographers  have  long  been  seeking  for  an  artifi- 
cial light,  so  readily  available  that  the  success  of 
their  manipulations  may  not  be  wholly  depen- 
dent on  the  sun,  and  subject  to  the  ciprice  of  the 
clouds.  The  last  attempt  to  find  the  much  need- 
ed substitute  is  by  digesting  zinc  in  the  iodide 
of  ethyl,  a  process  which  yields  a  liquid  substance 
inflammable  by  the  mere  contact  of  the  oxygen 
in  the  air.  By  passing  pure  hydrogen  (or  per- 
haps ordinary  illuminating  gas)  through  the  fluid, 
the  compound  of  zinc  and  ethyl  will  volatilize 
into  the  gas,  and  will  yield,  on  combustion,  a 
flame  of  extraordinary  brillancy  and  vivid  white- 
ness of  color. 

It  is  said  that  the  actinic  effects  of  this  light 
are  inferior  to  those  of  combusted  magnesium ; 
but  the  steadiness  of  a  flame  from  a  gas  will  so 
far  surpass  any  that  can  be  obtained  from  a  burn- 
ing metal,  even  when  the  latter  is  of  the  highest 
purity  chemically  obtainable,  that  most  photo- 
graphers will  doubtless  give  it  the  preference. 

PHOTOGRAPHIC  PRINTING.— ^cn'iinxe: 
papers  ought  not  to  be  exposed  in  the  frame 
until  they  are  quite  dry.  The  shutter  at  the 
back  of  the  frame  is  removed,  and  the  negative 
laid  flat  upon  the  glass,  collodion-side  upper- 
most. A  sheet  of  sensitive  paper  is  then  placed 
upon  the  negative,  sensitive-side  downwards; 
next  comes  a  layer  of  thick  felt ;  and  the  whole 
is  then  tightly  compressed  by  replacing  and  bolt- 
ing down  the  shutter.  The  amount  of  pressure 
required  is  not  very  considerable,  but  if  the 
springs  of  the  frame  become  too  weak  after  a 
time,  a  few  pieces  of  mill-board  may  be  placed 
beneath  them.  The  time  of  exposure  to  light 
varies  much  with  the  density  of  the  negative  and 
the  power  of  the  actinic  rays,  as  influenced  by 
the  season  of  the  year  and  weather.  If  the  ex- 
posure to  light  has  been  correct  the  print  appears 
slightly  darker  than  it  is  intended  to  rem.iin.  The 
toning  bath  dissolves  away  the  lighter  shades, 
and  reduces  the  intensity,  for  which  allowance  is 
made  in  the  exposure  to  light.  A  little  experi- 
ence soon  teaches  the  proper  point ;  but  much 
will  depend  upon  the  state  of  the  toning  bath, 
and  albumenized  paper  will  require  to  be  printed 
somewhat  more  deeply  than  plain  paper.  If,  on 
removal  from  the  printing- frame,  a  peculiar 
spotted  appearance  is  seen,  produced  by  unequal 


288 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


f 


darkening  of  the  chloride  of  silver,  either  the 
nitrate  bath  is  too  weak,  the  sheet  removed  from 
its  surface  too  speedily,  or  the  paper  is  of  inferior 

3uality.  If,  in  the  exposure  to  ordinary  diffused 
aylight,  the  shadows  of  the  proof  become  very 
decidedly  coppery  before  the  lights  are  sufficiently 
printed,  the  negative  is  in  fault,  Ammonio- 
nitrate  paper  highly  salted  is  particularly  liable 
to  this  excess  of  reduction,  and  especially  so 
i{  the  light  is  powerful.  —  Toning.  The  print 
should  be  first  washed  in  common  water  until 
the  soluble  nitrate  of  silver  is  removed.  This  is 
known  to  be  the  case  when  the  liquid  flows  away 
clear;  the  first  milkiness  being  caused  by  the 
soluble  carbonates  and  chlorides  in  the  water 
precipitating  the  nitrate  of  silver.  Ten  min- 
utes in  water  running  slowly  from  a  tap  will 
be  sufficient  to  cleanse  a  print  from  nitrate  of 
silver ;  or  three  or  four  changes  in  a  dish,  pour- 
ing off  quite  dry  between  each  change.  It  is  an 
advantage  to  finish  off  with  a  solution  of  salt  (2 
grs.  to  the  oz. )  Pour  the  tonic  bath  out  into  a 
flat  dish,  and  put  the  prints  into  it  2  or  3  at  a 
time,  M'aving  the  dish  meanwhile  backwards  and 
forwards  to  secure  a  constant  movement.  Con- 
tinue to  keep  the  prints  moving,  and  watch  the 
changes  in  color.  If  the  prints  are  removed  as 
soon  as  the  blue  color  of  the  gold  is  seen,  they 
will  usually  change  in  the  fixing  bath  to  a  warm 
shade  of  brown  ;  but  when  left  for  2  or  3  minutes 
longer  in  the  toning  bath,  the  darker  tint  becomes 
permanent. — Fixing.  One  oz.  of  hyposulphite  of 
soda  dissolved  in  6  ozs.  of  water  would  fix  two 
batches  of  stereoscopic  prints,  20  in  each  batch. 
Allow  the  prints  to  remain  in  the  fixing  baths  for 
20  minutes,  with  occasional  movement,  after 
which  they  may  be  transferred  to  a  dish  of  clean 
water. —  Washing.  It  is  essential  to  wash  out 
every  trace  of  hyposulphite  of  soda  from  the 
print,  if  it  is  to  be  preserved  from  fading,  and  to 
,do  this  properly  requires  care.  Always  wash 
with  running  water  when  it  can  be  obtained,  and 
choose  a  large  shallow  vessel  exposing  a  consid- 
erable surface  in  preference  to  one  of  lesser  dia- 
meter. A  constant  dribbling  of  water  must  be 
maintained  for  4  or  5  hours,  and  the  prints 
should  not  lie  together  too  closely,  or  the  water 
will  not  find  its  way  between  them.  When  the 
prints  have  been  thoroughly  washed,  blot  them 
off  between  sheets  of  porous  paper  and  hang  them 
up  to  dry. — Mounting.  Mount  the  proofs  with  a 
solution  of  gelatine  in  hot  wafer,  freshly  made ; 
gum-water,  prepared  from  the  finest  commercial 
gum,  and  free  from  acidity,  may  also  be  used, 
but  it  should  be  made  very  thick,  so  as  not  to 
sink  into  the  paper,  or  produce  "cockling  up" 
of  the  cardboard  on  drying. — Positive  Printing 
by  Development.  Negative  printing  processes 
will  be  found  useful  during  the  dull  winter 
months,  and  at  other  times  when  the  light  is 
feeble,  or  where  it  is  required  to  produce  a  large 
number  of  impressions  from  a  negative  in  a  short 
space  of  time.  The  proofs,  however,  as  thus  ob- 
tained, are  not  equal  to  direct  sun-prints  in  beauty 
and  gradation  of  tone.  Take  of  iodide  of  potas- 
sium, 120  grs.;  bromide  of  ammonium,  30  grs.; 
water,  20  ozs.  Float  the  paper  on  the  iodizing 
'  bath  until  it  ceases  to  curl  up,  and  lies  flat  upon 
the  liquid :  tlien  pin  up  to  dry  in  the  usual  way. 
Render  sensitive  upon  a  bath  of  aceto-nitrate  of 
silver,  containing  30  grs.  of  nitrate  of  silver  with 
30  minims  of  glacial  acetic  acid  to-  each  oz.  of 
water.     Place  the  dried  sheets  in  contact  with 


the  negative  in  a  pressure  frame,  and  expose  to 
a  fepble  light.  About  30  seconds  will  be  an 
average  time  upon  a  dull  winter's  day,  when  it 
would  be  impossible  to  print  in  the  ordinary  way- 
Develop  by  immersion  in  a  saturated  solution  of 
gallic  acid.  After  the  picture  is  fully  brought 
out,  wash  in  cold  and  subsequently  in  warm  wa- 
tgr,  to  remove  the  gallic  acid,  which,  if  allowed 
to  remain,  would  discolor  the  hyposulphite  bath. 
Fix  the  print  in  a  solution  of  hyposulphite  of 
soda,  one  part  to  two  of  water,  continuing  the 
action  until  the  yellow  color  of  the  iodide  disap- 
pears.    Wash  thoroughly  in  plentv  of  water. 

PHOTOGRAPHIC  PROCESS,  Improved. 
— The  coUodio-bromide  emulsion  must  contain 
an  excess  of  nitrate  of  silver.  All  the  soluble 
bromide  in  the  collodion  must  be  converted,  and 
there  must  remain  as  large  an  excess  of  nitrate 
of  silver  as  the  collodion  will  contain.  About 
six  grains  of  bromide  of  cadmium  and  eleven 
grains  of  nitrate  of  silver  to  the  ounce  of  emul- 
sion will  not  be  found  bad  proportion. 

When  all  the  materials  used  in  the  collodion 
are  of  the  best  quality,  so  that  the  emulsion  is 
neutral  or  nearly  so,  one  or  two  minims  of  gla- 
cial acetic  acid  to  the  ounce  may  be  added  with 
advantage ;  otherwise  no  addition  of  acid  is  ne- 
cessary. There  need  not  be  more  acid  in  the 
sensitive  film  than  there  is  in  an  ordinary  wet 
collodion  film. 

The  plate  is  to  be  coated  with  the  emulsion  in 
the  usual  way,  and  then  put  into  the  dark  slide 
or  plate  box  until  required  for  the  exposure. 

Under  the  best  conditions  of  the  film — that  is 
to  say,  when  it  contains  the  minimum  of  free 
acid  and  the  maximum  of  free  nitrate — the  sensi- 
tiveness will  be  about  the  same  as  that  of  good 
wet  collodion. 

The  image  is  to  be  developed  with  a  common 
acid  iron  developer,  rather  strong,  and  contain- 
ing as  much  alcohol  as  is  found  necessary  to 
enable  it  to  flow  properly  over  the  dry  film.  This 
quantity  will,  of  course,  be  greater  than  that 
which  is  commonly  added  to  the  developer  in  the 
wet  process. 

The  image  comes  out  very  quickly  and  must 
now  be  treated  in  the  usual  way  as  regards  inten- 
sifying and  fixing.  -'  The  negative  is  indistin- 
guishable, when  finished,  from.  a.  common  .wet 
collodion  one. 

This  process "  offers  great  advantages  'to  y  the 
tourist,  because  it  requires  no  nitrate  bath, .  no 
troublesome  washing  of  the  plate,  no  preserva- 
tive, no  subsequent  drying,  and  no  wetting' of 
the  plate  before  development.  .The  'emulsion 
may  be  kept  in  two  separate  parts — one  consist- 
ing of  the  collodion  with  the  bromide  of  cadmiumj' 
the  other  being  an  alcoholic  solution  of  nitrate  of 
silver  ;  these  may  be  mixed  as  required  for  use.j 
The  film  adheres  well  to  the  glass  without  any 
preliminary  coating,  and  there  are  no  troubles 
with  blisters,  or  .  wrinkling,  1;  or  tearing  of,  the 
film. 

PHO TOGRAPHIC  '  PAPER  ,  PROCESS.;^ 
— A  good  sheet  of  Turner's  paper  is  selected, 
and  washed  with  the  following  solution :— nitrate 
of  silver,  17  grains;  distilled  water,  >  i  02.;  dry 
the  paper,  and  wash  with  iodide  of  potassium,' 
400  grains ;  common  salt,  100  grains ;  pure  wa- 
ter, I  pint;  when  partially  dried,  the  prepared 
side  must  be  cleared  of  the  potash  by  floating  it 
on  water  for  five  to  ten  minutes,  then  dry  it. 
Now  prepare  a  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  25 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS. 


289 


grains ;  glacial  acetic  acid,  I  drachm ;  distilled 
water,  i  oz.;  add  to  some  of  this  an  equal  quan- 
tity of  a  solution  of  crystallized  gallic  acid  in 
cold  distilled  water,  and  the  gallo-nitrate  of  sil- 
ver thus  formed  is  applied  to  the  paper,  which 
is  then  ready  for  use,  after  rinsing  in  clean  water, 
'fhe  gallic  acid  solution  and  the  gallo-nitrate  of 
silver  will  not  keep  long,  and  should  only  be 
made  when  required.  After  exposure  in  the 
camera,  the  gallo-nitrate  is  again  applied  to  de- 
velop the  picture,  which  is  then  washed,  and  fix- 
ed with  the  solution  of  hyposulphate  of  soda. 

PHOTO -LITHOGRAPHIC  PROCESS, 
Osborne's  patent. — Let  us  suppose  that  a  map 
has  been  compiled  and  drawn  with  great  care, 
and  that  it  is  desired  to  multiply  copies  of  this 
original  in  the  lithographic  process.  The  first 
step  in  the  process  is  to  obtain  a  negative ;  for 
which  purpose  the  map  is  placed  upright  upon  a 
plane-board,  and  the  camera  opposite  to  it  at 
such  a  distance  as  to  give  the  desired  ratio  be- 
tween original  and  copy.  A  negative  is  now 
taken  on  glass  coated  with  collodion  in  the  usual 
way,  observing  the  greatest  care  to  avoid  distor- 
tion of  all  kinds,  and  to  produce  a  negative  of 
the  highest  excellence,  success  in  which  depends 
entirely  upon  the  knowledge,  judgment  and  ex- 
perience of  the  operator.  A  sheet  of  plain,  posi- 
tive photographic  paper  is  now  coated  on  one 
side  with  a  mixture,  consisting  of  gelatine,  soften- 
ed and  dissolved  in  water,  to  which  a  quantity  of 
bichromate  of  potash  and  albumen  has  been  add- 
ed. The  paper,  evenly  covered  with  this  fluid, 
is  dried  in  the  dark,  when  it  will  be  found  pos- 
sessed of  a  smooth  glassy  surface,  and  a  bright 
yellow  color.  This  surface  is  still  further  improv- 
ed by  passing  it  through  the  press  in  contact  with 
a  polished  plate. 

A  suitable  piece  of  positive  photo-lithographic 
paper  thus  manufactured  is  now  to  be  exposed  to 
the  action  of  the  light  under  the  negative  of  the 
map  already  described.  This  is  accomplished  in 
an  ordinary  pressure  frame,  the  time  required 
varying  from  10  to  15  seconds,  or  several  min- 
utes, according  to  the  brightness  of  the  weather. 
The  positive  thus  obtained  presents  itself  to  the 
eye  as  a  brown  drawing  upon  the  clear  yellow 
of  the  sheet 

The  exposed  photographic  copy  of  the  original 
is  covered  all  over,  while  dry,  with  transfer-ink, 
which  is  accomplished  by  running  it  through  the 
press  with  its  face  in  contact  with  a  stone  which 
has  already  received  a  coating  of  such  ink.  After 
it  is  separated  from  the  blackened  stone  it  will  be 
found  to  have  brought  away  with  it  an  evenly  dis- 
tributed film  of  inky  matter,  forced  by  the  pres- 
sure into  intimate  contact  with  the  unexposed,  as 
well  as  the  exposed  portion  of  the  surface.  This 
operation  is  known  as  "blacking"  the  positive 

{)rint;  that  now  to  be  described  is  called  "coagu- 
ation,"  its  object  being  to  effect  a  change  of  that 
nature  upon  the  albumen  contained  in  the  coating 
of  the  organic  matter.  For  this  purpose  moisture 
and  heat  are  necessary,  and  both  are  applied  very 
simply,  by  lettmg  the  blackened  photographic 
copy  swim  upon  the  surface  of  boiling  water  with 
its  inky  side  upwards,  for  it  is  important  not  to 
wet  that  with  hot  water.  After  the  lapse  of  a  cer- 
tain period,  determined  by  the  experience  of  the 
operator,  he  proceeds  to  the  next  step  in  the  pro- 
cess, tliat  of  "washing  ofl."  Forthis  purpose  the 
print  is  laid  upon  a  smooth  surface,  such  as  a 
plate  of  glass  or  porcelain,  and  friction  with  aM'et 


sponge,  or  other  suitable  material,  is  applied  to 
the  black  inky  coating,  under  which  the  photogra- 
phic image  still  exists,  and  to  develop  which  is 
now  the  object  in  view.  The  operator  soon  be- 
comes aware  that  the  moisture  which  percolated 
through  the  paper  from  the  back,  has  exerted  a 
softened  or  gelatinizing  influence  upon  the  gela- 
tine in  the  sensitive  coating;  it  has  caused  it  to 
swell,  and  to  let  go  its  hold  upon  the  ink.  But 
this  change  does  not  extend  to  those  parts  of  the 
coating  which  were  acted  on  by  light;  in  other 
words,  to  those  places  which  were  unprotected  by 
the  opacity  of  the  negative ;  they  remain  intact, 
uninfluenced  by  the  solvent  or  moistening  effect 
of  the  water.  Accordingly  the  operator  finds  a 
fac-simile  of  the  original  map  gradually  develop 
under  his  hand  as  he  continues  the  friction.  This 
process  is  proceeded  with  until  all  traces  of  ink 
are  removed,  save  those  requited  to  form  the  pic- 
ture, which  must  be  clear  and  distinct  in  all  its 
details.  Abundance  of  hot  water  is  then  poured 
over  it,  so  as  to  remove  every  particle  of  soluble 
matter,  and  it  is  then  finally  dried,  which  com- 
pletes its  preparation. 

A  stone  to  which  a  fine  smooth  surface  has  been 
imparted,  is  now  slightly  warmed,  and  put  in  the 
lithographic  press;  upon  this  is  placed  (inverted) 
the  positive  print,  after  it  has  been  damped  by 
lying  between  moist  paper,  and  the  whole  is  then 
passed  repeatedly  through  the  press.  On  exami- 
nation the  paper  will  now  be  found  to  have  at- 
tached itself  firmly  to  the  stone,  so  that  some 
force  is  required  to  separate  the  two.  When  the 
former  is  removed  it  brings  with  it  its  albuminous 
coating,  which  gives  to  it  while  damp  a  parchment- 
like appearance;  but  the  ink  is  gone :  it  has  left 
the  paper  for  the  stone,  and  on  the  latter  we  find 
a  reversed  dravving  of  the  map,  one  which,  after 
it  has  been  properly  "prepared,"  will  print  as 
well  as  if  it  had  been  drawn  by  hand. 

PHO  TO  GRA  PHIC  RELIEF  PRINTING. 
— ^There  are  now  in  use  two  principal  methods  of 
printing  pictures  from  a  negative,  called  the  silver 
print  and  the  carbon  print.  The  former  produ- 
ces the  common  photograph,  and  is  founded  on 
the  same  principle  as  the  daguerreotype,  namely, 
the  decomposition  by  light  of  a  silver  compound. 
In  the  photograph  this  is  usually  the  chloride, 
while  in  the  daguerreotype  the  iodide  and  bro- 
mide are  decomposed.  The  carbon  print  is  based 
on  an  entirely  different  principle.  Its  invention 
arose  from  the  incidental  discovery  that  when  a 
solution  of  bichromate  of  potash  is  mixed  with  a 
solution  of  glue,  and  the  mixture  dried,  it  be- 
comes insoluble  in  water  when  exposed  to  light, 
but  remains  soluble  if  kept  in  the  dark.  This 
effect  of  light  to  make  the  so-called  bichromate  of 
gelatine  insoluble  depends  on  the  strength  of  the 
light  and  the  time  of  exposure ;  and  penetrates 
more  or  less  into  the  gelatinous  layer  according 
to  these  conditions.  Hence,  if  such  a  solution  is 
mixed  with  fine  lampblack  and  an  appropriate 
kind  of  paper  coated  with  it,  it  may  be  washed 
off  again  if  the  paper  is  kept  in  the  dark,  but  can 
not  be  washed  off  after  the  paper  has  been  ex- 
posed to  strong  light ;  and  it  can  be  only  par- 
tially washed  off  after  exposure  to  weak  light.  It 
is  evident  that  when  paper  thus  prepared  is  ex- 
posed under  a  negative  for  a  proper  length  of 
time,  (which,  by  the  way,  is  very  short,  as  the 
substance  is  highly  sensitive,)  the  parts  protected 
from  light  by  the  details  of  the  negative  will  be- 
come insoluble  to  various  depths,,  according^  to 
19 


290 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


the  degree  of  protection ;  and  by  washing  away 
the  soluble  portions  the  picture  will  be  brought 
out. 

At  the  same  time  such  a  picture  will  have  a 
relief.  The  dark  portions  will  be  elevated ;  the 
lighter  parts,  being  more  or  less  washed  away, 
will  be  deeper.  If  we  wish  simply  a  relief,  and 
not  a  picture,  we  may  leave  the  black  pigment 
out;  take  only  a  dry,  thick  coat  of  bichromate  of 
gelatine,  expose  under  the  negative,  and  wash 
with  warm  water.  Now,  gelatine  or  glue,  when 
thoroughly  dry,  is  exceedingly  hard,  almost  like 
glass,  resisting  pressure  even  better  than  glass. 
Such  a  gelatine-relief  may,  therefore,  be  placed 
on  the  steel  plate  of  a  hydraulic  press,  a  sheet  of 
clean  lead  laid  on  it,  and  the  two  brought  together 
under  from  ten  to  twenty  thousand  pounds  of 
pressure  for  every  square  inch  of  the  surface  of 
the  picture.  In  this  way  a  reverse  or  mould  is 
obtamed  impressed  in  the  lead  plate,  in  which 
the  parts  to  be  darkest  are  the  deepest,  and  vice 
versa.  From  such  a  gelatine-relief,  handled 
with  proper  care,  as  many  as  twenty  metallic 
lead  plates  may  be  obtained,  each  capable  of 
producing  about  a  thousand  impressions,  so  that 
one  negative  may  produce  twenty  thousand  prints, 
all  perfect  and  all  alike.  The  prints  are  obtained 
by  laying  the  lead  mould  on  the  warm,  flat  sur- 
face of  a  peculiar  press  made  for  the  purpose, 
then  taking  a  warm,  semi-transparent  mixture  of 
color  and  gelatine,  and  pouring  it  in  a  little  pool 
near  the  middle  of  the  plate,  laying  the  paper  on 
this,  and  then  applying  the  proper  pressure.  The 
mixture  oozes  out  in  all  directions,  after  having 
filled  all  the  hollows  of  the  mould.  After  a  few 
seconds,  the  pressure  is  removed  and  the  paper 
taken  up,  when  it  is  found  that  the  mixture  leaves 
the  hollows  in  the  lead  mould  entirely  and  ad- 
heres to  the  paper  in  exactly  the  same  way  as 
printing-ink  adheres  to  the  paper  when  the  latter 
IS  removed  from  an  engraved  plate.  The  paper 
then  has  the  picture  adhering  to  it.  This,  how- 
ever, is  still  soluble  in  water,  and  could  be 
washed  off;  but  by  immersing  it  in  a  solution  of 
alum,  the  gelatine  or  glue  becomes  utterly  in- 
soluble, even  in  boiling  water,  and  we  have  a 
permanent  finished  print. 

It  is  evident  that  any  color  can  be  used.  Black 
with  a  brown  tone  is  always  the  finest,  and  is 
preferred  by  artists ;  blue  toned  blacks  are  fine 
for  certain  styles  of  subjects,  as  are  also  violet 
blacks.  Of  other  colors,  dark  red,  or  brown 
and  dark  blue,  are  the  only  ones  which  give  satis- 
faction ;  their  effect,  however,  is  always  inferior 
to  that  of  the  warm  brown  black,  which  gives  the 
very  tone  obtained  in  the  best  silver  prints, 
treated  with  a  gold  solution. 

PHOTOGRAPHIC  SEALS.— K  photo- 
grapher in  Freiberg  has  made  seals  and  stamps 
with  the  portraits  of  his  customers.  A  thin 
layer  of  gelatine  sensitized  with  bichromate  of 
porxsh  is  exposed  to  the  action  of  light  under  a 
photographic  positive,  by  which  the  parts  acted 
uptui  are  rendered  insoluble  in  water.  The  gela- 
tine film  is  immersed  in  water,  and  the  parts  not 
acted  upon  by  light  swell  up,  and  we  obtain  a 
picture  in  relief,  of  which  a  plaster  cast  can  be 
taken.  An  ekctro.ype  copy  being  taken  of  the 
cast,  we  have  a  mtiallic  fac-siniile  of  the  photo- 
graph, which  can  be  employed  as  a  seal.  This 
is  essentially  an  application  of  the  photographic 
process,  and  suggests  an  excellent  method  for 
obtaining  perfect  likenesses  of  persons  in  metallic 


casts  for  the  use  of  the  printer,   as  well  as  an 
admirable  way  of  illustrating  scientific  books. 

PHOTOGRAPHING  ON  WOOD.  — ^^n 
after  the  invention  of  photography,  efforts  were 
made  to  transfer  photographs  to  blocks  of  wood, 
and  to  engrave  them  afterwards'  like  ordinary 
cuts.  The  advantage  of  this  process  is  two-fold : 
first,  it  is  not  necessary  to  make  the  drawing ; 
and  secondly,  the  photographic  image  is  a  much 
better  copy  than  any  hand-drawing,  especially  if 
the  copy  is  to  be  reduced  in  size.  In  regard  to 
the  process  of  transferring,  it  has  not  as  yet  met 
with  any  great  difficulties,  although  images  could 
not  be  very  well  fixed,  and  were  liable  to  be- 
come too  dark.  A  further  and  more  serious  in- 
convenience made  itself  apparent  in  the  old  pro- 
cess of  preparation.  The  block  became  so  much 
softened  and  impregnated  with  salts  that  the 
artist  was  unable  to  execute  his  work  with  ordi- 
nary facility;  in  a  word,  the  wood  became  fi- 
brous and  not  capable  of  being  well  cut.  At  a 
more  recent  date,  the  attempt  was  made  to  paste 
a  skin  of  collodion  with  the  photograph  on  the 
block,  and  then  to  cut  it.  It  happened,  however, 
that  the  skin  would  become  partially  loosened, 
which  made  this  method  completely  useless. 

Tlie  difficult  problem  has  finally  been  solved 
by  Mr.  Leth,  in  Leipzig,  .whose  method  is  in 
detail  as  follows  :  In  order  to  preserve  the  wood 
from  the  penetration  of  water,  during  the  subse- 
quent operations,  the  wood  block  is  coated  on  its 
reverse  and  on  its  four  edges  with  varnish  or 
wax.  After  this,  the  perfectly  polished  cutting 
surface  is  grounded  in  the  ordinary  manner. 
Wood-cutters  generally  use  for  this  purpose 
white  lead,  zinc  white,  or  blanc  fixe,  with  gum 
water;  but  for  the  purpose  under  consideration 
glue  water  is  sufficient.  The  grounding  is  ac- 
complished by  means  of  rubbing  with  the  finger 
and  the  ball  of  the  hand  until  the  surface  is  uni- 
formly white  and  dry.  This  surface  is  hereupon 
immersed  in  a  somewhat  concentrated  solution 
of  alum,  which  will  coagulate  the  glue,  the  su- 
perfluous liquid  being  thrown  off  by  swinging 
the  block  about.  The  block  is  then  allowed  to 
dry.  The  photographic  image  is  not  produced 
on  the  wood  block,  but  on  a  glass  plate  which  is 
coated  with  a  solution  of  bichromate  of  potash 
mixed  with  gum  and  honey. 

By  laying  upon  the  latter  a  positive  photo- 
graphic copy  of  an  image,  and  subjecting  it  to 
the  action  of  light,  an  indistinct  picture  is  ob- 
tained, but  by  spreading  burned  soot  or  another 
dust  color  upon  it,  it  appears  perfect ;  and  if  a 
proper  shade  has  been  selected,  can  scarcely  be 
distinguished  from  an  ordinary  photograph.  The 
parts  of  the  chrome  salt  solution  which  have 
been  affected  by  the  light  fail  to  take  the  dust- 
colors,  while  they  adhere  on  the  parts  which 
have  been  protected  against  the  action  of  the 
light,  and  thus  the  image  is  brought  out.  The 
latter  is  now  to  be  transferred  upon  the  wood 
block.  This  is  done  by  coating  the  picture  with 
collodion,  and  after  that  putting  it  into  dilute 
nitric  acid.  Thereby  the  chrome  salt  is  decom- 
posed and  the  still  soluble  gum  washed  off,  while 
the  dust  colors  remain  on  the  collodion.  The 
cohesion  between  the  collodion  skin  and  the 
glass  is  at  the  same  time  removed.  If  the  glass 
is  immersed  in  a  large  vessel  with  sugar  water, 
the  skin  may  be  easily  removed  by  the  fingers. 
The  skin  now  floats  in  the  sugar  water.  It  is 
made  to  cover  the  wood  block  by  immersing  the 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS, 


291 


latter  in  the  water,  so  that  its  prepared  surface 
comes  just  below  the  floating  collodion  skin. 
When  the  latter  lies  without  folds  or  bubbles  in 
the  proper  position  on  the  prepared  wood  sur- 
face, the  block  is  withdrawn  from  the  water  and 
placed  on  edge  for  drying.  In  order  to  dissolve 
and  separate  the  collodion  skin,  the  surface  of  the 
picture  is  now  sprinkled  with  ether.  The  dust 
colors,  which  represent  the  image,  however,  re- 
main upon  the  ground  surface,  and  after  the' 
ether  has  evaporated,  the  block  is  ready  for  cut- 
ting. In  regard  to  the  shade,  it  does  not  depend 
upon  the  chemical  process,  but  upon  the  dust 
powder  itself,  which  may  be  taken  of  any  tint. 
Any  picture  taken  from  nature  may  be  transfer- 
red in  this  manner,  and  if  engraved,  will  show  a 
similarity  to  the  original  not  easily  attainable. 

PHOTOGRAPHING  ON  WOOD,  Sear- 
ing's Process  of.  —  The  block  on  which  the  pic- 
ture is  to  be  made  is  first  dampened  with  water, 
then  whitened  with  enamel  rubied  from  the  sur- 
face of  good  enameled  visiting  cards.  Rub 
gently,  removing  only  the  enamel,  after  which  it 
is  brushed  smooth  with  a  moderately  stiff  brush, 
from  right  to  left  and  up  and  down,  making  a 
smooth,  even,  and  very  thin  surface.  Allow  this 
to  dry,  after  which  it  is  flowed  with  a  solution  of 
albumen,  made  with  the  white  of  one  egg  and 
sixteen  ounces  of  water,  dried  by  heat  or  allowed 
to  dry  spontaneously.  Now  coat  it  with  another 
albumen  solution  made  as  follows : — i.  White  of 
one  egg;  water,  4  ounces;  chloride  of  ammonia, 
40  grains.  Beat  the  whole  to  a  thick  froth.  Al- 
low to  subside,  then  decant  or  filter  through  a 
fine  sponge  placed  in  a  glass  funnel.  Pour  a 
sufficient  quantity  on  one  corner  of  the  block  to 
cover  it,  when  spread  around  with  the  aid  of  a 
1-9  or  1-6  glass  (using  the  edge).  Allow  the 
surplus  solution  to  drain  back  into  the  bottle. 
Dry  this  by  a  gentle  heat. — 2.  Ether,  i  oz.;  alcohol, 
I  oz.;  gun-cotton,  8  grs.;  nitrate  of  silver,  30  grs.; 
dissolve  in  as  small  a  quantity  of  water  as  pos- 
sible, and  allow  to  settle  for  a  few  days,  protected 
from  the  light.  Flow  the  salted  block  with  for- 
mula No.  2,  in  the  dark  room,  and  dry  by  gentle 
heat.  It  is  now  ready  for  exposure  under  the 
negative.  A  porcelain  printing  frame,  or  any 
other  suitable  method,  may  be  used  to  print  it. 
After  printing,  formula  2  is  removed  from  the 
surface  of  the  block  by  dissolving  in  ether  and 
alcohol,  assisted  by  rubbing  gently  with  a  soft 
Bponge.  The  picture  can  now  be  toned  and  fixed 
in  the  ordinary  way,  or  fixed  and  toned  at  one 
operation,  by  the  hypo  and  gold  bath.  After 
being  allowed  to  dry,  it  is  ready  for  the  engraver. 

SIIVER  {Waste),  To  Recover.— T)r.  Grager 
has  proposed  a  new  method  for  the  regeneration 
of  waste  nitrate  of  silver  solutions  used  in  photo- 
graphy. After  first  referring  to  the  generally 
applied  and  well  known  means  now  in  use  for 
this  purpose,  the  author  states  that  the  best  plan 
to  treat  these  solutions  is  the  following :  Thev  are 
boiled  either  in  a  porcelain  basin  or  a  glass  f!ask, 
and  while  boiling,  there  is  added  to  them  recent- 
ly precipitated,  well  washed,  and  moist  oxide  of 
silver;  the  boiling  being  continued  for  some  time. 
The  liquid  is  next  filtered,  and  then  evaporated 
to  dryness,  the  heat  being  increased  to  fusion, 
so  as  to  destroy  ammoniacal  salts  ;  the  residue 
is  pure  nitrate  of  silver.  The  sediment  on  the 
filter  contains  some  oxide  of  silver,  which  must 
be  added  in  excess  ;  and,  therefore,  in  order  not 
to  lose  that,  the  filter  is  preserved,  and  the  con- 


tents worked  up  at  a  subsequent  operation.  The 
nitrate  of  silver  thus  obtained  is,  by  practical 
photographers,  pronounced  to  be  of  excellent 
quality. 

SILVER  STAINS,  To  Remove.— VuihtiMsi 
pound  of  Glauber  salts,  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
the  chloride  of  lime,  and  eight  ounces  of  water, 
into  a  little  wide  mouthed  bottle,  and  when  re- 
quiredfor  usepour  some  of  the  thick  sedimentinto 
a  saucer,  and  rub  it  well  over  the  hands  with 
pumice  stone  or  a  nail  brush,  and  it  will  clean 
the  fingers  quite  Ajual  to  cyanide,  but  \vithout 
any  danger.  This  will  do  to  use  over  again  until 
exhausted  and  should  be  kept  corked  up.  The 
disagreable  smell  may  be  entirely  avoided  by  the 
liberal  use  of  lemon  juice,  which  not  only  entirely 
removes  the  smell,  but  whitens  the  hands. 

SOLUTIONS,  FIXING.— ¥or  positives: 
Cyanide  of  potassium,  120  grs.;  nitrate  of  silver, 
6  grs.;  ^vater,  10  ozs.  When  this  solution  re- 
quires more  than  a  minute  or  two  to  clear  the 
picture,  add  a  small  amount  of  cyanide  of  potas- 
sium. 

This  solution  is  highly  poisonous,  and  should 
not  be  allowed  to  touch  unsound  skin,  nor  should 
the  fumes  be  breathed. 

For  negatives :  The  above  solution  of  cyanide 
of  potassium  answers  very  well,  or  hyposulphite 
of  soda,  10  ozs.;  water,  10 ozs.;  ether,  30  minims. 

SOLUTION  OF  SILK  in  Photography.— 
Pure  silk  is  soluble  in  hydrochloric  acid,  and  if 
the  solution  be  neutralized  by  ammonia,  and 
evaporated,  an  organic  chloride  of  ammonium 
results,  which  is  capable  of  use  in  photography, 
particularly  for  salting  paper.  Paper  thus  pre- 
pared is  said  to  be  more  sensitive  than  that  salted 
in  the  usual  way,  and  in  printing,  gives  a  warmer 
tone.  It  is  thought  that  this  salt  could  also  be 
used  in  the  preparation  of  collodio-chloride  of 
silver,  if  it  were  sufficiently  soluble  in  alcohol. 

STEREOSCOPIC  PICTURES.  —  Photo- 
graphs for  the  refracting  stereoscope  are  taken 
with  small  lenses  of  about  ^yi  inches  focus.  For 
portraits  a  camera  may  advantageously  be  fitted 
with  two  double  combination  lenses,  of  l^ 
inches  diameter,  exactly  equal  in  focal  length  and 
in  rapidity  of  action.  The  caps  are  removed  si- 
multaneously, and  the  pictures  impressed  at  the 
same  instant.  The  centers  of  the  lenses  may  be 
separated  by  3  inches,  when  the  camera  is  placed 
at  about  6  or  8  feet  from  the  sitter.  Pictures 
taken  with  binocular  camera  of  this  kind  require 
to  be  mounted  in  a  reversed  position  to  that  which 
they  occupy  on  the  glass,  or  a  pseudoscopic  effect 
will  be  produced.  The  negatives  may  be  cut  in 
half,  the  right  half  being  printed  on  the  left  side, 
or  the  finished  prints  may  be  removed  before 
mounting. 

STEREOSCOPIC  TRANSPARENCIES. 
— Sensitive  films  prepared  by  Russel's  Tannin 
Process.  Place  the  negative  and  the  prepared 
plate  in  contact,  and  squeeze  them  together  in  an 
ordinary  pressure  frame ;  not  too  strongly,  how- 
ever, or  it  will  probably  be  found,  after  throwing 
off  a  few  impressions,  that  the  negative  has  been 
scratched.  Lay  a  strip  of  black  velvet  behind  the 
sensitive  film  to  absorb  stray  light. 

TAPIOCA  PAPER  in  Photography.  —  \ 
substance  called  tapioca  paper — recommended  as 
very  useful  in  taking  photographs  by  artificial 
light — is  prepared  by  soaking  300  grains  of  ta- 
pioca for  two  days  in  an  equal  weight  of  water, 
then  adding  a  quart  of  water ;  and  afterward  for 


292 


DICTIONARY  OF EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


every  tenth  of  a  quart  of  the  liquid  fifteen  grains 
of^ iodide  of  potassium,  forty-five  grains  of  chlor- 
ide of  potassium,  and  one  and  a  half  grains  of 
bromide  of  potassium  are  to  be  introduced,  and, 
when  dissolved,  the  whole  boiled  for  ten  min- 
utes, allowed  to  stand  for  a  day,  and  then  decant- 
ed and  filtered  through  linen.  Twelve  to  twenty 
sheets  of  the  paper  are  immersed  in  this  liquid 
at  a  time,  or  can  be  floated  npon  it  for  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes,  and  then  hung  xip  to  dry  in  a 
dark  room.  Should  the  paper  assume  a  dark 
color  it  will  be  of  no  consequffnce,  since  this  tint 
will  disappear  in  the  silver  bath.  This  bath  is 
to  be  prepared  in  the  proportion  of  I  to  15,  and 
for  every  ounce  of  nitrate  of  silver  fifty  or  sixty 
grains  of  citric  acid  are  to  be  added.  The  de- 
veloper is  made  of  fifty  grains  of  pyrogallic  acid 
and  eighty  grains  of  citric  acid  in  thirty  ounces 
of  water.  The  time  of  exposure  varies  from  ten 
seconds  to  twenty-five  minutes,  according  to  the 

f)icture  to  be  copied  and  the  actinic  force  of  the 
ight. 

TINTING  Photographs  s^ightfy.—  Hnv'mg 
prepared  the  photograph  in  the  usual  way,  take 
a  little  pink  madder  or  carmine,  and  lay  it  on  the 
cheek  with  a  clean  pencil.  Soften  it  carefully  all 
round  the  edges,  blending  the  tint  into  the  lace. 
Repeat  the  process  once  and  again,  until  you 
have  obtained  nearly  as  much  color  as  necessary ; 
I  say  nearly  as  much,  because  you  have  to  pass 

■  the  general  flesh  wash  over  it,  which  has  the  ef- 
fect of  darkening  it  considerably.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  softening,  it  will  be  as  well  to  have  two 
pencils  on  one  holder.  It  might  appear  that 
putting  on  the  color  of  the  cheek  at  once,  and 
softening  it,  would  suffice ;  but  you  will  get  it  far 
softer  by  doing  it  Avith  a  very  pale  tint  two  or 
three  times,  than  you  possibly  can  by  making  it 

-  at  once  as  powerful  as  necessary  ;  besides,  it  is 

f  impossible  to  soften  a  strong  color  so  well  as  a 
pale  tint.  When  the  color  is  quite  dry,  go  over 
the  whole  of  the  face  with  a  flesh  tint,  then  put 
in  the  hair,  eyes,  eyebrows,  and  lips ;  round  off 
the  forehead  with  gray,  and  apply  the  same  to 
those  parts  of  the  face  where  you  observe  it  to  be 
in  nature.  If  your  photograph  be  a  very  dark 
one,  you  will  not  require  so  much  gray  in  it  as 
if  it  were  a  light  impression.  Next  wash  in  the 
background  and  proceed  with  the  draperies,  etc. 
Return  now  to  the  face:  strengthen  the  carna- 
tions, grays,  and  shadows,  by  hatching  delicate 
tints  over  them ;  put  the  light  in  the  eyes,  and 
the  spirited  touches  about  it,  and  the  eyebrows, 
mouth,  etc.,  and  finish  off  the  hair.  In  dark 
photographs,  you  will  require  to  lay  the  lights 
on  the  hair  with  body  color,  as  it  is  generally 
much  darker  than  it  appears  in  nature.  Make 
out  the  linen  with  a  gray,  deepening  it  in  the 
darkest  parts,  and  lay  on  the  high  lights  with 
constant  or  Chinese  white.  Proceed  next  to 
shadow  the  drapery,  and  when  you  have  obtain- 
ed the  required  depth,  scumble  in  the  high  lights, 
using  a  bare  pencil  and  a  very  gentle  hand,  as 
before  directed.  Give  the  background  another 
wash,  if  requisite,  and  your  photograph  is  finish- 
ed; or  make  up  a  tint  of  orange  vermilion  and 
white,  according  to  the  complexion,  and  lay  it 

'  smoothly  over  face  and  hands ;  then  put  on  the 
carnations  with  rose  madder,  and  shadow  up  the 
face  wiili  orange  tint,  and  proceed  as  above  to 
finish.  If  tlie  backgrounds  and  draperies  appear 
dead,  you  may  take  a  piece  of  very  soft  washing 
silk  and  rub  them  up  a  little,  which  will  have  the 


same  effect  as  if  they  had  been  hot  pressed. 
Whenever  botly  color  has  been  used,  the  rubbing 
will  be  ineffective.  Neither  rubbing  nor  hot 
pressing  will  give  a  shine  to  any  but  transparent 
tints.  If  there  be  metal  buttons,  chains,  or  epau- 
lettes, they  must  be  laid  over  the  dress  with  body 
o»lors ;  a  very  good  ground  for  them  is  red 
chrome  and  gamboge,  shadowed  with  burnt 
umber,  and  hightened  on  the  lights  with  lemon 
chrome  and  Chinese  white.  By  the  foregoing 
methods,  it  will  be  unnecessary  to  hatch  or 
stipple  a  great  deal ;  for  you  will  find  that  the 
face  will  come  out  very  soft  and  round  without  it, 
but  the  effect  is  far  inferior  to  that  produced  by 
the  other  process. 

TRA  YS  of  Fapier Macke.— There,  is  no  rea- 
son why  dishes,  trays,  pails,  bottles  and  other 
utensils  for  photographers'  use  should  not  be 
made  of  papier  mache.  This  material  is  not  liable 
to  shrink  or  break.  It  is  very  light,  unacted 
upon  by  acids,  impervious  to  water,  unaffected 
by  silver,  and  is  in  every  way  preferable  to  ordi- 
nary porcelain.  Tlie  difference  in  cost  as  com- 
pared with  porcelain  is  now  quite  trifling. 

VARNISH  for  Colored  Drawings.— Take  of 
Canada  balsam,  i  oz.;  spirit  of  turpentine,  2  ozs. 
Mix  them  together.  Before  this  composition  is 
applied,  the  drawing  or  print  should  be  sized 
with  a  solution  of  isinglass  in  water;  and  when 
drv  apply  the  varnish  with  a  camel's  hair  brush. 

'varnish  {Camphorated  Mastic)  for  Paint- 
ings. — Take  of  mastic  cleaned  and  washed,  12 
oz.;  pure  turpentine,  i^  oz.;  camphor,  ^  oz.; 
white  glass  pounded,  5  oz,;  essence  of  turpentine, 
36  oz.  Make  the  varnish  according  to  the  me- 
thod indicated  for  Compound  Mastic  Varnish. 
The  camphor  is  employed  in  pieces,  and  the  tur- 
pentine is  added  when  the  solution  of  the  resin  is 
completed.  But  if  the  varnish  is  to  be  applied  to 
old  paintings,  or  paintings  which  have  been  al- 
ready varnished,  the  turpentine  may  be  suppress- 
ed; as  this  ingredient  is  here  recommended  only 
in  cases  of  a  first  application  to  new  paintings, 
and  just  freed  from  white-of-egg  varnish. 

The  question  by  able  masters  respecting  the 
kind  of  varnish  proper  to  be  employed  for  paint- 
ings, has  never  yet  been  determined.  Some  artists 
who  have  paid  particular  attention  to  this  subject, 
make  a  mystery  of  the  means  they  employ  to  ob- 
tain the  desired  effect.  The  real  end  may  be  ac- 
complished by  giving  to  the  varnish  destined  for 
painting,  pliability  and  softness,  without  being 
too  solicitous  in  regard  to  what  may  add  to  its 
consistence  or  its  solidity.  The  latter  quality  is 
particularly  requisite  in  varnishes  which  are  to  be 
applied  to  articles  much  exposed  to  friction ;  such 
as  boxes,  furniture,  etc. 

VARNISH,  Etching.— \.  Take  of  virgin  wax 
and  asphaltum,  each  2  oz.;  of  black  pitch  and 
Burgundy  pitch,  each  ^  oz.;  melt  the  wax  and 
pitch  in  a  new  earthenware  glazed  pot,  and  add 
to  them,  by  degrees,  the  asphaltum,  finely  pow- 
dered. Let  the  whole  boil,  simmering  gradually, 
till  such  time  as  that,  taking  a  drop  upon  a  plate, 
it  will  break  when  it  is  cold,  on  bending  it  double 
two  or  three  times  betwixt  the  fingers.  The  var- 
nish, being  then  boiled  enough,  must  be  taken 
off  the  fire,  and,  after  it  cools  a  little,  must  be 
poi;red  into  warm  water  that  it  may  work  the 
more  easily  with  the  hands,  so  as  to  be  formed 
into  balls,  which  must  be  kneaded,  and  put  into 
a  piece  of  taffety  for  use. — 2.  White  wax,  2  oz.; 
black  and  Burgundy  pitch,  of  each  ^  oz.;  melt 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


293 


together,   add  by  degrees  powdered  asphaltum, 

2  oz.,   and  boil  till  a  drop  taken  out  on  a  plate 
will  break  when  cold  by  being  bent  double  2  or 

3  times  between  the  fingers ;   it  must  then  be 

Eoured  into  warm  water  and  made  into  small 
alls  for  use. 
WASHING  SODA,  Improved  substitute  Jvr. 
— It  has  been  found  that  the  hyposulphite  of  soda, 


which  is  now  manufactured  very  cheaply,  for  the 
use  of  photographers,  is  much  better  than  the 
common  washing  soda  to  wash  delicate  objects. 
It  attacks  neither  the  skin  of  the  hands  nor  the 
objects  to  be  washed,  as  does  the  common  soda; 
and  at  the  same  time  it  is  an  effective  bleaching 
agent,  and  takes  out  many  spots  better  than  any 
other  substance. 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


ANCHOVIES,  EnglisA.— Sprats,  i  bushel; 
salt,  7  pounds;  saltpetre,  3  pounds;  prunella,  ^ 
pound;  cochineal  to  color  slightly.  Pound  in  a 
mortar,  then  put  into  a  stone  pan  or  empty  an- 
chovy barrel,  first  a  layer  of  sprats,  then  one  of 
the  composition,  then  a  layer  of  sprats,  and  so 
on,  until  it  is  filled.  Press  down  tight,  and  keep 
them  for  six  months. 

APPLE  BUTTER.— Soltct  two  bushels  of 
sour  apples,  and  peel,  core  and  quarter  them. 
Take  a  barrel  of  good  sweet  apple  cider,  and  boil 
It  in  a  copper  kettle  until  all  the  impurities  have 
risen  to  the  surface.  After  this  is  done,  and  the 
impurities  skimmed  off,  take  out  two  thirds  of 
the  cider.  Then  put  in  the  apples,  and  as  the 
quantity  boils  down  put  in  the  rest  of  the  cider. 
After  putting  in  the  apples  the  butter  must  be 
stirred  without  interruption  until  it  is  taken  off. 
It  will  take  about  five  hours  boiling  after  the 
apples  are  put  into  the  cider.  It  should  be  boiled 
until  the  whole  mass  becomes  smooth  and  of  the 
same  consistency,  and  of  a  dark  brown  color. 
Spice  with  ground  cloves  and  cinnamon,  to  taste. 
The  butter  can  then  be  taken  off  and  put  into 
vessels  for  use.  Earthen  crocks  are  best  for  this 
purpose.  Tie  the  vessels  over  with  heavy  paper 
and  set  them  away  in  a  dry  place.  The  butter 
will  keep  a  year  if  wanted. 

APPLE  BUTTER,  {Pennsylvania  method.) 
— Boil  new  cider  down  to  one  half.  Pare,  cut, 
and  core  equal  quantities  of  sweet  and  sour  ap- 
ples. Put  the  sweet  apples  in  a  large  kettle  to 
soften  a  little  first,  as  they  are  the  hardest.  Add 
enough  boiled  cider  to  cook  them.  After  boiling 
half  an  hour,  stirring  often,  put  in  the  sour  ap- 
ples, and  add  more  boiled  cider  with  molasses 
enough  to  sweeten  moderately.  Boil  until  ten- 
der, stirring  to  prevent  burning.  Pack  in  firkins 
or  stone  pots  for  winter  use. 

APPLES,  To  Dry. — The  most  general  me- 
thod adopted  in  drying  apples  is,  after  they  are 
pared,  to  cut  them  in  slices,  and  spread  them  on 
cloths,  tables,  or  boards,  and  dry  them  out-doors. 
In  clear  and  dry  weather  this  is,  perhaps,  the 
most  expeditious  and  best  way;  but  in  cloudy 
and  stormy  weather  this  way  is  attended  with 
much  inconvenience,  and  sometimes  loss,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  apples  rotting  before  they  dry. 
To  some  extent  they  may  be  dried  in  this  way  in 
the  house,  though  this  is  attended  with  much  in- 
convenience. The  best  method  that  I  have  ever 
used  to  dry  apples  is  to  use  frames.  These  com- 
bine the  most  advantages  with  the  least  incon- 
venience of  any  way,  and  can  be  used  with  equal 
advantage  either  in  drying  in  the  house  or  out  in 


the  sun.  In  pleasant  weather  the  frames  can  be 
set  out-doors  against  the  side  of  the  building,  or 
any  other  support,  and  nights,  or  cloudy  and 
stormy  days,  they  can  be  brought  into  the  house, 
and  set  against  the  side  of  the  room  near  the 
stove  or  fire-place.  Frames  are  made  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner :  Two  strips  of  board,  7  feet  long, 
2  or  zyi  inches  wide — two  strips  3  feet  long,  i^ 
inches  wide,  the  whole  }^  of  an  inch  thick — nail 
the  short  strips  across  the  ends  of  the  long  ones, 
and  it  makes  a  frame  7  by  3  feet,  which  is  a  con- 
venient size  for  all  purposes.  On  one  of  the  long 
strips  nails  are  driven  3  inches  apart,  extending 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom.  After  the  apples  are 
pared,  they  are  quartered  and  cored,  and  with  a 
needle  and  twine,  or  stout  thread  strung  into 
lengths  long  enough  to  reach  twice  across  the 
frame;  the  ends  of  the  twine  are  then  tied  together, 
and  the  strings  hung  on  the  nails  across  the 
frame.  The  apples  will  soon  dry  so  that  the 
strings  can  be  doubled  on  the  nails,  and  fresh 
ones  put  on  or  the  whole  of  them  removed,  and 
others  put  in  their  place.  As  fast  as  the  apples 
become  sufficiently  dry  they  can  be  taken  from 
the  strings,  and  the  same  strings  used  to  dry 
more  on.  If  large  apples  are  used  to  dry,  they 
can  be  cut  in  smaller  pieces.  Pears  and  quinces*,- 
and  other  fruits  that  can  be  strung,  may  be  dried 
in  this  way. 

APPLE  yAM.— The  apples,  which  should  be 
ripe,  and  of  the  best  eating  sort,  being  pared  and 
quartered,  are  put  into  a  pan  with  just  water  to 
cover  them,  and  boiled  until  they  can  be  reduced 
to  a  mash.  Then  for  each  pound  of  the  pared 
apples,  a  pound  of  sifted  sugar  is  added,  being 
sprinkled  over  the  boiling  mixture.  Boil  and  stir 
it  well,  until  reduced  to  ajam.  Then  put  it  into  pots. 

The  above  is  the  most  simple  way  of  mailing 
it ;  but  to  have  it  of  the  best  possible  clearness, 
make  a  thick  syrup  with  three  pounds  of  sugar  to 
each  pint  of  water,  and  clarify  it  with  an  egg,  as 
before  directed.  Then  add  one  pint  of  this  syrup 
for  every  three  pounds  of  apples,  and  boil  the 
jam  to  a  proper  thickness. 

APPLE  JELL  Y.  —  Take  any  quantity  of 
sound  common  apples,  those  with  red  skins  make 
the  brightest  colored  jelly;  wash  carefully,  but 
do  not  peel  them ;  fill  a  preserving-pan  with  the 
apples,  and  just  cover  them  with  water ;  boil  till 
they  are  all  in  a  pulp,  then  strain  it  through  a 
hair  sieve.  To  every  pint  of  juice  add  one  pound 
of  white  sugar,  and  a  little  essence  of  lemon ; 
boil  the  whole  till  it  is  perfectly  clear,  and  jellies 
when  cold  ;  it  ought  to  turn  out  of  a  shape  quite 
stiff  and  clear.  ' 


!294 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


APPLE  MARMALADE.  — Vetl  and  core 
two  pounds  sub-acid  apples  and  put  them  in  an 
enameled  saucepan  with  one  pint  of  sweet  cider, 
or  half  a  pint  of  pure  wine,  and  one  pound  of 
crushed  sugar,  and  cook  them  by  a  gentle  heat 
three  hours,  or  longer,  until  the  fruit  is  very- 
soft,  and  then  squeeze  it  first  through  a  colander 
and  then  through  a  sieve.  If  not  sufficiently 
sweet,  add  powdered  sugar  to  suit  your  taste, 
and  put  away  in  jars  made  air-tight  by  a  piece  of 
•wet  bladder. 

APPLES,  Preserving.— \.  By  selecting  the 
best  of  fruit,  and  carefully  enveloping  each 
specimen  separately  in  paper  so  that  the  air  can- 
not pass  through,  the  time  of  keeping  in  a  sound 
and  eatable  condition  can  be  greatly  prolonged. 
After  covering  each  apple  with  paper,  select  a 
light  wooden  box  and  cover  it  on  the  inside,  or 
outside,  with  paper  either  before,  or  after  put- 
ting in  the  fruit,  as  the  case  may  be.  Those 
persons  who  are  desirous  of  preserving  a  small 
quantity  of  apples  wiU  be  amply  repaid  for  their 
trouble  by  trying  the  above  experiment.  The 
fruit  should  not  be  disturbed  after  packing  until 

.  the  box  is  opened  at  the  time  the  fruit  is  to  be 
eaten. — 2.  A  layer  of  dry  sawdust  was  sprinkled 
at  the  bottom  of  the  box,  and  then  a  layer  of 
apples  placed  in  it  so  that  they  did  not  touch  each 
other.  Upon  these  were  placed  a  little  layer  of 
sawdust,  and  so  on  until  the  box  was  filled.  The 
boxes,  after  being  packed  in  this  way,  were  plac- 
ed on  the  wall  in  the  cellar,  up  from  the  ground, 
where  they  kept,  perfectly  retaining  their  fresh- 
ness and  flavor,  until  brought  out. — 3.  Apples 
for  keeping  should  be  laid  out  on  a  dry  floor  for 

.  three  weeks.  They  then  may  be  packed  away 
in  layers,  with  dry  straw  between  them.  Each 
apple  should  be  rubbed  with  a  dry  cloth  as  it  is 

Eut  away.  They  should  be  kept  in  a  cool  place, 
ut  should  be  sufficiently  covered  with  straw  to 
protect  them  from  frost.  They  should  be  pluck- 
ed on  a  dry  day.  They  also  keep  if  packed  in 
dry  sand. — 4.  An  excellent  method  for  preserv- 
ing apples  through  the  winter  is  to  pqt  them  in 
barrels  or  boxes,  surrounding  each  apple  with 
some  dry  mould  or  gypsum  (plaster  of  Paris) — 
not  the  calcined  used  for  casts,  models,  etc. — 
-and  kept  in  a  dry,  cool  outhouse. 

APPLES  {Crab),  Preserving.— The  fruit  is 
prepared  by  first  cutting  out  all  decayed  por- 
tions ;  then  wash  clean,  and  place  in  a  kettle  with 
sufficient  water  to  cover  the  fruit  entirely.  Have 
a  tight-fitting  lid  to  the  kettle  and  boil,  over  a 
moderate  fire,  until  the  fruit  is  soft  enough  to 
.pierce  with  a  straw;  drain  off  the  water,  and 
strain  through  a  coarse  cloth  or  jelly  bag,  and  set 
it  aside  for  jelly.  The  apples,  in  boiling,  will 
have  burst  their  skins,  which  are  easily  removed; 
the  cores  are  taken  out  by  pushing  them  through 
from  the  blossom  end,  with  a  goose  quill  or  a 
stick  of  equal  thickness,  being  careful  to  press 
the  stem  end  against  the  fingers  to  prevent  break- 
ing the  apple.  The  fruit  is  now  ready  to  pre- 
serve whole  or  to  make  into  marmalade ;  for 
either,  the  proportions  are:  4  lbs.  of  fruit,  3  lbs. 
of  sugar,  and  I  pint  of  water.  Put  the  sugar 
and  water  into  the  preserving  kettle,  set  it  over 
the  fire  until  it  boils,  then  drop  in  the  fruit,  (if  it 
is  to  be  done  whole),  boil  until  clear,  and  remove 
into  a  jar.  If  there  is  more  syrup  than  will  be 
needed,  boil  down  to  the  desired  quantity ;  pour 
it  over  the  fruit  while  hot,  and  cover  with  a 
doth,  cut  of  sufficient  size  to  covei:  and  tie  down. 


This  cloth  dip  into  a  cement  made  of  two  parts 
of  bees-wax  to  one  of  rosin,  adding  enough  tal- 
low or  lard  to  keep  it  from  cracking.  While  the 
whole  is  warm,  draw  the  cloth  tightly  over  the 
top  of  the  jar  and  tie  down.  To  make  marmalade, 
the  boiled  fruit  must  be  mashed  to  a  pulp  before 
being  added  to  the  syrup,  and  then  boiled,  and 
stirred  until  it  becomes  clear,  which  is  usually' in 
half  an  hour. 

APPLE  {Crab)  Jam. — Pare  the  crab  apples 
when  quite  ripe.  Put  them  into  a  stone  jar, 
cover  it  well,  and  put  it  in  a  pan  of  boiling  water 
for  an  hour  and  a  half.  Then  prepare  the  syrup 
with  two  pounds  of  sugar  in  half  a  pint  of  water, 
for  every  pound  of  the  apples.  Clarify  the  syrup. 
Then  put  the  apples  into  it,  and  boil  the  whole  to 
a  jam. 

APPLES  {Pine),  To  Preserve.— CvX  the  pine- 
apples into  sUces  about  half  an  inch  thick,  put 
them  into  a  jar,  make  a  syrup,  using  half  a 
pound  of  sugar  to  a  pint  of  water,  and  let  it  sim- 
mer quietly  till  dissolved.  Let  it  stand  a  day, 
and  then  pour  it  cold  over  the  fruit ;  after  a  short 
time  take  it  away,  and  let  it  simmer  again,  hav- 
ing added  a  little  more  sugar.  Repeat  this  pro- 
cess three  or  four  times,  and  the  last  time  pour 
the  syrup  boiling  over  the  fruit. 

APRICOTS,  Dried.— Thrast  out  the  stones 
with  a  wooden  skewer,  then  pare  them  and  roll 
them  in  dry  powdered  lump  sugar ;  afterwards 
put  them  into  a  cold  syrup,  made  with  2  lbs.  of 
lump  sugar  to  ^4  of  a  pint  of  water,  and  heat 
them  gradually  nearly  to  the  boiling  point,  turn- 
ing them  frequently.  Then  pour  them  into  a 
deep  dish,  and  next  day  scald  them  again,  adding 
as  much  sugar  as  will  dissolve;  again  let  them 
rest  until  the  next  day,  when  they  must  be  placed 
on  a  hair  sieve  to  drain  and  dry. 

The  fruit  should  not  be  quite  lipe.  Some- 
times the  apricots  are  cut  into  halves  or  quarters 
before  preserving,  and  at  other  times  pickled 
with  the  skins  on ;  in  the  latter  case  they  are 
gathered  sooner,  and  infused  in  cold  water  with 
some  vine  leaves ;  next  taken  out  and  gently  im- 
mersed in  fresh  water  until  they  turn  yellow, 
and  then  rubbed  with  a  flannel  and  some  salt  to 
remove  the  down ;  they  are  then  again  soaked  in 
the  pan  with  the  vine  leaves,  until  they  turn 
greenish.  The  best  are  selected,  rubbed  dry, 
the  stones  extracted,  and  boiled  in  syrup  as  above 
described. 

APRICOT  JAM.—ljtt  the  fruit  be  just  in 
maturity,  but  not  over  ripe.  Remove  the  skins, 
then  cut  the  apricots  in  halves.  Crack  the 
stones,  take  out  the  kernels,  bleach  them  in 
boiling  water,  and  then  pound  them  in  a  mortar. 
Boil  the  broken  stones,  skins,  and  parings,  in 
double  the  quantity  of  water  required  for  the 
jam.  Reduce  it  in  the  boiling  to  one  half  of  its 
original  quantity.  Then  strain  it  through  a  jelly 
bag.  To  each  pound  of  prepared  apricots  put  a 
quarter  of  a  pint  of  this  juice,  a  pound  of  sifted 
loaf  sugar,  and  the  pounded  kernels.  Put  it  on 
the  fire,  which  should  be  brisk,  and  stir  the 
whole  with  a  wooden  spoon  until  it  is  of  a  nice 
consistence,  but  without  being  very  stiff,  or  it 
would  have  a  bad  flavor.  Put  it  immediately 
into  pots,  and  let  these  stand  uncovered  during 
twenty-four  hours.  Then  strew  a  little  sifted 
sugar  over  the  upper  surface  of  the  jam  in  each 
pot,  and  tie  egged  paper  over  each  pot. 

APRICOT  yELLY.  —  Tare  the  fruit  thin, 
and  stone  it ;  weigh  an  equal  quantity  of  sugar 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


295 


in  fine  powder,  and  strew  over  it.  Stand  one 
day,  then  bqjl  very  gently  till  they  are  clear, 
move  them  into  a  bowl,  and  pour  the  liquor 
over.  The  next  day  pour  the  liquor  to  a  quart 
of  codling  liquor;  let  it  boil  quickly  till  it  will 
jelly;  put  the  fruit  into  it,  and  boil;  skim  well, 
and  put  into  small  pots. 

BACOiV. — The  reputation  of  the  Hampshire 
bacon  is  owing  entirely  to  the  care  with  which  it 
is  cured.  The  hogs,  which  are  fatted  on  peas 
and  barley  meal,  are  kept  fasting  for  twenty-four 
hours  at  least  before  they  are  killed ;  they  are 
used  as  gently  as  possible  in  the  act  of  killing, 
which  is  done  by  inserting  a  long-pointed  knife 
into  the  main  artery  which  comes  from  the  heart. 
The  hair  is  burnt  off  with  lighted  straw,  and  the 
dirty  surface  of  the  skin  scraped  off.  The  carcass 
is  hung  up  after  the  entrails  have  been  removed, 
and  the  next  day,  when  the  meat  has  become 
quite  cold,  it  is  cut  up  into  flitches.  The  spare- 
ribs  are  taken  out,  and  the  bloody  veins  care- 
fully removed ;  the  whole  is  then  covered  with 
salt,  with  a  small  quantity  of  saltpetre  mixed 
with  it.  Sometimes  a  little  brown  sugar  is  added, 
which  gives  a  pleasant  sweetness  to  the  bacon. 
The  flitches  are  laid  on  a  low  wooden  table, 
which  has  a  small  raised  border  at  the  lower  end. 
The  table  slants  a  little,  so  as  to  let  the  brine 
run  off  into  a  vessel  placed  under  it,  by  a  small 
opening  in  the  border  at  the  lower  end. 
.  The  flitches  are  turned  up  and  salted  every 
day;  those  which  were  uppermost  are  put  under, 
and  in  three  weeks  they  are  ready  to  be  hung  up 
to  dry.  Smoking  the  bacon  is  no  longer  as  com- 
mon as  it  used  to  be,  as  simply  drying  in  the 
salt  is  found  sufficient  to  make  it  keep.  Those 
who  from  early  association  like  the  flavor  given 
by  the  smoke  of  wood  burn  sawdust  and  shav- 
ings in  a  smothered  fire  for  some  time  under  the 
flitches. 

When  they  are  quite  dry  they  are  placed  on  a 
board  rack  for  the  use  of  the  family,  or  are  pack- 
ed with  wheat  chaff  into  chests  till  they  are  sold. 
The  practice  of  cutting  the  hogs  into  pieces  and 
pickling  them  in  a  vat,  being  attended  with  less 
trouble,  is  very  generally  preferred  when  there  is 
only  a  sufficient  number  of  hogs  killed  to  serve 
the  farmer's  family ;  but  flitches  of  bacon  well 
cured  are  more  profitable  for  sale.  Corn-fed 
.  bacon  is  at  least  equal  if  not  superior  to  the  bar- 
ley-fed, which  is  considered  the  prime  article  in 
England. 

BEEF,  To  Cure. — Cut  up  the  beef,  and  weigh 
and  bulk  it  up,  sprinkling  a  little  salt  over  it, 
and  let  it  lay  ten  or  twelve  hours,  then  pack  it 
down  in  the  barrel.  To  one  hundred  pounds  of 
beef  take  one  quart  of  salt,  three  and  one  half 

gints  of  molasses,  one  tablespoonful  of  saltpetre, 
ut  all  this  into  sufficient  water  to  cover  the 
beef;  boil  the  pickle,  and  skim  off  all  the  scum, 
and  when  cold  pour  it  over  the  beef,  and  weigh 
it  down.  Keep  the  beef  covered  with  the 
pickle. 

BEEF,  Z)v^F.— The  good  qualities  of  dried 
beef  as  an  article  of  food  for  the  family  are  not 
fully  appreciated.  In  point  of  excellence  it  is 
one  of  the  nicest  articles,  when  properly  prepa- 
red, that  W9  have  in  our  store-room.  It  is  also 
one  of  the  most  economical  articles  of  food;  quite 
a  small  quantity  of  dried  beef,  shaved  very  fine, 
and  cooked  with  a  nice  gravy,  will  serve  for  meat 
for  a  family  at  very  small  expense.  Then  it  is 
so  convenient  to  have;   always  ready;  always 


acceptable.  To  people  who  live  convenient  to 
market,  it  is  not  of  so  much  importance  ;  but  to 
us,  who  live  at  a  distance  from  towns,  dried  beef 
is  one  of  the  necessary  articles  in  our  bill  of  fare. 
We  frequently  entertain  guests  at  our  table  who 
never  have  seen  dried  beef  served  other  than  as 
a  relish  for  bread  and  butter,  shaved  and  eaten 
without  cooking.  There  are  several  methods  of 
cooking  it.  Some  prefer  it  cooked  with  a  gravy 
of  water,  seasoned  with  butter,  thickened  with 
flour,  and  perhaps  eggs  broken  in  while  cooking. 
Others  cook  it  with  crumbs  of  sausage,  frying 
the  sausage  first,  then  adding  the  beef  with  wa- 
ter, and  thickening  with  flour.  It  is  also  very 
good  cooked  with  a  little  sweet  milk  and  sweet 
cream,  the  gravy  being  thickened  with  flour; 
allow  it  to  boil  once ;  that  is  all  the  cooking  it 
requires.  A  dish  of  dried  beef,  properly  cooked, 
served  with  toast,  baked  potatoes,  and  boiled 
eggs,  is  a  very  nice  provision  for  breakfast  or  a 
dinner  prepared  in  haste.  When  too  salt,  it  can 
be  remedied  by  soaking,  after  cutting  and  before, 
and  adding  a  little  white  sugar  while  cooking, 
to  restore  the  sweetness  lost  by  soaking.  Sugar 
cured  beef  is  much  nicer  than  that  cured  with 
salt  alone.  I  put  mine  into  a  sweet  brine,  such 
as  is  used  for  pork  hams. 

BEEF,  FICXLED.—Rnh  each  piece  of  beef 
very  lightly  with  salt;  let  them  lie  singly  on  a 
tray  or  board  for  24  hours,  then  wipe  them  very 
dry.  Pack  them  closely  in  a  tub,  taking  care 
that  it  is  perfectly  sweet  and  clean.  Have  the 
pickle  ready,  made  thus:  Boil  four  gallons  of 
soft  water  with  ten  pounds  of  coarse  salt,  four 
ounces  of  saltpetre,  and  two  pounds  of  coarse 
brown  sugar;  let  it  boil  15  minutes,  and  skim  it 
while  boiling  very  clean.  When  perfectly  cold 
pour  it  on  the  beef,  laying  a  weight  on  the  top  to 
keep  the  meat  under  the  pickle.  This  quantity 
is  sufficient  for  100  lbs.  of  beef  if  closely  packed. 

BEAN'S,  To  keep  Fresh  for  Winter. — Procure 
a  wide  mouthed  stone  jar,  lay  on  the  bottom  of  it 
some  freshly  pulled  French  beans,  and  over  them 
put  a  layer  of  salt;  fill  the  jar  up  in  this  manner 
with  alternate  layers  of  beans  and  salt.  The 
beans  need  not  all  be  put  in  at  the  same  time, 
but  they  are  better  if  the  salt  be  put  on  while  they 
are  quite  fresh.  They  will  keep  good  all  through 
the  winter.  WTien  going  to  use  them,  steep  for 
some  hours  in  fresh  cold  water. 

BLA  CKBERR  Y  J^/f^/.— Gather  the  fruit  in 
dry  weather;  allow  half  a  pound  of  good  brc^n 
sugar  to  every  pound  of  fruit ;  boil  the  whole  to- 
gether gently  for  an  hour,  or  till  the  blackberries 
are  soft,  stirring  and  mashing  them  well.  Pre- 
serve it  like  any  other  jam,  and  it  will  be  found 
very  useful  in  families,  particularly  for  children 
—  regulating  their  bowels,  and  enabhng  you  to 
dispense  with  cathartics.  It  may  be  spread  on 
bread,  or  on  puddings,  instead  of  butter ;  and 
even  when  the  blackberries  are  bought,  it  is 
cheaper  than  butter.  In  the  country,  every  fam- 
ily should  preserve,  at  least,  half  a  peck  of  black- 
berries. 

BLA  CKBERR  Y  SYRUP.— 'Y2k&  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  ripe  blackberries.  Put  them  into  a 
sieve  placed  over  a  large  broad  pan,  and  with  a 
clean  potato  masher,  or  something  of  the  sort, 
press  out  all  the  juice.  Or  having  bruised  them  first, 
put  the  blackberries  into  a  linen  bag,  and  squeeze 
out  all  the  juice  into  a  vessel  placed  beneath.  Meas- 
ure it,  and  to  every  quart  of  the  strained  juice 
allow   half  a   pound  of  powdered  loaf  sugar. 


296 


DICTION AR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


boils.  When  it  has  boiled  a  few  minutes,  pour 
it  through  a  flannel  bag  till  it  runs  clear.  Then 
have  in  readiness  a  large  china  basin,  with  some 
lemon-peel  in  it,  cut  as  thin  as  possible,  let  the 
clear  jelly  run  upon  them  while  warm,  and  from 
these  it  will  acquire  both  an  amber  color,  and  an 
agreeable  flavor.  Afterwards  it  may  be  poured 
into  glasses. 

CANNING  FRUIT.— T[\e  principle  should 
be  understood,  in  order  to  work  intelligently. 
The  fruit  is  preserved  by  placing  it  in  a  vessel 
from  which  the  external  air  is  entirely  excluded. 
This  is  effected  by  surrounding  the  fruit  by  liquid, 
and  by  the  use  of  heat  to  rarify  and  expel  the  air 
that  may  be  entangled  in  the  fruit  or  lodged  in  its 
pores.  The  preservation  does  not  depend  upon 
sugar,  though  enough  of  this  is  used  in  the  liquid 
which  covers  the  fruit  to  make  it  palatable.  The 
heat  answers  another  purpose;  it  destroys  the 
ferment  which  fruits  naturally  contain,  and  as 
long  as  they  are  kept  from  contact  with  the  ex- 
ternal air  they  do  not  decompose. 

The  vessels  in  which  fruits  are  preserved  are 
tin,  glass,  and  earthenware.  Tin  is  used  at  the 
factories  where  large  quantities  are  put  up  for 
commerce,  but  is  seldom  used  in  families,  as  more 
skill  in  soldering  is  required  than  most  persons 
possess.  Besides,  the  tins  are  not  generally  safe  to 
use  more  than  once.  Glass  is  the  preferable  ma- 
terial, as  it  is  readily  cleaned  and  allows  the  in- 
terior to  be  frequently  inspected.  Any  kind  ol 
bottle  or  jar  that  has  a  mouth  wide  enough  to 
admit  the  fruit  and  that  can  be  securely  stopped, 
positively  air-tight — which  is  much  closer  than 
water-tight  —  will  answer.  Jars  of  various  pat- 
terns and  patents  are  made  for  the  purpose,  and 
are  sold  at  the  crockery  and  grocery  stores.  These 
have  wide  mouths,  and  a  glass  or  metallic  cap 
which  is  made  to  fit  very  tightly  by  an  India- 
rubber  ring  between  the  metal  and  the  glass. 
The  devices  for  these  caps  are  numerous,  and 
much  ingenuity  is  displayed  in  inventing  them. 
We  have  used  several  patterns  without  much  dif- 
ference in  success,  but  have  found  there  was  some 
difterence  in  the  facility  vrith  which  the  jars  could 
be  opened  and  closed.  The  best  are  those  in  which 
atmospheric  pressure  helps  the  sealing,  and 
where  the  sole  dependence  is  not  upon  screws 
or  clamps.  To  test  a  jar,  light  a  slip  of  paper 
and  hold  it  within  it.  The  heat  of  the  flame  will 
expand  the  air  and  drive  out  a  portion  of  it.  Now 
put  on  the  cap;  when  the  lar  becomes  cool  the 
air  within  will  contract,  and  the  pressure  of  tlie 
external  air  should  hold  the  cover  on  so  firmly 
that  it  cannot  be  pulled  off  without  first  letting  in 
air  by  pressing  aside  the  rubber  or  by  such  other 
means  as  is  provided  in  the -construction  of  the 
jar.  When  regular  fruit  jars  are  not  used,  good 
corks  and  cement  must  be  provided. 

Cement  is  made  by  melting  1^  oz,  of  tallow 
with  I  lb.  rosin.  The  stiffness  of  the  cement 
may  be  governed  by  the  use  of  more  or-less  tal- 
low. After  the  jar  is  corked,  tie  a  piece  of  stout 
drilling  over  the  mouth.  Dip  the  cloth  on  the 
mouth  of  the  jar  into  the  melted  cement,  rub  the 
cement  on  the  cloth  with  a  stick  to  break  up  the 
bubbles,  and  leave  a  close  covering. 

The  process.  Everything  should  be  in  readi- 
ness, the  jars  clean,  the  covers  well  fitted,  the 
fruit  picked  over  or  otherwise  prepared,  and  ce- 
ment and  corks,  if  these  are  used,  at  hand.  The 
bottles  or  jars  are  to  receive  a  very  hot  liquid, 
and  they  must  be  gradually  warmed  beforehand. 


a  heapened  teaspoonful  of  powdered  cinnamon, 
the  same  of  powdered  cloves,  and  a  powdered 
nutmeg.  Mix  the  spices  with  the  juice  and  sugar, 
and  boil  all  together  in  a  porcelain  kettle,  skim- 
ming it  well.  When  cold,  stir  into  the  above 
quantity  half  a  pint  of  fourth  proof  brandy.  Then 
bottle  it  for  use.  This  is  a  good  family  medicine, 
and  is  beneficial  in  complaints  incident  to  warm 
weather. 

It  should  be  administered  at  proper  times  (at 
proper  intervals),  from  a  teaspoonful  to  a  wine- 
glassful,  according  to  the  age  of  the  patient. 

BOUQUET,  To  keep  Btight  and  Fresh.— 
Sprinkle  it  Hghtly  with  fresh  water,  and  put  it  in 
a  vase  containing  soap-suds.  Each  mornmg  take 
the  bouquet  out  of  the  suds,  and  lay  it  sideways 
in  clean  water ;  keep  it  there  a  minute  or  two, 
then  take  it  out  and  sprinkle  the  flowers  lightly 
by  the  hand  with  water.  Replace  it  in  the  suds, 
and  it  will  bloom  as  when  first  gathered.  Change 
the  suds  every  three  or  four  days. 

BUTTER,  To  keep  Sweet.— Simply  put  it  in 
clean  jars  and  cover  with  a  strong  brine.  This 
will  keep  pure  butter  a  year  fresh  and  sweet,  as 
we  know  by  experience.  It  is  almost  equally 
good  to  put  in  oak  casks  headed  tight.  This  is 
equivalent  to  canning  fruit.  The  brine  in  the 
case  of  the  jar  acts  as  a  heading,  keeping  the  air 
out.  But  butter  should  be  made  well.  Work 
out  the  buttermilk  till  you  have  only  pure  beads 
clear  as  water ;  but  do  not  work  so  much  as  to 
break  the  grain. 

BUTTER,  To  keep  in  Summer.  —  A  simple 
mode  of  keeping  butter  in  warm  weather,  where 
ice  is  not  handy,  is  to  invert  a  common  flower 
pot  over  the  butter,  with  some  water  in  the  dish 
in  which  the  butter  is  laid.  The  orifice  in  the 
bottom  may  be  corked  or  not.  The  porousness 
of  the  earthenware  will  keep  the  butter  cool.  It 
will  be  still  cooler  if  the  pot  be  wrapped  with  a 
wet  cloth.  Not  the  porosity  of  the  earthenware, 
but  the  rapid  abstraction  of  heat  by  external 
evaporation  causes  the  butter  to  become  hard. 

CABBA  GES,  To  Preserve  in  Winter.— Sink 
a  barrel  in  the  ground  to  within  an  inch  or  two 
of  the  top,  cut  off  the  heads  and  fill  the  barrel 
full,  put  orl  a  board  to  keep  out  water,  and  that 
is  all  the  covering  that  is  needed. 

CABBA  CE,  To  Pickle.— S€iezt  firm,  ripe  heads, 
slice  fine,  place  in  jars,  and  cover  with  boiling 
water.  When  cold,  drain  and  season  with  sliced 
horse-radish,  salt,  equal  parts  of  black  and  red 
pepper,  cinnamon  and  cloves.  Pack  in  jars,  cover 
with  cold,  strong  vinegar,  and  in  two  days  it  is 
ready  for  use.     This  pickle  will  keep  a  year. 

CABBAGE  (^Red)  To  Pickle.- CvX  the  red 
cabbage  in  thin  slices,  spread  it  on  a  sieve  and 
sprinkle  with  salt.  Let  it  drain  for  twenty-four 
hours,  dry  it,  pack  it  in  pickle  jars,  fill  them  with 
cold  vinegar,  put  in  spice  to  taste,  and  tie  the 
jars  up  firmly  with  bladder.  Open  the  jars  in  a 
few  days,  and  if  the  cabbage  has  shrunk,  fill  up 
with  vinegar. 

CALVES'  FEET  JELLY.-'BoW  2  calves' 
feet  in  one  gallon  of  water  till  it  comes  to  a  quart, 
then  strain  it,  and  when  it  is  cold,  skim  the  fat 
entirely  off,  and  take  the  jelly  up  clean;  if  there 
be  any  settling  at  the  bottom,  leave  it.  Put  the 
jelly  into  a  saucepan,  with  a  pint  of  mountain 
wine,  half  a  pound  of  loaf  sugar,  the  juice  of  four 
large  lemons,  and  the  white  of  six  eggs,  beat  up 
the  whisk ;  mix  all  well  together,  set  the  sauce- 
pan upon  a  clear  fire,  and  stir  the  jelly  till  it 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


*97 


by  placing  warm  water  in  them,  to  which  boiling 
water  is  gradually  added.  Commence  by  making 
a  syrup  in  the  proportion  of  a  pound  of  white 
sugar  to  a  pint  of  water,  using  less  sugar  if  tliis 
quantity  will  make  the  fruit  too  sweet.  WTien 
the  syrup  boils,  add  as  much  fruit  as  it  will  cover, 
let  the  fruit  heat  in  the  syrup  gradually,  and  when 
it  comes  to  a  boil  ladle  it  into  the  jars  or  bottles 
which  have  been  warmed  as  above  directed.  Put 
in  as  much  fruit  as  possible,  and  then  add  the 
syrup  to  fill  up  all  the  interstices  among  the  fruit ; 
then  put  on  the  cover  or  insert  the  stopper  as 
soon  as  possible.  Have  a  cloth  at  hand  dampen- 
ed in  hot  water  to  wipe  the  necks  of  the  jars. 
When  one  lot  has  been  bottled,  proceed  with 
more,  adding  more  sugar  and  water  if  more  syrup 
is  required.  Juicy  fruits  will  diminish  the  syrup 
much  less  than  others.  \\Tien  the  bottles  are 
cold,  put  them  away  in  a  cool,  dry,  and  dark 
place.  Do  not  tamper  with  the  covers  in  any 
way.  The  bottles  should  be  inspected  every 
day  for  a  week  or  so,  in  order  to  discover  if  any 
are  imperfect.  If  fermentation  has  commenced, 
bubbles  will  be  seen  in  the  syrup,  and  the  covers 
will  be  loosened.  If  taken  at  once,  the  contents 
may  be  saved  by  thoroughly  reheating. — Another 
way  is  to  prepare  a  syrup  and  allow  it  to  cool. 
Place  the  fruit  in  the  bottles,  cover  with  the  syrup 
and  then  set  the  bottles  nearly  up  to  their  rims 
in  a  boiler  of  cold  water.  Some  wooden  slats 
should  be  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  boiler  to 
keep  the  bottles  from  contact  with  it.  The  water 
in  the  boiler  is  then  heated  and  kept  boiling  until 
the  fruit  in  the  bottles  is  thoroughly  heated 
through,  when  the  covers  are  put  on,  and  the 
bottles  allowed  to  cool.  It  is  claimed  that  the 
flavor  of  the  fruit  is  better  preserved  in  this  way 
than  by  the  other. 

What  may  be  Preserved. — ^All  the  fruits  that 
are  used  in  their  fresh  state  or  for  pies,  etc.,  and 
Rhubarb,  or  Pie-plant,  and  Tomatoes.  Green 
Peas,  and  Corn,  cannot  be  readily  preserved  in 
families,  as  they  require  special  apparatus.  Straw- 
berries. Hard-fleshed  sour  varieties,  such  as  the 
Wilson,  are  better  than  the  more  delicate  kinds. 
Directions  for  these,  as  well  as  for  Raspberries, 
will  be  found  in  a  Basket  item. 

Currants  need  more  sugar  than  the  foregoing. 
Blackberries  and  Huckleberries  are  both  very 
satisfactorily  preserved,  and  make  capital  pies. 
Cherries  and  Plums  need  only  picking  over. 
Peaches  need  peeling  and  quartering.  The  skin 
may  be  removed  from  ripe  peaches  by  scalding 
them  in  water  or  weak  lye  for  a  few  seconds,  and 
then  transferring  them  to  cold  water.  Some  ob- 
tain a  strong  peach  flavor  by  boiling  a  few  peach 
meats  in  the  syrup.  •  We  have  had  peaches  keep 
three  years,  and  were  then  better  than  those  sold 
at  the  stores.  Pears  are  pared  and  halved,  or 
quartered,  and  the  core  removed.  The  best,  high- 
flavored  and  melting  varieties  only  should  be 
used.  Coarse  baking  pears  are  unsatisfactory. 
Apples.  Very  few  put  up  these.  Try  some 
high-flavored  ones,  and  you  will  be  pleased  with 
them.  Quinces.  There  is  a  great  contrast  be- 
tween quinces  preserved  in  this  way  and  those 
done  up  in  the  old  way  of  pound  for  pound. 
They  do  not  become  hard,  and  they  remain  of  a 
fine  light  color.  Tomatoes  require  cooking 
longer  than  the  fruits  proper.  See  directions  for 
these  among  Basket  items.  Any  intelligent  per- 
son who  understands  the  principle  upon  which 
fruit  is  preserved  in  this  way,  will  soon  find  the 


mechanical  part  easy  of  execution  and  the  results 
satisfactory. 

CAULIFLOWER,  To  Keep.— They  can  be 
kept  in  a  cellar  by  covering  the  roots  and  stalks 
with  earth,  till  February.  Or  they  may  be  placed 
in  a  trench  in  the  garden,  roots  down,  and  cov- 
ered with  earth,  up  close  to  the  heads;  and  then 
cover  with  hay,  or  straw,  four  or  five  inches  thick, 
placing  just  enough  soil  on  the  straw  to  keep  it 
m  its  position.  This  method  does  well  in  the 
latitude  of  New  York ;  but  in  colder  climates  a 
thicker  covering  would  be  required. 

CELERY,  To  Keep.— Tins  may  be  kept  in 
good  condition  through  the  winter  in  a  cool,  dry 
cellar,  by  having  it  set  out  in  earth.  When  a 
small  quantity  only  is  wanted,  take  a  box  and 
stand  the  celery  up  in  it,  placing  a  little  earth 
about  the  roots.  The  farmers  who  raise  quanti- 
ties of  it  often  keep  it  in  their  old  hot-beds,  stand- 
ing it  up,  and  protecting  it  from  frost.  There  is 
no  vegetable  more  relished  than  this,  and  every 
person  who  has  a  garden  should  raise  enough  for 
his  own  use,  if  no  more. 

CHERR  Y  CHEESE.— Tske  twelve  pounds 
of  juicy  cherries,  stone  them,  and  boil  them  for 
two  hours,  till  they  become  a  little  cloggy,  but 
take  care  that  they  do  not  burn.  Then  add  to 
them  four  pounds  of  fine  sugar,  and  boil  another 
hour. 

CHERRY  yAM.—'\\t\gh.  the  fruit  before  it 
is  stoned,  and  to  each  pound  of  fruit  allow  three 
quarters  of  a  pound  of  sugar;  stone  the  cherries 
and  set  them  with  the  sugar  and  a  few  spoonfuls 
of  water  in  the  preserving-pan,  to  simmer  gently 
beside  the  fire  for  half  an  hour.  Then  boil  quickly, 
skimming  all  the  time,  for  another  half-hour.  It 
is  recommended  to  crack  the  cherry  stones  and 
put  the  kernels  into  the  jam,  but  as  this  is  both 
tedious  and  troublesome,  a  few  drops  of  ratafia 
or  almond  essence  will  be  found  quite  as  good. 

CHERRY  MARMALADE.— TTikt  out  the 
stones  and  stalks  from  some  fine  cherries,  and 
pulp  them  through  a  coarse  sieve;  to  every  three 
pounds  of  pulp  add  half  a  pint  of  currant-juice, 
and  three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  sugar  to  each, 
pound  of  fruit ;  mix  together,  and  boil  until  it  will 
jelly.     Put  it  into  pots  or  glasses. 

CHERRIES,  To  Preserve. — ^To  a  pound  of 
cherries,  allow  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  fine 
loaf  sugar:  carefully  stone  them,  and  as  they  are 
done  throw  part  of  the  sugar  over  them ;  boil  them 
fast  with  the  remainder  of  the  sugar,  till  the  fruit 
is  clear  and  tlie  syrup  thick.  TaJce  off  the  scum 
as  it  rises. 

CHUTNEY,  Bengal.— OnQ  pound  of  tama- 
rind pulp,  one  pound  of  sultana  raisins,  the  grated 
rind  and  half  the  juice  of  twelve  lemons,  one 
pound  of  tomato  pulp,  one  pound  of  minced  ap- 
ples, a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  peeled  garlic,  six 
chopped  onions,  half  a  pound  of  red  chillies,  one 
pound  of  ginger  in  powder,  one  p)ound  of  moist 
sugar,  and  four  quarts  of  strong  vinegar.  Mix 
the  whole  thoroughly  together,  and  keep  it  for  a 
month  in  a  warm  place  to  ferment;  stir  it  occa- 
sionallv,  and  then  put  it  into  small  jars. 

CITRON,  Candied.  —  Cut  the  peels  in  half, 
then  soak  them  in  water  for  two  hours  ;  change 
the  water,  and  soak  for  two  hours  more;  repeat 
the  operation  until  the  water  ceases  to  be  bitter ; 
drain  them,  and  put  them  into  saturated  (hot) 
syrup,  until  they  become  soft  and  partly  trans- 
parent, then  take  them  out  and  dry  them. 

CITRON,  To  Preserve. — Pare  and  cut  open 


298- 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


the  citron,  clean  all  out  except  the  rind;  boil  it 
till  soft.  To  a  pound  of  citron,  add  a  pound  of 
sugar  and  a  lemon  to  each  pound :  put  the  sugar 
and  lemon  together  and  boil  it  till  it  becomes  a 
syrup,  skimming  it  well ;  then  put  the  syrup  and 
citron  together  and  boil  it  an  hour. 

COFFEE,  Essence  of. — Coffee,  I  part;  wa- 
ter, 5  parts.  Keep  them  at  a  heat  of  209"  Fahr., 
in  a  close  vessel  for  ten  minutes,  then  strain  and 
evaporate  at  a  low  temperature  in  a  vacuum,  un- 
til reduced  to  one  part. 

CORN  {Grceft),  To  Dry. — i.  Clean  the  silk 
carefully  from  the  corn.  Put  it  in  a  steamer, 
over  a  kettle  of  hot  water.  Steam  ten  minutes. 
Then  draw  a  knife  through  each  row  of  kernels, 
and  scrape  out  the  pulp,  leaving  the  hulls  on  the 
cob.  Spread  on  plates  and  dry  carefully  without 
scorching. — 2.  Husk  the  corn  and  silk  it.  Then 
shave  it  off  with  a  sharp  knife.  To  six  quarts  of 
the  shaved  corn  add  a  teacup  of  sugar  and  stir  it 
all  up  together.  Put  it  on  a  pie  platter  and  plates 
and  set  in  the  oven.  Let  it  scald  ten  minutes  ; 
then  take  it  out  and  put  it  on  a  clean  table  cloth, 
and  spread  in  the  sun  and  let  it  dry.  When  dry, 
put  in  a  jar  or  box  to  keep. 

CORN  {Green),  Pickling. — ^When  the  com  is 
a  little  past  the  tenderest  roasting  ear  state,  pull 
it ;  take  off  one  thickness  of  the  husk,  tie  the  rest 
of  the  husk  down  at  the  silk  end  in  a  close  and 
tight  manner ;  place  them  in  a  clean  cask  or  bar- 
rel compactly  together,  and  put  on  brine  to  cover 
the  same  of  about  two-thirds  the  strength  of 
meat  pickle.  When  ready  to  use  in  winter,  soak 
in  cold  water  over  night,  and  if  this  does  not  ap- 
pear sufficient,  change  the  water  and  freshen  still 
more. 

CORN,  To  have  Green  the  year  round. — 
Gather  it  with  the  husks  on,  put  in  the  bottom 
of  a  clean  barrel  some  salt,  proceed  and  fill  the 
barrel  as  with  pork,  a  layer  of  corn,  then  a  layer 
of  salt ;  when  full,  put  on  a  large  stone  for  pres- 
sure, add  a  little  pickle  of  salt  and  water.  Set 
the  barrel  in  a  cool  place  in  the  cellar,  do  not  let 
it  freeze,  and  it  will  keep  perfect  a  year  or  more. 
W^hen  you  wish  to  use  it,  take  off  the  husks,  soak 
it  twenty  hours  in  cold  water,  boil  it  and  eat. 
Some  days  in  February  you  can  eat  succotash  and 
laugh  at  the  storm.  For  this  purpose,  Stowell's 
Evergreen  is  best,  but  any  good  sweet  corn  will 
do.  Used  in  this  way,  it  can  be  enjoyed,  as  it  is 
never  hurtful. 

CUCUMBERS  {Green),  To  FicHe.—Ma\i.e 
a  brine  by  putting  one  pint  of  rock-salt  into  a 
pail  of  boiling  water,  and  pour  it  over  the 
cucumbers ;  cover  tight  to  keep  in  the  steam, 
and  let  them  remain  all  night  and  part  of  a  day ; 
make  a  second  brine  as  above,  and  let  them  re- 
main in  it  the  same  length  of  time ;  then  scald 
and  skim  the  brine,  as  it  will  answer  for  the  third 
brine,  and  let  them  remain  in  it  as  above ;  then 
rinse  and  wipe  them  dry,  and  add  boiling  hot 
vinegar ;  throw  in  a  lump  of  alum  as  large  as  a 
nut  to  every  pail  of  pickles,  and  you  will  have  a 
fine,  hard,  and  green  pickle.  Add  spices,  if  you 
like,  and  keep  the  pickles  under  the  vinegar.  A 
brick  on  the  top  of  the  cover,  which  keeps  the 
pickles  under,  has  a  tendency  to  collect  the  scum 
which  mav  arise. 

CUCUMBERS,  To  Green.— l\e.x&  is  no  way 
to  impart  a  green  color  to  cucumbers,  that  would 
not  be  injurious  to  health,  except  by  the  use  of 
green  leaves,  like  those  from  the  grape  vine. 
Possibly  sap  green,  which  is  a  preparation  from 


the  juice  of  buck-thorn  berries,  would  answer 
the  purpose  if  it  could  be  obtained  here.  Ver- 
digris can  be  detected  in  nearly  all  the  pickles  of 
commerce;  but  its  use  is  highly  objectionable,  as 
it  is  a  poisonous  acetate  of  copper.  Pickles  may 
be  colored  with  it  if  the  people  place  a  higher 
regard  on  the  color  of  the  condiment  they  eat 
than  on  their  health.  Nearly  all  the  shades  of 
green  are  produced  from  some  combination  of 
arsenic,  but  this  fact  does  not  prevent  the  use  of 
them  for  coloring  confectionery. 

CURRANT  CATCHUP.— T^icQ  fully  ripe 
currants,  4  lbs.;  sugar,  l^  lbs.;  cinnamon, 
ground,  I  table-spoon ;  salt,  with  ground  cloves 
and  pepper,  of  each  i  tea-spoon ;  vinegar,  i  pt. 
Stew  the  currants  and  sugar  until  quite  thick; 
then  add  the  other  ingredients,  and  bottle  for 
use. 

CURRANT  {Red),  yelly.-Vfiih.  three  parts 
of  fine,  ripe,  red  currants,  mix  one  of  white  cur- 
rants ;  put  them  into  a  clean  preserving  pan,  and 
stir  them  gently  over  a  clear  fire  until  the  juice 
flows  from  them  freely;  then  turn  them  into  a 
fine  hair  sieve,  and  let  them  drain  well,  but  with- 
out pressure.  Pass  the  juice  through  a  folded 
muslin,  or  a  jelly  bag ;  weigh  it,  and  then  boil 
it  fast  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour;  add  for  each 
pound,  eight  ounces  of  sugar,  coarsely  powdered; 
stir  this  to  it,  off  the  fire,  until  it  is  dissolved ; 
give  the  jelly  eight  minutes  more  of  quick  boil- 
ing, and  pour  it  out.  It  will  be  firm,  and  of  ex- 
cellent color  and  flavor.  Be  sure  to  clear  off  the 
scum  as  it  rises,  both  before  and  after  the  sugar 
is  put  in,  or  the  preserve  will  not  be  clear.  Juice 
of  red  currants,  three  pounds ;  joiice  of  white  cur- 
rants, one  pound :  fifteen  minutes.  Sugar,  two 
Eounds :  eight  minutes.  An  excellent  jelly  may 
e  made  with  equal  parts  of  the  juice  of  red  and 
of  white  currants  and  of  raspberries,  with  the 
same  proportion  of  sugar  and  degree  of  boiling 
as  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  receipt. 

CURRANTS,  To  dry  with  Sugar. —  Take 
fully  ripe  currants,  stemmed,  5  lbs.;  sugar,  i  lb.; 
put  into  a  brass  kettle,  stirring  at  first,  then  as 
the  currants  boil  up  to  the  top,  skim  them  off; 
boil  down  the  juicy  syrup  until  quite  thick  and 
pour  it  over  the  currants,  mixing  well ;  then 
place  on  suitable  dishes,  and  dry  them  by  plac- 
mg  in  a  low  box  over  which  you  can  place  mus- 
keto-bar,  to  keep  away  flies.  When  properly 
dried,  put  in  jars  and  tie  paper  over  them.  Put 
cold  water  upon  them  and  stew  as  other  fruit  for 
eating  or  pie-making,  adding  more  sugar  if 
desired. 

CURRANT  SYRUP.-Take  one  pint  of  the 
expressed  juice  of  currants  and  two  pounds  of 
the  best  refined  sugar ;  dissolve  the  sugar  in  the 
juice  by  the  aid  of  heat,  not  exceeding  212°,  and 
set  aside  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then  remove 
the  scum,  and  stram  through  very  fine  muslin, 
if  any  sediment  be  present.  To  preserve  for  use, 
add  one  gill  of  alcohol  at  60  per  cent. 

CURRANT  {Black)  Jelly.-To  each  pound 
of  picked  fruit,  allow  one  gill  of  water ;  set  them 
on  the  fire  in  the  preserving  pan  to  scald,  but  do 
not  let  them  boil ;  bruise  them  well  with  a  silver 
fork,  or  wooden  beater, — take  them  off  and 
squeeze  them  through  a  hair  sieve;  and  to  every 

Eint  of  juice  allow  a  pound  of  loaf  or  raw  sugar ; 
oil  it  ten  minutes. 
CURRANTS,  To  Preserve.— Gaiher  the  cur- 
rants upon  a  dry  day  ;  to  every  pound  allow  h.ilf 
a  pint  of  red  currant  juice  and  a  pound  and  a  half 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


299 


•f  finely  pounded  loaf  sugar.  With  scissors  clip 
off  the  heads  and  stalks ;  put  the  juice,  currants, 
and  sugar  in  a  preserving  pan ;  shake  it  frequent- 
ly till  it  boils  ;  carefully  remove  the  fruit  from 
the  sides  of  the  pan,  and  take  off  the  scum  as  it 
rises ;  let  it  boil  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  This 
preserve  is  excellent,  eaten  with  cream. 

EGGS,  To  Preserve. — I.  For  each  patent  pail 
full  of  water  put  in  one  pint  of  fresh  slaked  lime, 
and  I  pint  of  common  salt,  mix  well,  fill  your 
barrel  about  half  full  of  this  fluid,  then  with  a 
dish,  let  your  fresh  eggs  down  into  this,  and  they 
will  settle  down  right  side  up  with  care  every 
time,  and  we  can  assure  any  one  who  will  try  it, 
that  they  will  keep  any  reasonable  length  of  time 
without  any  further  care  than  to  keep  them  cov- 
ered with  the  fluid.  Eggs  may  be  laid  down  in 
this  way  any  time  after  June. — 2.  Eggs  may  be 
preserved  by  keeping  them  buried  in  salt,  or 
dipping  them  during  two  or  three  minutes  in 
boiling  water.  The  white  of  the  egg  then  forms 
a  kind  of  membrane,  which  envelops  the  inte- 
rior, and  defends  it  from  the  air. — 3.  The  week 
before  going  to  sea,  on  a  four  months'  voyage, 
I  gathered  in  sixty  dozen  eggs  for  cabin  sea- 
stores,  taking  especial  pains  to  prove  every  egg  of 
the  lot  a  good  one ;  besides,  I  got  them  from  my 
farmer  friends,  and  know  they  were  all  fresh. 
Then  I  fixed  them  for  keeping,  by  taking  five  or 
six  dozen  at  a  time  in  a  basket,  and  dipping  them 
about  five  seconds  in  the  cook's  "copper"  of 
boiling  water.  After  scalding,  I  passed  the  eggs 
through  a  bath,  made  by  dissolving  about  five 
pounds  of  the  cheapest  brown  sugar  in  a  gallon 
of  water,  and  laid  them  out  on  the  galley  floor  to 
dry.  There  I  had  my  sixty  dozen  eggs  sugar- 
coated.  I  packed  them  in  charcoal  dust  instead 
of  salt;  I  tried  salt  ten  years,  and  I  dont  believe 
it  preserves  eggs  a  mite.  The  steward  had  strict 
orders  to  report  every  bad  egg  he  should  find. 
During  the  voyage  he  brought  three,  not  abso- 
lutely spoiled,  but  a  little  old  like.  All  the  others, 
or  what  was  left  of  them,  were  as  fresh  when  we 
came  in  as  they  were  when  I  packed  them  away. 
— \.  A  Parisian  paper  recommends  the  following 
method  for  the  preservation  of  eggs:  Dissolve  four 
ounces  of  beeswax  in  eight  ounces  of  warm  olive 
oil,  in  this  put  the  tip  of  the  finger  and  anoint  the 
egg  all  round.  The  oil  will  immediately  be  absorb- 
ed, and  the  shell  and  pores  filled  up  by  the  wax.  If 
kept  in  a  cool  place  the  eggs,  after  two  years,  will 
be  as  good  as  if  fresh  laid, — 5.  Take  of  quick  lime 
one  pound;  salt,  one  pound;  saltpetre,  three  ounces; 
water, one  gallon.  It  is  necessarythat  the  solution  be 
boiled  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  and  when  cold  put 
in  the  eggs,  small  end  downward,  using  a  vessel 
lined  with  lead,  and  placing  in  a  cold  but  dry  cel- 
lar.— 6.  Dip  them  into  a  solution  of  gun-cotton, 
(collodion),  so  as  to  exclude  the  air  from  the 
pores  of  the  shell;  or  the  collodion  may  be  applied 
with  a  brush. — 7.  A  writer  recommends  the  dis- 
solving of  gum  shellac  in  alcohol,  when  the  mix- 
ture may  be  applied  with  a  common  paint-brush. 
'  When  dry,  pack  in  bran,  points  downward. 
Eggs  so  preserved  will  keep  a  very  long  time. 
i^  When  about  to  be  used,  the  varnish  may  be 
';  washed  off. — 8.  Get  a  good  sweet  wooden  box, 
'  put  about  an  inch  of  salt  on  the  bottom ;  take 
sweet  grease  of  any  kind,  lard  or  drippings,  rub 
the  eggs  all  over  with  it  and  put  them,  the  little 
end  down,  in  the  salt ;  then  spread  a  layer  of  salt 
and  then  add  more  eggs. — 9.  Pack  the  eggs  in  a 
.cask  with  the  smaller  end  downward ;  and  fill  up 


the  cask  with  melted  tallow.  This  method  is 
practiced  very  extensively  in  Russia  and  in  other 
parts  of  Europe,  and  is  generally  successful. — 
10.  Keep  them  at  the  temperature  of  40*^  or  less 
in  a  refrigerator.  Specimens  had  been  exhibited, 
which  were  fourteen  months  old,  and  still  per- 
fectly fresh  and  sweet. — 11.  Apply  with  a  brush 
a  solution  of  gum  arable  to  the  shells,  or  immerse 
the  eggs  therein ;  let  them  dry,  and  afterwards 
pack  them  in  dry  charcoal  dust.  This  prevents 
their  being  affected  by  any  alterations  of  tempe- 
rature.— 12.  Of  all  the  materials  that  have  been 
recommended  for  this  purpose,  water  glass,  or 
silicate  of  soda,  is  the  most  effectual  and  least 
objectionable. 

EGGS,  To  Dry. — The  eggs  are  beaten  to  uni- 
form consistency,  and  spread  out  in  thin  cakes  on 
batter  plates.  This  dries  them  into  a  paste,  which 
is  to  be  packed  in  close  cans  and  sealed.  W^hen 
required  for  use,  the  paste  can  be  dissolved  in 
water,  and  beaten  to  a  foam  like  fresh  eggs.  It 
is  said  that  eggs  can  be  preserved  for  years  in 
this  way,  and  retain  their  flavor. 

EGGS,  PICKLING.— At  the  season  of  the 
year  when  the  stock  of  eggs  is  plentiful,  cause 
some  four  or  six  dozen  to  be  boiled  in  a  capacious 
saucepan  until  they  become  quite  hard.  Then, 
after  removing  the  shells,  lay  them  carefully  in 
large  mouthed  jars,  and  pour  over  them  scalding 
vinegar,  well  seasoned  with  whole  pepper,  all- 
spice, a  few  races  of  ginger,  and  a  few  cloves  of 
garlic.  When  cold  they  are  bunged  down  close, 
and  in  a  month  are  fit  for  use.  Where  eggs  are 
plentiful,  the  above  pickle  is  by  no  means  expen- 
sive, and  as  an  acetic  accompaniment  to  cold 
meat,  it  can  not  be  outrivaled. 

EGGS,  PORTABLE.— Take  fresh  laid  eggs, 
any  quantity,  break  them  into  an  evaporating  ba- 
sin, and  expose  them  to  a  heat  of  125°  Fahr.  in 
a  water-bath,  until  hard,  then  pack  them  in  air- 
tight vessels.  For  use,  take  cold  water,  3  parts ; 
dried  egg,  I  part.     Beat  them  well  together. 

FLOWERS,  To  Preserve  and  Restore. — Flow- 
ers may  be  preserved  in  a  fresh  state  for  a  con- 
siderable time,  by  keeping  them  in  a  moist  atmo- 
sphere. A  flat  dish  of  porcelain  had  water 
poured  into  it.  In  the  water  a  vase  of  flowers 
was  set ;  over  the  whole  a  bell-glass  was  placed, 
with  its  rim  in  the  water.  The  air  that  surround- 
ed the  flowers  being  confined  beneath  the  bell- 
glass,  was  kept  constantly  moist  with  the  water 
that  rose  into  it  in  the  form  of  vapor.  As  fast  as 
the  water  was  condensed  it  ran  down  the  sides 
of  the  bell-glass  back  into  the  dish;  and  if  means 
had  been  taken  to  inclose  the  water  on  the  out- 
side of  the  bell-glass,  so  as  to  prevent  its  evapor- 
ating into  the  air  of  the  sitting  room,  the  atmos- 
phere around  the  flowers  would  have  remained 
continually  damp.  We  recommend  those  who 
love  to  see  plenty  of  fresh  flowers  in  their  sitting- 
rooms  in  dry  weather  to  adopt  this  method.  The 
experiment  can  be  tried  by  inverting  a  tumbler 
over  a  rose-bud  in  a  saucer  of  water. 

Another  method  by  which  some  flowers  may 
be  preserved  for  many  months,  is  to  carefully  dip 
them,  as  soon  as  gathered,  in  perfectly  limpid 
gum  water,  and  after  allowing  them  to  drain  2  or 
3  minutes,  to  set  them  upright,  or  arrange  them 
in  the  usual  manner  in  an  empty  vase.  The  gum 
gradually  forms  a  transparent  coating  on  the  sur- 
fiice  of  the  petals  and  stems,  and  preserves  their 
figure  and  color  long  after  they  have  become  dry 
and  crisp. 


300 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


Faded  flowers  may  be  generally  more  or  less 
restored  by  immersing  them  half-way  up  their 
stems  in  very  hot  water,  and  allowing  them  to 
remain  in  it  until  it  cools,  or  they  have  recovered. 
The  coddled  portion  of  the  stems  must  then  be 
cut  off,  and  the  flowers  placed  in  clean  cold  wa- 
ter. In  this  way  a  great  number  of  faded  flowers 
may  be  restored,  but  there  are  some  of  the  more 
fugacious  kinds,  on  which  it  proves  useless. 

FLOWERS,  To  Preserve  in  Sand.— Get  the 
finest  and  whitest  of  river  or  lake  sand,  wash  it 
so  clean  that  the  water  in  flowing  from  it  will  be 
pure  as  if  from  the  well.  Heat  it  very  hot  and 
while  hot^mix  it  thoroughly  with  stearic  acid  in 
the  proportion  of  one  pound  of  the  latter  to  one 
hundred  pounds  of  sand.  Let  it  cooL  Take  a 
small  common  sieve  and  nail  boards  under  the 
bottom  to  prevent  the  sand  from  running  through; 
place  enough  sand  in  the  sieve  to  hold  the 
flowers  in  position — not  covering  them;  then 
with  a  sheet  of  paper  twisted  in  the  form  of  a 
cone  or  funnel,  carefully  let  the  sand  pass 
through  it,  between,  around  and  over  the  flow- 
ers— cover  about  half  an  inch.  Set  by  the  stove 
or  in  some  warm  place  where  the  sand  will  be 
kept  at  a  temperature  of  seventy  degrees  Fah- 
renheit. When  they  have  remained  sufficiently 
long,  remove  the  boards  carefully  from  the  bot- 
tom and  let  the  sand  run  out,  leaving  your  flow- 
ers preserved  in  perfection.  The  only  difficulty 
is  to  know  when  the  process  is  complete,  dif- 
ferent plants  differing  in  the  time  required,  those 
with  thick  leaves  and  petals  needing  more  than 
light  ones.  No  exact  rule  can  be  given  on  this 
point.  Seven  hours  are  sufficient  for  some, 
while  others  require  twelve  and  even  more.  Ex- 
perience alone  can  determine  this.  It  is  best  al- 
ways for  a  beginner  to  experiment  with  a  single 
plant  at  a  time  at  first.  When  he  has  succeeded 
with  a  certain  variety  and  noted  the  time  requir- 
ed, he  can  proceed  to  others,  and  in  a  short  time 
become  versed  in  this  art.  It  should  be  men- 
tioned that  the  flowers  for  this  purpose  should 
be  picked  dry — say  midday,  after  the  dew  is  eva- 
porated. 

FLOWERS  {Cut),  To  Preserve.— M^  to  the 
water  a  little  of  a  solution  of  carbonate  of  am- 
monia and  a  few  drops  of  phosphate  of  soda. 
The  effect  of  this  in  giving  the  flower  a  deeper 
color  and  a  stronger  appearance  is  quite  wonder- 
ful, and  by  cutting  off  every  other  day  about  one 
half  inch  of  the  stems  of  the  flowers  with  a  sharp 
knife,  they  may  be  kept  as  long  as  their  natural 
life  would  last. 

FRUIT,  KEEPING.— litiVQ  your  cellar  or 
fruit-room  neither  too  dry  nor  too  moist.  This 
is  indispensable.  If  moist,  your  fruit  will  rot ; 
if  dry,  it  will  shrink.  If  you  are  incredulous 
about  this,  set  your  fruit  in  your  dwelling-room, 
or  where  there  is  a  high,  dry  temperature.  This 
will  satisfy  you  as  to  the  shrinking.  Dampen  a 
bin  or  barrel,  and  keep  so  for  awhile,  (with  the 
fruit  in  it),  and  you  will  need  no  more  urging. 
The  "course  between,"  as  the  old  adage  has  it, 
is  the  right  way.  I  know  we  are  apt  to  have  our 
hobbies  and  go  to  extremes.  The  course  be- 
tween is  not  always  relished.  But  facts  are  facts, 
and  they  are  not  only  stubborn,  but  they  will  al- 
ways remain  so. 

Fruit  must  be  put  where  there  is  not  sufficient 
moisture  to  rot  it,  as  an  excess  will  surely  do. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  dry  must  be  avoided,  or 
there  will  be  shrinking  and  a  dry  fruit.     This  is 


as  common  an  experience  as  life  itself.  Open 
bins,  unless  the  cellar  or  fruit-room  be  very  damp, 
will  dry  the  fruit.  This  is  generally  so.  Open 
barrels  are  less  affected  in  this  way,  but  still  af- 
fected. The  best  way  is  to  close  your  barrel 
after  the  fruit  has  passed  through  its  sweating, 
which  it  will  do  in  a  few  days,  and  leave  a  small 
open  space,  say  a  couple  of  apertures  across  the 
head  of  the  barrel,  of  half  an  inch  or  less  in  dia- 
meter. Or,  you  are  pretty  safe  (in  the  case  of 
apples,  which  are  more  particularly  referred  to) 
to  head  up  tight,  after  the  sweating  operation 
has  gone  through  with,  and  the  fruit  is  again  dry. 
This  we  have  found  eminently  successful.  We 
have  found  some  mold  where  the  barrel  was  clos- 
ed as  soon  as  filled,  the  fruit  getting  moist, 
(sweating)  and  the  moisture  instead  of  passing 
off  by  the  vent,  had  to  be  absorbed  by  the  wood 
of  the  barrel.  But  before  this  is  done  mischief 
will  be  wrought.  Still  we  have  known  cases  of 
clear  exceptions.  But  this  will  not  do ;  we  want 
cases  without  exceptions,  without  doubt ;  we 
want  to  save  our  fruit  beyond  peradventure.  And 
we  can  in  the  way  we  have  described. 

As  to  temperature,  this  cannot  be  too  low, 
providing  it  does  not  freeze  the  fruit.  And  uni- 
formity is  almost  as  important  as  depression  of 
heat.  These  two  are  the  yital  and  important 
points.  Kept  at  the  freezing  point,  or  just  out 
of  its  range,  there  will  be  little  change  in  the 
fruit,  either  to  rot  or  to  mature.  An  apple  can 
thus  be  kept  "green"  the  winter  through — for 
aught  we  know  any  apple,  but  certainly  the  win- 
ter fruit.  We  have  it,  therefore,  in  our  power, 
to  ripen  or  not  as  we  like,  and  this  is  quite  an 
advantage;  to  avail  ourselves  of  it  any  winter 
with  the  greatest  of  interest,  and  a  most  decided 
advantage.  We  could  not  well  do  without  it. 
We  keep  cold  the  one  part  of  our  cellar,  that 
containing  the  spring  fruit.  Frost  sometimes 
steals  upon  us,  but  we  permit  it  to  steal  gradually 
out  again  ;  for  the  world  we  would  not  hurry  it, 
for  that  would  spoil  our  fruit.  When  once  frost- 
ed we  permit  it  to  remain  so  as  long  as  we  can, 
for  that  is  a  safe  keeping  so  long  as  it  lasts. 

A  little  fresh  air  seems  to  be  a  benefit.  It  is 
hardly  our  experience,  however,  as  confined 
fruit,  where  the  air  is  not  damp  or  mold  infected ; 
where  it  is  pure,  some  from  the  slight  evapora- 
tion of  the  fruit,  particularly  apples,  have  always 
kept  well  with  us  so  far  as  we  have  experiment- 
ed. Still  we  see  no  liarm  from  a  change  of  at- 
mosphere of  our  room.  We  therefore,  when  the 
air  is  not  damp,  occasionally  raise  our  windows  a 
little,  or  when  the  temperature  is  the  same  as 
that  of  the  cellar,  or  a  little  lower.  Rashness  here 
is  fatal.  If  the  air  without  should  be  warm  and 
a  south  wind  blow,  with  the  windows  raised 
there  will  be  such  a  change  as  will  seriously  af- 
fect the  fruit.  The  cold  air  will  be  driven  out  of 
the  cellar  or  fruit  room.  Rather  let  the  cold  air 
in  severely. 

But  uniformity,  with  a  little  fresh  air  occasion- 
ally, is  what  is  wanted. 

The  following  method  of  preserving  apples  is 
from  an  English  agricultural  periodical  published 
more  than  thirty  years  ago.  As  the  method  pro- 
posed is  easily  available  at  a  farm  house  and  is 
simple,  we  think  it  worthy  of  trial  :  It  seems  not 
to  be  generally  known  that  apples  may  be  kept 
the  whole  year  round,  by  being  immersed  in 
corn,  which  receives  no  injury  from  their  con- 
tact.    If   the    American    apples   were    packed 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


301 


among  grain,  they  would  arrive  here  in  much 
better  condition  than  they  do  at  present.  The 
word  corn,  as  above  used,  means  any  cereal 
grain,  such  as  oats  or  barley,  and  not  simply 
maize. 

FRUITS,  Preserving  by  Sulphite  of  Lime. 
— The  great  agents  in  causing  the  decay  of  fruit, 
vegetables,  wine,  etc. ,  are  heat  and  air.  If,  how- 
ever, the  latter  be  excluded,  some  fruits  and 
vegetables,  and  most  wines,  will  bear  a  pretty 
high  temperature.  Further,  it  is  only  one  ele- 
ment of  the  air — the  oxygen — that  proves  so 
destructive,  and  if  this  be  removed,  putrefaction 
and  fermentation  are  either  stopped  or  greatly 
retarded.  Some  substances  have  a  powerful  af- 
finity for  oxygen,  and  remove  it  entirely  from 
the  atmosphere,  under  some  circumstances. 
Thus,  if  sulphur  be  burnt  in  the  air,  it  combines 
with  the  oxygen,  forms  sulphurous  acid,  which 
dissolves  in  water  or  wine,  and  leaves  the  re- 
maining air  free  from  oxygen.  Hence  the  use 
of  burning  sulphur  in  wine  casks  before  filling 
with  wine.  The  oxygen  is  all  removed,  and  the 
agent  which  turns  alcohol  to  vinegar  not  being 
present,  there  is  no  danger  of  the  wine  turning 
sour.  As  a  convenient  substitute  for  burning 
sulphur,  (sulphurous  acid),  sulphite  of  lime  (a 
combination  of  sulphurous  acid  and  lime)  has 
been  used.  It  has  a  strong  tendency  to  absorb 
oxygen  and  become  converted  into  sulphate 
of  lime  (gypsum).  It  therefore  removes  the  free 
oxygen  from  the  wine  and  from  the  cask,  and 
entirely  suspends  the  process  of  acetification,  as 
it  is  called — that  is  the  conversion  of  the  alcohol 
of  the  wine  into  vinegar.     For  this  purpose  sul- 

I)hite'Wlime  has  been  extensively  used,  especial- 
y  for  the  preservation  of  cider. 

It  has  also  been  used  for  the  preservation  of 
fruit.  If  dissolved  in  the  syrup  or  water  in 
which  the  fruit  is  placed,  it  will  soon  absorb  all 
the  oxygen  present,  and  the  fruit  will  not  de- 
compose. In  the  case  of  wine  or  cider,  however, 
the  resulting  gypsum,  which  is  hisoluble,  will 
fall  freely  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  and  pro- 
duce no  effect  on  the  wine  unless  too  much  is 
used.  But  in  the  case  of  fruit,  the  sediment  is 
apt  to  settle  on  the  fruit,  though  not  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  do  much  harm.  The  proper  quan- 
tity to  be  used  is  noted  on  the  bottles  in  which 
the  sulphite  is  sold ;  and  in  the  case  of  fruit,  an 
exposure  to  the  air  for  a  few  hours  before  use 
will  in  general  remove  all  unpleasant  taste  or 
smell.  We  must  add,  however,  that  although 
the  process  is  simple  and  cheaper  than  the  or- 
dinary method  of  canning  firuits,  we  prefer  the 
latter. 

FRUITS,  Candying. — ^Various  fruits  may  be 
candied  or  crystallized  by  putting  them  for  a  few- 
hours  in  scalding  hot  syrup,  made  with  three 
J)Ounds  and  a  half  of  white  sugar,  boiled  for  a 
ew  minutes  in  one  pint  of  orange  flower  or  rose 
water.  The  fruit  should  be  steeped  in  the  hot 
syrup  for  two  or  three  hours,  then  strained,  and 
put  into  an  oven  with  the  door  open.  This  will 
dry  the  remaining  moisture,  and  the  sugar  will 
crystallize  round  the  fruit. 

FRUIT,  Drying. — When  much  fruit  is  dried, 
it  is  necessary  to  have  a  house  for  the  purpose. 
Small  quantities  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  be 
placed  near  the  kitchen  fire  when  taken  in  at 
night  or  during  stormy  days.  Those  who  have 
hot-bed  sash,  can  easily  arrange  a  drying  appara- 
tus which  will  dry  rapidly  and  at  the  same  time 


keep  off  insects.  A  hot-bed  frame  with  a  bot- 
tom to  it,  and  raised  above  the  ground,  makes 
a  capital  drying  box.  The  sash  should  be  elevat- 
ed at  one  end  to  allow  the  moisture  to  pass  off, 
covering  the  opening  with  netting. 

FRUIT  {Dried),  To  Protect  from  Worms.— 
It  is  said  that  dried  fruit  put  away  with  a  little 
bark  sassafras  (say  a  large  handful  to  the  bushel) 
will  save  for  years,  unmolested  by  those  trouble- 
some little  insects,  which  so  often  destroy  hund- 
reds of  bushels  in  a  single  season.  The  remedy 
is  cheap  and  simple,  but  we  venture  to  say  a  good 
one. 

GRAPES,  To  Keep.—\.  They  must  not  be 
too  ripe.  Take  off  any  imperfect  grapes  from 
the  bunches.  On  the  bottom  of  a  keg  put  a 
layer  of  bran  that  has  been  well  dried  in  an  oven, 
or  in  the  sun.  On  the  bran  put  a  layer  of  grapes, 
with  bran  between  the  bunches  so  that  they  may 
not  be  in  contact.  Proceed  in  the  same  way  with 
alternate  layers  of  grapes  and  bran,  till  the  keg 
is  full ;  then  close  the  keg  so  that  no  air  can 
enter. — 2.  In  a  box  first  lay  a  paper,  then  a  layer 
of  grapes  selecting  the  best  bunches  and  remov- 
ing all  imperfect  grapes,  then  another  paper, 
then  more  grapes,  and  so  until  the  box  is  full ; 
then  cover  all  with  several  folds  ofpaper  or  cloth. 
Nail  on  the  lid,  and  set  in  a  cool  room  where  it 
will  not  freeze.  I  use  small  boxes,  so  as  not  to 
disturb  more  than  I  want  to  use  in  a  week  or  so. 
Give  each  bunch  plenty  of  room  so  they  will  not 
crowd,  and  don't  use  newspapers.  Some  seal 
the  stems  with  sealing  wax  and  wrap  each  bunch 
by  itself,  but  I  get  along  without  that  trouble. 
The  grapes  should  be  looked  to  several  times 
during  the  winter.  Should  any  mould  or  decay, 
they  should  be  removed  and  the  good  ones  again 
repacked.  By  this  means  I  have  had,  with  my 
pitcher  of  cider  and  basket  of  apples,  my  plate  of 
grapes  daily,  besides  distributing  some  among 
my  friends  and  the  sick  of  the  neighborhood. — 
3,  (  Chinese  Method. )  It  consists  in  cutting  a  cir- 
cular piece  out  of  a  ripe  pumpkin  or  gourd,  mak- 
ing an  aperture  large  enough  to  admit  the  hand. 
The  interior  is  then  completely  cleaned  out,  the 
ripe  grapes  are  placed  inside,  and  the  cover  re- 
placed and  pressed  in  firmly.  The  pumpkins 
are  then  kept  in  a  cool  place — and  the  grapes  will 
be  found  to  retain  their  freshness  for  a  very  long 
time.  We  are  told  that  a  very  careful  selection 
must  be  made  of  the  pumpkin,  the  common  field 
pumpkin,  however,  being  well  adapted  for  the 
purpose  in  question. 

GRAPES  (  Green),  To  Preserve. — The  grapes 
must  not  be  too  old ;  the  best  time  is  just  before 
the  seed  begins  to  harden.  They  are,  after  being 
picked  and  freed  from  stems,  put  into  bottles 
(strong  wine  or  champagne  bottles  are  best)  so 
as  nearly  to  fill  the  latter.  These  are  then  filled 
with  fresh  and  clesm  water.  After  this  they  are 
all  placed  in  a  large  kettle,  partially  filled  with 
cold  water,  and  the  temperature  raised  nearly  to 
the  boiling  point.  The  water  in  the  bottles  ex- 
pands by  the  heat,  and  part  is  driven  out.  As 
soon  as  sufficiently  heated,  they  are  taken  off, 
enough  water  poured  out  of  each  bottle  to  merely 
allow  a  well-fitting  cork  to  be  pressed  in  tightly. 
After  being  corked  they  are  sealed  up  with  seal- 
ing wax  or  common  beeswax.  As  the  bottles 
cool  down  a  partial  vacuum  is  left  in  the  neck  of 
each.  Grapes  thus  preserved  have  kept  for  years 
in  this  climate,  where  canned  fruit  almost  inva- 
riably spoils  during  the  hot  summers.    They 


302 


DICTION AR  YOF  E  VER  Y-DA  V  WANTS. 


can  at  any  time  be  opened  and  prepared  like 
fresh  grapes,  no  difference  will  be  found  in  the 
taste.  It  is  better  to  use  the  water,  also,  in  which 
they  were  kept,  as  it  contains  a  large  per  centage 
of  tartaric  acid,  which  gives  them  the  pleasant 
sour  taste. 

GRAPES,  Canned.  — Squeeze  the  pulp  from 
the  skin,  as  the  seeds  are  objectionable;  boil  the 
pulp  until  the  seeds  begin  to  loosen,  having  the 
skins  boiling  in  a  little  water,  hard,  as  they  are 
tough.  When  the  pulp  seems  tender,  put  it 
through  the  sieve  ;  then  add  the  skins,  if  tender, 
with  the  water  they  boil  in,  if  not  too  much.  Use 
a  large  coffee  cup  of  sugar  for  a  quart  can ;  boil 
until  thick,  and  can  in  the  usual  way. 

GRAPE  CA  TSUP.  —  Take  five  pounds  of 
grapes,  boiled  and  cuUendered,  two  and  a  half 
pounds  of  sugar,  one  pint  of  vinegar,  one  table- 
spoonful  each  of  cinnamon,  cloves,  allspice  and 
pepper,  and  half  a  tablespoonful  of  salt.  Boil 
until  the  catsup  is  a  little  thick. 

GRAPE  yELLY.—T&kt  some  of  the  best 
black  grapes,  strip  them  from  the  stalks,  stir 
them  with  a  wooden  spoon  over  a  gentle  fire  till 
they  burst;  strain  off  the  juice  (without  pressing) 
through  a  jelly-bag  or  thick  muslin ;  weigh  the 
juice  and  boil  it  rapidly  for  twenty  minutes ;  then 
take  it  from  the  fire,  and  to  each  pound  of  juice 
add  fourteen  ounces  of  good  sugar  roughly 
powdered,  and  boil  quickly  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  stirring  it  constantly,  and  skimming  it 
carefully.  It  will  be  quite  clear,  and  of  a  pale 
rose  color. 

GHERR'INS,Pickkd.—S,i&Gp  them  in  strong 
brine  for  a  week,  then  pour  it  off,  heat  it  to  the 
boiling  point,  and  again  pour  it  on  the  gherkins ; 
in  24  hours  drain  the  fruit  on  a  sieve,  put  it  into 
wide-mouthed  bottles  or  jars,  fill  them  up  with 
strong  pickling  vinegar,  boiling  hot,  bung  down 
immediately,  and  tie  over  with  bladder.  When 
cold,  dip  the  corks  into  melted  bottle  wax.  Spice 
is  usually  added  to  the  bottles,  or  else  steeped  in 
the  vinegar. 

In  a  similar  way  are  pickled,  onions,  mush- 
rooms, cucumbers,  walnuts,  samphires,  green 
gooseberries,  cauliflowers,  melons,  barberries, 
peaches,  lemons,  tomatoes,  beans,  radish  pods, 
codlins,  red  cabbage, (without  salt,  and  with  cold 
vinegar,)  beet-root,  (without  salting,)  garlic, 
peas,  etc.,  etc.,  observing  that  the  softer  and 
more  delicate  articles  do  not  require  so  long 
soaking  in  brine  as  the  harder  and  coarser  kinds, 
and  may  be  often  advantageously  pickled  by 
simply  pouring  very  strong  pickling  vinegar  over 
them,  without  applying  heat. 

HAMS,  To  cure.  —  For  each  ham  of  twelve 
pounds  weight:  Two  pounds  of  common  salt; 
2  ounces  of  saltpetre;  ^  pound  of  bay  salt;  }^ 
pound  of  coarse  sugar. 

This  should  be  reduced  to  the  finest  powder. 
Rub  the  hams  well  with  it ;  female  hands  are  not 
often  heavy  enough  to  do  this  thoroughly.  Then 
place  them  in  a  deep  pan,  and  add  a  wineglassful 
of  good  vinegar.  Turn  the  hams  every  day ;  for 
the  first  three  or  four  days  rub  them  well  with 
the  brine ;  after  that  time  it  will  suffice  to  ladle  it 
over  the  meat  with  a  wooden  or  iron  spoon. 
They  should  remain  three  weeks  in  the  pickle. 
When  taken  from  it  wipe  them  well,  put  them  in 
bags  of  brown  paper  and  then  smoke  them  with 
wood  smoke  for  three  weeks.  Most  grocers, 
dealers  in  hams,  and  others,  who  are  particular 
in  their  meat,  usually  take  the  precaution  to  case 


each  one,  after  it  is  smoked,  in  canvas,  for  the 
purpose  of  defending  it  from  the  attacks  of  the 
little  insect,  the  dermestes  lardarins,  which,  by 
laying  its  eggs  in  it,  soon  fills  it  with  its  larvse, 
or  maggots.  This  troublesome  and  expensive 
process  may  be  altogether  superseded  by  the  use 
of  pyroligneous  acid.  With  a  painter's  brush, 
dipped  in  the  liquid,  one  man,  in  the  course  of  a 
day,  may  effectually  secure  two  hundred  hams 
from  all  danger.  Care  should  be  taken  to  insin- 
uate the  liquid  into  all  the  cracks,  etc.,  of  the 
under  surface.  This  method  is  especially  adapted 
to  the  preservation  of  hams  in  hot  climates. 

HAMS,  To  cure. — I.  Take  zyi.  pounds  sugar,  7 
lbs.  coarse  salt,  2  oz.  saltpetre  and  4  gallons 
water,  boil  together  and  put  on  cool  to  loo 
pounds  of  meat.  Let  the  meat  lie  in  the  pickle 
eight  weeks. — 2. To  a  cask  of  hams,  say  from  25  to 
30,  after  having  packed  them  closely  and  sprin- 
kled them  slightly  with  salt,  I  let  them  he  thus 
for  3  days;  then  make  a  brine  sufficient  to  cover 
them,  by  putting  salt  into  clear  water,  making  it 
strong  enough  to  bear  up  a  sound  egg  or  potato. 
Then  add  ^  lb.  of  saltpetre,  and  a  gallon  of 
molasses ;  let  them  lie  in  the  brine  for  6  weeks 
— they  are  then  exactly  right.  Then  take  them 
up  and  let  them  drain ;  then  while  damp,  rub  the 
flesh  side  and  the  end  of  the  leg  with  finely  pulver- 
ized black,  red,  or  cayenne  pepper ;  let  it  be  as 
fine  as  dust,  and  dust  every  part  of  the  flesh  side, 
then  hang  them  up  and  smoke.  You  may  leave 
them  hanging  in  the  smokehouse  or  other  cool 
place  where  the  rats  cannot  reach  them,  as  they 
are  perfectly  safe  from  all  insects. 

HA iMS  {Smoked),  To  keep. — Make  sacks  of 
coarse  cotton  cloth,  large  enough  to  hold  one 
ham,  and  fill  in  with  chopped  hay  all  around 
about  two  inches  thick.  The  hay  prevents  the 
grease  from  coming  in  contact  with  the  cloth  and 
keeps  all  insects  from  the  meat.  Hang  in  the 
smokehouse,  or  other  dry,  cool  place,  and  they 
will  keep  a  long  time. 

HAMS  {Mutton),  To  Pickle  for  Drying.  — 
First  take  weak  brine  and  put  the  hams  into  it 
for  2  days,  then  pour  off  and  apply  the  following, 
and  let  it  remain  on  from  2  to  3  weeks  according 
to  size:  For  each  loo  lbs.,  take  salt  6  lbs.; 
saltpetre  I  oz. ;  saleratus  2  ozs. ;  molasses  I  pt. ; 
water  6  gals.,  will  cover  these  if  closely  packed. 

HERBS,  To  Dry. — They  should  be  gathered 
in  a  dry  season,  cleansed  from  discolored  and 
rotten  leaves,  screened  from  earth  or  dust,  placed 
on  handles  coverfed  with  blotting  paper  and 
exposed  to  the  sun  or  the  heat  of  a  stove,  in  a 
dry,  airy  place.  The  quicker  they  are  dried  the 
better,  as  they  have  less  time  to  ferment  or  grow 
mouldy;  hence  they  should  be  spread  thin  and 
frequently  turned ;  when  dried  they  should  be 
shaken  in  a  large  meshed  sieve  to  get  rid  of  the 
eggs  of  any  insects.  Aromatic  herbs  ought  to 
be  dried  quickly  with  a  moderate  heat,  that 
their  odor  may  not  be  lost.  Cruciferous  plants 
should  not  be  dried,  as  in  that  case  they  lose 
much  of  their  antiscorbutic  qualities.  Some 
persons  have  proposed  to  dry  herbs  in  a  water 
bath,  but  this  occasions  them,  as  it  were,  to  be 
half  boiled  in  their  own  water. 

HONEY,  Prcscfvation  of.  —  Mier  the  honey 
is  passed  from  the  comb,  str.iin  it  through  a  sieve, 
so  as  to  get  out  all  the  wax  ;  gently  boil  it,  and 
skim  off  the  whitish  foam  which  rises  to  the  sur- 
face, and  then  the  honey  will  become  perfectly 
clear.     The  vessel  for  boiling  should  be  earthen. 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


303 


brass,  or  tin.     The  honey  should  be  put  in  jars 
when  cool,  and  tightly  covered. 

To  keep  honey  in  the  comb,  select  combs  free 
from  pollen,  pack  them  edgewise  in  jars  or  cans, 
and  pour  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  boiled  and 
strained  honey  (as  above)  to  cover  the  combs. 
The  jars  or  cans  should  be  tightly  tied  over  with 
thick  cloth  or  leather.  These  processes  have 
been  in  use  for  twenty  years  with  unvarying  suc- 
cess. 

HORSE-RADISH,  To  have  in  Keeping.  — 
Grate  a  sufficient  quantity  during  the  season, 
•while  it  is  green,  put  it  in  bottles,  fill  up  with 
strong  vinegar,  cork  them  tight,  and  set  tliem  in 
a  cool  place. 

ICE,  To  preserve. — I.  Put  the  ice  into  a  deep 
dish,  cover  it  with  a  plate,  and  place  the  dish  on 
a  pillow  stuffed  with  feathers,  and  cover  the  top 
with  another  pillow  carefully,  by  this  means  ex- 
cluding the  external  air. — 2.  Make  two  bags  of 
stout  woolen  fabric;  the  outer  bag  should  be 
made  at  least  two  inches  wider  each  way  than 
the  inner  one.  After  placing  one  bag  inside  the 
other,  stuff  feathers  between  the  two,  and  sew 
the  two  bags  together  at  the  top.  Put  a  block 
of  ice  into  a  bag  of  this  description,  and  it  will  be 
preserved  from  melting  for  nearly  a  week;  when 
under  exposure  it  will  melt  in  less  than  an  hour. 
#  JAM,  Apricot  or  Plum. — After  taking  away 
the  stones  from  the  apricots,  and  cutting  out  any 
blemishes  they  may  have,  put  them  over  a  slow 
fire,  in  a  clean  stew-pan,  with  half  a  pint  of  wa- 
ter; when  scalded,  rub  them  through  ahair  sieve ; 
to  every  pound  of  pulp  put  one  pound  of  sifted 
loaf  sugar,  put  it  into  a  preserving-pan  over  a 
brisk  fire,  and  when  it  boils  skim  it  well,  and 
throw  in  the  kernels  of  the  apricots  and  half  an 
ounce  of  bitter  almonds,  blanched;  boil  it  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  fast,  and  stirring  it  all  the 
time;  remove  it  from  the  fire,  fill  it  into  pots, 
and  cover  them.  Green  gages  may  be  done  in 
the  same  way. 

JAM,  Currant  {Red,  White  or  Black).— Sin'p 
the  currants  from  the  stalks,  and  put  them  into 
the  preserving-pan,  with  three  quarters  of  a 
pound  of  sugar  to  each  pound  of  fruit;  add  the 
sugar  after  the  fruit  has  boiled  a  few  minutes ; 
boil  together,  mashing  the  fruit  with  a  wooden 
spoon,  and  taking  off  all  the  scum ;  boil  all  gently 
for  half  an  hour,  then  fill  the  jars. 

yAM,  Gooseberry.  —  Choose  the  red  hairy 
gooseberry  when  quite  ripe ;  cut  off  the  tops 
,  and  tails,  weigh  them  and  put  them  into  a  pre- 
serNdng-pan  with  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  red  cur- 
rant juice  to  every  three  pounds  of  gooseberries ; 
let  them  boil  quickly  together  for  nearly  an  hour, 
stirring  carefully  all  the  time.  Then  add  the 
sugar  in  the  proportion  of  three  quarters  of  a 
pound  to  each  pound  of  fruit,  and  boil  for  forty 
minutes.  Gooseberry  jam  takes  a  long  time  to 
boil;  if  not  well  done  it  will  neither  look  nor 
keep  well. 

yAM,  Peach.  —  This  confection  should  be 
made  of  the  clingstone  peach  in  preference,  it 
being  more  juicy  and  of  a  higher  flavor  than  the 
other  kind  of  peach,  the  stone  of  which  separates 
from  the  pulp.  Treat  the  peaches  exactly  in  the 
manner  directed  for  apricots,  using  the  same 
quantity  of  sugar. 

yAM,  Raspberry. — Take  I  pound  loaf-sugar  to 
every  pound  of  fruit ;  bruise  them  together  in 
your  preserving-pan  with  a  silver  spoon,  and  let 
them  simmer  gently  for  an  hour.     When  cold, 


put  thera  into  glass  jars,  and  lay  over  them  a  bit 
of  paper  saturated  with  brandy — then  tie  them 
up  so  as  carefully  to  exclude  the  air. 

yAAf,  Strawberry.  —  Put  an  equal  weight  of 
good  ripe  scarlet  strawberries  and  broken  loaf 
sugar  into  a  preserving-pan ;  let  them  boil  very 
slowly  till  the  sugar  is  all  dissolved.  The  fruit 
should  be  kept  as  much  unbroken  as  possible, 
therefore  stir  very  carefully;  remove  the  scum 
as  it  rises ;  the  addition  of  half  a  pint  of  white 
currant  juice  to  every  four  pound?  of  fruit  is  a 
great  improvement,  strawberry  jam  being  rather 
a  luscious  preserve.  Boil  from  forty  minutes  to  * 
an  hour,  until  the  fruit  looks  clear. 

yELL  V,  Apple. — Pare,  core,  and  cut  thirteen  . 
good  apples  into  small  bits :  as  they  are  cut 
throw  them  into  two  quarts  of  cold  water :  boil 
them  in  this,  with  the  peel  of  a  lemon,  till  the 
substance  is  extracted,  and  nearly  half  the  liquor 
wasted :  drain  them  through  a  hair  sieve.  And 
to  a  pint  of  the  liquid,  add  one  pound  of  loaf 
sugar,  pounded,  the  juice  of  one  lemon,  and  the 
beaten  whites  of  one  or  two  eggs :  put  it  into  a 
saucepan,  stir  it  till  it  boils,  skim  till  clear,  and 
then  mould  it. 

yELLY,  Calves'  Feet.—Tske  eight  calves' 
feet  and  boil  them  until  the  water  becomes  a  good 
jelly,  then  add  sugar,  I  pound;  Port  wine,  2 
pints ;  white  of  two  eggs  and  shells.  Boil  for 
five  minutes,  and  clarify. 

yELLY,  Hartshorn. —'HsttshoTn,  I  pound; 
water,  I  gallon ;  peel  of  two  lemons.  Boil  over 
a  gentle  fire  until  sufficiently  thick,  strain,  and 
add  loaf-sugar,  %  pound;  whites  of  ten  eggs 
(beaten  to  a  froth);  juice  of  six  lemons.  Whisk 
together  well. 

yELL  Y,  Sago.  —  Sago,  i  pound ;  water,  5 
pints.  Wash  the  sago,  then  boil  it  with  the  wa- 
ter until  reduced  to  a  transparent  jelly ;  lastly, 
flavor  it  to  taste. 

KETCHUP,  Camp. — i.  Anchovies,  4  ozs.; 
mix  with  beer,  2  quarts ;  white  wine,  I  quart ; 
boil  a  short  time,  add  peeled  shallots,  3  ozs.; 
black  pepper,  mace,  nutmegs,  and  ginger,  of 
each,  %  oz.;  macerate  for  14  days,  and  bottle. — 
2.  Vinegar,  2  pints ;  walnut  ketchup,  I  pint ; 
mushroom  ketchup,  3  ozs.;  garlic,  4  cloves ;  Ca- 
yenne pods,  j^  oz.;  .soy,  2  ozs.;  wine,  4  ozs.;  3 
anchovies ;  I  oz.  salt.  Macerate  together  3 
weeks,  and  bottle. — 3.  Vinegar,  l  pint;  walnut 
ketchup,  4  ozs.;  soy,  2  ozs.;  12  chopped  ancho- 
vies ;  2  cloves  of  garlic,  and  Cayenne  pods,  I 
drachm  ;  macerate  three  weeks,  and  bottle. 

KETCHUP,  Mushroom.— \.  Picked  mush- 
rooms, 4  lbs.;  salt,  2  lbs.;  sprinkle  it  on  the 
mushrooms,  and  when  they  liquefy,  remove  the 
juice,  add  pimento,  6  ozs.;  cloves,  i  oz.;  boil  gent- 
ly, and  strain.  The  remaining  liquor,  if  any, 
may  be  treated  with  pepper,  mace,  and  ginger, 
for  a  second  quality. — 2.  Express  the  mushrooms 
in  the  tincture  press,  and  to  each  gallon  add  salt, 
8  ozs.;  shallots,  1^2  oz.;  pimento,  i  oz.;  black 
pepper  and  ginger,  of  each  ^  oz.,  and  cloves,  I 
drachm. 

Mushroom  ketchup  is  apt  to  lose  strength,  and 
turn  bad,  in  a  few  weeks  after  it  is  first  made ; 
but  again  boiling  with  a  little  fresh  spice  at  the 
end  of  two  months,  will  make  it  keep  good  a  year 
round. 

KETCHUP,  Walnut.— \.  The  juice  of  green 
tender  walnuts  expressed,  i  gallon ;  boil  and 
skim  till  clear,  add  2  lbs.  of  anchovies  ;  shallots, 
2  lbs.;  pepper,  mace,  and  cloves,  of  each  I  oz.; 


304 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


and  a  sliced  clove  of  garlic.  Simmer  15  min- 
utes, add  salt  to  taste,  strain,  and  when  cool, 
bottle.  Let  it  stand  12  months  before  using. — 
2.  Tender  walnuts  bruised,  ^  bushel ;  add,  to 
each  gallon  of  juice,  red  wine,  l  quart ;  ancho- 
vies and  bay  salt,  of  each  4  ozs.;  allspice,  I  oz.; 
black  pepper,  2  ozs.;  cloves  and  mace,  of  each, 

2  -drachms ;  a  little  ginger,  and  sliced  horseradish. 
Simmer  slowly  until  enough,  and  when  cold, 
bottle. — 3.  Green  walnut  shells  bruised,  4  parts; 
salt,  I  part ;  mix,  and  in  7  days  express  the  liq- 
uor. To  each  gallon,  add  allspice,  4 ozs.;  ginger, 

3  ozs.;  long  pepper,  2  ozs.;  cloves  and  mace,  of 
each  I  oz.  Simmer  for  3a  minutes,  cool,  and 
bottle. 

LAMB,  To  Keep  Fresh  in  the  Summer. — 
In  a  few  hours  after  the  lamb  is  slaughtered,  take 
all  four  quarters  and  cook  them  done.  Each 
subsequent  day  afterwards,  as  you  prepare  your 
dinner,  place  the  remaining  quarters  back  in  the 
stove  and  thoroughly  heat  them ;  this  seems  to 
prevent  taint  from  appearine.  In  this  way  any 
kind  of  fresh  meat  can  be  kcyi  sweet  for  a  week, 
in  the  hottest  weather. 

LARD,  To  Keep  from  Molding.  —  It  is  not 
likely  to  mold  if  properly  tried  and  kept  in  a  cool, 
dry  place ;  earthen  crocks  or  pans  well  tinned  are 
good  to  put  lard  in  for  keeping.  Lard  made 
from  intestinal  fat,  will  not  keep  so  long  as  leaf 
fat.  It  should  be  soaked  two  or  three  days  in 
salted  water,  changed  each  day. 

LEAWN  ACID,  Pure  Crystallized.— T^e^ 
lemon  juice,  any  quantity.  Put  it  into  a  vessel 
of  china,  glass,  or  wood,  and  add  finely  powder- 
ed chalk  until  the  whole  of  the  acid  is  saturated, 
noting  the  exact  weight  of  the  dry  chalk  employ- 
ed; then  collect  the  precipitate  and  well  wash  it 
with  water,  and  for  every  ten  parts  of  chalk  con- 
<5  sumed,  add  sulphuric  acid,  9^  parts ;  diluted 
'  with  water,  60  parts.  Mix  while  still  warm  with 
the  precipitate,  and  stir  well  together ;  let  them 
remain  for  twelve  hours ;  then  decant  the  clear, 
■wash  the  white  powder  with  clear  water,  and  mix 
the  two  liquors ;  lastly,  strain,  evaporate,  and 
crystallize.  To  purify  it,  repeat  the  operation  of 
washing  the  crystals,  dissolving  and  crystallizing 
two  or  three  times.  Great  care  must  be  used  in 
evaporating  the  solution,  for  if  too  much  heat 
should  be  employed,  or  the  process  carried  too 
far,  the  acid  product  will  l>e  injured. 

MARMALADE,  Apricot.  —  Take  off  the 
peel  of  some  large  ripe  apricots,  cut  them  in  two, 
and  remove  the  stones ;  weigh  the  fruit  and  lay 
it  on  dishes ;  to  every  pound  of  apricots  put  one 
pound  of  finely  powdered  loaf  sugar,  strew  it 
over  the  fruit,  and  let  it  lie  for  one  night ;  next 
day  put  the  fruit  and  sugar  into  a  preserving  pan 
with  a  teaspoonful  of  ratafia  to  every  pound  of 
sugar;  let  the  whole  boil  very  gently,  and  as 
each  piece  of  apricot  appears  clear  take  it  out  and 
lay  it  in  a  jar ;  skim  oft  any  scum  that  may  arise 
en  the  syrup,  and  when  all  the  fruit  is  done  pour 
the  syrup  over  it  in  the  jars. 

MARMALADE,  Red  Currant.  —  Squeeze 
some  ripe  red  currants  through  a  coarse  muslin ; 
to  every  pint  of  juice  put  a  pound  of  loaf  sugar ; 
boil  it  very  well ;  when  nearly  boiled  to  a  jelly, 
have  some  bunches  of  large  wnite  currants  nice- 
ly picked,  throw  them  in,  and  boil  five  minutes; 
it  should  turn  out  stiff  and  transparent 

MARMALADE,  Gooseberry.  —  Take  the 
gooseberries  when  fully  grown,  but  not  ripe,  boil 
them  in  water  five  minutes,  then  drain  them 


through  a  colander,  bruise  the  fruit,  add  an 
equal  quantity  of  loaf  sugar,  and  to  every  three 
pounds  of  sugar  put  the  rind  of  a  lemon  grated 
and  half  the  juice  ;  it  should  be  boiled  until  stiff. 

MARMALADE,  Mixed.—  Pare,  core,  and 
quarter  one  peck  of  pears,  the  same  quantity  of 
orange  quinces,  simmer  in  sufficient  water  to 
keep  them  from  burning  until  tender,  flavoring 
them  with  one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  sliced  green 
ginger,  the  rind  of  one  orange  and  one  lemon, 
one  ounce  of  blanched  and  shredded  sweet  al- 
monds, a  dozen  bitter  almonds  or  peach  pits. 
Pare,  core  and  quarter  two  pecks  of  all  pippins, 
and  add  them  when  the  quinces  are  tender.  When 
the  apples  are  tender  add  for  each  pound  of  the 
pulp  one  half  pound  of  good  brown  sugar,  sim- 
mer a  few  minutes  altogether  and  seal  hot. 

MARMALADE,  Orange.— Choose  the  larg- 
est Seville  oranges,  as  they  usually  contain  the 
greatest  quantity  of  juice,  and  choose  them  with 
clear  skins,  as  the  skins  form  the  largest  part  of 
the  marmalade.  Weigh  the  oranges,  and  weigh 
also  an  equal  quantity  of  loaf  sugar.  Skin  the 
oranges,  dividing  the  skins  into  quarters,  and 
put  them  into  a  preserving  pan  ;  cover  them  well 
with  water,  and  set  them  on  the  fire  to  boil :  in 
the  meantime  prepare  your  oranges  ;  divide  them 
into  gores,  then  scrape  with  a  teaspoon  all  the 
pulp  from  the  white  skin;  or,  instead  of  skinning 
the  oranges,  cut  a  hole  in  the  orange  and  scoop 
out  the  pulp ;  remove  carefully  all  the  pips,  of 
which  there  are  innumerable  small  ones  m  the 
Seville  orange,  which  will  escape  observation 
unless  they  are  very  minutely  examined.  Have 
a  large  basin  near  you  with  some  cold  water  in 
it  to  throw  the  pips  and  skins  into — a  pint  is  suf- 
ficient for  a  dozen  oranges.  A  great  deal  of  glu- 
tinous matter  adheres  to  them,  which,  when 
strained  through  a  sieve,  should  be  boiled  with 
the  other  parts;  When  the  skins  have  boiled  till 
they  are  sufficiently  tender  to  admit  of  a  fork 
being  stuck  into  Uiem,  strain  them ;  some  of 
which  may  be  boiled  with  the  other  parts ;  scrape 
clean  all  the  pith,  or  inside,  from  them ;  lay  them 
in  folds,  and  cut  them  into  thin  slices  of  about  an 
inch  long.  Clarify  your  sugar;  then  throw  your 
skins  and  pulp  into  it,  stir  it  well,  and  let  it  boil 
about  half  an  hour.  If  the  sugar  is  broken  into 
small  pieces,  and  boiled  with  the  fruit,  it  will 
answer  the  purpose  of  clarifying,  but  it  must  be 
well  skimmed  when  it  boils. 

MARMALADE,  Quince.  —  Half  fill  a  pre- 
serving pan  with  water,  slice  your  quinces  into 
it,  and  stew,  stirring  occasionally  till  they  are  a 
pulp ;  strain  it  through  a  hair  sieve,  and  to 
every  pint  of  pulp  add  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of 
loaf  sugar  pounded ;  boil  together  till  it  jellies ; 
put  it  into  jars  while  hot.  If  well  made  it  will 
keep  many  years  in  a  dry  place. 

MARMALADE,  Quince.— Take  quinces  that 
are  quite  ripe,  pare  and  cut  them  in  quarters, 
take  out  the  cores,  put  them  into  a  stew  pan  with 
nearly  enough  spring  water  to  cover  them,  keep 
them  closely  covered,  and  let  them  stew  gently 
till  they  are  quite  soft  and  red,  then  mash  and 
rub  them  through  a  hair  sieve-.  Put  them  in  a 
pan  over  a  gentle  fire,  with  as  much  thick  clarified 
sugar  as  the  weight  of  the  quinces ;  boil  them  an 
hour  and  stir  tne  whole  time  with  a  wooden 
spoon  to  prevent  its  sticking;  put  it  into  pots, 
and  when  cold  tie  them  down. 

MARMALADE,  Transparent.— Cnt  very  pale 
Seville  oranges  into  quarters  j  take  out  the  pulp. 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


30s 


put  it  into  a  basin,  and  pick  out  the  skins  and 
seeds.  Put  the  peels  into  a  little  salt  and  water, 
and  let  them  stand  all  night,  then  boil  them  in  a 
good  quantity  of  spring  watei*  until  they  are 
tender ;  cut  them  in  very  thin  slices,  and  put 
them  into  the  pulp.  To  every  pound  of  marmal- 
ade put  one  pound  and  a  half  of  double  refined 
beaten  sugar ;  boil  them  together  gently  for 
twenty  minutes  ;  if  they  are  not  transparent,  boil 
them  a  few  minutes  longer.  Stir  it  gently  all 
the  time,  and  take  care  not  to  break  the  slices. 
When  it  is  cold,  put  it  into  jelly  and  sweetmeat 
glasses ;  tie  down  tight. 

ME  A  T,  To  Cure. —  To  one  gallon  of  water 
add  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  salt,  half  a  pound  of 
sugar,  half  an  ounce  of  saltpetre,  half  an  ounce 
of  potash.  In  this  ratio  the  pickle  to  be  increas- 
ed to  any  quantity  desired.  Let  these  be  boiled 
together  until  all  the  dirt  from  the  sugar  rises  to 
the  top  and  is  skimmed  off.  Then  throw  it  into 
a  tub  to  cool,  and  when  cold  pour  it  over  your 
beef  or  pork,  to  remain  the  usual  time,  say  four 
or  five  weeks.  The  meat  must  be  well  covered 
with  pickle,  and  should  not  be  put  down  for  at 
least  two  days  after  killing,  during  which  time 
it  should  be  slightly  sprinkled  with  powdered 
saltpetre,  which  removes  all  the  surface  blood, 
etc.,  leaving  the  meat  fresh  and  clean.  Some 
omit  boiling  the  pickle,  and  find  it  to  answer 
well ;  though  the  operation  of  boiling  purifies 
the  pickle  by  throwing  off  the  dirt  always  to  be 
found  in  salt  and  sugar.  If  this  recipe  is  prop- 
erly tried  it  will  never  be  abandoned.  There  is 
none  that  surpasses  it,  if  so  good. 

ME  A  T  {Frozen),  To  keep. — After  the  meat  is 
frozen,  tie  in  papers  and  pack  in  a  flour  barrel 
with  clean  straw,  pushing  the  straw  down  tightly 
with  a  thin  lath.  Then  put  the  barrel  in  a  box, 
five  or  six  inches  larger  than  the  barrel  every 
way,  and  fill  the  space  with  dry  sawdust. 

MEAT  {Fresh),  Preserving. — I.  Place  in  large 
earthenware  pans,  putting  clean  heavy  stones  on 
it,  and  covering  it  with  skim  milk;  the  milk  will 
become  sour,  of  course,  but  may  afterward  serve 
as  food  for  pigs,  and  the  meat  will  be  found  to 
have  kept  its  natural  primitive  freshness,  even 
after  eight  or  ten  days.  This  is  a  German  me- 
thod, and  may  answer  where  the  ice  house  or 
spring  house  is  wanting,  and  where  the  skim 
milk  is  plenty. — 2.  At  Monte  Video,  meat  is  now 
preserved  in  large  quantities  for  export,  by  a 
process  which  is  thus  described: — A  pickle  is 
made  containing  eighty-five  per  cent,  of  water, 
with  hydrochloric  acid,  glycerine,  and  bisulphite 
of  soda,  and  in  this  the  meat,  cut  into  lumps  of 
from  five  to  fifty  pounds  weight,  is  soaked  for 
some  days.  When  taken  out,  it  is  dusted  over 
with  dry  bisulphite  of  soda,  and  is  closely  packed 
in  airtight  boxes,  in  which  it  will  keep  sweet  for 
years,  and  can  be  rendered  fit  for  use  at  any 
time  by  soaking  in  a  bath  of  cold  water  in  which 
a  small  quantity  of  vinegar  is  mixed. — 3.  Accord- 
ing to  a  recipe  recently  patented  in  England, 
meat  of  any  kind  may  be  preserved  in  any  tem- 
perature after  it  has  been  soaked  for  ten  minutes 
in  a  solution  made  of  the  following  ingredients, 
well  mixed :  One  pint  of  common  salt  dissolved 
in  four  gallons  of  clear  cold  water  and  half  a 
gallon  of  the  bisulphite  of  calcium  solution.  It 
is  said  that  experiments  show  that  meats  so 
prepared  will  keep  for  twelve  days  in  a  tem- 
perature of  from  80  to  1 10  degrees,  and  preserve 
their  odor  and  flavor  unimpaired.     By  repeating 


the  process  meats  may  be  indefinitely  preserved, 
and  if  it  is  desired  to  keep  them  an  unusually 
long  time,  a  little  solution  of  gelatine  or  white  of 
an  egg  may  be  added  to  the  wash. 

MEA  T,  Phenyl  Paper  to  Preserve.  —  This 
article  would  be  useful  for  packing  meat  and 
other  substances  liable  to  decay.  It  can  be  pre- 
pared by  fusing  five  parts  stearic  acid  at  a  gentle 
heat,  mixing  well  with  two  parts  carbolic  acid 
and  five  parts  melted  paraffine,  and  stirring  until 
the  whole  has  become  solid,  and  applying  in  the 
same  manner  as  wax  paper  is  made. 

MELON  MANGOES.— The  late,  small,  and 
smooth  muskmelons  are  used  for  this  pickle. 
Cut  out  a  plug  at  the  stem  end,  or,  as  some 
prefer  it,  from  the  side ;  scrape  out  the  contents, 
replace  the  plug  and  secure  it  with  a  wooden  pin, 
and  put  the  melons  thus  prepared  into  a  strong 
brine.  When  they  have  been  in  the  brine  for 
twenty-four  hours  or  more,  they  are  ready  for 
stuffing.  The  stuffing  is  made  of  any  pickle 
material  at  hand;  shredded  cabbage,  brokea 
cauliflower,  small  onions  and  cucumbers,  green 
beans,  peppers,  mustard  seed,  nasturtiums, 
scraped  horseradish,  and  the  like.  Cabbage  and 
the  other  stuffing,  except  the  aromatics,  are  bet- 
ter for  being  scalded  and  cooled.  Stuff  the 
melons  according  to  fancy,  and  then  sew  each 
plug  m  its  place  by  means  of  a  needle  and  coarse 
thread.  Place  the  stuffed  melons  in  a  jar,  add 
cloves,  pepper,  and  other  desired  spice,  and  pour 
boiling  vinegar  over  them.  Repeat  the  scalding 
of  the  vinegar  for  three  days  in  succession. 

MILK,  To  Preserve. —  i.  Milk  becomes  sour 
by  the  formation  of  lactic  acid,  which  is  rapidly 
developed  at  a  temperature  of  70°  to  90°.  The 
best  way  to  preserve  milk  sweet  for  domestic 
purposes,  is  to  add  to  it  every  day  a  few  grains 
of  carbonate  of  soda  per  pint,  to  keep  the  milk 
alkaline.  —  2.  Put  the  milk  into  bottles,  then 
place  them  in  a  saucepan  with  cold  water,  and 
gradually  raise  it  to  the  boiling  point;  take  it 
from  the  fire,  and  instantly  cork  the  bottles,  then 
raise  the  milk  once  more  to  the  boiling  point  for 
half  a  minute.  Finally  let  the  botdes  cool  in  the 
water  in  which  they  were  boiled.  Milk  thus 
treated  will  remain  perfectly  good  for  six  months. 
Ernigrants,  especially  those  having  children,  will 
find  the  above  hint  add  much  to  their  comfort 
while  on  their  voyage. —  3.  Add  to  every  thirty 
ounces  of  unskimmed  milk,  previously  poured  in 
a  well-annealed  glass  bottle,  about  six  grains  of 
bicarbonate  of  soda.  Place  the  bottle  containing 
the  milk,  and  well  corked,  for  about  four  hours 
in  a  water-bath  heated  up  to  90°  C.  (194°  F.). 
On  being  taken  out  the  bottle  is  varnished  over 
with  tar ;  and  in  that  state  the  milk  will  keep 
sound  and  sweet  for  several  weeks. 

MILK,  Condensed.  —  There  is  no  patent  for 
manufacturing  condensed  milk,  and  the  whole 
process  amounts  to  a  careful  evaporation,  ad- 
dition of  sugar  and  sealing  up  of  the  article.  The 
evaporation  should  be  conducted  in  a  vacuum, 
to  prevent  the  milk  from  becoming  brown  and 
acquiring  a  bitter  taste.  It  is  best  to  stir  it 
constantly,  or  the  skin  of  coagulated  casein  at 
the  top  will  prevent  quick  evaporation.  When 
sufficiently  thick  or  condensed  it  is  mixed  with 
one-quarter  of  its  weight  of  granulated  sugar, 
stirred  well,  filled  in  tins,  and  soldered  up. 

MUSHROOMS,  To  /'/r/-/^.  —  Take  a  quart 
of  small  field  button  mushrooms,  cut  the  stems 
close,  and  rub  off  the  skin  with  a  bit  of  flannel 

20 


3o6 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


and  a  little  salt ;  throw  them  as  they  are  done 
into  salt  and  spring  water.  Drain  and  dry  them 
in  a  cloth.  Put  a  quart  of  strong  vinegar  into 
an  enameled  pan,  with  an  ounce  of  bruised 
ginger,  half  an  ounce  of  whole  white  pepper, 
half  an  ounce  of  mustard  seed.  Tie  up  in  a  bit 
of  mushn  a  small  nutmeg  sliced,  and  half  a  salt- 
spoonful  of  cayenne ;  put  this  along  with  a  table- 
spoonful  of  salt  into  the  vinegar,  and  let  it  and 
the  spices  come  to  a  boil.  When  boiHng  briskly 
throw  in  the  mushrooms,  and  let  them  boil  ten 
minutes.  Take  out  the  muslin  bag,  and  put  the 
other  spices  into  the  pickle  bottles,  along  with 
the  mushrooms  and  vinegar.  When  quite  cold, 
cork  the  bottles,  and  cover  them  with  a  bladder. 

MUSHROOMS,  To  Er/:serv£.  —  The  small 
open  mushrooms  suit  best.  Trim  and  rub  them 
clean,  and  put  into  a  stew-pan  a  quart  of  the 
mushrooms,  three  ounces  of  butter,  two  tea- 
spoonfuls  of  salt,  and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  Ca- 
yenne pepper  and  mace  mixed;  stew  until  the 
mushrooms  are  tender ;  take  them  carefully  out 
and  drain  them  on  a  sloping  dish.  When  cold, 
press  into  small  pots,  and  pour  clarified  butter 
over  them.  Put  writing  paper  over  the  butter, 
and  on  that  pour  melted  suet,  which  will  exclude 
the  air  and  preserve  them  for  many  weeks,  if 
kept  in  a  dry,  cool  place. 

ONIOiVS,  To  Keep. — Gather  in  fall  and  re- 
move the  tops ;  then  spread  upon  a  barn  floor  or 
in  any  open  shed,  and  allow  them  to  remain 
there  until  thoroughly  dry.  Put  into  barrels  or 
small  bins  or  boxes,  and  place  in  a  cool  place, 
and  at  the  approach  of  cold  weather  cover  with 
straw  or  chaff,  if  there  is  danger  of  very  severe 
freezing. 

Onions  are  often  injured  in  winter  by  keeping 
them  in  too  warm  a  place.  They  will  seldom  be 
injured  by  frost  if  kept  in  the  dark,  and  in  tight 
barrels  or  boxes,  where  not  subjected  to  frequent 
changes  of  temperature.  It  is  the  alternate  freez- 
ings and  thawings  that  destroy  them,  and  if  plac- 
ed in  a  position  where  they  will  remain  frozen  all 
winter,  and  then  thawed  out  slowly  and  in  a 
dark  place,  no  considerable  injury  would  result 
from  this  apparently  harsh  treatment.  Onions 
should  always  be  stored  in  the  coolest  part  of  the 
cellar,  or  put  in  chaff  and  set  in  the  barn  or  some 
out-house. 

ONIONS,  To  Pickle.  —  Have  the  onions 
gathered  when  quite  dry  and  ripe,  and  with  the 
fingers  take  off  the  thin  outside  skin,  then  with 
a  knife  remove  one  more  skin,  when  the  onion 
will  look  quite  clear.  Have  ready  some  very 
dry  bottles  or  jars,  and  as  fast  as  the  onions  are 
peeled  put  them  in.  Pour  over  sufficient  cold 
vinegar  to  cover  them,  add  two  teaspoonfuls  of 
allspice  and  two  teaspoonfuls  of  black  pepper, 
taking  care  that  each  jar  has  its  share  of  the  lat- 
ter ingredients.  Tie  down  with  bladder,  and  put 
them  in  a  dry  place,  and  in  a  fortnight  they  will 
be  fit  for  use.  This  is  a  most  simple  receipt, 
and  very  delicious,  the  onions  being  nice  and 
crisp.  They  should  be  eaten  within  six  or  eight 
inoiuhs  after  being  done,  as  the  onions  are  liable 
to  become  soft. 

ORANGE-PEEL,  Candied.— S,ozi\i  the  peels 
in  water,  which  must  be  changed,  until  they  lose 
their  bitterness,  ilu  n  put  them  into  syrup  until 
they  become  soft  and  transparent ;  lastly,  take 
them  out  and  place  them  to  dry. 

O  YSTER  CA  TSUP. — Take  fine  fresh  oysters, 
rinse  them  in  their  own  liquor,  then  pound  them 


in  a  marble  mortar,  and  to  a  pint  of  oysters  put 
a  pint  of  cherry  wine;  boil  them  up,  add  an 
ounce  of  salt,  2  drachms  of  cayenne  pepper,  let 
it  boil  up  once  again,  rub  it  through  a  sieve; 
when  cold,  put  it  in  bottles  and  cork  and  seal 
them. 

OYSTERS,  Pickled. —TtlVq  one  hundred 
freshly  opened  oysters  and  simmer  them  slowly 
in  their  own  liquor ;  when  the  beards  begin  to 
curl,  take  them  out  one  by  one  and  put  them  in 
a  pan  containing  ice  water,  (cooling  rapidly  ren- 
ders them  firm).  Strain  the  liquor  and  return 
to  the  kettle,  then  add  one  ounce  of  whole  all- 
spice, the  same  of  pepper,  a  few  blades  of  mace, 
and  half  a  teaspoonful  of  salt.  Simmer  five  min- 
utes and  add  one  pint  of  vinegar  (not  too  strong). 
Then  boil  about  two  minutes  longer.  When  the 
liquor  becomes  cold,  pour  it  over  the  oysters. 
Ready  for  use  in  twelve  hours. 

PARSLEY,  ToDry.—CvX  a  large  basketful 
of  the  best  looking  curled  parsley,  pick  out  all 
faded  or  dirty  leaves,  and  dry  the  remainder  care- 
fully before  a  clear  fire.  At  first  the  leaves  will 
become  quite  limp,  and  they  must  be  turned  be- 
fore the  fire  to  expose  all  parts  equally  to  the 
heat,  until  the  leaves  are  dry  and  brittle,  without 
losing  their  green  color,  for  if  they  are  allowed 
to  get  brown  they  are  spoiled.  W^hen  dry,  rub 
them  to  powder  between  the  hands  ;  sift  the  pow- 
der through  a  coarse  sieve,  and  bottle  it  for  use  ; 
it  will  retain  both  the  color  and  flavor  of  green 
parsley.  A  large  basket  of  fresh  leaves  will 
hardly  yield  a  pint  of  powder.  Never  dry  it  in 
the  sun,  or  it  will  lose  much  of  its  flavor. 

PARSNIPS,  Preserving. — The  almost  uni- 
versal practice  among  farmers  is  to  allow  their 
parsnips  to  remain  in  the  ground  tkrough  winter, 
just  where  they  were  grown.  We  believe  the 
quality  of  this  root  is  improved  by  being  frozen, 
or  at  least  kept  cool,  but  it  is  not  necessary  to 
leave  them  in  the  open  garden  during  winter, 
where,  if  the  ground  remain  frozen,  they  cannot 
be  got  at  until  it  thaws  in  spring,  and  then  used 
in  a  very  few  weeks  or  not  at  all.  If  the  roots 
are  dug  up  late  in  the  fall,  leaving  all  the  tops 
on,  then  carefully  heeled  in  thickly  together  in 
rows,  after  which  cover  with  a  little  coarse  litter, 
they  can  be  reached  whenever  wanted  during 
winter. 

PEA  CUES,  To  Can.  —  Pare  and  halve  your 
peaches.  Pack  them  as  closely  as  possible  in  the 
can  without  any  sugar.  W^hen  the  can  is  full, 
pour  in  sufficient  pure  cold  water  to  fill  all  the 
interstices  between  the  peaches,  and  reach  the 
brim  of  the  can.  Let  stand  long  enough  for 
the  water  to  soak  into  all  the  crevices — say  six 
hours  —  then  pour  in  water  to  replace  what  has 
sunk  away.  Seal  up  the  can,  and  all  is  done. 
Canned  in  this  way,  peaches  retain  all  their  fresh- 
ness and  flavor. 

There  will  not  be  enough  water  in  them  to 
render  them  insipid.  If  preferred,  a  cold  syrup 
could  be  used  instead  of  pure  water,  but  the 
peaches  taste  most  natural  without  any  sweet. 

PEA  CUES,  To  Dry.  —  Never  pare  peaches 
to  dry.  Let  them  get  mellow  enough  to  be  in 
good  eating  condition,  put  them  in  boiling  water 
for  a  moment  or  two,  and  the  skins  will  come  off 
like  a  charm.  Let  them  be  in  the  water  long 
enough,  but  no  longer.  The  gain  is  at  least  six- 
fold— saving  of  time  in  removing  the  skin,  great 
saving  of  the  peach,  the  part  of  the  peach  saved 
is  the  best  part,  less  time  to  stone  the  peaches. 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


307 


less  time  to  dry  them,  and  better  when  dried, 
A  whole  bushel  can  be  done  in  a  boiler  at  once, 
and  then  the  water  turned  off. 

PEACHES,  To  Preierve.—T^t  mcAsxzX.^ 
sized  peaches  before  they  are  quite  ripe,  cut  a 
small  slit  in  the  end  and  take  out  the  stone,  set 
them  to  boil  in  cold  water,  and  let  them  remain 
till  about  half  done,  then  throw  them  into  an 
earthen  pan  containing  cold  water.  The  next 
day  put  them  into  a  preserving-pan,  with  as  much 
of  the  syrup  (prepared  as  above)  as  will  cover 
them,  let  them  boil  for  five  minutes,  then  lay 
them  aside  till  next  day  in  an  earthen-ware  pan ; 
boil  them  three  days  successively  in  the  same 
syrup,  which  at  the  end  of  that  time  ought  to  be 
rather  thicker  than  honey;  if  it  does  not  appear 
to  be  so,  boil  it  until  it  is  thick  enough. 

PEAS  {Green),  To  Preserve.  —  When  full 
grown,  but  not  old,  pick  and  shell  the  peas. 
Lay  them  on  dishes  or  tins  in  a  cool  oven,  or  be- 
fore a  bright  fire ;  do  not  heap  the  peas  on  the 
dishes,  but  merely  cover  them  with  peas,  stir 
them  frequently,  and  let  them  dry  very  gradually. 
^Vhen  hard,  let  them  cool,  then  pack  them 
in  stone  jars,  co\-er  close,  and  keep  them  in  a 
very  dry  place.  When  required  for  use,  soak 
them  for  some  hours  in  cold  water,  till  they  look 
plump  before  boiling;  they  are  excellent  for  soup. 

PICCALILLI  {Indian  Metho<r).—T\{\s  con- 
sists of  all  kinds  of  pickles  mixed  and  put  into 
one  large  jar — sliced  cucumbers,  button  onions, 
cauliflowers,  broken  in  pieces.  Salt  them,  or 
puf  them  in  a  large  hair  sieve  in  the  sun  to  dry 
for  three  days,  then  scald  them  in  vinegar  a  few 
minutes ;  when  cold  put  them  together.  Cut  a 
large  white  cabbage  in  quarters,  with  the  outside 
leaves  taken  off  and  cut  fine  ;  salt  it,  and  put  it 
in  the  sun  to  dry  three  or  four  days  ;  then  scald 
it  in  vinegar,  the  same  as  cauliflower  ;  carrots, 
three  parts,  boiled  in  vinegar  and  a  little  bay  salt. 
French  beans,  radish  pods,  and  nasturtiums, 
all  go  through  the  same  process  as  capsicums, 
etc.  To  I  gallon  of  vinegar  put  4  ounces  of 
ginger  bruised,  2  ounces  of  whole  white  pepper, 
2  ounces  of  allspice,  y^  ounce  chillies  bruised,  4 
ounces  of  turmeric,  I  pound  of  the  best  mustard, 
y^  pound  of  shallots,  I  ounce  of  garlic,  and  ^ 
pound  of  bay  salt.  The  vinegar,  spice,  and 
other  ingredients,  except  the  mustard,  must  boil 
half  an  hour ;  then  strain  it  into  a  pan,  put  the 
mustard  into  a  large  basin,  with  a  little  vinegar ; 
mix  it  quite  fine  and  free  from  lumps,  then  add 
more.  When  well  mixed  put  it  into  the  vinegar 
just  strained  off,  and  when  quite  cold  put  the 
pickles  into  a  large  pan,-  and  the  liquor  over  them; 
stir  them  repeatedly,  so  as  to  mix  them  all. 
Finally,  put  them  into  a  jar,  and  tie  them  over 
first  with  a  bladder,  and  afterwards  with  leather. 
The  capsicums  want  no  preparation. 

PICKLES,  Hints  on. — Some  time  since  it 
appeared  to  be  the  fashion  that  all  pickles  should 
have  a -bright  green  color,  almost  brighter  than 
the  pickled  vegetable  itself  possessed  when  quite 
fresh,  or  even  when  growing  under  the  most  fa- 
vorable circumstances.  All  vegetables,  when 
subjected  to  the  influence  of  heat,  lose  a  consid- 
erable portion  of  their  natural  coloring  matter, 
or  it  undergoes  some  chemical  change,  which 
renders  the  color  faded  and  sometimes  withered 
in  appearance  ;  if  therefore  pickles  must  be  bright 
green,  they  must  be  colored,  and  the  most  com- 
mon way  in  which  that  was  done  was  by  letting 
them  lie  iu  a  copper  vessel.     The  vinegar  with 


which  they  were  covered  absorbed  some  portion 
of  the  copper,  and  gave  a  green  tinge  (which, 
however,  was  highly  jwisonous)  to  the  pickle. 
So  many  accidents  occurred  from  the  use  of  these 
green  pickles  that  the  fashion  declined,  and 
makers  who  advertise  pickles  have  ceased  to 
mention  their  green  color  as  one  of  their  recom- 
mendations. 

The  vegetables  intended  for  pickling  are  in 
most  cases  put  either  into  salt  or  strong  brine  for 
a  few  days,  to  extract  some  of  the  fluid  which  all 
vegetables  contain,  and  which  would  so  much 
weaken  the  vinegar  that  it  would  have  to  be  re- 
newed in  a  very  short  time.  Vinegar  for  pickles 
must  be  the  best  French  white  wine  vinegar,  and 
the  spices,  (which  should  be  the  best  and  fresh- 
est that  can  be  procured)  may  be  tied  up  in  a 
muslin  bag  and  boiled  in  the  vinegar  until  all  the 
flavor  has  been  extracted  by  it.  An  enameled 
pan  is  the  best  and  safest  thing  to  boil  any  strong 
acid  in. 

PICKLES  of  Srveet  Citron. — Cut  the  citron 
into  pieces  of  desirable  shape  and  size,  then  place 
them  in  a  jar  (stone  is  best),  cover  them  with  a 
weak  brine  and  let  them  stand  for  twenty-four 
hours,  then  drain  or  wipe  them  dry.  Take 
enough  good  vinegar  to  nearly  or  quite  cover 
them.  To  every  gallon  of  vinegar  add  one  and 
one  fourth  pounds  of  nice  brown  or  white  sugar, 
one  ounce  each  of  whole  cloves,  allspice,  stick 
cinnamon  and  mace.  Boil  the  vinegar,  sugar 
and  spices  together  a  few  minutes  and  then  pour 
over  the  citron.  Let  the  w'hole  stand  two  or 
three  days,  then  repeat  the  scalding.  After  an- 
other day  or  two  boil  the  whole  together  until 
the  citron  is  done  enough  to  pass  a  straw^ 
through.     Keep  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 

PICKLES,  Cucumber. — Cucumbers  should 
be  cut  from  the  vines,  a  part  of  the  stem  left  on ; 
observe  care  not  to  mar  them ;  if  bruised  they 
will  decay.  Select  such  as  are  of  suitable  size 
and  of  good  quality,  and  cover  them  with  boiling 
water,  let  them  remain  until  the  water  is  cool ; 
if  for  vinegar  pickles,  add  a  small  quantity  of  salt 
before  scalding.  When  cold,  drain  thoroughly, 
and  cover  with  boiling  vinegar  with  an  addition 
of  spice  if  preferred.  If  for  brine,  put  a  layer  of 
dry  salt  in  the  bottom  of  a  barrel,  and  after  thor- 
oughly draining  the  pickles,  put  them  in  with 
dry  salt  amongst  them.  Add  no  water.  Put  a 
weight  upon  them,  they  will  furnish  moisture  for 
brine,  and  will  keep  better,  besides  being  more 
crisp  and  brittle  for  having  had  the  gum  soaked 
from  them  bv  the  boiling  water. 

PICKLES,  To  Detect  Copper  i«.— Put  a  few 
leaves  of  the  tea,  or  some  of  the  pickle  cut  small, 
into  a  phial  with  two  or  three  drachms  of  liquid 
ammonia,  diluted  with  one  half  the  quantity  of 
water.  Shake  the  phial,  when,  if  the  most  min- 
ute portion  of  copper  be  present,  the  liquid  will 
assume  a  fine  blue  color. 

PICKLE,  French. — Take  one  peck  of  green 
tomatoes  cut  in  thin  slices.  Take  a  layer  of  to- 
matoes and  sprinkle  salt  upon  it,  and  so  on  al- 
ternately until  the  whole  peck  is  disposed  of. 
Let  them  remain  in  this  condition  over  night, 
and  in  the  morning  squeeze  them  out  dry.  Then 
take  two  heads  of  slough  cabbage  cut  up  fine, 
one  dozen  large  green  peppers  cut  fine,  one- 
fourth  of  a  peck  of  chopped  onions ;  then  add 
one  half  of  a  pound  of  mustard,  one  half  of  a 
pound  of  white  mustard,  one  pound  of  sugar, 
two  ounces  of  allspice  and  cloves  whole,  two 


3o8 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


ounces  of  celery  seed ;  mix  all  together  and  cover 
>vith  vinegar  and  boil  two  hours. 

PICKLE,  Indian. — Pull  a  white  cauliflower 
into  branches,  peel  the  stalk  and  slice  it;  slice  a 
small  white  cabbage,  a  cucumber,  a  dozen  onions, 
and  six  tomatoes;  add  six  cloves  of  garlic,  one 
dozen  shallots,  a  dozen  capsicums,  half  a  pint  of 
French  beans,  some  radish  pods,  and  a  large 
handful  of  scraped  horseradish.  Lay  all  these 
vegetables  in  a  pan,  and  pour  over  them  strong 
bailing  brine.  Let  them  lie  half  an  hour,  then 
drain  off  the  brine,  and  dry  them  in  the  sun,  or 
in  a  cool  oven.  Boil  one  gallon  of  vinegar  with 
four  ounces  of  pounded  black  pepper,  four  oimces 
of  pounded  white  pepper,  two  ounces  of  pounded 
chillies,  two  ounces  of  pounded  ginger,  one  ounce 
of  pounded  cloves,  four  ounces  of  mustard  flour, 
two  ounces  of  turmeric,  and  one  ounce  of  mus- 
tard seed.  Lay  the  vegetables  in  a  stone  jar, 
pour  the  vinegar  and  spices  while  boiling  hot 
over  them,  and  when  cold,  cover  the  jar  with  a 
bladder.     In  a  month  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 

PICKLES,  Mixed.— TzkQ  half  a  pint  of  half- 
grown  French  beans,  as  nearly  of  the  same  size 
as  possible,  a  dozen  gherkins,  each  from  two  to 
three  inches  long,  a  small  green  cucumber  cut 
into  slices  about  half  an  inch  thick ;  put  these 
into  a  pan  of  brine,  strong  enough  to  float  an 
egg.  Let  them  lie  for  three  days,  stirring  them 
each  day,  then  place  them  in  an  enameled  pre- 
serving pan,  with  vine  leaves  under  and  over 
them,  pour  in  the  brine  in  which  they  have  been 
steeped,  and  cover  them  closely  to  prevent  the 
steam  escaping;  set  them  over  a  slow  fire,  but 
do  not  allow  them  to  boil ;  when  they  become  a 
green  color,  drain  them  through  a  sieve  and  let 
them  remain  till  the  other  ingredients  are  ready. 
Pull  a  small  white  cauliflower  into  branches,  and 
r  lay  it  in  strong  brine,  together  with  half  a  pint 
of"^  onions,  the  size  of  marbles,  peeled,  a  dozen 
fresh  chillies  (scarlet),  or  a  few  scarlet  capsicums ; 
let  them  remain  three  or  four  days,  then  arrange 
them  in  pickle  bottles  with  the  green  pickle  al- 
ready done  interspersed  in  a  tasteful  manner 
through  them.  Boil  as  much  good  vinegar  as 
will  be  sufficient  to  fill  up  the  bottles,  with  some 
whole  allspice,  white  pepper,  bruised  ginger, 
mace,  mustard  seed,  and  slices  of  horseradish. 
When  the  vinegar  tastes  very  strong  of  these 
spices,  strain  it  carefully  (unless  they  have  been 
tied  in  a  bag  as  already  recommended).  Let  the 
vinegar  stand  till  cold,  then  fill  the  bottles  and 
cork  securely. 

PLANT  SPECIMENS,  Preservation  of.— 
The  collector  of  plants  requires  but  little  ap- 
paratus ;  a  few  quires  or  reams  of  unsized  paper, 
of  folio  size,  will  furnish  all  that  will  be  needed. 
The  specimens  as  gathered  may  be  placed  in  a 
tin  box,  or,  still  better,  in  a  portfolio  of  paper, 
until  reaching  home.  About  forty  or  fifty  sheets 
of  the  paper  should  be  put  into  the  portfolio  on 
setting  out  on  an  excursion.  Put  the  specimens  of 
each  species  in  a  separate  sheet  as  fast  as  gather- 
ed from  the  plant,  taking  a  fresh  sheet  for  each 
additional  species.  On  returning  to  camp,  place 
these  sheets  (without  changing  or  disturbing  the 
plants)  between  the  aljsorbent  drying  papers  in 
the  press,  and  draw  the  straps  tight  enough  to 
produce  the  requisite  pressure.  The  next  day 
the  driers  may  be  changed,  and  those  previously 
used  laid  in  the  sun  to  dry ;  this  to  be  continued 
until  the  plants  are  perfectly  dry.  If  paper  and 
opportunities  of  transportation  be  limited,  several 


specimens  from  the  same  locality  may  be  com- 
bined in  the  same  sheet  after  they  are  dry. 

Place  in  each  sheet  a  slip  of  paper  having  a 
number  or  name  of  locality  written  on  it  cor- 
responding with  a  list  kept  in  a  memorandum 
book.  Record  the  day  of  the  month,  locality 
size,  and  character  of  the  plant,  color  of  flower, 
fruit,  etc. 

If  the  stem  is  too  long,  double  it  or  cut  it  into 
lengths.  Collect,  if  possible,  half  a  dozen  speci- 
mens of  each  kind.  In  the  small  specimens,  col- 
lect the  entire  plant  so  as  to  show  the  root. 

In  many  instances,  old  newspapers  will  be 
found  to  answer  a  good  purpose  both  in  drying 
and  in  keeping  plants,  although  the  unprinted 
paper  is  best — the  more  porous  and  absorbent 
the  better. 

When  not  traveling,  pressure  may  be  most 
conveniently  applied  to  plants  by  placing  them 
between  two  boards,  with  a  weight  of  about  50 
pounds  laid  on  the  top. 

While  on  a  march,  the  following  directions  for 
collecting  plants,  drawn  up  by  Major  Rich,  are 
recommended : 

Have  thick  cartridge  or  envelope  paper,  folded 
in  quarto  form,  and  kept  close  and  even  by  bind- 
ing with  strong  cord ;  newspapers  will  answer, 
but  are  liable  to  chafe  and  wear  out;  a  few  are 
very  convenient  to  mix  in  with  the  hard  papers 
as  dryers.  This  herbarium  may  be  rolled  up  in 
the  blanket  while  traveling,  and  placed  on  a  pack 
animal.  The  specimens  collected  along  the  road 
may  be  kept  in  the  crown  of  the  hat  when  with- 
out a  collecting-box,  and  placed  in  paper  at  noon 
or  at  night.  Great  care  should  be  taken  to  keep 
the  papers  dry  and  free  from  mold.  When 
there  is  no  time  at  noon  to  dry  the  papers  in  the 
sun,  they  should  be  dried  by  night  by  the  fire, 
when,  also,  the  dried  specimens  are  placed  at  the 
bottom  of  the  bundle,  making  room  on  top  for  the 
next  day's  collection.  A  tin  collecting-box  is  very 
convenient;  plants  may  be  preserved  for  two  or 
three  days  in  one  if  kept  damp  and  cool.  It  is 
also  convenient  in  collecting  land-shells,  which 
is  generally  considered  part  of  a  botanist's  duty. 
A  collector  should  also  always  be  provided  with 
plenty  of  ready-made  seed-papers,  not  only  for 
preserving  seeds,  but  mosses  and  minute  plants. 
Many  seeds  and  fruits  cannot  be  put  in  the  herb- 
arium, particulary  if  of  a  succulent  nature,  caus- 
ing moldiness,  and  others  form  irregularities  and 
inequalities  in  the  papers,  thus  breaking  speci- 
mens and  causing  small  ones  and  seeds  to  drop 
out.  Fruits  of  this  kind  should  be  numbered  to 
correspond  with  the  specimen,  and  kept  in  the 
saddle-bags  or  some  such  place.  It  is  necessary, 
in  order  to  make  good  specimens,  to  avoid  heavy 
pressure  and  keep  the  papers  well  dried,  other- 
wise they  get  moldy,  turn  black,  or  decay. 

The  seeds  and  fruits  of  plants  should  be  pro- 
cured whenever  practicable,  and  slowly  dried. 
These  often  serve  to  reproduce  a  species  other- 
wise not  transportable  or  capable  of  preservation. 
On  board  ship,  it  is  all-important  to  keep  the 
collections  from  getting  wet  with  salt  water.  The 
papers  can  generally  be  dried  at  the  galley.  The 
whole  herbarium  should  be  exposed  to  the  sun 
as  often  as  possible,  and  frequently  examined, 
and  the  mold  brushed  off  with  a  feather  or  camel- 
hair  pencil. 

In  collecting  algae,  coralines,  or  the  branched, 
horny,  or  calcareous  corals,  care  should  be  taken 
to  bring  away  the  entire  specimen  with  its  base 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


309 


or  root.  The  coarser  kinds  may  be  dried  in  the 
air  (but  not  exposed  to  too  powerful  a  sun), 
turning  them  from  time  to  time.  These  should 
not  be  washed  in  fresh  water,  if  to  be  sent  any 
distance.  The  more  delicate  species  should  be 
brought  home  in  salt  water,  and  washed  carefully 
in  fresh,  then  transferred  to  a  shallow  basin  of 
clean  fresh  water,  and  floated  out.  A  piece  of 
white  paper  of  proper  size  is  then  slipped  under- 
neath, and  raised  gently  out  of  the  water  with 
the  specimen  on  its  upper  surface.  After  finally 
adjusting  the  branches  with  a  sharp  point  or 
brush,  the  different  sheets  of  specimens  are  to 
be  arranged  between  blotters  of  bibulous  paper 
and  cotton  cloth,  and  subjected  to  gentle  pres- 
sure. These  blotters  must  be  frequently  changed 
till  the  specimens  are  dry. 

PLANTS,  To  Preserve  -with  their  Natural 
Appearafue.  —  Fine  white  quartz  sand  is  heated 
to  about  200"  F.  in  an  iron  pot,  and  by  stirring, 
some  stearic  acid  and  spei  maceti,  each  in  the 
proportion  of  half  a  drachm  for  every  five  pounds 
of  sand,  incorporated  with  it.  Taken  from  the 
fire  the  whole  is  thoroughly  mixed  and  used  as 
follows :  A  cigar  box  witii  a  draw  lid,  with  the 
bottom  knocked  out,  is  inverted,  and  a  coarse 
piece  of  wire  gauze  placed  inside  over  the  lid, 
which  now  forms  the  bottom.  The  bottom  and 
this  sieve  are  then  covered  by  a  layer  of  the  pre- 
pared sand;  the  plants  properly  trimmed  are 
placed  on  this  sand,  and  completely  imbedded  in 
more  of  it  so  as  to  keep  them  properly  in  posi- 
tion. The  box,  covered  with  paper,  is  then 
placed  in  a  room  in  which  a  temperature  of  100° 
to  no*'  F.  is  kept  up,  in  which  the  plants  will 
soon  be  dried.  When  this  point  is  reached,  the 
lid  of  the  box  is  drawn,  which  causes  all  the  sand 
to  fall  out,  leaving  the  dried  plants  on  the  gauze. 

PLUMS,  To  Preserve. — Cut  your  plums  in  half 
(they  must  not  be  quite  ripe),  and  take  out  the 
stones.  Weigh  the  plums,  and  allow  a  pound  of 
loaf-sugar  to  a  pound  of  fruit.  Crack  the  stones, 
take  out  the  kernels,  and  break  them  in  pieces. 
Boil  the  plums  and  kernels  very  slowly  for  about 
fifteen  minutes,  in  as  little  water  as  possible. 
Then  spread  them  on  a  large  dish  to  cool,  and 
strain  the  liquor.  Next  day  make  your  syrup. 
Melt  the  sugar  in  as  little  water  as  will  sufficiently 
dissolve  it  (about  a  gill  of  water  to  a  pound  of 
sugar),  and  boil  it  a  few  minutes,  skimming  it 
till  quite  clear.  Then  put  in  your  plums  with 
the  liquor,  and  boil  them  fifteen  minutes.  Put 
them  in  jars,  pour  the  juice  over  them  warm, 
and  tie  them  up  when  cold,  with  brandy  paper. 
Plums  for  common  use  are  very  good  done  in 
treacle.  Put  your  plums  into  an  earthen  vessel 
that  holds  a  gallon,  having  first  slit  each  plum 
with  a  knife.     To  three  quarts  of  plums  put  a 

Sint  of  treacle.  Cover  them,  and  set  them  on 
ot  coals  in  the  chimney  corner.  Let  them  stew 
for  twelve  hours  or  more,  occasionally  stirring 
them  and  renewing  the  coals.  The  next  day  put 
them  up  in  jars.  Done  in  this  manner,  they  will 
keep  till  the  next  Spring.  Syrups  may  be  im- 
proved in  clearness  lay  adding  to  the  dissolved 
sugar  and  water  some  white  of  egg  very  well 
beaten,  allowing  the  white  of  one  egg  to  two 
pounds  of  sugar.  Boil  it  very  hard  (adding  the 
egg  shell),  and  skim  it  well,  that  it  may  be  quite 
clear  before  vou  put  in  your  fruit. 

PLUM  C/iEESE.— Put  a  quantity  of  plums 
into  a  jar,  and  stand  the  jar  in  a  saucepan  of 
water  on  the  fii-e;  when  quite  soft  pulp  them 


through  a  sieve,  and  to  every  pound  of  pulp,  add 
one  pound  of  loaf  sugar,  and  one  ounce  of  sweet 
almonds,  blanched  and  pounded,  with  four  bitter 
almonds;  boil  all  together  till  the  fruit  will  form 
a  stiff  jelly.  If  the  plums  are  very  juicy,  some 
of  the  juice  may  be  taken  off  the  fruit. 

POTATOES,  Storing-.— Potatoes  should  not 
be  exposed  to  the  sun  and  light  any  more  than 
is  necessary  to  dry  them  after  digging  them  from 
the  hill.  Every  ten  minutes  of  such  exposure, 
especially  in  the  sun,  injures  their  edible  quali- 
ties. The  flesh  is  thus  rendered  soft,  yellowish 
or  greenish,  and  injured  in  flavor.  Dig  them 
when  dry,  and  put  them  in  a  dark  cellar  im- 
mediately and  keep  them  there  till  wanted  for 
use,  and  there  would  not  be  so  much  fault  found 
about  bad  quality.  This  is  also  a  hint  to  those 
grocers  and  marketmen  who  keep  their  potatoes 
in  barrels  in  the  sun — that  is,  if  they  wish  to 
furnish  their  customers  with  a  good  article. 

POTATOES,  To  keep  from  sprouting.— To 
keep  potatoes  intended  for  tlie  use  of  the  table 
from  sprouting  until  new  potatoes  grow,  take 
boiling  water,  pour  into  a  tub,  turn  in  as  many 
potatoes  as  the  water  will  entirely  cover,  then 
pour  off  all  the  water,  handle  the  potatoes  care- 
fully, laying  up  in  a  dry  place  on  boards,  only 
one  layer  deep,  and  see  if  you  do  not  have  good 
potatoes  the  year  round,  without  hard  strings 
and  watery  ends  caused  by  growing. 

POTATOES  {S'cueet),  Storing. -Y^rmtrs 
who  store  sweet  potatoes  for  winter  use  should 
be  very  careful  not  to  keep  them  too  moist,  too 
warm  or  too  cold.  A  very  good  way  is  to  get  a 
box  large  enough  for  the  quantity  you  have,  and 
then  select  sand  and  dry  it  thoroughly  before  us- 
ing; when  dry,  cover  the  bottom  of  your  box 
with  the  sand  to  the  depth  of  three  inches,  and 
then  place  one  layer  of  sweet  potatoes,  but  not 
so  close  as  to  lie  against  each  other  ;  then  one 
layer  of  sand  of  the  same  depth,  and  so  on  until 
your  box  is  full ;  then  place  it  in  a  room  where 
the  temperature  will  not  fall  below  40°,  nor  rise 
above  60°.  In  this  way  they  may  be  kept  until 
new  ones  are  to  be  had. 

PUMPKINS,  Drying-.-Take  the  ripe  pump- 
kins, pare,  cut  into  small  pieces,  stew  soft,  mash 
and  strain  through  a  colander,  as  if  for  making 
pies.  Spread  this  pulp  on  plates  in  layers  not 
quite  an  inch  thick ;  dry  it  down  in  the  stove  oven, 
kept  at  so  low  a  temperature  as  not  to  scorch  it. 
In  about  a  day  it  will  become  dry  and  crisp.  The 
sheets  thus  made  can  be  stowed  away  in  a  dry 
place,  and  they  are  always  ready  for  use  for  pies 
or  sauce.  Soak  the  pieces  over  night  in  a  little 
milk,  and  they  will  return  to  a  nice  pulp,  as  de- 
licious as  the  fresh  pumpkin.  The  quick  drying 
after  cooking  prevents  any  portion  from  slightly 
souring  as  is  always  the  case  when  the  uncooked 
pieces  are  dried;  the  flavor  is  much  better  pre- 
served, and  the  after  cooking  is  saved. 

QUINCES,  To  Presetve.-i.  Wipe  the  firuit 
and  remove  all  defects,  then  pare,  quarter  and 
core.  Boil  the  parings  and  cores  in  water  an 
hour  or  more  and  strain  through  a  colander. 
In  this  liquid,  which  is  very  glutinous,  boil  the 
fruit  until  easily  pierced  with  a  fork.  The  fruit 
should  be  weighed  before  cookuig.  To  each 
pound  of  fruit  add  half  a  pound  of  white  coffee 
sugar  and  boil  only  a  few  moments,  when  they 
are  ready  for  canning.  If  more  juice  is  desired, 
add  water  to  the  last  cooking.  A  mold  may  form 
on  the  top,  but  it  does  not  hurt  them  in  the  least. 


310 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


and  is  easily  removed  when  they  are  used.  This 
process  requires  time. — 2.  Pare  and  core  the 
quinces  and  cut  them  in  halves  or  quarters,  ac- 
cording to  size.  To  four  pounds  of  quinces  al- 
low four  pounds  of  best  white  crushed  sugar,  and 
a  pint  of  cold  water.  Put  the  quinces  into  a  pre- 
serving kettle  and  pour  the  water  over  them, 
and  spread  half  the  sugar  over  the  top ;  let  them 
heat  slowly,  and  boil  until  you  can  run  a  fork 
easily  through  them ;  keep  closely  covered,  and 
do  not  stir  them ;  when  soft  take  each  piece  out 
separately  and  place  on  a  platter  to  cool.  Then 
strain  the  syrup,  put  in  the  rest  of  the  sugar  and 
boil  it,  closely  covered  without  stirring,  half  an 
hour  or  more,  when  it  is  a  red  color  and  almost 
a  jelly ;  do  not  remove  the  cover  until  it  is  taken 
from  the  fire.  Let  the  fruit  and  syrup  remain 
separate  until  the  next  day,  then  put  a  layer  of 
each  alternately  into  your  jars  and  seal  them. 
In  this  way  they  will  not  grow  hard  and  tough. 

RHUBARB,  To  Z>r)/.— The  best  method  of 
drying  rhubarb  is  to  strip  it  of  its  epidermis. 
This  is  a  long  operation,  but  both  time  and  ex- 
pense are  spared  in  the  end  by  the  promptness 
and  regularity  of  the  drying.  Many  cultivators 
of  rhubarb  on  a  large  scale  have  repeated  the  ex- 
periment and  have  met  with  the  most  decisive 
results. 

RHUBARB  PRESERVE.— '?Qeiw^^.c^3.\.va\.o 
pieces  about  two  inches  long,  six  pounds  of 
rhubarb.  Put  it  into  a  stone  jar,  with  eight 
pounds  of  preserving  sugar,  the  rind  of  a  lemon 
cut  thin,  and  shred  into  little  bits,  a  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  ginger,  and  a  few  cloves ;  set  the  jar 
jn  a  pan  of  boiling  water,  or  stand  it  in  the  oven. 
When  the  rhubarb  is  quite  tender,  strain  ofif  the 
juice ;  put  the  juice  into  a  preserving  pan,  and 
boil  quickly  for  half  an  hour ;  pour  it  over  the 
rhubarb,  and  put  the  whole  into  pots  or  shapes; 
if  well  made  it  will  be  clear,  and  stiff  enough  to 
turn  out,  and  covered  in  pots,  it  will  keep  as 
well  as  any  other  preserves. 

ROOTS,  To  Dry.— They  should  be  rubbed  in 
water  to  get  rid  of  the  dirt  and  also  some  of  the 
mucous  substance  that  would  otherwise  render 
them  moldy ;  the  larger  are  then  to  be  cut,  split, 
or  peeled,  but  in  most  aromatic  roots,  the  odor 
residing  in  the  bark,  they  must  not  be  peeled ; 
they  are  then  to  be  spread  on  sieves  or  hurdles 
and  dried  in  a  heat  of  about  120*  Fahr.  either 
on  the  top  of  an  oven,  in  a  stove,  or  a  steam 
closet,  taking  care  to  shake  them  occasionally  to 
change  the  surface  exposed  to  the  air.  Thick 
and  juicy  roots,  as  rhubarb,  briony,  peony,  wa- 
ter-lily, etc.,  are  cut  in  slices,  strung  upon  a 
thread  and  hung  in  a  heat  of  about  90°  to  loo*' 
Fahr.  Squills  are  scaled,  threaded  and  dried 
round  the  tube  of  a  German  stove,  or  in  a  hot 
closet.  Rhubarb  should  be  \vashed  to  separate 
that  mucous  principle  which  would  otherwise 
render  it  black  and  soft  when  powdered.  Pota- 
toes are  cut  in  slices  and  dried. 

ROOTS,  To  Preserve. — These  are  preserved 
in  different  ways,  according  to  the  object  in  view. 
Tuberous  roots,  as  those  of  the  dahlia,  pseonia, 
tuberose,  etc.,  intended  to  be  planted  in  the  suc- 
ceeding spring,  are  preserved  through  the  winter 
in  dry  earth,  in  a  temperature  rather  under  than 
above  what  is  natural  to  them.  So  may  the 
bulbous  roots  of  commerce,  as  hyacinths,  tulips, 
onions,  etc.,  but  for  convenience,  these  are  kept 
either  loose,  in  cool  dry  shelves  or  lofts,  or  the 
finer  sorts  in  papers,  till  the  season  of  planting. 


Roots  of  all  kinds  may  be  preserved  in  an  ice- 
house till  the  return  of  the  natural  crop. 

After  stuffing  the  vacuities  with  straw,  and 
covering  the  surface  of  the  ice  with  the  same 
material,  place  on  it  case  boxes,  casks,  baskets, 
etc.,  and  fill  them  with  turnips,  carrots,  beet- 
roots, and  in  particular  potatoes.  By  the  cold  of 
the  place  vegetation  is  so  much  suspended  that  ■ 
all  these  articles  may  be  thus  kept  fresh  and  un- 
injured till  they  give  place  to  another  crop  in  its 
natural  season. 

ROSEBUDS,  To  Preserve.-A.  mtihod.  em- 
ployed in  Germany  to  keep  rosebuds  fresh  into 
the  winter,  consists  in  first  covering  the  end  of 
the  recently  cut  stem  with  wax,  and  then  placing 
each  one  in  a  closed  paper  cap  or  cone,  so  that 
the  leaves  do  not  touch  the  paper.  The  cap  is 
then  coated  with  glue,  to  exclude  air,  dust,  and 
moisture,  and  when  dry  it  is  stood  up  in  a  cool 
place.  When  wanted  for  use,  the  bud  is  taken  out 
of  the  cap  and  placed  in  water,  after  cutting  ofif 
the  end,  when  the  rose  will  bloom  in  a  few  hours. 

SAUERKRAUT,  To  Make.— In  the  first 
place,  let  your  "stand,"  holding  from  half  a 
barrel  to  a  barrel,  be  thoroughly  scalded  out ; 
the  cutter,  the  tub  and  the  stamper  also  well 
scalded.  Take  off  all  the  outer  leaves  of  the 
cabbages,  halve  them,  remove  the  heart  and  pro- 
ceed with  the  cutting.  Lay  some  clean  leaves  at 
the  bottom  of  the  stand,  sprinkle  with  a  handful 
of  salt,  fill  in  half  a  bushel  of  cut  cabbage, 
stamp  gently  until  the  juice  just  makes  its  ap- 
pearance, then  add  another  handful  of  salt,  and 
so  on  until  the  stand  is  full.  Cover  over  with 
cabbage  leaves,  place  on  top  a  clean  board  fit- 
ting the  space  pretty  well,  and  on  top  of  that  a 
stone  weighing  twelve  or  fifteen  pounds.  Stand 
away  in  a  cool  place,  and  when  hard  freezing 
comes  on  remove  to  the  cellar.  It  will  be  ready 
for  use  in  from  four  to  six  weeks.  The  cabbage 
should  be  cut  tolerably  coarse.  The  Savoy 
N-ariety  makes  the  best  article,  but  it  is  only  half 
as  productive  as  the  Drumhead  and  Flat 
Dutch. 

SUET,  To  Keep. — Suet  may  be  kept  a  year, 
thus :  Choose  the  firmest  and  most  free  from 
skin  or  veins,  remove  all  traces  of  these,  put  the 
suet  in  the  saucepan  at  some  distance  from  the 
fire,  and  let  it  melt  gradually ;  when  melted  pour 
it  into  a  pan  of  cold  spring-water ;  when  hard, 
wipe  it  dr}',  fold  it  in  white  paper,  put  it  in  a 
linen  bag,  and  keep  it  in  a  cool,  dry  place  ;  when 
used,  it  must  be  scraped,  and  it  will  make  an  ex- 
cellent crust  with  or  without  butter. 

TOM  A  TOES,  Canning. — The  most  thorough 
and  reliable  mode  of  canning  tomatoes  is  as  fol- 
lows :  They  are  just  sufficiently  steamed,  not 
cooked,  to  scald  or  loosen  the  skin,  and  are  then 
poured  upon  tables  and  the  skin  removed,  care 
being  taken  to  preserve  the  tomato  in  as  solid  a 
state  as  possible.  After  being  peeled,  they  are 
placed  in  large  pans,  with  false  bottoms  perforat- 
ed with  holes,  so  as  to  strain  off  the  liquid  that 
emanates  from  them.  From  these  pans  they  are 
carefully  placed  by  hand  into  the  cans,  which  are 
filled  as  solidly  as  possible — in  other  words,  all 
are  put  in  that  the  cans  will  hold.  They  are 
then  put  through  the  usual  process  and  herme- 
tically sealed.  The  cans,  when  opened  for  use, 
present  the  tomato  not  only  like  the  natural  veg- 
etable in  taste  and  color,  but  also  in  appearance ; 
and  moreover,  when  thus  sealed,  they  are  war- 
ranted to  keep  in  any  climate,  and  when  opened. 


PRESERVING  AND  STORING. 


3" 


will  taste  as  naturally  as  when  just  plucked  from 
the  vine. 

TOMATO  CATSUP.  — TakQ  perfectly  ripe 
tomatoes  J^  bushel ;  wash  them  clean  and  break 
to  pieces ;  then  put  over  the  fire  and  let  them 
come  to  a  boil,  and  remove  from  the  fire ;  when 
they  are  sufficiently  cool  to  allow  your  hands  in 
them,  rub  through  a  wire  sieve ;  and  to  what 
goes  through,  add  salt  2  tea-cups ;  allspice  and 
cloves,  of  each,  ground,  I  tea-cup ;  best  vinegar 
I  qt.  Put  on  to  the  fire  again  and  cook  I  hour, 
stirring  with  great  care  to  avoid  burning.  Bottle 
and  seal  for  use.  If  too  thick  when  used,  put  in 
a  little  vinegar.  If  they  were  very  juicy  they 
may  need  boiling  over  an  hour. 

TOM  A  TO  FIGS.— I.  Collect  a  lot  of  ripe  to- 
matoes about  one  inch  in  diameter,  skin,  and 
stew  them  in  the  usual  manner;  when  done,  lay 
them  on  dishes,  flatten  them  slightly,  and  spread 
over  them  a  light  layer  of  pulverized  white  or- 
best  brown  sugar;  expose  them  to  a  summer's 
sun,  or  place  them  in  a  drying  house ;  when  as 
dry  as  fresh  figs,  pack  in  old  fig  or  small  boxes, 
with  sugar  between  each  layer.  If  properly 
managed,  the  difference  cannot  be  detected  from 
the  veritable  article. — 2.  Pour  boiling  water  over 
the  tomatoes,  in  order  to  remove  the  skins  ;  then 
weigh  them,  and  place  them  in  a  stone  jar,  with 
as  much  sugar  as  you  have  tomatoes,  and  let 
them  stand  two  days ;  then  pour  off  the  syrup, 
and  boil  and  skim  it  until  no  scum  rises.  Then 
pour  it  over  the  tomatoes,  and  let  them  stand 
two  days,  as  before ;  then  boil  and  skim  again. 
After  the  third  time,  they  are  fit  to  dry,  if  the 
weather  is  good ;  if  not,  let  them  stand  in  the 
syrup  until  drying  weather.  Then  place  on  large 
earthen  plates  or  dishes,  and  put  them  in  the 
sun  to  dry,  which  will  take  about  a  week,  after 
which  pack  them  down  in  small  wooden  boxes, 
with  fine  white  sugar  between  every  layer.  To- 
matoes prepared  in  this  manner  will  keep  for 
years. 

TOMA  TO  {Green)  Pickle.— l.  Slice  and  steam 
till  they  begin  to  soften,  take  from  the  steamer 
and  put  in  jars,  add  a  litde  salt,  about  a  teacup- 
ful  of  sugar,  half  of  a  spoonful  of  pepper,  cloves 
and  cinnamon  each,  one-fourth  of  a  spoonful  of 
spice,  some  whole  mustard  seed  and  slice  one  or 
two  good  sized  onions  with  it ;  cover  the  whole 
with  vinegar  and  let  stand  twenty-four  hours; 
then  scald  the  liquid  and  when  cold  it  is  ready 
for  use.  The  seasoning  is  for  one  gallon.  — 
2.  Slice  I  peck  green  tomatoes;  take  I  gallon 
vinegar,  6  tablespoonsful  whole  cloves,  I  of  all- 
spice, 2  of  salt,  I  of  mace,  I  of  cayenne  pepper; 
boil  the  vinegar  and  spices  lo  minutes;  put  in 
the  tomatoes  and  boil  all  together  ^  hour  lon- 
ger; when  cold  put  in  jars. 

TOMA  TOES,  Pteserved.—TakQ  of  good  ripe 
tomatoes,  such  a  quantity  as  you  wish  to  preserve, 
pare  them,  cut  them  in  quarters,  (if  large  ones,) 
place  them  in  a  stew  pan  with  a  little  water,  so 
they  will  not  burn ;  being  a  very  juicy  fruit,  they 
require  to  be  cooked  until  the  juice  is  nearly  all 
out ;  then  add  white  sugar — one  pound  to  each 
pound  of  fruit ;  cook  slowly  one-half  hour. 

TOMATO  SAUCE,  To  A'eep.—T^kQ  six 
pounds  of  ripe  tomatoes,  crush  them,  and  sprinkle 
with  salt ;  let  them  remain  a  day  or  two,  then 
boil  and  pass  through  a  coarse  sieve  or  colander. 
Put  into  the  liquor  lialf  a  teaspoonful  of  Cayenne 
and  a  dessertspoonful  each  of  cloves,  pepper, 
ginger,   and  cinnamon ;   boil  it  one-third  away, 


and  bottle  tight.     It  should  be  shaken  before 
being  used. 

Tripe,  To  Prepare  and  Pickle. — First  sew 
it  up,  after  it  is  turned  inside  out ;  be  careful  to 
sew  it  up  tight,  that  no  lime  gets  into  it;  now 
have  a  tub  of  lime-water,  the  consistence  of  good 
thick  white-wash ;  let  it  remain  in  from  lo  to  20 
minutes,  or  until  when  you  take  hold  of  it,  the 
dark  outside  skin  will  come  off;  then  put  it  into 
clean  water,  changing  three  or  four  times  to 
weaken  the  lime,  that  the  hands  be  not  injured 
by  it ;  then  with  a  dull  knife  scrape  off  all  of  the 
dark  surface,  and  continue  to  soak  and  scrape 
several  times,  which  removes  all  offensive  sub- 
stances and  smell.  After  this,  let  it  soak  20  or 
30  minutes  in  2  or  3  hot  waters,  scraping  over 
each  time;  then  pickle  in  salt  and  water  12  hours, 
and  it  is  ready  for  cooking ;  boil  from  3  to  4 
hours,  cut  in  strips  to  suit,  and  put  it  into  nice 
vinegar  with  the  various  spices,  as  desired ; 
renew  the  vinegar  at  the  expiration  of  I  week, 
is  all  that  will  be  required  further. 

VEGETABLES,  Keeping,  — ?;mV  a  barrel 
two-thirds  of  its  depth  into  the  ground  (a  box  or 
cask  will  r.ns^ver  a  better  purpose);  heap  the 
earth  around  the  part  projecting  out  of  the  ground, 
with  a  slope  on  all  sides;  place  the  vegetables 
that  you  desire  to  keep  in  the  vessel ;  cover  the 
top  with  a  water  tight  cover ;  and  when  winter 
sets  in,  throw  an  armful  of  straw,  hay,  or  some- 
thing of  that  sort,  on  the  barrel.  If  the  bottom 
is  out  of  the  cask  or  barrel,  it  will  be  better. 
Cabbages,  celery,  and  other  vegetables,  will 
keep  in  this  way  as  fresh  as  when  taken  from  the 
ground.  The  celery  should  stand  nearly  perpen- 
dicular, celery  and  earth  alternating.  Freedom 
from  frost,  ease  of  access,  and  especially  fresh- 
ness, and  freedom  from  rot,  are  the' advantages 
claimed. 

VEGETABLES,  /'/r/6/^ /t;r.— Six  quarts  of 
the  very  best  vinegar,  one  pound  of  salt,  a  quar- 
ter of  a  pound  of  ginger,  one  ounce  of  mace,  half 
a  pound  of  shallots,  one  tablespoonful  of  cayenne 
pepper,  two  ounces  of  white  peppercorns,  and 
two  ounces  of  mustard  seed.  Boil  all  these  in- 
gredients well  together,  and  when  cold  put  into 
ajar.  You  may  add  what  green  vegetables  or 
fruit  you  like,  provided  they  are  fresh.  They 
may  be  merely  wiped  to  free  them  from  dust. 

WALNUT  CA  7:S'6'/'.— Walnut-shell  juice, 
3  gallons ;  salt,  7  pounds ;  ginger,  8  ounces ; 
shallots,  8  ounces ;  garlic,  8  ounces ;  horse- 
radish, 8  ounces ;  essence  of  anchovies,  i  quart. 
Mix. 

IVA  LNUTS  {White),  To  Picl-le.— Pare  green 
walnuts  very  thin  till  the  white  appears,  then 
throw  them  into  spring-water  with  a  handful  of 
salt;  keep  them  under  water  six  hours,  then  put 
them  into  a  stewpan  to  simmer  five  minutes,  but 
do  not  let  them  boil ;  take  them  out  and  put  them 
in  cold  water  and  salt ;  they  must  be  kept  quite 
under  the  water  with  a  board,  otherwise  they 
will  not  pickle  white ;  then  lay  them  on  a  cloth 
and  cover  them  with  another  to  dry ;  carefully 
rub  them  with  a  soft  cloth,  and  put  them  into  the 
jar,  with  some  blades  of  mace  and  nutmeg  sliced 
thin.  Mix  the  spice  between  the  nuts  and  pour 
distilled  vinegar  over  them;  when  the  jar  is  full 
of  nuts  pour  mutton  fat  over  them,  and  tie  them 
close  down  with  a  bladder  and  leather,  to  keep 
out  the  air. 

WORCESTERSHIRE  SAUCE,  (Lea  and 
Perrin^s). — White  vinegar,  15  gals.;  walnut  cat- 


5t2 


DICTION AR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  V  WANTS. 


sup,  lo  gals.;  Madeira  wine,  5  gals.;  mushroom 
catsup,  10  gals.;  table  salt,  25  lbs.;  Canton  soy, 
4  gals.;  powdered  capsicum,  albs.;  powdered  all- 
spice, I  lb.;  coriander,  powdered,  I  lb.;  cloves, 
mace  and  cinnamon,  of  each  %  lb.;  assafcetida, 
^  lb.,  dissolved  in  brandy,  i  gal.  Twenty 
pounds  of  hogs'  liver  is  boiled  for  12  hours  with 
10  gallons  of  water,  renewing  the  water  from 
time  to  time.  Take  out  the  liver,  chop  it,  mix 
with  water,  and  work  it  through  a  sieve :  mix 
with  the  sauce. 


YEAST,  To  Preserve. — Common  ale  yeast 
may  be  kept  fresh  and  fit  for  use  several  months  by 
the  following  method  :  Put  a  quantity  of  it  into 
a  close  canvas  bag,  and  gently  squeeze  out  the 
moisture  in  a  screw-press  till  the  remaining  mat- 
ter be  as  firm  and  stiff  as  clay.  In  this  state  it, 
may  be  close-packed  up  in  a  tight  cask,  for  secur- 1 
ing  it  from  the  air,  and  will  keep  fresh,  sound,  ■ 
and  fit  for  use  for  a  long  time. 


SOAP  AND  CANDLES. 


ADULTERATION  OF  SOAF.—Soap  is 
not  exempted  from  the  manipulation  of  fraud. 
Its  external  appearance  often  prevents  the  un- 
practiced  eye  from  detecting  the  impurities  it 
may  contain,  without  further  examination. 

China  clay  is  a  common  addition  made  to  soap 
to  increase  its  bulk.  If  a  soap  containing  it  be 
dissolved  in  hot  water,  one  part  of  soap  in  ten  of 
water,  on  allowing  the  solution  to  rest,  the  clay 
will  be  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  and  its 
proportion  in  the  soap  ascertained. 

Soap  largely  admixtured  with  soluble  glass  (a 
solution  of  flint  or  silica  in  an  excess  of  caustic 
soda)  is  very  common  in  the  market.  Its  weight 
is  much  greater  than  that  of  soap  in  its  unadul- 
terated state,  and  will  u'^ually  show  at  once  the 
probability  of  such  an  admixture,  although  such 
a  soap  may  leave  no  sediment  in  a  solution  of  it 
in  hot  water ;  but  it  is  unsafe  to  employ  it  for 
washing  fine  fabrics,  as  it  is  apt  to  weaken  them 
on  account  of  the  excess  of  alkali  it  imparts  to  the 
soap  with  which  it  is  mixed. 

From  lo  to  30  per  cent,  of  the  silicate  of  soda 
is  generally  added.  The  soap  feels  somewhat 
hard  and  gritty  in  use.  The  soluble  glass  is  intro- 
duced gradually  into  the  pan  after  all  the  grease 
is  in,  and  stirred  actively  until  thoroughly 
mixed. 

Soap  is  also  sometimes  contaminated  with  lime ; 
this  renders  it  pardally  insoluble  in  water,  and 
makes  it  unfit  for  the  laundry  or  the  toilet. 

ACID  {Macquer's)  Soap. — Castile  soap,  2 
pounds ;  water  sufficient  to  render  it  soft ;  oil  ot 
vitriol,  I  ounce.  Add  the  acid  gradually,  and 
keep  rubbing  them  in  a  mortar,  until  the  whole 
becomes  of  an  equal  consistence.     Detergent. 

ALMOND  Soap. — ^Take  oil  of  almonds,  7 
pounds;  soda,  l^  pounds;  water,  sufficient 
quantity.  The  soda  must  be  rendered  caustic, 
before  adding  it  to  the  oil,  and  heat  must  then  be 
applied.  An  easy  way  of  preparing  the  soda,  is 
to  treat  it  in  solution,  with  powdered  quicklime. 
ALMOND  {Bitter)  ^ba/.— Take  fine  hard 
white  soap,  lOO  pounds ;  essence  of  bitter  aU 
monds,  i  y%  per  cent.  Treat  them  as  for  Cin- 
namon Soap. 

ALMOND  MEAL.— Qxo\mditi\moxiA%,  i  lb.; 
wheat  flour,  i  lb.;  orris  root  powder,  ^  lb.;  otto 
of  lemon,  ^  oz.;  otto  of  almonds,  ]^  drachm. 

ALMOND  PASTE.  —  Bitter  almonds, 
blanched  and  ground,  l^  lb.;  rose-water,  ij^ 
pint;  alcohol  (60  o.  p.),  16  ozs.;  otto  of  berga- 


mot,  3  ozs.  Place  the  ground  almonds  and  one 
pint  of  the  rose-water  into  a  stewpan ;  with  a 
slow  and  steady  heat,  cook  the  almonds  until  their 
granular  texture  assumes  a  pasty  form,  constant- 
ly stirring  the  mixture  during  the  whole  time, 
otherwise  the  almonds  quickly  burn  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  pan,  and  impart  to  the  whole  an  em- 
pyreumatic  odor. 

The  large  quantity  of  otto  of  almonds  which  is 
volatilized  during  the  process,  renders  it  essen- 
tial that  the  operator  should  avoid  the  vapor  as 
much  as  possible. 

When  the  almonds  are  nearly  cooked,  the  re- 
maining water  is  to  be  added ;  finally  the  paste 
is  put  into  a  mortar,  and  well  rubbed  with  the 
pestle ;  then  the  perfume  and  spirit  are  added. 
Before  potting  this  paste,  as  well  as  honey  paste, 
it  should  be  passed  through  a  medium  fine  sieve, 
to  insure  uniformity  of  texture,  especially  as  al- 
monds do  not  grind  kindly. 

Other  pastes,  such  as  Pate  de  Pistache,  Pate 
de  Cocos,  Pate  de  Guimauve,  are  prepared  in  a 
similar  manner  to  the  above. 

AMANDINE.  —  Fine  almond  oil,  7  lbs.; 
simple  syrup,  4  oz.;  white  soft  soap,  or  sapona- 
ceous cream,  i.  e.,  creme  d'Amande,  i  oz,;  otto 
of  almonds,  I  oz.;  otto  of  bergamot,  i  oz.;  otto 
of  cloves,  %  oz.  Rub  the  syrup  with  the  soft 
soap  until  the  mixture  is  homogeneous,  then  rub 
in  the  oil  by  degrees ;  the  perfume  having  been 
previously  mixed  with  the  oil. 

In  the  manufacture  of  amandine  the  difficulty 
is  to  get  in  the  quantity  of  oil  indicated,  without 
which  it  does  not  assume  that  transparent  jelly 
appearance  which  good  amandine  should  have. 
To  attain  this  end,  the  oil  is  put  into  "a  runner," 
that  is,  a  tin  or  glass  vessel,  at  the  bottom  of 
which  is  a  small  faucet  and  spigot,  or  tap.  The 
oil  being  put  into  this  vessel  is  allowed  to  run 
slowly  into  the  mortar  in  which  the  amandine  is 
being  made,  just  as  fast  as  the  maker  finds  that 
he  can  incorporate  it  with  the  paste  of  soap  and 
syrup  ;  and  so  long  as  this  takes  place,  the  result 
will  always  have  a  jelly  texture  to  the  hand.  If, 
however,  the  oil  be  put  into  the  mortar  quicker 
than  the  workman  can  blend  it  with  the  paste, 
then  the  paste  becomes  "oiled,"  and  may  be 
considered  as  "done  for,"  unless,  indeed,  the 
whole  process  be  gone  through  again,  starting 
off  with  fresh  syrup  and  soap,  using  up  the 
greasy  mass  as  if  it  were  pure  oil.  Tliis  liability 
to  "go  off"  increases  as  the  amandine  ncars  tlie 


SOAP  AND  CANDLES. 


313 


finish ;  hence  extra  caution  and  plenty  of  "elbow 
grease"  must  be  used  during  the  addition  of  the 
last  two  pounds  of  oil.  If  the  oil  be  not  perfect- 
ly fresh,  or  if  the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere 
be  above  the  average  of  summer  heat,  it  will  be 
almost  impossible  to  get  the  whole  of  the  oil 
given  in  the  formula  into  combination  ;  when  the 
mass  becomes  bright  and  of  a  crystalline  luster, 
it  will  be  well  to  stop  the  further  addition  of  oil 
to  it. 

This  and  similar  compounds  should  be  potted 
as  quickly  as  made,  and  the  lids  of  the  pots 
banded  either  with  strips  of  tin-foil  or  paper,  to 
exclude  air.  When  the  amandine  is  filled  into 
the  jars,  the  top  or  face  of  it  is  marked  or  orna- 
mented with  a  tool  made  to  the  size  of  half  the 
diameter  of  the  interior  of  the  jar,  in  a  similar 
way  to  a  saw ;  a  piece  of  lead  or  tortoise-shell, 
being  serrated  with  an  angular  file,  or  piece  of  an 
"old  saw,"  will  do  very  well;  place  the  marker 
on  the  amandine,  and  turn  the  jar  gently  round. 

ARSENICAL  Soap.  —  From  carbonate  of 
potash,  12  oz. ;  white  arsenic,  white  soap  and 
air-slaked  lime,  of  each,  4  oz. ;  powdered  cam- 
phor, %  oz. ;  made  into  a  paste  with  water,  q.  s. 
Used  to  preserve  the  skins  of  birds  and  other 
small  animals. 

ASS  A  V  of  Soap. — M.  F.  Schulze  communi- 
cates to  the  Journal  de  Pharmacie  et  de  Chimie 
a  rapid  and  convenient  method  of  estimating  the 
value  of  soap.  The  method  is  the  same  as  that 
adopted  for  estimating  the  hardness  of  potable 
water,  i.  e.,  it  is  based  on  the  fact  that  lime  water 
precipitates  a  solution  of  soap,  yielding  a  liquor 
which  does  not  give  a  persistent  froth  by  agita- 
tion. The  process  is  conducted  as  follows :  A 
standaid  solution  of  lime  is  made  by  dissolving 
1.6  grammes  in  water,  with  a  little  caustic  soda, 
and  making  up  the  solution  to  one  litre.  Five 
grammes  of  the  soap  are  weighed  and  dissolved 
in  boiling  water ;  the  solution  is  allowed  to  cool, 
and  is  made  up  to  a  determinate  volume,  say  100 
c.  c.  for  soft  soap,  200  c.  c.  for  hard  soap. 
Three  c.  c.  of  the  standard  lime  solution  are  now 
added  to  20  c.  c.  of  distilled  water,  and  to  this 
diluted  solution  the  soap  liquor  is  added  gradu- 
ally from  a  burette.  At  first,  the  soap  added  is 
precipitated  by  the  calcareous  water,  and  a  per- 
sistent froth  is  not  produced  by  agitation ;  but, 
after  a  time,  a  point  is  reached  at  which  the  froth 
becomes  persistent.  The  volume  of  soap  solu- 
tion requisite  to  produce  this  effect  is  then  noted ; 
the  quantity  is  smaller  the  better  the  quality  of 
the  soap.  If,  moreover,  an  assay  has  been  made 
on  a  sample  of  soap  of  standard  \'alue,  a  very 
exact  appreciation  of  the  value  of  any  given 
sample  of  soap  may  be  subsequently  obtained  by 
comparing  the  results. 

BA  YBERR  V,  or  Myrtle  .J^rt/.— Dissolve  2 14: 
pounds  of  white  potash  in  5  quarts  of  water,  then 
mix  it  with  10  pounds  of  myrtle  wax,  or  bay- 
berry  tallow.  Boil  the  whole  over  a  slow  fire 
till  it  turns  to  soap,  then  add  a  teacup  of  cold 
water ;  let  it  boil  ten  minutes  longer ;  at  the  end 
of  that  time,  turn  it  into  tin  moulds  or  pans,  and 
let  them  remain  a  week  or  ten  days  to  dry;  then 
turn  them  out  of  the  moulds.  If  you  wish  to 
have  the  soap  scented,  stir  into  it  an  essential 
oil  that  has  an  agreeable  smell,  just  before  you 
turn  it  into  the  moulds.  This  kind  of  soap  is 
excellent  for  shaving,  and  for  chapped  hands; 
it  is  also  good  for  eruptions  on  the  face.  It  will 
be  fit  for  use  in  the  course  of  three  or  four  weeks 


after  it  is  made,  but  it  is  better  for  being  kept 
ten  or  twelve  months. 

BL.4CK  Soap. —  This  is  properly  a  crude  soft 
soap  made  of  fresh  oil,  tallow,  and  potash ;  but 
the  following  mixture  is  usually  sold  for  it :  — 
soft  soap  7  lbs. ;  train  oil  I  lb. ;  water  I  gallon ; 
boil  to  a  proper  consistence,  adding  ivory  black 
or  powdered  charcoal  to  color.   Used  by  farriers. 

B LEA  CHI N^G  Soap. — This  is  a  soda  soap 
prepared  according  to  the  excellent  prescription 
of  the  Prussian  pharmacopoeia,  which  prescrip- 
tion has  been  copied  in  almost  all  other  works 
of  the  kind;  the  soap  is  separated  by  common 
salt,  and  after  this  one  fourth  of  its  weight  of 
sulphite  of  soda  is  added,  which  has  been  pre- 
viously made  into  a  homogeneous  paste  by 
means  of  a  little  water ;  the  soap  is  next  dried  in 
the  usual  manner.  In  order  to  apply  this  soap, 
chiefly  intended  for  the  bleaching  of  straw  hats, 
but  perfectly  fit  for  application  to  silk  and  wool, 
it  is  dissolved  in  its  own  weight  of  cold  water, 
and  to  every  2  lbs.  of  soap  ^  oz.  of  liquid  am- 
monia is  added.  As  soon  as  the  mass  has  a 
gel.-itinous  aspect,  I  part  thereof  is  dissolved  in 
8  parts  of  warm  water.  The  materials  which  it 
is  desired  to  bleach  are  washed  and  scrubbed  by 
means  of  a  brush  in  this  soap-suds;  while  yet 
moist,  the  materials  are  placed  in  acidulated 
water,  (25  parts  of  water  and  i^  of  hydrochloric 
acid, )  left  in  this  liquid  for  2  hours,  and  then 
well  washed,  and  rinsed  with  pure  cold  water, 
and  dried. 

CANDLES.  —  Candles  are  made  of  various 
materials,  but  the  first  operation,  in  all  cases,  is 
the  preparation  of  the  wicks.  The  best  candle 
wicks  are  made  of  cotton  rovings,  imported  from 
Turkey  in  skeins.  4  or  more  of  these,  according 
to  the  intended  thickness  of  the  wick,  are  wound 
on  a  reel,  from  which  they  are  again  run  off,  and 
cut  of  the  proper  lengths.  They  are  then  dipped 
into  melted  tallow,  and  after  rubbing  with  the 
hands,  are  placed  straight  and  allowed  to  harden. 
They  are  next  arranged  upon  the  broaclies  ready 
for  dipping.  For  mould  and  other  candles  that 
do  not  undergo  the  process  of  dipping,  this  last 
operation  is  omitted.  la  some  cases  the  wicks 
are  formed  by  twisting  or  plaiting  the  cotton 
together,  or  winding  it  round  wires,  which  are 
withdrawn  after  the  candles  are  made,  thus 
leaving  the  wicks  hollow;  this  was  the  method 
patented  by  Gay  Lussac,  for  his  stearine  candles. 
In  some  instances,  the  cotton  is  steeped  in  metal- 
lic solutions.  The  object  ia  all  these  processes 
is  to  produce  a  wick  that  will  consume  itself, 
and  thus  prevent  the  necessity  of  snuffing.  Great 
care  is  taken  to  select  a  cotton  that  will  yield  the 
least  possible  quantity  of  ashes,  or  non-volatile 
matter  after  burning. 

CANDLES,  Adamantine. — Adamantine  can- 
dles are  made  of  stearine,  and  stearine  is  made  in 
two  ways.  One  way  is  to  boil  common  tallow  with 
one-sixth  of  its  weight  of  slaked  lime  until  a 
lime  soap  is  formed.  The  lime  soap  is  put  in- 
to another  vessel  and  four  parts  of  sulphuric 
acid  for  every  three  parts  of  the  lime  (previously 
used)  mixed  with  it  to  get  out  the  lime.  It  is 
heated  and  stirred  until  the  fat  all  runs  off  and 
leaves  nothing  but  sulphate  of  lime  and  water. 
The  fat  is  now  allowed  to  cool,  is  then  shaved 
into  thin  slices,  put  into  canvas  bags  and  into  a 
hydraulic  press.  Here  the  fluid  portion  is  driven 
out  and  the  stearine  remains.  This  is  again 
shaved  and  pressed.     The  cakes  now  left  are 


3H 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


commercial  stearlne  or  stearic  acid,  an  inflam- 
mable substance  without  any  greasy  feeling.  The 
other  method  is  to  blow  steam  into  cocoa-nut  oil 
or  palm  oil  and  thus  separate  the  glycerine  from 
the  fat.  After  the  glycerine  is  taken  away,  the 
fat  is  allowed  to  cool  and  treated  as  above.  No 
acid  or  lime  is  used  in  this  process. 

CANDLES,  Composition. — These  are  gener- 
ally made  of  a  mixture  of  spermaceti  and  hard 
■white  tallow,  to  which  a  little  bleached  rosin  is 
sometimes  added.  The  origin  of  the  application 
of  the  term  "composite"  or  "composition"  to 
candles,  is  somewhat  laughable.  A  manufac- 
turer who  had  a  large  stock  of  spermaceti  candles 
on  hand,  of  a  dirty  hue,  and  therefore  unsalable, 
advertised  them  under  the  above  name,  and  they 
were  soon  disposed  of,  from  the  supposition  that 
they  were  composed  of  some  new  combination  of 
materials. 

CANDLES  from  Lard.  —  \.  For  twelve 
pounds  of  lard  take  one  pound  saltpetre  and  one 
pound  of  alurti ;  mix  them  and  pulverize  them ; 
dissolve  the  saltpetre  and  alum  in  a  gill  of  boil- 
ing water;  pour  the  compound  into  the  lard 
before  it  is  quite  all  melted ;  stir  the  whole  until 
it  boils ;  skim  off  what  rises ;  let  it  simmer  until 
the  water  is  boiled  out,  or  until  it  ceases  to 
throw  off  steam ;  pour  off  the  lard  as  soon  as  it 
is  done,  and  clean  the  boiler  while  it  is  hot.  If 
the  candles  are  to  be  run  you  may  commence 
immediately;  if  to  be  dipped,  let  the  lard  cool  to 
a  cake,  and  then  treat  it  as  you  would  tallow. — 
2.  To  every  eight  pounds  of  lard,  add  one  ounce 
nitric  acid,  and  the  manner  of  making  is  as 
follows :  having  carefully  weighed  your  lard, 
place  it  over  a  slow  fire,  or  at  least  merely  melt 
it ;  then  add  the  acid,  and  mould  the  same  as 
tallow,  and  you  have  a  clear,  beautiful  candle. 
In  order  to  make  them  resemble  bona  fide  tal- 
low candles,  you  have  only  to  add  a  small  pro- 
portion of  pure  beeswax. 

CANDLES,  Mineral. — Ozocerite  is  a  mineral 
wax — chemically,  a  hydrocarbon — and,  in  its  raw 
or  native  state,  is  of  a  yellowish  color,  of  slight 
specific  gravity,  and  somewhat  fibrous  in  its 
structure.  It  will  not  burn  of  itself,  but  will 
readily  melt  on  a  light  being  applied  to  it.  On 
being  roughly  wrapped  around  a  central  wick, 
even  in  its  native  state,  it  is  easily  and  regularly 
consumed.  In  fact,  a  rude  candle  can  be  made 
of  the  raw  materiaL  and  a  cotton  wick.  It  is 
found  principally  in  Austria,  Moldavia,  the  Cau- 
casus, and  near  the  Caspian  Sea,  where  it  is 
obtained  in  great  quantities,  being  largely  used 
in  those  countries  for  illuminating  purposes,  and 
was  discovered  by  a  Russian  militr.ry  officer. 

The  substance  is  generally  melted  down  for 
convenience  of  storage  in  transit,  in  which  condi- 
tion it  forms  a  dark-colored  mass,  and  is  packed 
in  barrels,  the  native  or  unmelted  ozocerite  being 
sent  over  in  canvas  bags. 

To  prepare  it  for  use,  it  is  first  conveyed  into 
melting-tanks,  holding  from  two  to  three  tons 
each,  and  where  it  is  melted  down  by  means  of 
a  steam  coil.  From  these  tanks  the  ozocerite  is 
run  off  to  a  series  of  stills,  holding  from  two  to 
thiee  tons  each,  in  which  it  is  distilled  over 
partly  by  steam  and  partly  by  bottom  heat.  The 
dirt  and  bottoms  from  the  crude  ozocerite  are  run 
off  from  the  melting-tanks  into  another  set  of 
tanks  beneath  them,  where  they  are  remefted, 
the  finer  products  being  afterward  distilled  over. 
The  ozocerite  comes  over  from  the  stUls  in  the 


form  of  an  oily  distillate,  which  is  run  from  the 
condensers  into  moulds  and  allowed  to  cool. 
This  gives  a  deep  yellowish,  wax-like  substance 
of  a  spongy  nature,  the  pores  being  filled  with 
oil,  which  exudes  under  a  slight  pressure.  These 
cakes  are  packed  between  oilskins  and  canvas 
cloths,  and  placed  in  hydraulic  presses,  of  which 
there  are  three  of  large  capacity.  The  pressed 
cake,  after  removal  is  put  into  reheating  tanks 
and  again  melted  down,  and  is  pumped  from 
these  tanks  by  a  steam  pump  into  the  acidifiers 
where  it  is  treated  with  a  sulphuric  acid.  These 
acidifiers  are  steam-jacketed,  and  are  fitted  with 
revolving  agitators  by  which  the  ozocerite  and 
acid  are  agitated  together  for  a  certain  time,  after 
which  the  mixture  is  allowed  to  settle.  After 
settling,  the  purified  ozocerite  is  drawn  off  from 
the  lower  part  of  the  acidifiers — the  acid  remain- 
ing on  the  top — and  run  into  vessels  which  are 
heated  by  bottom  heat.  This  is  the  final  heat- 
ing, and  from  these  vessels  the  fine  stufTis  drawn 
off  into  moulds,  the  result  being  a  hard  white 
wax,  the  melting-point  of  which  is  140°,  that  of 
paraffme  wax  being  only  128°.  From  this  wax 
the  candles  are  made. 

In  some  cases,  and  under  certain  conditions 
which  occasionally  present  themselves  in  the 
process  of  manufacture,  the  ozocerite,  when  se- 
parated from  the  acid,  is  washed  with  hot  water. 
The  water  having  been  removed,  the  material  is 
repeatedly  filtered  through  animal  charcoal,  until 
the  requisite  degree  of  whiteness  is  obtained. 
There  are  also  several  specialties  about  the  manu- 
facture, which  requires  to  be  conducted  with  the 
greatest  nicety  and  exactness,  or  the  looked-for 
results  may  be  entirely  negatived.  One  point  is 
that  of  temperature,  that  attained  in  the  stills 
being  exceedingly  high  and  variable  with  certain 
varying  circumstances  and  at  different  stages  of 
the  process.  Another  point  is  the  length  of  time 
during  which  the  ozocerite  is  exposed  to  the 
action  of  the  acid  or  of  the  charcoal.  It  is  also 
important  whether  and  when  either  the  acid  bath 
or  the  charcoal  filter  should  be  used.  We  should 
mention  that  there  are  several  by-products,  the 
chief  of  which  is  a  very  clear  colorless  oil,  with- 
out smell,  and  of  very  high  illuminating  power. 

The  candles  thus  made  have  proved  in  every 
way  equal  to  those  made  of  the  best  wax,  having 
only  the  drawback  of  smouldering  and  giving  off 
an  offensive  smell  when  blown  out.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  peculiar  to  them  alone,  as  it  is  also 
a  fault  in  wax  candles,  arising  from  the  rapidity 
with  which  the  wax  cools.  It  may  easily  be 
obviated  by  using  an  old-fashioned  extinguisher, 
or  by  coating  the  wick  with  some  material  harder 
than  ozocerite. 

CANDLES,  Spermaceti. — Spermaceti,  either 
alone  or  combined  with  hard  white  tallow,  forms 
very  good  candles,  but  they  will  not  bear  carry- 
ing about  in  the  hand  without  spilling  the  melted 
portion. 

CANDLES,  Stearine. — These  are  made  of 
the  stearine  or  stearic  acid  obtained  from  tallow, 
in  the  same  way  as  other  mould  candles.  They 
furnish  a  superior  light,  and  burn  a  long  time. 

CANDLES,  Tallaiu  (By  Dipping).—  The 
broaches  being  covered  with  wicks,  are  arranged 
in  frames  ready  for  dipping.  The  dipping  cistern 
being  filled  with  tallow  of  a  proper  temperature 
from  the  boiler,  one  of  the  frames  is  placed  upon 
the  end  of  the  dipping  beam,  and  pressed  down 
gently  into  the  melted  fat ;  it  is  next  withdrawn. 


SOAP  AND  CANDLES, 


the  bottoms  of  the  candles  just  touched  against 
a  board  placed  on  one  side  of  tlie  cistern  for  the 
purpose,  and  then  removed  to  the  rack.  Another 
is  now  taken  and  treated  in  the  same  manner, 
and  the  process  is  continued  with  fresh  frames 
until  those  first  dipped  are  sufficiently  cool  to 
undergo  a  second  immersion.  This  operation  is 
repeated  until  the  candles  acquire  a  sufficient  size, 
when  they  are  finally  cooled,  sorted,  weighed, 
and  strung  in  pouncls  for  sale.  The  dipping 
beam  is  simply  a  piece  of  wood  hung  from  the 
ceiLng  by  the  center,  and  arranged  with  weights 
at  one  end,  and  at  the  other  with  supports  to 
receive  the  frames  with  the  wicks.  It  is  so 
balanced  that  a  slight  pressure  with  the  fingers 
is  sufficient  to  depress  it  so  as  to  immerse  the 
wicks  or  partly  formed  candles  into  the  tallow 
of  the  dipping  cistern.  On  withdrawing  the 
pressure,  the  beam  again  assumes  the  horizontal 
position,  and  thus  raises  the  candles  out  of  the 
melted  fat.  The  dipping-room,  or  shop,  is 
usually  situated  in  the  coldest  part  of  the  pre- 
mises, and  furnished  with  a  species  of  Venetian 
shutters  throughout  the  entire  length  of  walls,  (if 
possible, )  after  the  manner  of  breweries,  to  pre- 
serve a  constant  current  of  cool  air. 

CANDLES,  Tallcnv  (  By  Moulding).— Mo\x\d 
candles  are  made  of  the  best  kind  of"^ tallow;  a 
mixture  of  3  parts  of  sheep  with  l  part  of  ox 
suet,  both  fresh,  makes  the  most  glossy  and 
consistent  candles.  The  moulds  are  made  of 
pewter ;  the  part  answering  to  the  bottom  of  the 
candle  being  left  open,  and  a  small  hole  at  the 
top  also  left  for  the  wick ;  eight  or  more  of  these 
moulds  are  fitted  into  a  stool,  the  upper  surface 
of  which  forms  a  kind  of  trough,  the  bottom  part 
of  the  mould  being  upwards.  The  wicks  are 
then  introduced  by  putting  a  long  wire,  furnished 
•with  an  eye  or  hook  at  one  end,  down  through 
the  mould,  until  it  protrudes  at  the  bottom,  (or 
rather  top,)  when  a  wick  is  inserted  and  the 
needle  is  then  immediately  drawn  back.  As  soon 
as  all  the  moulds  have  received  their  wicks,  a 
wire  is  run  through  the  loop  of  each  and  then 
allowed  to  rest  on  the  top  of  the  moulds ;  the 
protruding  portion  of  the  wicks  is  next  pulled 
tight,  and  properly  arranged  in  the  centers  of  the 
moulds.  Melted  tallow  of  a  proper  temperature 
is  now  poured  into  the  trough-like  part  of  the 
stool,  until  the  moulds  are  all  full.  The  wicks 
are  again  pulled  tight,  and  the  whole  allowed  to 
cool.  When  quite  cold,  the  wire  that  held  the 
wicks  is  withdrawn,  and  the  candles  pulled  out 
one  by  one,  by  inserting  a  bodkin  into  the  loop 
of  the  wick.  The  better  class  of  moulds  are  then 
either  bleached  by  exposing  them  to  the  dew 
and  air  for  a  few  days,  or  by  keeping  them  for  a 
few  weeks,  until  sufficiently  whitened. 

CANDLES,  Tallow  {For  Summer  use). — 
Most  tallow,  in  summer,  is  more  or  less  soft  and 
often  quite  yellow.  To  avoid  both,  take  your 
tallow  and  put  a  little  bees-wax  with  it,  espe- 
cially if  your  bees-wax  is  dark  and  not  fit  to  sell ; 
put  into  a  suitable  kettle,  adding  weak  lye  and 
gently  boil  an  hour  or  two  each  day  for  2  days, 
Ktirring  and  skimming  well ;  each  morning  cut- 
ting it  out  and  scraping  off  the  bottom  which  is 
soft,  adding  fresh  lye  (be  sure  it  is  not  too 
strong)  I  or  2,  or  3  gals.,  according  to  the 
amount  of  tallow.  The  third  morning  use  water 
in  which  alum  and  saltpetre  is  dissolved,  at  the 
rate  of  l  lb.  each,  for  30  lbs.  of  tallow;  then 
simmer,  stir,  and  skim  again;  let  cool,  and  you 


can  take  it  off  the  water  for  use.  They  may  be 
dipped  or  run  in  moulds ;  for  dipping,  allow  two 
pounds  for  each  dozen  candles. 

CANDLES,  Wax. — These  are  made  either 
by  pouring  melted  wax  over  the  wicks,  or  by 
applying  the  wax  in  a  soft  state  with  the  hands, 
and  afterwards  rolling  it  smooth  with  a  roller  of 
polished  box  wood,  upon  a  table  formed  of  pol- 
ished walnut  wood.  They  are  then  cut  and 
trimmed.  The  first  part  of  this  process  is  usually 
conducted  over  the  cistern  of  melted  wax,  and 
the  wicks  are  strung  upon  an  iron  hoop  suspend- 
ed from  the  ceiling. 

CANDLES,  Imitation  Wax.— Vxxrxiy  melted 
tallow  by  throwing  in  powdered  quick  lime,  then 
add  two  parts  wax  to  one  of  tallow,  and  a  most 
beautiful  article  of  candle,  resembling  wax,  will 
be  the  result.  Dip  the  wicks  in  lime  water  and 
saltpetre  on  making.  To  a  gallon  of  water  add 
2  ozs.  saltpetre  and  %  lb.  of  lime :  it  improves 
the  light,  and  prevents  the  tallow  from  running. 

CANDLES,  Wicks  for.—Oi  late  years  the 
best  candles  are  made  in  such  manner  that  they 
do  not  require  snuffing.  The  simplest  way  of 
effecting  this  is  to  make  the  wick  with  one  strand 
of  loosely  twisted  cotton,  which  will  become 
slightly  stretched  when  the  wick  is  placed  in  the 
candle,  but  will  contract  again  on  its  burning, 
removing  the  force  that  kept  it  extended.  If  this 
roving  be  placed  at  the  outside  of  the  wick,  it  is 
evident  that  when  it  contracts,  it  will  pull  the 
latter  into  a  curved  shape,  and  thus  expose  its 
upper  part  to  the  outer  portion  of  the  flame, 
as  well  as  to  the  atmosphere,  by  which  means 
it  will  be  consumed  with  sufficient  rapidity  to 
prevent  the  necessity  of  using  the  snuffers.  The 
same  may  be  effected  by  placing  the  candle  at  an 
angle  of  about  45°,  by  which  means  the  upper 
part  of  the  wick  will  be  out  of  the  flame ;  but 
this  plan,  besides  being  unsightly,  is  liable  to  the 
risk  of  the  tallow  dropping  beyond  the  candle- 
stick. Platted  wicks,  so  arranged  that  one  por- 
tion shall  be  stretched  more  than  another,  have 
long  been  adopted  for  the  same  purpose.  ^ 

CANDLE  WICKS,  Preparing.— There  ^tq 
several  prescriptions  for  solutions  to  improve 
wicks,  the  best  of  which  is  the  following:  Borax, 
2  ounces ;  chloride  of  calcium,  chloride  of  am- 
nvonium,  and  saltpetre,  I  ounce  each;  then  dis- 
solved in  three  quarts  of  water  and  filtered ;  the 
wicks  are  soaked  in  this  solution  and  then  dried. 

Another  is :  first  steep  the  wicks  in  a  solution 
of  lime-water,  in  which  saltpetre  has  been  dis- 
solved. To  I  gallon  of  water  add  2  ounces  salt- 
petre and  ^  pound  lime.  Dry  well  the  wicks 
before  using.  It  improves  the  light,  and  prevents 
the  tallow  from  running. 

CAMPHORA  TED  .Sba/.— Sixteen  ounces  of 
white  soap,  eight  ounces  of  boiling  water,  six 
ounces  of  olive  oil  and  one  drachm  of  powdered 
camphor ;  dissolve  the  soap  in  the  water,  evapor- 
ate slowly  to  the  consistence  of  a  soft  paste,  add  the 
camphor  incorporated  with  the  oil,  mix  thor- 
oughly and  pour  into  moulds.  It  is  excellent  for 
chapped  hands  or  lips  and  excoriations. 

CARBOLIC  ACID  Soap.—'Tzke  freshly  pre-  .. 
pared  cocoa-nut  oil  soap,  150  parts,  and  fuse; 
then  add  a  solution  of  alcohol,  10  parts  ;  carbolic 
acid,  6  parts ;  caustic  potassa,  2  parts ;  oil  of 
lemon,  i  part,  and  mix  with  .=tirring.  To  be 
poured  into  moulds. 

CHEMICAL  Soap,  {For  taking  Oil,  Grease, 
etc.  from  the  cloth.'\  —  Take  5  pounds   Castile 


3i6 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


soap,  cut  fine ;  l  pint  alcohol ;  i  pint  soft  water ; 
2 ounces  aqua  fortis;  l}i  ounce  lampblack;  2 
ounces  saltpetre;  3  ounces  potash;  i  ounce 
camphor,  and  4  ounces  cinnamon,  in  po.wder. 
First  dissolve  the  soap,  potash,  and  saltpetre,  by- 
boiling  ;  then  add  all  the  other  articles,  and  con- 
tinue to  stir  until  it  cools ;  then  pour  into  a  box 
and  let  it  stand  twenty-four  hours  and  cut  into 

CHEMICAL  SOFT Soa/>.— Take  grease.S  lbs.; 
caustic  soda,  8  lbs.;  sal-soda,  i  lb.;  melt  the  grease 
in  akettle,  melt  the  sodas  in  soft  water,  4  gals.,  and 
pour  all  into  a  barrel  holding  40  gals,  and  fill  up 
with  soft  water,  and  the  labor  is  done.  When 
the  caustic  soda  cannot  be  obtained  of  soap- 
makers,  you  will  make  it  by  taking  soda-ash  and 
fresh  slaked  lime,  of  each  eight  pounds ;  dissolv- 
ing them  in  the  water  with  the  sal-soda,  and 
when  settled,  pouring  off  the  clear  liquid. 

CHLORINA  TED  Soap.— Yxam  Castile  soap 
(in  powder),  II  ozs.;  chloride  of  lime  (dry  and 
good),  I  oz.;  mix,  beat  them  to  a  mass  with  rec- 
tified spirit,  q.  s.;  holding  in  solution  oil  of  ver- 
bena or  of  ginger  grass,  %  oz.;  lastly  form  the 
mass  into  flat  tablets,  and  wrap  these  in  thin 
sheet  gutta  percha.  A  most  excellent  detergent 
and  stimulant  soap  in  various  affections,  admir- 
ably adapted  for  hospital  use,  and  for  removing 
stains  from  the  skin  and  rendering  it  white.  It 
is  the  most  powerful  known  agent  against  infec- 
tion from  contagious  diseases  communicated  by 
contact. 

CINNAMON  Soap. — Palm  oil  soap,  2  parts; 
good  tallow  soap,  3  parts.  Reduce  to  shavings, 
then  liquefy  by  adding  a  little  water,  and  placing 
the  mixture  in  a  water  bath  until  perfectly  unit- 
ed; next  cool  to  about  135°  Fahr.,  and  add  finely 
powdered  yellow  ochre  to  color,  and  a  sufficiency 
of  the  foUowing  perfume  :  Essence  of  cinnamon, 
7  parts  ;  essence  of  bergamot,  2  parts ;  essence 
of  sassafras,  I  part.  Well  mix  the  whole  togeth- 
er and  mould. 

CITRON  Soap.—Qyyc^  soap,  6  lbs.;  otto  of 
J^  citron,  3^  lb.;  otto  of  verbena  (lemon  grass),  y^ 
oz.;  otto  of  bergamot,  4*ozs.;  otto  of  lemon,  2 
ozs.  One  of  the  best  fancy  soaps  that  is  made. 

COLD  Soap. — Twenty-two  pounds  of  soap, 
20  pounds  of  grease,  and  }(  of  a  pound  of  rosin. 
This  quantity  will  make  a  barrel  of  soap.  Keep 
the  grease  tried  out  and  strained,  so  as  to  be 
ready  for  use  when  the  requisite  quantity  is  gain- 
ed. Select  the  gray  looking  potash,  put  it  into 
the  soap  barrel,  pour  on  it  hot  soft  water  to  faci- 
litate dissolving ;  when  softened  put  in  the  grease, 
reserving  two  or  three  pounds  to  melt  the  rosin 
in  ;  keep  adding  hot  water  till  it  stirs  readily  and 
when  nearly  to  the  top  put  in  the  melted  rosin 
and  fat.  This  soap  is  good  and  strong,  will  keep 
any  length  of  time  and  be  free  from  insects. 
When  wanted  for  use  dip  out  a  quantity  and  add 
a  third  of  soft  water  to  it.  The  dark  potash  is 
apt  to  stain  the  clothes  iji  washing. 

COSMETIC  Soap.— Take  a  pound  of  Castile 
soap,  or  any  other  nice  old  soap;  scrape  it  fine; 
put  it  on  the  fire  with  a  little  water;  stir  it  to  a 
smooth  paste ;  turn  it  into  a  bowl ;  when  cold, 
add  some  lavender  water,  or  any  kind  of  essence; 
beat  it  with  a  silver  spoon  till  well  mixed ;  thicken 
it  with  Indian  meal,  and  keep  it  in  small  pots, 
closely  covered;  exposure  to  the  air  will  harden  it. 

EMU  LSI N  AU  JASMIN.  —  Saponaceous 
cream,  i  oz.;  simple  syrup,  ij^  oz.;  almondoil,  i 
lb.;  best  jasmine  oil,  ^  lb. 


EMULSIN  A  LA  VIOLETTE.—S&-ponz.. 
ceous  cream,  I  oz.;  syrup  of  violets,  i^  oz.;  best 
violet  oil,  i^^  lb. 

On  account  of  the  high  price  of  the  French  oils 
these  emulsions  are  expensive,  but  they  are  un- 
doubtedly the  most  exquisite  of  cosmetiques. 

ENGLISH  BAR  SOAF.—Six  gallons  soft 
water ;  6  lbs.  good  stone  lime  ;  20  lbs.  sal-soda ; 
4  ozs.  borax;  15  lbs.  fat  (tallow  is  best);  10  lbs. 
pulverized  rosin,  and  4  ozs.  bees-wax ;  put  the 
water  in  a  kettle  on  the  fire,  and  when  nearly 
boiling  add  the  lime  and  soda ;  when  these  are  dis- 
solved, add  the  borax ;  boil  gently,  and  stir  until 
all  is  dissolved ;  then  add  the  fat,  rosin,  and  bees- 
wax ;  boil  all  gently  until  it  shows  flaky  on  the 
stick,  then  pour  into  moulds. 

ERASIVE  Soap. — 2  pounds  of  good  Castile 
soap ;  1^  pound  of  carbonate  of  potash ;  dissolved 
in  j4  pint  hot  water.  Cut  the  soap  in  thin 
slices,  boil  the  soap  with  the  potash  until  it  is 
thick  enough  to  mould  in  cakes ;  also,  add  al- 
cohol, yi  ounce ;  camphor,  ^  ounce  ;  hartshorn, 
^2  ounce ;  color  widi  y^  ounce  pulverized  char- 
coal. 

FA  T  (^Animal),  To  Prepare  for  Soap  Making, 
— Tallow,  when  exposed  at  common  temperature 
in  the  air,  gradually  acquires  an  unpleasant, 
rank  smell.  This  can  be  prevented  by  cutting  it 
in  slices,  and  boiling  it  in  water  containing  for 
every  one  hundred  pounds  of  fat  (water,  thirty- 
five  to  forty  pounds),  one  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
alum,  one  half  pound  of  salt ;  this  is  boiled  to- 
gether and  strained;  the  cake  of  strained  fat 
taken  up  and  washed  in  clean  water ;  then  re- 
melted  at  a  low  heat,  and  poured  into  a  barrel 
containing  twice  as  much  water  (by  measure)  as 
of  the  melted  grease,  and  to  this  water  add  about 
ten  per  cent,  of  good  clear  sweet  soap  compared 
to  the  amount  of  grease,  the  water  not  to  be 
more  then  blood-heat,  and  the  temperature  of 
the  grease  about  the  same.  The  whole  is  thor- 
oughly stirred  with  a  broad  stick  till  cold,  when 
it  is  allowed  to  rest  and  separate  from  the  water, 
which  is  afterward  withdrawn,  and  the  fat  re- 
maining, in  a  granular  state,  completely  drained, 
and  finally  dried  in  a  current  of  dry  air,  is  then 
transferred  and  packed  in  firkins,  crocks  or  bar- 
rels. 

Grained  fat  thus  prepared,  is  kept  sweet,  and 
is  also  acted  on  by  the  lye  with  a  far  greater  ease 
and  rapidity,  in  consequence  no  doubt  of  its 
grain-like  state,  which  enables  the  alkali  in  the 
lye  to  act  upon  a  greater  surface  at  once  without 
requiring  the  boiling  of  the  fat  with  the  lye,  and 
producing  a  soap  free  of  rank  ^mell,  while  the 
grained  fat  in  suet  may  be  preserved  sweet  for 
soap-making  purposes  for  years,  if  thoroughly 
dried  before  packing  away. 

FLOA  TING  Soap. — Good  oil  soap  ^  cwt.; 
water  y^  gallon;  melt  by  the  heat  of  a  steam 
or  water  bath  in  a  pan  furnished  with  an  agitator, 
which  must  be  assiduously  worked  till  the  soap 
has  at  least  doubled  its  volume,  when  it  must  be 
put  into  the  frames,  cooled,  and  cut  into  pieces. 
Lathers  well  and  is  very  pleasant.  Any  scenl 
may  be  added. 

FRANGIPANNI  Soap.—QmA  soap  (previ- 
ously colored  light  brown),  7  lbs.;  civet,  %.  oz.; 
otto  of  neroli,  ]^  oz.;  otto  of  santal,  l^  oz.; 
otto  of  rose,  %  oz.;  otto  of  vitivert,  ^  oz.  Rub 
the  civet  with  the  various  ottos,  mix,  and  beat  in 
the  usual  manner. 

FULLER'S  EARTH  Soap.— CvixA  soap,  loy^ 


SOAP  AND  CANDLES. 


317 


lbs.;  marine  soap,  3^<  lbs.;  fuller's  earth  (baked), 
14  lbs.;  otto  of  French  lavender,  2  oz.;  oito  of 
origanum,  I  oz. 

GALL  Soap. — Gall  soap,  for  the  washing  of 
fine  silken  cloths  and  ribbons,  is  prepared  in  the 
following  manner:  In  a  vessel  of  copper  one 
pound  of  cocoa-nut  oil  is  heated  to  60"  Fahr., 
■whereupon  half  a  pound  of  caustic  soda  is  added 
•witli  constant  stirring.  In  another  vessel,  half  a 
pound  of  white  Venetian  turpentine  is  heated, 
and  when  quite  hot,  stirred  into  the  copper  kettle. 
This  kettle  is  then  covered  and  left  for  four  hours, 
being  gently  heated,  after  which  the  fire  is  increas- 
ed until  the  contents  are  perfectly  clear,  where- 
upon one  pound  of  ox-gall  is  added.  After  this, 
enough  good,  perfectly  dry  castile  soap  is  stirred 
into  the  mixture  to  cause  the  whole  to  yield  but 
little  under  the  pressure  of  the  finger ;  for  which 
purpose,  from  one  to  two  pounds  of  soap  are  re- 
quired for  the  above  quantity.  After  cooling,  the 
soap  is  cut  into  pieces.  It  is  excellent,  and  will 
not  injure  the  finest  colors. 

GKE.-iSE,  To  Preserve. — Boil  all  the  scraps, 
rinds,  and  bones,  in  a  weak  lye,  and  the  purer 
grease  in  clear  water.  Let  the  mixture  cool, 
lake  off  the  cake  of  grease,  and  strain  it.  It  is 
well  to  do  this  occasionally,  as  you  save  it ;  for 
when  kept  a  long  time,  impure  grease  becomes 
offensive.  You  must  be  careful  to  dry  off  all 
the  water  before  laying  it  away  ia  your  grease 
tub,  if  you  wish  it  to  keep  sweet. 

GREASE,  To  Purify. — If  the  grease  is  very 
foul  in  smell,  it  should  be  put  in  a  boiler  with 
water,  on  Ihe  fire  (about  three  times  as  much 
water  as  of  the  grease),  a  small  quantity  (say  a 
teaspoonful  for  five  to  ten  pounds  of  grease)  of 
permanganate  of  potash  added,  by  stirring,  to 
the  whole,  and  after  the  mixture  has  cooled  a 
little,  it  is  strained  through  a  cloth,  and  allowed 
to  rest,  when  the  cake  of  fat  is  taken  out  and  put 
in  a  cool  place,  or  in  the  pot  in  which  it  is  to  be 
remelted  for  transformation  into  soap.  The  pur- 
pose of  the  permanganate  of  potash  is  to  remove 
the  rank  odor  of  the  grease,  which  otherwise 
would  contaminate  the  soap  also. 

HARD  Soap. — Fused  sulphate  of  soda  has 
lieen  used  to  harden  soaps,  which,  made  from 
inferior  fats,  would  otherwise  be  too  soft.  This 
substance  (Glauber  salts,  melted  on  a  shovel  or 
otherwise, )  added  to  the  soap  in  the  proportion 
of  I  lb.  of  the  salt  to  20  lbs.  of  the  soap,  is  said 
to  remedy  the  defect,  and  to  make  a  hard  and 
sound  soap  out  of  what  would  otherwise  be  too 
soft  for  economical  use. 

HARD  Soap. — ^Take  6  pounds  of  sal-soda,  6 
pounds  grease,  and  3  pounds  quick  lime.  Thor- 
oughly mix  the  soda  and  lime  in  four  gallons  of 
■water,  pour  off  from  the  sediment,  put  in  the 
grease  and  boil  20  minutes ;  pour  off  and  before 
entirely  cold  cut  in  bars. 

H.4RD  Soap  from  Soft. — Take  7  lbs.  good 
soft  soap;  4  lbs.  sal  soda;  2  ounces  borax;  I 
ounce  hartshorn ;  ^  lb.  rosin,  to  be  dissolved  in 
22  quarts  of  water,  and  boiled  about  twenty  min- 
utes. 

HARD  Soap,  with  Lard. — Sal-soda  and  lard, 
of  each  6  lbs. ;  stone  lime  3  lbs.;  soft  water  4  gals.; 
dissolve  the  lime  and  soda  in  the  water,  by  boil- 
ing, stirring,  settling  and  pouring  off;  then  return 
to  tlie  kettle  (brass "or  copper)  and  add  the  lard 
and  boil  until  it  becomes  soap;  then  pour  into  a 
dish  or  moulds,  and  when  cold,  cut  it  into  b.-u-s 
and  let  it  dry- 


LIOXE  Y  Soap.  —  Cut  thin  two  pounds  of 
yellow  soap  into  a  double  saucepan,  occasionally 
stirring  it  till  it  is  melted,  which  will  be  in  a  few 
minutes  if  the  water  is  kept  boiling  around  it, 
then  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  palm  oil,  quar- 
ter of  a  pound  of  honey,  three  pennyworth  of 
true  oil  of  cinnamon;  let  all  boil  together  an- 
other six  or  eight  minutes ;  pour  out  and  stand 
it  by  till  next  day;  it  is  then  fit  for  immediate 
use.  If  made  as  these  directions  it  will  be  found 
to  be  a  very  superior  soap.  / 

LIOiYEY  AND  ALMOND  PASTE.— 
Bitter  almonds,  blanched  and  ground,  ^  lb.; 
honey,  I  lb.;  yelk  of  eggs,  in  number,  8 ;  al- 
mond oil,  I  lb.;  otto  of  bergamot,  of  cloves, 
each,  \^  oz.  Rub  the  eggs  and  honey  together 
first,  then  gradually  add  the  oil,  and  finally  the 
ground  almonds  and  the  perfume. 

LODINE  Soap. — From  castile  soap  (sliced)  I 
lb.;  iodide  of  potassium,  I  oz.;  dissolved  in  wa- 
ter, 3  fl.  oz.;  melt  them  together  in  a  glass  or 
porcelain  vessel,  over  a  water  bath.  Excellent 
in  various  skin  diseases;  also  as  a  common  soap 
for  scrofulous  subjects. 

yUNLPER  TAR  Soap.—T\ns  soap  is  made 
from  the  tar  of  the  wood  of  the  Juniperus  com- 
munis, by  dissoh-ing  it  in  a  fixed  vegetable  oil, 
such  as  almond  or  olive  oil,  or  in  fine  tallow,  and 
forming  a  soap  by  means  of  a  weak  soda  lye, 
after  the  customary  manner.  This  yields  a 
moderately  firm  and  clear  soap,  which  may  be 
readily  used  by  application  to  parts  affected  with 
eruptions,  at  night,  mixed  with  a  little  water, 
and  carefully  washed  off  the  following  morning. 
This  soap  has  lately  been  much  used  for  eruptive 
disorders,  particularly  on  the  continent,  and  with 
varjing  degrees  of  success.  It  is  thought  that 
the  efficient  element  in  its  composition  is  a  rather 
less  impure  hydrocarburet  than  that  known  in 
Paris  under  the  name  "huile  de  cade."  On  ac- 
count of  its  ready  miscibility  with  water,  it  pos- 
sesses great  advantage  over  the  common  tar  oint- 
ment used  for  itch,  etc. 

LABOR-SA  VLNG  Soap.—1ik&  2  pounds  of 
sal  soda,  2  pounds  of  yellow  bar  soap,  and  10 
quarts  of  water.  Cut  tlie  soap  in  thin  slices,  and* 
boil  together  two  hours  ;  strain,  and  it  will  be 
fit  for  use.  Put  the  clothes  in  soak  the  night 
before  you  wash,  and  to  every  pail  of  water  in 
which  you  boil  them,  add  a  pound  of  soap.  They 
will  need  no  rubbing;  merely  rinse  them  out, 
and  they  will  be  perfectly  clean  and  white. 

LIQUID  Soap. — Sweet  oil,  7  parts;  caustic 
potass,  I  part ;  rose  water  sufficient  quantity  to 
reduce  it  to  a  proper  state.  Rub  the  oil,  alkali, 
and  a  few  spoonfuls  of  the  water  together  in  a 
hot  mortar  until  united,  then  add  the  remaindei 
of  the  water  as  required. 

L  YE,  To  Make. — Have  a  large  tub,  or  cask, 
and  bore  a  hole  in  one  side,  for  a  tap,  near  the 
bottom ;  place  several  bricks  near  the  hole,  and 
cover  them  with  straw.  Fill  the  barrel  with 
strong  wood  ashes.  Oak  ashes  are  strongest ; 
and  those  of  apple-tree  wood  make  the  whitest 
soap.  Pour  on  boiling  water  until  it  begins  to 
run,  then  put  in  the  tap  and  let  it  soak.  If  the 
ashes  settle  down  as  they  are  ■wet,  fill  in  until 
full. 

L  YE,  White.  —  This  is  made  by  pouring  a 
pailful  of  boiling  water  over  4  or  5  quarts  of 
ashes.  Let  it  stand  a  while  to  infuse  ;  then  pour 
in  cold  water  to  settle  it,  when  you  can  pour  it 
off  clear.    This  is  very  good  to  boil  dirty  clothes 


3i8 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY~DAY  WANTS. 


in.  When  made  nice,  is  equal  to  soda,  and  does 
not,  unless  made  extremely  strong,  injure  the 
clothes. 

MARBLED  SOAP  BALLS.  —  Take  ten 
pounds  of  white  oil  soap  and  ten  pounds  of  Joppa 
soap.  Cut  them  into  small  square  pieces,  which 
set  to  dry  for  three  days :  the  oil  soap,  particular- 
ly, must  be  thus  dried.  Scrape,  very  fine,  five 
pounds  of  oil  soap,  which  dry  for  one  day  in  the 
open  air ;  mix  it  well  in  the  shaving  box,  with 
five  pounds  of  powder,  and  add  an  ounce  and  a 
half  of  the  best  vermilion. 

In  mixing,  place  pieces  of  soap  and  colored 
powder  in  layers  in  the  box  ;  making  in  all  four 
alternate  layers  of  each.  When  a  layer  of  each 
has  been  laid  in  the  box,  sprinkle  a  pint  of  rose 
water  over  the  cut  soap ;  for  if  it  be  much  com 
bined  with  the  powder  it  will  become  lumpy  and 
hard,  and  consequently  spoil  the  M-ash  balls.  The 
same  quantity  of  water  is  to  be  used  for  moisten- 
ing each  of  the  other  soap  layers.  Next  mix  a 
pint  of  thin  starch,  which  has  been  well  boiled  in 
half  a  pint  of  rain  water,  with  half  a  pint  of  rose 
water,  and  distribute  it,  equally  well  mixed, 
among  the  mass,  by  turning  it  over  lepeatedly, 
and  then  press  it  down  close  with  the  hands.  If 
a  piece  be  now  cut  out  from  the  mass  the  opera- 
tor will  perceive  whether  the  marbling  is  suf- 
ficiently good :  and  if  so,  he  may  proceed  im- 
mediately to  form  his  wash  balls. 

MACQUER'S  ACID  5<;«/.— Castile  soap,  4 
ozs.;  soften  by  heat  and  a  little  water ;  add  oil  of 
vitriol  q.  s.,  continually  triturating  the  mass  in  a 
mortar.  Detergent.  Used  where  alkalis  would 
be  prejudicial. 

MUSK  SoapJ^^ooA  tallow  soap,  30  pounds; 
palm  soap,  26  pounds.  Treat  as  for  cinnamon 
soap,  and  perfume  with  the  following  mixture: — 
Powdered  cloves,  5  ounces;  powdered  pale  roses, 
5  ounces  ;  powdered  gillyflower,  5  ounces  ;  es- 
sence of  bergamot,  4  ounces ;  essence  of  musk, 
3^  ounces.  Color  with  brown  ochre,  4X 
ounces. 

ORANGE  FLOWER  Soap.—YiHixa.  soap,  2 
parts;  tallow  soap,  3  parts.  Mix,  as  for  cin- 
namon soap,  and  perfume  with  the  following  es- 
sences :  Essence  of  Portugal,  8  parts ;  essence 
of  amber,  7  parts.  Mix.  Color  with  the  fol- 
lowing, as  required  :  Red  lead,  5  parts ;  yellow 
green,  33  parts.     Mix. 

PALM  Soap  (superior). — Cut  thin  two  pounds 
of  yellow  soap  into  a  double  saucepan,  occasion- 
ally stirring  it  till  it  is  melted,  which  will  be  in  a 
few  minutes,  if  the  water  is  kept  boiling  around 
it;  then  add  quarter  of  a  pound  of  palm  oil, 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  honey,  and  six  cents  worth 
of  true  oil  of  cinnamon ;  let  all  boil  together  an- 
other six  or  eight  minutes ;  pour  out,  and  stand 
it  by  till  next  day.  It  is  then  fit  for  immediate  use. 

PEARL  SOFT  Soap.—lTikc.  lard,  2  parts ; 
potass  lye  (36°  B.),  I  part.  Put  the  lard  over 
the  fire ;  and,  when  half  melted,  stir  it  with  a 
spatula  until  it  assumes  the  appearance  of  milk, 
then  add  half  the  lye,  stir  well,  but  avoid  increas- 
ing the  temperature.  When  soapy  granulations 
commence  forming,  and  fall  to  the  bottom,  add 
the  rest  of  the  lye;  continue  the  stirring  until  the 
paste  is  formed,  then  transfer  the  pan  to  a  bath 
of  warm  water,  and  let  them  cool  together.  When 
cold,  pound  it  in  a  marble  mortar  until  it  as- 
sumes a  pearly  appearance.  Scent  with  bitter  al- 
monds essence. 

PISTACHIO  NUT  //^^Z.  —  Pistachio 


nuts  (decorticated  as  almonds  are  bleached),  i  lb.; 
orris  powder,  I  lb.;  otto  of  neroli,  I  drachm; 
otto  of  lemons,  ^  oz. 

Other  meals,  such  as  perfumed  oatmeal,  per- 
fumed bran,  etc.,  are  occasionally  in  demand, 
and  are  prepaVed  as  the  foregoing. 

POTASH,    Yield  of.—A&  a  general  rule,  the 
ashes  of  the  following  woods  give : 
100  lbs.  of  pine  ashes  yield  45-100  lb.,  or  less 

than  half  a  pound  of  potash. 
100       "     poplar  ashes  yield  j^   lb. 
ICO       "     beech       "         "  1.45  " 
100       "     oak  "         "  2.03  ♦• 

100  «'  willow  "  "  2.8$  " 
100  "  sug.  maple  "  3.9  " 
100       **     elm  "  3.9    " 

100  "  wheat  straw  "4.18" 
ICO  "  vine  branches  "  5.5  " 
ICO  "  dry  cornstalks  "17.5  " 
ICO       "     potato  stalks     "55. —  " 

One  pound  of  caustic  potash,  on  an  average, 
combines  with  five  pounds  of  clean  grease,  and 
will  make  five  gallons  of  good  soft  soap. 

ROSIN  Soap. — Fifteen  per  cent,  of  rosin  can 
be  saponified  with  potash  or  soda  lye,  and  mixed 
with  clear,  warm  tallow  soap  to  a  good  purpose  ; 
more  would  deteriorate  it,  although  for  the 
cheapest  grade  of  soaps,  thirty-three  per  cent,  is 
often  added;  but  such  soaps  remain  soft  and 
clammy,  and  are  unsatisfactory  to  the  consumer. 
Twelve  gallons  of  strong  lye(30°  to36°Eeaume) 
are  needed  for  100  lbs.  of  rosin.  Some  soap- 
makers  melt  it  with  the  fat  in  the  commencement 
of  the  boihng  of  the  soap,  but  experience  has 
shown  that  it  is  best  to  prepare  a  pure  tallow 
soap  first,  and  afterward  mix  with  it  the  rosin 
soap,  made  in  a  separate  kettle.  Both  soaps  in 
the  hot  state  are  to  be  thoroughly  incorporated, 
by  stirring  and  beating  intimately  for  half  an  hour, 
and  the  whole  passed  through  a  wire  sieve  before 
transferring  to  the  frames,  and  therein  also  well 
stirred  with  the  crutch.  Some  palm  oil,  when 
saponified  along  with  the  tallow,  will  much  im- 
prove the  appearance  of  such  a  soap. 

The  rosin,  previous  to  its  being  put  in  contact 
with  the  lye,  should  be  ground  fine,  and  while 
one  workman  is  occupied  in  throwing  it  into  the 
boiler  containing  the  hot  lye,  another  should  he 
constantly  occupied  in  stirring  it  in,  as  the  mix- 
ture easily  rises.  The  heat  must  not  be  too  rap- 
idly increased,  nor  is  it  necessary  that  it  should 
boil  all  the  time,  but  merely  kept  near  the  boiling 
point,  but  it  is  indispensable  to  keep  stirring  the 
mixture  all  the  time,  otherwise  caking  of  the 
rosin  will  interfere  with  the  progress  of  the  ope- 
ration. Saponification  will  be  completed  in 
about  two  hours,  and  then  it  may  be  added  to  the 
fat  about  being  converted  into  soap,  as  above 
described. 

SALT  in  Soap  Making. — A  very  practical 
and  a  most  useful  adaptation  of  common  salt 
(chloride  of  sodium)  in  partial  substitution  for  al- 
kali in  the  manufacture  of  soap,  is  now  being 
most  economically  and  advantageously  used  in 
this  country.  A  soap  can  be  produced  in  the 
bar,  or  molded'  into  pattern,  cheaper  than  by 
any  other  known  process  ;  and  plain  and  fancy 
soaps  of  every  odor,  color,  and  design,  are  being 
freely  circulated,  at  a  figure  costing  the  public 
no  more,  when  boxed,  than  $2.88  or  $3.36  per 
cwt.  of  112  pounds.  This,  too,  where  the  man- 
ufacturers have  to  pay  30  cents  per  cwt.  for  car- 
I  riage  on  the  salt. 


SOAP  AND  CANDLES. 


;i9 


SALT  WATER  Soap.—  S  lbs.  caustic  soda, 
7  gallons  of  water  for  the  lye ;  25  lbs.  cocoa-nut 
oil  or  lard,  as  it  is  sometimes  called;  melt  the 
oil,  and  introduce  the  lye  gradually,  and  stir  ac- 
tively until  creamy.  A  very  small  proportion  of 
fused  Glauber  salts  helps  to  make  the  soap 
harden. 

SANTAL-WOOD  ^Vw/.— Curd  soap,  7  lbs.; 
otto  of  santal,  7  oz.;  otto  of  bergamot,  2  oz. 

SAND  Soap. — Curd  soap,  7  lbs.;  marine  soap, 
7  lbs.;  sifted  silver  sand,  28  lbs.;  otto  of  thyme, 
of  cassia,  of  caraw.iy,  of  French  lavender,  each, 
2  ozs. 

SAPONACEOUS  CREAM  of  Almonds.— 
The  preparation  sold  under  this  title  is  a  potash 
soft  soap  of  lard.  It  has  a  beautiful  pearly  ap- 
pearance, and  has  met  with  extensive  demand  as 
a  shaving  soap.  Being  also  used  in  the  tnanu- 
facture  of  Emulsines,  it  is  an  article  of  no  incon- 
siderable consumption  by  the  perfumer.  It  is 
made  thus :  Clarified  lard,  7  lbs.;  potash  lye 
(containing  26  per  cent,  of  caustic  potash),  ■>,% 
lbs.;  rectified  spirit,  3  ozs.;  otto  of  almonds,  2 
drachms.  Melt  the  lard  in  a  porcelain  vessel  by 
a  salt  water  baih,  or  by  a  steam  heat  under  15  lbs. 
pressure ;  then  run  in  the  lye,  very  slowly,  agitat- 
ing the  whole  time ;  when  about  half  the  lye  is 
in,  the  mixture  begins  to  curdle;  it  will,  how- 
ever, become  so  firm  that  it  cannot  be  stirred. 
The  cream  is  then  finished,  but  is  not  pearly ;  it 
will,  however,  assume  that  appearance  by  long 
trituration  in  a  mortar,  gradually  adding  the  al- 
cohol, in  which  has  been  dissolved  the  perfume. 

SCENTING  SOAPS  COLD.— This  method 
is  exceedingly  convenient  and  economical  for 
scenting  small  batches,  involving  merely  mechan- 
ical labor,  the  tools  required  being  siYnply  an 
ordinary  carpenter's  plane,  and  a  good  marble 
mortar,  and  lignum  \\ix  pestle.  The  woodwork 
of  the  plane  must  be  fashioned  at  each  end,  so 
that  when  placed  over  the  mortar  it  remains  firm 
and  not  easily  moved  by  the  parallel  pressure  of 
the  soap  agamst  its  projecting  blade.  To  com- 
mence operations,  we  t.ake  first  7  lbs.,  14  lbs.,  or 
21  lbs.  of  the  bars  of  the  soap  that  it  is  intended 
to  perfume.  The  plane  is  now  laid  upside  down 
across  the  top  of  the  mortar.  Things  being  thus 
arranged,  the  whole  of  the  soap  is  to  be  pushed 
across  the  plane  until  it  is  all  reduced  into  fine 
shavings. 

Soap  as  generally  received  from  the  maker  is 
the  proper  condition  for  thus  working;  but  if  it 
has  been  in  stock  any  time  it  becomes  too  hard, 
and  must  have  from  one  to  three  ounces  of  distil- 
led water  sprinkled  in  the  shavings  for  every 
{)ound  of  soap  employed,  and  must  lay  for  at 
east  twenty-four  hours  to  be  absorbed  before  the 
perfume  is  added  to  it. 

When  it  is  determined  what  size  the  cakes  of 
soap  are  to  be,  what  they  are  to  sell  for,  and 
what  it  is  intended  they  should  cost,  then  the 
maker  can  measure  out  his  perfume. 

The  soap  being  in  a  proper  physical  condition 
with  regard  to  moisture,  etc.,  is  now  to  have  the 
perfume  well  stirred  into  it.  The  pestle  is  then 
set  to  work  for  the  process  of  incorporation. 
After  a  couple  of  hours  the  soap  is  generally  ex- 
pected to  be  free  from  streaks,  and  to  be  of  one 
uniform  consistency. 

SH.4V1NG  Soap.— I.  Good  white  soap  (in 
thin  shavings),  3  pounds;  p.alm  soap,  i  pound; 
soft  water,  3^  pound;  soda,  I  ounce.  Melt  care- 
fully over  a  slow  fire,  in  an  earthen  vessel,  then 


add  oil  of  lavender,  60  drops  ;  oil  of  lemon,  40 
drops;  bergamot,  50  drops.  Mix  well,  and  make 
it  into  forms. — 2.  Take  3  lbs.  white  bar  soap,  i 
lb.  Castile  soap,  I  quart  rain  water,  ^  pt.  beefs 
gall,  I  gill  spirits  turpentine.  Cut  the  soap  into 
thin  slices,  and  boil  five  minutes  after  the  soap  is 
dissolved,  stir  while  boiling:  scent  with  oil  of 
rose  or  almonds.  If  wished  to  color  it,  use  ^ 
oz.  vermi.ion. 

SNA  VI NG  PASTE.— I.  Naples  soap  (gen- 
uine), 40Z.;  powdered  castile  soap,  2  oz.;  honey, 
I  oz.;  essence  of  ambergris  and  oils  of  cassia  and 
nutmegs,  of  each,  5  or  6  drops. — 2.  White  wax,  £» 
spermaceti  and  almond  oil,  of  each,  ^^  oz.;  melt, 
and  while  warm,  beat  in  2  squares  of  Windsor 
soap  previously  reduced  to  a  paste  wuth  a  little 
rose-water. — 3.  White  soft  soap,  4  oz.;  sper- 
maceti and  salad  oil,  of  each,  _J^  oz.;  melt  them 
together,  and  stir  until  nearly  cold.  It  may  be 
scented  at  will.  When  properly  prepared,  these 
pastes  produce  a  good  lather  with  either  hot  or 
cold  water,  which  does  not  dry  on  the  face. 
The  proper  method  of  using  them  is  to  smear  a 
minute  quantity  over  the  beard,  and  then  to 
apply  the  wetted  shaving  brush,  and  not  to  pour 
water  on  them,  as  is  the  common  practice. 

SOAP-MAKING  in  General.  —  kx^xmriS.  fat, 
such  as  tallow,  is  the  substance  most  at  hand  of 
all  other  fatty  matters  for  soap-making,  although 
vegetable  oils,  such  as  palm,  cocoa-nut,  castor, 
sunflower,  olive  and  other  oils,  and  also  rosin, 
are  used  in  soap-making  occasionally,  but  tallow 
being  more  easily  obtainable,  and  generally  at  a 
lower  cost  than  most  of  the  oils  above  enumerat- 
ed, is  most  extensively  employed  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  domestic  soap.  For  purpose,  after  being 
freed  of  skin  by  boiling,  straining  and  remeltiiig, 
it  is  heated  to  the  temperature  of  boiling  water, 
and  mixed  on  the  fire  with  a  hot  solution  of 
either  soda,  potash,  or  both,  in  water  called  the 
lye ;  the  whole  is  gradually  transferred  into  an 
iron  pot,  larger  by  at  least  one-third  than  the 
whole  mixture,  about  one  quart  of  the  melted 
fat  being  first  ladled  into  it,  then  as  much  or 
more  of  the  hot  lye,  the  mixture  constantly  stir- 
red on  the  fire  till  a  sort  of  creamy  matter  is 
formed,  the  ladling  kept  on  alternately  till  all  the 
lye  and  fat  are  mixed  together;  the  stirring  to 
be  kept  up  on  a  moderate  fire  till  the  mixture 
boils,  and  is  allowed  to  boil  some  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes,  according  to  the  strength  of  the  lye 
employed ;  it  is  then  transferred  from  the  boiler 
into  a  form,  a  tight  box,  in  which  muslin  has 
been  placed  overhanging  the  box,  so  that  the  ' 
soap  may  be  afterward  more  easily  drawn  out  of 
it  for  the  purpose  of  drying  it,  or  else  it  may  be 
poured  in  a  common  wash-tub,  previously  soaked 
in  water  to  prevent  adhesion  to  the  tub,  and 
there  allowed  to  harden  for  a  few  days,  from 
whence  it  is  transferred  on  boards,  or  upon  a 
table,  to  dry  and  be  cut  in  bars  for  use,  by  means 
of  an  annealed  wire. 

SOAP-MAKING,  Country.  —In  most  parts 
of  this  country  it  is  as  convenient,  and  much 
cheaper,  to  make  soap  from  the  lye  of  leached 
ashes  than  from  a  soda  lye. 

To  leach  the  ashes  properly  for  this  purpose, 
from  two  to  five  per  cent,  of  lime  should  be  add- 
ed, to  give  proper  causticity  to  the  potash  in  so- 
lution which  the  lye  contains.  The  ordinary 
process  is  to  have  a  receptacle  made  of  boards 
and  lined  with  str.iw,  cone-shaped,  the  lye  run- 
ning through  at  the  bottom.     Upon  the  straw, 


320 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


fresli  wood  ashes  mixed  with  a  little  lime,  is 
placed,  and  water  poured  thereon  and  allowed 
to  filter  through  and  trickle  out  from  the  point 
into  a  proper  vessel.  The  lye  will  not  be  of 
uniform  strength.  Hot  water  poured  upon  the 
ashes  makes  a  stronger  lye  than  cold ;  in  other 
words,  it  extracts  more  potash  from  the  ashes. 
To  get  the  lye  to  a  uniform  strength,  and  one 
proper  for  soap-making,  boil  it  until  a  sound 
potato  will  float  upon  its  surface.  This  is  the 
farm  wife's  specific  gravity  test,  and  it  is  as  ac- 
curate as  any  sold  by  the  opticians.  Then,  into 
a  kettle  two-thirds  full  of  lye,  in  with  your  melt- 
ed fat,  by  ladlefuls  at  a  time,  and  stir  until  it  is 
creamy;  now  begin  to  add  the  salt  by  small 
handfuls,  stirring  carefully  and  rapidly  until  a 
ring  made  of  the  soapy  matter  on  the  stirring 
stick,  remains  visible.  Then  allow  the  fire  to  go 
out,  and  the  soap  to  harden.  It  usually  gathers 
on  the  top  of  the  spent  lye,  from  which  it  may 
be  lifted  when  hard,  or  the  lye  can  be  poured  off 
by  tipping  the  kettle.  Soft  soap  is  made  in  the 
same  way,  without  the  salt. 

A  correspondent  of  a  monthly  magazine  gives 
the  following  method  of  making  soap  for  family 
use  in  the  country :  I  start  the  lye  to  boiling, 
and  then  while  boiling,  if  the  lye  is  not  strong 
enough  to  eat  the  feather  off  a  quill,  boil  it  down 
until  it  is.  When  it  will  just  eat  the  feather,  let 
the  kettle  be  a  little  more  than  one  third  full  of 
lye,  and  put  in  grease,  skins  of  the  hogs,  bacon 
rinds,  meat  fryings,  and  the  like,  until  the  kettle 
is  about  two-thirds  full.  The  kettle  must  not  be 
full,  for  with  the  least  bit  too  much  fire,  over  the 
soap  goes.  It  is  better  to  put  in  a  little  less  than 
the  necessary  amount  of  grease.  Lye  and  grease 
combine  in  certain  proportions,  but  pass  the 
limit,  and  no  amount  of  boiling  will  take  up  an 
f  excess  of  grease.  It  will  remain  on  top,  hot  or 
icold,  and  will  be  very  troublesome ;  whereas  a 
little  too  much  lye  will  sink  to  the  bottom  when 
the  soap  comes.  If  the  proportions  are  good,  a 
little  fire  only  is  required  to  keep  it  boiling,  and 
in  a  few  hours  it  is  done.  Then  take  a  bucket 
of  weak  lye,  and  let  it  boil  up  with  the  soap  once. 
This  will  not  disturb  the  already  made  soap,  but 
will  wash  the  dirt  out  that  was  in  the  grease,  and 
with  it  settle  to  the  bottom.  When  the  soap  is 
cold  it  can  be  cut  out  in  cakes.  Exposure  to  the 
air  will  soften  it  down  until  it  is  of  about  the  con- 
sistence of  mush,  and  a  little  darker,  growing 
fairer  and  fairer.  Some,  instead  of  putting  in 
lye  to  wash  the  dirt  out  of  the  soap,  put  in  salt 
and  water.  The  soap  thus  made  is  whiter,  but 
is  apt  to  be  too  stiff  to  use  easily  in  the  wash-tub. 
It  makes  excellent  ball  soap  for  washing  dirty 
hands.  I  take  some  weaker  lye  and  the  clean 
part  of  that  which  is  left  in  the  bottom  of  the 
soap  kettles,  and  enough  to  half  fill  one  of  the 
kettles  or  more,  setting  it  in  some  convenient 
place  outdoors.  I  put  a  stick  of  wood  on  the 
north  side  of  the  top  of  the  kettle,  lay  on  some 
boards,  making  a  roof  which  is  easily  managed 
to  shed  rain,  and  lay  another  stick  on  top  to  keep 
the  roof  in  place.  By  lifting  one  of  the  boards  a 
little,  I  can  put  in  from  time  to  time  whatever 
soap-fat  is  gathered  in  the  family  through  the 
summer.  Whenever  the  sun  shines,  I  remove 
the  cover  and  stir  the  lye.  I  facilitate  the  busi- 
ness a  little  in  this  way,  and  I  have  by  fall  a  half 
kettle  of  decent  soap,  and  no  trouble  with  soap- 
fat  in  hot  weather. 

SOAP-MAKING  by  the  Cold  /Fa^.— The  fat 


is  melted  at  a  low  heat,  not  warmer  than  blood 
heat,  and  the  lye  gradually  added — 40  lbs.  of 
strong  lye  (about  36",  Beaume)  to  80  lbs.  of  fat, 
and  less,  even  should  the  lye  be  stronger  still. 
The  lye  should  be  perfectly  clear,  and  not  more 
than  tepid  in  temperature.  The  fat  and  the  lye 
should  be  persistently  stirred  with  a  broad 
wooden  spatula,  having  sharp  edges  at  its  lower 
end,  and  rounded  at  its  upper,  for  easy  hand- 
ling. The  paddling  should  be  kept  up  until  a 
ring  drawn  with  the  spatula  remains  visible  a 
short  time.  It  is  at  that  point  that  the  coloring 
matters  and  perfumes  are  added,  if  any  are 
wanted. 

The  parts  should  then  be  run  into  frames, 
previously  lined  with  muslin  so  carefully  that  no 
folds  be  formed  at  the  edges  of  the  box.  Each 
frame  should  be  entirely  filled  with  the  soap,  and 
well  closed,  with  the  margin  of  the  muslin,  and 
also  fitted  with  a  modern  cover.  The  whole 
should  be  left  for  about  one  day  to  rest  in  a  mild 
temperature,  the  complete  change  or  saponifi- 
cation completing  itself  in  the  frames,  where  the 
temperature  rises  spontaneously  to  sometimes 
over  175''  F.  Under  the  influence  of  this  action 
the  various  constituent  principles  in  the  mass, 
including  the  glycerine,  become  further  com- 
bined, and  a  soap  produced  almost  resembling 
that  of  boiled  soaps.  At  the  expiration  of  twenty- 
four  hours  the  soap  may  be  taken  up  from  the 
frames,  and  cut  up  in  bars  to  dry.  Sometimes, 
especially  when  mutton  tallow  is  mostly  em- 
ployed with  soda  for  the  lye,  one-tenth  of  potash 
is  added,  to  diminish  the  nardness  of  the  soap ; 
at  the  same  time  it  increases  its  solubility  and 
quality,  the  soap  resulting  from  that  addition  not 
being  brittle  when  dry,  as  it  would  be  when 
exclusively  made  of  hard  tallow  and  soda  lye. 
The  yield  of  such  soap  is  about  150  lbs.  to  100 
lbs.  of  fat. 

SOAP  {Hofiie-made')  from  Caustic  Soda. — It 
sometimes  happens  that  caustic  soda  is  not 
within  reach,  and  yet  sal-soda  is  to  be  had.  To 
transform  this  material  into  a  suitable  lye  for 
soap  making,  this  is  a  convenient  and  suitable 
process :  Dissolve  sal-soda,  say  three  pounds,  in 
two  gallons  of  warm  water.  Slake  in  a  firkin 
three  pounds  of  good  quicklime ;  add  to  it  the 
soda  solution ;  stir  the  whole  thoroughly  with  a 
stick,  and  add  two  gallons  of  boiling  water ;  s4ir 
again,  and  let  it  settle.  Pour  off  the  clear  liquor 
in  a  clean  iron  boiler  placed  on  the  fire,  and  stir 
into  it  six  pounds  of  clarified  grease,  and  two 
ounces  of  powdered  borax.  Let  it  boil  slowly 
till  it  gets  thick  and  ropy  (about  ten  minutes 
boihng),  and  pour  it  into  a  tub  or  tight  box,  as 
stated  above.  Soap  thus  made  is  an  excellent 
hard  soap  for  family  use;  after  drying  a  month 
or  so  in  a  dry-room,  and  cut  into  bars,  it  is  fit 
for  use. 

SOAP,  Cheap. — Soap  for  family  use  can  be 
made  very  cheap  and  of  excellent  quality  with 
little  trouble  by  the  use  of  a  common  article  sold 
in  all  drug  stores.  This  is  lye  put  up  in  a  con- 
centrated form  in  small  iron  boxes  holding  one 
pound.  These  boxes  cost  25  cents  in  ordinary 
times,  now  we  believe  they  retail  at  40  or  50 
cents,  and  will  make  25  pounds  of  green  or  new 
soap.  The  plan  of  proceeding  is  merely  to  take 
a  box  of  this  substance,  knock  off  the  lid,  and 
throw  it  into  a  gallon  of  boiling  water.  After 
standing  ten  hours,  the  lye  will  be  clear,  and 
must  be  thrown  into  a  wash  boiler  with  another 


SOAP  AND  CANDLES. 


32X 


gallon  of  boiling  water;  when  the  contents  of  the 
vessel  boil,  four  pounds  of  any  grease  must  be 
added  slowly,  poured  in  a  thin  stream  and  stir- 
red well.  When  intimately  mixed,  the  boiler 
should  simmer  slowly  for  four  or  six  hours,  and 
half  an  hour  before  taking  off,  another  gallon  of 
hot  water  may  be  added,  together  with  half  a 
teacupful  of  salt.  The  latter  is  not  necessary, 
however,  and  if  too  much  is  thrown  in,  the  soap 
is  curdled  or  made  short  so  that  it  breaks  and 
•wastes.  When  the  soap  is  thought  to  be  done, 
plunge  a  case  knife  in  ;  if  the  mass  drops  clear 
and  ropy  and  chills  quickly,  it  is  soap  and  will 
be  firm  and  hard  when  cold.  Have  ready  a  wash 
tub  well  wet  on  the  bottom  and  sides ;  pour  the 
soap  in  and  let  it  set;  in  a  few  hours  it  will  be 
hard  enough  to  cut  out  and  as  white  as  snow. 
This  process  makes  twenty-five  pounds  of  soap ; 
or,  by  the  aid  of  grease,  four  pounds,  lye,  one 
pound,  twenty-four  pounds  of  water,  less  two 
quart»  driven  off  in  boiling,  (one  gallon  weighs 
eight  pounds  nearly,)  are  converted  into  soap  of 
excellent  detersive  properties.  Since  the  grease 
is  saved  from  the  family  w.aste,  the  soap  has  only 
cost  what  the  lye  has  come  to,  and  as  the  loss 
by  drying  is  only  25  per  cent.,  eighteen  pounds 
of  soap  can  be  made  for  fifty  cents,  or  a  little 
less  than  three  cents  per  pound. 

SOAP  A  U  BOUQUET.— OooA  tallow  soap 
^in  shavings),  )^  cwt. ;  essence  of  bergamot,  4 
ounces ;  oil  of  cloves,  7  drachms ;  oil  of  sassafras, 
7  drachms ;  oil  of  thyme,  7  drachms ;  neroli,  3>^ 
drachms ;  brown  ochre  to  color.  Reduce  the 
soap  to  a  perfectly  even  paste  by  the  heat  of  a 
water-bath,  adding  a  little  water,  then  proceed, 
as  for  Soap  a  la  Rose. 

SOAP  A  LA  ROSE. — New  olive  oil  soap  30 
lbs. ;  new  tallow  soap  20  lbs. ;  reduce  them  to 
shavings  by  sliding  the  bars  along  the  face  of  an 
inverted  plane,  melt  in  an  untinned  copper  pan 
by  the  heat  of  steam  or  a  water-bath,  add  I  j^oz. 
of  finely-ground  vermilion,  mix  well,  remove 
the  heat,  and  when  the  mass  has  cooled  a  httle, 
add  essence  of  roses  (otto?)  3  oz. ;  do.  of  cloves 
and  cinnamon,  of  each  I  oz. ;  bergamot  2^ 
oz. ;  mix  well,  run  the  liquid  mass  through  a 
tammy  cloth,  and  put  it  into  the  frames.  If  the 
soaps  employed  are  not  new,  i  or  2  quarts  of 
water  must  be  added  to  make  them  melt  easily. 
Very  fine. 

SOAP  from  Yelk  of  Egg.  —  M.  Manny,-  a 
pharmacien,  of  Valence,  in  Dauphiny,  has  intro- 
duied  into  commerce,  with  considerable  success, 
a  soap  made  from  yelk  of  egg,  which  is  spoken 
highly  of,  its  price  being  the  only  objection  to 
its  general  use.  This  soap  is  of  a  yellow  color 
and  firm  consistence,  having  an  odor  by  "no 
means  disagreeable.  It  dissolves  readily  in  any 
ivater,  and  cleans  as  well  as  the  best  Marseilles 
soap. 

SPERMACETI  Soap.— CyjiTdiSOTcp,  14  lbs.; 
otto  of  bergamot,  2%  lbs.  ;  otto  of  lemon,  ^  lb. 

STARKEY'S  Soap.— 'i^mis  of  turpentine, 
caustic  potash,  and  water,  of  each  a  sufficient 
quantity.  The  potash  may  be  rendered  caustic 
by  passing  the  lye  over  quicklime. 

SULPHURETED  Soap.  —  From  white 
soap,  2  oz. ;  sublimed  sulphur,  ^  oz. ;  beaten  to 
a  smooth  paste  in  a  marble  mortar  with  i  or  2  fl. 
dr.  of  rectified  spirit  strongly  colored  with 
alkanet  root,  and  holding  in  solution  otto  of 
roses,  10  or  12  drops.  In  itch  and  various  other 
cutaneous  diseases. 


SOFT  Soap. —  I.  Take  i  gallon  of  soft  soap* 
to  which  add  i  gill  of  common  salt,  and  boil  an 
hour.  When  cold,  separate  the  lye  from  the 
crude.  Add  to  the  crude  2  pounds  of  sal  soda, 
and  boil  in  2  gallons  soft  water  till  dissolved.  If 
you  wish  it  better,  slice  2  pounds  of  common  bar 
soap,  and  dissolve  in  the  above.  If  the  soft  soap 
makes  more  than  3  pounds  of  crude,  add  in  pro- 

Eortion  to  the  sal  soda  and  water. — 2.  For  one 
arrel  take  potash,  eight  pounds ;  melted  and 
clarified  fat,  eight  pounds.  Crack  the  potash  in 
small  lumps,  and  put  it  into  a  large  iron  pot  of 
three  or  four  gallons  capacity,  with  hot  boiling 
water  to  nearly  fill  it.  Heat  the  fat  in  another 
iron  pot  quite  hot.  Put  three  or  four  gallons  of 
hot  water  in  the  barrel,  previously  cleaned  and 
ready  for  use,  and  ladle  in  it  alternately  the  hot 
fat  and  hot  lye ;  stir  the  whole  briskly  for  a  while 
before  more  lye  and  fat  are  ladled  in,  and  gradu- 
ally add  enough  hot  water  to  fill  the  barrel;  stir 
again  the  whole,  after  each  ladle  of  hot  water, 
till  the  whole  becomes  a  creamy  mass,  uniform 
in  its  appearance.  Allow  it  to  rest  for  three 
months  in  a  temperate  place  or  cellar. — 3.  Dis- 
solve a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  lime  in  a  gallon  of 
cold  water,  then  take  off  the  clear ;  dissolve  half 
a  pound  of  sal-soda  in  a  quart  of  water,  and  nVix 
it  with  the  clear  lime-water;  one  pound  of  brown 
soap,  dissolved  in  a  gallon  of  water,  is  then  to 
be  added  to  the  clear  liquor  formed  with  the  sal- 
soda  and  lime-water,  and  this  forms  the  soap. 
This  soft  soap  is  excellent  for  boiling  white 
linens.  It  removes  all  grease  that  is  in  them, 
because  it  contains  an  excess  of  caustic  lye. 
About  one  quart  of  it  is  sufficient  for  boiling 
clothes  in  a  ten  gallon  copper.  A  quantity  of 
this  may  be  made  up  and  kept  for  constant 
use. 

TALLOW,  To  Clarify. — Dissolve  one  pound 
of  alum  in  one  quart  of  water,  add  this  to  100 
pounds  of  tallow  in  a  jacket  kettle  (a  kettle  set 
in  a  larger  one,  and  the  intervening  space  filled 
with  water.  This  prevents  burning  the  tallow.) 
Boil  three  quarters  of  an  hour  and  skim.  Then 
add  one  pound  of  salt  dissolved  in  a  quart  of 
water.  Boil  and  skim.  When  well  clarified  the 
tallow  should  be  nearly  the  color  of  water. 

TALLOW,  To  Harden.  — \  have  used  the 
following  mixture  with  success :  To  one  pound 
tallow  take  one  fourth  of  a  pound  common  rosin; 
melt  them  together,  and  mold  the  candles  the 
usual  way.  This  will  give  a  candle  of  superior 
lighting  power,  and  as  hard  as  a  wax  candle ;  a 
vast  improvement  upon  the  common  tallow 
candle,  in  all  respects  except  color. 

TEST  for  Soap. — The  value  of  boiled  soaps 
of  course  depends  greatly  on  the  quality  of  the 
materials  used.  This  accounts  for  the  difference 
in  price  and  quality.  The  purest  materials,  such, 
as  clean  tallow  or  pure  oils,  thoroughly  saponified, 
yield  the  most  valuable  soaps,  costing  more  per 
pound,  but  they  are  cheaper  in  the  end.  A  good 
soap  is  a  perfectly  neutral  compound,  and  will  in 
no  case  injure  the  most  delicate  fabrics.  The 
simplest  method  of  testing  soap  is  by  tasting.  If 
it  is  sharp  and  biting  on  the  tongue,  there  is  an 
excess  of  alkali;  but  if  it  leaves  no  unpleasant 
sensation  on  the  tongue,  there  is  not  the  loast 
danger  that  it  will  rot  or  otlierwise  injure  clothes 
in  washing. 

TONQ  UINMUSK  6V?a/.— Pale  brown  color- 
ed curd  soap,  5  lbs.;  grain  musk,  %  oz.;  otto  of 
bergamot,   I  oz.       Rub    the   musk,  with   the 

21 


322 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


bergamot,-  then  add  it  to  the  soap,  and  beat 
up. 

TRANSPARENT  Soaps.— Kx^  usually  pre- 
pared from  good  tallow  and  rosin  soap  thoroughly 
dried  and  cut  into  thin  shavings.  These  are  stir- 
red in  strong  alcohol  (sp.  gr.,  849.),  heated  in  a 
still  to  the  boiling  point  in  a  water-bath  or  steam 
jacket  arrangement;  a  stirring  rod  being  con- 
nected with  the  still  the  soap  is  promptly  dissolv- 
ed, and  the  alcohol  condensed  in  a  worm  and  re- 
cipient for  future  operations,  while  the  soap  is 
discharged  from  its  boiler  through  a  pipe  and 
faucet  at  the  bottom  into  a  kettle,  where  it  is  ra- 
pidly perfumed  with  essential  oils,  and  from 
there  into  molds  of  any  given  form  for  purposes 
of  sale.  Three  and  a  half  to  four  gallons  of  al- 
cohol are  usually  employed  for  dissolving  50  lbs. 
of  soap  in  shavings. 

TRANSPARENT  Soap.—  Slice  6  lbs.  nice 
yellow  bar  soap  into  shavings  ;  put  into  a  brass, 
tin,  or  copper  kettle,  with  alcohol,  %  gallon, 
heating  gradually  over  a  slow  fire,  stirring  till 
all  is  dissolved ;  then  add  I  oz.  sassafras  essence, 
and  stir  until  all  is  mixed ;  now  pour  into  pans 
about  I  %  inches  deep,  and  when  cold  cut  into 
square  bars  the  length  or  width  of  the  pan,  as 
desired. 

TRANSPARENT  SOFT  ^-^ja/.— Solution 
caustic  potash  (Lond.  Ph.),  6  lbs.;  olive  oil,  i 
lb.     Perfume  to  taste. 

Before  commencing  to  make  the  soap,  reduce 
the  potash  lye  to  one  half  its  bulk  by  continued 
boiling.  Now  proceed  as  for  the  manufacture 
of  saponaceous  cream.  After  standing  a  few 
days,  pour  off  the  waste  liquor. 

WASH  BALLS,  Cream.— Vihii&  curd  soap,  7 
pounds ;  powdered  starch,  I  pound ;  water  or 
rose  water  sufficient  to  mix.  Beat  the  whole  to- 
gether, and  form  into  balls. 

WASH  BALLS,  Lemon. — Cut  6  pounds  of 
soap  into  very  small  pieces  ;  melt  it  with  a  pint 
of  water  in  which  6  lemons  have  been  boiled. 
When  melted,  withdraw  the  soap  from  the  fire, 
and  add  3  pounds  of  powdered  starch,  and  a 
little  essence  of  lemon.  Knead  the  whole  into  a 
paste,  and  form  into  balls  of  the  desired  size. 

WASHING  EL  [/IDS.— This  preparation 
answers  very  well  for  family  washing,  and  saves 
soap  considerably,  which  last  is  needful  merely 
upon  the  most  soiled  portions,  such  as  wrist- 
bands, collars,  etc.  Sal-soda,  three  pounds ; 
best  unslaked  lime,  three  quarters  of  a  pound ; 
hot  water,  four  gallons.  Slake  the  lime  in  suf- 
ficient boiling  water;  add  to  it  the  sal-soda,  pre- 
viously dissolved  in  the  four  gallons  of  hot  wa- 
ter; stir  the  whole  thoroughly,  and  allow  it  to 
rest  and  settle  ;  pour  off  the  clear  liquid;  bottle 
in  clean  bottles,  and  cork  tight  for  use.  To  two 
pails  of  water  add  one  pint  of  washing  fluid,  and 
boil  the  clothes  in  it  (it  is  belter  to  boil  the  wa- 
ter before  adding  the  fluid.) 

This  preparation  in  the  proportions  given,  does 
not  injure  the  linen,  and  diminishes  the  amount 
of  soap  and  rubbing  considerably.  Another  ex- 
cellent one  is  as  follows: 

Take  two  pounds  of  the  best  brown  soap;  cut 
it  up  and  put  it  in  a  clean  pot,  adding  one  quart 
of  clean  soft  water.  Set  over  the  fire,  and  melt 
thoroughly,  stirring  it  up  from  the  bottom  oc- 
casionally. Then  take  from  tlie  fire,  and  stir  in 
one  tablespoonful  real  white  wine  vinegar;  two 
large  tablespoon fuls  of  hartshorn,  and  seven 
large  tablespoonfuls  of  spirit  of  turpentine.  Hav- 


ing stirred  the  ingredients  well  together,  put  the 
mixture  immediately  into  a  stone  jar;  cover 
without  delay,  lest  the  hartshorn  evaporate. 
Keep  it  always  closely  covered.  When  going  to 
wash,  nearly  fill  a  six  or  eight  gallon  tub  with 
soft  water,  as  hot  as  you  can  bear  your  hand  in, 
and  stir  in  two  large  tablespoonfuls  of  the  mix- 
ture. Put  in  as  many  white  clothes  as  the  water 
will  cover ;  let  them  soak  about  an  hour,  mov- 
ing them  about  in  the  water  occasionally.  It  will 
only  be  necessary  to  rub  with  the  hands  such 
parts  as  are  badly  soiled;  the  ordinary  dirt  will 
•oak  out.  Wring  out  and  rinse  well  through  two 
cold  waters. 

Next  put  into  the  wash  kettle  sufficient  water 
to  boil  the  clothes  (it  must  be  cold  at  first),  and 
add  to  it  two  tablespoonfuls  of  the  washing  mix- 
ture. Put  in  the  clothes  after  the  mixture  is  well 
stirred,  and  boil  them  half  an  hour,  not  more. 
Then  take  out  and  throw  into  a  tub  of  cold  water; 
rinse  well  in  this,  and  lastly  put  into  a  second 
tub  of  rinsing  water,  slightly  blued  with  the  in- 
digo bag.  The  double  rinsing  is  important,  and 
by  following  the  above  directions  the  washing 
mixture  will  save  much  time  and  labor,  and 
render  the  clothes  beautifully  white,  without 
injury. 

WHALE-OIL  Soap.— For  the  destruction  of 
insects  :  Render  common  lye  caustic,  by  boiling 
it  at  full  strength  on  quicklime ;  then  take  the 
lye  and  boil  it  with  as  much  whale  oil  foot  as  it 
will  saponify  (change  to  soap),  pour  off  into 
molds,  and,  when  cold,  it  is  tolerably  hard. 
Whale  oil  foot  is  the  sediment  produced  m  refin- 
ing whale  oil. 

WHITE  HARD  Soap.— To  15  pounds  of 
lard,  or  suet,  made  boiling  hot,  add  slowly  6 
gallons  of  hot  lye,  or  solution  of  potash,  that 
will  bear  up  an  egg  high  enough  to  leave  a  piece 
big  as  a  shilling,  bare.  Take  out  a  little,  and 
cool  it.  If  no  grease  rise,  it  is  done.  If  any 
grease  appears,  add  lye,  and  boil  till  no  grease 
rises.  Add  3  quarts  of  fine  salt,  and  boil  up 
again.  If  this  does  not  harden  well  on  cooling, 
add  more  salt.  If  it  is  to  be  perfumed,  melt  it 
next  day,  add  the  perfume  and  run  it  in  moulds, 
or  cut  in  cakes. 

WINDSOR  Soap.— I.  Hard  soap,  7 pounds; 
water  to  soften,  then  add  oil  of  caraway,  2 
drachms ;  finely  powdered  cassia,  3  ounces.  Form 
into  cakes. — 2.  Hard  white  soap,  7  pounds ;  oil 
of  caraway,  3  drachms  ;  essence  of  bergamot,  6 
drachms.  Reduce  to  a  paste  with  water,  and 
mould. — 3.  White  hard  soap,  1  cwt;  potato 
starch,  56  pounds  ;  pipe  clay,  16  pounds  ;  pearl- 
ash,  4  pounds  ;  oil  of  cassia  and  oil  of  lavender, 
each  8  ounces ;  oil  of  caraway  and  oil  of  origan- 
um, each  6  ounces ;  oil  of  cloves,  i  ounce ;  ber- 
gamot, 7  ounces.  Mix.  —  4.  White  soap,  14 
pounds ;  oil  of  caraway,  3  ounces ;  essence  of 
musk,  I  ounce ;  oil  of  origanum,  ^  ounce ;  oil 
of  lavender  and  essence  of  bergamot,  each  ^ 
ounce  ;  finely  powdered  cassia,  8  ounces.  Reduce 
with  water,  and  form  into  cakes. — 5.  White  hard 
soap,  56  pounds;  white  pipe  clay,  50  pounds; 
white  pearlash,  6  pounds.  Reduce  them  to  a 
paste  with  water,  then  add  oil  of  cassia  and  oil 
of  caraway,  each  8  ounces;  oil  of  lavender,  6 
ounces ;  oil  of  cloves,  I  ounce ;  essence  of  lemon 
and  essence  of  bergamot,  each  5  ounces.  Mix, 
and  form  into  cakes  as  before. — 6.  Brown, 
Brown  pearlash  soap  and  white  hard  soap,  each 
%,  cwt.;  pearlash  or  soda  and  yellow  ochre,  each 


TOILET, 


323 


7  pounds  ;  powdered  cassia,  3  pounds  ;  powdered 
cloves,  I  pound  ;  oil  of  caraway  and  oil  of  laven- 
der, each  8  ounces  ;  essence  of  bergamot  and  es- 
sence of  lemon,  each  12  ounces.  Mix. —  7. 
{Broion.)  Good  brown  pearlash  soap,  fuller's 
earth,  and  white  hard  soap,  each  %  cwt.;  soda 
and  ochre,  each  8  pounds  ;  powdered  cassia,  5 
pounds ;  powdered  cloves,  ^  pound;  oil  of  cara- 
way, 8  ounces.  Mix. — 8,  {Brown.)  Good  brown 
soap,  2  cwt;  white  hard  soap  and  fuller's  earth, 
each  I  cwUj  yellow  ochre,  %  cwt.;  pearlash,  25 


pounds  ;  oil  of  caraway  and  oil  of  rosemary,  each 
I  pound ;  oil  of  lavender,  2  pounds ;  essence  of 
bergamot,  3  pounds  ;  finely  powdered  cassia,  18 
pounds  ;  finely  powdered  cloves,  y^  pound.  Mix. 
—<).  (  Vet y  fine. )  Beef  suet,  9  parts  ;  olive  oil,  i 

[)art.  Saponify  with  caustic  soda  lye,  then  col- 
ect  the  paste,  and  add  one  per  cent,  of  the  fol- 
lowing perfume :  Oil  of  caraway,  16  parts  ;  oil  of 
rosemary  and  oil  of  lavender,  each  5  parts.  Mix 
well,  and  mould. 


TOILET. 


BALDNESS,  Treatmmtfor.—k.  loosening 
of  the  hair  frequently  occurs  in  young  persons,  as 
well  as  those  of  the  middle  period  of  life ;  this, 
if  neglected,  becomes  real  baldness.  But,  if 
proper  treatment  be  pursued,  the  hair  will  grow 
afresh,  and  assume  all  its  pristine  strength.  A 
useful  practice  in  men,  and  those  of  the  opposite 
sex  whose  hair  is  short,  is  to  immerse  the  head 
in  cold  water  morning  and  night;  dry  the  hair 
thoroughly,  and  then  brush  the  scalp  until  a  warm 
glow  is  produced.  In  women  with  long  hair 
this  plan  is  objectionable,  and  a  better  one  is  to 
brush  the  scalp  until  redness  and  a  warm  glow  are 
produced,  then  dab  among  the  roots  of  the  hair 
the  following  lotion :  Vinegar  of  cantharides,  % 
ounce ;  eau  de  Cologne,  i  ounce ;  rose  water,  i 
ounce.  Mix.  If  the  lotion  produce  smarting, 
or  tenderness,  the  brush  may  be  laid  aside ;  but 
if  no  sensation  is  occasioned,  the  brushing  should 
be  resumed,  and  a  second  application  of  the  lo- 
tion be  made.  This  treatment  should  be  practic- 
ed once  or  twice  a  day,  or  at  intervals  of  a  few 
days,  according  to  the  state  of  the  scalp;  namely, 
if  tender,  less ;  if  insensible,  more  frequently. 
When  the  baldness  happens  in  patches,  Uie  skin 
should  be  well  brushed  with  a  soft  tooth  brush, 
dipped  in  distilled  vinegar,  morning  and  evening, 
or  dipped  in  the  lotion  above  mentioned.  If  the 
lotion  should  have  the  effect  of  making  the  hair 
harsh  and  dry,  this  inconvenience  may  be  remov- 
ed by  the  use  of  oil  or  pomatum  after  each  appli- 
cation of  the  lotion. 

BALDNESS,  Coal  Oil  for.— K  resident  of 
Carrollton,  Miss.,  has  discovered  that  petroleum 
will  make  the  hair  grow.  The  way  that  he  found 
out  this  new  property  of  coal  oil  was  simply  this  : 
He  had  a  large  boil  on  the  bald  place  on  his  head, 
which  gave  him  much  pain,  and  in  the  absence 
of  anything  else  he  rubbed  coal  oil  on  it.  He 
says  it  relieved  the  pain  almost  instantly,  so  he 
continued  to  rub  on  the  oil  until  the  boil  was  en- 
tirely well,  when,  to  his  surprise,  he  found  a  thin 
coatingof  hair  coming  out  over  the  bald  place.  He 
continued  the  use  of  the  oil  for  a  month  or  two, 
and  now  has  a  heavy  coat  of  hair  on  his  head. 

BALDNESS,  Erasmus  Wilson^  s  Lotion  for, 
— Eau  de  Cologne,  2  ounces;  tincture  of  can- 
tharides, 2  drachms  ;  oil  of  lavender  or  rosemary, 
of  each  ten  drops.  These  applications  must  be 
used  once  or  twice  a  day  for  a  considerable  time; 
but  if  the  scalp  become  sore,  they  must  be  dis- 
continued for  a  time,  or  used  at  longer  intervals.  I 


BALDNESS,  Pomade  against. — Macerate  a 
drachm  of  powdered  cantharides  in  one  ounce  of 
spirits  of  wine.     Shake  it  well  during  a  fortnight, 
and  then  filter.     Take  ten  parts  of  this  tincture, 
and  rub  it  with  ninety  parts  of  cold  lard.     Add 
a  little  essence  of  bergamot,  or  any  other  scent. 
Rub  this  pomade  well  into  the  head,  night  and 
morning.    In  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred, 
this  application,  if  continued,  will  restore  the 
hair.     Another  receipt :  Take  of  extract  of  yel- 
low Peruvian  bark,  14  grains ;  extract  of  rhatany 
root,  8  grains ;  extract  of  burdock  root,  and  oil 
of  nutmegs  (fixed),  of  each  2  drachms;  camphor 
(dissolved  with  spirits  of  wine),  15  grains;    beef 
marrow,  2  ounces ;  best  olive  oil,  i  ounce ;  citron 
juice,   ^   a  drachm;  aromatic  essential  oil,  as 
much  as  sufficient  to  render  it  fragrant;  mix,  and 
make  into  an  ointment.     Two  drachms  of  berg- 
amot, and  a  few  drops  of  otto  of  roses  would 
suffice.     This  is  considered  a  valuable  prepara- 
tion for  the  hair,  and  is  to  be  used  as  the  above. 
BALDNESS,  other  Remedies  for.—  i.  Take 
water,  i  pint ;  pearlash,  ^  ounce ;  onion  juice, 
I  gill.     Mix,  and  cork  in  a  bottle.     Rub  the 
head  hard  with  a  rough  linen  towel  dipped  in 
the  mixture. — 2.  Take  water  one  pint,  pearlash, 
one-half  ounce,   onion  juice  one  gill,  mix  and 
cork  in  a  bottle.     Rub  the  head  night  and  morn- 
ing with  a  rough  towel  dipped  in  the  mixture. — 
3.  Salad  oil  i  oz. ;  oil  of  origanum  12  drops;  oil 
of  rosemary  10  drops ;  oil  of  lavender  6  drops ; 
oil  of  cloves  2  drops ;    mix  and  shake  well  to- 
gether.— ^4.  Beef  suet  l  oz. ;  tincture  of  canthar- 
ides I  teaspoonful ;    oil  of  origanum  and  berg- 
amot, of  each  10  drops.     Proc.     Melt  the  suet, 
and  when  nearly  cold,  add  the  rest  and  stir  until 
set. — 5.  The  decoction  of  boxwood,  successful  in 
cases  of  baldness,  is  thus  made: — Take  of  the 
common  box,  which  grows  in  garden  borders, 
stems  and  leaves  four  large  handfuls;  boil  in 
three  pints  of  water,  in  a  closely  covered  vessel, 
for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  let  it  stand  in  a 
covered  earthenware  jar  for  ten  hours  or  more; 
strain,  and  add  an  ounce  and  a  half  of  Eau  de 
Cologne,   or  lavender  water,   to  make  it  keep. 
The  head  should  be  well  washed  with  tliis  solu- 
tion every  morning.  / 

BE  A  UTIFUL,  Hmo  to  be.  —  Beauty  has  its 
foundations  in  physical  well  being.  Health  has 
its  laws,  which  must  be  understood  and  obeyed ; 
and  these  laws  are  clearly  indicated  in  our  physi- 
cal and  mental  constitutions.     They  demand : 


324 


DICTIONARY  OF EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


1.  Proper  food  and  drink  in  such  quantities 
as  the  system  is  capable  of  readily  assimilating. 

2.  Air  and  sunlight  m  abundance. 

3.  Sufficient  exercise,  rest  and  sleep. 

4.  An  agreeable  temperature. 

5.  Perfect  cleanliness. 

The  whole  secret  of  a  full  form  and  rosy  cheeks 
lies  in  pure  blood,  manufactured  from  wholesome 
food,  by  healthy  and  active  vital  organs,  oxygen- 
ated and  vitalized  in  well  expanded  lungs,  and 
kissed  by  the  life  giving  sunlight  on  the  surface 
of  the  warm  cheek.  She  who  will  have  the  color 
she  covets  on  any  other  terms  must  buy  it  of  the 
apothecary,  and  renew  it  every  time  she  makes 
her  toilet. 

BLOTCHED  FACE,  IFasA /or.— Rose-v.-a- 
ter,  three  ounces;  sulphate  of  zinc,  one  drachm. 
Mix.  Wet  the  face  with  it,  gently  dry  it,  and 
then  touch  it  over  with  cold  cream,  which  also 
dry  gently  off. 

BREA  Til,  Offensive. — From  six  or  ten  drops 
of  the  concentrated  solution  of  chloride  of  soda, 
in  a  wine  glassful  of  pure  spring  water,  taken 
immediately  after  the  ablutions  of  the  morning 
are  completed,  will  instantly  sweeten  the  breath 
by  disinfecting  the  stomach,  which  far  from  being 
injured,  will  be  benefited  by  the  medicine.  If 
-  necessary,  this  may  be  repeated  in  the  middle  of 
the  day.  In  some  cases  the  odor  arising  from 
carious  teeth  is  combined  with  that  of  the  stom- 
ach. If  the  mouth  is  well  rinsed  with  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  the  solution  of  the  chloride  in  a  tumbler  of 
water,  the  bad  odor  of  the  teeth'  will  be  re- 
moved. 

COLD  CREAM.— TaVe  white  wax  i  oz., 
spermaceti  I  oz.,  oil  of  almonds  %  pint.  Melt, 
pour  the  mixture  into  a  Wedgewood  mortar 
which  has  been  heated  by  being  immersed  in  hot 
f  water;  add  gradually  rose  water,  4  fl.  ounces, 
and  stir  until  an  emulsion  is  formed,  and  after- 
ward until  the  whole  is  nearly  cold.  Put  in  pots. 
It  may  be  perfumed  with  bergamot  or  lavender. 
COLD  CREAM,  Home  made.  —  Procure 
perfectly  fresh  lard,  which  has  never  been  touch- 
ed by  salt;  wash  it  thoroughly  in  spring  water, 
freshly  drawn,  and  do  this  in  three  different  wa- 
ters ;  then  leave  it  to  soak  in  fresh  water,  and  in 
a  cool  shade  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then  wash 
it  once  more,  and  beat  until  it  becomes  a  cream, 
in  as  much  rose-water  of  the  stronger  sort  as  it 
will  absorb,  during  the  process  of  beating.  When 
finished,  the  rose-water  will  have  penetrated 
every  part,  and  should  also  stand  in  little  pools 
here  and  there  on  the  soft  and  porous-like  sur- 
face. 

COMPLEXION,  To  Preserve.  —  Plenty  of 
out-door  exercise,  a  well-regulated  appetite,  and 
a  cheerful  mind  are  the  best  defence  against  the 
"green  and  yellow"  hue,  which  gradually  creeps 
over  the  roses  on  the  cheeks  ofso  many  of  our 
country  women. 

COMPLEXION,  To  Improve.  —  Take  a 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  Castile  soap,  slice  it  down 
into  a  pewter  jar,  and  pour  upon  it  two  quarts  of 
alcohol ;  pl.ice  the  jar  in  a  vessel  of  water  at  such 
a  heat  as  will  cause  the  spirits  to  boil,  when  the 
soap  will  soon  dissolve;  then  put  the  jar,  closely 
covered,  in  a  warm  place  until  the  liquor  is  clari- 
fied ;  take  off  any  scum  that  may  appear  on  the 
surface,  and  pour  it  carefully  from  the  dregs, 
then  put  it  into  a  jar  again,  and  place  it  in  a  ves- 
sel of  hot  water,  distilling  all  the  spirits  that  may 
arise ;  dry  the  remaining  mass  in  the  air  for  a 


few  days,  when  a  white  transparent  soap  will  be 
obtained,  free  from  all  alkaline  impurities,  and 
perfeatly  void  of  smell.  It  is  much  used  lor 
softening  and  beautifying  the  skin. 

COMPLEXION,  Wash  >/-.— Take  two  gal- 
lons of  strong  soap-suds,  add  to  this  one  pint 
of  pure  alcohol,  and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
rosemary.  Mix  these  well  together,  and  they 
are  fit  for  application.  It  should  be  applied  with 
a  linen  rag. 

Another  article,  applied  in  the  same  way,  and 
easily  obtained,  is  horse-radish,  grated  into 
sweet  milk ;  which  will  be  fit  for  use  in  about 
seven  or  eight  hours. 

COMPLEXION  and  COLORS.— The  pink 
of  the  complexion  is  brought  out  by  a  green  set- 
ting in  dress  or  bonnet ;  and  any  lady  who  has  a 
fair  complexion,  that  admits  of  having  its  rose- 
tint  a  little  heightened,  may  make  effective  use 
of  the  green  color ;  but  it  should  be  a  delicate 
green,  since  it  is  of  importance  to  preserve  har- 
mony of  tone.  When  there  is  in  the  face  a  tint 
of  orange,  mixed  with  brown,  a  brick-red  hue 
will  result  from  the  use  of  green;  if  any  green 
at  all  be  used  in  such  a  case  it  should  be  dark. 
But  for  the  orange  complexion  of  a  brunette, 
there  is  no  color  superior  to  yellow.  This  im- 
parts violet  to  a  fair  skin,  and  injures  its  effect. 
A  skin  more  yellow  than  orange  has  its  yellow 
neutralized  by  the  suggestion  of  the  complement, 
and  a  dull  white  effect  imparted.  The  orange 
skin,  however,  has  its  yellow  neutralized,  and 
the  red  left,  so  that  the  freshness  of  complexion 
is  increased  in  darkhaired  beauties.  Blue  im- 
parts orange,  which  enriches  white  complexions 
and  light  fresh  tints  ;  it  also,  of  course,  improves 
the  yellow  hair  of  blondes.  Blue,  therefore,  is 
the  standard  color  for  a  blonde,  or  yellow  for  a 
brunette.  But  the  brunette  who  has  already  too 
'much  orange  in  her  face,  must  avoid  setting  it  in 
blue.  Orange  suits  nobody.  It  whitens  a  bru- 
nette, but  that  is  scarcely  a  desirable  effect,  and 
it  is  ugly.  Red,  unless  when  it  is  of  a  dark  hue, 
to  increase  the  effect  of  whiteness  by  contrast  of 
tone,  is  rarely  suitable  in  any  close  neighbor- 
hood to  a  lady's  skin.  Rose  red  destroys  the 
freshness  of  a  good  complexion;  it  suggests 
green. 

CORNS.  — A  homy  induration  of  the  skin, 
with  a  central  nucleus,  very  sensitive  at  the  base. 
The  common  cause  of  corns  is  continued  pres- 
sure over  the  projection  of  the  bones,  from  tight 
or  stiff  boots  and  shoes.  They  are  of  two  kinds, 
hard  and  soft.  The  first  grow  on  the  exposed 
portions  of  the  joints :  the  last,  between  the  toes. 
Prevention.  —  This  consists  in  keeping  the  feet 
clean,  by  frequent  ablution  in  warm  water,  and 
in  the  use  of  easy,  soft,  boots  and  shoes.  With- 
out the  latter  precaution,  corns  will  return  even 
after  they  appear  to  have  been  perfectly  removed. 
Treatment. — After  soaking  the  feet  in  warm  wa- 
ter for  a  few  minutes,  pare  the  corns  as  close  as 
possible  with  a  sharp  knife,  taking  care  not  to 
make  them  bleed.  They  may  now  be  touched 
over  with  a  little  lunar  caustic,  or  nitric  acid,  or 
a  little  concentrated  acetic  acid  or  aromatic  vin- 
egar. The  last  two  do  not  stain  the  skin.  The 
first  is  used  by  merely  rubbing  it  on  the  corns, 
previously  moistened  with  water ;  the  others,  by 
moistening  the  corns  with  them  by  means  of  a 
small  strip  of  wood,  or,  preferably  a  rod  of  glass ; 
due  care  being  taken  not  to  allow  the  liquid  to 
touch  the  neighboring  parts.     This  treatment 


TOILET. 


32s 


adopted  every  three  or  four  days  for  ten  days  or 
a  fortnight,  accompanied  by  the  use  of  soft,  loose 
shoes,  will  generally  effect  a  cure.  It  has  been 
recommended  to  remove  large  corns  by  ligatures 
of  silk  applied  as  close  to  their  base  as  possible, 
and  tightened  daily  until  they  fall  off;  but  this 
plan  is  tedious  and  often  inconvenient,  and  is  not 
always  successful.  Another  mode  of  extirpation 
is  the  application  of  a  small  blister,  which  will 
frequently  raise  them  with  the  skin  out  of  their 
beds.  In  this  case  the  exposed  surface  must  be 
dressed  with  a  little  simple  ointment.  Soft  corns 
may  be  removed  by  applying  ivy  leaf,  previously 
soaked  in  strong  vinegar,  changing  the  piece 
^very  morning;  or  by  placing  a  dressing  of  soap 
cerate,  spread  on  a  bit  of  lint  or  old  rag  between 
the  toes.  One  of  the  simplest  and  best  remedies 
for  hard  corns,  and  which  has  received  the  sanc- 
tion of  high  medical  authority,  is  to  wear  upon 
the  toe  or  part  affected  a  small  circular  piece  of 
soft  leather,  or  still  better,  a  piece  of  amadou 
spread  with  diachylon  or  some  emollient  plaster, 
and  having  a  hole  cut  in  the  center  correspond- 
ing to  the  size  of  the  corn.  By  this  means  the 
pressure  of  the  boot  or  shoe  is  equalized,  and  the 
apex  of  the  corn  protected  from  injury.  The 
following  are  among  the  most  useful  of  the  po- 
pular remedies  for  corns : 

CORNS,  Caustic  for. — Tincture  of  iodine  and 
chloride  of  antimony,  of  each  one  drachm;  iodide 
of  iron,  three  grains ;  mix.  It  is  applied  with  a 
camel  hair  brush  after  paring  the  corn.  Two 
to  four  applications  are  said  to  effect  a  cure. 

CORNS,  Lotion  for.  —  I.  A  solution  of  sal 
ammoniac,  one  part ;  in  proof  spirit,  four  parts. 
2.  A  concentrated  aqueous  solution  of  sulphate 
of  copper.     To  be  applied  night  and  morning. 

CORN  PLASTERS.— \.  From  white  dia- 
chylon,  three  parts;  yellow  resin,  two  parts; 
verdii'ris,  one  part;  melted  together  and  laid  on 
leather. — 2.  From  galbanum  plaster,  one  ounce; 
verdigris,  one  drachm;  as  the  last. — 3.  From 
resin  plaster,  two  ounces;  black  pitch,  one 
ounce ;  verdigris  and  sal  ammoniac,  of  each,  half 
<lrachm. — 4.  To  the  last  add  powdered  opium, 
one  drachm.  Recommended  to  allay  pain,  etc. — 
5.  A  piece  of  spread  adhesive  plaster  is  placed 
upon  a  table,  and  a  piece  of  card  paper  having  a 
round  hole  cut  in  it  the  size  of  the  central  portion 
of  the  corn  is  laid  upon  it ;  the  exposed  part  is 
then  softened  by  holding  a  piece  of  heated  iron 
for  a  second  or  two  near  it ;  the  card  paper  is 
then  instantly  removed  and  nitrate  of  silver  in 
fiive  powder  is  sprinkled  over  the  part  which  has 
been  warmed.  As  soon  as  the  whole  is  cold  ihe 
loose  powder  is  shaken  off  and  the  plaster  is 
ready  for  use.  Very  cleanly  and  convenient. 
Two  or  three  applications  seldom  fail  to  effect  a 
cure. 

CORN  PLASTER,  {Mechanical).  —  From 
common  adhesive  plaster  spread  on  buckskin, 
amadou  or  vulcanized  India  rubber  cut  into 
pieces  and  a  circular  hole  corresponding  to  the 
size  of  the  corn  punched  in  it. 

CORN,  Pomade  for.  —  I.  Powdered  ver- 
diofris,  one  drachm;  savin  ointment,  seven 
drachms. — 2.  Dried  carbonate  of  soda,  three 
drachms;  lard,  five  draChms;  verdigris  or  smalts, 
enough  to  give  a  slight  tinge  of  green  or  blue. 
Applied  on  a  piece  of  rag. 

CORN  SOL  VENT.—\.  Carbonate  of  potassa 
or  pearlash,  contained  in  an  open  jar  or  bottle, 
set  in  a  damp  place  until  k  deliquesces  into  an  ' 


oil-like  liquid  (oil  of  tartar).  Applied  by  means 
of  a  feather,  or  a  small  piece  of  rag  dipped  in  it 
is  bound  on  the  corn. — 2.  Hydrate  of^  potassa, 
one  dram ;  rectified  spirit,  one  ounce  ;  dissolve. 
As  No.  I. — 3.  Carbonate  of  potassa,  with  smalts, 
ocher  or  bole,  enough  to  give  it  the  required 
color.  It  must  be  kept  dry  in  a  well  corked 
bottle.  A  pinch  is  then  placed  on  the  corn  and 
confined  by  means  ofadhesive  plaster  or  rag. — 
4.  Carbonate  of  soda,  one  ounce,  finely  })owder- 
ed  and  mixed  with  lard,  half  ounce.  Applied  on 
linen  rag  every  night. — 5.  Carbonate  of  potassa, 
two  parts ;  salt  of  sorrel,  one  part ;  each  in  fine 
powder ;  mix  and  place  a  small  quantity  on  the 
corn  for  four  or  five  successive  nights,  binding  it 
on  with  a  rag.  Care  must  be  taken  in  all  cases 
to  pare  the  corn  moderately  close  before  apply- 
ing  the  remedy ;  but  in  no  case  should  any  of  the 
above  be  applied  to  a  raw  surface. 

CURLS  {False),  Pomade  for. — Melt  togeth- 
er, in  an  earthen  pipkin,  24  ounces  of  Burgundy 
pitch  and  8  ounces  of  white  wax ;  add  i  ounce  of 
pomatum;  remove  from  the  fire,  and  add  4 
ounces  of  brandy  or  other  spirit ;  replace  it  on 
the  fire  till  it  boils  slightly,  then  strain  through 
linen,  adding  bergamot  or  other  perfume,  and 
cast  in  molds. 

DANDRUFF.— 'Dtmi^aKTl\:^y  he  caused  by 
wearing  close  and  heavy  hats  or  caps,  by  the 
application  of  oils  or  dyes  to  the  hair,  by  confin- 
ing the  hair  too  closely  to  the  head,  by  excessive 
brain-labor,  by  uncleanliness,  or  by  all  these 
causes  combined.  To  effect  a  cure,  wear  the 
hair  short,  let  the  head-covering  be  as  light  and 
well  ventilated  as  possible,  avoid  all  applications 
of  grease  or  dyes,  exercise  the  brain  less  and  the 
body  more,  and  wash  the  head  thoroughly  two 
or  three  times  a  day  in  cold  water,  and  follow 
each  washing  by  a  vigorous  rubbing  with  the 
balls  of  the  fingers.  The  better  the  general 
health  is  and  the  stronger  the  digestion,  the  less 
tendency  there  will  be  to  this  disease,  as  well  as 
to  all  others. 

DANDRUFF,  other  Remedies  for.—  I.  Take 
carbolic  acid  ^  drachm;  oil  of  bergamot  i 
drachm ;  glycerine  2  oz.  Mix ;  rub  thoroughly 
into  the  roots  of  the  hair,  and  apply  bay  rum 
freely  afterwards;  one  application  will  cleanse 
the  hair  and  scalp  as  clean  as  can  be  desired.  Its 
use  once  a  week  will  keep  the  hair  soft  and  glos- 
sy, and  will  prevent  dandruff  from  forming, 
besides  keeping  the  scalp  healthy  and  cool.  — 
2.  Take  a  thimbleful  of  powdered  refined  borax, 
let  it  dissolve  in  a  teacupful  of  water,  first  brush 
the  head  well,  then  wet  a  brush  and  apply  it  to 
the  head.  Do  this  every  day  for  a  week,  and 
twice  a  week  for  a  few  times,  and  you  will  effec- 
tuallv  remove  the  dandruff. 

ERUPTIONS  on  the  /vrr^.  —  Dissolve  an 
ounce  pf  borax  in  a  quart  of  water,  and  apply 
this  with  a  fine  sponge  every  evening  before 
going  to  bed.  This  will  smooth  the  skin  when 
the  eruptions  do  not  proceed  from  an  insect 
working  under  the  cuticle.  Many  persons'  faces 
are  disfigured  by  red  eruptions  caused  by  a  small 
creature  working  under  the  skin.  A  very  ex- 
cellent remedy  is  to  take  the  fiour  of  sulphur  and 
rub  it  on  the  face  dry,  after  washing  it  in  the 
morning.  Rub  it  well  with  the  fingers,  and  then 
wipe  it  off  with  a  dry  towel.  There  are  many 
who  are  not  a  little  ashamed  of  their  faces  who 
can  be  cured  if  they  follow  these  directions. 

EYELASHES,    To  Leupken.  —  The^  mode 


32<5 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY- DA  Y  WANTS. 


adopted  by  the  beauties  of  the  East  to  increase 
the  length  and  strength  of  their  eyelashes  is 
simply  to  clip  the  split  ends  with  a  pair  of  scis- 
sors about  once  a  month.  Mothers  perform  the 
operation  on  their  children,  both  male  and  female, 
when  they  are  mere  infants,  watching  the  op- 
portunity whilst  they  sleep;  the  practice  never 
fails  to  produce  the  desired  effect. 

EYELASHES,  To  ^/a<r>t^«.— The  simplest 
preparations  for  this  purpose,  are  the  juice  of 
elder-berries,  burnt  cork,  and  cloves  burnt  at  the 
candle.  Another  means  is,  to  take  the  black  of 
frankincense,  rosin,  and  mastic  This  black  will 
not  come  off  with  perspiration.  ' 

A  stick  of  India  ink  is  the  best  of  alL 

FLESH  WORMS.— Utit^  specks,  when  they 
exist  in  any  number,  are  a  cause  of  much 
nnsightliness.  They  are  minute  corks,  if  we  may 
use  the  term,  of  coagulated  lymph,  which  close 
the  orifices  of  some  of  the  pores  or  exhalent  ves- 
sels of  the  skin.  On  the  skin  immediately  ad- 
jacent to  them  being  pressed  with  the  finger 
nails,  these  bits  of  coagulated  lymph  will  come 
from  it  in  a  vermicular  form.  They  are  vulgarly 
called  "flesh  worms,"  many  persons  fancying 
them  to  be  living  creatures.  These  may  be  got 
rid  of  and  prevented  from  returning,  by  washing 
with  tepid  water,  by  proper  friction  with  a  towel, 
and  by  the  application  of  a  little  cold  cream. 
The  longer  these  little  piles  are  permitted  to  re- 
main in  the  skin  the  more  firmly  they  become 
fixed ;  and  after  a  time,  when  they  lose  their 
moisture  they  are  converted  into  Jong  bony 
spines  as  dense  as  bristles,  and  having  much  of 
that  character.  They  are  known  by  the  name  of 
spotted  achne.  With  regard  to  local  treatment, 
the  following  lotions  are  calculated  to  be  service- 
able:— I.  Distilled  rose-water,  I  pint ;  sulphate 
of  zinc,  20  to  60  grains.  Mix. —  2.  Sulphate  of 
copper,  20  grains ;  rose-water,  4  ounces;  water 
12  ounces.  Mix. —  3.  Oil  of  sweet  almonds,  i 
ounce ;  fluid  potash,  l  drachm.  Shake  well  to- 
gether, and  then  add  rose-water,  I  ounce ;  pure 
water,  6  ounces.  Mix.  The  mode  of  using  these 
remedies  is  to  rub  the  pimples  for  some  minutes 
with  a  rough  towel,  and  then  dab  them  with  the 
lotion. — 4.  Wash  the  face  twice  a  day  with  warm 
water,  and  rub  dry  with  a  coarse  towel.  Then 
with  a  soft  towel  rub  in  a  lotion  made  of  two 
ounces  of  white  brandy,  one  ounce  of  cologne, 
and  one  half  ounce  of  hqucwr  potassa. 

FRECKLES,  Removal  of. — Freckles,  so  per- 
sistently regular  in  their  annual  return,  have 
annoyed  the  fair  sex  from  time  immemorial ;  and 
vaiious  means  have  been  devised  to  eradicate 
them,  although  thus  far  with  no  decidedly  satis- 
factory results.  The  innumerable  remedies  in 
use  for  the  removal  of  these  vexatious  intruders 
are  either  simple  and  harmless  washes,  such  as 
parsley  or  horse-radish  water,  solutions  of  borax, 
etc.,  or  injurious  nostrums,  consisting  principally 
of  lead  and  mercury  salts. 

If  the  exact  cause  of  freckles  were  known,  a 
remedy  for  them  might  be  found.  A  chemist  in 
Moravia,  observing  the  bleaching  effect  of  mer- 
curial preparations,  inferred  that  the  growth  of  a 
local  parasitical  fungus  was  the  cause  of  the  dis- 
colorction  of  the  skin,  which  extended  and  ripen- 
ed its  spores  in  the  warmer  season.  Knowing 
that  sulpho-carbolate  of  zinc  is  a  deadly  enemy 
to  all  parasitic  vegetation  (itself  not  being  other- 
wise injurious),  he  applied  this  salt  for  the  pur- 
pose of  removing  the  freckles.    The  compound 


consists  of  two  parts  of  sulpho-carbolate  of  zinc, 
twenty-five  parts  of  distilled  glycerine,  twenty- 
five  parts  of  rose-water,  and  five  parts  of  scented 
alcohol,  and  is  to  be  applied  twice  daily  for  from 
half  an  hour  to  an  hour,  then  washed  off  with 
cold  M-ater.  Protection  against  the  sun  by  veil- 
ing and  other  means  is  recommended,  and  in 
addition,  for  persons  of  pale  complexion,  some 
mild  prepartion  of  iron. 

FRECKLES^  Other  Cures  for.— \.  A  very 
simple  and  harmless  remedy  is  equal  parts  of 
pure  glycerine  and  rose  water,  applied  every 
night,  and  allowed  to  dry.  The  following  lotion 
is  harmless : — one  drachm  of  sal-ammoniac,  dis- 
solved in  a  pint  of  spring  water,  add  a  quarter  of 
an  ounce  of^eau  de  Cologne;  apply  it  night  and 
morning. — 2.  Take  tincture  of  benzoin,  i  pint; 
tincture  of  tolu,  y^  pint;  oil  of  rosemary  ]i^ 
ounce.  Mix.  One  tea-spoonful  of  the  tincture 
to  be  put  in  half  a  gill  of  water,  and  with  a  towel 
dipped  in  this  rub  well  the  face,  night  and  morn- 
ing.— 3.  Take  an  ounce  of  lemon  juice,  a  quarter 
of  a  drachm  of  powdered  borax  and  a  drachm  of 
sugar.  Mix  them  and  let  them  stand  till  fit  for 
use.  Then  rub  it  on  the  freckles  occasionally. 
Or  else  take  half  a  drachm  of  muriate  of  am- 
monia, two  drachms  of  lavender  water.  Apply 
this  with  a  sponge  two  or  three  times  a  day.^ 
4.  Wash  the  skin  frequently  with  a  liniment  com- 
posed of  equal  parts  of  sweet  oil,  lime-water,  and 
ammonia.  Distilled  elder-flower  water  is  also 
an  excellent  application  for  removing  freckles. 
The  skin  should  be  bathed  with  it  for  five  or  ten 
minutes,  and  washed  afterward  with  clear  water 
night  and  morning.  The  honeywash,  which  is 
simply  honey  dissolved  in  lukewarm  water,  and 
used  when  cold,  is  another  good  lotion  for 
freckles. — 5.  {Balsam  of  Honey.)  Take  fine  pale 
honey  4  ounces  ;  glycerine  i  ounce.  Mix  by  a 
gentle  heat;  when  cold  add  alcohol  i  ounce; 
essence  of  ambergris  6  drops;  citric  acid  3 
drachms.  This  is  intended  to  remove  discolora- 
tions  and  freckles,  as  well  as  to  improve  the 
general  appearance  of  the  skin.  —  6.  Finally, 
lemon  juice  alone  is  probably  as  good  as  any- 
thing. And  now,  after  all,  if  it  were  our  case, 
we  should  let  cosmetics  alone — unless  abundant 
exercise,  fresh  air,  soap  and  water,  and  plain  liv- 
ing might  be  considered  cosmetics. 

GUMS„  Wash  for,  {Eati  de  Botof).—Tzk& 
anise-seed,  80. parts;  cloves, 20  parts;  cinnamon, 
20  parts;  oil  of  peppermint,  10  parts;  cochineal, 
5  parts;  vanilla,  l  part;  rectified  spirits,  800 
parts ;  rose  water,  200  parts.  Digest  for  about 
a  week  and  filter ;  then  add  of  essence  of  amber, 
I  part.  A  few  drops  in  a  glass  of  water  to  rinse 
the  mouth  with. 

HAIR,  The.  — If  the  ladies  will  trust  to  our 
science  on  the  subject  of  hair,  in  the  first  place, 
we  can  assure  them,  most  confidently,  that,  so 
far  is  it  from  being  true  that  oils  and  pomatums 
increase  the  lustre  of  the  hair,  their  effect  is  to 
diminish  that  polish  which  it  naturally  possesses ; 
while,  whatever  gloss  they  may  give  to  hair 
which  is  naturally  dull,  is  false,  and,  like  all 
other  falsities,  disgusting.  Absolute  cleanliness, 
by  means  of  water  alone,  to  commence,  followed 
by  brushing  in  the  direction  of  the  hair  itself  in  a 
dry  state,  is  the  true  method  of  giving  to  the  hair 
all  the  polish  of  which  it  is  susceptible ;  and  it  is 
the  effect  of  oils  of  all  kinds  to  disturb  or  injure 
this;  to  say  nothing  of  the  disgust  and  necessary 
dirtiness  of  greasy  hair.    It  is  the  effect  of  oils 


TOILET. 


3*7 


also  to  prevent  it  from  curling;  and  this  object  is 
most  effectually  obtained,  if  without  artificial 
means,  by  curling  it  when  wet,  and  suffering  it 
to  dry  in  that  state.  And,  as  it  happens  that  al- 
most all  hair  has  a  tendency  to  curl  in  one  direc- 
tion rather  than  in  another,  it  is  useful  to  study 
that  tendency,  so  as  to  conform  to  it  in  the  arti- 
ficial flexure  given.  As  to  artificial  applications, 
the  whole  of  the  so-called  curling-fluids  are  mere 
impositions ;  while  one,  which  is  really  effectual, 
and  at  the  same  time  inoffensive,  is  a  weak  solu- 
tion of  isinglass,  by  which  a  very  firm  and  per- 
manent form  can  be  given  to  the  hair.  The 
hair  should  never  be  twisted,  knotted,  or  pulled 
contrary  to  its  natural  direction,  if  you  would 
avoid  baldness  and  headache. 

Should  the  scalp  be  obstinately  dry  and  harsh, 
it  may  be  safely  washed  with  a  cold  weak  solu- 
tion of  green  tea,  or  with  spirits  of  Castile  soap 
containing  a  few  grains  of  tannin.  In  cases  of 
this  kind  the  following  may  be  applied :  alcohol 
eight  parts,  water  eight  parts,  spirits  of  harts- 
horn one  part.  Cologne  water  may  also  be 
used;  but  perhaps  the  best  plan  under  these 
circumstances,  and  especially  if  there  be  an  ac- 
cumulation of  dandruff,  is  to  have  the  head  thor- 
oughly shampooed,  after  the  fashion  of  the  bar- 
bers, repeating  the  operation  afc  intervals  until 
the  scalp  is  perfectly  clean,  and  is  stimulated 
into  vigorous,  healthful  action.  Nothing  but 
good  can  be  derived  from  a  due  attention  to 
cleansing  the  hair.  Of  course,  an  immoderate 
use  of  water  is  not  beneficial.  Once  a  week  is 
perhaps  desirable,  but  this  will  depend  upon  the 
individual. 

HAIR,  Art  of  Brushing. — As  a  general  rule, 
the  head  cannot  be  too  much  brushed,  any  more 
than  the  horse's  coat  can  be  too  much  groomed. 
The  groom  knows  full  well  that  by  plenty  of 
combing  and  brushing  he  can  not  only  produce 
a  fine  coat,  but  add  very  considerably  to  the 
healthy  condition  of  the  animal.  And  so  it  is 
with  man,  the  more  the  head  be  brushed,  the 
more  healthy  will  be  the  skin,  the  more  healthy 
its  function,  namely  the  production  and  mainten- 
ance of  the  hair,  and,  by  a  reflected  power,  the 
more  healthy  the  individual.  I  find  that  hair 
dressers  are  divided  on  the  subject  of  brushing, 
one  party  recommending  soft  brushes  and  small 
brushing ;  the  other,  hard  brushes  and  abundant 
brushing.  As  usual,  in  all  these  differences, 
both  are  right  as  respects  a  particular  theory; 
but  the  brushers  have  the  best  of  the  argument. 
One  has  set  the  question  for  ever  at  rest,  by  the 
announcement  of  the  following  paradox :  "You 
cannot  brush  the  head  too  much,  nor  the  hair 
too  little." 

He  is  right :  you  cannot  brush  the  head  too 
much,  but  as,  by  clumsy  brushing  with  hard 
brushes,  you  might  over  stretch  or  tear  the  hair, 
and  so  destroy  its  beauty,  be  gentle  in  your  sur- 
face brushing;  for  here  you  cannot,  in  combina- 
tion with  the  deep  brushing,  brush  too  little. 
The  fact  is,  there  are  two  purposes  to  be  attained 
by  brushing :  firstly,  to  give  health  to  the  skin 
of  the  head,  and  strength  and  vigor  to  the  hair ; 
for  which  end  you  cannot  brush  too  much,  or  use 
brushes  too  penetrating  or  too  hard,  so  long  as 
the  skin  is  not  injured ;  secondly,  to  smooth  the 
hair,  or  perhaps  go  the  length  of  freeing  it  from 
dust,  for  which  object  your  brushes  may  be  as 
you  please,  and  your  hand  as  light  as  agreeable. 
So  that,  in  truth,  each  according  to  the  purpose 


he  has  in  view,  may  be  perfectly  right;  but, 
nevertheless,  at  perfect  variance  w  ith  hii  brother. 

HAIR  H RUSHES,  To  Clean.  ~Y\\\  a  pan 
with  warm  water,  and  dissolve  in  it  a  quarter  of 
an  ounce  of  soda  to  half  a  gallon  of  water.  Comb 
out  the  loose  hairs ;  take  one  brush  at  a  time  by 
the  handle  and  dip  it  several  times  in  the  water 
without  wetting  the  back ;  then  rinse  in  cold  wa- 
ter, and  put  near  the  fire  or  in  the  open  air  to 
dry.  Never  use  soap  in  washing  hair  brushes, 
or  allow  the  water  to  be  more  than  lukewarm, 
as  hot  water  will  soften  the  bristles  and  melt  the 
glue  in  the  back,  and  also  turn  ivory  backs 
yellow. 

HAIR,  Bandoline  for. — i.  Mucilage  of  clean 
picked  Irish  moss,  made  by  boiling  a  quarter  of 
an  ounce  of  the  moss  in  one  quart  of  water  until 
sufficiently  thick,  rectified  spirit  in  the  proportion 
of  a  teaspoonful  to  each  bottle,  to  prevent  its  be- 
ing mildewed.  The  quantity  of  spirit  varies  ac- 
cording to  the  time  it  requires  to  be  kept. — 2. 
Gum  tragacanth,  one  drachm  and  a  half;  water, 
half  a  pint ;  proof  spirit  (made  by  mixing  equal 
parts  of  rectified  spirit  and  water),  three  ounces ; 
otto  of  roses,  ten  drops ;  soak  for  twenty-four 
hours  and  strain. — 3.  This  mixture  is  best  made 
a  little  at  a  time.  Pour  a  tablespoonful  of  boil- 
ing water  on  a  dozen  quince  seeds,  and  repeat 
when  fresh  is  required. 

HAIR  OF  CHILDREN.  —  It  is  a  great 
mistake  to  plait  the  hair  of  children  under  eleven 
or  twelve  years  of  age.  The  process  of  plaiting 
more  or  less  strains  the  hairs  in  their  roots  by 
pulling  them  tight ;  tends  to  deprive  them  of  their 
requisite  supply  of  nutriment,  and  checks  their 
growth.  The  hair  of  girls  should  be  cut  rather 
short,  and  allowed  to  curl  freely.  When  they 
are  about  eleven  or  twelve,  the  hair  should  be 
twisted  into  a  coil,  not  too  tight,  nor  tied  at 
the  end  with  thin  thread,  but  with  a  piece  of 
ribbon. 

HAIR,  Cleaning  the. — From  the  too  frequent 
use  of  oils  in  the  hair,  many  ladies  destroy  the 
tone  and  color  of  their  tresses.  The  Hindoos 
have  a  way  of  remedying  this.  They  take  a 
hand  basin  filled  with  cold  water,  and  have  ready 
a  small  quantity  of  pea-flour.  The  hair  is  in  the 
first  place  submitted  to  the  operation  of  being 
washed  in  cold  water,  a  handful  of  the  pea-flour 
is  then  applied  to  the  head  and  rubbed  into  the 
hair  for  ten  minutes  at  least,  the  servant  adding 
fresh  water  at  short  intervals,  until  it  becomes  a 
perfect  lather.  The  whole  head  is  then  washed 
quite  clean  with  copious  supplies  of  the  aqueous 
fluid,  combed,  and  afterwards  rubbed  dry  by 
means  of  coarse  towels.  The  hard  and  soft 
brush  is  then  resorted  to,  when  the  hair  will  be 
found  to  be  wholly  free  from  all  encumbering 
oils  and  other  impurities,  and  assume  a  glossy 
softness,  equal  to  the  most  delicate  silk.  This 
process  tends  to  preserve  the  tone  and  natural 
color  of  the  hair,  which  is  so  frequently  destroyed 
by  the  too  constant  use  of  caustic  cosmetics. 

HAIR  CURLING.— \.  Curling  fluids  are 
prepared  in  a  variety  of  ways;  the  best,  however, 
we  are  acquainted  with  is  a  mixture  of  olive  oil 
and  beeswax.  Take  a  piece  of  white  beeswax, 
about  the  size  of  the  kernel  of  the  common  nut, 
melt  it  in  about  an  ounce  of  olive  oil,  and  then 
add  a  few  drops  of  bergamot.  —  2.  Into  a  pint 
of  pure  olive  oil  melt  slowly  a  piece  of  bees- 
wax about  the  size  of  a  walnut;  after  which 
add   *■    quarter   of  an  ounce    of  oil  of  rose- 


328 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


mary  and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  oil  of  ori- 
ganum.— 3,  Take  carbonate  of  potash  (dry),  I 
drachm ;  cochineal,  powdered,  %  drachm ;  water 
of  ammonia,  spirit  of  rose,  of  each  I  fluid  ounce; 
glycerine,  ^  ounce;  alcohol,  l%  ounce;  distill- 
ed water,  18  ounces.  Digest  with  agitation  for 
a  week,  and  then  decant  or  filter.  The  hair  is 
moistened  with  it  and  then  loosely  adjusted.  The 
effect  occurs  as  it  dries. — 4.  Take  borax,  two 
ounces ;  gum  arable,  one  drachm ;  and  hot  water 
(not  boiling),  one  quart ;  stir,  and  as  soon  as  the 
ingredients  are  dissolved  add  three  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  strong  spirits  of  camphor.  On  retiring  to 
rest  wet  the  hair  with  the  above  liquid,  and  roll 
it  in  twists  of  paper  as  usual. — 5.  At  any  time 
you  may  make  your  hair  curl  the  more  easily  by 
rubbing  it  with  the  beaten  yolk  of  an  egg,  wash- 
ed off  afterwards  with  clear  water,  and  then 
putting  on  a  little  pomatum  before  you  put  up 
your  curls.  It  is  well  always  to  go  through  this 
process  when  you  change  to  curls,  after  having 
worn  your  hair  plain. 

HAIR,  Dressings  for. — I.  A  cheap  and  very 
good  dressing  is  made  by  dissolving  four  ounces 
of  perfectly  pure,  dense  glycerine  in  twelve 
ounces  of  rose  water.  Glycerine  evaporates  only 
at  high  temperatures;  and  therefore  under  its 
influence  the  hair  is  retained  in  a  moist  condition 
for  a  long  time. — 2.  Olive  oil,  2  pints ;  otto  of 
roses,  I  drachm;  oil  of  rosemary,  I  drachm. 
Mix.  It  may  be  colored  red  by  steeping  a  little 
alkanet  root  in  the  oil  (with  heat)  before  scent- 
ing it.  It  strengthens  and  beautifies  the  hair. — 
3.  Bay  rum,  2  pints;  alcohol,  I  pint;  castor  oil, 
I  ounce ;  carb.  ammonia,  ^  ounce ;  tincture  of 
cantharides,  I  ounce.  Mix  them  well.  Tliis 
compound  will  promote  the  growth  of  the  hair 
and  prevent  it  from  falling  out. — 4.  Take  almond 
oil,  X  of  a  pound ;  white  wax,  ^  an  ounce ; 
clarified  lard,  3  ounces ;  liquid  ammonia,  a  X 
fluid  ounce;  otto  of  lavender,  and  cloves,  of 
each  I  drachm.  Place  the  oil,  wax,  and  lard  in 
a  jar,  which  set  in  boiling  water ;  when  the  wax 
is  melted,  allow  the  grease  to  cool  till  nearly 
ready  to  set,  then  stir  in  the  ammonia  and  the 
perfume,  and  put  into  small  jars  for  use.  Never 
use  a  hard  brush,  nor  comb  the  hair  too  much. 
Apply  the  pomade  at  night  only. — 5.  {Pomade.) 
Dissolve  thoroughly,  over  a  slow  fire,  2  ounces 
of  white  wax  and  %  ounce  palm  oil,  with  a  flask 
of  the  best  olive  oil.  Stir  it  till  nearly  cold ;  then 
add  I  ounce  of  castor  oil,  and  about  three  penny- 
worth of  bergamot,  or  any  other  perfume  you 
please. 

HAIR  DYES.  —  I.  Take  3  parts  of  litharge 
and  2  parts  of  quicklime,  both  in  an  impalpable 
powder  and  mix  them  carefully.  WTien  used,  a 
portion  of  the  powder  is  mixed  with  hot  water  or 
milk,  and  applied  to  the  hair,  the  part  being  after- 
wards enveloped  in  oil-skin  for  4  or  5  hours. 

2.  Litharge,  2  parts ;  slaked  lime,  I  part ; 
chalk,  2  parts ;  all  finely  powdered,  and  accurately 
mixed.  When  required  for  use,  mix  the  powder 
with  warm  water,  and  dip  a  brush  in  the  mix- 
ture, and  rub  the  hair  well  with  it.  After  2 
hours  let  the  hair  be  washed. 

3.  Mix  5  drachms  of  fresh  slaked  lime  with  ll^ 
ounces  of  water  ;  strain  through  silk,  and  bottle. 
Dissolve  5  drachms  of  acetate  of  lead  in  sufficient 
water,  and  add  enough  slaked  lime  to  saturate 
the  acetate  acid  (a  drachm),  let  it  settle,  pour  off 
the  supernatant  liquor,  wash  the  precipitate  with 
water  and  add  it  to  the  milk  of  lime  in  the  bottle. 


4.  Sifted  lime,  16  ounces ;  white  lead,  2  ounces; 
litharge,  in  fine  powder,  i  ounce ;  mix  well  to- 
gether and  keep  dry.  To  dye  black,  mix  a  little 
of  the  powder  with  water  to  the  consistence  of 
cream.  To  dye  brown,  use  milk,  instead  of  wa- 
ter.    Apply  with  a  small  sponge  to  every  hair. 

5.  Litharge,  4^  ounces ;  quicklime,  ^  ounce; 
reduce  to  an  impalpable  powder,  and  pass  it 
through  a  sieve.  Keep  it  in  a  close  bottle. 
When  used,  wash  the  hair  with  soap  and  water  ; 
then  with  tepid  water ;  wipe  it  dry  and  comb 
with  a  clean  comb.  Mix  the  dye  in  a  saucer, 
with  hot  water,  to  the  consistence  of  cream,  and 
apply  it  to  the  hair,  beginning  atthe  roots.  Place 
over  it  four  folds  of  brown  paper,  saturated  with 
hot  water,  and  drained  till  cool ;  and  over  this  an 
oil-skin  cap  and  a  nightcap.  Let  it  remain  4  to 
8  hours,  according  to  shade  desired.  When  re- 
moved, oil  the  hair,  but  do  not  wet  it  for  3  or  4 
days. 

6.  Levigated  litharge,  11  ounces;  powdered 
quicklime,  75  ounces;  hair  powder,  37  ounces. 
Mix.  When  used,  a  portion  of  the  powder  is 
mixed  with  warm  water  in  a  saucer,  and  applied 
to  the  hair  with  the  fingers,  taking  care  to  cover 
the  hair  to  the  roots.  Cover  the  whole  with  a 
sheet  of  cotton  wadding  moistened  with  water, 
and  this  with  a  folded  cloth.  Let  it  remain  on  for 
3  hours,  or,  better,  for  the  nighL 

7.  Washing  the  hair  with  the  juice  of  green 
walnuts,  diluted  with  oUve  oil,  will  dye  the  hair 
black. 

8.  {Morfit^s. )  Infuse  black  tea,  two  ounces,  in 
one  gallon  of  boiling  water;  strain  and  add  three 
ounces  of  glycerine,  half  an  ounce  of  tincture  of 
cantharides,  and  one  quart  of  bay  rum.  Digest 
this  mixture  for  a  couple  of  days,  and  perfume 
with  essence  of  rose  or  bergamot,  or  any  other 
favorite  essence  to  suit  the  taste. 

The  following  dyes  are  composed  of  solutions 
of  nitrate  of  silver,  and  in  applying  them  it  should 
be  remembered  that  they  stain  the  skin,  as  well 
as  the  hair.  There  is,  therefore,  more  difficulty 
in  applying  them;  they  are,  however,  thought  to 
give  a  better  color  to  the  hair  than  the  ones  we 
have  given  above : 

1.  Nitrate  of  silver,  ii  drachms;  nitric  acid,  i 
drachm;  distilled  water,  I  pint;  sap  green,  3 
drachms  ;  gum  arabic,  I  drachm.     Mix. 

2.  Nitric  acid,  i  drachm  ;  nitrate  of  silver,  10 
drachms ;  sap  green,  9  drachms ;  mucilage,  5 
drachms  ;  distilled  water,  37^  fluid  ounces. 

3.  Silver,  2  drachms  ;  iron  filings,  4  drachms ; 
nitric  acid,  I  ounce ;  distilled  water,  8  ounces ; 
digest  and  decant  the  clear  solution.  To  be  care- 
fully applied  with  a  close  brush. 

4.  Sulphuretum  of  potassae,  2 drachms;  caustic 
of  potassse,  i  drachm ;  nitrate  of  silver,  crystal- 
lized, I  drachm  ;  tincture  of  galla,  i  ounce. 

HAIR,  Golden. — Golden  hair  fluids  have  re- 
cently been  the  subject  of  continued  investigation 
by  an  English  chemist,  who,  after  a  careful  ana- 
Ijrsis,  asserts  that  they  are  composed  of  dilute 
nitric  and  muriatic  acids,  with  traces,  in  some 
instances,  of  sulphuric  acid.  Though  the  pro- 
prietors of  these  fluids  announce  that  the  prepa- 
rations are  harmless,  yet  instances  have  been  re- 
ported of  ladies  being  injured  by  drops  of  the 
nair  dye  falling  on  their  shoulders.  The  agent  to 
effect  the  change  in  the  color  of  the  hair  is  the 
nitric  acid,  aided  by  the  chlorine  evolved  by  the 
decomposition  of  the  muriatic  acid. 

HAIR,  Gray. — It  has  been  recently  assert- 


TOILET, 


329 


ed  that  an  undue  proportion  of  lime  in  the  system 
is  the  cause  of  premature  gray  hair,  and  we  are 
advised  to  avoid  hard  water,  either  for  drinking 
pure  or  when  converted  into  tea,  coffee,  or  soup, 
because  hard  water  is  strongly  impregnated  with 
lime.  Hard  water  may  be  softened  by  boiling 
it :  let  it  become  cold,  and  then  use  it  as  a  bever- 
age. It  is  also  stated  that  a  liquid  that  will  color 
the  human  hair  black,  and  not  stain  the  skin, 
may  be  made  by  taking  one  part  of  bay  rum, 
three  parts  of  olive  oil,  and  one  part  of  good 
brandy,  by  measure.  The  hair  must  be  washed 
with  the  mixture  every  morning,  and  in  a  short 
time  the  use  of  it  will  make  the  hair  a  beautiful 
black,  without  injuring  it  in  the  least.  The 
articles  must  be  of  the  best  quality,  mixed  in  a 
bottle,  and  always  shaken  well  before  being  ap- 
plied. 

HAIR,  To  prevent  turning  Gray. — A  good 
remedy  for  the  hair  turning  gray  and  falling  off 
is  the  following :  Distill  two  pounds  of  honey,  a 
handful  of  rosemary,  and  twelve  handfuls  of  the 
tendrils  of  gr^pe  vine,  infused  in  a  gallon  of  new 
milk ;  about  two  quarts  of  water  will  be  obtained 
from  this,  which  apply  to  the  hair  frequently. 

HAIR,  Loss  of. — One  of  the  most  unpleasant 
consequences  of  early  neglect  is  the  constant 
falling  off  of  hair.  We  do  not  allude  to  the  loss 
of  the  hair  dependent  on  age ;  that  is  a  natural 
consequence  of  our  infirmity,  and  cannot  be  re- 
garded in  the  light  of  a  disorder  ;  but  instances 
in  which  the  hair  has  become  thin,  even  to  dis- 
figurement, in  early  life,  are  far  from  being  un 
common,  and,  if  neglected,  must  terminate  in 
confirmed  baldness.  This  excessive  loosening  of 
the  hair,  however,  is  far  from  being  so  irrepar- 
able as  is  generally  imagined,  and  if  proper  treat- 
ment be  adopted,  the  hair  will  grow  fresh,  and 
assume  all  its  original  vigor  and  strength. 

The  head  must  be  bathed  daily  with  cold  water, 
into  which  a  little  eau  de  cologne  has  been  pour- 
ed, and  the  scalp  should  then  be  brushed  until 
the  skin  becomes  red,  and  a  warm  glow  is  pro- 
duced.    Cold  water  is  one  of  the  finest  cosmet- 
ics known,  and  has  this  advantage,  that  while  in 
almost  every  instance  it  improves  the  hair,  in  no 
case  can  it  do  injury. 
^     HAIR,  To  Restore. — Onions  rubbed  frequent- 
above  oy  contamiug  „..•  -^^  ^;»      ^Lp   stimulating 
(pus).    The  little  bubbles  attain  their  full  size  m 
the  course  of  two  or  three  days,  and  either  dry 
up  without  breaking  or   more  frequently  burst 
and  then  dry,  forming  a  hard  crusL     For  these 
are  recommended  a  lotion  composed  of  alcohol 
one   part  and  five   or  six    parts  of  soft  water, 
to  which  a  very  little  distilled  vinegar  is  added. 
The  ;^_if5^^^vJje^{5Pi()ved_by^warm  water. 

tincture  of  myrrh,  I  oz. ;  cologne,  i  oz. ;  tincture 
of  cantharides,  Yz  oz. ;  distilled  water,  24 
ounces.  Mix. — 2.  Red  wine,  l  pound;  salt,  i 
drachm ;  sulphate  of  iron,  2  drachms  ;  boil  for  a 
few  minutes,  and  add  common  verdigris,  i 
drachm ;  leave  it  on  the  fire  2  minutes ;  withdraw 
it,  and  add  2  drachms  of  powdered  nutgall.  Rub 
the  hair  with  the  liquid ;  in  a  few  minutes  dry  it 
with  a  warm  cloth,  and  afterwards  wash  with 
water. — 3.  Take  elder  water,  ^  a  pint;  sherry 
wine,  %  a  pint ;  tincture  of  arnica,  y^  an  ounce ; 
alcoholic  ammonia,  i  drachm — if  this  last-named 
ingredient  is  old,  and  has  lost  its  strength,  then 
two  drachms  instead  of  one  may  be  employed. 
The  whole  of  these  are  to  be  mixed  in  a  lotion 


a  sponge.  Wash  the  head  with  warm  water 
twice  a  week.  Soft  brushes  only  must  be  used 
during  the  growth  of  the  young  hair. 

HAIR,  Superfluous. —  Any  remedy  is  doubt- 
ful ;   many  of  those  commonly  used  are  danger- 
ous.    The  safest  plan  is  as  follows : — The  hairs 
should  be  perseveringly  plucked  up  by  the  roots, 
and  the  skin,   having  been  washed  twice  a-day 
with  warm  soft  water,  without  soap,   should  be 
treated  with  the  following  wash,  commonly  call- 
ed milk  of  roses.      Beat  four  ounces  of  sweet 
almonds  in  a  mortar,  and  add  half  an  ounce  of 
white    sugar   during    the  process;    reduce   the 
whole  to  a  paste  by  pounding;    then  add,  in 
small  quantities  at  a  time,  eight  ounces  of  rose 
water.     The  emulsion  thus  formed,  should  be 
strained  through  a  fine  cloth,  and  the  residue 
again  pounded,  while  the  strained  fluid  should 
be  bottled  in  a  large  stopped  ■sial.     To  the  pasty 
mass  in  the  mortar  add  half  an  ounce  of  sugar, 
and  eight  ounces  of  rose  water,  and  strain  again. 
This  process  must  be  repeated  three  times.     To 
the  thirty-two  ounces  of  fluid,  add  twenty  grains 
of  the  bichloride  of  mercury,  dissolved  in  two 
ounces  of  alcohol,  and  shake  the  mixture  for  five 
minutes.     The  fluid  should  be  applied  with  a 
towel,  immediately  after  washing,  and  the  skin 
gently  rubbed  with  a  dry  cloth  till  perfectly  dry. 
Wilson,  in  his  work  on  Healthy  Skin,  writes  as 
follows: — Substances  are  sold  by  the  perfumers 
called  depilatories,  which  are  represented  as  hav- 
ing the  power  of  removing  hair.     But  the  hair  is 
not  destroyed  by  these  means ;  the  root  and  that 
part  of  the  shaft  implanted  within  the  skin  still 
remain,  and  are  ready  to  shoot  up  with  increased 
vigor  as  soon  as  the  depilatory  is  withdrawn. 
The  eflect  of  the  depilatory  is  the  same,  in  ihis 
respect,    as   that   of  a  razor,   and  the  latter  is, 
unquestionably,  the  better  remedy.    It  must  not, 
however,  be  imagined  tliat  depilatories  are  nega- 
tive remedies,  and  that,  if  they  do  no  permanent 
good,   they  are,   at  least,  harmless ;   that  is  not 
the  fact;  they  are  violent  irritants,  and  require  to 
be  used  with  the  utmost  caution.     After  all,  the 
safest  depilatory  is  a  pair  of  tweezers  and  pa- 
tience. 

HANDS. —  Dirty  and  coarse  hands  are  no 
less  the  marks  of  slothfulness  and  low  breeding, 
than  clean  and  delicate  hands  are  those  of  clean- 
'liness  and  gentility.     To  promote  the  softness 
^^'%nd  whiteness  of  the  skin,  mild  emollient  soaps, 
°f  or  those  abounding  in  oil,  should  alone  be  used, 
"^by  which  means  chaps  and  chilblains  will  gene- 
^'^rally  be  avoided.     The  coarse,   strong  kinds  of 
K  soap,  or  those  abounding  in  alkali,  should  for  a 
"I like  reason  be  rejected,   as  they  tend  to  render 
°'  the  skin  rough,  dry,  and  brittle.   The  immersion 
of  the  hands  in  alkaline  lyes,  or  strongly  acidu- 
lated water,  has  a  like  effect.     When  the  hands 
are  very .  dirty,   a  little  good  soft  soap  may  be 
used  with  warm  water,  which  will  rapidly  re- 
move  oily  and   greasy  matter.     Fruit  and  ink 
stains  mav  be  taken  out  by  immersing  the  hands 
in  water  slightly  acidulated  with  oxalic  acid,  or  a 
few  dr«ps  of  oil  of  vitriol,   or  to  which  a  little 
pearlash  or  chloride  of  lime  has   been  added, 
observing  afterwards  to  well  rinse  them  in  clean 
water,  and  not  to  touch  them  with  soap  for  some 
hours,  as  any  alkaline  matter  will  bring  back  the 
stains,  after  their  apparent  removal  by  all  the 
above  substances,  except  the  last. 

HANDS,  Blistering  of.  —  The  best  reme(Jy 


bottle,  and  applied  to  the  head  every  night  with  '  against  the  blistering  of  the  hands  by  rowing  oj 


330 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


fishing,  or  of  the  feet  by  ■walking,  is  to  light  a 
tallow  candle;  let  the  tallow  drop  into  water  (to 

})urify  it  from  salt),  then  mix  the  tallow  with  a 
ittle  brandy,  or  any  other  strong  spirit,  and  rub 
it  well  into  the  hands  or  feet. 

HANDS,  to  Beautify.— 1.  Rub  together  in 
a  mortar  four  parts  by  weight  of  yelk  of  egg 
■with  five  parts  of  glycerine.  No  better  ointment 
for  the  hands  can  be  procured.  The  compound 
may  be  preserved  for  years. —  2.  Take  three 
drachms  of  camphor  gum,  three  do.  white  bees- 
wax, three  do.  spermaceti,  two  ounces  of  olive 
oil — put  them  together  in  a  cup  upon  the  stove 
where  they  will  melt  slowly  and  form  a  white 
ointment  in  a  few  minutes.  If  the  hands  be  af- 
fected, anoint  them  on  going  to  bed,  and  put  on 
a  pair  of  gloves. — 3.  Take  two  ounces  of  Venice 
soap,  and  dissolve  it  in  two  ounces  of  lemon 
juice.  Add  one  ounce  of  the  oil  of  bitter  al- 
monds, and  a  like  quantity  of  oil  of  tartar.  Mix  the 
■whole,  and  stir  it  well  until  it  has  acquired  the  con- 
sistence of  soap ;  and  use  it  as  such  for  the  hands. 
The  paste  of  sweet  almonds,  which  contains  an 
oil  fit  for  keeping  the  skin  soft  and  elastic,  and 
removing  indurations,'  may  be  beneficially  ap- 
plied to  the  hands  and  arms. 

HAN^DS,  Chapped. —  I.  Glycerine  and  rose- 
■water,  of  each  yi  oz. ;  mix,  and  rub  it  on  the 
back  part  of  the  hands  night  and  morning.  They 
will  require  very  few  applications  before  they  are 
■well. — 2.  (^Glycerine  lotion.)  This  useful  and 
pleasant  application  for  chapped  hands  is  pre- 
pared by  simmering  one  drachm  of  quince  seed 
in  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water  for  ten  minutes, 
straining  the  mucilage,  and  mixing  one  part  with 
one  part  of  inodorous  glycerine  and  six  parts  of 
orange  flower  or  rose  water.  A  little  borax  may 
be  added  if  desirable. — 3.  Melt  tallow,  and  add 
a  little  powdered  camphor  and  glycerine,  with  a 
few  drops  of  oil  of  almonds  to  scent.  Pour  in 
molds  and  cool. — 4.  Put  together  equal  weights 
of  fresh,  unsalted  butter,  mutton  tallow,  bees- 
wax, and  stoned  raisins;  simmer  until  the  raisins 
are  done  to  a  crisp,  but  not  burned.  Strain  and 
pour  into  cups  to  cool.  Rub  the  hands  thor- 
oughly with  it,  and  though  they  will  smart  at 
first,  they  will  soon  feel  comfortable  and  heal 
quickly. — 5.  The  easiest  and  simplest  remedy  is 
found    in    every    store-room.      Take    common 


HANDS,  To  So/ten.— Ah^r  cleansing  the 
hands  with  soap,  rub  them  well  with  oatmeal 
while  wet. 

HANDS,  To  Remove  Stains  from. — Damp 
the  hands  first  in  water,  then  rub  them  with 
tartaric  acid,  or  salt  of  lemons,  as  you  would  with 
soap ;  rinse  them  and  rub  them  dry.  Tartaric 
acid,  or  salt  of  lemons  will  quickly  remove  stains 
from  white  m<uslin  or  linens.  Put  less  than  half 
a  teaspoonful  of  salt  or  acid  into  a  table- spoonful 
of  water;  wet  the  stain  with  it,  and  lay  it  in  the 
sun  for  an  hour ;  wet  it  once  or  twice  with  cold 
water  during  the  time ;  if  this  does  not  quite  re- 
move it,  repeat  the  acid  water,  and  lay  it  in  the 
sun. 

HANDS,  To  Whiten.  —  i.  Stir  a  ^  of  a 
pound  of  Castile  soap,  and  place  it  in  a  jar  near 
the  fire,  pour  over  it  ^  a  pint  of  alcohol ;  when 
the  soap  is  dissolved  and  mixed  with  the  spirit, 
add  I  ounce  of  glycerine,  the  same  of  oil  of  al- 
monds, with  a  few  drops  of  essence  of  violets,  or 
otto  of  roses,  then  pour  it  into  molds  to  cool  for 
use. — 2.  A  wine-glassful  of  eau  de  cologne,  and 
one  of  lemon  juice,  two  cakes  of  brown  Windsor 
soap,  mixed  well  together,  when  hard,  will  form 
an  excellent  substance. 

HEAD,  Scurf  in.  —  A  simple  and  effectual 
remedy.  Into  a  pint  of  water  drop  a  lump  of 
fresh  quick  lime,  the  size  of  a  walnut ;  let  it  stand 
all  night,  then  pour  the  water  off  clear  from  the 
sediment  or  deposit,  add  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of 
the  best  ■vinegar,  and  wash  the  head  with  the 
mixture.  Perfectly  harmless ;  only  wet  the  roots 
of  the  hair. 

LIPS,  Chapped. — Take  two  ounces  of  ■white 
wax,  one  ounce  of  spermaceti,  four  ounces  of  oil 
of  almonds,  two  ounces  honey,  quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  essence  of  bergamot,  or  any  other  scent. 
Melt  the  wax  and  spermaceti;  then  add  the 
honey,  and  melt  all  together,  and  -ivhen  hot,  add 
the  almond  oil  by  degrees,  stirring  it  till  cold. — 
2.  Take  oil  of  almonds,  3  ounces;  spermaceti, 
%  ounce ;  virgin  rice,  yi  an  ounce.  Melt  these 
together,  over  a  slow  fire,  mixing  with  them  a 
little  powder  of  alkanet  root,  to  color  it.  Keep 
stirring  till  cold,  and  then  add  a  few  drops  of  tlve 
oil  of  rhodium. — 3.  Take  oil  of  almonds,  sperm- 
aceti, white  wax,  and  white  sugar  candy,  equal 
parts.     These  form  a  «TO£»d..iv'^'!ififx. 


^"Sta'nd  d'  «"-^'  '^'Sd':"^''  ^^'■-'^^-^^> 
aisn-water,  rmse  mem  morougiiiy  in  ciear  waierm  j-    ,      }^^  ^"^  clear  solut 

wipe  them,  and  while  they  are  yet  damp,  rub  U  Snf  I     ^y»*h  a  close  brush, 
pinch  of  the  starch  thoroughly  over  them,  cover J^^J^~P^"^"l^"i  pf  potassae.  2drach 


have  it  continually  at  hand  for  use.   Then,  everj 


time  that  the  hands  are  taken  from  the  suds,  oj"'^  "^"^a'/  """'^^J  distilled  water,  8  ounces  • 
dish-water,  rinse  them  thoroughly  in  clear  water^^^  n^r!i;„^^'i^:?u  ^J'^*^'^^''  solution.  To  be  care' 


ing  the  whole  surface.  The  effect  is  magical. 
The  rough,  smarting  skin  is  cooled,  soothed  and 
healed,  bringing  and  insuring  the  greatest  degree 
of  comfort  and  freedom  from  this,  by  no  means 
insignificant  trial. 

IJAA^DS,  Redness  and  Burning  of. — Redness 
and  burning  of  the  hands  is  caused  by  defective 
circulation.  The  best  remedy  is  to  protect  them 
as  much  as  possible  from  the  cold  when  out  of 
doors,  by  using  a  muff  or  by  wearing  two  pairs 
of  gloves,  which  are  much  warmer  than  one  pair 
lined.  To  prevent  the  burning  sensation,  hold 
the  hands  for  a  few  minutes  in  very  warm  water 
after  coming  in,  as  that  generally  produces  a 
feeling  of  coolness  afterwards,  whereas  cold  wa- 
ter causes  a  glow  after  it  has  been  used. 


NAILS  (  The),  Care  of. — The  nails  should  Oe 
kept  clean  by  the  daily  use  of  the  nail  brush  and 
soap  and  water.  After  wiping  the  hands,  but 
while  they  are  still  soft  from  the  action  of  the 
water,  gently  push  back  the  skin  which  is  apt  to 
grow  over  the  nails,  which  will  not  only  preserve 
them  neatly  rounded,  but  will  prevent  the  skin 
cracking  around  their  roots,  (nail  springs),  and 
becoming  sore.  The  points  of  the  nails  should 
be  pared  at  least  once  a  week;  biting  them 
should  be  avoided. 

NAILS,  Biting  the. — This  is  a  habit  that 
should  be  immediately  corrected  in  children,  as, 
if  persisted  in  for  any  length  of  time,  it  perma- 
nently deforms  the  nails.  Dipping  the  finger- 
ends  in  some  bitter  tincture  will  generally  pre- 


TOILET. 


33« 


vent  children  trom  putting  them  to  the  mouth ; 
but  if  this  fails,  as  it  sometimes  M'ill,  each  finger- 
end  ought  to  be  encased  in  a  stall  until  the  pro- 
pensity is  eradicated. 

NAILS,  To  Whiten.  —The  best  wash  for 
whitening  the  nails  is  two  drachms  of  diluted 
sulphuric  acid,  one  drachm  of  tincture  of  myrrh, 
added  to  four  ounces  of  spring  water;  first 
cleanse  the  hands,  and  then  apply  the  wash. 

NOSES  {Large),  To  Make  Small.— Dr.  Cid, 
an  inventive  surgeon  of  Paris,  noticed  that  elder- 
ly people,  who  for  a  long  time  have  worn  eye- 
glasses supported  on  the  nose  by  a  spring,  are 
apt  to  have  this  organ  Icwig  and  thin.  This  he 
attributes  to  the  compression  which  the  spring 
exerts  on  the  arteries  by  which  the  nose  is  nour- 
ished. The  idea  occurred  to  him  that  the  hint 
could  be  made  useful.  Not  long  afterward,  a 
young  lady  of  fifteen  years  consulted  him,  to  see 
if  he  could  restore  to  moderate  dimensions  her 
nose,  which  was  large,  fleshy,  and  unsightly. 
The  trait,  he  found,  was  hereditary  in  her  family, 
as  her  mother  and  sister  were  similarly  afflicted. 
This  was  discouraging,  as  hereditary  peculiarities 
are  particularly  obstinate.  But  the  doctor  deter- 
mined to  try  his  method ;  he  took  exact  measure- 
ments, and  had  constructed  for  her  a  "lunette 
pince-nez" — a  spring  and  pad  for  compressing 
the  artery — which  she  wore  at  night  and  when- 
ever she  conveniently  could  in  the  daytime.  In 
three  weeks  a  consolatory  diminution  was  evident, 
and  in  three  months  the  young  lady  was  quite 
satisfied  with  the  improvement  in  her  features. 

PIMPLES. — Several  different  forms  of  erup- 
tions are  popularly  termed  pimples,  though  vary- 
ing considerably  in  their  character.  As  this  ar- 
ticle is  designed  for  general  reading,  we  shall 
adopt  the  popular  appellation.  Dry  pimples 
consist  of  little  elevations  sometimes  showing 
themselves  on  the  surface,  at  other  times  per- 
ceptible only  to  the  touch.  They  usually  itch 
considerably,  and  when  scratched  to  allay  the  feel- 
ing, are  liable  to  be  converted  into  disagreeable 
sores.  We  know  of  no  better  remedy  for  these 
than  a  solution  erf  borax  in  warm  water,  after- 
ward allowed  to  cool.  This  applied  plentifully 
as  a  wash  or  lotion  will  soothe  the  irritation. 

Mattery  pimples  are  distinguished  from  the 
above  by  containing  an  opaque,  yellowish  fluid 
(pus).  The  little  bubbles  attain  their  full  size  in 
the  course  of  two  or  three  days,  and  either  dry 
up  without  breaking  or  more  frequently  burst 
and  then  dry,  forming  a  hard  crust.  For  these 
are  recommended  a  lotion  composed  of  alcohol 
one  part  and  five  or  six  parts  of  soft  water, 
to  which  a  very  little  distilled  vinegar  is  added. 
The  crusts  may  be  removed  by  warm  water. 

Watery  pimples  consist  of  little  vesicles  or 
bladders  filled  with  transparent  liquid.  No  local 
treatment  is  usually  available. 

In  the  treatment  of  pimples,  attention  should 

be  directed  to  improving  the  general  health,  pro- 

.  moting  activity  of  the  skin  by  exercise,  frequent 

(  bathing  of  the  whole  body,  and  the  avoidance  of 

'  pastry,  rich  gravies  and  similar  articles  of  food. 

Pimples   generally   afflict  persons  of  sedentary 

habits,  especially  those  confined  in  close,  impure 

atmospheres.     Where  the  skin  becomes  torpid, 

the  great  amount  of  waste  usually  passing  off  in 

the  form  of  insensible  perspiration  gathers  at  the 

openings  of  the  pores  and  clogs  them.  If  bathing 

is  not  frequent  this  layer  of  dead  matter  forms  a 

coating  through  which  the  insensible  perspiration 


(or  wastes  usually  passed  from  the  skin)  are  pre- 
vented an  egress  and  collect  in  pimples.  It  is 
probable  that  the  reason  of  the  face  being  most 
frequently  the  part  disfigured,  is  because  it  is| 
more  frequently  washed,  the  waste  matter  seeks 
an  outlet  wherever  the  skin  can  act,  and  so  too 
much  accumulates  here  to  be  thrown  off  easily. 
The  use  of  warm  water  for  daily  ablutions  pro- 
motes this  attraction  of  waste  matter  to  the  spot. 
By  washing  the  face  in  very  cold  water  and  bath- 
ing the  body  frequently  in  warm  water  the  order 
is  reversed,  and  the  excess  of  the  face  is  drawn 
to  other  parts  and,  diffused  over  a  large  surface, 
passes  off  naturally  aiid  without  any  marked 
signs. 

Pimples  frequently  indicate  a  debilitated  state 
of  the  blood,  are  common  in  enervated  systems. 
Strengthen  the  system,  promote  the  purification 
of  the  blood  by  breathing  fresh  air,  and  aid  the 
throwing  off  of  waste  matters  by  frequent  bath- 
ing and  gentle  friction  of  the  body.  The  bowels 
should  be  kept  regular  by  proper  food,  such  as 
fruits,  vegetables,  and  particularly  oat-meal. 

The  lotions,  beautifiers,  etc.,  usually  sold  con- 
sist of  borax  water,  glycerine  in  water,  with  a 
little  perfume,  or  the  deadly  preparations  from 
poisonous  substances.  One  of  the  "remedies" 
advertised  was  found  to  contain  corrosive  subli- 
mate. Camphor  is  frequently  prescribed  by  news- 
papers, and  forms  an  ingredient  in  some  of  the 
proprietary  preparations.  It  does  not  appear  to 
do  any  good,  and  is  liable  if  used  to  any  consider- 
erable  extent  to  exert  a  paralyzing  influence — in 
some  cases  even  to  the  extent  of  total  loss  of  power 
and  sensation  in  the  parts  to  which  it  is  applied. 
It  is  also  liable  to  drive  in  eruptions,  causing  in- 
ternal trouble.  Alum  applied  to  the  face  occa- 
sionally, especially  after  shaving,  has  been  found 
in  some  cases  very  useful  in  checking  pimples. 

Smashing  pimples,  or  squeezing  out  "flesh 
worms,"  only  tends  to  an  increase  of  the  trouble. 
If  a  large  pimple  seems  inclined  to  form,  the  best 
way  is  to  let  it  come  fully  to  a  head,  then  prick 
it  with  a  needle  and  gently  press  out  the  matter, 
breaking  the  skin  as  little  as  possible.  This  will 
help  to  clear  the  face.  Borax  water  is  a  simple, 
harmless  and  often  beneficial  application  to  pim- 
ples and  inflamed  or  irritated  skin,  and  in  cases 
of  chaps,  sunburn,  or  harshness  of  the  skin. 

SKIN,  To  Whiten  and  So/ten. — i.  Take  white 
wax  (pure),  I  ounce;  spermaceti,  2  ounces;  oil 
of  almonds,  9  ounces;  melt  together  by  a  mo- 
derate heat  in  a  glazed  earthenware  vessel,  and 
add  glycerine  (best),  3  ounces  ;  balsam  of  Peru, 
}4  ounce.  The  mixture  is  to  be  stirred  until 
nearly  cold. — 2.  Take  a  _i|f  of  a  fluid  ounce,  each, 
of  tincture  of  tolu,  tincture  of  benzola,  and  tinc- 
ture of  balsam  of  Peru,  and  gradually  mix  with 
them  a  X  of  a  pint  of  distilled  elder  water,  when 
a  milky  emulsive  fluid  will  be  the  result.  Then 
have,  ready  melted  in  a  basin,  j/^  an  ounce  of 
virgin  wax  and  spermaceti,  together  with  a  ^  of 
a  pound  of  almond  oil — this  is  best  done  by  pla- 
cing the  ingredients  in  a  basin  set  on  to  a  small 
saucepan  of  boihng  water,  thus  to  melt  the  ma- 
terials by  steam.  Finally,  the  tincture  and  wa-  .^ 
ter  mixture  is  to  be  gradually  poured  into  the 
basin  of  oil,  sperm,  etc.,  beating  the  mixture  ra- 
pidly with  a  fork,  so  as  to  insure  perfect  blend- 
ing of  all  the  ingredients.  When  finished,  the 
unguent  assumes  a  beautiful  snow-white  creamy 
consistency,  which  finally  sets  when  quite  cold. 
To  whiten  the  hands,  rub  them  over  with  the 


33*" 


DICTIONAR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


sultana  unguent  on  going  to  bed,  and  sleep  in  an 
old  pair  of  kid  gloves.  To  prevent  wrinkles  and 
preserve  the  skin,  apply  the  unguent  at  night, 
washing  it  off  in  the  morning  with  cold  cream 
soap.  There  is  scarcely  a  wound,  bruise,  or  skin- 
blotch  but  what  it  may  be  applied  to  with  "safe- 
ty and  with  succor." 

.SUNBURN  and  TAN.  —  I.  Take  two 
drachms  of  borax,  one  drachm  of  Roman  alum, 
one  drachm  of  camphor,  half  an  ounce  of  sugar- 
candy,  and  a  pound  of  ox-gall.  Mix,  and  stir 
well  for  ten  minutes  or  so,  and  repeat  this  stir- 
ring three  or  four  times  a  day  for  a  fortnight,  till 
it  appears  clear  and  transparent.  Strain  through 
blotting  paper,  and  bottle  up  for  use. — 2.  Milk 
of  almonds  made  thus :  Take  of  blanched  bitter 
almonds  half  an  ounce,  soft  water  half  a  pint ; 
make  an  emulsion  by  beating  the  almonds  and 
water  together,  strain  through  a  muslin  cloth, 
and  it  is  made. — 3.  A  preparation  composed  of 
equal  parts  of  ohve  oil  and  lime  water  is  also  an 
excellent  remedy  for  sunburn. 

TAN,  To  Remcnie.  —  Tan  may  be  removed 
from  the  face  by  mixing  magnesia  in  soft  water 
to  the  consistency  of  paste,  which  should  then  be 
spread  on  the  face  and  allowed  to  remain  a  min- 
ute or  two.  Then  wash  off  with  castile  soap 
suds,  and  rinse  with  soft  water. 

TEETH,  Care  of. — The  mouth  has  a  tem- 
perature of  ninety-eight  degrees,  warmer  than  is 
ever  experienced  in  the  shade  in  the  latitude  of 
New  England.  It  is  well  known  that  if  beef, 
for  example,  be  exposed  in  the  shade  during  the 
warmest  of  our  summer  days,  it  will  very  soon 
begin  to  decompose.  If  we  eat  beef  for  dinner, 
the  particles  invariably  find  their  way  into  the 
spaces  between  the  teeth.  Now  if  these  parti- 
cles of  beef  are  not  removed,  they  will  frequently 
remain  till  they  are  softened  by  decomposition. 
In  most  mouths  this  process  of  decomposition  is 
in  constant  progress.  Ought  we  to  be  surprised 
that  the  gums  and  teeth  against  which  these  de- 
composing or  putrefying  masses  lie  should  be- 
come subjects  of  disease  ? 

How  shall  our  teeth  be  preserved  ?  The  ans- 
wer is  very  simple — keep  them  clean !  How  shall 
they  be  kept  clean?  Answer:  by  a  tooth-pick, 
rinsing  with  water,  and  the  daily  use  of  a  brush. 

The  tooth-pick  should  be  a  quill,  not  because 
the  metallic  picks  injure  the  enamel,  but  because 
the  quill  pick  is  so  flexible  it  fits  into  all  the  ir- 
regularities between  the  teeth. 

Always  after  using  the  tooth-pick  the  mouth 
should  be  thoroughly  rinsed.  If  warm  water 
be  not  at  hand,  cold  may  be  used,  althougli  the 
warm  is  much  better.  Closing  the  lips,  with  a 
motion  familiar  to  all,  everything  may  be  thor- 
oughly rinsed  from  the  mouth. 

Every  morning  (on  rising)  and  every  evening 
(on  going  to  bed)  the  tooth-brush  should  be 
used,  and  the  teeth,  both  outside  and  inside, 
thoroughly  brushed. 

Much  has  been  said,  pro  and  con,  upon  the 
use  of  soap  with  the  tooth-brush.  My  own  ex- 
perience and  the  experience  of  members  of  my 
family  is  highly  favorable  to  the  regular  morn- 
ing and  evening  use  of  soap.  Castile  or  other 
good  soap.will  answer  this  purpose.  (Whatever 
is  good  for  the  hands  and  face  is  good  for  the 
teeth. )  The  slightly  unplaftsant  taste  which  soap 
has  when  we  begin  to  use  it  will  soon  be  un- 
noticed. 

TEETH,  To  Beautify. — Dissolve  two  ounces 


of  borax  in  three  pints  of  boiling  water,  and  be- 
fore it  is  cold  add  one  teaspoonful  of  the  spirits 
of  camphor,  and  bottle  for  use.  A  tablespoon- 
ful  of  this  mixture,  with  an  equal  quantity  of 
tepid  water,  and  applied  daily  with  a  soft  brush, 
preserves  and  beautifies  the  teeth,  extirpates  all 
tartarous  adhesion,  arrests  decay,  induces  a 
healthy  action  of  the  gums,  and  makes  the  teeth 
pearly  white. 

TEETH  {Loose"),  To  Fasten, — ^To  fasten  loose 
teeth  and  strengthen  the  gxims :  Dissolve  an 
ounce  of  myrrh  as  much  as  possible  in  a  pint  of 
port  wine,  and  the  same  quantity  of  oil  of  al- 
monds; wash  the  mouth  with  this  fluid  every 
morning. 

TEETH  and  GUMS,  Wash  /7r.— The  teeth 
should  be  washed  night  and  morning,  a  mode- 
rately small  and  soft  brush  being  used ;  after  the 
morning  ablution  pour  on  a  second  tooth-brush, 
slightly  damped,  a  little  of  the  following  lotion. 
Carbolic  acid,  20  drops;  spirit  of  wine,  2  drachms; 
distilled  water,  6  ounces.  After  using  this  lotion 
for  a  short  time  the  gums  become  firmer  and 
less  tender,  and  impurity  of  the  breath  (which  is 
most  commonly  caused  by  bad  teeth)  will  be  re- 
moved. It  is  a  great  mistake  to  use  hard  tooth- 
brushes, or  to  brush  the  teeth  until  the  gums 
bleed. 

TOO  TH  PO  IVDERS.—l.lmy  persons,  while 
laudably  attentive  to  the  preservation  of  their 
teeth,  do  them  hurt  by  too  much  officiousness. 
They  daily  apply  to  them  some  dentifrice  pow- 
der, which  they  rub  so  hard  as  not  only  to  injure 
the  enamel  by  excessive  friction,  but  to  hurt  the 
gums  even  more  than  by  the  abuse  of  the  tooth- 
pick. The  quality  of  some  of  the  dentifrice 
powders  advertised  in  newspapers  is  extremely 
suspicious,  and  there  is  reason  to  think  that  they 
are  not  altogether  free  from  a  corrosive  ingre- 
dient. One  of  the  safest  and  best  compositions 
for  the  purpose  is  a  mixture  of  two  parts  of  pre- 
pared chalk,  one  of  Peruvian  bark,  and  one  of 
hard  soap,  all  finely  powdered,  which  is  calcula- 
ted not  only  to  clean  the  teeth  without  hurting 
them,  but  to  preserve  the  firmness  of  the  gums. 

Besides  the  advantage  of  sound  teeth  for  their 
use  in  mastication,  a  proper  attention  to  their 
treatment  conduces  not  a  little  to  the  sweetness 
of  the  breath.  This  is,  indeed,  often  affected  by 
other  causes  existing  in  the  lungs,  the  stomach, 
and  sometimes  even  in  the  bowels,  but  a  rotten 
state  of  the  teeth,  both  from  the  putrid  smell 
emitted  by  carious  bones  and  the  impurities  lod- 
ged in  their  cavities,  never  fails  of  aggravating 
an  unpleasant  breath  wherever  there  is  a  ten- 
dency of  that  kind. 

TO/LET,  The. — In  the  first  requisite,  viz., 
that  of  dress,  we  may  say,  health  and  comfort 
first,  ornament  next.  The  dress  should  be  plain, 
neat,  clean,  loose,  and  rather  light  than  heavy. 
It  should  be  plain  and  neat,  because  these  are 
the  elements  of  true  beauty ;  and  because  God 
clothed  our  first  parents  in  simple  skins,  thus 
showing  the  great  design  of  dress  to  be  utility, 
and  not  ornament.  Dress  should  be  clean  be- 
cause it  is  demanded  by  decency  and  good  taste ; 
it  should  be  loose  and  light  so  as  to  avoid  all  op' 

Cression  and  restraint,  so  that  every  muscle  may 
ave  the  most  perfect  freedom  of  motion,  while 
mind  and  bodv  are  equally  at  ease. 

TOILET  FLNEGAR.—lla\{  a  pint  of  Bor- 
deaux, or  of  the  best  white  wine  vinegar;  half  .•» 
pint  of  pale  rum ;  essence  of  bergamot,  rosemary, 


WARDROBE. 


333 


and  marjoram,  a  drachm  each;  and  one  pint 
of  rose  or  elder  flower  water.  Mix  the  perfumes 
with  the  spirit,  then  add  the  vinegar,  and  lastly, 
the  rose  water.  If  not  perfectly  bright  it  may  be 
strained  through  blotting  paper. 

IV ARTS,  To  Rcmoz'e.—\.  Pare  the  hard  and 
dried  skin  from  their  tops,  and  then  touch  them 
with  the  smallest  drop  of  strong  acetic  acid,  tak- 
ing care  that  the  acid  does  not  run  off  the  wart 
upon  the  neighboring  skin,  for  if  it  do,  it  will 
occxsion  inflammation  and  much  pain.  If  this 
practice  be  continued  once  or  twice  daily,  with 
regularity,  paring  the  surface  of  the  wart  occasion- 
ally, when  it  gets  bard  and  dry,  the  wart  may  be 


soon  efiectually  cured. — 2.  A  mixture  of  two 
parts  of  nitric  acid  to  one  of  muriatic  acid  is  a 
good  remedy  for  warts.  It  should  be  applied  to 
the  warts  with  a  small  brush  from  a  broom,  and 
care  must  be  taken  not  to  get  acid  on  the  flesh, 
as  it  will  make  a  sore.  Saleratus  will  counteract 
the  action  of  the  acid. 

WHISKERS,  To  make  Grcrju.  —  Shave  the 
beard  at  least  three  times  a  week,  and  use  the 
following  as  a  stimulant:  cologne,  I  ounce;  alco- 
hol, I  pint ;  castor  oil,  %,  pint ;  oil  of  cloves,  20 
drops ;  oil  of  bergamot,  20  drops ;  tincture  of 
cantharides,  2  ounces. 


WARDROBE 


BALLS  for  Scouring  Cloths,  etc.—i.  Fuller's 
earth,  2  lbs.;  soap,  I  lb.;  turpentine,  2  oz.;  ox 
gall  enough  to  make  a  paste. — 2.  Fuller's  earth, 
whiting,  and  pipe  clay,  equal  parts,  ox  gall 
enough  to  make  a  paste.  These  are  used  to  re- 
move grease  from  cloth,  or  stains  from  clothes. 

CLOTHING,  Hints  about. — All  our  garments 
should  be  soft  and  pliable,  and  of  such  a  shape 
as  to  be  comfortable  to  the  wearer.  They  should 
■  not  be  warmer  than  is  requisite  to  preserve  the 
body  in  a  proper  temperature.  The  clothing 
worn  next  the  skin  should  be  made  of  substances 
easily  cleaned.  Our  dress  should  be  adapted  to 
the  age  and  constitution  of  the  individual.  Young 
and  robust  persons  require  a  smaller  quantity 
than  those  who  are  delicate  or  advanced  in  years. 
A  variety  is  requisite  to  suit  the  dilTerence  of 
temperature  in  summer  and  winter.  The  tem- 
perature varies  so  often  and  so  suddenly  during 
the  first  five  months  of  the  year,  that  no  great 
change  in  the  character  of  our  clothing  should  be 
made  till  May  or  June.  Light  colored  clothes 
are  cooler  in  summer,  because  they  reflect  a  por- 
tion of  the  sun's  rays ;  and  they  are  warmer  in 
winter,  because  they  do  not  radiate  the  heat  of 
the  body  so  rapidly  as  dark  colored  clothing. 
Dark  colored  clothes  are  wannest  in  summer,  be- 
cause the  darker  the  cloth,  the  more  perfectly  it 
absorbs  the  direct  heat  of  the  sun.  They  are, 
however,  colder  in  winter  than  light  colored 
clothing,  proving  the  rapidity  with  which  they 
absorb  the  heat  from  the  body. 

CLOTHES,  To  Brush. — Have  a  wooden  horse 
to  put  the  clothes  on,  and  a  small  cane  to  beat 
the  dust  out  of  them  ;  also  a  board  or  table  long 
enough  for  them  to  be  put  their  whole  length 
when  brushing  them;  Have  two  brushes,  one  a 
hard  bristle,  the  other  soft ;  use  the  hardest  for 
the  great  coats,  and  for  the  others  when  spotted 
with  dirt.  Fine  cloth  coats  should  never  be 
brushed  with  too  hard  a  brush,  as  they  will  take 
ofl  the  nap,  and  make  them  look  bare  in  a  little 
time.  Be  careful  in  the  choice  of  the  cane,  do 
not  have  it  too  large,  and  be  particular  not  to 
hit  too  hard.  Be  careful  also  not  to  hit  the  but- 
tons, for  it  will  scratch,  if  not  break  them  ;  there- 
fore a  small  handwhip  is  the  best  to  beat  with. 
II  a  coat  be  wet  and  spotted  with  dirt,  let  it  be 
quite  dry  before  brushing;  then  rub  out  the 


spots  with  the  hands,  taking  care  not  to  nrniple 
it  in  so  doing.  If  it  want  beating,  do  as  before 
directed,  then  put  the  coat  at  its  full  length  on  a 
board ;  let  the  collar  be  towards  the  left  hand, 
and  the  brush  in  the  right.  Brush  the  back  of 
the  collar  first,  between  the  two  shoulders  next, 
and  then  the  sleeves,  etc.,  obser^'ingto  brush  the 
cloth  the  same  way  that  the  nap  goes,  which  is 
towards  the  skirt  of  the  coat.  'V\Tien  both  sides 
are  properly  done,  fold  them  together,  then 
brush  the  inside,  and  last  of  all  the  collar. 

CLOTHES,  To  Renovate.  —  To  warm  soft 
water  4  gals.,  put  in  I  beefs  gall;  saleratus,  % 
lb.  Dissolve.  Lay  the  garment  on  a  bench  and 
scour  every  part  thoroughly  by  dipping  a  stiff 
brush  into  the  mixture ;  spots  of  grease  and  the 
collar  must  be  done  more  thorough,  and  longer 
continued  than  other  parts,  and  rinse  the  gar- 
ment in  the  mixture  by  raising  up  and  down  a 
few  times,  then  the  same  way  in  a  tub  of  soft 
cold  water ;  press  out  the  water  and  hang  up  to 
dry ;  after  which  it  needs  brushing  the  way  of 
the  nap  and  pressing  well  under  a  damp  cloth- 
Beef's  gall  vdW.  set  the  color  on  silks,  woolen, 
or  cotton — one  spoon  to  a  gallon  of  water  is  suf- 
ficient for  this  purpose.  Spotted  bombazine  or 
bombazette  washed  in  this  will  also  look  nearly 
equal  to  new. 

CLOTH  (or  Clothing),  To  render  Waterproof. 
— Several  inquiries  have  been  made  of  us,  lately, 
respecting  the  mode  of  preparing  cloth  to  render 
it  waterproof,  arrd  yet  maintain  its  porosity. 
Close  waterproof  cloth  fabrics,  such  as  glazed 
oil  cloth,  India  rubber,  and  gutta  percha  cloth 
are  completely  waterproof,  but  do  not  permit 
perspiration  and  the  exhaled  gases  from  the  skin 
to  pass  through  them,  because  they  are  air  tight 
as  well  as  water  tiglit.  Persons  who  wear  air 
tight  garments  soon  become  faint,  if  they  are 
undergoing  severe  exercise,  such  as  that  to  which 
soldiers  are  exposed  when  on  march.  A  porous, 
waterproof  cloth,  therefore,  is  the  best  for  outer 
garments  during  wet  weather,  for  those  whose 
duties  or  labor  causes  them  to  perspire  freely. 
The  best  way  for  preparing  such  dotn  is  by  the 
process  adopted  for  the  tunics  of  the  French  sold- 
iers during  the  Crimean  war.  It  is  as  follows : 
Take  2)^  pounds  of  alum  and  dissolve  this  in  lO 
gallons  of  boiling  water ;  then  in  a  separate  ves» 


334 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


sel  dissolve  the  same  quantity  of  sugar  of  lead  in 
lo  gallons  of  water,  and  mix  the  two  solutions. 
The  doth  is  now  well  handled  in  this  liquid,  un- 
til every  part  of  it  is  penetrated ;  then  it  is  squeez- 
ed and  dried  in  the  air,  or  in  a  warm  apartment, 
then  washed  in  cold  water  and  dried  again,  when 
it  is  fit  for  use.  I  f  necessary,  the  cloth  may  be  dipped 
in  the  liquid  and  dried  twice  before  being  wash- 
ed. The  liquor  appears  curdled,  when  the  alum 
and  lead  solutions  are  mixed  together.  This  is 
the  result  of  double  decomposition,  the  sulphate 
of  lead,  which  is  an  insoluble  salt,  being  formed. 
The  sulphate  of  lead  is  taken  up  in  the  pores  of 
the  cloth,  and  it  is  unaffected  by  rains  or  moist- 
ure, and  yet  it  does  not  render  the  cloth  air  tight. 
Such  cloth  is  also  partially  non-inflammable.  A 
solution  of  alum  itself  will  render  cloth,  prepared 
as  described,  partially  waterproof,  but  is  not  so 
good  as  the  sulphate  of  lead.  Such  cloth — cot- 
ton or  woolen — sheds  rain  like  the  feathers  on 
the  back  of  a  duck. 

CLOTHING,  Water-tight. —  'S,^zxdi  recom- 
mends the  application  of  acetate  of  alumina  for 
the  purpose  of  rendering  clothing  impervious  to 
water.  The  cloth  is  to  be  immersed  in  a  mixture 
of  solutions  of  acetate  of  lead  and  sulphate  of 
alumina;  by  mutual  decomposition  of  the  salts, 
acetate  of  alumina  is  produced  on  the  cloth,  and 
when  the  goods  are  dried,  basic  acetate  of  alumina 
adheres  to  the  fiber,  and  thus  protects  it  from  the 
action  of  moisture.  The  process  is  particidarly 
recommended  for  military  goods. 

DRESSES,  Uninflammable. — It  is  much  to 
be  regretted  that  the  process  of  rendering  the 
material  of  ladies'  muslin  dresses  uninflammable 
is  not  more  generally  understood  and  used. 
Either  of  three  substances — phosphate  of  am- 
monia, tungstate  of  soda,  and  sulphate  of  am- 
monia, can  be  mixed  in  the  starch,  and  at  the  cost 
of  two  cents  a  dress,  deaths  from  burned  gar- 
ments can  be  rendered  impossible.  Articles  of 
apparel  subjected  to  those  agents  can,  if  they 
burn  at  all,  only  smoulder ;  and  in  no  case  can 
they  blaze  up  in  the  sudden  and  terrible  manner 
in  which  so  many  fatal  accidents  have  occurred  to 
the  fair  wearers  of  crinoline. 

GARMENTS,  To  Make  and  Cut.— A  Dress, 
(the  Waist). — Measure  the  lady  you  are  going  to 
fit  with  an  inch  measure.  First,  under  the  arm, 
down  the  seam  of  shoulder,  across  the  chest 
from  seam  to  seam,  I  mean  the  seam  under  the 
arm.  Length  from  throat  to  waist.  Length  of 
back  to  waist.  Across  the  back  the  same  way 
as  front.  Cut  in  common  lining  the  paper  pat- 
tern nearest  your  measure.  Leave  turnings,  or 
cut  your  pattern  larger  in  any  part  (if  required) 
half  an  inch.  In  making  up  your  lining  to  fit, 
pin  the  body  together  on  shoulder  and  under 
the  arm.  Tack  the  plaits  or  run  them  up  with 
cotton.  Take  the  lady's  measure  over  her  gown, 
but  fit  it  on  without  it.  Before  you  begin  to  cut, 
have  a  piece  of  paper  ready  written  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner,  detailing  in  inches  the  respective 
measurements ;  for  instance,  a  middle  size  would 
be  something  near  these  proportions : 
Under  the  arm      ....      8 

Shoulder 71-2 

Chest      .......     19 

Length  of  front     ....     17 

Length  of  back      ....     15  1-2 

Across  the  back    ....     15 

If  for  yourself,  and  you  have  no  paper  pattern 
that  fits,  unpick  half  an  old  body  that  fits  well ; 


lay  your  new  lining  on  your  cutting  board,  with 
an  old  body  on  top  of  it,  and  with  your  piercer 
prick  through  both,  in  the  old  stitches  of  your 
body  pattern ;  prick  them  well,  as  the  marks  are 
apt  to  rub  out;  tack  all  the  body  well  in  the 
holes  round  it,  before  you  begin,  and  be  very 
careful  to  stitch  your  body  to  the  tacking  thread; 
take  care  and  attend  to  this.  Five  out  of  six  per- 
sons have  their  dresses  made  too  tight  across 
the  chest ;  it  is  a  sad  fault ;  I  have  many  times 
seen  waists  out  of  reason  in  length,  and  the  front 
two  inches  too  narrow ;  if  a  penknife  were  run 
up  the  middle,  it  would  burst  open ;  when  I  had 
occasion  to  do  it,  I  have  never  found  any  one 
willing  to  have  the  seam  sewn  up  again ;  and  I 
feel  convinced,  that  any  lady,  once  wearing  an 
easy  dress,  would  never  go  back  to  a  tight  one ; 
to  say  nothing  of  its  being  healthy  and  beautiful. 
Great  care  must  be  taken  with  the  arm-holes ; 
do  not  make  them  too  large  or  too  small ;  thir- 
teen inches  is  a  nice  size  for  a  person  not  more 
tnan  twenty-four  inches  in  the  waist ;  fourteen 
inches  is  a  large  size,  only  required  for  stout 
persons.  If  you  have  to  alter  the  arm-hole, 
never  do  it  under  the  arm ;  in  nine  cases  out  of 
ten,  it  will  spoil  the  dress,  and  it  takes  away  the 
free  use  of  the  arm ;  a  very  small  piece  cut  off 
round  the  armhole,  except  underneath,  will  be 
all  that  is  necessary.  Do  not  forget  your  sleeve 
must  be  larger  than  the  arm-hole  an  inch  and  a 
half;  when  put  in,  it  never  looks  the  least  full, 
and  sets  better.  The  seam  of  your  sleeve  must 
not  be  even  with  the  seam  of  your  body,  but  half 
an  inch  in  front  of  it.  In  cording  the  neck,  do 
not  stretch  it ;  hold  the  cord  tight.  The  waist 
must,  on  the  contrary,  be  pulled  well,  when  the 
cord  is  put  on,  or  it  will  never  fit ;  it  requires 
much  stretching.  The  fit  of  the  body  often  de- 
pends on  the  finishing  of  the  waist.  In  putting 
on  a  waistband,  let  it  be  larger  than  the  body ; 
the  fashion  at  the  present  moment,  I  am  glad  to 
say,  is  not  carried  to  the  extreme ;  the  waists  are 
moderate  in  length,  and  I  do  hope  sensible  wo- 
men will  cease  to  think  tight  waists  are  an  orna- 
ment. Nothing  is  so  beautiful  as  nature,  if  we 
only  let  it  alone ;  it  is  presumption  to  think  we 
can  improve  it ;  so  much  has  been  said  by  all  our 
clever  physicians  on  this  subject,  that  more  than 
a  passing  remark  from  me  will  be  unnecessary. 
It  is  a  common  error  to  make  the  backs  of'^a 
dress  of  a  different  size ;  both  halves  should  be 
of  the  same  size ;  as  one  conies  under,  and  the 
other  over,  they  must  of  course  wrap  equal,  and 
certainly  require  to  be  both  alike.  Put  the  hooks 
not  more  than  one  inch  apart,  and  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  from  the  edge  of  the  back.  If  the  dress 
fastens  in  front,  make  the  fastenings  the  same; 
and  I  think  a  hem  down  the  back  a  decided 
improvement ;  it  takes  off  the  width  of  the  back, 
for  narrow  backs  and  wide  chests  are  what  is 
considered  right.  In  gathering  a  body  at  the 
waist,  if  it  is  at  all  thick  material,  gauge  it  with 
strong  silk  or  thread  and  large  stitches,  for  it  is 
a  small  compass  it  has  to  be  put  in ;  all  full 
bodies  are  made  with  quite  a  straight  piece  of 
material,  twenty  inches  long  and  eighteen  wide ; 
this  is  half  the  front ;  gather  it  straight  at  the 
bottom,  and  then  place  it  on  your  tight  lining; 
fix  it  firmly,  and  then  gather  it  at  the  shoulder; 
but  mind  and  do  the  bottom  gauging  first ;  to 
make  a  body  with  folds,  still  have  your  material 
twenty  inches  long,  and  nineteen  wide ;  the  selv- 
age must  reach  from  waist  to  shoulder. 


WARDROBE. 


335 


Have  the  piece  on  a  table  before  you,  and 
make  about  four  folds  quite  straight ;  lay  them 
on  your  lining,  push  them  close  together  at  the 
waist,  and  pull  them  wider  apart  at  the  shoul- 
der. I  find  it  makes  the  folds  set  better,  to 
cover  over  half  the  body-lining  with  a  plain  piece 
of  the  dress,  like  you  would  wear  a  stomacher, 
and  then  place  your  folds  to  meet  it ;  so  that  a 
folded  body  will  be  in  two  pieces,  the  plain  part 
put  on  first,  and  then  the  folds  after.  In  putting 
folds  on  a  body,  let  it  be  on  the  straight,  or  a 
good  across ;  don't  let  it  be  neither  one  nor  the 
other,  which  is  too  frequently  the  case,  and  always 
will,  as  a  matter  of  course,  set  badly ;  do  not  put 
your  folds  into  the  neck — let  them  come  toward 
the  shoulder;  it  winds  the  chest;  they  had  bet- 
ter be  laid  a  little  on  the  sleeves,  then  pushed 
all  toward  the  neck.  In  making  your  body- 
lining  ready  to  put  on  the  part,  be  careful  it  is 
very  exact  and  smooth,  and  mind  your  body  is 
neat  inside  as  well  as  out;  don't  let  raw  edges 
be  seen ;  turn  them,  so  that  the  outside  fullness 
or  plaits  cover  what  you  can,  and  make  the 
seam  under  the  arm  and  on  the  shoulder  neat, 
by  sewing  them  over  with  white  cotton ;  that  is, 
if  your  body  is  lined  with  white,  which  it  cer- 
tainly ought  to  be.  Do  not  have  the  lining  too 
stout.  It  will  not  give  easily  to  the  figure.  A 
yard  and  a  quarter  is  plenty  for  a  moderate-sized 
person.  Use  little  or  no  whalebone.  Let  it  be 
in  thin  strips  which  will  give  to  the  form.  Be 
sure  to  give  ease  in  the  arm-hole,  and  width  in 
the  chest,  whether  for  a  dress  or  jacket.  Be 
"sure  you  are  right"  before  you  "go  ahead;" 
that  is,  look  to  see  if  you  have  the  pattern  of  the 
material  all  running  in  the  same  direction,  the 
two  halves  of  the  front  and  back  cut  for  the  op- 
posite sides,  the  breadths  of  the  skirt  the  same 
length,  etc.,  etc.,  else  the  scissors  will  do  sad 
mischief.  If  you  are  inexperienced,  look  twice 
and  baste  carefully.  Trust  nothing  to  chance; 
you  can  not  be  too  precise.  You  will  save  time 
and  labor  in  the  end,  by  being  very  particular 
about  the  fastening.     It  is  the  soul  of  nice  work. 

In  cutting  the  sleeve,  measure  the  length  of 
the  arm  from  the  shoulder  to  the  wrist,  over  the 
bent  elbow,  no  matter  what  the  fashion  of  the 
sleeve  may  be.  If  a  bishop-sleeve,  it  should  be 
allowed  long  over  the  elbow,  allowing  at  least 
four  inches  for  the  droop,  and  shorter  on  the 
inner  seam.  Remember  to  slope  the  top  of  the 
sleeve  for  the  arm-hole,  not  both  sides  alike,  but 
with  the  upper  half  curving  in,  say,  half  an  inch; 
also  to  allow  one  inch  and  a  half  to  be  taken  up 
in  sewing  in  the  sleeve — that  is,  allow  the  sleeve 
to  be  that  much  larger  than  the  arm-hole ;  it  will 
look  plain  when  sewn  in. 

Open  sleeves  should  be  lined  as  far  back  as 
they  are  seen,  either  with  a  piece  of  the  dress 
material,  or  with  silk.  White  silk  is  used  as 
a  lining  for  black  and  other  colors.  If  a 
rich  dress,  the  lining  should  be  finished  off  with 
a  ruck  of  white  ribbon,  or  black  lace,  just  show- 
ing over  the  edge. 

If  the  caps  of  sleeves  are  sloped  like  the 
sleeves,  at  the  top,  they  will  set  down  too  close; 
they  should  be  hollowed  in,  a  little,   on  the  top. 

Trimming  should  be  sewn  on  strong  but 
lightly;  never  dragged  in  the  least;  hold  it  a 
Uttle  fall. 

In  making  the  skirt,  supposing  you  have  meas- 
ured over  your  material,  have  your  inch  measure 
ready  to  cut  the  skirt  from  it.     It  is  a  good  plan 


to  write  down  in  a  little  book  the  number  of 
inches  long  your  skirt  is  required.  Measure  it 
at  the  back  of  the  dress,  and  then  from  the  seam 
under  the  arm.  The  slope  begins  here,  and 
gradually  goes  to  the  point.  Lay  the  skirt  on 
a  table,  and  have  both  halves  exact,  pin  them  to- 
gether at  the  bottom,  and  pull  them  even  at  the 
top.  A  dressmaker  would  have  a  person  to  hold 
the  skirt  at  the  bottom,  while  she  made  it  even 
at  the  top.  Put  seam  to  seam.  Care  should  be 
taken  to  cut  your  skirt  even,  every  breadth  the  ■ 
same  length ;  and  let  your  seams  be  nicely  pin- 
ned before  you  begin  to  run  them.  Make  your-  :i 
selves  a  heavy  cushion,  to  pin  your  seams  to. 
A  common  brick  covered  makes  a  very  good  one. 
In  cutting  off  the  skirt,  if  the  length,  we  will 
suppose,  should  be  forty-two  or  forty-six  inches 
long,  leave  four  inches  more  for  the  hem  and 
turnings  at  the  top.  Cut  the  lining  for  the  skirt 
exact  to  the  material,  and  mind  it  fits  when 
finished.  Supposing  you  have  to  run  the  seams 
of  the  skirt  and  the  seams  of  your  lining,  lay  the 
lining  on  the  table,  placing  the  skirt  on  top,  and 
then  tack  the  seams  of  your  skirt  to  the  lining. 
Begin  at  the  first  seam,  and  gradually  go  on  to 
the  last  seam ;  stitch  up  three  pieces  together, 
and  fell  over  the  fourth ;  having  done  this,  hem 
the  bottom.  Fix  your  hem  all  round  before  you 
begin,  and  do  not  take  the  stitches  through  un- 
less your  hem  is  tacked  or  pinned :  it  will  be 
sure  to  be  on  the  twist,  and  set  badly. 

Having  done  this,  run  on  your  braid,  which 
must  be  put  on  easy  or  rather  full.  Attend  to 
this,  or  you  will  spoil  the  set  of  the  skirt.  If  the 
skirt  is  to  have  flounces,  they  must  be  put  on  be- 
fore you  gauge  the  top ;  and  while  the  skirt  is  on 
the  table,  put  a  white  tacking-thread  round  the 
skirt  where  each  flounce  is  to  be  fixed.  Flounces 
take  the  same  quantity  of  material  if  cut  either 
on  the  straight  or  the  cross.  It  is  a  common 
error  to  suppose  they  take  more  on  the  cross. 
For  the  fullness  of  a  flounce,  allow  one  width  on 
the  cross  to  one  width  on  the  straight  of  your 
skirt;  so  that  if  you  have  six  widths  in  your 
skirts,  you  will  have  six  widths  in  your  flounces 
on  the  cross.  If  there  are  three  flounces  of  dif- 
ferent widths,  let  the  bottom  and  widest  one  have 
the  most  fullness;  three  inches  more  fullness 
will  be  sufficient.  If  the  flounces  are  on  the 
straight,  allow  eight  widths  in  tlie  flounce  to  six 
widths  in  the  skirt.  A  small  cord  run  in  at  the 
top  of  the  flounce  makes  it  look  neat.  Before 
running  the  cord  in  your  flounce,  join  it  round 
the  exact  size  of  the  skirt ;  join  round  likewise 
your  flounces,  and  full  them  on  the  cord  as  you 
go  on.  Halve  and  quarter  your  flounces  and  also 
your  skirt,  and  you  will  find  them  no  trouble  to 
put  on. 

To  cut  flounces  on  a  good  cross,  have  the  ma- 
terial on  a  table,  and  turn  down  one  corner  in  the 
exact  shape  of  half  a  pocket  handkerchief,  and 
then  cut  it  through.  In  turning  down  your  half, 
try  two  ways :  one  way  lays  flat  on  the  table 
when  folded,  and  the  other  does  not  look  so  flat; 
cut  through  the  latter.  In  silk  there  is  no  per- 
ceptible difference  which  way  you  cut  it ;  but  in 
crape  you  will  very  easily  observe  it.  Take  any 
piece  you  have  by  you,  and  try  it  while  reading 
this.  Now  begin  to  turn  down  your  material  on 
the  cross,  like  a  gentleman  folds  his  neckerchief; 
keep  folding  until  you  have  the  number  of  pieces 
you  want  lor  one'  flounce,  and  keep  each  one 
pinned  to  the  other  as  you  fold  them,  so  as  to 


336 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


leave  them  all  exact  in  width.  Mind  the  edges 
measure  exact.  Supposing  you  to  keep  turning 
each  one  as  you  fold  it.  If  the  flounces  are  to  be 
nine  inches,  cut  the  selvage  the  same  depth. 
Some  persons  are  at  a  loss  to  know  how  much 
three  or  four  flounces  will  take.  Supposing  you 
have  three  flounces,  one  ten,  one  eight,  and  one 
six  inches  deep  at  the  selvage,  the  flounce  of  ten 
inches  wide  would  take  not  quite  one  yard  and 
three-quarters ;  that  of  eight  inches,  one  yard,  a 
quarter  and  three  inches ;  and  that  of  six  inches, 
exactly  one  yard  —  making  in  all  four  yards  for 
three  flounces;  this,  you  will  understand,  is  for 
flounces  cut  on  the  cross  or  straight  in  any  mate- 
rial you  may  choose  to  use.  I  should  advise  you 
to  have  paper  and  pencil  and  your  inch  measure, 
and  reckon  before  you  purchase  your  material. 
Trimmings  down  the  front  of  a  dress,  when  on 
the  cross,  should  be  cut  the  same  as  flounces. 
In  trimming  the  front  of  a  skirt,  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  cut  a  paper  the  length  of  the  skirt,  and  pin  it 
on  the  way  you  intend  to  trim,  and  then  tack  a 
tacking-thread  by  it.  Put  tackings  wherever 
you  mean  to  trim,  before  you  begin  trimming, 
and  lay  your  skirt  on  a  table  to  do  it ;  put  on  all 
trimmings  with  a  light  hand ;  do  not  sew  them 
as  you  would  a  shirt — it  gives  them  a  puckered 
look.  Now  mind  a  good  cross,  no  attempt  at 
making  pieces  do,  unless  they  are  good  corner 
pieces  that  will  join  well ;  you  are  more  sure  of 
making  a  trimming  well,  if  cut  all  from  one  piece. 
Before  cutting  a  skirt  off,  that  you  wish  to  put 
tucks  in,  have  a  piece  of  lining  or  calico  at  hand, 
and  pin  the  tucks  in  it  as  you  wish  to  put  them 
in  your  skirt.  Supposing  you  to  have  pinned 
your  calico  exactly  like  one  width  of  your  skirt, 
take  out  your  pins  and  measure  with  an  inch 
measure  the  exact  quantity,  and  then  calculate 
f  the  exact  quantity  you  will  want  for  the  whole 
skirt.  As  a  general  rule,  a  tucked  skirt  takes 
more  than  a  flounced  one,  and  makes  less  show 
for  the  quantity  of  material  used.  When  run- 
ning seams  of  a  silk  skirt,  notch  the  selvage  all 
the  way  up  the  seams  of  every  breadth  and  pass 
a  moderately  warm  iron  over  the  seams  when 
finished ;  seams  in  a  merino  skirt  require  to  be 
run  thickly  and  pressed  open  ;  press  every  join 
you  make  in  every  part  of  a  dress.  In  gauging 
a  skirt  of  any  kind,  gauge  the  four  back  widths 
in  larger  stitches  than  you  gauge  the  three  front 
ones ;  the  rule  in  gauging  is  to  take  as  much 
on  your  needle  as  you  leave ;  that  is,  if  you  took 
up  on  your  needle  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  you 
would  leave  a  quarter  of  an  inch ;  this  size 
would  do  for  the  back  gathers,  but  the  front 
must  be  smaller.  All  seams  should  be  run  with 
silk  the  color  of  the  dress.  It  is  a  good  plan  to 
have  fine  black  thread  in  your  work-box,  to  sew 
waists  on  and  gauge  the  skirts  of  a  dark  dress. 

Pockets  in  dresses  are  a  decided  objection,  and 
are  often  worn  by  ladies  because  they  are  put 
there  by  the  dressmaker,  and  save  any  further 
trouble.  A  pocket  will  become  loose  in  a  dress, 
or  dirty,  and  require  washing.  It  pocket-hand- 
kerchiefs only  were  put  in,  the  objection  would 
not  be  quite  so  great;  so  few  ladies  will  wear 
two,  although  that  is  what  I  could  wish.  If  one 
pocket  must  be  worn  in  the  dress,  wear  another 
as  well  under  the  dress.  What  I  should  recom- 
mend would  be  to  wear  two  good  loose  pockets 
stitched  on  a  band,  one  on  the  right,  and  the 
other  on  the  left  side,  eighteen  inches  long  and 
nine  inches  wide,  made  in  jean.   In  this  size  you 


can  cut  two  slits,  one  across  the  half  of  the  length, 
and  the  other  nearer  the  top,  almost  at  the  band. 
At  the  entrance  to  each  pocket  put  a  good  button 
and  button-hole.  A  small  purse  will  be  more 
safely  carried  in  the  top  pocket;  button  it  in,  and 
mind  that  the  button-hole  fits  the  button,  or  the 
friction  in  walking  may  cause  it  to  unbutton. 

On  walking  out,  if  you  require  money,  put  it 
loose  in  your  pocket;  this  may  seem  objectionable 
to  some,  but  it  certainly  is  the  safest  plan.  Many 
ladies  like  to  carry  a  rather  large  sum  of  money; 
not  that  they  know  they  shall  want  it,  but  in  case 
they  may.  It  certainly  is  not  safe  for  ladies  to 
look  into  shop  windows,  or  in  any  way  to  loiter 
with  money  in  their  hands,  or  a  watch  or  jewelry 
in  sight.  There  is  no  occasion  to  do  without  a 
watch,  but  it  should  not  be  worn  in  sight  in  the 
street.  Ladies  will  say  they  like  to  have  it  handy, 
so  that  they  may  easily  see  the  time.  Thieves 
and  pickpockets  quite  agree  with  ladies  in  carry- 
ing every  thing  handily. 

Summer  yackets. — I  will  now  give  some  hints 
on  the  advantages  of  summer  jackets  to  be  worn 
under  the  dress,  made  of  thin  washing  material. 
The  object  of  these  jackets  is  to  preserve  the  lin- 
ing of  the  dress  clean,  and  to  protect  the  dress 
from  the  warmth  of  the  neck.  I  was  partly  in- 
duced to  write  these  hints  from  having  heard  a 
discussion  between  two  young  ladies  upon  the 
importance  of  turning  a  silk  dress.  It  was  ad- 
mitted by  both,  that  the  only  bad  or  ugly  part  of 
the  gown  about  to  be  turned  was  the  top  of  the 
body.  The  perspiration  and  warmth  of  the  neck 
had  certainly  taken  out  the  color  of  the  silk  hah 
way  across  the  back,  from  the  shoulders  upward. 
Now  this  must  be  disheartening,  to  find  a  dress 
spoilt  before  it  is  half  worn  out.  During  the 
time  of  wearing  a  dress,  how  much  more  agree- 
able it  is  to  see  the  body-lining  nice  and  clean  ! 
To  those  who  wear  habit-shirts  they  are  a  small 
protection ;  but  unless  they  are  constantly  worn, 
they  will  be  of  little  avail.  What  I  propose  is 
this :  to  wear  a  small,  thin,  white  jacket,  high, 
made  of  jaconet  or  cambric  muslin.  The  thin- 
ness or  thickness  of  the  material  must  be  regulat- 
ed by  the  taste  of  the  wearer.  A  muslin  that  re- 
quires little  or  no  starch  is  best.  The  jackets 
can  be  worn  either  with  short  or  long  sleeves,  or 
without  any  sleeves  at  all,  and  to  fasten  either 
before  or  behind,  whichever  may  be  preferred. 
Many  young  persons  merely  tack  a  piece  of  lace  * 
or  collar  on  their  dress,  and  simply  put  it  on 
over  their  stays,  with  nothing  to  protect  the  dress. 
In  every  way  this  is  a  dirty  and  extravagant  habit, 
for  the  body  must  get  immensely  soiled  before 
the  skirt  is  half  worn  out.  For  those  to  whom 
expense  is  no  consideration,  they  can  be  very 
prettily  trimmed  with  insertion  and  lace ;  but  the 
principal  object  being  cleanliness  and  protection 
to  the  dress,  trimming  is  left  entirely  to  the  taste 
of  the  wearer.  Many  ladies  wear  a  low-body 
petticoat,  a  thin  jacket  over,  and  lastly  a  habit- 
shirt.  If  some  persons  can  wear  three  articles, 
and  others  none  at  all,  there  must  be  something 
that  requires  altering  'in  this  part  of  a  lady's 
dress. 

GARMENTS,  To  Reneiv  -when  Faded  attd 
Worn, — To  alcohol  I  qt.,  add  extract  of  logwood 
X  lb.;  loaf  sugar  2  oz.;  blue  vitriol  %  oz.;  heat 
gently  until  all  are  dissolved ;  bottle  for  use.  To 
one  pint  of  boiling  water  put  three  or  four  tea- 
spoons of  the  mixture,  and  apply  it  to  the  garment 
with  a  clean  brush;  wetting  the  fabric  thoroughly; 


WARDROBE. 


337 


let  dry;  then  suds  out  well  and  dry  again  to 
prevent  crocking;  brush  with  the  nap  to  give 
the  polish.  This  may  be  applied  to  silks  and 
woolen  goods  having  colors ;  but  is  most  appli- 
cable to  gentlemen's  apparel. 

GREASE  SPOTS,  To  Extract  from  Linen. 
— ^Take  magnesia  in  the  lump,  wet  it  and  rub  it 
on  the  spot  thoroughly ;  let  it  remain  an  hour  or 
so,  and  brush  it  off.  Another  way  is  to  scrape 
French  chalk  upon  the  spot  until  it  is  well  cover- 
ed. Now  hold  a  hot  iron  near  it  for  a  few  min- 
utes, and  then  brush  off  the  chalk.  If  grease 
still  remains,  do  it  again.  French  chalk  can  be 
had  of  tailors,  who  use  it  in  marking  cloth  for 
cutting. 

GLOVES  {Kid),  To  Color.— i.  Put  one  half 
ounce  extract  of  logwood  into  a  two  ounce  phial, 
and  fill  up  with  good  brandy.  This  dye  will 
keep  for  years,  if  well  corked.  Put  the  gloves 
on  the  hand,  and  with  a  small  swab  (a  piece  of 
sponge  tied  to  a  stick  is  best),  apply  the  dye 
evenly  all  over  them.  Then  rub  the  one  hand 
with  the  other,  smoothly  and  firmly,  until  the 
gloves  are  dry — a  few  minutes  only,  as  the  spirit 
soon  evaporates.  More  log\vood  gives  a  nearly 
black  color;  less  produces  a  delicate  lilac. — 2.  Dis- 
solve India  ink  in  water,  and  apply  with  a 
camel's  hair  brush.  A  fine  brown  may  be  ob- 
tained by  rubbing  lightly  with  a  strong  decoction 
of  tea. 

HA  TSy  To  take  Care  of. — If  your  hat  is  wet, 
shake  it  out  as  much  as  possible ;  then  brush  it 
with  a  soft  brush  as  smooth  as  you  can,  or  with 
a  clean  linen  cloth  or  handkerchief;  wipe  it  very 
carefully,  keep  the  beaver  flat  and  smooth,  in  the 
same  direction  as  it  was  first  placed ;  then,  with 
a  small  cane,  beat  the  nap  gently  up,  and  hang 
it  up  to  dry  in  a  cool  place.  When  it  is  dry,  lay 
it  on  a  table,  and  brush  it  round  several  times 
with  a  soft  brush  in  the  proper  direction ;  and 
you  will  find  your  hat  not  the  least  injured  by 
the  rain.  If  the  gloss  is  not  quite  so  high  as  you 
wish,  take  a  fl.it  iron,  moderately  heated,  and 
pass  the  same  two  or  three  times  gently  over  the 
hat ;  brush  it  afterwards  and  it  will  become  near- 
ly as  handsome  as  when  sent  home  from  the 
maker.  To  scour  a  hat -when  the  nap  is  clotted, 
and  to  take  salt  water  out. — Get  a  hard  brush,  a 
basin  of  hot  water  (boiling),  and  some  yellow 
soap ;  rub  a  little  of  the  soap  lightly  on  the  brush 
and  dip  it  into  the  water ;  brush  the  hat  round 
with  the  nap.  If  you  find  the  nap  clotted,  do 
not  scrape  it  with  your  fingers,  as  that  tears  it 
off,  but  brush  it  until  it  is  smooth,  and  the  soap 
is  thoroughly  out ;  then  take  a  piece  of  wood,  or 
the  back  of  a  knife,  and  scrape  it  well  round ; 
you  will  find  all  the  dirt  come  out;  then  beat  it 
gently  with  a  cane. 

LAUNDRYING,  With  Carbolic  Soap.— l^oi 
a  few  ladies  are  so  situated  that  they  have  neither 
conveniences  for  washing  nor  time  to  go  through 
the  usual  processes  even  for  the  smallest  articles, 
and  yet  are  not  in  the  neighborhood  of  any  per- 
son to  whom  they  can  trust  the  doing  up  of 
laces  and  sheer  muslins. 

We  have  accidentally  discovered  how  great 
help  in  such  case  is  to  be  found  in  carbolic  soap. 
A  cake  of  the  article  as  prepared  for  the  toilet 
being  in  our  soap  dish,  we  one  day  put  into  a 
suds  made  from  it  a  handful  of  laces  and  linen 
lawns,  some  of  them  quite  yellow  from  long 
waiting,  and  being  busily  absorbed,  thought  no 
more  about  them  until  next  day,  when  they  were 


found  to  be  entirely  whitened  and  cleansed,  and 
only  needing  to  be  rinsed  to  be  ready  for  the 
starching. 

This  knowledge  may  be  made  available  in  the 
art  of  doing  up  nice  laces,  which  any  lady  may 
lejirn  if  she  has  the  time  to  attend  to  it,  thus 
avoiding  the  necessity  of  sending  them  out  to  be 
done  by  those  who  make  the  business  a  profes- 
sion. 

Stretch  over  a  wine  bottle,  or  better,  a  well 
cleansed  quart  stone  ink  jug,  as  it  is  of  more  uni- 
form diameter,  the  leg  of  a  soft,  firm,  fine,  white 
cotton  stocking,  and  secure  it  well  by  stitches. 
On  this,  wind  the  collar  or  band  of  lace  to  be 
cleansed,  and  then  with  fine  needle  and  thread 
baste  it  carefully  on  the  stocking,  following  with 
the  needle  all  the  scallops  of  the  edge  and  catch- 
ing down  all  the  looos  so  they  cannot  get  out  of 
place  in  washing. 

Set  the  bottle  in  a  deep  dish  or  tin  pail  of  car- 
bolic soap  suds  and  let  it  remain  twelve  or  twen- 
ty-four hours  as  the  case  may  be.  Rinse  out  the 
suds  by  holding  the  bottle  under  the  hydrant  or 
by  moving  it  in  a  pail  of  clean  water ;  let  it  part- 
ly drain  off  and  then  with  a  clean  sponge  or  rag 
or  even  with  the  fingers,  saturate  the  lace  with  a 
very  weak  solution  of  white  pulverized,  gum 
arable  in  water. 

When  quite  dry,  rip  off  the  lace,  and  if  it 
is  not  as  smooth  as  is  desired,  lay  it  under  pres- 
sure between  the  blank  leaves  of  a  book,  or  if 
there  is  haste,  it  may  be  pressed  with  a  warm 
flat  iron  between  muslin  lined  flannels ;  but  the 
whole  process  may  be  performed  without  any 
warm  water  or  irons,  and  several  steps  in  the  or- 
dinary mode  of  washing  saved. 

The  suds  may  be  thrown  into  the  wash  bowls 
to  purify  the  drain  pipes. 

Whether  it  is  safe  to  use  carbolic  soap  freely  in 
washing,  if  the  hands  must  come  a  good  deal  in 
contact  with  it,  is  a  question. 

RIBBON  (  Velvet),  To  /w«.— Dampen  the 
under  side  slightly,  and  draw  it  backward  and 
forward  over  a  hot  stove  pipe  until  the  velvet  is 
quite  dry.  A  still  better  plan — though  in  winter  it 
is  not  always  as  convenient — is  to  lay  a  wet  piece 
of  cotton  cloth  on  a  hot  flat  iron  placed  upside 
down,  and  while  the  steam  is  rising  from  it,  to 
draw  the  under  side  of  the  velvet  tightly  back- 
ward and  forward  over  the  wet  cloth. 

SHIRT  BOSOMS  AND  COLLARS,  To 
Starch. — Pour  a  pint  of  boiling  water  upon  two 
ounces  of  gum  arable,  cover  it  and  let  it  stand 
over  night ;  in  the  morning  pour  it  carefully  from 
the  dregs  into  a  clean  bottle,  cork  it  and  keep  it 
for  future  use.  A  tablespoonful  of  this  gum 
arable  water,  stirred  into  a  pint  of  starch  made  in 
the  usual  manner,  will  give  to  lawns,  either  white 
or  printed,  a  look  of  newness  when  nothing  else 
can  restore  them  after  they  have  been  washed. 
To  every  pint  of  starch  add  a  piece  of  butter, 
lard,  tallow  or  spermaceti  candle  the  size  of  a 
chestnut. 

SHOE  SOLES,  To  Save. — It  consists  merely 
in  melting  together  tallow  and  common  resin,  in 
the  proportion  of  two  parts  of  the  former  to  one  of 
the  latter,  and  applying  the  preparation  hot,  to 
the  soles  of  the  boots  or  shoes — as  much  of  it  as 
the  leather  will  absorb. 

SILK,  To  A'ir/.— Silk  articles  should  not  be 
kept  folded  in  white  paper,  as  the  chloride  of 
lime  used  in  bleaching  the  paper  will  probably 
impair  the  color  of  the  silk.      Brown,  or  blue 


338 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


paper  is  better;  the  yellowish,  smooth  India 
paper  is  the  best  of  all.  Silks  intended  for  dress 
should  not  be  kept  long  in  the  house  before  they 
are  made  up,  as  lying  in  the  folds  will  have  a 
tendency  to  impair  its  durability  by  causing  it  to 
cut  or  split,  particularly  if  the  silk  has  been 
thickened  by  gum.  Thread  lace  vails  are  very 
easily  cut.  But  dresses  of  velvet  should  not  be 
laid  by  with  any  weight  above  them ;  if  the  nap 
of  thin  velvet  is  laid  down,  it  is  not  possible  to 
raise  it  up  again. 

Hard  silk  should  never  be  wrinkled,  because 
the  thread  is  easily  broken  in  the  crease,  and  it 
never  can  be  rectified.  The  way  to  take  the 
wrinkles  out  of  silk  scarfs  and  handkerchiefs  is 
to  moisten  the  surface  evenly  with  a  sponge  and 
some  weak  glue,  and  then  pin  the  silk  with  some 
toilet  pins  on  a  mattress  or  feather  bed,  taking 
pains  to  draw  out  the  silk  as  tight  as  possible. 
When  dry,  the  wrinkles  will  have  disappeared. 
The  reason  of  this  is  obvious  to  every  person. 
Some  silk  articles  should  be  moistened  with  weak 
glue  or  gum-water,  and  the  wrinkles  ironed  out 
by  a  hot  flat  iron  on  the  wrong  side. 

SILK  {Black),  To  Choose.— Vihen  a  woman 
is  about  to  choose  black  .silk,  it  is  well  to  pull  a 
thread  out  of  the  "tram",  or  filling.  She  must 
try  the  strength  of  the  thread.  If  it  breaks  easi- 
ly, the  examination  has  gone  far  enomgh ;  it  is 
wisdom  to  look  further.  We  will  suppose  the 
thread  has  been  tried  and  indicates  some  back- 
bone ;  then  it  is  necessary,  if  the  woman  is  right 
brave,  and  dares  to  do  such  a  thing  with  a  hand- 
some pair  of  clerk's  eyes  bearing  down  upon  her 
like  a  privateer  upon  a  poor  little  merchantman, 
to  seize  the  silk  by  the  corner  and  rub  it  just  as 
the  washerwoman  would  do  when  she  intends  to 
remove  a  stain.  If  this  awful  ordeal  can  be  per- 
formed to  perfection — remember  some  muscle 
must  be  brought  into  play — the  silk  is  honest  and 
legitimate.  If  it  is  heavy  with  dye,  if  held  up 
to  the  light,  slight  traces  of  disaster  may  be  dis- 
cerned. 

SILK  {Black),  To  "Do  w;)".— Boil  an  old 
kid  glove  (cut  into  small  shreds)  in  a  pint  of  wa- 


ter till  the  water  is  reduced  to  half  a  pint ;  then 
sponge  your  silk  with  it;  fold  it  down  tight,  and 
ten  minutes  after  iron  it  on  the  wrong  side  while 
wet.  The  silk  will  retain  its  softness  and  lustre, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  have  the  "body"  of  new 
silk. 

WORKING  SUIT  for  Fartneis.—Tzrmtrs 
and  mechanics  need  some  kind  of  a  substantial 
working  dressy-one  that  is  cheaply  made  and 
easily  put  on  and  comfortably  worn.  It  is  very 
expensive  working"  in  a  good  suit  of  clothes  and 
exposing  them  to  the  various  kinds  of  labor  in- 
cident to  farm  life.  Put  on  a  pair  of  new  pants 
and  get  into  an  apple  tree  to  trim  or  graft  it,  or  go 
to  repairing  fences,  and  you  will  be  sure  to  make 
a  rent  in  them  before  they  are  a  day  old.  Such 
a  thing  rarely  happens  to  an  old  pair.  We  in- 
vented a  dress  several  years  since  which  we  have 
used  and  recommended  to  others  much  to  their 
satisfaction.  It  is  a  sleeve  vest  closed  in  front, 
and  trowsers  in  one  piece,  with  only  one  fasten- 
ing with  a  strap  behind  the  neck.  The  sleeve 
may  be  made  sufficiently  large  enough  to  wear 
over  a  coat.  The  material  should  be  of  blue 
drilling. 

Thus  at  a  trifling  expense  a  man  can  be  readily 
fitted  to  grapple  with  any  kind  of  work  without 
a  constant  fear  of  tearing  or  soiling  his  clothes, 
while  the  cost  is  not  one  tenth  part  of  a  suit  of 
ordinary  clothing.  It  will  often  be  found  con- 
venient to  wear  in  hot  weather  without  any  other 
clothing  than  a  shirt.  Any  clever  house-keeper 
who  can  make  a  pair  of  summer  p^nts,  can  make 
one  of  these  most  useful  articles.  The  only  diffi- 
culty usually  is  not  buying  cloth  enough  to  have 
them  made  sufficiently  large.  The  suit  should 
be  large  enough  to  wear  over  other  garments, 
if  necessary,  and  when  the  day's  work  is  done  it 
may  be  removed,  others  substituted,  and  the  far- 
mer is  in  complete  trim  to  sit  down  of  an  evening 
dressed  in  clean  clothes  and  ready  to  engage  in 
conversation,  reading,  or  any  other  amusement 
suited  to  a  rational  and  intelligent  mind.  The 
cost  of  such  a  suit  is  trifling,  and  is  more  than 
made  up  by  what  it  saves  of  other  clothes. 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


ANNOTTO  Z»K£'.  —  Cut  the  annotto  into 
small  pieces,  and  boil  it  in  a  copper,  with  an 
equal  weight  of  good  pearlash,  then  dilute  with 
water  to  a  proper  color.  Process  of  Dyeing. — Im- 
merse the  articles,  previously  rinsed  in  clean  wa- 
ter, in  the  dye,  and  give  them  a  good  boil ;  then 
drain  them  out  and  rinse  them  well  in  clean 
water. 

Annotto  is  chiefly  used  for  silks,  to  which  it 
imparts  a  fine  orange  yellow  color,  the  shade  of 
which  may  be  modified,  by  using  different  pro- 
portions of  pearlash,  and  also  by  giving  the 
stuff  different  mordants  before  puttmg  it  into  the 
dye-bath. 

BLANKETS,  To  Clean.  — Tut  two  large 
tablespoonfuls  of  borax  and  a  pint  bowl  of  soft 
soap  into  a  tub  of  cold  water.  When  dissolved, 
put  in  a  pair  of  blankets,  and  let  them  remain 


over  night.  Next  day  rub  and  drain  them  out, 
and  rinse  thoroughly  in  two  waters,  and  hang 
them  oui  to  dry.     Do  not  wring  them. 

BLACK  DYE. — i.  Logwood  and  cider,  with 
a  little  water,  boiled  together  in  iron,  make  a 
good  black  dye. 

2.  To  one  pound  of  extract  of  logwood  allow 
an  ounce  of  blue  vitriol.  Dissolve  the  logwood 
in  an  iron  vessel  containing  five  gallons  of  water, 
and  let  it  boil.  Add  to  the  logwood  a  table- 
spoonful  of  pulverized  copperas.  Pulverize  the 
vitriol  and  dissolve  it  in  a  separate  vessel,  con- 
taining the  same  quantity  of  water ;  let  this  also 
boil.  Scald  the  material  first  in  the  vitriol  water, 
and  then  put  it  in  the  logwood ;  let  it  remain  two 
hours  scalding  in  the  logwood.  It  should  be 
frequently  stirred.  This  is  a  good  and  con- 
venient dye  for  silks  and  muslins.     They  can  be 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING, 


339 


set  by  washing  in  a  strong  lather  of  home-made 
soap,  and  afterward  dipped  in  salt  and  water. 
Ink-powder  boiled  with  vinegar  will  dye  black. 
Copperas  is  the  best  thing  to  set  black. 

3.  Allow  a  pound  of  logwood  to  each  pouwd  of 
goods  that  arc  to  be  dyed.  Soak  it  over  night 
in  soft  water,  then  boil  it  an  hour,  and  strain  the 
water  in  which  it  is  boiled.  For  each  pound  of 
logwood,  dissolve  an  ounce  of  blue  vitriol  in 
lukewarm  water  sufficient  to  wet  the  goods.  Dip 
the  goods  in — when  saturated  with  it,  turn  the 
whole  into  the  logwood  dye.  If  the  goods  are 
cotton,  set  the  vessel  on  the  fire,  and  let  the 
goods  boil  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  stirring  them 
constantly  to  prevent  their  spotting.  Silk  and 
woolen  goods  should  not  be  boiled  in  the  dye- 
stuff,  but  it  should  be  kept  at  a  scalding  heat  for 
twenty  minutes.  Drain  the  goods  without  wring- 
ing, and  hang  them  in  a  dry,  shady  place,  where 
they  will  have  the  air.  When  dry,  set  the  color 
by  putting  them  into  scalding  hot  water  that  has 
salt  in  it,  in  the  proportion  of  a  teacupful  to 
three  gallons  of  the  water.  Let  the  goods  remain 
in  till  cold ;  then  hang  them  where  they  will  dry 
(they  should  not  be  wrung).  Boiling  hot  suds 
is  the  best  thing  to  set  the  color  of  black  silk — 
let  it  remain  in  till  cold.  Soaking  black  dyed 
goods  in  sour  milk,  is  also  good  to  set  the  color. 

BLACK  DYE  for  Cotton.— Y  or  5  lbs.  goods 
— sumac,  wood  and  bark  together,  3  lbs.;  boil 
%  hour,  and  let  the  goods  steep  12  hours ;  then 
dip  in  lime  water  ^  hour ;  then  take  out  the 
goods  and  let  them  drip  an  hour ;  now  add  to 
the  sumac  liquor,  copperas  8  oz.,  and  dip  an- 
other hour ;  then  run  them  through  the  tub  of 
lime  water  again  for  15  minutes;  now  make  a 
new  dye  with  logsvoocl,  2]/^  lbs.,  by  boiling  i 
hour,  and  dip  again  3  hours  ;  now  add  bi-chro- 
mate  of  potash,  2  oz.,  to  the  logwood  dye,  and 
dip  I  hour.  Wash  in  clear  cold  water  and  dry 
in  the  shade.  You  may  say  this  is  doing  too 
much.  You  cannot  get  a  permanent  black  on 
cotton  with  less  labor. 

BLACK  DYE  for  Wool—l.  For  10  lbs.  of 
wool,  bi-chromate  of  potash,  4  oz,;  ground  argal, 
3  oz.;  boil  together,  and  put  in  the  wool;  stir 
well,  and  let  it  remain  in  the  dye  4  hours.  Then 
take  out  the  wool,  rinse  it  slightly  in  clear  wa- 
ter ;  then  make  a  new  dye,  into  which  put  log- 
wood, 3^  lbs.  Boil  I  hour,  and  add  chamber- 
lye,  I  pt. ,  and  let  the  wool  lie  in  all  night.  Wash 
in  clear  water. 

2.  For  5  lbs.  of  goods — ^blue  vitriol,  6  oz.;  boil 
it  a  few  minutes,  then  dip  the  goods  %  of  an 
hour,  airing  often ;  take  out  the  goods,  and  make 
a  dye  with  logwood,  3  lbs.;  boil  ^  hour;  dip  3^ 
of  an  hour  and  air  the  goods,  and  dip  ^  of  an 
hour  more.     Wash  in  strong  suds. 

This  will  not  impart  any  of  its  color  in  fulling, 
nor  fade  bv  exposure  to  the  sun. 

BLACK  DYE  for  Straw  and  Chip  Bonnets. 
— Chip  hats  being  composed  of  the  shavings  of 
wood,  are  stained  black  in  various  ways.  First, 
by  being  boiled  in  strong  logwood  liquor  3  or  4 
hours ;  they  must  be  often  taken  out  to  cool  in 
the  air,  and  now  and  then  a  small  quantity  of 
green  copperas  must  be  added  to  the  liquor,  and 
this  continued  for  several  hours.  The  saucepan 
or  kettle  that  they  are  dyed  in  may  remain  with 
the  bonnets  in  it  all  night;  the  next  morning  they 
must  be  taken  out  and  dried  in  the  air,  and 
brushed  with  a  soft  brush.  Lastly,  a  sponge  is 
dipped  in  oil,  and  squeezed  almost  to  dryness; 


with  this  the  bonnets  are  rubbed  all  over,  both 
inside  and  out,  and  then  sent  to  the  blockers  to 
be  blocked.  Others  boil  them  in  logwood;  and 
instead  of  green  copperas,  use  steel  filings 
steeped  in  vinegar ;  after  which  they  are  finished 
as  above. 

BLUE  DY£. — Dip  in  a  strong  solution  of 
sulphate  of  indigo,  or  chemical  blue ;  set  with 
alum.  The  best  way  is  to  boil  the  articles  in 
strong  alum  water  before  dipping  them.  To 
color  wool  blue,  boil  it  in  a  decoction  of  logwood, 
and  sulphate  or  acetate  of  copper. 

BLUE  DYE  for  Wool  (Quick  Process).  — 
For  2  lbs.  of  goods — alum  5  oz.;  cream  of  tar- 
tar, 3  oz.;  boil  the  goods  in  this  for  I  hour;  then 
throw  the  goods  into  warm  water,  which  has 
more  or  less  of  the  extract  of  indigo  in  it,  ac- 
cording to  the  depth  of  color  desired,  and  boil 
again  until  it  suits,  adding  more  of  the  blue  if 
needed.     It  is  quick  and  permanent. 

BLUE  DYE,  ANILINE.— To  100  pounds 
of  fabric  dissolve  i%  pounds  of  aniline  blue  in  3 
quarts  of  hot  alcohol ;  strain  through  a  filter,  and 
add  it  to  a  bath  of  130°  Fah.;  also  10  pounds  of 
Glauber's  salts,  and  5  pounds  of  acetic  acid.  En- 
ter the  goods,  and  handle  them  well  for  twenty 
minutes ;  then  heat  it  slowly  to  200°  Fah.;  then 
add  5  pounds  of  sulphuric  acid  diluted  with  wa- 
ter. Let  the  whole  boil  twenty  minutes  longer, 
then  rinse  and  dry.  If  the  aniline  be  added  in 
two  or  three  proportions  during  the  process  of 
coloring,  it  will  facilitate  the  evenness  of  the 
color.  The  blue,  or  red  shade  of  blue,  is  govern- 
ed by  the  kind  of  aniline  used,  as  there  is  a  varie- 
ty in  the  market.  Hard  and  close  wove  fabrics, 
such  as  braid,  ought  to  be  prepared  in  a  boiling 
solution  of  10  pounds  of  sulphuric  acid  and  2 
pounds  of  tartaric  acid  before  coloring  with  the 
aniline,  as  this  will  make  the  fabric  more  sus- 
ceptible to  the  color.  Blues  soluble  in  water 
color  more  easily  than  those  which  have  to  be 
dissolved  in  alcohol. 

BLUE,  CHROME.  — 100  pounds  of  wool 
are  boiled  for  i  hour  in  a  solution  of  3  pounds  of 
bichromate  of  potash,  6  pounds  of  alum,  i  pound 
of  half-refined  tartar  :  then  it  is  taken  out,  cool- 
ed, and  rinsed.  Boil  6  pounds  of  good  logwood 
in  a  bag  for  half  jin  hour  in  fresh  water,  add  3 
pounds  of  cudbear,  well  moistened  and  dissolved. 
Cool  the  dye  to  180°  Fah.  Enter  the  prepared 
wool,  and  handle  it  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour; 
bring  it  to  a  boil  in  this  time.  This  color  ought 
to  be  always  left  a  shade  lighter  when  finished, 
as  all  chrome  colors  darken  in  drying. 

BLUE  DYE,  DARK  {Suitable  for  Thibets 
and  Eastings). — Boil  loo  pounds  of  the  fabric 
for  one  hour  and  a  half  in  a  solution  of  25  pounds 
of  alum,  4  pounds  of  tartar,  6  pounds  of  mor- 
dant, 6  pounds  of  common  extract  of  indigo; 
cool  them  as  usual.  Boil  in  fresh  water  from  8 
to  10  pounds  of  logwood,  in  a  bag  or  otherwise, 
then  cool  the  dye  to  1 70°Fah.  Reel  the  fabric 
quickly  at  first,'  then  let  it  boil  strongly  for  one 
hour.  This  is  a  very  good  imitation  of  indigo 
blue.  Chemic  can  be  used  in  the  preparation ; 
but  should  the  shade  require  more  of  the  indigo 
while  finishing  in  the  log\vood,  extract  of  indigo 
ought  to  be  used. 

The  old  English  way  of  coloring  a  l)lue  black 
on  lastings,  is  l)y  lioiling  100  pounds  of  the  fabric 
for  one  and  a  half  hours  i:i  a  solution  of  10 
pounds  of  alum,  I  pound  of  copperas,  and  I 
pound  of  blue  vitriol ;   take  the  goods  out,  cool 


340 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


them,  and  boil  them  for  one  hour  in  a  dye  con- 
taining lo  pounds  of  logwood.  This  color  would 
not  look  well  on  soft  goods,  such  as  thibets,  as 
in  fact  it  is  only  a  dark  slate,  but  it  looks  better 
on  lastings,  on  account  of  its  gloss. 

N.  B. — To  all  these  colors  the  logwood  can  be 
boiled  in  large  quantities,  say  a  barrelful  in  a 
hogshead  of  water  at  a  time,  2  pounds  of  log- 
wood being  reckoned  to  a  pail  of  liquid.  This 
will  save  boiling  the  chips  in  a  bag.  Five  pails 
will  be  equal  to  10  pounds  of  chips.  It  has  this 
advantage,  too:  more  can  be  easily  added  if  the 
shade  require  darkening.  Extract  of  logwood 
should  never  be  used  for  blues,  as  it  will  produce 
dull  colors  on  account  of  its  being  disoxidized  by 
time. 

BLUE  DYE,  DARK  {Topped  -with  Log- 
wood).— Give  it  a  dip  first  in  the  blue  vat,  then 
rinse ;  then  boil  the  wool  for  one  hour  in  a  kettle 
containing  lo  pounds  of  alum,  2  pounds  of  half- 
refined  tartar,  and  Ij!^  pounds  of  blue  vitriol; 
after  which  take  it  out,  cool,  and  make  fresh  wa- 
ter. Add  from  5  to  10  pounds  of  logwood,  ac- 
cording 'o  the  shade  required,  and  the  quality  of 
the  logwood ;  let  it  boil  in  a  bag  or  otherwise, 
cool  the  kettle  to  170°  Fah.,  enter  the  wool  and 
handle  slowly;  in  one  hour  it  can  be  cooled, 
rinsed,  and  switched  for  drying.  This  does  not 
require  any  alkali  in  shading  the  wool,  as  the 
soap  will  do  this  in  fulling.  If  cloth  be  colored 
this  blue,  some  pearlash  or  urine  may  be  used 
to  accomplish  it ;  but  then  the  kettle  ought  to  be 
cooled  to  136°  Fah.  The  goods  require  good 
tcouring,  otherwise  they  will  crock. 

BLUE  DYE,  DARK  {For  Broadcloth  in  the 
Wool). — This  is  colored  in  a  healthy  woad  vat ; 
the  first  dip  is  handled  well  and  slow  for  one 
hour  in  the  net,  then  taken  out,  aired,  and  the 
%  vat  stirred  again ;  in  two  hours  it  can  be  dipped 
again  for  half  an  hour,  and  so  often  taken  through 
until  it  has  acquired  the  right  shade.  The  vat 
ought  to  be  strong  enough  in  indigo  to  color  it 
dark  enough  in  three  dips.  About  lo  pounds  of 
good  indigo  is  reckoned  to  100  pounds  of  wool ; 
clear  indigo  blue  does  not  require  anything  more, 
but  if  taken  through  a  warm  bath  containing  two 

})Ounds  of  blue  vitriol,  the  color  stands  better  in 
iilling,  and  is  faster ;  after  which  it  is  rinsed, 
switched,  and  dried.  The  dark  blue  generally 
found  in  the  market  is  topped  with  15  pounds  of 
camwood  or  20  pounds  of  red  sanders ;  the  latter 
are  boiled  on  the  colored  wool,  as  the  indigo 
required  for  such  dark  colors  would  make  it  very 
expensive. 

BLUE  DYE,  INDIGO,  for  cloth  {PART 
LOG  WOOD).— 100  pounds  of  cloth.  Color  the 
cloth  first  by  one  or  more  dips  in  the  vat  of  in- 
digo blue,  and  rinse  it  well ;  then  boil  it  in  a 
solution  of  20  pounds  of  alum,  2  pounds  of  half- 
refined  tartar,  and  5  pounds  of  mordant  for  two 
hours ;  then  take  it  out  and  cool.  In  fresh  water 
boil  10  pounds  of  good  logwood  for  half  an  hour 
in  a  bag  or  otherwise ;  cool  off  the  kettle  to  1 70° 
Fah.  before  entering ;  handle  well  over  a  reel ; 
let  it  boil  for  half  an  hour,  then  take  it  out,  cool, 
and  rinse.  This  is  a  very  fine  blue,  but  not  90 
permanent  for  wear. 

BLUE  DYE,  INDIGO  {For  Hosiery).— 
100  pounds  of  wool  are  colored  with  4  pounds  of 
Guatemala  or  3  pounds  of  Bengal  indigo,  in  the 
woad  or  soda  vat ;  then  boil  in  a  kettle  a  few 
minutes  5  pounds  of  cudbear  or  8  pounds  of 
orchil  paste;  add  one  pound  of  soda,  or,  better, 


one  pail  of  urine;  then  cool  the  dye  to  abou' 
170°  Fah.,  and  enter  the  wool.  Handle  well  for 
about  twenty  minutes;  take  it  out,  and  cool, 
rinse,  and  dry.  It  is  all  the  same  if  the  cudbear 
be  put  in  before  or  after  the  indigo.  Three 
ounces  of  aniline  purple  dissolved  in  one  half 
pint  of  alcohol  can  be  used  instead  of  the  cudbear. 
It  produces  a  very  pretty  shade,  but  it  ought 
never  to  be  used  for  mixed  goods,  which  have  to 
be  bleached,  as  it  runs  into  the  white ;  also  the 
cudbear  disappears  in  the  sulphur. 

BLUE,  LIQUID.  —  i.  Take  i  ounce  of  soft 
Prussian  blue,  powder  it  and  put  in  a  bottle  with 
I  quart  of  clear  rain  water,  and  add  a  quarter 
ounce  of  oxalic  acid.  A  teaspoonful  is  sufficient 
for  a  large  washing. 

2.  Take  half  a  pound  of  best  double  oil  of 
vitriol,  mix  one  ounce  of  Spanish  indigo,  pounded 
very  fine,  and  scrape  in  a  little  chalk ;  have  an 
iron  pot  half  full  of  sand,  set  this  on  the  fire; 
when  the  sand  is  hot,  put  the  bottle  in,  and  let 
the  vitriol,  etc.,  boil  gently  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  take  the  whole  off  the  fire,  and  let  it  stand 
for  twenty-four  hours,  and  then  bottle  it  for  use. 

3.  Put  into  a  small  matrass  or  common  vial  I 
oz.  of  pure  Prussian  blue  reduced  to  powder, 
and  pour  over  it  from  I Y^  oz.  to  2  oz.  of  concen- 
trated muriatic  acid.  The  mixture  produces  an 
effervescence  and  the  prussiate  soon  assumes  the 
consistence  of  thin  paste.  Leave  it  in  this  state 
for  24  hours,  then  dilute  it  with  8  or  9  oz.  of 
water,  and  preserve  the  color  thus  diluted  in  a 
bottle  well  stopped. 

The  intensity  of  this  color  may  be  lessened,  if 
necessary,  by  new  doses  of  water.  If  the  whole 
of  this  mixture  be  poured  into  I  quart  of  water, 
it  will  still  exhibit  a  color  sufficiently  dark  for 
washing  prints. 

BLUE  DYE,  LOGWOOD.— lo  100  pounds 
of  cloth  or  wool  dissolve  15  pounds  of  alum,  2 
pounds  of  half-refined  tartar,  and  3  pounds  of  blue 
vitriol;  enter  the  fabric,  and  let  it  boil  for  one 
hour ;  take  it  out,  cool  as  usual.  Then  boil  in 
fresh  water  for  twenty  minutes  10  pounds  of 
good  logwood  in  a  bag  or  otherwise,  cool  the  dye 
to  170°  Fah.,  and  enter  the  fabric.  Handle  it 
well  for  half  an  hour,  during  which  time  raise 
the  heat  nearly  to  boiling,  then  take  it  out  and 
cool ;  cool  the  dye  to  136''  Fah. ;  add  5  pounds  of 
pearlash,  or  Ij  pails  of  urine.  Enter  the  goods 
again,  and  handle  for  half  an  hour,  when  they 
will  be  a  fine  blue.  Soda  ought  never  to  be  used, 
as  it  makes  a  dull  color.  Rinse  and  dry.  This 
color  is  suitable  for  blue-mixed  hosiery. 

BLUE,  PRUSSIAN.— FrussiMe  of  potash 
was  formerly  only  used  on  cotton,  with  a  pre- 
paration of  iron  first ;  and,  about  the  year  1828, 
was  first  used  on  woolens,  and,  of  course,  no 
one  then  thought  that  they  could  be  colored 
without  giving  the  fabric  a  preparation  of  iron, 
before  entering  into  the  prussiate  of  potash  solu- 
tion. Every  dyer  had  nis  preference  to  one  or 
the  other  solutions  of  iron;  they  were  nitro-muri- 
ate  of  iron,  acetate,  and  tartrate  of  iron.  Some 
used  iron  oxide  (burnt  copperas)  dissolved  in 
sulphuric  acid,  etc. ;  but  later,  the  yellow  prus- 
siate was  only  used  until  the  introduction  of  the 
red  prussiate  of  potash.  The  latter  has  the  pre- 
ference, as  it  can  be  added,  for  darkening  the 
shade,  while  in  the  process  of  coloring,  which  is 
not  the  case  with  the  yellow  prussiate  of  potash ; 
but  this  would  rot  the  cloth,  as  this  color  requires 
a  large  quantity  of  acid.    To  100  pounds  ot  wool 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


34» 


or  flannel  dissolve  8  pounds  of  red  prussiate  of 
potash,  2  pounds  of  tartaric  acid,  2  pounds  of 
oxalic  acid,  5  pounds  sulphuric  acid.  Handle  the 
fabrics  in  this  for  half  an  hour  at  120°  Fah.;  then 
reel  the  goods  out,  and  heat  to  about  165°  Fah.; 
add  5  pounds  of  sulphuric  acid,  and  1%  pounds 
of  tin  crystals ;  stir  all  well ;  enter  the  goods,  and 
handle  for  half  an  hour  longer ;  then  heat  it  to 
208^  Fah.,  when  it  will  be  a  good  blue.  The 
shade  can  be  varied  to  any  extent  by  the  addition 
of  logwood  liquor  and  a  few  pounds  of  scarlet 
spirit;  but  the  liquid  ought  to  be  cooled  first,  and 
the  goods  handled  quickly  to  secure  evenness 
while  in  the  logwood.  This  color  ought  never 
to  boil,  especially  when  coloring  with  steam,  as 
more  than  boiling  heat  (212*)  destroys  the  color 
and  makes  it  lighter ;  but  letting  the  fabrics  lay 
a  few  hours  exposed  to  the  oxygen  before  rins- 
ing is  an  improvement  to  the  color.  This  color 
must  be  well  washed  or  else  it  will  smut  This 
blue  will  be  brighter  if  aniline  purple  be  used  for 
darkening,  instead  of  logwood ;  but  this  ought  to 
be  done  after  the  goods  have  been  washed,  and 
in  fresh  water.  If  a  mordant  of  10  pounds  nitric 
acid,  36*  B.,  10  pounds  muriatic  acid,  22*"  B.,  10 
pounds  sulphuric  acid,  66"  B.,  diluted  with  wa- 
ter, and  I  pound  feathered  tin  added,  be  used, 
instead  of  sulphuric  acid,  the  color  will  be  fast. 

BLUE  DYE,  PRUSSIAN  {For  Cotton).  — 
I.  Clean  the  cloth  or  goods  by  steeping  in  soap- 
suds, then  rinse  in  several  different  messes  of 
clean  water,  and  lay  aside  moist. 

2.  Into  a  clean  iron,  stoneware,  or  wooden 
vessel  put  the  amount  of  clean  warm  water 
deemed  necessary  to  work  the  cloth  or  goods  in 
easily,  and  add  the  solution  of  pernitrate  of  iron, 
and  mix  well  by  stirring  with  a  wooden  rod ; 
after  which  put  in  the  still  moist  cloth  or  goods, 
and  work  them  forty-five  minutes  or  longer,  and 
let  them  lie  in  till  the  next  bath  is  ready. 

3.  Into  another  clean  stoneware,  iron  or  wood- 
en vessel  put  the  amount  of  clean  warm  water 
deemed  necessary  to  work  the  goods  in  easily, 
and  add  the  prussiate  of  potash  (pre\'iously  dis- 
solved in  a  little  hot  water  in  a  basin  or  kettle), 
and  also  the  oil  of  vitriol,  and  mix  well  by  stir- 
ring with  a  clean,  wooden  rod ;  then  wring  out 
the  goods  evenly  from  the  pernitrate  of  iron 
bath,  and  work  them  in  this  prussiate  of  potash 
bath  twenty  minutes ;  after  which  wring  out  and 
work  again  a  few  minutes  in  the  pernitrate  of 
iron  bath ;  then  wring  out,  rinse  in  several  dif- 
ferent messes  of  clean  water,  and  dry  in  the 
shade. 

If  the  color  of  the  goods  should  not  be  dark 
enough  after  one  round  of  dippings,  repeat  in  the 
order  above  described,  till  the  shade  suits.  The 
■whole  of  the  goods  need  not  be  dried  after  each 
round  of  dippings  for  the  purpose  of  examining 
the  color.  Dry  one  end  of  the  goods,  or  a  small 
piece.  A  handsomer  shade  of  blue  can  be  ob- 
tained, if  the  expense  can  be  afforded,  by  adding 
to  the  pernitrate  of  iron  bath  two  ounces  by 
weight  of  solution  of  protochloride  of  tin  for  each 
pound  of  goods  to  be  dyed.  Strong  ^^negar  can 
be  used  in  the  prussiate  of  potash  bath  in  place 
of  oil  of  vitriol,  but  the  blue  color  will  not  be  so 
handsome.      If  vinegar  is  used,  three  or  four 

Eints  should  be  added  to  the  prussiate  of  potash 
ath  for  each  pound  of  goods,  and  a  portion  of 
the  water  equal  to  the  vinegar  should  be  omitted. 
A  single  pound  of  cotton  goods  requires  about 
four  gallons  of  water  in  each  bath  to  work  it  in 


easily.     Larger  quantities  of  these  goods  do  not 
need  quite  so  much  water  in  proportion. 

The  utensils  used  with  this  dye  should  be 
cleaned  first  with  potash  lye,  then  with  water, 
afterwards  with  hot  vinegar,  and  lastly  with  clean 
water. 

The  use  of  brass  or  copper  vessels  in  this  dye 
is  to  be  avoided. 

BLUE,  PURPLE. — A  curious  purple  was 
very  fashionable  about  twenty-five  years  ago. 
100  pounds  of  wool  were  first  dipped  a  light  blue 
in  the  vat,  and  well  rinsed.  Then  take  a  stone 
pot,  put  in  3  pounds  of  half-refined  tartar,  3 
pounds  of  feathered  tin,  5  pounds  of  blue  vitriol, 
and  20  pounds  of  muriatic  acid;  heat  all  in  a  sand 
bath  until  dissolved. 

From  this  mordant  take  ID  pounds  in  a  suit- 
able kettle ;  add  5  pounds  half-refined  tartar  to 
it,  stir  it  well,  and  enter  the  wool  at  170*  Fah. ; 
let  it  boil  for  one  hour ;  take  it  out,  cool,  and  let 
it  lay  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then  boil  out  20 
pounds  of  good  logwood  for  three  quarters  of  an 
hour  in  fresh  water;  cool  off  the  kettle  to  150" 
Fah.,  enter  the  wool,  and  handle  it  well  for  half 
an  hour,  then  heat  it  up  to  185*'  Fah.,  but  let  it 
not  boil ;  let  it  go  for  one  hour  more,  when  it 
will  be  a  dark  purple.  This  color  stands  the  sun 
remarkably  well,  perhaps  owing  to  the  fact  that 
there  is  not  any  alum  or  sulphuric  acid  used,  ex- 
cept that  contamed  in  the  blue  vitriol. 

BLUE,  PURP LE {Fast Color).— \oa  pounds 
of  wool  are  first  dipped  in  the  blue  vat  to  a  light 
shade,  then  boiled  in  a  solution  of  15  pounds  of 
alum  and  3  pounds  of  half-refined  tartar,  for  one 
hour  and  a  half ;  the  wool  taken  out,  cooled,  and 
let  stand  twenty-four  hours.  Then  boil  in  fresh 
water  8  pounds  of  powdered  cochineal  for  a  few 
minutes ;  cool  the  kettle  to  1 70"  Fah. ;  handle 
the  prepared  wool  in  this  for  one  hour,  in  which 
time  let  it  boil  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour, 
when  it  is  ready  to  cool,  rinse,  and  dry.  By 
coloring  first  with  cochineal,  as  aforesaid,  and 
finishing  in  the  blue  vat,  the  fast  purple  or  dahlia, 
so  much  admired  in  German  broadcloths,  will  be 
produced.  Tin  acids  must  not  be  used  in  this 
color. 

BLUE,  SAXON—  100  pounds  of  thibet  or 
comb  yarn,  20  pounds  of  alum,  3  pounds  of 
cream  of  tartar,  2  pounds  of  mordant,  3  pounds 
of  extract  of  indigo,  or  I  pound  of  carmine  in- 
stead ;  the  latter  makes  a  better  color.  When 
all  is  dissolved,  cool  the  kettle  to  180°  Fah. ; 
enter  and  handle  quickly  at  first,  then  let  it  boil 
half  an  hour,  or  until  even.  If  the  fabric  be  not 
scoured  clean,  it  will  look  shady ;  and  about  5 
pounds  of  common  salt  added  will  remedy  this. 
Remember,  long  boiling  dims  the  color.  Zephyr 
worsted  yam  ought  to  be  prepared  first  by  boil- 
ing it  in  a  solution  of  alum  and  sulphuric  acid, 
then  the  indigo  added  afterwards.  For  common 
coarse  carpet  yarn,  it  is  only  necessary  to  handle 
it  through  a  hot  dye  of  175"  Fah.,  containing  15 
pounds  of  alum,  10  pounds  of  sulphuric  acid,  4 
pounds  of  chemic  paste,  to  100  pounds  of  yarn, 
or  through  its  equivalent  of  extract  of  indigo.  If 
chemic  be  used,  the  dye  ought  not  to  come  to  a 
boil,  otherwise  the  impurities  of  the  indigo  will 
color  the  yarn  and  dull  its  brilliancy.  Rinse  well 
in  water  before  drying.  The  tin  acid  fastens  the 
color  somewhat.  It  will  not  fade  so  easily,  nor 
run  into  the  white,  if  wove  into  flannels,  which 
have  to  be  scoured  in  soap,  and  bleached.  Tlie 
color  changes  in  the  sulphur  house  into  a  stone 


342 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


green  shade,  but  the  original  color  comes  back 
again  when  the  fabric  is  rinsed  again  in  water. 

BLUE  {^SK\)  DYE  for  Cotton.— Yox  3  lbs. 
goods — blue  vitriol  4  oz.;  boil  a  few  minutes; 
then  dip  the  goods  3  hours,  after  which  pass 
them  through  strong  lime  water.  You  can  make 
this  color  a  beautiful  brow^n  by  putting  the  goods 
through  a  solution  of  prussiate  of  potash. 

BLEACHING.— TV^  operation  by  which  the 
natural  colors  of  substances  are  discharged,  and 
they  become  white  or  colorless.  Bleaching  may 
be  performed  either  by  natural  means,  as  expos- 
ure to  light,  air,  and  moisture,  or  by  chemical 
agents,  as  chlorine,  chloride  of  lime,  sulphurous 
acid,  etc.  In  many  of  the  processes  adopted  for 
this  purjxjse,  both  methods  are  combined. 

BLEACHING  COTTON— Coiion,  from  its 
original  whiteness,  and  little  attraction  for  color- 
ing matter,  is  more  easily  bleached  than  most 
other  substances.  On  the  old  plan,  it  is  first  well 
•washed  in  warm  water  to  remove  the  weaver's 
paste  or  dressing,  then  "bucked"  (boiled)  in  a 
•weak  alkaline  lye,  and  after  being  well  washed 
is  spread  out  upon  the  grass,  or  bleaching  ground, 
and  freely  exposed  to  the  joint  action  of  light,  air, 
and  moisture.  The  operation  of  "bucking"  and 
exposure  is  repeated  as  often  as  necessary,  when 
the  goods  are  "soured"  or  immersed  in  water 
acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid,  after  which  they 
receive  a  thorough  washing  in  dean  water,  and 
are  dried.  From  the  length  of  the  exposure  upon 
the  bleaching  ground,  this  method  has  been  found 
to  injure  the  texture  of  the  cloth,  and  from  the 
number  of  operations  required,  necessarily  be- 
comes expensive,  and  produces  considerable  de- 
lay ;  it  has  therefore  very  generally  given  place  to 
the  improved  system  of  chemical  bleaching,  by 
means  of  chloride  of  lime.  In  this  method,  after 
the  first  operation  of  washing  and  bucking,  as  in 
the  common  process,  the  cotton  is  submitted  to 
the  action  of  weak  solutions  of  chloride  of  lime, 
and  afterwards  passed  through  soured  water, 
•U'hen  it  has  only  to  be  thoroughly  washed  and 
dried. 

BLEA  CHING  LINEN— Untn  is  bleached 
in  a  similar  way  to  cotton,  but  the  operation  is 
more  troublesome,  from  its  greater  affinity  for 
coloring  matter. 

BLEACHING  WOOL.— Wool  is  first  ex- 
posed to  the  joint  action  of  fuller's  earth  and  soap, 
in  the  fulling  mill,  to  remove  adherent  grease 
and  dirt,  and  is  then  well  washed  and  dried,  when 
it  is  usually  found  sufficiently  white  for  the  pur- 
poses of  the  dyer ;  but  should  the  slight  yellow 
tint  it  retains  prove  objectionable,  it  is  run  through 
•water  tinged  blue  with  indigo,  or  it  is  exposed 
to  the  fumes  of  burning  sulphur;  the  latter 
method  gives  it  a  harsh  feel,  which  is  best  re- 
moved by  a  bath  of  soap  and  water,  but  this  will 
reproduce  its  previous  yellowishness. 

BLEACHING  SIL/^.— Silk  is  bleached  by 
boiling  it  in  white  soap  and  water,  to  remove  the 
natural  yellow  varnish  that  covers  it,  after  which 
it  is  subjected  to  repeated  rinsings.  Articles  that 
are  required  to  be  very  white,  as  gloves,  stock- 
ings, etc.,  are  also  submitted  to  the  action  of  sul- 
phurous acid,  or  the  fumes  of  burning  sulphur. 

BLC/E  and  PURPLE  DYE  for  Sto<king 
Yam. — For  5  lbs.  of  wool,  bichromate  of  potash 
I  oz.;  alum  2  oz.;  dissolve  them  and  bring  the 
water  to  a  boil,  putting  in  the  wool  and  boiling  i 
hour;  then  throw  away  the  dye  and  make  an- 
other dye  with  logwood  chips  I  lb.,  or  extract  of 


logwood  2^  oz.,  and  boil  i  hour.  This  also 
works  very  prettily  on  silk. 

Whenever  you  make  a  dye  with  logwood  chips, 
either  boil  the  chips  y^  hour  and  pour  off  the  dye, 
or  tie  up  the  chips  in  a  bag  and  boil  with  the 
wool  or  other  goods,  or  take  2^  oz.  of  the  extract 
in  place  of  I  lb.  of  the  chips  is  less  trouble  and 
generally  the  better  plan.  In  the  above  recipe 
the  more  logwood  that  is  used  the  darker  will  be 
the  shade. 

BORAX,  Virtues  of. — It  may  not  be  generally 
known  how  very  valuable  borax  is  in  various 

Eurposes  of  household  use.  We  find  it  the  very 
est  cockroach  exterminator  yet  discovered. 
One  half  pound  costing  but  fifty  cents,  has  com- 
pletely cleared  a  large  house  formerly  swarming 
with  them,  so  that  the  aptpearance  of  one  in  a 
month  is  quite  a  novelty.  The  various  extermi- 
nating powders  puffed  and  advertised  have  been 
found  not  fully  effective,  tending  rather  to  make 
the  roaches  crazy  than  to  kill  them.  There  is 
something  peculiar,  either  in  the  smell  or  touch 
of  borax,  which  is  certain  death  to  them.  They 
will  flee  in  terror  from  it,  and  never  appear  again 
where  it  has  once  been  placed.  It  is  also  a  great 
advantage  that  borax  is  perfectly  harmless  to 
human  beings,  hence  no  danger  from  poisoning. 
It  is  also  valuable  for  laundry  purposes. 

The  washerwomen  of  Holland  and  Belgium, 
so  proverbially  clean,  and  who  get  their  linen  so 
beautifully  white,  use  refined  borax  as  washing- 

i)owder,  instead  of  soda,  in  the  proportion  of  a 
arge  handful  of  borax  powder  to  ten  gallons  of 
water.  They  save  soap  nearly  one-half.  All  the 
large  washing  establishments  adopt  the  same 
mode.  For  laces,  cambrics,  etc.,  an  extra  quantity 
of  the  powder  is  used ;  and  for  crinolines  (re- 
quiring to  be  made  stiff)  a  stronger  solution  is 
necessary.  Borax,  being  a  neutral  salt,  does  not 
in  the  slightest  degree  injure  the  texture  of  linen. 
Its  effect  is  to  soften  the  hardest  water,  and 
therefore  it  should  be  kept  on  the  toilet  tables 
As  a  way  of  cleansing  the  hair,  nothing  is  better 
than  a  solution  of  borax  in  water.  It  leaves  the 
scalp  in  a  most  cleanly  condition,  and  the  hair  is 
just  sufficiently  stiffened  to  retain  its  place.  This 
stiffness,  however,  can  be  readily  removed,  if 
objectionable,  by  washing  with  water.  Borax  is 
also  an  excellent  dentifrice ;  dissolved  in  water, 
it  is  one  of  the  best  tooth-washes.  In  hot  coun- 
tries it  is  used,  in  combination  with  tartaric  acid 
and  bicarbonate  of  soda,  as  a  cooling  beverage. 

BROADCLOTH,  To  Remove  Stains  from.— 
Take  an  ounce  of  pipe-clay,  that  has  been  ground 
fine,  and  nnx  it  with  twelve  drops  of  alcohol,  and 
the  same  quantity  of  spirits  of  turpentine.  When- 
ever you  wish  to  remove  any  stains  from  cloth, 
moisten  a  little  of  this  mixture  with  alcohol,  and 
rub  it  on  the  spots.  Let  it  remain  till  dry,  then 
rub  it  off  with  a  woolen  cloth,  and  the  spots  will 
disappear. 

BROWN  ZJKf.— The  different  shades  of  thfe 
dye  vary  from  pale  yellow  and  reddish  brown,  up 
to  very  dark  brown,  almost  black,  every  shade  of 
which,  however,  may  be  produced  as  the  taste  of 
the  workman  may  dictate,  by  mixtures  of  reds 
and  yellows  with  blues  and  bhcks,  or  by  simple 
dyes,  which  at  once  impart  a  brown, — as  catechu, 
walnut  rinds,  or  oxide  of  manganese. 

BROWN  DYE  for  Wool.-i.  Boil  the  cloth 
in  a  mordant  of  alum  and  common  salt  dissolv- 
ed in  water,  then  dye  it  in  a  bath  of  logw  ood,  to 
which  a  little  green  copperas  has  been  added. 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


343 


The  proportion  of  alum  should  be  2  oz,,  and  of 
salt,  I  oz.,  to  every  pound  of  cloth. 

2.  Boil  the  goods  in  a  mordant  of  alum  and 
sulphate  of  iron,  then  wince  them  through  a  bath 
of  madder.  Remarks.  The  tint  depends  on  the 
relative  proportions  of  the  alum  and  copperas  ; 
the  more  of  the  latter,  the  darker  will  be  tlie  dye. 
The  joint  weight  of  the  two  should  not  exceed  ^ 
of  the  weight  of  the  wool.  The  best  proportions 
are  2  parts  of  alum  and  3  of  copperas. 

3.  Give  the  wool  a  mordant  of  alum  and  tartar, 
then  pass  it  through  a  madder  bath,  which  will 
dye  it  red.  It  must  now  be  run  through  a  black 
bath  of  galls  and  sumach,  or  logwood,  to  which 
a  little  acetate  or  sulphate  of  iron  has  been 
added. 

4.  Proceed  to  mordant  the  cloth  as  last,  and 
dye  in  a  madder  bath,  then  remove  it  and  add  a 
little  acetate  or  sulphate  of  iron,  and  again  pass 
it  through  the  bath,  until  the  required  tint  is  pro- 
duc«d. 

5.  Give  the  cloth  a  light  blue  ground  with  in- 
digo, then  give  it  a  mordant  with  alum,  wash  in 
water,  and  run  it  through  a  bath  of  madder. 

6.  Give  the  cloth  a  mordant  of  alum  and  tartar, 
then  pass  it  through  a  madder  bath,  and  after- 
wards through  a  bath  of  weld  or  fustic,  to  which 
a  little  iron  liquor  has  been  previously  added. 
In  this  way  every  shade  from  mordore  and  cin- 
namon to  dark  chestnut  may  be  dyed. 

7.  Boil  I  lb.  of  fustic  chips  for  2  hours,  and 
pass  the  cloth  through  the  bath  for  i  hour,  take 
It  out  and  drain,  then  add  l  %  oz.  of  green  cop- 
peras, and  ^  lb.  of  good  madder,  and  pass  the 
cloth  again  through  the  bath,  until  the  proper 
tint  is  produced.  This  makes  bronze  browns, 
but  by  varying  the  proportion  of  the  mordant, 
other  shades  may  be  produced. 

BROWN  DYE,  for  Silk.—i.  Give  the  silk 
?.  mordant  as  before  described,  then  dye  in  a  bath 
made  by  mixing  the  equal  parts  of  decoction  of 
logwood,  fustic,  and  Brazil  wood.  The  shade 
may  be  varied  by  mixing  the  decoctions  in  dif- 
ferent proportions.  Brazil  wood  reddening,  log- 
wood darkening,  and  fustic  yellowing,  the 
tint. 

2.  Dissolve  4  oz.  of  annotto  and  i  lb.  of  pearl- 
ash  in  boiling  water,  and  pass  the  silk  through  it 
for  2  hours,  then  take  it  out,  squeeze  it  well  and 
dry ;  next  give  it  a  mordant  of  alum,  and  pass  it 
first  through  a  bath  of  Brazil  wood,  and  after- 
wards through  a  bath  of  logwood,  to  which  a 
little  green  copperas  has  been  added;  wring  it 
out  and  dry ;  afterwards  rinse  well. 

BROWN  DYE,  for  Cotton  and  Linen.— \. 
Give  the  pieces  a  mixed  mordant  of  acetate  of 
alumina  and  acetate  of  iron,  and  then  dye  them 
in  a  bath  of  madder,  or  madder  and  fustic.  When 
the  acetate  of  alumina  predominates,  the  dye  has 
an  amaranth  tint.     The  iron  darkens  it. 

2.  First  gall  the  goods,  then  turn  them  for  a 
short  time  through  a  black  bath,  next  give  them  a 
mordant  of  sulphate  of  copper,  and  pass  them 
through  a  decoction  of  fustic,  afterwards  through 
a  bath  of  madder,  and  again  through  the  solution 
of  sulphate  of  copper;  drain,  dry,  and  rinse  well, 
then  finish  with  a  boil  in  soap  and  water.  This 
gives  a  chestnut  brown. 

3.  First  give  a  mordant  of  alum,  then  pass  the 
goods  through  a  madder  bath,  and  next  through  a 
bath  of  fustic,  to  which  a  little  green  copperas 
has  been  added.     This  gives  a  cinnamon  brown. 

BROWN  DYES,  DIRECT.— Bxo\tTi%  m2.y 


be  also  dyed  at  once,  by  what  are  called  substan- 
tive or  direct  dyes  ;  thus — 

1.  Decoction  of  oak  bark  dyes  wool  a  fast 
brown  of  various  shades,  according  to  the  quan- 
tity employed.  If  the  cloth  be  first  passed 
through  a  mordant  of  alum,  the  color  is  bright- 
ened. 

2.  Infusion  or  decoction  of  walnut  feels  dyes 
wool  and  silk  a  brown,  which,  like  the  preceding, 
is  brightened  by  alum.  The  older  tlie  liquor  the 
better. 

3.  Horse-chestnut  feels  also  give  a  brown.  A 
mordant  of  muriate  of  tin  turns  it  on  the  bronze, 
and  sugar  of  lead  the  reddish  brown. 

4.  Catechu,  or  terra  japonica,  gives  cotton  a 
brown  dye ;  blue  vitriol  turns  it  on  the  bronze, 
green  copperas  darkens  it,  when  applied  as  a 
mordant,  and  the  stuff  dyed  in  the  bath  boiling 
hot.  Acetate  of  alumina  as  a  mordant  brightens 
it.  The  French  color,  called  "carmelite,"  is 
given  with  i  lb.  of  catechu,  4  oz.  of  verdigris, 
and  5  oz.  of  sal  ammoniac 

5.  Sulphate  or  muriate  of  manganese,  dissolved 
in  water  with  a  little  tartaric  acid,  gives  the 
bronze  tint  called  "solitaire."  The  stuff  after 
being  passed  through  the  solution,  must  be  turn- 
ed through  a  weak  lye  of  potash,  and  afterwards 
through  another  of  chloride  of  lime,  to  brighten 
and  fix  it. 

6.  Prussiate  of  copper  gives  a  bronze  or  yel- 
lowish-brown to  silk.  The  piece  well  mordanted 
with  blue  vitriol,  may  be  passed  tlirough  a  solu- 
tion oi  prussiate  of  potash. 

BROWN  DYE,  CHEAP.— The:  following 
is  a  good  dye  for  coloring  brown,  composed  of 
materials  easily  procurable  in  the  woods  :  Take 
the  bark  of  the  common  alder,  boil  it  an  hour ; 
having  sufficient  water  to  cover  the  goods  ;  add  a 
very  little  copperas;  dip  in  the  articles  to  be 
colored ;  let  them  remain  about  ten  minutes ; 
wring  them  out,  and  then  dip  them  into  a  very 
weak  lye — previously  prepared — wring  them  out 
immediately,  and  wash  them  in  soap  and  soft 
water. 

BUFF  DYE,  on  Cotton.— Take  as  much  hot 
fustic  liquor  and  water,  as  will  half  fill  a  tub, 
enter  three  pieces,  give  them  five  ends,  hedge 
out,  take  another  tub  of  cold  lime  water,  enter 
the  same  pieces,  and  give  them  five  ends  in  this, 
take  out,  and  in  a  short  time  they  will  be  buff. 
Renew  your  first  and  second  tub,  and  proceed  as 
at  first.     This  is  all  required  for  buff. 

CALICOES,  To  ^aj/5.— Black  calicoes  should 
be  washed  in  water  in  which  potatoes  have  been 
boiled,  or  starch  water  made  by  having  two  or 
three  potatoes  scraped  in  it ;  or  pour  boiling  wa- 
ter on  wheat  bran,  strain  it,  and  when  lukewarm 
wash  them  in  it,  using  no  soap.  Before  wetting 
any  calico,  rub  soap  on  the  crease  spots — hard 
soap,  or  soft  soap  a  year  old.  Alum  is  good  to 
set  the  color  of  green ;  salt  put  in  the  rins- 
ing water  of  blue,  black  or  green  calico,  will 
prevent  the  colors  running  into  each  other. 
Some  washerwomen  infuse  eight  gills  of  salt  in 
four  quarts  of  boiling  water,  and  put  the  calicoes 
in  while  hot,  leaving  them  until  cold,  which  pro- 
cess is  to  render  the  colors  ))ermanent,  so  they 
will  not  fade  by  subsequent  washing.  Cotton 
goods  (except  pure  white)  should  never  remain 
in  water  a  moment  longer  than  necessary,  and 
should  be  dried  in  the  shade. 

CARPET  WARP,  Coloring  for. —  'E\tx&ct 
of  hemlock  bark  is  the  substance  required.   Wet 


.144 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


the  warp  thoroughly  with  lime  water,  then  boil 
in  a  strong  liquor  made  by  dissolving  extract  of 
hemlock  bark  in  water.  Use  a  brass,  copper, 
or  porcelain  kettle  (not  iron  or  tin);  this  gives  a 
tan  color.  For  a  black  color  use  strong  copperas 
water  in  place  of  lime  water.  Iron  or  tin  vessels 
will  answer  when  copperas  is  used.  A  slate 
color  can  be  made  by  using  a  small  quantity  of 
the  copperas  water  and  extract  liquor  to  a  large 
quantity  of  the  warp.  A  brown  color  can  be 
made  by  using  only  a  small  portion  of  copperas 
witii  the  extract.  The  shades  of  color  can  be 
changed  By  varying  the  amount  and  proportion 
of  the  coloring  materials.  A  little  care  will 
enable  any  one  to  make  desirable  colors  with 
these  materials,  and  to  modify  the  colors  by  using 
other  substances  with  them.  The  extract  of 
hemlock  bark  is  very  extensively  used  by  tanners 
for  making  leather,  and  is  made  at  large  establish- 
ments for  the  purpose  located  in  or  near  the  hem- 
lock  forests 

CHINTZ,  To  fTflj-?.— Take  2  lbs.  of  rice, 
boil  it  in  2  galls,  of  water  till  soft ;  then  pour  the 
whole  into  a  tub;  let  it  stand  till  about  the 
warmth  in  general  used  for  colored  linens ;  then 
put  the  chintz  in,  and  use  the  rice  instead  of 
soap ;  wash  it  in  this  till  the  dirt  appears  to  be 
out,  then  boil  the  same  quantity  as  above,  but 
strain  the  rice  from  the  water,  and  mix  it  in 
warm  clear  water.  Wash  in  this  till  quite  clean; 
afterwards  rinse  it  in  the  water  which  the  rice 
has  been  boiled  in,  and  this  will  answer  the  end 
of  starch,  and  no  dew  will  affect  it.  If  a  gown 
it  must  be  taken  to  pieces,  and  when  dried  be 
careful  to  hang  it  as  smooth  as  possible ;  after  it 
is  dry  rub  it  with  a  sleek  stone,  but  use  no  iron. 

CHROME  ORAN-GE  DYE,  for  White  Cot- 
ton Goods.  —  I.  Clean  the  cloth  or  goods  by 
steeping  in  soap-suds,  then  rinse  in  several  dif- 
ferent messes  of  clean  water,  and  lay  aside  moist. 

2.  Put  the  litharge  and  acetate  of  lead  into  a 
brass  or  copper  kettle,  with  only  one  fourth  part 
of  the  water  that  will  afterwards  be  required  to 
dye  the  cloth  or  goods  in,  and  boil  together 
thirty  minutes  or  longer,  stirring  often  with  a 
wooden  rod;  then  add  hot  water  till  the  amount 
is  reached  that  is  needed  to  work  the  cloth  or 
goods  in  easily,  and  stir  till  thoroughly  mixed, 
after  which  put  in  the  still  moist  cloth  or  goods, 
and  let  them  remain  at  a  blood-heat  thirty  min- 
utes or  longer,  stirring  often. 

3.  Put  the  bichromate  of  potash  and  sal  soda 
into  a  brass,  copper,  or  iron  kettle,  with  only 
one-fourth  part  of  the  water  that  will  afterwards 
be  needed  to  dye  the  cloth  or  goods  in,  and  boil 
together  at  a  full  wallop  thirty  minutes  or  longer; 
then  add  hot  water  till  the  amount  is  reached 
that  is  required  to  work  the  goods  in  easily,  after 
which  wring  out  the  goods  evenly  from  the 
acetate  of  lead  bath,  and  work  them  m  this  chro- 
mate  of  potash  and  soda  bath,  at  a  blood-heat, 
from  fifteen  to  thirty  minutes,  or  until  the  goods 
take  on  an  even  and  full  orange  color ;  then  re- 
move from  the  bath,  rinse  in  several  different 
messes  of  clean  water,  and  dry,  in  the  shade  or 
in  sunshine. 

If  the  color  on  the  goods  is  not  even,  or  not 
dark  enough,  after  they  have  been  steeped  once 
in  each  bath,  repeat  the  steepings  or  workings  in 
both  baths  in  the  order  above  described.  In 
fcvery  repetition  of  these  steepings,  should  any 
repetition  be  necessary,  a  little  fresh  sal  soda 
should  be  procured  and  added  to  the  chromate  of 


potash  and  soda  bath,  and  the  whole  should 
be  well  boiled  before  introducing  the  cloth  or 
goods. 

A  single  pound  of  cotton  cloth  or  goods  re- 
quires about  four  gallons  of  water  in  each  kettle 
or  bath  to  work  it  in  easily  when  dyeing.  Larger 
quantities  of  these  goods  do  not  need  quite  so 
much  water  in  proportion. 

Kettles  or  utensils  that  have  been  used  with 
this  dye  may  be  cleaned,  first  with  water,  then 
with  warm  or  hot  potash-lye,  and  lastly  with 
clean  water. 

DYE-STUFFS  needed  for  one  pound  of 
Goods. — Two  ounces  of  litharge  in  a  paper  by  it- 
self,  S. :  Litharge  for  clirome  orange.  One  and 
a  half  ounces  of  acetate  of  lead  in  a  paper  by  it- 
self, S. :  Acetate  of  lead  for  chrome  orange  One 
and  a  half  ounces  of  sal  soda  in  a  prper  by  itself, 
S. :  Sal  soda  for  chrome  orange.  One  and  a 
quarter  ounces  of  bichromate  of  potash  in  a  pa- 
per by  itself,  S. :  Bichromate  of  potash  for 
chrome  orange.  All  of  these  articles  should  be 
very  accurately  weighed.  As  customers  rarely 
or  never  possess  scales  and  weights  with  which 
they  can  accurately  divide  parcels  of  dye-stuffs, 
nor  kettles  in  which  they  can  dye  more  than 
three  pounds  of  goods  at  one  timewith  this  color, 
it  will  be  best  to  put  up  these  dye-stuffs  in  sets 
for  three  pounds  of  goods,  or  less.  For  instance, 
should  a  customer  wish  chrome  orange  dyes  for 
five  pounds  of  goods,  it  would  be  advisable  to 
put  up  one  set  of  dyes  for  three  pounds  of  goods, 
and  another  set  for  two  pounds.  Each  set,  in 
such  a  case,  should  be  put  in  a  wrapper  by  itself, 
and  labeled,  respectively,  "Chrome  orange  dyes 
for  three  pounds  ofgoods,"  and  "Chrome  orange 
dyes  for  two  pounds  of  goods." 

To  save  time,  the  litharge  and  acetate  of  lead 
c^n  sometimes  be  both  put  into  one  package, 
with  the  name  of  each  article  written  upon  it ; 
but  the  bichromate  of  potash  and  .sal  soda  must 
each  be  put  into  a  paper  by  itself.  Bichromate 
of  potash  and  sal  soda  react  upon  one  another 
when  mixed  if  either  salt  is  damp,  and  produce 
a  deliquescent  salt  that  soon  destroys  the  paper 
wrapper. 

CINNAMON  BROWN  AND  COFFEE 
BROWN  DYES,  for  Cotton.  — \.  Clean  the 
cloth  or  goods  by  steeping  in  soap-suds,  then 
rinse  in  several  different  messes  of  clean  water, 
and  lay  aside  moist.  The  preliminary  washing 
just  described  will  be  sufficient  for  old  or  worn 
goods;  but  new  cloth  or  yarn,  or  carpet- warp, 
which  almost  always  contain  more  or  less  oil 
from  the  spinning,  must  be  cleaned  in  a  bath 
made  by  dissolving  a  half  ounce  of  hard  soap  and 
a  half  ounce  of  sal  soda  in  each  gallon  of  water 
needed  for  the  steeping  or  washing.  After  the 
goods  have  been  thus  cleaned,  they  are  to  be 
well  rinsed  in  clean  water,  and  laid  aside  moist. 
2.  Steep  the  catechu  and  blue  vitriol,  from  one 
to  two  hours,  in  a  brass  or  copper  kettle,  with 
the  amount  of  clean  water  deemed  necessary  to 
work  the  cloth  or  goods  in  easily,  stirring  often 
with  a  wooderi  rod;  then  put  in  the  still  moist 
cloth  or  goods,  and  steep  at  a  scalding  heat  from 
five  to  ten  hours,  or  until  the  goods  take  on  an 
even,  cinnamon  brown  color.  The  goods  are  to 
be  stirred  frequently  during  this  steeping,  and 
hot  water  is  to  be  added  to  the  kettle  from  time 
to  time,  to  compensate  for  loss  by  steam.  After 
the  goods  have  taken  on  a  cinnamon  brown  color, 
remove  them  from  the  baih,  rinse   in   sever^ 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


34S 

perly  done,  it  only  remains  to  thoroughly  rinse 
the  article  in  dean  water  until  the  latter  passes 
off  uncolored,  when  it  must  be  hung  up  to  dry. 
For  dark-colored  cloths  the  common  practice  is 
to  add  some  fuller's  earth  to  the  mixture  of  soap 
and  gall.  When  nearly  dry,  the  nap  should  be 
laid  right,  and  the  article  carefully  pressed,  after 
which  a  brush,  moistened  with  a  drop  or  two  of 
olive  oil,  should  be  several  times  passed  over  it, 
which  will  give  it  a  superior  finish.  Cloth  may 
also  be  cleaned  in  the  dry  way  as  follows : — 
First,  remove  the  spots  as  above,  and,  when  the 
parts  have  dried,  strew  clean  damp  sand  over  it, 
and  beat  it  in  with  a  brush,  after  which  brush  the 
article  with  a  hard  brush,  when  the  sand  will 
readily  come  out,  and  bring  the  dirt  with  it. 
Black  cloth  which  is  very  rusty,  should  receive  a 
coat  of  reviver  after  drying,  and  be  hung  up  until 
the  next  day,  when  it  may  be  pressed  and  finish- 
ed off  as  before.  Scarlet  cloth  requires  consider- 
able caution.  After  being  thoroughly  rinsed,  it 
should  be  repeatedly  passed  through  cold  spring 
water,  to  which  a  tablespoonful  or  two  of  solu- 
tion of  tin  has  been  added.  If  much  faded,  it 
should  be  dipped  in  a  scarlet  dye-bath.  Buff 
cloth  is  generally  cleaned  by  covering  it  with  a 
paste  made  with  pipe-clay  and  water,  which, 
when  dry,  is  rubbed  and  brushed  off. 

CLOTH,  To  Raise  the  NAPon.—  So3.vi  in 
cold  water  for  ^  an  hour,  then  put  on  a  board, 
and  rub  the  thread-bare  parts  with  a  half-worn 
hatter's  card,  filled  with  flocks,  or  with  a  prickly 
thistle,  until  a  nap  is  raised.  Hang  up  to  dry, 
and  with  a  hard  brush  lay  the  nap  tne  .right 
way. 

CLOTHS,  Fuller's  Purifier  for.— Tiry.  pul- 
verize, and  sift  the  following  ingredients : 

Six  lbs.  of  fuller's  earth,  i  lb.  of  pipe  clay,  and 
4  oz.  of  French  chalk. 

Make  a  paste  of  the  above  with  the  following : 
One  oz.  of  rectified  oil  of  turpentine,  2  oz.  of 
spirit  of  wine,  and  Ij^  lbs.  of  melted  oil  soap. 

Make  up  the  compound  into  six-penny  or  shil- 
ling cakes  for  sale.  These  cakes  are  to  be  kept 
in  water,  or  in  small  wooden  boxes. 

CLOTHES  {Blaek),  To  clean.  —  Clean  the 
garments  well,  then  boil  four  ounces  of  logwood 
in  a  boiler  or  copper  containing  two  or  three  gal- 
lons of  water,  for  half  an  hour.  Dip  the  clothes 
in  warm  water,  and  squeeze  dry;  then  put  them 
into  the  copper  and  boil  for  half  an  hour.  Take 
them  out,  and  add  three  drachms  of  sulphate  of 
iron ;  boil  for  half  an  hour,  then  take  them  out, 
and  hang  them  up  for  an  hour  or  two ;  take  them 
down,  rinse  them  in  three  cold  waters,  dry  well 
and  rub  with  a  soft  brush  which  has  had  a  few 
drops  of  olive  oil  rubbed  on  its  surface.  If  the 
clothes  are  threadbare  about  the  elbows,  cuffs, 
etc.,  raise  the  nap  with  a  teazel  or  half  worn  hat- 
ter's card,  filled  with  flocks,  and  when  sufficiently 
raised,  lay  the  nap  the  right  way  with  a  hard  brush. 
We  have  seen  our  old  coats  come  out  with  a 
wonderful  dash  of  respectability  after  this  oper- 
ation. 

CLOTHS  (Black),  To  Revive  when  Faded.— 
Boil  three  ounces  of  logwood  in  a  quart  of  vinegar, 
and  when  the  color  is  extracted,  drop  in  a  piece 
of  carbonate  iron  the  size  of  a  large  chestnut ; 
let  it  boil  five  minutes.  Have  the  articles  to 
be  restored  well  sponged  with  soap  and  hot  wa- 
ter, lying  them  on  the  table,  and  brush  the  nap 
down  with  a  sponge.  Then  take  the  dye  upon 
the  table  and  sponge  them  all  over  with  it,  tak- 


different  messes  of  clean  water,  and  lay  aside 
moist. 

3.  Dissolve  the  bichromate  of  potash,  by  heat, 
in  a  brass,  copper,  or  iron  kettle,  with  the 
amount  of  clean  water  deemed  necessary  to  work 
the  cloth  or  goods  in  easily ;  then  put  in  the  still 
moist  cloth  or  goods,  and  steep  at  a  scalding  heat 
one  hour  or  longer,  or  until  the  goods  take  on  a 
coffee  brown  color ;  after  which  remove  from  the 
bath,  rinse  in  several  different  messes  of  clean 
water,  and  dry  in  the  shade. 

If  the  color  on  the  goods  should  not  be  dark 
enough,  after  they  have  been  steeped  once  in 
each  bath,  repeat  the  steepings  in  both  baths,  in 
the  order  above  directed,  till  the  shade  suits ; 
then  rinse  in  several  different  messes  of  clean 
water,  and  dry  in  the  shade. 

If  the  goods  should  not  take  on  any  color  after 
steeped  from  one  to  two  hours  in  the  catechu 
bath,  it  may  be  concluded  that  they  still  contain 
grease  or  oil.  In  such  a  case  the  goods  must  be 
lifted  from  the  bath,  drained  well,  rinsed  in  clean 
water,  and  then  steeped  in  a  fresh  bath  of  soap 
and  sal  soda ;  after  which  they  are  to  be  rinsed 
ii\  clean  water,  and  then  returned  to  the  catechu 
bath,  and  steeped  again. 

W^hen  ouly  a  cinnamon  brown  color  is  desired, 
the  steeping  in  the  bichromate  of  potash  bath 
may  be  omitted,  and  the  goods  may  be  rinsed 
and  dried  from  the  catechu  bath.  If  a  coffee 
brown  color  is  desired,  druggists  must  be  re- 
quested to  put  up  the  appropriate  quantity  of 
bichromate  of  potash,  as  without  this  request,  in 
each  case,  druggists  do  not  put  up  that  article. 

A  single  pound  of  cotton  goods  requires  about 
four  gallons  of  water  in  each  bath  to  work  it  in 
easily,  when  dyeing ;  larger  quantities  of  these 
goods  do  not  need  quite  so  much  water  in  pro- 
portion. 

Dye  Stuffs  needed  for  one  Pound  of  Goods. — 
Two  ounces  of  dark-colored  catechu  (or  cutch)  in 
a  paper  by  itself,  S.  Catechu  for  brown  on  cot- 
ton. One-fourth  ounce  of  blue  vitriol  in  a  paper 
by  itself,  S.  Blue  vitriol  for  broivn  on  cotton. 
When  a  coffee  brown  dye  is  desired,  put  up, 
in  a  paper  by  itself,  a  half  ounce  of  bichromate 
of  potash,  S.  Bichromate  of  potash  for  brown  on 
cotton.  For  three  pounds  of^  goods,  coffee  brown 
shade,  put  up  only  one  ounce  of  bichromate  of 
potash,  and  for  all  quantities  of  goods  above 
three  pounds,  put  up  only  a  third  of  an  ounce  of 
that  salt  for  each  pound.  Time  can  be  saved 
when  dyeing  these  browns  by  making  the  cat- 
echu bath  stronger  than  here  directed,  and  if  cus- 
tomers wish  to  shorten  the  processes,  put  up 
three  or  even  four  ounces  of  dark  catechu  for 
each  pound  of  goods.  One-eighth  of  an  ounce 
of  blue  vitriol  must  be  put  up  for  each  ounce  of 
catechu  that  is  taken. 

CLOTH,  Cleaning  and  Scouring  of.  —  The 
common  method  of  cleaning  cloth  is  by  beating 
and  brushing,  unless  when  very  dirty,  when  it 
undergoes  the  operation  of  scouring.  This  is 
best  done  on  the  small  scale,  as  for  articles  of 
wearing  apparel,  etc.,  by  dissolving  a  little  curd 
soap  in  water,  and,  after  mixing  it  with  a  little 
oxgall,  to  touch  over  all  the  spots  of  grease,  dirt, 
tXc,  with  it,  and  to  rub  them  well  with  a  stiff 
brush  until  they  are  removed,  after  which  the 
article  may  be  well  rubbed  all  over  with  a  brush 
or  sponge  dioped  into  some  warm  water,  to 
which  the  previous  mixture  and  a  little  more  ox- 
gall has  been  added.     When  this  has  been  pro- 


346 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


ing  care  to  keep  them  smooth,  and  brush  down- 
ward. 

When  completely  wet  with  the  dye,  dissolve  a 
teaspoonful  of  saleratus  in  a  teacup  of  warm  wa- 
ter, and  sponge  over  again  with  this,  which  sets 
the  color  so  completely  that  nothing  rubs  off. 
They  must  not  be  wrung  or  wrinkled  but  care- 
fully hung  up  to  drain.  The  brownest  cloth 
may  be  made  a  perfect  black  in  this  simple  man- 
ner. So  many  people  have  faded  garments  that 
this  recipe  may  be  of  service  in  restoring  them 
to  a  lively  color, 

CLOTHS,  A  Liquid  to  Extract  Grease  from. 
—Take  one  peck  of  lime ;  add  thereto  as  much 
water  as  will  dissolve  the  lime  and  leave  about 
two  gallons  of  clear  water  after  it  has  been  well 
stirred  and  settled.  Let  it  stand  about  two  hours, 
and  then  pour  off  the  clear  liquid  into  another 
vessel.  Now  add  to  it  three  ounces  of  pearlash 
for  every  gallon  of  the  liquid,  stir  it  well,  and, 
when  settled,  bottle  it  for  use.  This  liquor  is  to 
be  diluted  with  water,  to  suit  the  strength  or 
delicacy  of  the  color  of  the  cloth.  It  is  applied 
with  a  piece  of  coarse  sponge,  rubbing  out  the 
grease,  and  applying  clear  water  afterwards. 

COUNTERPANES  (  White)  and  CALICO 
QUILTS,  To  ;r«jA.— Wash  them  in  the  same 
way  as  blankets,  only  with  hard  soap,  and  rinse 
them  in  cold  water.  If  convenient,  it  is  the  best 
way  to  take  them  to  a  pump,  and  pump  upon 
them  and  pour  off  the  water  again  and  again,  till 
it  is  clear ;  then  wring  them  and  hang  them  on 
the  line.  In  this  way  one  wringing  is  saved, 
which  is  well,  for  it  is  some  of  the  hardest  work 
that  is  done.  The  heaviest  kind  of  counterpanes, 
especially  if  they  are  large,  should  be  rinsed  at  a 
pump,  and  taken  in  the  tub  to  the  clothes-line, 
and  put  upon  it  without  wringing. 

CO  A  T,  To  Clean.  —  First  clean  the  coat  of 
grease  and  dirt,  then  take  one  gallon  of  a  strong 
decoction  of  logwood  made  by  boiling  logwood 
chips  in  water.  Strain  this  liquid,  and  when 
cool,  add  two  ounces  of  gum  Arabic  in  powder, 
which  should  be  kept  in  well-stopped  bottles  for 
use.  Then  go  gently  over  the  coat  with  a  sponge 
wet  in  the  above  liquid  diluted  to  suit  the  color, 
and  hang  it  in  the  shade  to  dry.  After  which 
brush  the  nap  smooth,  and  it  will  look  as  good 
as  new.  The  liquid  will  suit  all  brown  or  dark 
colors  if  properly  diluted,  of  which  it  is  easy  to 
judge. 

CO  A  T  COLLARS,  To  Clean.— For  cleaning 
coat  collars  and  all  woolen  goods  I  recommend 
the  Soap-tree  Bark,  which  can  be  procured  at  the 
drug  stores.  Break  a  piece  about  two  incnes 
square,  into  small  bits,  and  pour  over  it  a  half 
pint  of  boiling  water ;  let  it  stand  an  hour  or  two, 
then  sponge  the  collar  well  with  the  liquor;  a 
second  sponging  with  clear  water  will  clean  it 
nicely.  Both  washing  and  rinsing  water  should 
be  as  warm  as  for  flannel.  We  have  by  using 
this  bark  washed  black  and  blue  Empress  cloths 
successfully  and  have  cleaned  hair  cloth  chairs, 
which  had  been  soiled  by  contact  with  the  head. 

CO  TTON,  To  Remove  Mildew  from.  —  For 
removing  mildew  from  cotton  cloth,  mix  soft 
soap  and  salt  till  stiff,  rub  on  the  mildewed 
places,  and  lay  in  the  hot  sun,  leaving  it  out 
night  and  day,  but  taking  great  care  the  cloth 
thoroughly  dries  during  the  day,  or  it  may  mil- 
dew in  other  places. 

CRAPE  {Black),  To  Remffve  Water  Stains 
from. — When  a  drop  of  water  Halls  on  a  black 


crape  veil  or  collar,  it  leaves  a  conspicuous  white 
mark.  To  obliterate  this,  spread  the  crape  on  a 
table  (laying  on  it  a  large  book  or  a  paper-weight 
to  keep  it  steady),  and  place  underneath  the  stain 
a  piece  of  old  black  silk.  With  a  large  camel's- 
hair  brush  dipped  in  common  ink,  go  over  the 
stain ;  and  then  wipe  off  the  ink  with  a  little  bit 
of  old  soft  silk.  It  will  dry  immediately,  and 
the  white  mark  will  be  seen  no  more. 

CRAPE,  To  Renr^o  when  C/^.— Wind  the 
crape  smoothly  about  a  round  stick  a  foot  long 
— the  end  of  a  broom  handle  will  do — and  pin  it. 
Have  ready  a  tea  kettle  with  water  in  it,  boiling. 
Pass  the  stick  with  the  crape  on  it  back  and  forth 
in  front  of  the  spout,  until  the  crape  is  thorough- 
ly steamed,  but  not  until  it  is  wet  with  moisture. 
Then  slip  it  off  the  stick,  leaving  it  in  the  roll 
until  fully  dry.  This  process  also  renews  the 
color.  If  the  crape  is  very  old  and  dingy,  the 
success  is  not  so  gratifying, 

CRIMSON  DYE.— One  ounce  cream  tartar, 
two  of  alum,  one  of  cochineal — two  drachms  sal- 
ammoniac,  four  of  pearlash  or  soda,  six  ounces 
wheat  bran.  Take  a  brass  kettle  with  four  gal- 
lons of  soft  water — when  scalded,  put  in  the 
cream-tartar  and  alum — let  it  boil — put  in  the 
cloth,  and  stir  occasionally  for  an  hour ;  take  out 
the  cloth,  rinse  in  cool  water,  and  air  it ;  empty 
the  kettle  and  put  in  as  much  water  as  before ; 
add  the  bran  tied  in  a  bag,  take  off  the  scum 
which  rises  while  it  heats ;  take  out  the  bag,  add 
the  cochineal,  boil,  put  in  the  cloth,  stir  for  an 
hour,  rinse  in  cold  water;  then  empty  the  water, 
put  in  as  much  of  clean  as  before,  warm,  add  the 
sal-ammoniac,  put  in  the  cloth,  stir  five  minutes, 
then  drain ;  now  add  the  pearlash  and  mix  it,  again 
put  in  the  cloth,  stir  for  ten  minutes,  take  out,  air, 
rinse — the  color  will  be  permanent  and  beautiful. 

CURTAINS,  To  Clean.  —  Never  iron  lace 
window  curtains,  and  be  careful  not  to  make  them 
blue  with  indigo.  Stretch  them  upon  a  mattress 
to  dry,  pinning  down  carefully  the  extreme  edge 
of  every  point  or  scallop. 

DRESSES,  MOURNING,  To  Restore  when 
Faded. — ^Take  two  pints  of  water,  and  boil  in  it 
the  following  ingredients  until  it  is  reduced  t» 
one  pint:  two  ounces  of  Aleppo  galls,  in  powder; 
two  ounces  of  logwood;  oneounce  of  gum  Arabic; 
then  add  one  ounce  of  sulphate  of  iron.  Let  it 
evaporate  to  a  powder.  Another  receipt. — Gall, 
eight  ounces;  logwood,  oneounce;  green  vitriol, 
one  ounce;  iron  filings,  one  ounce;  sumac,  one 
ounce ;  vinegar,  one  quart, 

DRESSES,  To  Prese7ve  the  Color  of. — The 
colors  of  merinos,  mousseline  de  laines,  ging- 
hams, chintzes,  printed  lawns,  etc.,  may  be  pre- 
served by  using  water  that  is  only  milk  warm ; 
making  a  lather  with  while  soap  before  you  put  in 
the  dress,  instead  of  rubbing  it  on  the  material ; 
and  stirring  into  a  first  and  second  tub  of  water 
a  large  tablespoonful  of  ox  gall.  The  gall  can  be 
obtained  from  the  butcher,  and  a  bottle  of  it 
should  always  be  kept  in  every  house.  No  col- 
ored articles  should  toe  allowed  to  remain  long  in 
the  water.  They  must  be  washed  fast,  and  then 
rinsed  through  two  cold  waters.  Into  each  rins- 
ing water,  stir  a  teaspoonful  of  vinegar,  \\  hich 
will  help  to  brighten  the  colors ;  and  after  rinsing, 
hang  them  out  immediately.  When  ironing-dry 
(or  still  a  little  damp),  bring  them  in ;  have  irons 
ready  heated,  and  iron  tliem  at  once,  as  it  in- 
jures the  colors  to  allow  them  to  remain  damp 
too  long,  or  to  sprinkle  and  roll  them  up  in  a 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


347 


covering  for  ironing  next  day.  If  they  cannot 
be  conveniently  ironed  immediately  let  them 
hang  till  they  are  quite  dry ;  and  then  damp  and 
fold  them  on  the  following  day,  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  before  ironing.  The  best  way  is  not  to  do 
colored  dresses  on  the  day  of  the  general  wash, 
but  to  give  them  a  morning  by  themselves.  They 
should  only  be  undertaken  in  clear  bright  weath- 
er. If  allowed  to  freeze,  the  colors  will  be  irre- 
parably injured.  We  need  scarcely  say  that  no 
colored  articles  should  ever  be  boiled  or  scalded. 
If  you  get  from  a  shop  a  slip  for  testing  the  du- 
rability of  colors,  give  it  a  fair  trial  by  washing 
it  as  aoove :  afterwards,  pinning  it  to  the  edge  of 
a  towel,  and  hanging  it  to  dry.  Some  colors, 
(especiallypinks  and  light  greens),  though  they 
may  stand  perfectly  well  in  washing,  will  change 
as  soon  as  a  warm  iron  is  applied  to  them ;  the 
pink  turning  purplish,  and  the  green  bluish. 
No  colored  article  should  be  smoothed  with  a 
hot  iron. 

DRAB  DYE,  DARK,  for  Woolen  Yarn.— 
Boil  one-eighth  of  a  pound  of  green  tea,  in  one 
quart  of  water.  When  the  strength  is  out,  add 
one-fourth  of  a  teaspoonful  of  copperas.  Place 
the  yarn  in  while  warm. 

DRAB  DYE,  SILVER  {Light).— Yot  $ 
lbs.  goods — alum,  I  small  teaspoon,  and  log- 
wood about  the  same  amount ;  boil  well  together, 
then  dip  the  goods.  I  hour;  if  not  dark  enough, 
add  in  equal  quantities  alum  and  logwood,  until 
suited. 

D  YEING. — ^The  art  of  fixing  coloring  matters 
uniformly  and  permanently  in  the  fibres  of  wool, 
silk,  linen,  cotton,  and  other  substances.  Dyeing 
is  a  chemical  process,  and  the  mode  of  its  per- 
formance depends  upon  the  substance  operated 
on.  Thus,  it  is  found  that  the  process  by  which 
wool  is  dyed  black,  would  only  impart  a  rusty 
brown  to  linen.  Wool  unites  with  almost  all 
coloring  matters  with  great  facility,  silk  in  the 
next  degree,  cotton  less  easily  than  silk,  and 
linen  with  even  more  difficulty.  Preparatory  to 
the  operation  of  dyeing,  each  of  these  substances 
undergoes  a  species  of  preparation  to  free  the 
fibres  from  adhering  foreign  matters,  as  dirt, 
grease,  etc.,  which  would  prevent  the  absorption 
of  the  aqueous  fluid  to  be  afterwards  applied,  as 
well  as  impair  the  brilliancy  of  the  edge.  Wool 
is  cleaned  or  scoured  by  means  of  a  weak  alkaline 
lye,  soap  and  water,  or  putrid  urine ;  the  latter 
being  very  generally  used  for  this  purpose.  Silk 
is  cleaned  from  the  natural  varnish  that  covers 
it,  by  boiling  with  white  soap  and  water.  Cotton 
and  linen  are  cleaned  with  alkaline  lyes  of  more 
or  less  density.  The  substances  so  prepared  are 
ready  to  undergo  the  various  operations  of  dye- 
ing. 

Among  the  various  coloring  materials  employ, 
ed  by  dyers,  some  impart  their  tints  to  different 
substances  by  simple  immersion  in  their  infusions 
or  decoctions,  and  have  hence  been  called  "sub- 
stantive colors"  ;  but  by  far  the  greater  number 
only  imipart  a  fugitive  dye,  unless  the  fibres  of 
the  stuff  have  been  previously  filled  with  some 
substance,  which  has  a  strong  affinity  for  the  lat- 
ter on  the  one  hand,  and  the  coloring  material 
on  the  other.  The  substances  appHed  with  this 
intention  are  called  "Mordants",  and  generally 
exercise  the  double  property  of  "fixing"  and 
"striking"  the  color.  Thus,  if  calico  be  dyed 
with  a  decoction  of  madder,  it  will  only  receive 
a  fugitive  and  dirty  red  tinge,  but  if  it  be  first 


run  through  a  solution  of  acetate  of  alumina, 
dried  at  a  high  temperature,  washed,  and  then 
run  through  a  madder  bath,  it  will  come  out  of 
a  permanent  and  lively  red.  The  principal 
mordants  are  the  acetates  of  iron  and  alumina, 
sulphate  of  iron,  alum,  and  some  other  chemical 
salts.  A  perfect  knowledge  of  the  behavior  of 
mordants,  with  different  coloring  substances,  is 
of  paramount  importance  to  the  dyer. 

After  having  received  the  proper  mordants, 
the  goods  are  dried  and  rinsed,  after  which  they 
are  passed  for  a  shorter  or  longer  time  through 
an  infusion,  decoction,  or  solution  of  dyeing  mate- 
rials, which  constitute  the  "dye-bath";  they  are 
again  dried  and  rinsed.  In  many  cases,  the  im- 
mersion in  the  dye-bath  is  repeated,  either  with 
the  same  materials  or  with  others  to  vary  or  mo- 
dify the  color.  After  the  substances  have  been 
properly  dyed,  they  are  subjected  to  a  thorough 
rinsing  or  washing  in  soft  water,  until  the  latter 
runs  off  uncolored. 

DYEING  with  Acids  in  Brass  Kettles.— The 
substance  of  the  vessel  in  which  articles  are  to 
be  dyed  is  of  considerable  importance,  especially 
where  acid  solutions  are  employed.  Brass  kettles 
are  most  generally  used  for  such  operations  ;  but 
scarlet,  as  well  as  some  other  dyes,  in  which 
acids  are  used,  can  not  well  be  introduced  into 
such  a  vessel.  Reimann's  Journal  of  Dyeing  ad- 
vises, in  this  case,  that  half  an  ounce  of  quick- 
silver sublimate  for  every  ten  or  fifteen  pounds  of 
wool  to  be  dyed  be  first  added  to  the  solution  of 
tin,  and  the  whole  well  stirred  up  and  then  al- 
lowed to  stand  until  the  kettle  becomes  of  a  sil- 
very white  color,  after  which  the  wool  is  to  be 
introduced  and  the  dyeing  prosecuted  in  the  usual 
manner.  During  the  process  the  mercurial  coat- 
ing gradually  becomes  removed,  and  is  subse- 
quently to  be  renewed.  The  work  is  thus  car- 
ried on  in  what  is  equivalent  to  a  quicksilver 
kettle,  since  the  brass  is  completely  coated  with 
a  layer  of  this  metal. 

DYES,  FIXING.— Ut.  Kipping  of  Manch- 
ester, England,  has  a  new  process  of  fixing  dyes. 
He  dissolves  20  ounces  of  gelatine  in  water  and 
adds  three  ounces  of  bichromate  of  potash.  This 
is  done  in  a  dark  room.  The  coloring  matter  is 
then  added  and  the  goods  submitted  thereto; 
after  which  they  are  exposed  to  the  action  of 
light,  the  pigment  thus  becomes  insoluble  in  wa- 
ter and  the  color  is  fast. 

EMBROIDERY  and  GOLD  LACE,  To 
Clean. — For  this  purpose  no  alkaline  liquors  are 
to  be  used ;  for  while  they  clean  the  gold,  they 
corrode  the  silk,  and  change  its  color.  Soap  also 
alters  the  shade,  and  even  the  species  of  certain 
colors.  But  spirit  of  wine  may  be  used  without 
any  danger  of  its  injuring  either  color  or  quality; 
and,  in  many  cases,  proves  as  effectual  for  restor- 
ing the  lustre  of  the  gold,  as  the  corrosive  de- 
tergents. But,  though  spirit  of  wine  is  the  most 
innocent  material  employed  for  this  purpose,  it 
is  not  in  all  cases  proper.  The  golden  covering 
may  be  in  some  parts  worn  off;  or  the  base  met- 
al, with  which  it  has  been  alloyed,  may  be  cor- 
roded by  the  air,  so  as  to  leave  the  particles  of 
the  gold  disunited  ;  while  the  silver  underneath, 
tarnished  to  a  yellow  hue,  may  continue  a  toler- 
able color;  to  the  whole,  so  it  is  apparent  that  the 
removal  of  the  tarnish  would  be  prejudicial,  and 
make  the  lace  or  embroidery  less  like  gold  thaa 
it  was  before. 

FEATHERS,  7c;  Z>)v.— To  dye  them  black. 


348 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


they  should  first  be  dipped  in  a  mordant  of 
acetate  of  iron,  and  then  in  a  decoction  of  madder 
and  logwood,  which  should  be  boiling  when 
used.  To  produce  blue  feathers,  indigo  should 
be  used.  For  crimson  feathers,  use  a  mordant 
of  acetate  of  alumina,  and  then  dip  them  in  a 
decoction  of  Brazil  wood  in  a  boiling  state.  The 
feathers  will  now  be  found  to  have  a  deep  red 
hue ;  the  crimson  tint  may  be  imparted  by  dip- 
ping them  in  a  bath  of  cudbear.  To  obtain  rose- 
colored  feathers  use  lemon  juice  and  safflower. 
Yellow  feathers  are  prepared  by  using,  first,  a 
mordant  of  acetate  of^alumina,  and  then  dipping 
them  in  a  solution  of  turmeric.  The  addition  of 
a  little  soda  to  the  solution  of  turmeric  will  give 
an  orange  tint  to  the  feathers.  For  green,  use  a 
solution  of  indigo  and  turmeric ;  and  for  lilac  a 
solution  of  cudbear.  These  solutions  should  be 
used  in  a  boiling  state,  and  the  feathers  allowed 
to  simmer  in  them  until  they  have  assumed  the 
required  tint.  Before  the  feathers  are  immersed 
in  any  of  the  dyes,  they  should  be  dipped  into 
hot  water,  and  allowed  to  drain  before  they  are 
plunged  into  the  boiling  coloring  matter.  As 
soon  as  they  are  taken  out  of  the  dye,  they 
should  be  rinsed  two  or  three  times  in  cold  wa- 
ter, and  then  laid  before  a  moderately  hot  fire  to 
dry.  When  they  begin  to  dry,  the  feathers 
should  be  passed  gently  between  the  thumb  and 
finger  until  they  resume  their  original  form.  The 
feathers  may  be  curled  by  passing  the  vanes  or 
laminee,  on  each  side  of  the  central  shaft  over  a 
blunt  piece  of  iron,  such  as  the  back  of  a  knife. 

FEA  THERS {Ostrich),  To  dcan.—Qyxt  some 
white  curd  soap  in  small  pieces,  pour  boiling  wa- 
ter on  them,  and  add  a  little  pearlash.  When 
the  soap  is  quite  dissolved,  and  the  mixture  cool 
enough  for  the  hand  to  bear,  plunge  the  feathers 
into  it,  draw  the  feathers  through  the  hand  till 
the  dirt  appears  squeezed  out  of  them,  pass  them 
through  a  clean  lather  with  some  blue  in  it,  then 
rinse  in  cold  water  with  blue  to  give  them  a  good 
color.  Beat  them  against  the  hand  to  shake  off 
the  water,  and  dry  by  shaking  them  near  a  fire. 
When  perfectly  dry,  curl  each  fibre  separately 
with  a  blunt  knife  or  ivory  paper-folder. 

FEATHERS  {White),  To  clean. —Wash 
them  well  in  soft  water,  wilh  white  soap  and 
blue ;  rub  them  through  very  clean  white  paper, 
beat  them  on  the  paper,  shake  them  before  the 
fire,  dry  them  in  the  air,  and  afterward  curl 
them. 

FLANNEL  (yew).  To  Wash.—Qrxt  the  soap 
small  and  boil  it  in  a  little  water.  Have  two  tubs 
with  water  as  hot  as  the  hands  can  bear ;  pre- 
\-iously  blue  the  water  well,  to  keep  the  color  of 
the  flannel,  and  put  some  of  the  boiled  soap  in- 
to one  tub  to  make  a  lather ;  then  wash  the  flan- 
nel without  squeezing  it.  Put  it  into  the  other 
tub,  and  wring  it  in  a  large  towel.  Shake  it  out 
then,  and,  after  drying  it  smooth  with  a  cool 
iron. 

The  flannels  should  not  be  rubbed  with  soap, 
nor  should  the  material  itself  be  rubbed,  as  in 
washing  linen,  etc. ;  the  fibres  of  the  wool  con- 
tain numberless  little  hooks,  which  the  rubbing 
knots  together;  hence  the  thickening  of  the  fabric 
and  consequent  shrinking  in  its  dimensions. 

FLANNEL,  To  Whiten  when  yeUo^u.—Ylxn- 
nel  which  has  become  yellow  with  use  may  be 
whitened  by  putting  it  for  some  time  in  a  solu- 
tion of  hard  soap,  to  which  strong  ammonia  has 
been  added.    The  proportions  we  give  are  one 


and  a  half  pounds  of  hard  curd  soap,  fifty  pounds 
of  soft  water  and  two-thirds  of  a  pound  of  strong 
ammonia.  The  same  object  may  be  attained  in 
a  shorter  time  by  placing  the  garments  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  in  a  weak  solution  of  bisul- 
phite of  soda  to  which  a  little  hydrochloric  acid 
has  been  added.  This  latter  process,  we  dare 
say,  will  be  effectual,  and  probably  the  oxalic 
acid  solution  mentioned  above  would  answer  the 
purpose  as  well. 

GLOVES,  To  Dye. —  Leather  gloves,  if  not 
greasy,  may  be  dyed  with  any  of  the  ordinary 
dyes  by  brushing  the  latter  over  the  gloves 
stretched  out  smooth.  The  surface  alone  should 
be  wetted,  and  a  second  or  third  coat  may  be 
given  after  the  former  one  has  become  dry. 
When  the  last  coat  has  become  thoroughly  dry, 
the  superfluous  color  should  be  well  rubbed  out, 
a  smooth  surface  given  them  by  rubbing  with  a 
polished  stick  or  piece  of  ivory,  and  the  whole 
gone  over  with  a  sponge  dipped  in  white  of  egg. 

GLOVES{Kid),  To  Clean.— X.YvX  the  gloves 
on  your  hand  and  wash  them,  as  if  you  were 
washing  your  hands,  in  some  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine, until  quite  clean ;  then  hang  them  up  in 
a  warm  place,  or  where  there  is  a  current  of  air, 
and  all  smell  of  the  turpentine  will  be  removed. 

2.  To  clean  kid  gloves,  have  ready  a  little  new 
milk  in  one  saucer,  a  piece  of  white  soap  in  an- 
other, and  a  clean  cloth  folded  two  or  three  times. 
On  the  cloth  spread  out  the  glove  smooth  and 
neat.  Take  a  piece  of  flannel,  dip  it  in  the  milk, 
then  rub  off  a  good  quantity  of  soap  on  the  wet- 
ted flannel,  and  commence  to  rub  the  glove  to- 
ward the  fingers,  holding  it  firmly  with  the  left 
hand.  Continue  this  process  until  the  glove,  if 
white,  looks  of  a  dingy  yellow,  though  clean ;  if 
colored,  till  it  looks  dry  and  spoiled.  Lay  it  to 
dry,  and  the  operator  will  soon  be  gratified  to 
see  that  the  old  glove  looks  nearly  new.  It  will 
be  soft,  glossy,  smooth,  and  elastic. 

3.  Wrap  a  fine  cloth  around  your  finger,  dip  it 
in  new  milk,  and  then  rub  on  fine  soap  and  rub 
the  glove  lightly.  In  all  the  above  operations 
the  glove  must  be  on  the  hand. 

4.  Take  fine  curd  soap,  one  pound,  scrape  it 
into  a  powder,  put  into  a  jar,  and  pour  upon  it 
from  time  to  time,  sufficient  strong  alcohol  to 
make  it  into  a  thick  jelly;  add  one  teaspoonful  of 
ether  on  one  half  teaspoonful  liquor  potassiae, 
mix  and  put  into  bottles  well  corked.  To  use, 
put  the  gloves  on  the  hands,  rub  on  the  prepara- 
tion with  a  piece  of  flannel,  when  the  dirt  will 
disappear. 

5.  It  is  well  known  that  common  benzine  is 
the  best  substance  to  take  the  greasy  dirt  out  of 
leather  gloves,  as  it  does  not  attack  the  leather 
like  most  of  the  other  substances  sometimes  used 
for  that  purpose.  Those  who  make  it  a  profes- 
sion to  clean  gloves,  put  them  all  together  in  a 
large,  wide  mouthed  jar  with  glass  stopper,  until 
it  is  about  half  full,  cover  the  gloves  with  ben- 
zine, close  the  stopper,  and  shake  the  whole 
several  times,  letting  it  rest  alternately.  The 
gloves  are  then  taken  out,  one  by  one,  and  ex- 
amined. If  any  dirt  spots  have  remained,  they 
are  rubbed  out  with  benzine ;  the  glove  is  then 
wrung  out  and  hung  up  to  dry.  If  such  gloves 
were,  however,  to  be  worn  after  simply  air  dry- 
ing, the  higher  temperature  of  the  hand  would 
cause  the  evaporation  with  an  unpleasant  odor 
of  the  benzine  which,  at  the  lower  temperature, 
was  left  behind.      Hence   they  are  dried  at  a 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


349 


temperature  of  some  200°,  between  plates  heated 
with  boiling  water,  which  removes  all  traces  of 
benzine,  and  consequent  odor. 

The  benzine  remaining  in  the  bottle  after  hav- 
ing been  used  a  few  times  becomes  dirty ;  but  as 
benzine  is  so  cheap  as  to  make  it  not  worth  while 
to  recover  it  by  redistillation  when  thus  soiled,  all 
glove  cleaners  throw  it  away. 

GLC  V£S{  White  Leather),  To  C/?a«.— White 
leather  gloves  may  be  cleaned  to  look  very  well, 
by  putting  on  one  at  a  time,  and  going  over  them 
thoroughly  with  a  shaving  brush  and  lather. 
Then  wipe  them  off  with  a  clean  handkerchief  or 
sponge,  and  dry  tliem  on  the  hands  by  the  fire 
or  in  the  sun. 

GLO  VES  (  Wash-Leather),  To  Clean.  —  Re- 
move the  grease  spots  by  rubbing  with  magnesia 
or  cream  of  tartar,  prepare  a  lather  of  lukewarm 
water  and  white  soap ;  wash  the  gloves  in  it, 
wring  them,  and  squeeze  them  through  a  fresh 
lather.  Rinse  first  in  lukewarm  water,  then  in 
cold,  and  stretch  them  (on  wooden  hands,  if  pos- 
sible) to  dry  in  the  sun  or  before  a  fire. 

GREASE  SPOTS,  To  ^^zw^<f.  —  Dissolve 
an  ounce  of  pure  pearlash  in  a  pint  of  spring 
water,  and  to  the  solution  add  a  lemon  cut  in 
small  slices.  Mix  the  ingredients  well,  keep  the 
mixture  in  a  warm  state  for  a  couple  of  days, 
then  strain  it  and  bottle  the  clear  liquid  for  use. 
A  little  of  this  poured  on  stains  of  grease,  pitch, 
or  oil,  will  remove  them.  As  soon  as  they 
disappear  the  cloth  should  be  washed  in  clear 
water. 

GREEN  DYE,  for  All-wool _  Goods.— \. 
Clean  the  cloth  or  goods  by  steeping  in  soap 
Euds,  then  rinse  in  several  different  messes  of 
clean  water,  and  lay  aside  moist. 

2.  Steep  the  cloth  or  goods  one  hour  or  longer 
in  a  bath  made  by  dissolving  the  alum  in  the 
package  marked.  Alum  to  mo7-dant  green  on 
•woolen,  in  a  clean  brass  or  copper  kettle,  with 
the  amount  of  clean  water  deemed  necessary  to 
work  the  goods  in  easily.  After  the  conclusion 
of  this  steeping  or  mordanting,  lift  the  goods 
from  the  bath,  drain  or  wring  well,  and  lay  aside 
moist  in  a  clean  place. 

3.  Inclose  the  fustic  chips  in  a  bag  of  tow 
cloth,  and  steep  them  from  one  to  two  hours  in 
a  brass  or  copper  kettle  with  the  amount  of  clean 
water  deemed  necessary  to  work  the  cloth  or 
goods  in  easily ;  then  take  out  the  bag  of  fustic, 
and  let  the  bath  cool  to  a  blood  heat.  When  the 
bath  is  thus  cooled,  add  the  sulphate  of  indigo 
paste  in  small  portions  at  a  time,  stirring  con- 
stantly, till  the  desired  shade  of  green  is  obtained 
(a  point  to  be  ascertained  by  testing  with  a  piece 
of  unsized  jiaper  after  each  addition  of  the  indigo 
paste)  ;  then  put  in  the  still  moist  cloth  or  goods, 
and  work  them  thirty  minutes  at  a  little  more 
than  blood-heat ;  after  which  lift  out  the  goods 
from  the  bath,  and  add  the  alum  in  the  package 
marked,  Alum  to  raise  color  in  peen  on  woolen, 
and  stir  till  dissolved ;  then  put  in  the  cloth  or 
goods,  and  work  again  twenty  minutes  at  the 
same  degree  of  heat;  lift  out,  cool  thoroughly, 
rinse  in  several  different  messes  of  clean  water, 
and  dry  in  the  shade. 

A  single  pound  of  woolen  goods  requires  about 
four  gallons  of  water  to  work  it  in  easily,  either 
when  mordanting  or  when  dyeing.  Larger  quan- 
tities of  these  goods  do  not  need  quite  .so  much 
water  in  proportion.  Use  a  clean  wooden  rod 
for  stirring  this  dye. 


GREEN  DYE  for  Cotton.— \.  If  the  cotton 
is  new  boil  in  weak  lye  or  strong  suds ;  then 
wash,  and  dry;  give  the  cotton  a  dip  in  the  home- 
made blue  dye-tub  until  blue  enough  is  obtained 
to  make  the  green  as  dark  as  required,  take  out, 
dry,  and  rinse  the  goods  a  little ;  then  make  a 
dye  with  fustic,  ^  lb.,  logwood,  3  oz.,  to  each  I 
lb.  of  goods,  by  boiling  the  dye  I  hour ;  when 
cooled  so  as  to  bear  the  hand,  put  in  the  cotton, 
move  briskly  a  few  minutes,  and  let  lie  in  i  hour; 
take  out,  and  let  it  thoroughly  drain;  dissolve, 
and  add  to  the  dye,  for  each  lb.  of  cotton,  blue 
vitriol,  y^  oz.,  and  dip  another  hour ;  wring  out, 
and  let  dry  in  the  shade.  By  adding  or  dimin- 
ishing the  logwood  and  fustic,  any  shade  of 
green  may  be  obtained. 

2.  For  cotton  goods  :  One  pound  of  fustic,  two 
ounces  ot  logwood  and  one  ounce  of  blue  vitriol, 
will  color  four  or  five  pounds  of  goods.  Boil  the 
logwood  and  fustic  until  the  strength  is  out,  then 
add  the  vitriol,  mix  well,  and  put  in  the  goods  ; 
stir  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  then  wring  them  out 
and  scour  in  strong  soap  suds. 

3.  For  eight  pounds  of  cotton  goods,  two 
pounds  of  fustic,  two  ounces  of  blue  vitriol,  one  pint 
of  soft  soap,  four  ounces  chips  of  logwood.  Soak 
the  logwood  over  night  in  soft  water  in  a  vessel 
of  brass,  place  it  over  the  fire  in  the  morning, 
adding  the  other  ingredients.  When  quite  hot 
it  is  ready  for  dyeing;  it  makes  no  difference 
whether  you  wet  the  goods  or  not,  provided  you 
have  dye  sufficient  to  color  well.  You  Can  ob- 
taii>  different  shades  by  letting  part  of  the  goods 
remain  longer  in  the  dye. 

GREEN  D  YE  for  Silk. — ^Take  green  ebony, 
boil  it  in  water,  and  let  it  settle;  take  the  clean 
liquor  as  hot  as  you  can  bear  your  hands  in  it, 
and  handle  your  goods  in  it  until  of  a  bright  yel- 
low; then  take  water  and  put  in  a  little  sulphate 
of  indigo ;  handle  your  goods  in  this  till  of  the 
shade  wanted.  The  ebony  may  previously  be 
boiled  in  a  bag,  to  prevent  it  from  sticking  to  the 
silk. 

HATS,  To  Z>)'^.-— The  hats  should  be  first 
strongly  galled  by  boiling  them  a  long  time  in  a 
decoction  of  galls  with  a  little  logwood,  that  the 
dye  may  penetrate  the  better  into  their  substance; 
after  which  a  proper  quantity  of  vitriol  and  de- 
coction of  logwood,  with  a  little  verdigris,  are 
added,  and  the  hats  continued  in  this  mixture 
for  a  considerable  time.  They  are  afterwards 
put  into  fresh  liquor  of  logwood,  galls,  vitriol, 
and  verdigris ;  and  where  the  hats  are  of  great 
j)rice,  or  of  a  hair  which  with  difficulty  takes  the 
dye,  the  same  process  is  repeated  a  third  time. 
For  obtaining  the  most  perfect  color,  the  hair  or 
wool  is  dyed  blue  previously  to  its  being  formed 
into  hats.  v 

HOSE  {Woolen),  To  Wash.—\l  new,  soak 
all  night,  then  wash  in  hot  suds  with  beef's 
gall,  a  tablespoonful  to  half  a  pail  of  water. 
Rinse  till  no  color  comes  out.  Then  stretch  on 
stocking  frames,  or  iron  them  when  damp  on 
the  wrong  side. 

INDIGO  or  CHEMIC,  Extract  of.  —  For 
good  chemic  or  extract  of  indigo,  take  oil  of 
vitriol,  Yi  lb.,  and  stir  into  it  indigo,  finely 
ground,  2  oz.,  continuing  the  stirring  at  first  for 
yi  hour;  now  cover  over,  and  stir  3  or  4  times 
daily  for  2  or  3  days ;  then  put  in  a  crumb  of 
saleratus  and  stir  it  up,  and  if  it  foams,  put  in 
more  and  stir,  and  add  as  long  as  it  foams  ;  the 
saleratus  neutraUzes  any  excess  of  acid ;  then  put 


350 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


into  a  glass  vessel  and  cork  up  tight.     It  im- 
proves by  standing. 

IRONING. — In  ironing  a  shirt,  first  do  the 
back,  then  the  sleeves,  then  the  collar  and  bo- 
som, and  then  the  front.  Iron  calicoes  generally 
on  the  right  side,  as  they  thus  keep  clean  for  a 
longer  time.  In  ironing  a  frock,  first  do  the 
waist,  then  the  sleeves,  then  the  skirt.  Keep  the 
skirt  rolled  while  ironing  the  other  parts,  and  set 
a  chair  to  hold  the  sleeves  v/hile  ironing  the 
skirt,  unless  a  skirt-board  be  used.  Silk  should 
be  ironed  on  the  wrong  side,  when  quite  damp, 
with  an  iron  which  is  not  very  hot ;  light  colors 
are  apt  to  change  and  fade.  In  ironing  velvet, 
turn  up  the  face  ol  the  iron,  and  after  dampening 
the  wrong  side  of  the  velvet,  draw  it  over  the 
face  of  the  iron,  holding  it  straight ;  always  iron 
lace  and  needlework  on  the  wrong  side,  and  car- 
ry them  away  as  soon  as  they  are  dry. 

LAC  RED  DYE.— For  $  lbs.  goods,  argal, 
lo  oz.;  boil  a  few  minutes;  then  mix  fine  ground 
lac,  I  lb.,  with  muriate  of  tin,  l^  lb.;  and  let 
them  stand  2  or  3  hours ;  then  add  half  of  the  lac 
to  the  argal  dye,  and  dip  l4  hour;  then  add  the 
balance  of  the  lac,  and  dip  again  I  hour ;  keep 
the  dye  at  a  boiling  heat,  until  the  last  half  hour, 
when  the  dye  may  be  cooled  off. 

LACE  and  MUSLIN^  To  Wash  and  Iron. 
— Muslin  or  lace  should  never  be  rubbed  in 
washing.  Take  white  soap  in  proportion  to  the 
muslin  you  have  to  wash,  shave  it  down,  and 
boil  it  with  soft  water  till  it  dissolves.  When 
cold,  it  should  be  as  thick  as  jelly;  mix  a  part  of 
this  jelly  with  soft  tepid  water,  so  as  to  be  strong 
of  the  soap  ;  let  the  muslins  lie  in  this  for  a  night, 
then  add  boiling  water ;  move  them  up  and 
down  in  the  water,  repeatedly  squeezing  them 
through  the  hands,  so  as  to  wash  them,  but  do 
not  rub  them.  Having  steeped  them  well  in 
soap  and  water  before,  makes  rubbing  quite  un- 
necessary ;  tie  them  loosely  up  in  a  pillow-case, 
and  with  soft  water  and  the  rest  of  the  boiled 
soap,  boil  them  for  a  couple  of  hours.  If  in  the 
country,  they  should  be  laid  out  on  the  grass  to 
bleach  (without  the  soap  being  washed  out),  and 
watered  when  necessary,  so  as  to  keep  them 
moist.  If  in  town,  where  no  bleaching  on  the 
grass  can  be  procured,  put  them  into  a  washing 
tub,  and,  having  poured  boiling  water  over  them, 
leave  them  in  the  back  court  in  the  air  for  the 
rest  of  the  day,  and  during  the  night  in  the  water ; 
this  has  a  great  effect  in  whitening  them;  in  either 
case,  after  being  bleached,  rinse  them  twice 
through  cold  water,  to  clear  them  completely 
from  the  soap,  and  hang  them  up  to  dry  before 
being  starched.  A  piece  of  lace,  or  any  small 
article,  can'  be  very  well  bleached  by  being  put 
outside  the  window  in  the  sun,  in  a  crystal 
bottle  of  water,  having  been  previously  washed, 
and  the  soap  left  in  it.  It  is  a  frequent  practice 
not  to  boil  the  starch,  but  to  mix  it  with  boiling 
water,  to  hang  up  the  muslins  or  laces  the  mo- 
ment they  have  been  put  through  the  starch,  and 
squeezed  out ;  and  when  dry,  and  as  hard  as  a 
piece  of  board,  then  they  water  them  (as  it  is 
called),  leaving  one  spot  dry  and  the  rest  wet, 
so  that  to  stretch  them  out  for  ironing,  without 
tearing  them,  is  almost  impossible.  This  mode 
of  proceeding  may  account  for  the  melancholy 
frequency  of  torn  lace,  and  the  dull  he.ivy  ap- 
pearance of  beautiful  worked  collars,  looking  as 
if  they  had  been  partially  rubbed  over  with  flour 
and  water.     To  give  them  that  light  transparent 


look   which  adds  so  much   to  their  beauty,  the 
treatment  must  be  very   different ;    the    starch 
should  be  mixed  in  a  little  cold  soft  water,  and 
bruised  down  with  the  back  of  a  spoon  till  quite 
smooth ;  more  water  should  be  added,  till  it  re- 
sembles thin  milk,  then  boiled  in  a  glazed-stone 
pipkin,  till  it  becomes  clear  and  thick,  so  as  to 
jelly  when  cold.     The  muslin  and  laces  should 
be  put  through  the  starch  while  it  is  still  warm ; 
squeezed  out  first  in  the  hand,  then  gently  in  a 
clean  smooth  cloth,  so  as  to  get  as  much  as  pos- 
sible of  the  starch  out  without  fraying  them  in 
any  way.     The  cloth  must  not  be  twisted  round 
in  the  slightest  degree,  but  gently  pressed  be- 
tween the  hands,  putting  but  a  few  of  the  articles 
in  at  one  time;  each  article  should  then  be  taken 
separately,  held  lightly  by  the  two  ends  with  the 
forefinger  and  thumb  of  each  hand,  and  beaten 
between  the  palms  of  both  hands  for  a  few  min- 
utes ;  next  shaken  out  and  drawn,  so  that  each 
thread  in  the  muslin  is  perfectly  straight,  and 
the  shape  of  the  collar  is  carefully  preserved.    I{ 
after  holding  it  up  between  you  and  the  light, 
you  find  that  in  some  parts  it  is  not  sufficiently 
clear,  then  a  little  drawing  up  and  down  on  those 
spots  will  be  necessary,  so  as  to  free  every  thread 
from  the  starch.     It  should  then  be  folded  up  in 
a  damp  cloth,  and  each  article  put  beside  it,  as 
soon  as  it  has  gone  through  the  same  process,  so 
that  the  whole  may  have  a  slight  degree  of  damp- 
ness when  ironed.     When  it  is  not  convenient 
to  do  up  muslins  the  moment  they  are  starched, 
it  answers  well,  after  they  have  been  squeezed  in 
the  cloth,  to  fold  up  each  article,  and  to  leave 
them  wrapped   up  together  in  a  cloth  for  ?ome 
hours,  or  a  night,  to  clear  themselves.     When 
this  is  done  they  generally  require  only  to  be 
drawn  a  little,  and  folded  up   for  ironing ;  but 
where  great  clearness  is  to  be  obtained,  the  stifT- 
er  the  starch  and  the  more  thev   are  beaten  the 
better.     In  getting   up   fine   tfiings   well  much 
also  depends    on    the    ironing.      The    ironing 
blanket   should    be   thick,    so   that    the    work 
on    the    collars,    etc.,     should    have    a    raised 
look  after   being   ironed.      When    the  blanket 
is  thin  the  hard  surface  of  the  table   flattens  the 
work,  and  injures  the  appearance.     The  ironing 
blanket  should  be  covered   with  a  piece  of  thin, 
smooth,  long  cloth  kept   for  the   purpose,    and 
washed  each  time  it  is  used.     In   spreading  out 
the  collar,  or  whatever  you  are  about  to  iron,  see 
that  it  lies  perfectly  even,  and  that  each  thread  is 
straight  up  and  down;  also  that  the  iron  has  been 
carefully  cleaned,  first  rubbed  on  a  piece  of  old 
carpet,  and   then  wiped  with   a  cloth  ;  and  also 
that  it  is  not  too  hot.     Singeing  is  a  common 
fault  with  the  inexperienced,  and  it  is  a  very  bad 
one;  for,  even  when  it  is  not  to  such  a  degree  as 
to  burn,  which  may  easily  happen  with  a  very 
thin  muslin,  still  it  leaves  a  yellow  shade,  which 
not  only  destroys  the  appearance  at  the  time,  but 
is  very  difficult  to  get  rid  of.     A  little  practice  in 
handling  the  irons  will  soon  accustom  one  to  the 
degree  of  heat  necessary,  and  till  that  is  the  case 
an  old  pocket  handkerchief,  or  some  such  thing, 
should  be  at  hand  to  try  each  iron  upon  before 
you  venture  to  iron   any  thing  of  consequence. 
Do  not  pass  your  iron  'freouently  over  the  sr.nie 
place  if  you  wish  the  muslin  to  retain  the  stiff- 
ness, and  also  you  should  hang  the  article  on  a 
screen  before  the  fire  the  moment  it  is  ironed  ; 
it  becomes  soft  if  folded  up  with  the  slightest 
dampness  upon  it.     Lace,  which  to  look  well 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


35i 


should  not  be  stiff,  is  improved  and  cleared  by 
being  put  through  cold  water  as  soon  as  it  has 
been  starched ;  it  should  then  be  squeezed  out, 
held  by  each  hand,  very  slightly  beaten  between 
the  palms  of  the  hands,  and  gently  drawn  out. 
In  drawing  out  the  edge  the  nails  must  never 
touch  it.  It  should  all  be  done  by  the  ball  of 
the  thumb  and  the  forefinger,  and  ironed  once  or 
twice  over  to  take  out  the  stiffening.  Wlien  lace 
is  sewed  to  a  muslin  collar,  and  washed  with  it, 
as  the  collar  requires  to  be  stiffer  than  the  lace, 
it  will  be  necessary,  after  putting  it  through  the 
starch,  and  clearing  it,  by  heating  and  drawing 
it,  to  gather  the  lace  together  in  the  hand,  and 
dip  it  into  cold  water,  so  as  to  take  out  •  a  good 
deal  of  the  starch,  taking  care  not  to  wet  the  col- 
lar ;  but  this  is  only  necessary  where  the  lace  is 
put  on  \vitli  very  little  fullness,  or  quite  plain. 
Where  it  is  put  on  full  enough  to  be  set  up  in 
small  pipes  with  the  French  irons,  or,  rather, 
curling  tongs  (as  they  may  be  called),  it  is  not 
necessary  to  extract  any  portion  of  the  starch ; 
the  lace  is  the  better  for  being  stiff,  and,  if  rather 
damp  when  set  up  in  these  small  pipes,  they  will 
retain  a  regular  and  tidy  appearance  as  long  as 
the  collar  can  be  worn.  These  small  French 
irons  are  to  be  got  of  different  sizes,  and  answer 
remarkably  well  for  nightcap  borders,  or  frills  of 
any  kind.  When  making  use  of  them  you  should 
be  near  a  stove  or  fire,  where  they  can  be  fre- 
quently heated ;  for,  as  they  can  not  be  used 
when  very  hot,  for  fear  of  singeing  the  lace, 
they  require  to  be  constantly  heated,  and  must 
be  wiped  widi  a  cloth  each  time  before  being 

LACE  {White  Silk)  or  Blond,  To  Wash.— 
Take  a  black  bottle  covered  with  clean  linen  or 
muslin  and  wind  the  blond  round  it,  (securing  the 
ends  with  a  needle  and  thread,)  not  leaving  the 
edge  outward,  but  covering  it  as  you  proceed. 
Set  the  bottle  upright  in  a  strong  cold  lather  of 
white  soap  and  very  clear  soft  water,  and  place 
it  in  the  sun,  having  gently  with  your  hand  rub- 
bed the  5uds  up  and  down  on  the  lace.  Keep  it 
in  the  sun  every  day  for  a  week,  changing  the 
lather  daily,  and  always  rubbing  it  slightly  when 
you  renew  the  suds.  At  the  end  of  the  week, 
take  the  blond  off  the  bottle,  and  (without  rinsing) 
pin  it  backward  and  forward  on  a  large  pillow 
covered  with  a  clean  tight  case.  Every  scallop 
must  have  a  separate  pin ;  or  more,  if  the  scallops 
are  not  very  small.  The  plain  edge  must  be 
pinned  down  also,  so  as  to  m.-ike  it  straight  and 
even.  The  pins  should  be  of  the  smallest  size. 
When  quite  dry,  take  it  off,  but  do  not  starch, 
iron,  or  press  it.  Lay  it  in  long  loose  folds,  and 
put  it  away  in  a  pasteboard  box. 

Thread  lace  may  be  washed  in  the  same 
manner. 

LA  CE  {Black),  To  Clean. — Sponge  the  lace 
carefully  with  green  tea,  and  wind  it  round  and 
round  a  bottle  to  dry,  for  if  touched  with  an  iron 
it  would  look  glossy  and  flattened.  Some  people 
fill  the  bottle  with  warm  water,  which  causes  the 
lace  to  dry  more  quickly.  It  must  not  be  placed 
near  the  fire,  as  it  would  give  it  a  rusty  appear- 
ance. 

LACE,  To  Renovate.  —  Lace,  we  are  told, 
may  be  restored  to  its  original  whiteness  by  first 
ironing  it  slightly,  then  folding  it  up  neatly,  and 
sewing  it  into  a  clean  linen  bag.  This  bag  is 
now  kept  for  twenty-four  hours  in  pure  olive  oil, 
while  in  the  meantime  a  strong  solution  of  soap 


is  made  in  water.  The  bag,  on  being  taken  out 
of  the  oil,  is  put  into  this  boiling  solution,  and 
kept  there  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour ;  after  which 
it  is  taken  out,  well  rinsed  in  lukewarm  water, 
and  then  dipped  into  water  containing  a  slight 
proportion  of  starch.  All  that  remains  to 
be  done  now  is  to  take  the  lace  out  of  the 
bag,  iron  it,  and  stretch  it  with  pins  till  perfecdy 
dry. 

LACE  {Gold  or  Silver),  To  Clean. — Lay  the 
lace  smooth  on  a  woolen  carpet  or  piece  of  wool-  . 
en  cloth,  and  brush  it  free  from  dust,  then  burn 
rock  alum  and  powder  it  fine,  and  afterwards »♦ 
sift  it  through  a  lawn  sieve;  then  rub  it  over  the 
lace  with  a  fine  brush,  and  in  so  doing  it  will 
take  off  the  tarnish  and  restore  it  to  its  bright- 
ness, if  it  be  not  too  much  worn  on  the  threads. 

LAMA  DRESS,  To  Was/i.—BoW  one  pound 
of  the  best  rice  in  one  gallon  of  water  for  three 
hours.  When  boiled  pour  off  what  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  starch  the  dress ;  wash  the  dress  well  in 
the  remainder,  rinse  it  in  clean  cold  water,  wring 
it  well,  then  starch  it  with  the  rice  water  that 
was  kept  for  that  purpose,  and  hang  it  before  the 
fire  to  dry.  When  dry  enough  iron  with  a  cool 
iron,  as  it  is  liable  to  scorch.  If  some  parts  of 
the  dress  get  too  dry,  they  must  be  damped  with 
a  wet  cloth  whilst  ironing.  No  soap  must  be 
used.  The  best  way  is  to  boil  the  rice  on  the 
previous  day,  and  merely  warm  it  up  the  next 
morning,  for  then  you  have  the  day  before  you 
to  complete  the  whole,  as  the  dress  must  on  no 
account  lie  damp,  even  for  an  hour,  or  the  colors 
will  be  sure  to  run.  This  receipt  will  be  found 
equally  well  suited  to  delicate  painted  muslins 
and  pique's  as  to  lama  and  alpaca  dresses. 

LA  WN'S,  To  Wash. — Delicate  lawn  and  mus- 
lin dresses  are  so  frequently  spoiled  by  bad  wash- 
ing, the  colors  of  the  fabric  yielding  so  readily 
to  the  action  of  soap,  that  it  is  well  to  adopt  a 
new  method  of  cleansing  the  finest  materials,  and 
imparting  to  them  the  appearance  of  newness. 
Take  two  quarts  of  wheat  bran  and  boil  it  for 
half  an  hour  in  soft  water.  Let  it  cool,  then 
strain  it,  and  pour  the  strained  liquor  into  the 
water  in  which  the  dress  is  to  be  washed.  Use 
no  soap,  one  rinsing  alone  is  required,  and  no 
starch.  The  bran  water  not  only  removes  the 
dirt,  and  insures  against  change  of  color,  but 
gives  the  fabric  a  pleasanter  stiffness  than  any 
preparation  of  starch.  If  the  folds  are  drawn 
from  the  skirts  and  sleeves,  the  dress  will  iron 
better ;  and  will  appear,  when  prepared  in  this 
way,  as  fresh  as  new. 

LINEN {  Table),  To  Wash.— It  is  poor  econo- 
my to  boil  or  freeze  table  cloths  if  brown.  It 
gives  them  an  old,  yellow  look.  White  ones 
may  be  kept  clear  by  spreading  for  a  few  hours 
in  the  hot  sun,  or  on  the  snow  when  the  sun 
shines.  If  there  are  fruit  stains  on  them  pour 
boiling  water  over  them  before  washing.  The 
boiling  and  freezing  make  them  soft,  and  once 
hanging  on  the  line  in  the  air  and  freezing  dry 
wears  linen  more  than  two  weeks  constant  use. 
A  little  starch  should  be  added  to  the  last  water 
and  they  should  be  hung  up  straight  on  frames 
to  drj'.  '  If  they  dry  in  a  twist,  they  cannot  be 
ironed  smooth  without  extra  pains. 

LIA^EN,  To  Remove  Stains  from.  —  Stains 
occasioned  by  fruit,  iron  rust,  and  other  similar 
causes,  may  be  removed  by  applying  to  the  parts 
injured  a  weak  solution  of  the  chloride  of  lime 
— the  cloth  having  been  previously  well  washed 


352 


DICTIONAR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


of  soda,  oxalic  acid,  or  salts  of  lemon  in 
•warm  water.  The  parts  subjected  to  this  opera- 
tion should  be  subsequently  well  rinsed  in  soft, 
clean,  varm  water,  without  soap,  and  be  im- 
mediately dried  in  the  sun. 

LINEN,  l¥NITENING.  —  AccorA\ng  to  a 
French  writer,  crystallized  carbonate  of  soda, 
although  so  great  a  favorite  with  the  washer- 
women, is  a  declared  foe  to  linen,  since,  not- 
withstanding its  cleansing  power,  it  attacks  the 
fibre,  and  after  a  time  makes  it  so  rotten  as  to 
cause  it  to  tear,  almost  at  the  touch.  An  im- 
provement on  this  substance,  it  is  said,  consists 
in  the  employment  of  a  solution  in  the  propor- 
tion of  two  pounds  of  soap  to  twenty-five  quarts 
of  warm  water,  to  which  are  to  be  added  one 
tablespoonful  of  essence  of  turpentine  and  three 
spoonfuls  of  ammonia.  The  mixture  is  to  be 
stirred  by  the  help  of  a  little  broom,  and  the 
linen  immersed  in  it  for  several  hours,  the  tub 
being  completely  covered.  The  articles  are  then 
to  be  washed  in  the  ordinary  way,  rinsed  in  tepid 
water,  and  then  blued,  if  this  is  necessary.  The 
same  solution  can  be  used  twice  over  by  heating 
again  and  adding  half  the  amount  given  of  es- 
sence of  turpentine  and  ammonia. 

It  is  claimed  that  this  process  is  accompanied 
by  great  economy  of  time,  labor,  and  fuel,  and 
that  the  linen  experiences  little  or  no  injury,  ap- 
pearing finally  m  a  condition  of  irreproachable 
whiteness.  The  ammonia,  it  is  said,  does  not 
exert  any  corrosive  effect  upon  the  fibre,  since 
it  evaporates  immediately;  and  the  odor  of  the 
turpentine  entirely  disappears  in  drying. 

LINEN,  Sizing  of.  —  The  peculiar  smooth 
linen  called  HolLind  in  the  United  States,  and 
used  for  window-shades,  is  sized  with  the  fol- 
lowing preparation  :  Carbonate  of  soda,  (crystal- 
flized,)  I  part;  white  wax,  4  to  6  parts;  stearine, 
4  to  6  parts ;  pure  white  soap,  4  to  6  parts ;  fine 
Paris  white  or  carbonate  of  magnesia,  20  parts ; 
potato-starch,  40  parts ;  fine  wheat-starch,  160 
parts. 

This  is  boiled  with  sufficient  water  to  form 
1600  parts  altogether.  If  necessary,  some  ultra- 
marine is  added  to  counteract  the  yellow  tint  of 
the  linen.  The  linen  is  starched  with  this  pre- 
paration, passed  between  rollers,  and  dried.  It 
IS  then  sprinkled  with  soap-water  and  placed  in 
the  stamping-mill,  afterward  steamed  and  cal- 
endered. 

A  mixture  of  the  first  four  or  five  ingredients 
named  above  is  sold  by  druggists  as  a  prepara- 
tion for  improving  the  starch  used  for  stiffening 
shirt-collars,  etc. 

LI  LA  C  D  YE. — For  every  pound  of  silk,  take 
one  and  a  half  pound  of  archil,  mix  it  well  with 
the  liquor ;  make  it  boil  a  cjuarter  of  an  hour,  dip 
the  silk  quickly,  then  let  it  cool,  and  wash  it  in 
river  water,  and  a  fine  half  violet,  or  lilac,  more 
or  less  full,  will  be  obtained. 

LIQUID  DYE  COLORS.  — \.  (Blue.)  a. 
Dissolve  litmus  in  water,  and  add  ^  of  spirit  of 
wine.  —  b.  Dilute  Saxon  blue  or  sulphate  of 
indigo  with  water.  If  required  for  delicate  work, 
neutralize  the  acid  with  chalk. — c.  To  an  aque- 
ous infusion  of  litmus  add  a  few  drops  of  vine- 
gar, till  it  turns  full  blue. 

2.  (Purple.)  a.  Steep  litmus  in  water  and 
strain. — b.  Add  a  little  alum  to  a  strained  decoc- 
tion of  logwood. — c.  Add  a  solution  of  carmine 
(red)  to  a  little  blue  solution  of  litmus  or  Saxon 
blue. 


3.  (Green.)  a.  Dissolve  crystallized  verdigri? 
in  water. —  b.  Dissolve  sap  green  in  water,  and 
add  a  little  alum. — c.  Add  a  little  salt  of  tartar  to 
a  blue  or  purple  solution  of  litmus,  till  it  turns 
green. —  d.  Dissolve  equal  parts  of  crystalhzed 
verdigris  and  cream  of  tartar  in  water,  and  add  a 
little  gum  arabic.     Used  as  an  ink  for  writing. 

4.  (Yellow.)  a.  Dissolve  gamboge  in  water, 
and  add  a  little  gum  arabic  and  alum.  Used  for 
ink,  to  stain  paper,  color  maps,  etc. — b.  Dissolve 
gamboge  in  equal  parts  of  proof  spirit  and  wa- 
ter. Golden  colored. — c.  Steep  French  berries 
in  hot  water,  strain,  and  add  a  little  gum  and 
alum. — d.  Steep  turmeric,  round  zedoary,  gam- 
boge, or  annotlo,  in  spirits  of  wine. — e.  Dissolve 
annotto  in  a  weak  lye  of  subcarbonate  of  soda  or 
potash.  All  the  above  are  used  by  artificial 
florists. 

5.  (Red.-)rt.  Macerate  ground  Brazil  in  vine- 
gar, boil  a  few  minutes,  strain,  and  add  a  little 
alum  and  gum. —  b.  Add  vinegar  to  an  infusion 
of  litmus  till  it  turns  red.  —  c.  Boil  or  infuse 
powdered  cochineal  in  water ;  strain,  and  add  a 
little  alum  and  gum.  — d.  Dissolve  carmine  in 
liquor  of  ammonia,  or  in  weak  carbonate  of  pot- 
ash water ;  the  former  is  superb. 

All  the  preceding,  thickened  with  a  little  gum, 
are  used  as  inks  for  writing,  as  colors  to  tint 
maps,  foils,  paper,  artificial  flowers,  etc.,  and  to 
paint  on  velvet.  Some  of  them  are  very  beau- 
tiful. It  must  be  observed,  however,  that  those 
made  with  strong  spirit  do  not  mix  well  with 
gum,  unless  diluted  with  water. 

MADDER  RED  DYE  for  Wool.— To  each 
lb.  of  goods — alum  5  oz. ;  red,  or  cream  of  tar- 
tar, I  oz. ;  put  in  the  gooids  and  bring  your  kettle 
to  a  boil  for  ^  hour ;  then  air  them  and  boil  \^ 
hour  longer;  then  empty  your  kettle  and  fill  with 
clean  water,  put  in  bran  I  peck ;  make  it  milk 
warm  and  let  it  stand  until  the  bran  rises,  then 
skim  off  the  bran  and  put  in  madder  ^  lb. ;  put 
in  your  goods  and  heat  slowly  until  it  boils  and 
is  done.     Wash  in  strong  suds. 

MERINOS,  To  Wash.—K\i  old  merino  may 
be  made  to  look  as  good  as  new  by  first  ripping 
to  pieces  the  skirt,  and  afterward  washing  each 
breadth  separately  in  warm  suds,  being  careful 
to  rinse  only  in  clean  warm  water  suds.  Cold 
water  after  warm  will  shrink  any  kind  of  woolen 
goods.  Iron  while  quite  damp  on  the  wrong 
side.  Afterward  fold  one  double  on  the  right 
side ;  placing  over  it  a  clean  newspaper,  and  iron 
with  a  very  hot  flat,  in  this  way  making  the  seam 
fold  in  all  new  double  folded  goods. 

MILDEW,  To  Remove.  —  Take  two  ounces 
of  chloride  of  lime,  pour  on  it  a  quart  of  boiling 
water,  then  add  three  quarts  of  cold  water;  steep 
the  linen  twelve  hours,  when  every  spot  will  be 
extracted. 

MUSLINS,  PIQUES,  ETC.,  French  Me- 
thod  of  Washing. —  Prepare  some  rather  warm 
(not  hot)  lather,  made  with  soft  water  and  the 
best  white  soap ;  wash  the  dresses  one  at  a  time, 
but  do  not  soak  them.  As  soon  as  the  first  lath- 
er looks  soiled  squeeze  the  dress  from  it,  and  at 
once  wash  it  again  in  a  fresh  lather.  When 
thoroughly  clean,  rinse  in  pure  cold  water,  lastly 
in  water  slightly  blued ;  squeeze  (not  wring)  the 
water  completely  from  the  dress,  and  hang  it  in 
a  shaded  place  to  dry;  if  wet  weather,  dry  it  by 
the  fire.  The  best  prints  will  fade  if  hung  in 
the  sunshine. 

NANKEEN  Z?  KC.  —  Annotto  and  potash. 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


353 


equal  parts ;  water  sufficient ;  boil  till  dissolved. 
The  proportion  of  potash  is  varied  according  to 
the  shade  required ;  the  alkali  darkens  it.  Used 
to  dye  nankeen  color,  but  chiefly  to  restore  the 
color  of  faded  nankeen  clothing. 

ORANGE  D  YE.  —  This  may  be  given  by 
mixing  red  and  yellow  dyes  in  various  propor- 
tions. A  very  good  fugitive  orange  may  be  given 
with  annotto,  by  passing  the  goods  through  a 
solution  made  with  equal  parts  of  annotto  and 
pearlash ;  or  still  better,  through  a  bath  made  of 
I  part  of  annotto  dissolved  in  a  lye  of  I  parteach 
of  lime  and  pearlash,  and  2  parts  of  soda.  The 
shade  may  be  reddened  by  passing  the  dyed 
goods  through  water  acidulated  with  vinegar, 
lemon-juice,  or  citric  acid;  or  through  a  solution 
of  alum.  The  goods  are  sometimes  passed 
through  a  weak  alum  mordant  before  immersion 
in  the  bath. 

ORANGE  DYE  for  Cotton.  — Y ox  5  lbs. 
goods — sugar  of  lead  4  oz. ;  boil  a  few  minutes, 
and  when  a  little  cool  put  in  the  goods,  dip  2 
hours,  wring  out ;  make  a  new  dye  with  bichro- 
mate of  potash  8  oz. ;  madder  2  oz. ;  dip  until  it 
suits  ;  if  the  color  should  be  too  red,  t.ike  off  a 
small  sample  and  dip  it  into  lime  water,  when 
the  choice  can  be  taken  of  the  sample  dipped  in 
the  lime  or  the  original  color. 

ORANGE  D  YE  for  Woo/.— For  5  lbs.  goods, 
muriate  of  tin,  6  tablespoons ;  argal,  4  oz. ;  boil 
and  dip  I  hour ;  then  add  to  the  dye,  fustic,  2)4 
lbs. ;  boil  10  minutes,  and  dip  ^  hour;  and  add 
again  to  the  dye,  madder,  I  teacup,  dip  again 
^  hour. 

Cochineal  in  place  of  madder  makes  a  much 
brighter  color,  which  should  be  added  in  small 
quantities  until  pleased.     About  2  oz. 

ORANGE  DYE  for  5'«7/J.— Bloodroot,  boiled 
in  brass,  and  set  with  alum,  will  color  an  orange 
color  that  is  not  easily  faded.  Old  silk  that  is 
not  very  fair  will  do  very  well  for  this  kind  of 
color. 

PINK D  YE. — I.  For  every  three  pounds  of 
goods,  take  three  and  a  half  quarts  of  water,  or 
enough  to  cover  the  articles  you  wish  to  color. 
Take  two  ounces  of  cochineal,  and  a  half  an 
ounce  of  cream  tartar,  steep  the  cochineal  in  warm 
water  two  hours,  or  until  the  strength  is  entirely 
extracted,  and  add  the  cream  tartar ;  then  wash 
the  cloth  in  clean  water,  wring  it  out  and  put  it 
in  the  dye ;  bring  it  to  a  scalding  heat ;  let  it  re- 
main a  few  moments  and  it  will  be  finished.  If 
a  light  color  is  wanted  use  less  cochineal — if  a 
dark,  more — the  shade  depending  on  the  quan- 
tity of  cochineal  used. 

2.  Balm  flowers,  steeped  in  water,  color  a 
pretty  rose. 

3.  Make  a  solution  of  the  carmine  in  a  carmine 
saucer,  and  set  it  with  alum. 

PINK  D  YE  for  Cotton.— Tvio  pounds  red- 
wood ;  four  ounces  of  solution  of  tin ;  boil  the 
wood  one  hour,  turn  off  into  a  tub,  then  add  the 
tin,  and  put  in  the  cloth ;  let  it  stand  a  few  min- 
utes (five  or  ten),  and  a  nice  pink  will  be  pro- 
duced. This  will  color  four  pounds  of  goods ; 
is  quite  a  fast  color. 

PINK  D  YE  for  Wool.— For  3  lbs.  of  goods 
— alum,  3  oz.,  boil  and  dip  the  goods  I  hour; 
then  add,  to  the  dye,  cream  of  tartar,  4  oz.; 
cochineal,  well  pulverized,  i  oz.;  boil  well  and 
dip  the  goods  while  boiling,  until  the  color 
suits. 

PINK  DYE  for  Silk. -^  Mitt   aluming, 


handle  the  goods  to  be  dyed  in  peach-wood  liquor 
till  the  color  desired ;  then  take  out  and  put  in 
a  little  alum  liquor,  handle  the  goods  a  little  lon- 
ger, take  out,  rinse  in  water,  and  finish.  In 
most  cases,  where  the  shade  is  not  dark  enough, 
the  operation  must  be  repeated. 

PINK  for  Listings.  —  To  100  pounds  of 
wool  use  8  pounds  of  cochineal,  5  pounds  of  tar- 
tar, 10  pounds  of  scarlet  spirit,  ^  pound  of  tin 
crystals.  Boil  all  together  until  dissolved ;  then 
cool  off"  the  dye  to  170°  Fah.;  enter  and  handle 
well ;  boil  for  half  an  hour.  If  the  wool  should 
not  color  even  in  ten  minutes,  use  a  few  pounds 
of  muriatic  acid,  (See  "Scarlet  on  Wool.")  If 
this  color  be  used  for  listings  on  white  flannels, 
add  about  6  pounds  more  scarlet  spirit  to  the 
wool,  just  before  taking  it  out.  This  additional 
tin  acid  will  fasten  the  cochineal  more,  without 
rotting  the  wool.  The  color  will  stand  the  soap 
better;  and  to  keep  the  color  from  running  be- 
fore bleaching  entirely,  the  scourer  must  add  a 
solution  of  1  pound  of  muriatic  acid  to  the  last 
rinsing  of  the  flannel.  If  the  cochineal  should 
have  stained  the  white,  then  rinse  in  cold  water 
before  fastening  the  spots,  by  the  sulphur,  when 
bleaching. 

PONCEON. — 100  pounds  of  fabric.  Color 
scarlet  first,  as  given  in  recipe  for  scarlet  on 
wool,  in  another  place,  but  leave  out  the  flavine, 
or  yellow  dyestufF.  After  the  goods  are  well 
rinsed,  prepare  a  kettle  with  fresh  water;  heat  it 
to  180"  Fah.;  strain  into  it  5  pounds  of  cochineal 
paste ;  stir  all  well  together,  and  enter  the  fabric; 
handle  it  for  half  an  hour  without  boiling ;  rinse 
and  dry.  Instead  of  ammoniated  cochineal,  3 
ounces  of  magenta  crystals  may  be  used. 

PRINTS,  To  Pret'ent  Fading. —The  dress 
should  be  washed  in  lather,  and  not  by  applying 
the  soap  in  the  usual  way  direct  upon  the  muslin. 
Make  a  lather  by  boiling  soap  and  water  together; 
let  it  stand  until  it  is  sufficiently  cool  for  use, 
and  previously  to  putting  the  dress  into  it,  throw 
in  a  handful  of  salt;  rinse  the  dress  without 
wringing  it  in  clear,  cold  water,  into  which  a 
little  salt  has  been  thrown ;  remove  it  and  rinse 
it  in  a  fresh  supply  of  clear  water  and  salt.  Then 
wring  the  dress  in  a  cloth  and  hang  it  to  dry  im- 
mediately, spreading  as  open  as  possible,  so  as 
to  prevent  one  part  lying  over  another.  Should 
there  be  any  white  in  the  pattern,  mix  a  little 
blue  in  the  water. 

PURPLE  DYE  for  Cotton.—  Get  up  a  tub 
of  hot  logwood  liquor,  enter  three  pieces,  give 
them  five  ends,  hedge  out ;  enter  them  into  a 
clean  alum  tub,  give  them  five  ends,  hedge  out; 
get  up  another  tutl  of  logwood  liquor,  enter,  give 
them  five  ends,  hedge  out ;  renew  your  alum 
tub,  give  them  five  ends  in  that,  and  finish. 

PURPLE  D  YE  for  Wool.— For  5  lbs.  goods, 
cream  of  tartar,  4  oz.;  alum,  6  oz.;  cochineal, 
well  pulverized,  2  oz.;  muriate  of  tin,  )4  teacup. 
Boil  the  cream  of  tartar,  alum,  and  tin,  15  min- 
utes ;  then  put  in  the  cochineal,  and  boil  5  min- 
utes; dip  the  goods  2  hours  ;  then  make  a  new 
dye  with  alum,  4  oz.;  Brazil  wood,  6  oz.;  log- 
wood, 14  oz.;  muriate  of  tin,  I  tea-cup,  with  a 
little  chemic  ;  work  again  until  pleased. 

PURPLE  DYE  for  Silk.— For  I  lb.  of  silk 
— having  first  obtained  a  light  blue  by  dipping 
in  the  home-made  blue  dye-tub,  and  dried,  dip 
in  alum  4  oz.,  to  sufficient  water  to  cover,  when 
a  little  warm ;  if  the  color  is  not  fuU  enough  add 
a  little  chemic 
23 


354 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


RED  D  YES,  Oft  IVhiie  IVcolen  Goods  with 
Aniline  Red,  {Solferino  and  Magenta  Shades.) 
— I.  Clean  the  cloth  or  goods  by  steeping  at  a 
gentle  heat  in  weak  soap-suds,  then  rinse  in 
several  different  messes  of  clean  water,  and  lay 
aside  moist. 

2.  Put  the  aniline  red  powder  into  an  earthen 
or  metallic  vessel,  and  add  to  it  128  times  its 
weight  of  cold  water,  and  stir  with  a  spoon,  or 
small,  clean  wooden  rod,  until  dissolved.  When 
the  powder  is  dissolved,  strain  one-half  of  the 
strong  liquor  or  solution  through  cotton  cloth 
into  a  large  brass,  copper,  or  iron  dye-kettle,  and 
add  cold  water  till  the  amount  is  reached  that  is 
needed  to  work  the  goods  in  easily,  and  then 
mix  very  thoroughly  by  stirring  with  a  wooden 
rod.  If  any  of  the  aniline  red  is  found  on  the 
strainer  undissolved,  it  must  be  transferred  with 
a  spoon  to  the  vessel  of  cold  water,  and  the 
whole  well  stirred.  A  little  more  cold  water 
should  also  be  added  to  the  vessel. 

3.  The  still  moist  cloth  or  goods  are  now  to 
be  shaken  by  their  ends,  with  the  hands,  to  re- 
move the  plaits  or  folds,  and  then  put  into  the 
dye  bath,  which  is  to  be  gradually  heated  to  a 
nearly  scalding  heat,  and  maintained  at  that  tem- 
perature till  the  color  on  the  goods  is  even,  and 
of  the  desired  depth.  The  goods  are  to  be 
stirred  constantly  while  they  are  in  the  dye- 
bath. 

If  the  color  is  not  dark  enough,  after  the  goods 
have  been  worked  from  fifteen  to  thirty  minutes 
at  a  nearly  scalding  heat,  lift  them  from  the  bath, 
strain  in  a  little  more  of  the  strong,  cold  aniline 
solution  from  the  earthen  vessel,  and  stir  till 
thoroughly  mixed,  then  return  the  goods  to  the 
bath,  and  work  them  again  from  fifteen  to  thirty 
minutes.  Repeat  the  removals  of  the  goods  from 
the  bath,  the  strainings  in  of  a  little  of  the  strong, 
cold  aniline  solution,  and  the  steepings  of  the 
goods  for  short  periods,  till  the  color  on  the 
goods  is  of  the  desired  shade;  then  remove  from 
the  bath,  rinse  in  several  different  messes  of 
clean  water,  and  dry  in  the  shade. 

This  process  is  adapted  for  either  a  Solferino 
or  Magenta  shade  of  red.  The  Solferino  shade 
requires  only  about  two-thirds  as  much  of  the 
aniline  red  as  is  required  for  the  Magenta  shade. 
Silk  goods,  and  mixed  goods  of  cotton  and 
wool,  and  also  cotton  goods  may  be  dyed  by  this 
process.  The  color  is  not  so  handsome  nor  so 
durable  on  cotton  as  on  woolen  or  silk. 

A  single  pound  of  woolen  goods  requires  about 
four  gallons  of  water  to  work  it  in  easily,  when 
dyeing.  Larger  quantities  of  these  goods  do  not 
need  quite  so  much  water  in  proportion. 

For  the  preliminary  solution  of  the  aniline-red 
powder  in  the  earthen  vessel  for  bne  pound  of 
goods.  Magenta  shade,  use  about  one  quart  of 
cold  water. 

If  aniline-red  powder  is  heated  in  a  kettle  with 
water,  a  large  portion  of  it  will  concrete  on  to 
the  kettle,  and  become  almost  insoluble.  For 
this  reason  it  should  be  dissolved  in  a  little  cold 
water  before  added  to  the  dye-bath. 

When  convenient  or  practicable,  let  the  aniline 
red  powder  remain  in  the  vessel  of  cold  water 
over  a  night,  Ijeforc  straining  and  using. 

These  aniline  red  colors  can  be  dyed  in  much 
less  time,  when  the  expense  can  be  afforded,  by 
first  dissolving  the  aniline  red  in  a  bottle  with  a 
little  warm  alcohol.  The  alcoholic  solution  or 
tincture  is  to  be  added  from  time  to  time  to  the 


warm  or  hot  dye-bath,  till  the  color  on  the  goods 
is  of  the  desired  shade.  The  goods  are  to  be  re- 
moved from  the  dye-bath  before  each  addition  of 
the  alcoholic  solution,  and  the  bath  is  to  be  well 
stirred  before  the  goods  are  returned.  The  al- 
coholic solution  should  be  first  dropped  into  a 
little  water,  and  well  mixed,  and  the  mixture 
should  then  be  strained  into  the  dye  bath. 

If  a  particle  of  aniline  red  gets  into  the  dye- 
balh  before  dissolved,  it  will  cause  the  goods  to 
be  spotted,  or  dyed  unevenly. 

Utensils  that  have  been  used  with  aniline  red 
may  be  cleaned  first  with  water,  then  with  a  warm 
mixture  of  water  and  chloride  of  lime,  and  lastly 
with  clean  w^ater.  Alcohol  will  be  required  to 
remove  any  concretions  of  aniline  red  that  may 
be  found  on  kettles  or  utensils. 

For  one  pound  of  woolen  goods.  Magenta 
shade,  96  grains  of  aniline  red  will  be  required, 
S.  Aniline  red  for  one  pound  0/ -woolen  goods. 
Magenta  shade.  For  a  Solferino  shade  on  a 
pound  of  goods,  put  up  64  grains  of  aniline  red, 
S.  Aniline  red  for  one  pound  0/ goods,  Solferino 
shade. 

For  96  grains  of  aniline  red  six  fluid  ounces  of 
alcohol  will  be  required.  More  alcohol  can  be 
used  with  advantage,  when  the  expense  can  be 
afforded.  An  avoirdupois  ounce  of  commercial 
aniline  red  requires  from  four  to  eight  gills  of 
alcohol  for  its  complete  solution,  but  most  gener- 
ally six  gills  are  sufficient.  Troy  or  apothecary 
grain  weights  are  to  be  used  in  putting  up  these 
dyes,  as  the  grain  weight  is  the  same  in  quantity 
in  all  the  systems  of  weights  used  in  drug 
stores. 

RED,  IIYFERNIC.—Hypermc  red  is  ge- 
nerally  used  for  carpets  and  zephyrs.  loo  pounds 
of  yarn  are  boiled  in  a  solution  of  15  pounds  of 
alum,  and  3  pounds  half-refined  tartar,  for  one 
hour,  or,  what  is  just  as  well,  laid  over  night  in 
the  hot  liquid.  The  color  is  much  improved  if 
this  prepared  yarn  can  lay  a  few  days  in  the  at- 
mosphere before  coloring  it  red.  In  fresh  water 
boil  30  pounds  of  hypernic,  or  beechwood,  for 
ten  minutes.  Cool  the  hquid  to  170"  Fahr.;  then 
add  3  pounds  of  whiting,  or  chalk;  handle  in 
this  the  prepared  yarn,  for  ten  minutes  ;  bring 
up  the  heat  to  200*,  when  the  yarn  will  be  a  fine 
red ;  in  half  an  hour  it  will  be  ready  to  take  out 
and  cool.  For  carpet  yarn,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
rinse,  but  to  dry  as  it  is.  If  hard  water  is  to  be 
used,  as  in  some  localities,  the  chalk  is  un- 
necessary ;  but  the  latter  surely  adds  brilliancy 
to  the  color,  equaling  cochineal.  Use  in  the 
preparation  no  blue  vitriol,  which  dulls  the 
color. 

RED  D  YE  for  Cotton.  Take  muriate  of  tin 
%  of  a  tea-cup;  add  sufficient  water  to  cover  the 
goods  well,  bring  it  to  a  boiling  heat,  putting  in 
the  goods  I  hour,  stirring  often ;  take  out  the 
goods  and  empty  the  kettle  and  put  in  clean  wa- 
ter with  nic-wood  I  lb.,  steeping  it  for  ^  hour, 
at  hand  heat ;  then  put  in  the  goods  and  increase 
the  heat  for  i  hour,  not  bringing  to  a  boil  at  all ; 
air  the  goods  and  dip  an  hour  as  before ;  wash 
without  soap. 

RED  MADDER.— This  color  is  mostly  used 
for  army  uniforms.  To  100  pounds  of  fabric, 
use  20  pounds  of  alum,  5  pounds  of  tartar,  and 
5  pounds  of  scarlet  spirit.  After  these  ar^  dis- 
solved, enter  the  goods,  and  let  them  boil  for 
two  hours ;  then  take  them  out,  let  cool,  and  lay 
over  night.    Into  fresh  water  stir  75  pounds  of 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


355 


good  Holland  madder.  Enter  the  fabric  at  120° 
Fah.,  and  bring  it  up  to  200°  in  the  course  of  an 
hour,  during  which  time  it  must  be  handled  well 
to  secure  evenness  ;  then  rinse  and  dry. 

DYEING  TURKEY  RED.— Thxs  is  a  tedi- 
ous, long  process,  and  only  profitable  when  pro- 
duced in  large  quantities.  The  most  expensive 
works  for  this  purpose  are  in  Elberfeld,  Prussia, 
and  the  following  is  one  of  the  methods  there  in 
use: 

First  Operation. — loo  pounds  of  yarn  are  first 
boiled  in  a  weak  soda  lye,  and  afterwards  well 
rinsed  in  the  river. 

Second  Operation. — Soak  25  pounds  of  sheep- 
dung  for  a  few  days  in  a  solution  of  10  pounds 
of  soda ;  then  add  to  it  6  pounds  of  olive  oil ; 
strain  it  through  a  sieve ;  then  handle  through 
this  the  j'arn,  skein  after  skein ;  wring  each  out 
loosely,  and  lay  it  on  slats,  but  so  that  no  large 
lumps  accumulate,  as  it  will  heat  and  set  it  on 
fire ;  the  yarn  must  be  turned  from  time  to  time 
on  the  slats,  to  secure  an  even  drying ;  then  fin- 
ish the  drying  in  a  moderately  warm  room  of 
148"  Fah.  After  it  is  dry  the  same  operation  is 
gone  through  with  as  at  first ;  and  the  yarn  re- 
ceives from  two  to  four  operations  through  the 
dung  and  oil,  according  to  the  darkness  of  the 
shade  wanted ;  it  must  be  dried  each  lime. 

Third  Operation. — 6  pounds  of  olive  oil  and 
10  pounds  of  soda  are  mixed  in  about  6  pails  of 
water ;  if  the  oil  should  not  become  mixed  and 
some  swim  on  the  top,  more  soda  is  required. 
Handle  the  yarn,  skein  after  skein,  through  this 
as  before;  wring  out  loosely,  and  hang  it  up 
again  to  dry ;  the  drying  out  to  be  very  slow,  so 
as  to  give  the  oil  time  to  ferment  in  connection 
with  the  oxygen,  as  it  is  considered  that  the 
warm  oil  can  penetrate  the  fiber  better ;  this  op- 
eration also  is  repeated  two  or  three  times  every 
time  it  is  dried. 

Fourth  OpctatioH,—-Tii  the  old  remaining  oil- 
bath  add  a  solution  of  10  pounds  of  soda;  take 
the  yarn  through  again  as  before,  and  dry. 

Fifth  Operation. — Now  lay  the  yarn  into  a 
warm  solution  of  10  pounds  of  soda  for  5  hours, 
to  free  it  from  the  superfluous  oil  not  absorbed 
by  the  fiber,  then  rinse  it  well  in  the  river. 

Sixth  Operation. — Take  the  yarn  through  a 
decoction  of  20  pounds  of  ground  nutgalls  and 
10  pounds  of  sumach,  in  sufficient  water,  skein 
after  skein;  wring  it  out,  and  dry  in  the  open 
air ;  turn  it  often,  so  as  to  secure  an  even 
color. 

Seventh  Operation. — 30  pounds  of  good  alum, 
free  from  any  iron,  such  as  will  not  show  a  blue 
shade  if  a  few  drops  of  yellow  prussiate  of  pot- 
ash solution  are  added;  otherwise  it  will  not 
make  a  bright  color.  This  alum  is  neutralized 
from  its  free  sulphuric  acid  by  a  solution  of  3 
pounds  of  soda  slowly  added,  so  as  not  to  boil  it 
over  by  the  too  sudden  escape  of  carbonic  acid 
gas ;  pass  the  yarn  through  this  yet  warm  solu- 
tion of  alum,  wring  it  out,  and  dry  as  before,  blit 
not  too  hot,  as  the  acid  of  the  alum  might  injure 
the  cotton  or  crystallize  the  alum. 

Eighth  Operatiotu — The  yarn  is  now  freed 
from  the  loosely  superfluous  alum  adhering  to 
the  fiber  by  soaking  it  in  warm  water,  and  rins- 
ing well  in  the  river. 

Ninth  Operation. — Into  a  suitable  warm  bath 
stir  100  pounds  of  good  madder;  add  50  pounds 
of  beef  blood ;  slir  it  well  and  enter  the  yarn  ; 
handle  quick  at  first,   so  as  to  get  it  even,  and 


bring  it  to  a  boil  during  I  hour ;  then  sling  the 
skeins  together  and  drop  them  into  the  liquor, 
and  let  them  boil  for  one  hour.  It  will  be  surer 
even  by  coloring  only  25  pounds  of  yarn  at  a 
time ;  then  rinse  it. 

Tenth  Operatiotu — The  yam  is  again  taken 
through  an  oil  bath  with  soda  as  before  and 
dried ;  then  boil  it  in  a  solution  of  5  pounds  of 
olive  oil,  6  pounds  of  castile  soap,  and  5  pounds 
of  soda,  from  which  it  will  come  out  bright  red ; 
then  rinse  it. 

Eleventh  Operation. — To  still  more  brighten 
the  color,  without  drying,  put  the  yarn  into  clean 
bags  and  boil  it  for  two  hours  in  a  bath  contain- 
ing 15  pounds  of  good  white  soap,  i^  pounds 
of  tin  crystals,  and  ^  pound  of  nitric  acid. 

Then  take  it  out,  rinse  while  yet  hot,  when  it 
will  be  at  last  done. 

This  is  the  only  fast-red  which  is  good  for 
bleached  goods  ;  others  are  less  durable. 

RED  DYE  for  Wool.— A.  good  and  bright 
red  color  may  be  obtained  on  wool  by  the  use  of 
lac-dye,  in  the  following  way  ;  In  the  first  place, 
a  tolerably  stiff  paste  is  made  of  the  lac-dye  and 
sulphuric  acid,  and  this  is  allowed  to  stand  for  a 
day.  For  dyeing  10  pounds  of  wool,  one  pound 
of  tartar,  two  thirds  of  a  pound  of  salts  of  tin, 
and  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of  t,he  paste  just 
mentioned  are  required.  The  wool  must  be 
boiled  in  the  bath  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour, 
after  which,  as  a  matter  of  course,  it  must  be 
carefully  rinsed  and  dried. 

RIBBONS,  to  IVash. — As  washing  and  doing 
up  ribbons  is  quite  a  source  of  economy,  it  is  not 
every  lady  that  knows  that,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  delicate  colors,  pink,  sky-blue,  &c.,  al- 
most any  ribbon  can  be  washed  and  ironed,  and 
made  to  look  nearly  if  not  quite  as  well  as  new. 
To  wash  ribbons,  make  a  clear  lather  of  clean 
white  soap,  the  water  as  warm  as  you  can  bear 
your  hands;  rub  the  ribbon  through  this  ;  soap 
may  also  be  applied  where  there  are  grease  spots 
on  the  wrong  side;  rinse  in  cold  water.  As 
soon  as  washed,  without  hanging  out  to  dry, 
have  ready  a  hot  iron,  and  press  them  out  while 
wet;  press  on  the  wrong  side;  they  will  wrinkle, 
and  never  look  well,  if  not  pressed  while  wet. 
If  you  wish  to  stiffen  them,  dip  them  before  iron- 
ing, in  a  solution  of  gum  arable ;  when  ironed 
smooth,  take  the  scissors  and  trim  off  the  ends. 
I  have  renewed  narrow  satin  riblions,  yellow 
and  white,  in  this  way,  when  you  would  not 
know  they  had  ever  been  worn ;  also  wide  col- 
ored ribbons,  black,  etc. 

SCARFS  {China  Crape),  ToWash.—li±Q 
fabric  be  good,  these  articles  of  dress  can  be 
washed  as  frequently  as  may  be  required,  and 
no  diminution  of  their  beauty  will  be  discover- 
able, even  when  the  various  shades  of  green  have 
been  employed  among  other  colors  in  the  pat- 
terns. In  cleaning  them  make  a  strong  lather 
of  boiling  water ;  suffer  it  to  cool ;  when  cold, 
or  nearly  so,  wash  the  scarf  quickly  and  thor- 
oughly, dip  it  immediately  in  cold  hard  water  in 
which  a  little  salt  has  been  thrown  (to  preserve 
the  colors),  rinse,  squeeze,  and  hang  it  out  to 
dry  in  the  open  air;  pin  it  at  its  extreme  edge  to 
the  line,  so  that  it  may  not  in  any  part  be  folded 
together ;  the  more  rapidly  it  dries  the  clearer  it 
will  be. 

SCARLET  {Cochineal)  DYE,  {old  Mode).— 
In  former  times,  when  cochineal  was  very  ex- 
pensive,  the  goods  were  colored  in  two  waters^ 


3S6 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


•with  nitrate  of  tin.  By  this  process,  the  coch- 
ineal colors  only  the  outside  of  the  fabric  (the 
cut  showing  white  in  broadcloth),  and  about 
thirty  per  cent,  less  of  cochineal  is  used  than  in 
scarlet  colored  \«th  muriate  of  tin  in  one  opera- 
tion ;  but  it  is  useful  for  braided  scarlet  random. 
To  ICO  pounds  of  fabric  dissolve  lo  pounds  of 
nitrate  of  tin,  5  pounds  of  cream  of  tartar,  i 
pound  of  flav-ine.  The  nitrate  of  tin  should  be 
made  thus :  10  pounds  nitric  acid,  36°  B. ;  5 
pounds  muriatic  acid,  22°  B.;  5  pounds  water; 
mix  these  ingredients,  and  add  1  pound  feath- 
ered tin,  small  quantities  to  prevent  overheating. 
Boil  it  for  ten  minutes ;  cool  off  to  1 70° ;  enter 
the  goods,  and  boil  them  for  one  hour;  then  take 
out,  cool,  and  rinse.  To  fresh  water  add  7 
pounds  of  cochineal,  well  ground,  and  2  pounds 
of  starch  in  solution,  and  strain ;  let  all  boil  for 
five  minutes;  cool  the  dye  to  180";  add  I  pound 
of  nitrate  of  tin;  handle  the  fabric  well,  and  boil 
for  three  quarters  of  an  hour ;  then  take  it  out, 
cool,  and  rinse.  This  is  a  very  bright  scarlet, 
and  is  used  for  scarlet  random;  only  use  no 
flavine  in  the  preparation  of  the  random,  to 
secure  a  good  white.  This  scarlet  requires  two 
waters ;  the  cochineal  would  not  adhere  to  the 
wool  with  nitrate  of  tin,  as  it  does  with  the  mu- 
riate of  tin  in  one  operation.  In  all  scarlets,  the 
yellow  shade  is  governed  by  the  quantity  of 
citron  bark  or  flavine  used.  I  find  a  very  foolish 
habit,  m  many  dye  houses,  of  letting  the  liquor 
run  half  away  after  every  dip  is  colored;  the  old 
liquor,  or  second  kettle,  makes  not  only  a  better 
color,  but  will  save  at  least  twenty  per  cent,  of 
dye  stuflf  and  heat.  Of  course  common  sense 
must  govern  the  judgment  of  the  operator,  or  the 
acid  will  be  too  strong  in  the  dye,  after  several 
dips. 

SCARLET  with  LAC  DYE. —  For  100 
pounds  of  flannel  or  yarn,  take  25  pounds  of 
ground  lac  dye,  15  pounds  of  scarlet  spirit,  (as 
below),  5  pounds  of  tartar,  I  pound  of  flavine, 
according  to  shade,  i  pound  of  tin  crystals,  5 
pounds  of  muriatic  acid.  Boil  all  for  fifteen 
minutes,  then  cool  the  dye  to  1 70°  Fah. ;  enter 
the  goods,  and  handle  them  quickly  at  first ;  let 
them  boil  one  hour ;  rinse  them  while  yet  hot, 
before  the  gum  and  impurities  harden.  This 
color  stands  scouring  with  soap  better  than  coch- 
ineal scarlet,  but  this  is  in  consequence  of  a 
larger  amount  of  acid  being  used  than  is  neces- 
sary with  cochineal  scarlet.  To  this  color,  a 
small  quantity  of  sulphuric  acid  may  be  used,  as 
it  dissolves  the  gum.  The  quantity  of  lac  dye 
should  be  regulated  by  its  quality. 

SCARLET  DYE /err  Woo/.— For  every  100 
pounds  of  fabric,  boil,  in  a  suitable  kettle,  1 1 
pounds  of  ground  Honduras  cochineal,  5  pounds 
of  half-refined  tartar  or  3  pounds  of  tartaric  acid, 
2  pounds  of  oxalic  acid,  I  pound  of  tin  crystals, 
1^  pounds  of  flavine,  10  pounds  of  scarlet  spirit. 
(The  latter  is  prepared  as  follows:  Take  i6 
pounds  muriatic  acid,  22**  B.,  I  pound  feathered 
tin,  2  pounds  water.  The  acid  snould  be  put  in 
a  stoneware  pot,  and  the  tin  added,  and  allowed 
to  dissolve;  the  mixture  should  be  kept  a  few 
days  before  using.)  After  it  has  boiled  for  about 
fifteen  minutes,  cool  the  dye  to  180°  Fah.;  enter 
the  goods,  iiandle  them  quickly  at  first,  and  let 
them  boil  slowly  for  one  hour,  when  they  will 
be  a  good  scarlet.  Take  them  out,  cool,  and 
rinse  in  cold  water.  If  it  should  happen  that  the 
wool  or  flannel  shows  some  white  hair,  which  is 


generally  the  case  when  new  wool  is  used,  then 
add  5  pounds  of  raw  muriatic  acid  to  the  dye. 
This  powerful  agent  will  work  wonders  in  scar- 
lets, oranges,  and  pinks,  as  it  tans  the  wool, 
which  is  perhaps  a  little  greasy,  and  prevents  the 
tin  crystals  from  fastening  too  quickly  to  it,  and 
thereby  evener  colors  are  obtained.  This  latter 
fact  is  very  valuable,  and  not  generally  known. 

SHAWLS,  SCARFS,  etc..  To  Clean.— lUhe 
fabric  be  good,  these  articles  of  dress  can  be 
washed  as  frequently  as  may  be  required,  and  no 
diminution  of  their  beauty  will  be  discoverable, 
even  when  the  various  shades  of  green  have 
been  employed  among  other  colors  in  the  pat- 
terns. In  cleaning  them,  make  a  strong  lather 
of  boiling  Mater  ;  suffer  it  to  cool ;  when  cold,  or 
nearly  so,  wash  the  scarf  quickly  and  thoroughly, 
dip  it  immediately  in  cold  hard  water  in  which  a 
little  salt  has  been  thrown  (to  preserve  the  col- 
ors,) rinse,  squeeze,  and  hang  it  out  to  dry  in 
the  open  air;  pin  it  at  its  extreme  edge  to  the 
line,  so  that  it  may  not  in  any  part  be  folded  to- 
gether ;  the  more  rapidly  it  dries  the  clearer  it 
will  be. 

SHA  WLS  (  Woolen),  Scotch  Method  of  Clean- 
ing.— Scrape  one  pound  of  soap,  boil  it  down  in 
sufficient  water.  When  cooling,  beat  it  with  the 
hand;  it  will  be  a  sort  of  jelly.  Add  three 
tablespoonfuls  of  spirit  of  turpentine,  and  one 
of  spirit  of  hartshorn.  Wash  the  articles  thor- 
oughly in  it.  Then  rinse  in  cold  water  until  all 
the  soap  is  taken  off,  then  in  salt  and  water. 
Fold  between  two  sheets,  taking  care  not  to 
allow  two  folds  of  the  article  washed  to  lie  to. 
gether.  Mangle,  and  iron  with  a  very  cool  iron. 
Shawls  done  in  this  way  look  like  new.  Only 
use  the  salt  where  there  are  delicate  colors  that 
may  strike. 

SHAWLS  (^Cashmere'),  To  Clean  the  White 
Middle  of.  —  Prepare  a  mixture  of  equal  parts 
of  camphor,  W.  I.  molasses  and  clean  soft  soap. 
Fold  a  sheet  and  lay  upon  the  bench  or  table 
used.  Single  your  shawl  and  lay  the  white  part 
upon  the  sheet,  then  with  a  clean  white  cloth  rub 
the  mixture  thoroughly  into  all  the  white.  Rub 
first  the  right  side,  then  turn  and  rub  the  other 
side.  Rinse  thoroughly  in  luke-warm  water, 
taking  care  not  to  wet  the  colors  unnecessarily. 
Press  the  water  out,  and  wring  in  a  dry  cloth. 
Iron  while  damp,  crease  through  the  middle  and 
you  will  be  surprised  at  the  newness  of  your  old 
shawl. 

SHIRT-BOSOMS,  To  Polish.— Vni  a  little 
common  white  wax  in  your  starch,  say  two 
ounces  to  the  pound ;  then  if  you  use  any  thin 
patent  starch,  be  sure  you  use  it  warm,  otherwise 
the  wax  will  get  colcl  and  gritty,  and  spot  your 
linen,  giving  it  the  appearance  of  being  stained 
with  grease.  It  is  different  with  collar  starch — 
it  can  be  used  quite  cold ;  however,  of  that  anon. 
Now,  then,  about  polishing  shirts :  starch  the 
fronts  and  wristbands  as  stiff  as  you  can.  Always 
starch  twice,  that  is,  starch  and  dry,  then  starch 
again.  Iron  your  shirt  in  the  usual  way,  mak- 
ing the  linen  nice  and  firm,  but  without  any  at- 
tempt at  a  good  finish ;  don't  lift  the  plaits ;  your 
shirt  is  now  ready  for  polishing,  but  you  ought 
to  have  a  board  the  same  size  as  a  common  shirt 
board,  made  of  hard  wool,  and  covered  with  only 
one  ply  of  plain  cotton  cloth.  Put  this  board 
into  the  breast  of  your  shirt,  damp  the  front  very 
lightly  with  a  wet  sponge,  then  take  a  polishing 
iron,  which  is  flat  and  leveled  a  little  at  (Xie  end 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


357 


— ^polish  gently  with  the  beveled  part,  taking  care 
not  to  drive  the  linen  up  into  wave-like  blisters ; 
of  course  this  requires  a  little  practice,  but  if  you 
are  careful  and  persevere,  in  a  short  time  you 
will  be  able  to  give  that  enamel-like  finish  which 
seems  to  be  so  much  wanted. 

SHIRT  COLLARS,    To  Dress. —  Y ox  this 

E)arpose  use  the  best  starch,  say  two  pounds,  and 
bur  ounces  of  wax  apd  six  and  a  half  pints  of 
water  ;  first  dissolve  the  wax  in  the  boiling  wa- 
ter, take  the  vessel  off  the  fire  and  allow  ir  to 
stand  for  five  minutes ;  during  this  time  dissolve 
the  starch  in  the  smallest  possible  quantity  of 
cold  water,  then  pour  it  gradually  into  the  vessel 
and  boil  for  twenty-five  minutes — keep  stirring 
all  the  time;  this  starch  can  be  used  quite  cold; 
rub  it  well  into  the  collars,  wring  as  tight  as  you 
can,  finish  by  wringing  in  a  cloth,  then  iron ; 
thus  you  will  have  them  stiff  without  being  hard, 
and  when  well  dressed  will  have  that  beautiful 
elastic  finish  so  much  admired  in  new  collars. 

SILK,  To  Clean. — i.  Dresses  cleaned  by  the 
following  method  have  not  the  appearance  of 
being  cleaned:  Quarter  of  a  pound  of  honey, 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  soft  soap,  two  wine  glasses 
of  gin,  three  gills  of  boiling  water  ;  mix  and  let 
stand  until  blood-warm ;  spread  the  silk  on  a 
clean  table  with  a  cloth  under  it — there  must  be 
no  gathers ;  dip  a  nail  brush  into  the  mixture, 
and  rub  tlie  silk  well,  especially  where  there  are 
stains  or  the  most  dirt  or  spots,  and  with  a 
sponge  wet  the  whole  breadth  generally,  and 
rub  gently;  then  rinse  the  silk  in  cold  soft  water; 
hang  it  up  to  drain,  and  iron  it  damp.  The 
quantity  stated  is  for  a  plain  dress. — 2.  Grate 
raw  potatoes  to  a  fine  pulp  in  water,  and  pass 
the  liquid  matter  through  a  coarse  sieve  in  an- 
other vessel  of  water;  let  the  mixture  stand 
undisturbed  till  the  fine  white  particles  of  the 
potato  are  precipitated ;  then  pour  the  mucilagin- 
ous liquor  from  the  fecula,  and  preserve  it  for 
use.  The  article  to  be  cleaned  should  be  spread 
upon  a  linen  cloth  upon  a  table,  and  washed  with 
a  sponge  dipped  in  the  potato  liquor,  until  the 
dirt  is  perfectly  separated,  then  rinsed  in  clear 
•water  several  times  without  wringing.  Two 
middle  size4  potatoes  will  be  sufficient  for  one 
pint  of  water.  Iron  whilst  damp  on  the  wrong 
side.  Should  the  silk  be  of  more  than  one  color, 
it  is  desirable  to  wet  a  small  piece  first,  lest  the 
dress  should  be  spoiled  by  moisture,  causing  the 
colors  to  run;  but  for  self-colored  silks,  the  direc- 
tion is  an  excellent  one;  and  satinets,  even  of 
light  colors,  if  not  greased  or  stained,  make  up 
again  nearly  equal  to  new. — 3.  Take  a  quarter  of 
a  pound  of  soft  soap,  a  teaspoonful  of  brandy 
and  a  pint  of  gin;  mix  all  well  together  and  strain 
through  a  cloth.  With  a  sponge  or  flannel  spread 
the  mixture  on  each  side  ofthe  silk  without  creas- 
ing it;  wash  it  in  two  or  three  waters  and  iron 
it  on  the  wrong  side.  It  will  look  as  good  as 
new,  and  the  process  will  not  injure  silks  of  even 
the  most  delicate  colors. 

SILKS  {Colored'),  To  Clean. — Put  some  white 
soap  into  boiling  water,  and  heatit  until  dissolved 
ia  a  strong  lather.  At  a  hand  heat  put  in  the 
article-  If  strong,  it  may  be  rubbed  as  in  wash- 
ing; rinse  it  quickly  in  warm  water,  and  add  oil 
of  vitriol,  sufficient  to  give  another  water  a  sour- 
ish taste,  if  for  bright  yellows,  crimsons,  maroons, 
and  scarlets;  but  for  oranges,  fawns,  browns, 
or  other  shades,  use  no  acid.  For  bright  scarlet, 
use  a  solution  of  tin.    Gently  squeeze  and  then 


roll  it  in  a  coarse  sheet,  and  wring  it.  Hang  it 
in  a  warm  room  to  dry,  and  finish  it  by  calender- 
ing or  mangling. 

For  pinks,  rose  colors,  and  thin  shades,  etc, 
instead  of  oil  of  ^^trioI,  or  solution  of  tin,  prefer 
lemon  juice,  or  white  tartar,  or  vinegar. 

For  blues,  purples,  and  their  shades,  add  a 
small  quantity  of  American  pearlash;  it  will  re- 
store the  colors.  Wash  the  articles  like  a  linen 
garment,  but,  instead  of  wringing,  gently  squeeze 
and  sheet  them,  and  when  dry,  finish  them  with 
fine  gum  water,  or  dissolved  isinglass,  to  which 
add  some  pearlash,  rubbed  on  the  wrong  side; 
then  pin  them  out. 

Blues  of  all  shades  are  dyed  with  archil,  and 
afterwards  dipped  in  a  vat ;  twice  cleaning  with 
pearlash,  restores  the  color.  For  olive-greens, 
a  small  quantity  of  verdigris  dissolved  in  water, 
or  a  solution  of  copper,  mixed  with  the  water, 
will  revive  the  color  again. 

SILK  (  White),  To  Zf/m<r>4.— According  to  a 
French  patent,  an  improvement  upon  the  ordin- 
ary method  of  bleaching  wool  and  silk  by  s«\phur, 
consists  in  the  use  of  a  solution,  in  the  propor- 
tion of  four  pounds  of  oxalic  acid  and  four  pounds 
of  salt,  in  two  quarts  of  water.  This  is  said  to 
be  available  for  silk  in  all  its  forms,  as  well  as 
for  crude,  carded,  spun,  or  woven  wool.  The 
material  is  allowed  to  remain  an  hour  in  this 
fluid,  and  then  is  washed  off  in  warm  water  and 
dried.  Or  wash  the  articles  clean,  rinse  in  suds, 
and  smoke  with  brimstone  while  wet;  the  silk 
must  be  brushed  or  washed  with  a  sponge ;  if 
rubbed,  it  will  never  press  smoothly ;  expose  the 
goods  to  the  air,  and  the  odor  will  soo«  pass  off. 

SILK  {Black),  To  Renoz'ate.—l.  Boil  an  old 
black  kid  glove  till  it  begins  to  dissolve,  strain 
the  water,  and  sponge  with  it  the  right  side  of 
the  silk;  iron  while  damp  on  the  wroag  side. — 
2.  Take  two  raw  potatoes  of  ordinary  size,  pare 
them,  and  remove  the  core  if  they  are  hollow. 
Slice  them  into  a  half  pint  of  cold  water,  and 
leave  them  over  night.  The  next  morning, 
sponge  the  silk  with  the  water,  not  wetting  it 
too  freely;  then  iron  it,  and  its  appearance  will 
be  greatly  improved.— 3.  To  bullock's  gall,  add 
boiling  water  sufficient  to  make  it  warm,  and 
with  a  clean  sponge  rub  the  silk  well  on  both 
sides ;  squeeze  it  well  out,  and  proceed  again  ih 
like  manner.  Rinse  it  in  spring  water,  and 
change  the  water  till  perfectly  clean,  dry  it  in  the 
air,  and  pin  it  out  on  a  Lible ;  but  first  dip  the 
sponge  in  glue  water,  and  rub  it  on  the  wrong 
side;  then  dry  it  before  a  fire. 

SILK  {Black)  Reviver. — Boil  logwood  in  wa- 
ter half  an  hour;  then  simmer  the  silk  half  an 
hour;  take  it  out,  and  put  into  the  dye  a  little 
blue  vitriol,  or  green  copperas ;  cool  it  and  sim- 
mer the  silk  for  half  an  hour.  Or,  boil  a  hand- 
ful of  fig  leaves  in  two  quarts  of  water  until  it  be 
reduced  to  one  pint;  squeeze  the  leaves,  and  bot- 
tle the  liquor  for  use.  When  wanted  sponge  the 
silk  with  it. 

SILK  ( imte  or  very  Light),  To  Clean.— 
Take  one  quart  of  lukewarm  water,  and  mix  with 
it  four  ounces  of  soft  soap,  four  ounces  of  honey, 
and  a  good  sized  wineglass  of  gin.  The  silk 
must  be  unpicked  and  laid  in  widths  on  a  kitchen 
table;  then  take  a  common  scrubbing  brush  quite 
new,  dip  it  in  the  mixture,  and  rub  the  silk 
firmly  up  and  down  on  both  sides,  so  as  to  sat- 
urate it.  Rinse  it  in  cold  water  twice  until  free 
from  soap,  hang  it  on  a  dothes  horse  to  drain 


358 


Dictionary  of  e very-day  wants. 


until  half  dry;  then  iron  it  with  a  piece  of  thin 
muslin  between  it  and  the  iron,  or  it  will  be 
marked  on  the  ironed  side.  The  silk  when  laid 
on  the  table  must  be  kept  quite  smooth,  so  that 
every  part  may  come  under  the  brush.  White 
silk  requires  a  little  blue  in  the  water. 

SILK,  IVAS/IIJVG.—No  person  should  ever 
wring  or  crush  a  piece  of  silk  when  it  is  wet, 
because  the  creases  thus  made  will  remain  for- 
ever, if  the  silk  is  thick  and  hard.  The  way  to 
wash  silk  is  to  spread  it  smoothly  upon  a  clean 
board,  rub  white  soap  upon  it,  and  brush  it  with 
a  clean,  hard  brush.  The  silk  must  be  rubbed 
until  all  the  grease  is  extracted,  then  the  soap 
should  be  brushed  off  with  clean,  cold  water, 
applied  to  both  sides.  The  cleansing  of  silk  is  a 
very  nice  operation.  Most  of  the  colors  are  liable 
to  be  extracted  with  washing  in  hot  suds,  espe- 
cially blue  and  green  colors.  A  little  alum,  dis- 
solved in  the  last  water  that  is  brushed  on  silk, 
tends  to  prevent  the  colors  from  running.  Al- 
cohol and  camphene,  mixed  together,  is  used  for 
removing  grease  from  silk. 

SILir,  WRINKLED.— T:o  make  silk,  which 

has  been  wrinkled  and  tumbled,  appear  like  new 

— sponge  it  on  the  surface  with  a  weak  solution 

of  gum  arable  or  white  glue,  and  iron  it  on  the 

wrong  side. 

SILK,  To  Remove  Grease  from. — ^A  sure  and 
safe  way  to  remove  grease  stains  from  silks  is  to 
rub  the  spot  quickly  with  brown  paper ;  the 
friction  will  soon  draw  out  the.  grease ;  or  lay 
the  silk  upon  a  table,  with  an  ironing  blanket 
under  it,  the  right  side  of  the  silk  downward ; 
put  a  piece  of  brown  paper  on  the  top,  and  apply 
a  flat  iron  just  hot  enough  to  scorch  the  paper. 
We  have  found  this  recipe  more  efficacious  than 
any  scouring  drops  ever  compounded. 

SILK,  To  Retnove  Wax  Stains  from. — Mix 
powdered  French  chalk  with  lavender  water  to 
the  thickness  of  mustard.  Put  it  on  the  stain, 
and  rub  it  gently  with  the  finger  or  palm  of  the 
hand.  Put  a  sheet  of  clean  blotting  paper  and 
brown  paper  over  it,  and  smooth  it  with  a  warm 
iron.  When  dry  the  chalk  must  be  removed, 
and  the  silk  gently  dusted  with  a  white  handker- 
chief. If  a  faint  mark  still  remains,  a  second 
application  of  French  chalk  and  lavender  water 
Vill  generally  remove  it.  If  the  wax  stain  has 
fallen  thickly  on  the  silk,  it  should  be  removed 
first  carefully  with  a  penknife. 

SILK  STOCKINGS  (^White),  To  Wash.— 
Heat  some  rain  or  soft  water,  and  while  on  the 
fire  cut  into  it  slices  of  good  yellow  soap,  to  make 
a  lather ;  put  the  stockings  in  vhile  the  lather  is 
■warm,  but  not  scalding,  and  wash  them  in  two 
such  waters  (a  wineglassful  of  gin  in  the  first 
water  is  an  improvement) ;  rinse  them  well  in 
lukewarm  water,  having  ready  a  second  rinsing 
water,  in  which  is  mixed  a  little  blue  (not  the 
common  kind,  but  such  as  is  used  for  muslins 
and  laces),  or  rose  pink,  which  can  be  procured 
at  the  chemist's,  and  is  used  in  the  same  way  as 
the  blue,  by  tying  it  up  in  a  piece  of  flannel  and 
squeezing  it  into  the  water.  After  rinsing,  put 
the  stockings  between  towels  and  let  them  get 
almost  dry ;  place  them  on  a  small  sheet,  lay 
them  out  quite  flat,  as  they  are  when  first  pur- 
chased, tack  them  to  the  sheet  with  a  needle  and 
thread,  turn  the  sheet  over  them,  and  have  them 
mangled.  If  it  is  not  convenient  to  have  them 
mangled,  the  next  best  plan  is  to  put  four  or  six 
stocluugs  one  upon  the  other  between  a  piece  of 


calico,  lay  them  on  a  stone  doorstep,  and  beat 
them  with  the  rolling  pin.  They  must  not  be 
mangled  or  beaten  in  towels,  as  the  pattern  of 
the  towels  would  be  impressed  on  them.  If  the 
stockings  have  lace  fronts  they  will  more  par- 
ticularly require  the  tacking  mentioned  above  to 
make  tliem  look  nice.  No  soda  or  washing 
powder  of  any  kind  must  be  put  to  them,  and 
they  must  be  done  quickly,  and  not  left  lying 
about. 

SLATE  DYE,  For  Cotton  or  Woolen.— 'BoW 
the  bark  in  an  iron  kettle,  skim  out  the  chips 
after  it  has  boiled  sufficiently,  and  then  add  coj>- 
peras  to  set  the  dye.  If  you  wish  it  very  dark 
add  more  copperas.  This  is  excellent  for  stock- 
ings. 

SLATE  DYE,  For  Silk.— To  make  a  slate, 
take  a  pan  of  warm  water  and  about  a  teacupful 
of  logwood  liquor,  pretty  strong,  and  a  piece  of 
pearlash,  of  the  size  of  a  nut;  take  gray-colored 
goods,  and  handle  a  little  in  this  liquor,  and  it  is 
finished.  If  too  much  logwood  is  used,  the  col- 
or will  l^  too  dark. 

SOAFSUDS,  CLEARING.— li  is  generally 
known  that  a  little  dissolved  alum  is  very  effect- 
ive in  clearing  muddy  water ;  but  recent  experi- 
ments show  its  further  virtues.  In  a  place  where 
water  was  scarce,  a  little  alum  was  dissolved  in 
hot  water,  and  thrown  into  a  tub  of  thick  soap- 
suds. In  a  short  time  the  soap  curdled,  and  ac- 
companied by  the  muddy  particles,  sank  to  the 
bottom,  leaving  the  water  above  perfectly  clear, 
pure,  and  devoid  of  smell.  This  water  was 
found  very  useful  for  washing  clothing,  when 
poured  off  the  sediment.  A  similar  result  was 
attained  in  a  quick  manner  by  filling  a  boiler 
with  soapsuds,  placing  it  on  a  fire,  and  throwing 
a  bit  of  alum  into  it.  When  the  suds  boiled,  the 
scum  went  over,  and  left  the  water  clear,  soft, 
and  as  useful  for  washing  clothes  as  it  had  ori- 
ginally been- 

STARCH,  Aluvt  in. — For  starching  muslins, 
ginghams,  and  calicoes,  dissolve  a  piece  of  alum 
the  size  of  a  shellbark,  for  every  pint  of  starch, 
and  add  to  it.  By  so  doing,  the  colors  will  keep 
bright  for  a  long  time,  which  is  very  desirable 
when  dresses  must  be  often  washed,  and  the  cost 
is  but  a  trifl,e. 

STARCHING,  CLEAR.— This  is  practiced 
as  follows :  Rinse  the  articles  in  three  waters, 
dry  them,  and  dip  them  in  a  thick  starch,  previ- 
ously strained  through  muslin ;  squeeze  them, 
shake  them  gently,  and  again  hang  tliem  up  to 
dry;  and  when  dry,  dip  them  twice  or  thrice  in 
clear  water,  squeeze  them,  spread  them  on  a 
linen  cloth,  roll  them  up  in  it,  and  let  them  lie 
an  hour  before  ironing  them.  Muslins  will  look 
well  when  starched  and  clapped  dry,  while  the 
starch  is  hot,  then  folded  in  a  damp  cloth  tiil 
they  become  quite  damp  before  ironing  them. 
If  muslins  are  sprinkled  they  are  apt  to  be  spoti- 
ted.  Some  ladies  clap  muslins,  then  dry  them, 
and  afterward  sprinkle  them. 

STARCH,  FLOUR.  — Mix  flour  gradually 
with  cold  water,  so  that  it  may  be  free  from 
lumps.  Stir  in  cold  water  till  it  will  pour  easily; 
then  stir  it  into  a  pot  of  boiling  water,  and  let  it 
boil  five  or  six  minutes,  stirring  it  frequently.  ' 
A  little  spermaceti  wiU  make  it  smoother.  This 
starch  will  answer  very  well  for  cotton  and  linen. 

STARCH,  G[/Jll  ARABIC— Take  2  ounces 
of  white  gum  arable  powder,  put  it  into  a  pitch. 
er,  and  pour  on  it  a  pint  or  more  of  boiling  watex 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


359 


(according  to  the  degree  of  strength  you  desire), 
and  then,  having  covered  it,  let  it  set  all  night. 
In  the  morning  pour  it  carefully  from  the  dregs 
into  a  clean  bottle,  cork  it,  and  keep  it  for  use. 
A  tablespoonful  of  gum  water  stirred  into  a  pint 
of  starch  that  has  been  made  in  the  usual  man- 
ner, will  give  the  lawns  (either  white,  black,  or 
printed),  a  look  of  newness,  when  nothing  else 
can  restore  them  after  washing.  It  is  also  good, 
much  diluted,  for  thin  white  muslin  and  bob- 
binet. 

STARCH,  GLUE.— Boil  a  piece  of  glue  four 
inches  square,  in  three  quarts  of  water.  Keep 
it  in  a  bottle  well  corked.     Use  for  calicoes. 

STARCH,  To  Improve.— To  each  bowl  of 
starch  add  one  teaspoonful  of  epsom  salts,  and 
dissolve  in  the  usual  way  by  boiling;  the  fabric 
thus  starched  will  be  considerably  stiffer,  besides 
being  rendered  to  a  certain  degree  fire-proof. 

STARCH  LUSTER.— K  substance  known 
by  this  title  is  used  for  washing  purposes  which, 
when  added  to  the  starch,  causes  the  linen  to 
which  it  is  applied  to  assume  not  only  a  high 
polish  but  a  dazzling  whiteness.  A  portion  of 
the  size  of  an  old-fashioned  cent  added  to  half  a 
pound  of  starch,  and  boiled  with  it  for  two  or 
three  minutes,  will  produce  the  best  results. 
This  substance  is  nothing  more  than  stearine, 
colored  by  a  slight  addition  of  ultra-marine  blue, 
the  esseiitial  ingredient  being  the  stearine  ;  and 
with  or  without  the  coloring  matter,  will  be 
found  to  add  very  much  to  the  beauty  of  linen 
articles  to  which  it  is  applied. 

STARCH  POLISH— "iixV^  common  dry 
potato  or  wheat  starch  sufficient  to  make  a  pint 
of  starch  when  boiled.  Then  add  half  a  drachm 
of  spermaceti,  and  half  a  drachm  of  white  wax, 
and  then  use  it  as  common  starch,  only  using 
the  iron  as  hot  as  possible.  In  this  manner  a 
brilliant  polish  is  produced. 

STEEL  D  YE  {Dark).  —Black  wool— it  may 
be  natural  or  colored,  lo  lbs. — white  wool  i^ 
lbs.  Mix  evenly  together  and  it  will  be  beauti- 
ful. 

STRAW  COLOR  for  i'Z/yJ.  —  Smartweed, 
boiled  in  brass  and  set  with  alum,  will  color  a 
fine  straw  color. 

STRAW  BONNETS,  To  Bleach.— ?,iTa.w 
hats  which  have  turned  yellow  may  be  bleached 
by  the  use  of  a  soap  prepared  by  taking  any 
good  soda  soap  and  precipitating  it  from  its  solu- 
tion by  means  of  common  salt,  and  adding  to  it 
one-fourth  the  weight  of  sulphate  of  soda,  previ- 
ously rubbed  into  a  mass  with  water,  then  dry- 
ing the  product.  About  equal  parts,  by  weight, 
of  water  are  to  be  poured  upon  this,  and  for 
every  two  pounds  of  soap,  half  an  ounce  of  spir- 
its of  sal-ammoniac  is  to  be  added ;  and  after  the 
whole  has  assumed  a  gelatinous  consistency,  one 
part  of  the  mass  is  to  be  dissolved  in  eight  parts 
of  warm  water;  smaller  proportions  of  the 
foregoing  will,  of  course,  answer  for  a  few  arti- 
cles. The  objects  to  be  bleached  are  to  be  wash- 
ed by  means  of  a  brush  in  this  solution,  and 
transferred,  while  still  moist,  into  water  acidu- 
lated with  hydrochloric  acid  (twenty-five  parts 
water  to  one  and  a  half  of  acid),  and  allowed  to 
remain  a  few  hours  in  this  liquid.  They  are  then 
to  be  washed  with  fresh  cold  water,  and  dried. 
Experiment  has  proved  the  results  of  this  method 
of  bleaching  to  be  exceedingly  satisfactory. 

STRAW  BONNETS,  To  C/^<7«.— The  bon- 
nets may  be  washed  with  soap  and  water,  then 


rinsed  in  clear  water,  and  dried  in  the  air.  They 
must  then  be  washed  over  with  white  of  an  egg, 
well  beaten.  The  wire  must  be  removed  before 
washing. 

STRAW  BONNETS,  To  Dye  Chestnut 
Brown. — For  twenty-five  straw  hats:  i  pound 
and  a  half  of  ground  sanders,  2  pounds  of  ground 
curcuma,  three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  powdered 
gall  nuts,  or  sumac,  one-tenth  of  a  pound  of 
rasped  logwood.  These  ingredients  are  allowed 
to  boil  in  a  kettle  with  the  straw  hats  ;  the  boil- 
er, however,  must  be  large  enough  so  that  the 
hats  are  not  pressed  against  each  other.  After 
two  hours'  boiling  the  hats  are  withdrawn,  rins- 
ed, and  allowed  to  remain  over  night  in  a  bath 
of  nitrate  of  iron  of  4  degrees  Baume,  when  they 
are  washed.  A  darker  brown  may  be  obtained 
by  increasing  the  quantity  of  sanders.  When 
dry,  the  hats  are  brushed  with  a  brush  of  dogs' 
(couch)  grass,  in  order  to  give  them  the  desired 
luster. 

STRA  W  BONNETS,  To  Dye  Black.— Fox 
twenty-five  straw  hats  :  They  are  put  in  a  boil- 
ing bath  of  four  pounds  of  logwood,  one  pound 
of  gall  nuts,  or  sumac,  and  one-half  pound  of 
curcuma,  or  fustic.  The  hats  are  allowed  to  re- 
main therein  for  two  hours.  They  are  hereupon 
immersed  in  a  bath  of  nitrate  of  iron  of  four  de- 
grees Baume,  when  they  are  carefully  rinsed  in 
water,  dried,  and  brushed. 

STRA  W  and  CHIP  HA  TS,  To  Varnish 
Black. — Best  alcohol  4  oz. ;  pulverized,  black 
seahng-wax  i  oz. ;  put  them  into  a  vial,  and  put 
the  vial  into  a  warm  place,  stirring  or  shaking 
occasionally,  until  the  wax  is  dissolved;  apply  it 
when  warm  by  means  of  a  soft  brush,  before  the 
fire  or  in  the  sun. 

It  gives  stiffness  to  old  straw  hats  or  bonnets, 
makes  a  beautiful  gloss,  and  resists  wet ;  if  any- 
thing else  is  required,  just  apply  it  to  small  bask- 
ets also,  and  see  how  nicely  they  will  look. 

STRA  W BONNETS,  To  Dye  Silver  Gray. 
— For  twenty-five  straw  hats :  In  order  to  pro- 
duce this  color,  the  whitest  hats  must  be  select- 
ed ;  they  are  first  softened  in  a  bath  of  crystal- 
lized soda,  to  whtch  some  clear  lime-water  has 
been  added.  As  dye-bath,  the  following  decoc- 
tion is  used,  and  the  hats  are  kept  therein  under 
constant  boiling.  The  recipe  for  the  bath  is  folir 
pounds  of  pure  alum,  three-eighths  of  a  pound 
of  tartaric  acid,  some  ammoniacal  cochineal,  and 
carmine  of  indigo;  a  little  sulphuric  acid  may  be 
added  to  this  decoction  according  to  necessity. 
The  sulphuric  acid  is  employed  in  order  to  neu- 
traUze  the  alkali  of  the  cochineal  dye.  When 
the  last  mentioned  ingredients  are  made  use  of, 
the  hats  are  allowed  to  remain  for  an  hour  longer 
in  the  boiling  bath,  when  they  are  rinsed  in 
slightly  acidulated  water. 

STRA  W BONNETS,  Slate  Dye/or.—TiTst 
soak  the  bonnet  in  rather  strong  warm  suds  for 
15  minutes  to  remove  sizing  or  stiffening;  then 
rinse  in  warm  water,  to  get  out  the  soap ;  now 
scald  cudbear,  1  oz.,  in  sufficient  water  to  cover 
the  hat  or  bonnet;  work  the  bonnet  in  this  dye, 
at  180°  of  heat,  until  you  get  a  light  purple; 
now  have  a  bucket  of  cold  water,  blued  with  the 
extract  of  indigo,  }4  oz-.  and  work  or  stir  the 
bonnet  in  this,  until" the  tint  pleases;  dry,  then 
rinse  out  with  cold  water,  and  dry  again,  in  the 
shade.  If  you  get  the  purple  too  deep  in  shade 
the  final  slate  will  be  too  dark. 

STRAW  BONNETS,  To  Dye  Violet,— 1^6 


3^0 


DICTIONAR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


four  pounds  of  alum,  one  pound  of  tartaric  acid, 
and  one  pound  of  chloride  of  tin.  Dissolve  these 
ingredients  in  water,  and  allow  the  hats  to  re- 
main in  the  boiling  solution  two  hours ;  add  then 
so  much  of  a  decoction  of  logwood  and  carmine 
of  indigo  as  is  requisite  for  obtaining  the  desired 
shade,  and  rinse  finally  in  water  in  which  some 
alum  has  been  solved.  It  is  self-evident  that  for 
the  above  mentioned  quantities  of  mordants  and 
dyes  the  requisite  amount  of  water  has  to  be 
taken. 

STRAW  HATS,  To  WAiUn.— ScTaY>Q  stick 
sulphur  with  a  knife,  mix  the  powder  to  a  mush 
with  water,  plaster  it  thickly  over  the  straw,  and 
place  in  the  hot  sun  for  several  hours ;  brush  off 
•when  dry.     An  easy  and  effectual  plan. 

SUMMER  SUITS,  To  i^r<7j/5. —  Summer 
suits  are  nearly  all  made  of  white  or  buff  linen, 
pique,  cambric  or  muslin,  and  the  art  of  preserv- 
ing the  new  appearance  after  washing  is  a  mat- 
ter of  the  greatest  importance. 

Common  washerwomen  spoil  everything  with 
soda,  and  nothing  is  more  frequent  than  to  see 
the  delicate  tints  of  lawns  and  percales  turned 
into  dark  blotches  and  muddy  streaks  by  the  ig- 
norance and  vandalism  of  a  laundress. 

It  is  worth  while  for  ladies  to  pay  attention  to 
this,  and  insist  upon  having  their  summer  dress- 
es washed  according  to  the  directions  which 
they  should  be  prepared  to  give  their  laundress. 

In  the  first  place,  the  water  should  be  tepid, 
the  soap  should  not  be  allowed  to  touch  the 
fabric ;  it  should  be  washed  and  rinsed  quick, 
turned  upon  the  wrong  side,  and  hung  in  the 
shade  to  dry,  and  when  starched  (in  thin  boiled 
but  not  boiling  starch)  should  be  folded  in  sheets 
or  towels,  and  ironed  upon  the  wrong  side,  as 
soon  as  possible. 

But  linen  should  be  washed  in  water  in  which 
hay  has  been  boiled,  or  a  quart  of  bran.  This 
last  will  be  found  to  answer  for  starch  as  well, 
and  is  excellent  for  print  dresses  of  all  kinds, 
but  a  handful  of  salt  is  very  useful  also  to  set  the 
colors  of  light  cambrics  and  dotted  lawns ;  and  a 
little  beef's  gall  will  not  only  set  but  highten 
yellow  and  purple  tints,  and  has  a  good  effect 
upon  green. 

VEILS  {Black  Lace),  To  C/can.—Tass  them 
through  warm  water  in  which  ox-gall  has  been 
dissolved,  a  tablespoonful  to  a  quart  of  water, 
and  then  rinse  in  Cold  water.  Stiffen  by  dipping 
in  water  in  which  a  bit  of  gum  arable  or  glue  has 
been  dissolved;  clap  between  the  hands  till 
almost  dry,  then  pin  out  nicely  on  a  frame  or 
bed  till  entirely  dry,  'and  press  between  the  folds 
of  a  sheet. 

VEILS  {White  Lace),  To  Clean.— Tut  the 
veil  into  a  strong  lather  of  white  soap  and  very 
clear  water,  and  let  it  simmer  slowly  for  a  quarter 
of  an  hour.  Take  it  out  and  squeeze  it  well,  but 
be  sure  not  to  rub  it.  Rinse  it  in  two  cold  wa- 
ters, with  a  drop  or  two  of  liquid  blue  in  the 
last.  Have  ready  some  very  clear  weak  gum 
arabic  water,  or  some  thin  starch,  or  rice  water. 
Pass  the  veil  through  it,  and  clear  it  by  clapping. 
Then  stretch  it  out  even,  and  pin  it  to  dry  on  a 
linen  cloth,  making  the  edge  as  straight  as  pos- 
sible, opening  out  all  the  scallops,  and  fastening 
each  with  pins.  When  dry,  lay  a  piece  of  thin 
muslin  smoothly  over  it,  and  iron  it  on  the 
wrong  side. 

VEILS  {Black  Tissue),  To  Rcne'.v.—'Dv^  them 
in  thin  glue  water;  shake   them   gently  until 


nearly  dry ;  spread  black  silk  or  cambric  on  the 
ironing  blanket,  and  press  with  a  moderate 
iron. 

VELVET,  To  take  Grease  <7«// ^/.— To  take 
grease  out  of  velvet  or  cloth,  get  some  turpen- 
tine and  pour  it  over  the  place  that  is  greasy ; 
rub  it  till  quite  dry  with  a  piece  of  clean  flannel ; 
if  the  grease  be  not  removed,  repeat  the  applica- 
tion, and  when  done,  brush  the  place  well;  and 
hang  up  the  garment  in  the  open  air  in  order  to 
take  away  the  smell. 

VELVET,  To  Restore. — Cover  a  hot  smooth' 
ing  iron  with  a  wet  cloth,  and  hold  the  velvet 
firmly  over  it.  The  vapor  arising  will  raise  the 
pile  of  the  velvet  with  the  assistance  of  a  light 

VIOLET  DYE.  —This,  like  purple,  is  pro- 
duced by  a  mixture  of  red  and  blue  coloring  mat- 
ter, applied  either  together,  or  in  succession-  A 
good  violet  may  be  given  to  silk  or'  wool  by  pass- 
ing it  first  through  a  solution  of  verdigris,  then 
through  a  decoction  of  logwood,  and  lastly  through 
alum  water.  A  fast  violet  may  be  given  by  dy- 
ing the  goods  a  crimson  with  cochineal,  without 
alum  or  tartar,  and,  after  rinsing,  passing  them 
through  the  indigo  vat.  —  Linens  or  cottons  are 
first  galled  with  l8  %  of  gall  nuts,  next  passed 
through  a  mixed  mordant  of  alum,  iron  liquor, 
and  sulphate  of  copper,  working  them  well,  then 
worked  in  a  madder  bath  made  with  an  equal 
weight  of  root,  and  lastly  brightened  with  soap 
or  soda.  Another  good  method  is  to  pass  cloth 
dyed  Turkey  red  through  the  blue  vat. — Wool, 
silk,  cotton,  or  linen,  mordanted  with  alum  and 
dyed  in  a  logwood  bath,  or  a  mixed  bath  of  Ar- 
chil and  Brazil,  also  takes  a  pretty,  but  false 
violet 

WASHING,  Hints  on.  — Tlie  linen  for  Mon- 
day's  wash  should  be  collected  on  Saturday, 
sorted  and  put  to  soak  in  cold  water  according  to 
the  various  kinds.  The  body  linen  should  be 
put  into  one  tub,  the  bed  and  table  linen  in 
another,  and  the  fine  things  separately.  Plain 
collars,  cuffs,  wristbands,  should  be  strung 
through  the  button  holes  on  a  piece  of  bobbin 
long  enough  to  enable  the  articles  to  be  easily 
divided  for  rubbing,  starching,  etc.  Colored 
muslins,  prints,  and  flannels  must  be  laid  aside 
to  be  washed  in  a  different  manner  from  white 
calico  or  linen.  Properly  boiled  suds  are  far  bet- 
ter than  soap  for  washing,  particularly  if  a  wash- 
ing machine  be  employed.  The  suds  should  be 
prepared  in  the  following  manner : —  Shred  into 
an  earthenware  jar  the  best  yellow  soap  cut  into 
very  fine  shavings,  and  pour  boiling  water  to 
the  quantity  required.  One  pound  of  soap  is 
plenty  for  one  gallon  of  water.  Add  to  this 
quantity  half  a  pound  of  the  best  soda,  and  set 
the  jar  (covered)  on  a  stove  or  at  the  back  of  the 
kitchen  range  till  the  soap  is  quite  dissolved.  If 
this  be  done  on  Saturday  evening,  the  soap  will 
be  a  smooth  jelly  fit  to  use  on  Monday  morning. 

WASHING  FLUIDS.— \.  Take  one  pound 
of  sal  soda  and  half  a  pound  of  unslaked  lime, 
put  them  into  a  gallon  of  water  and  boil  twenty 
minutes ;  let  it  stand  till  cool,  then  drain  off  and 
put  into  a  strong  jar  or  jug;  soak  your  dirty 
clothes  over  night,  or  until  they  are  wet  through, 
then  wring  them  out  and  rub  on  plenty  of  soap, 
and  in  one  boiler  of  clothes,  well  covered  with 
water,  add  one  teacupful  of  washing  fluid;  boil 
half  an  hour  briskly,  and  then  wash  them  thor- 
oughly through  one  suds,  rinse,  and  your  clothes 


WASHING,  BLEACHING  AND  DYEING. 


361 


■will  look  better  than  the  old  way  of  washing 
t^vice  before  boiling. 

2.  Five  pounds  of  sal  soda,  one  pound  of  bo- 
rax, one  pound  of  unslaked  lime.  Dissolve  the 
soda  and  borax  in  one  gallon  of  boiling  water ; 
slake  the  lime  in  the  same  quantity  of  boiling 
water;  then  pour  them  both  into  eight  gallons 
of  cold  water ;  stir  a  few  times  and  let  it  stand 
until  morning,  when  tlie  clear  fluid  should  be 
poured  off  into  jars,  ready  for  use.  For  two 
pails  full  of  water  use  half  a  pint  of  the  com- 
pound. Soak  your  clothes  over  night,  putting 
soap  on  the  soiled  parts.  In  the  morning  wring 
them  out  and  put  them  on  to  boil,  first  putting 
some  of  the  fluid  and  soap  into  the  boiler.  After 
boiling  ten  or  twelve  minutes,  take  them  out  into 
your  machine  or  tub  and  the  dirt  will  rub  right 
off;  then  rinse  well  in  two  waters. 

3.  One  and  one  quarter  pound  of  washing  soda, 
%  pound  borax,  and  dissolve  in  4  quarts  water 
by  boiling.  When  the  mixture  is  cold  add  about 
one  lialf  a  teacupful  of  water  of  ammonia  (harts- 
horn), and  bottle  for  use,  taking  care  to  keep  the 
fluid  corked  from  the  air.  For  use  take  a  cup- 
ful to  a  pailful  of  water. 

4.  Sal  soda  and  borax,  %  lb.  each;  gum 
camphor,  i  oz. ;  alcohol,  %,  pint.  Dissolve  the 
soda  and  borax  in  one  gallon  of  boiling  rain  wa- 
ter, pour  in  two  gallons  of  cold  rain  water,  add 
the  camphor  first  dissolved  in  the -alcohol,  stir 
well  and  bottle  for  use.  Four  tablespoonfuls  of 
the  preparation  are  to  be  mixed  with  a  pint  of 
soft  soap,  and  the  clothes  boiled  in  a  suds  made 
of  this.  It  is  all  the  better  if  the  clothes  are  soak- 
ed over  night,  before  putting  them  into  the 
suds. 

5.  Soak  your  clothes  over  night  in  clear,  cold 
water  ;  in  the  morning  have  over  the  fire  what 
water  is  necessary  to  boil  them  in,  add  one  ta- 
blespoonful  of  saleratus,  one  pint  of  soft  soap, 
or  one  quarter  of  a  bar  of  hard  soap,  wring  or 
drain  your  clothes  from  the  water  in  which  they 
have  stood  over  night,  put  them  in  your  boiler, 
boil  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  when  they  will 
need  but  little  rubbing,  rinse,  and  your  clothes 
will  be  beautifully  white.  Your  suds  will  be  ex- 
cellent for  washing  colored  clothing  of  all  kinds, 
as  it  does  not  injure  the  nicest  prints.  One  pound 
of  saleratus  will  do  twenty  washings  for  any 
common  family. 

WHITE  D  YE  for  Stlk.—TVt  silk  is  treated, 
first  of  all,  with  soap,  taking  one  quarter  of  a 
pound  to  one  pound  of  silk,  boiled  an  hour  in  a 
fresh  soap  solution,  containing  one  and  a  half 
ounces  in  the  pound,  taken  through  cold  water, 
and  next  sulphured.  The  sulphuring  is  repeated 
three  times,  and  after  each  time  the  silk  is  steam- 
ed at  a  temperature  of  88-100"  F.  After  the 
last  sulphuring  the  silk  is  steamed  several  times 
till  the  sulphurous  smell  has  entirely  disappeared. 
The  silk  is  now  washed  twice  in  pure  running  or 
soft  (rain)  water,  passed  into  a  strong,  boiling 
soap  bath,  drawn  five  times  through  the  same, 
wrung  out,  prepared,  and  dyed  white,  according 
to  pattern,  in  a  fresh  boiling  bath  of  soap,  to 
which  a  little  reddish  aniline  blue,  soluble  in  al- 
cohol, has  been  added.  The  silk  thus  dyed  white 
is  washed  twice  more,  and  then  drawn  five  times 
through  a  cold  vinegar  (acetic  acid)  bath.  It  is 
then  finished. 

If  the  white  has  turned  out  too  blue,  some 
ammoniacal  cochineal  is  added  to  the  \-inegar 
bath. 


By  this  process  everv  kind  of  white  can  be  ob- 
tained— pure  white,  milk  white,  bluish  white,  or 
reddish  white. 

WINE  COLOR  DYE  for  Woo/.— For  5  lbs. 
goods — camwood  2  lbs. ;  boil  15  minutes  and  dip 
the  goods  }4  hour;  boil  again  and  dip  ^  hour; 
then  darken  with  blue  vitriol  i  ^  oz. ;  if  not  dark 
enough,  add  copperas  }4  oz. 

WOOLEN  ARTICLES,  To  Clean.  —  The 
shrinking  and  discoloring  of  woolen  articles  may  I 
be,  in  great  part,  prevented  by  care  in  washing 
them.  Never  wash  them  in  hard  water,  nor  wa- 
ter softened  by  soda ;  nor  should  they  be  rubbed 
with  soap.  The  fibers  of  wool  are  covered  with 
little  points,  all  directed  one  way.  K%  the  wool- 
en is  rubbed,  these  become  tangled,  and  form  a 
kind  of  thick  felt,  by  which  means  the  article  is 
shrunk  and  thickened.  For  the  same  reason  it 
is  not  desirable  to  wring  woolen  things.  Before 
washing,  woolen  things  should  be  well  brushed 
and  shaken  to  get  rid  of  the  dust.  Rain,  or  soft 
river  water,  should  have  a  strong  lather  made  in 
it  with  soap;  or,  if  the  things  are  very  greasy, 
oxgall  should  be  added,  in  the  proportion  of  half 
a  pint  to  six  quarts  of  water;  then  boihng  water 
should  be  added  to  the  lather  to  make  it  as  hot 
as  it  is  possible  to  bear  the  hand  in ;  and  the 
dirty  woolen  should  be  put  in,  and  dipped  and 
raised  repeatedly  for  several  minutes.  It  should 
then  be  squeezed  (not  wrung)  as  dry  as  possible 
from  the  dirty,  slimy  liquor,  and  the  process,  if 
necessary,  repeated  with  some  clean  lather.  If 
the  article  is  not  very  dirty,  and  becomes  quite 
clean  in  the  first  washing,  the  second  washing 
may  be  in  hot  water  onlv,  without  soap;  and,  in 
either  case,  a  blue-bag  sKould  be  used  in  the  last 
water.  When  gall  has  been  used,  a  third  water 
is  necessary  to  take  off  the  bad  smell.  WTien 
the  article  is  finished,  it  should  be  squeezed  as 
dry  as  can  be,  and  dried  as  quickly  as  possible 
in  the  open  air,  if  the  weather  is  fine. 

WOOL,  To  Cleanse. — Make  a  liquid  of  water 
3  parts  and  urine  I  part;  heat  it  as  hot  as  you 
can  bear  the  hand  in  it ;  then  put  in  the  wool,  a 
little  at  a  time,  so  as  not  to  have  it  crowd;  let  it 
remain  in  for  15  minutes;  take  it  out  over  a 
basket  to  drain;  then  rinse  in  running  water,  and 
spread  it  out  to  dry;  thus  proceed  in  the  same 
liquor ;  when  it  gets  reduced  fill  it  up,  in  the 
same  proportions,  keeping  it  at  hand  heat,  all  the 
time  not  using  any  soap.  * 

YELLOW  DYE  for  Cotton.— \%X.  Qean  the 
cloth  or  goods  by  steeping  in  soap-suds,  then 
rinse  in  several  different  messes  of  clean  water, 
and  lay  aside  moist. 

2d.  Into  a  clean  brass,  copper,  or  wooden 
vessel  put  the  amount  of  clean  warm  -water 
deemed  necessary  to  work  the  goods  in  easily, 
then  add  the  acetate  of  lead  (previously  dissolved 
in  a  little  hot  water  in  a  basin  or  kettle),  and  stir 
with  a  wooden  rod  till  well  mixed ;  after  which 
put  in  the  cloth  or  goods,  and  let  them  he  in  30 
minutes  or  longer,  stirring  often. 

3d.  Into  another  clean  earthen,  wooden,  or 
metalhc  vessel  put  the  amount  of  clean  warm 
water  deemed  requisite  to  work  the  goods  in 
easily,  then  add  the  bichromate  of  potash  (previ- 
ously dissolved  in  a  little  hot  water  in  a  brass  or 
iron  kettle),  and  stir  with  a  clean  wooden  rod 
till  well  mixed ;  after  which  wring  out  the  goods 
evenly  from  the  acetate  of  lead  bath  and  work 
them  in  this  bichromate  of  potash  bath  fifteen 
minutes  or  longer,  then  wring  out,  rinse  in  sev- 


362 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


eral  different  messes  of  clean  water,  and  dry  in 
the  shade  or  in  sunshine. 

If  the  color  is  not  even  or  full  after  one  round 
of  dippings,  repeat  the  dippings  in  both  baths, 
in  the  order  above  described,  till  the  color  is 
even  and  satisfactory. 

A  single  jjound  of  cotton  goods  requires  about 
four  gallons  of  water  in  each  bath  to  work  it  in 
easily.  Larger  quantities  of  these  goods  do  not 
need  quite  so  much  water  in  proportion. 

YELLOW  DYES  for  Cotton.— \.  For  three 
pounds  of  goods,  dissolve  in  six  quarts  of  soft 
water,  six  ounces  of  sugar  of  lead;  dissolve  three 
ounces  of  the  bichromate  of  potash  in  another 
vessel  and  dip  the  goods,  one  piece  at  a  time, 
into  the  sugar  of  lead  and  then  into  the  bichro- 
mate ;  dry  and  rinse,  and  it  is  done. 
'  2.  For  5  lbs.  of  goods — sugar  of  lead  7  oz. ; 
dip  the  goods  two  hours ;  make  a  new  dye  with 
bichromate  of  potash  4  oz. ;   dip  imtil  the  color 


suits,  wring  out  and  dry ;  if  not  yellow  enough, 
repeat  the  operation. 

3.  The  following  substances  impart  a  yellow 
to  goods,  either  at  once,  or  after  they  have  been 
mordanted  with  alumina  or  tin : — annotto,  dyer's 
broom,  fustic,  fustet,  French  berries,  quercitron 
bark,  turmeric,  barberry  root.  Goods  mordanted 
with  acetate  of  lead,  and  afterwards  passed 
through  a  bath  of  chromate  of  potash,  acquire  a 
brilliant  chrome  yellow  color;  solution  of  sulphate 
or  acetate  of  iron,  followed  by  immersion  in  pot- 
ash or  lime-water,  gives  a  yellow,  buff,  or  orange, 
—  orpiment  dissolved  in  ammonia  imparts  a 
golden  yellow. 

YELLOW  DYE  for  Silk.— For  one  pound 
of  silk — alum  3  oz. ;  sugar  of  lead  ^  oz. ;  im- 
merse the  goods  in  the  solution  over  night ;  take 
out,  drain,  and  make  a  new  dye  with  fustic  one 
pound;  dip  tintil  the  required  color  is  ob- 
tained. 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


*  A  CID,  Royal  Strawberry. — Take  3  pounds  of 
ripe  strawberries,  2  ounces  of  citric  acid,  and  I 
quart  of  spring  water.  Dissolve  the  acid  in  the 
water,  and  pour  it  on  the  strawberries,  and  let 
them  stand  in  a  cool  place  24  hours.  Then  drain 
the  liquid  off,  and  pour  it  on  3  more  pounds  of 
fruit ;  let  it  stand  24  hours.  Add  to  the  liquid 
its  own  weight  of  sugar ;  boil  it  3  or  4  minutes 
in  a  porcelain-lined  preserve  kettle,  lest  metal 
may  affect  the  taste,  and,  when  cool,  cork  it  in 
bottles  lightly  for  3  days,  then  tightly,  and  seal 
them.  Keep  in  a  dry  and  cool  place.  It  is  deli- 
cious for  sick  and  well. 

ADULTER  A  TIONof  Wine  and  Liquors.— 
We  have  given  considerable  time  to  the  investi- 
gation of  this  question,  and  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  obtain 
here  real  Sherry  and  Port  wine,  and  very  diffi- 
cult to  obtain  real  Brandy.  The  cheaper  liquors, 
such  as  Whisky,  Gin,  Apple  Jack,  Brandy,  and 
others  are  all  made  from  high  wines,  and  some- 
times even  low  wines  are  employed  for  this  pur- 
pose. They  are  mixtures  of  alcohol,  water,  and 
ethers,  which,  according  to  the  process  of  fer- 
mentation, distillation,  and  the  materials  employ- 
ed, are  of  different  composition  and  quality, 
thereby  characterizing  the  different  liquors. 
They  are  colored  by  either  sugar  coloring  or  ex- 
tract of  logwood.  The  fusel  oil  is  the  most  ob- 
jectionable, in  fact  highly  poisonous,  constituent 
of  these  liquors,  and  ought  to  be  removed  as  far 
as  possible  without  destroying  or  removing  the 
compound  ethers  of  it.  This  is  accomplished  by 
filtering  through  charcoal,  or  by  distilling  for 
very  high  graded  wine.  We  are  aware,  how- 
ever, that  it  lies  principally  with  the  distiller 
himself,  in  selecting  the  materials  and  conduct- 
ing the  fermentation  properly,  to  avoid  the  form- 
ation of  an  undue  amount  of  fusel  oil.  The 
quality  of  these  liquors  may  be  tested  in  the  fol- 
lowing way : — A  certain  volume  is  subjected  to 
distillation  in  a  retort,  connected  with  a  Liebig's 
cooler  to  condense  the  alcohol.      After  three-. 


fourths  of  the  liquid  are  distilled  over,  remove 
the  flame ;  fill  up  the  alcohol  to  the  volume  ori- 
ginally taken,  and  note  the  specific  gravity,  from 
which  may  be  calculated  the  percentage  of  spirit; 
the  residue  in  the  retort  is  tested  for  taste  and 
odor,  whereby  the  nature  of  the  coloring  material 
and  the  adulteration  with  pepper  or  other  sharp- 
tasting  spice  is  detected.  The  alcohol  is  tested 
for  fusel  oii.  The  percentage  of  alcohol  in  whis- 
kies and  gins  is  from  45  to  50,  that  of  brandy, 
from  50  to  65.  The  residue  from  brandy  will 
always  contain  some  tannic  acid,  derived  from 
the  oaken  casks  in  which  it  is  exported.  This  is 
easily  detected  by  a  salt  of  iron  giving  the  green- 
ish blue  color  of  ink.  This  same  plan  is  followed 
in  the  analysis  of  wines,  where  the  residue  alone 
will  be  a  criterion  of  the  quality  of  the  wine.  All 
wines  contain  tartaric  acid  in  some  shape,  which, 
however,  is  generally  supplied  in  manufactured 
wine,  so  that  its  presence  cannot  be  taken  as  a 
proof  of  the  genuineness  of  the  wine.  We  can  give 
you  at  present  no  sure  test  for  establisliing  the 
diflbrence  between  natural  color  and  artificial 
coloring,  though  many  have  been  published 
from  time  to  time.  This  is  a  question  which 
must  be  decided  by  the  experience  of  the 
analyst. 

ALCOHOL. — Proof  spirit,  which  is  the  stand- 
ard by  which  all  mixtures  of  alcohol  and  water 
are  judged,  contains  50  per  cent,  by  volume  and 
42-52  per  cent,  by  weight  of  alcohol.  Tlie 
specific  gravity  of  proof  spirit  is  0.933;  ^^'U 
when  a  spirit  is  "above  proof,"  it  denotes  that 
it  contains  an  excess  of  alcohol.  Thus  if  100  vol- 
umes of  a  spirit  require  20  volumes  of  water  to 
reduce  it  to  "proof  standard, "  it  is  said  to  be  20 
over  proof,  while  the  term  "under  proof  has 
reference  to  a  less  strong  spirit  than  the  stand- 
ard. Thus,  if  100  volumes  of  a  spirit  require  20 
volumes  of  spirit  of  a  specific  gravity  of  0.825  ^"^ 
raise  it  to  the  "proof'  standard,  the  sample  is 
said  to  be  "20  under  proof."  The  strength  is 
ascertained  by  the  hydrometer. 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


363 


Alcohol,  when  thoroughly  rectified  and  cleans- 
ed, is  called  pure  neutral  spirit,  and  is  the  basis 
of  all  the  domestic  manufactured  imitations  of 
foreign  brandies,  gins,  cordials,  etc.  The  high 
wine,  or  neutral  spirit,  distilled  and  rectified, 
and  sold  as  French  pure  spirit,  is  free  from  all 
deleterious  substances,  and  when  sweetened, 
colored,  and  properly  flavored,  will  compete  fa- 
vorably  with  imported  brandy  or  gin.  Good 
strong  whisky  may  be  used  as  a  substitute  for 
the  above  proof  spirit,  but  it  is  inferior  to  the 
other.  The  whisky  should  be  of  proper  strength, 
and  treated  as  follows ;  this  process  destroys  the 
fusel  oil,  and  precipitates  the  verdigris  to  the 
bottom: — 

To  40  gals,  whisky,  add  \%  lbs.  unslaked 
lime;  ^  lb.  powdered  alum ;  and  %,  pt.  spirits 
of  nitre;  stir  well,  and  let  stand  twenty- four 
hours.  Then  draw  off  into  another  cask,  avoid- 
ing the  sediment.  It  is  then  fit  for  use.  All  oils 
used  must  be  cut  in  90  per  cent,  alcohol,  using 
I  qt.  alcohol  to  2  oz.  oil,  and  should  stand  twenty- 
four  hours  before  using. 

ALE,  To  Bre~iU. — The  various  operations  of 
brewing  are  nearly  the  same  for  every  species  of 
malt  liquor,  the  differences  in  the  products  aris- 
ing from  the  materials  employed,  the  heat  of  the 
water  used  for  mashing,  and  the  temperature  at 
which  the  fermentation  is  conducted.  (See  Brew- 
ing. )  For  ale,  pale  or  lightly  dried  malt  should 
be  chosen,  as  well  as  pale  hops,  if  it  be  desired 
to  brew  a  liquor  possessing  but  little  color ;  and 
the  fermentation  should  be  carried  on  at  a  low 
temperature.  Almost  every  county  m  England 
has  its  variety  of  ale,  but  the  difference  consists 
chiefly  (the  same  quantity  of  malt  and  hops  being 
used)  in  the  preparation  of  the  malt.  The  water 
may  in  some  cases  vary  in  quality,  the  boiling 
may  be  longer  or  shorter,  or  the  liquor  may  be 
turned  on  at  a  different  heat ;  but  these  circum- 
stances being  considered,  one  general  process 
serves  for  the  whole,  as  before  observed.  For 
immediate  use,  the  malt  may  be  all  pale ;  but  if 
brewed  for  keeping,  or  in  warm  weather,  one- 
fourth  should  be  amber  malt.  6  lbs.  of  Kent 
hops  should  be  used  to  the  quarter,  or  8  to  10  lbs. 
for  keeping  ale. 

ALE,  Burton.  —  This  is  a  strong  species  of 
ale,  of  which  only  a  barrel  and  a  half  is  drawn 
from  a  quarter  of  malt.  Temperature  lor  the  firs* 
mash  170*',  and  for  the  second  180°,  followed  by 
a  mash  for  table  beer  at  165°.  It  is  tunned  at 
58*,  and  cleansed  at  72".  The  finest  pale  malt, 
ground  two  days  before  using,  together  with  the 
best  Kent  hops,  (6  to  8  lbs.  per  quarter,)  are  em- 
ployed for  this  ale. 

ALE  for  Private  Families.  —  A  bushel  and 
three  quarters  of  ground  malt  and  a  pound  of 
hops  are  sufificient  to  make  18  gallons  of  good 
family  ale.  That  the  saccharine  matter  of  the 
malt  may  be  extracted  by  infusion,  without  the 
farina,  the  temperature  of  the  water  should  not 
exceed  165"  or  170°  Fahrenheit's  thermometer. 
The  quantity  of  water  should  be  divided  into  two 
portions,  one  of  which  should  be  poured  upon 
the  malt  as  speedily  as  possible,  and  the  whole 
being  well  mixed  together  by  active  stirring,  the 
vessel  should  be  closely  covered  over  for  an  hour; 
if  the  weather  be  cold,  for  an  hour  and  a  half. 
If  hard  water  be  employed,  it  should  be  boiled, 
and  the  temperature  allowed,  by  exposure  to  the 
atmosphere,  to  fall  to  about  165°  Fahr.  ;  but  if 
rain  water  is  used,  it  may  be  added  to  tlie  malt 


as  soon  as  it  reaches  the  point.  After  standing 
the  proper  time,  the  wort  must  be  drawn  off  into 
another  vessel,  and  the  second  portion  of  the  wa- 
ter poured  on,  which  should  be  allowed  to  mash 
an  hour.  The  first  wort  may  then  be  boiled  with 
j^  lb.  of  hops  for  one  hour,  by  which  time  the 
second  mashing  will  be  ready  to  be  drawn  off, 
and  should  be  boiled  for  half  an  hour,  with  % 
lb.  of  fresh  hops.  The  two  liquors  should  now 
be  mixed  and  cooled  down  to  the  temperature  of 
60*^  or  65°,  when  a  pint  of  good  thick  yeast 
should  be  well  stirred  in,  and  as  soon  as  the  fer- 
mentation is  completed,  the  liquor  may  be  drawn 
off  into  a  clean  cask  previously  rinsed  with  boil- 
ing water.  When  the  slow  fermentation  which 
will  ensue  has  ceased,  the  cask  should  be  loosely 
bunged  for  two  days,  after  which,  if  the  liquor 
be  left  quiet,  the  bung  may  be  properly  fastened. 
Pale  malt  is  the  best,  because,  when  highly  dried, 
it  does  not  afford  so  much  saccharine  matter.  If 
the  malt  be  new,  it  should  be  exposed  to  the  air, 
in  a  dry  room,  for  two  days  previously  to  its 
being  used.  A  third  mashing  may  be  made  for 
table  beer. 

ALE,  Home  Brewed.  —  For  this  purpose  a 
quarter  of  malt,  (8  bus.)  is  obtained  at  the  malt 
house — or,  if  wished  to  be  extra  strong,  nine 
bushels  of  malt — are  taken,  with  hops,  12  lbs. ; 
yeast,  5  qts. 

The  malt,  being  crushed  or  ground,  is  mixed 
with  72  gals,  of  water  at  the  temperature  of  160°, 
and  covered  up  for  3  hours,  when  40  gallons  are 
drawn  off,  into  which  the,  hops  are  put,  and  left 
to  infuse.  Sixty  gallons  of  water  at  a  tempera- 
ture of  170"  are  then  added  to  the  malt  in  the 
mash-tub,  and  well  mixed,  and  after  standing  2 
hours,  sixty  gallons  are  drawn  off.  The  wort 
from  these  two  mashes  is  boiled  with  the  hops 
for  2  hours,  and  after  being  cooled  down  to  65", 
is  strained  through  a  flannel  bag  into  a  ferment- 
ing tub,  where  it  is  mixed  with  the  yeast  and  left 
to  work  for  24  or  30  hours.  It  is  then  run  into 
barrels  to  cleanse,  a  few  gallons  being  reserved 
for  filling  up  the  casks  as  the  yeast  works  over. 

ARRACK  PUNCH  SYRUP.— $^4  lbs. 
sugar;  3^  gals,  water.  Boil  up  well;  then  add 
1%  gals,  lemon  juice  to  the  boiling  sugar,  and  stir 
till  the  liquid  is  clear;  pour  it  in  a  clean  tub,  and, 
when  nearly  cool,  add  5  gals.  Batavia  arrack ; 
then  filter. 

ARRACK,  BATAVIA.— To  12  gallons  pale 
rum,  add  2  ounces  flowers  of  benzoin ;  ^  ounce 
balsam  of  Tolu;  I  ounce  sliced  pine  apple.  Di- 
gest with  occasional  agitation  for  a  month;  then 
add  yi  pint  raw  milk  agitated  well  for  fifteen 
minutes,  and  rack  in  a  week;  a  fine  imitation. 

BARRELS,  To  Sweeten  when  Foul. — i.  Set 
fire  to  I  lb.  or  more  of  broken  charcoal,  put  it 
into  the  cask,  and  immediately  fill  up  the  cask 
with  boiling  water.  After  this  roll  the  cask  once 
f)r  twice  a  day  for  a  week ;  then  pour  out  the 
charcoal  and  water,  wash  out  the  cask  with  clean 
cold  water,  and  expose  it  to  the  external  air  for 
some  days.  —  2.  A  pint  of  the  permanganate 
turned  into  the  most  musty,  filthy  cider  or  beer 
cask  and  rinsed  about  a  few  moments  will  en- 
tirely decompose  all  fungoid  growths  and  ferment- 
ing matter,  and  render  the  cask  as  sweet  as  those 
that  are  new.  The  deodorizing,  disinfecting 
power  of  the  permanganate,  holding,  as  it  does, 
five  equivalents  of  oxygen,  is  wonderful;  it  will 
even  deodorize  carbolic  acid. 

BEAD  for  Liquors,  — The  best  bead  is  the 


3^4 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


orangeflower  water  bead,  (oil  of  neroli),  l  drop 
to  each  gallon  of  brandy.  Another  victhod.  — 
To  every  40  drops  of  sulphuric  acid,  add  60  drops 
purest  sweet  oil  in  a  glass  vessel ;  use  immedi- 
ately. This  quantity  is  generally  sufficient  for 
10  gallons  spirit.  Another.  —  Take  I  ounce  of 
the  purest  oil  sweet  almonds ;  i  ounce  of  sul- 
phuric acid;  put  them  in  a  stone  mortar;  add,  by 
degrees,  2  ounces  white  lump  sugar,  rubbing  it 
•well  with  the  pestle  till  it  becomes  a  paste ;  then 
add  small  quantities  of  spirits  of  wine  till  it  comes 
into  a  liquid.  This  quantity  is  sufficient  for  100 
gallons.  The  first  is  strongly  recommended  as 
the  best. 

BEER,  To  give  the  Appearance  of  Age  to. — 
Add  a  few  handfuls  of  pickled  cucumbers  and 
Seville  oranges,  both  chopped  up.  Tliis  is  said 
to  make  malt  liquor  appear  six  months  older 
than  it  really  is. 

BEER  BOUQUET.  —  According  to  Dr. 
Boettger,  this  liquor  consists  of  a  solution  of  the 
essential  oil  of  lemons  in  light  petroleum  oil,  and 
a  coarse  fusel  oil,  containing  spirit  colored  by 
turmeric. 

BEER,  CHEAP.— i.Water  IS  gaXs.;  boil  half 
the  water  with  ^  lb.  hops;  then  add  to  the  other 
half  in  the  tun,  and  well  mix  with  I  gal.  molas- 
ses and  a  little  yeast. — 2.  Fill  a  boiler  with  the 
green  shells  of  peas,  pour  on  water  till  it  rises 
half  an  inch  above  the  shells,  and  simmer  for 
three  hours.  Strain  off  the  liquor,  and  add  a 
strong  decoction  of  the  wood  sage,  or  the  hop, 
so  as  to  render  it  pleasantly  bitter,  then  ferment 
in  the  usual  manner.  The  wood  sage  is  the  best 
substitute  for  hops,  and  being  free  from  any 
anodyne  property  is  entitled  to  a  preference.  By 
boiling  a  fresh  quantity  of  shells  in  the  decoction 
before  it  becomes  cold,  it  may  be  so  thoroughly 
impregnated  with  saccharine  matter,  as  to  afford 
a  liquor,  when  fermented,  as  strong  as  ale. 
■  BEER  CUR. — Put  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
cinnamon,  two  cloves,  one  allspice,  a  little  grat- 
ed nutmeg,  and  one  gill  of  sherry  into  a  jug;  let 
it  stand  for  two  hours,  then  add  two  pints  of  best 
Burton  ale  and  four  bottles  of  good  ginger  beer ; 
ice  with  blocks  of  clear  ice. 
•  BEER,  To  Enliven  and  Restore  m/fen  Dead. — 
Boil  some  water  and  sugar,  or  water  and  treacle, 
together,  and  when  cold  add  some  new  yeast ; 
this  will  restore  dead  beer,  or  ripen  bottled  beer 
in  24  hours ;  and  it  will  also  make  worts  work  in 
the  tun  if  they  are  sluggish. 
•^  Or,  a  small  teaspoonful  of  carbonate  of  soda 
may  be  mixed  with  a  quart  of  it  as  it  is  drawn 
for  drinking. 

Or,  boil  for  every  gallon  of  the  liquor  3  oz.  of 
sugar  in  water;  when  cold  add  a  little  yeast,  and 
put  the  fermenting  mixture  into  the  flat  beer, 
whether  it  be  a  full  cask  or  the  bottom  of  the 
cask. 
/  Or,  beer  may  often  be  restored  which  has  be- 
come flat  or  stale,  by  rolling  and  shaking  the 
cask  for  a  considerable  time,  which  will  create 
such  a  new  fermentation  as  to  render  it  neces- 
sary to  open  a  vent-peg  to  prevent  the  cask  from 
bursting. 

BEER,  Fining  and  Preserving.  —  Take  a 
handful  of  Uie  hops  boiled  in  the  first  wort,  and 
dried;  %,  lb.  of  loaf  sugar  dissolved  in  the  beer; 
I  lb.  of  chalk;  and  j^  lb.  of  calcined  oyster 
shells.  Put  the  whole  in  at  the  bung  hole,  stir- 
ring them  well  and  then  rebunging.  This  pre- 
paration will  also  suit  for  racked  beer;  in  put- 


ting in  the  hops  it  may  be  advisable  to  place 
them  in  a  net  with  a  small  stone  in  the  bottom 
so  as  to  sink  them,  otherwise  they  will  swim  at 
the  top. 

BEER,  To  Improz'e  the  Flavor  of.  — Bruise 
ginger,  i  oz. ;  bruise  cloves,  ^  oz. ;  a  few  scalded 
hops  and  a  doz.  broken  coarse  biscuits  to  every 
two  barrels.     Rummage  well. 

BEER,  GINGER.— I.  Ten  pounds  of  sugar; 
9  ounces  of  lemon  juice;  ^  a  pound  of  honey ;  11 
ounces  of  bruised  ginger  root :  9  gallons  of  wa- 
ter; 3  pints  of  yeast.  Boil  the  ginger  half  an 
hour  in  a  gallon  of  water ;  then  add  the  rest  of 
the  water  and  the  other  ingredients,  and  strain  it 
when  cold.  Add  the  white  of  an  egg,  beaten, 
and  %  ^^  ounce  of  essence  of  lemon.  Let  it 
stand  4  days,  then  bottle,  and  it  will  keep  many 
months. 

2.  Three  gallons  of  cold  spring  water,  one 
quart  of  molasses,  one  tablespoon  of  cream  of 
tartar,  three  tablespoons  of  ginger,  one  quart  of 
yeast;  mix  together  in  a  tub,  and  stand  for  five 
hours.  It  may  then  be  bottled,  and  will  be  fit 
for  use  in  one  day. 

3.  White  sugar  5  lbs.;  lemon  juice  i  gill; 
honey  ^  lb.;  ginger,  bruised,  5  oz. ;  water  ^% 
gals.  Boil  the  ginger  thirty  minutes  in  three 
qts.  of  the  water;  then  add  the  other  ingredients, 
and  strain ;  when  cold,  put  in  the  white  of  an 
egg,  well  beaten,  with  one  teaspoon  of  lemon 
essence — let  stand  four  days,  and  bottle.  It  will 
keep  for  months — much  longer  than  if  yeast  was 
used;  the  honey,  however,  operates  mildly  in 
place  of  yeast.  , 

4.  Put  two  gallons  of  cold  water  in  a  pot  upon 
the  fire;  add  to  it  two  ounces  of  good  ginger 
bruised,  and  two  pounds  of  white  or  brown  sug- 
ar. Let  this  come  to  a  boil,  and  continue  boil- 
ing for  about  half  an  hour.  Then  skim  the  liquor 
and  pour  into  a  jar  or  tub,  along  with  one  sliced 
lemon  and  half  an  ounce  of  cream  of  tartar. 
When  nearly  cold  put  in  a  te.ispoonful  of  yeast, 
to  cause  the  whole  to  work.  The  beer  is  now 
made;  and  after  it  has  worked  for  two  days, 
strain  it  and  bottle  it  for  use.  Tie  down  the 
corks  firmly. 

5.  To  two  pounds  of  white  sugar,  two  ounces 
of  best  Jamaica  ginger,  well  bruised,  two  ounces 
of  cream  of  tartar,  and  the  rind  of  two  lemons, 
add  two  gallons  of  boiling  water;  stir  all  to- 
gether till  they  become  lukewarm,  toast  a  slice 
of  bread,  pour  on  it  two  tablespoonfuls  of  good 
fresh  yeast,  and  place  it  to  float  on  the  top  of  the 
mixture ;  cover  the  whole  up  for  twenty-four 
hours,  then  strain  and  bottle  it,  taking  care  not 
to  fill  the  bottles;  cork  and  wire  it  securely. 
This  quantity  will  make  three  dozen  bottles,  and 
will  be  ready  for  use  in  three  or  four  days. 

BEER  POWDERS,  GINGER.— i.  Take  2 
drs.  of  fine  loaf  sugar,  8  grs.  of  ginger,  26  grs.  of 
carbonate  of  potassa,  all  in  fine  powder;  mix  them 
intimately  in  a  Wedgwood's  ware  mortar.  Take 
also  27  grs.  of  citric  or  tartaric  acid  (the  first  is  the 
pleasantest,  but  the  last  is  the  cheapest).  The 
acid  is  to  be  kept  separate  from  the  mixture. 
The  beer  is  prepared  from  the  powders  thus : 
Take  two  tumbler-glasses,  each  half  filled  with 
water ;  stir  up  the  compound  powder  in  one  of 
them,  and  the  acid  powder  in  another,  then  mix 
the  two  liquors  ;  an  effervescence  takes  place, 
the  beer  is  prepared,  and  may  be  drunk  off. 
The  effervescence  is  occasioned  by  the  dis- 
charge of  the  carbonic  acid  ot  the  carbonate  of 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


365 


potassa.  If  the  beer  is  allowed  to  stand  for  a  few 
minutes  it  becomes  flat;  this  is  owing  to  its  hav- 
ing lost  all  its  carbonic  acid.  The  cost  of  these 
powders  is  20  cts.  a  dozen  sets. — 2.  (  With  Soda 
Powders.)  Put  into  blue  papers,  30  grains  to 
each  paper,  of  bicarbonate  of  soda,  5  grains  of 
powdered  ginger,  and  I  drachm  of  white  pow- 
dered sugar.  Put  into  white  papers,  25  grains, 
to  each,  of  powdered  tartaric  acid.  Put  I  paper 
of  a  kind  to  ^  a  pint  of  water.  The  common 
soda  powders  of  the  shops  are  like  the  above, 
with  the  sugar  and  ginger  omitted. 

BEER,  HOP.—Tmn.  5  quarts  ofwateron6 
ounces  of  hops  ;  boil  three  hours  ;  strain  off  the 
liquor  ;  turn  on  4  quarts  more  of  water,  and  12 
spoonfuls  of  ginger,  and  boil  the  hops  3  hours 
longer  ;  strain  and  mix  it  with  the  other  liquor, 
and  stir  in  2  quarts  of  molasses.  Brown,  very 
dry,  half  a  pound  of  bread,  and  put  in — rusked 
bread  is  best.  Pound  it  fine,  and  brown  it  in  a 
pot,  like  coffee.  After  cooling  to  be  about  luke- 
warm, add  a  pint  of  new  yeast  that  is  free  from 
salt.  Keep  the  beer  covered,  in  a  temperate 
situation,  till  fermentation  has  ceased,  which  is 
known  by  the  settling  of  the  froth ;  then  turn  it 
into  a  keg  or  bottles,  and  keep  it  in  a  cool  place. 

BEER,  LEMON— To  a  gallon  of  water  add 
a  sliced  lemon,  a  spoonful  of  ginger,  ^  a  pint 
of  yeast,  and  sugar  enough  to  make  it  quite 
sweet. 

BEER,  MAPLE.— To  4  gallons  of  boiling 
•water  add  I  quart  of  maple  syrup,  and  half  an 
ounce  of  essence  of  spruce ;  add  one  pint  of  yeast 
and  proceed  as  with  ginger  pop. 

BEER,  AfOLASSES.— Hops  1  oz. ;  water 
I  gal, ;  boil  for  10  minutes,  strain,  add  molasses 
1  lb.,  and  when  lukewarm,  yeast,  i  spoonful. 
Ferment. 

BEER,  To  Restore  when  Musty. — Run  it 
through  some  hops  that  have  been  boiled  in 
strong  wort,  and  afterwards  work  it  with  double 
the  quantity  of  new  malt  liquor  ;  or  if  the  fault 
is  in  the  cask,  draw  it  off  into  a  sweet  cask,  and 
having  boiled  ^^  lb.  of  brown  sugar  in  I  quart 
of  water,  add  I  or  2  spoonfuls  of  yeast  before  it 
is  quite  cold,  and  when  the  mixture  ferments, 
pour  it  into  the  cask. 

BEER,  PHILADELPHIA.— V^vA^x  30  gal- 
lons ;  brown  sugar  20  lbs. ;  ginger,  bruised,  i  ^ 
lb. ;  cream  of  tartar  ^  lb. ;  supercarbonate  of 
soda  3  oz.;    oil  of  lemon,   cut  in  a  little  alcohol, 

1  teaspoon;  whites  of  10  eggs,  well  beaten;  hops 

2  oz. ;  yeast  I  quart. 

The  ginger  root  and  hops  should  be  boiled  20 
or  30  minutes  in  enough  of  the  water  to  make 
all  milk  warm,  then  strained  into  the  rest,  and 
the  yeast  added  and  allowed  to  work  over  night ; 
skimmed  and  bottled. 

BEER,  ROOT.—\.  Take  3  gals,  of  molas- 
ses ;  add  10  gals,  of  water  at  60°  Fah.  Let 
this  stand  2  hours,  then  pour  into  a  barrel,  and 
add  powdered  or  bruised  sassafras  and  winter- 
■green  bark,  each  ^  lb.,  bruised  sarsaparilla 
root  y^  lb.,  yeast  one  pint,  water  enough  to  fill 
the  barrel,  say  25  gals.  Ferment  for  12  hours 
and  bottle. 

2.  For  10  gals,  beer,  take  3  lbs.  common  bur- 
dock root,  or  I  ounce  essence  of  sassafras ;  % 
lb.  good  hops ;  I  pint  corn,  roasted  brown.  Boil 
the  whole  in  6  gals,  pure  water  until  the  strength 
of  the  materials  is  obtained;  strain  while  hot  into 
a  keg,  adding  enoi^h  cold  water  to  make  10 
gals.     When  nearly  cold,  add  clean  molasses  or 


syrup  until  palatable, — not  sickishly  sweet.  Add 
also  as  much  fresh  yeast  as  will  raise  a  batch  of 
8  loaves  of  bread.  Place  the  keg  in  a  cellar  or 
other  cool  place,  and  in  48  hours  you  will  have  a 
keg  of  first-rate  sparkling  root  beer. 

3.  For  each  gallon  of  water  to  be  used,  take 
hops,  burdock,  yellow  dock,  sarsaparilla,  dande- 
lion, and  spikenard  roots,  bruised,  of  each  ^ 
ounce ;  boil  about  20  minutes,  and  strain  while 
hot,  add  8  or  10  drops  of  oils  of  spruce  and  sas- 
safras, mixed  in  equal  proportions,  when  cool 
enough  not  to  scald  your  hand,  put  in  2  or  3 
tablespoons  of  yeast ;  molasses,  ^  of  a  pint,  or 
white  sugar  ^  lb.,  gives  it  about  the  right  sweet- 
ness. 

4.  American  sarsaparilla,  2  pounds ;  spice 
wood,  ^2  pound;  guaiac  chips,  I  pound;  birch 
bark,  ^  pound;  ginger,  ^  ounce;  sassafras, 
4  ounces;  prickly  ash  bark,  ^  ounce ;  white  mus- 
tard, I  ounce ;  hops,  i  ounce.  Boil  for  twelve 
hours  at  a  moderate  heat,  with  sufficient  water, 
so  that  the  remainder  shall  measure  five  gallons, 
to  which  add  of  tincture  of  ginger,  8  ounces;  oil 
of  wintergreen,  l  ounce;  alcohol,  I  quart;  or 
sufficient  to  prevent  fermentation. 

To  make  Root  Beer,  take  of  the  above  decoc- 
tion, 1  quart;  molasses,  8 ounces;  water  2|^  gal- 
lons ;  yeast,  4  ounces. 

The  Root  Beer,  in  warm  weather,  should  be 
mixed  the  evening  before  it  is  used.  It  can  be 
kept  for  use  either  bottled  or  drawn  by  a  com- 
mon beer  pump.  Most  people  prefer  a  small  ad- 
dition of  wild  cherry  bitters  or  hot  drops  to  the 
above  beer. 

BEER,  To  Cttre  when  Ropy. — Put  a  handful 
or  two  of  flour,  and  the  same  quantity  of  hops, 
with  a  little  powdered  alum,  into  the  beer,  and 
rummage  it  well. 

BEER,  SASSAFRAS.— Have  ready  2  gals, 
of  soft  water ;  one  quart  of  wheat  bran ;  a  large 
handful  of  dried  apples  ;  half  a  pint  of  molasses ; 
a  small  handful  of  hops ;  half  a  pint  of  strong 
fresh  yeast,  and  a  piece  of  sassafras  root  the  size 
of  an  egg.  Put  all  the  ingredients  (save  molas- 
ses and  yeast)  at  once  in  a  large  kettle.  Boil 
until  the  apples  are  quite  soft.  Pour  the  molas- 
ses in  a  small,  clean  tub  or  a  large  pan.  Set  a 
hair  sieve  over  the  vessel  and  strain  the  mixture 
through  it.  Let  it  stand  until  it  becomes  only 
milk  warm,  when  stir  in  the  yeast,  put  the  liquor 
immediately  into  the  keg  or  jugs,  and  let  it 
stand,  uncorked,  to  ferment.  Fill  the  jugs  quite 
full,  that  the  liquor  in  fermentation  may  run 
over.  Set  them  in  a  large  tub.  When  the  fer- 
mentation has  subsided,  cork,  and  use  next  day. 
2  large  tablespoons  of  ginger,  stirred  into  the 
molasses,  will  be  found  to  be  an  improvement. 
If  the  yeast  is  stirred  in  while  the  liquor  is  too 
warm,  it  will  be  apt  to  turn  sour.  If  the  liquor 
is  not  at  once  put  into  jugs,  it  will  not  ferment 
well.  Keep  in  a  cool  place.  This  beer  is  only 
for  present  use,  as  it  will  not  keep  more  than  2 
days  in  very  warm  weather. 

BEER,  SOLID. — By  a  very  simple  process, 
introduced  by  Mr.  Mertens,  the  wort,  after  being 
made  in  the  mash-tub  of  malt  and  hops,  in  the 
usual  manner,  is  sucked  up  by  a  pipe  into  a  large 
vacuum  (exhausted  by  an  air-pump),  and  then 
persistently  worked  round  and  round,  while  the 
moisture  is  evaporated.  The  wort  emerges  from 
its  tribulations  with  a  pasty  consistence,  and  is 
allowed  to  fall  from  a  considerable  height  into 
air-tight  boxes,  in  which  it  reposes  like  bard- 


366 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


bake.  It  soon  gets  so  exceedingly  tough  that  it 
has  to  be  broken  up  with  a  chisel  and  mallet, 
and  in  that  condition  is  easily  sent  abroad,  or  to 
any  part  of  the  world,  for  people  to  brew  their 
own  malt  liquor. 

BEER,  To  Restore  when  Sour. — Good  hops 
^  lb.,  powdered  chalk  2  lbs.;  put  in  the  hole  of 
the  cask,  and  bung  close  for  a  few  days ;  for 
frosted  beer,  add  some  finings,  a  few  handfuls  of 
flour,  and  some  scalded  hops ;  for  ropy  beer,  use 
a  handful  or  two  of  flour,  the  same  of  hops,  with 
a  little  powdered  alum  to  each  barrel.  Rum- 
mage well. 

BEER,  SPR  UCE.—l.  Boil  a  handful  of  hops, 
and  2  of  the  chips  of  sassafras  root,  in  lo  gallons 
of  water ;  strain  it,  and  turn  on,  while  hot,  a  gal- 
lon of  molasses,  2  spoonfuls  of  the  essence  of 
spruce,  2  spoonfuls  of  ginger,  and  I  of  pounded 
allspice.  Put  it  into  a  cask;  and  when  cold 
enough,  add  half  a  pint  of  good  yeast;  stir  it  well; 
stop  it  close ;  when  clear,  bottle  and  cork  it. 

2.  For  3  gals,  water  put  in  l  qt.  and  ^  pt.  of 
molasses,  3  eggs  well  beaten,  yeast  i  gill.  Into 
2  qts.  of  the  water  boiling  hot  put  50  drops  of 
any  oil  you  wish  the  flavor  of;  or  mix  I  oz.  each, 
oils  sassafras,  spruce  and  wintergreen,  then  use 
50  drops  of  the  mixed  oils. 

3.  Boil  8  gals,  of  water,  and  when  in  a  state 
of  complete  ebullition  pour  it  into  a  beer  barrel 
which  contains  8  gals,  more  of  cold  water;  then 
add.  16  lbs.  of  molasses,  with  a  few  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  the  essence  of  spruce,  stirring  the  whole 
well  together ;  add  half  a  pint  of  yeast,  and  keep 
it  in  a  temperate  situation,  with  the  bung-hole 
open  for  two  days  till  the  fermentation  be  abated, 
when  the  bung  may  be  put  in  and  the  beer  bot- 
tled off.  It  is  fit  to  drink  in  a  day  or  two.  If 
you  can  get  no  essence  of  spruce  make  a  strong 
decoction  of  the  small  twigs  and  leaves  of  the 
spruce  firs. 

4.  Take  of  the  essence  of  spruce  half  a  pint; 
bruised  pimento  and  ginger,  of  each  four  ounces; 
water,  three  gallons.  Boil  five  or  ten  minutes, 
then  strain  and  add  1 1  gallons  of  warm  water,  a 
pint  of  yeast,  and  six  pints  of  molasses.  Allow 
the  mixture  to  ferment  for  24  hours. 

5.  Take  of  oil  of  spruce,  sassafras,  and  winter- 
green,  each  40  drops ;  pour  I  gal.  of  boiling  wa- 
ter on  the  oils,  then  add  4  gals,  of  cold  water,  3 
pints  of  molasses,  i  pint  of  yeast.  Let  it  stand 
for  2  hours  and  bottle. 

BEER  POWDERS,  SPRUCE.  —  White 
sugar,  I  drachm ;  bicarbonate  of  soda,  I  scruple; 
essence  of  spruce,  8  grains ;  essence  of  lemon,  l 
grain.  Mix  and  wrap  it  in  blue  paper.  Then 
add  tartaric  acid,  ^  drachm,  and  wrap  it  in  white 
paper.  For  use :  dissolve  each  paper  in  separate 
glasses,  one  third  full  of  water,  pour  one  into 
the  other,  and  drink  immediately. 

BEER,  Improved  STRONG.— UaXt,  i  peck; 
coarse  brown  sugar,  6  pounds ;  hops,  4  ounces ; 
good  yeast,  i  teacup ;  if  you  have  not  malt,  take 
a  little  over  i  peck  of  barley,  (twice  the  amount 
of  oats  will  do,  but  are  not  as  good, )  and  put  it 
into  an  oven  after  the  bread  is  drawn,  or  into  a 
stove  oven,  and  steam  the  moisture  from  them. 
Grind  coarsely.  Now  pour  upon  the  ground 
malt  2,%  gallons  of  water  at  170  or  172°  of  heat. 
The  tub  in  which  you  scald  the  malt  should  have 
a  false  bottom,  2  or  3  inches  from  the  real  bot- 
tom ;  the  false  bottom  should  be  bored  full  of 
gimlet  holes,  so  as  to  act  as  a  strainer,  to  keep 
back  the  malt  meal.    When  tlie  water  is  poured 


on,  stir  them  well,  and  let  it  stand  3  hours,  and 
draw  off  by  a  faucet;  put  in  7  gallons  more  of 
water  at  180  to  182°;  stir  it  well,  and  let  it  stand 
2  hours  and  draw  it  off.  Then  put  on  a  gallon 
or  two  of  cold  water,  stir  it  well  and  draw  it  off; 
you  should  have  about  5  or  6  gallons.  Put  the 
6  pounds  of  coarse  brown  sugar  in  an  equal 
amount  of  water ;  mix  with  the  wort,  and  boil 
1%  to  2  hours  with  the  hops;  you  should  have 
eight  gallons  when  boiled ;  when  cooled  to  80' 
put  in  the  yeast,  and  let  it  work  18  to  20  hours, 
covered  with  a  sack ;  use  sound  iron  hooped  kegs 
or  porter  bottles,  bung  or  cork  tight,  and  in  two 
weeks  it  will  be  good  sound  beer,  and  will  keep 
a  long  time ;  and  for  persons  of  a  weak  habit  of 
body,  and  especially  females,  I  glass  of  this  with 
their  meals  is  far  better  than  tea  or  coffee,  or  all 
the  ardent  spirits  in  the  universe.  If  more  malt 
is  used;  not  exceeding  ^  a  bushel,  the  beer,  of 
course,  would  have  more  spirit,  but  this  strength 
is  sufficient  for  the  use  of  families  or  invalids. 

BEER,  TOMATO.— Q^ihex  the  fruit  once 
a  week,  stem,  ivash  and  mash  it ;  strain  through 
a  coarse  linen  bag,  and  to  every  gallon  of  the 
juice  add  a  pound  of  good,  moist  brown  sugar. 
Let  it  stand  nine  days,  and  then  pour  it  off  from 
the  pulp,  which  will  settle  in  the  bottom  of  the 
■jar.  Bottle  it  closely,  and  the  longer  you  keep 
it  the  better  it  is  when  you  want  to  use  it.  Take 
a  pitcher  that  will  hold  as  much  as  you  want  to 
use — for  my  family  I  use  a  gallon  pitcher — fill  it 
nearly  full  of  fresh  sweetened  water,  add  some 
of  the  preparation  already  described,  and  a  few 
drops  of  essence  of  lemon,  and  you  will  find  it 
equal  to  the  best  lemonade,  costing  almost  noth- 
ing. To  every  gallon  of  sweetened  water  I  add 
a  half  tumbler  of  beer. 

BITTERS,  STOMACH.— European  Gentian 
root,  i^  ounce;  orange  peel,  2}4  ounces;  cin- 
namon, J4  ounce;  anise  seed,  }4  ounce;  corian- 
der seed,  J/i  ounce ;  cardamom  seed,  J^  ounce ; 
unground  Peruvian  bark,  }4  ounce ;  gum  kino, 
^  ounce;  bruise  all  these  articles,  and  put  them 
mto  the  best  alcohol,  i  pint ;  let  it  stand  a  week 
and  pour  off  the  clear  tincture ;  then  boil  the 
dregs  a  few  minutes  in  l  quart  of  water,  strain, 
and  press  out  all  the  strength;  now  dissolve  loaf 
sugar,  I  poimd,  in  the  hot  liquid,  adding  3  quarts 
cold  water,  and  mix  with  spirit  tincture  first 
poured  off,  or  you  can  add  these,  and  let  it  stand 
on  the  dregs  if  preferred. 

BITTERS,  ^A"^AX>K  — Bruised  gentian, 
8  ounces ;  orange  peel,  5  ounces ;  cardamoms,  3 
ounces;  cassia,  i  ounce;  cochineal,  ^  ounce; 
spirit,  1  gallon.  Digest  for  one  week,  then  de- 
cant the  clear,  and  pour  on  the  dregs,  water,  5 
pints.  Digest  for  one  week  longer,  decant,  and 
mix  the  two  tinctures  together, 

BOTTLES,  To  STveeten  when  Musty.  — 
Sweeten  with  sulphuric  acid  and  water  mixed  in 
the  proportion  of  a  quart  of  water  to  half  a  pint 
of  acid, 

BOTTLES,  Wax  /or.— Take  one  pound  of 
resin,  one  pound,  of  beeswax,  and  half  a  pound 
of  tallow.  Mix  these  with  red  or  yellow  ochre, 
soot,  or  Spanish  whiting,  according  to  the  color 
j-ou  require.  Melt  the  Mhole  carefully,  stirring 
it  all  the  time.  If  it  be  likely  to  boil  over,  stir 
it  with  a  candle  end,  which  will  allay  the  violence 
of  the  ebullition.  (See  also  Page  40.) 

BOTTLES,  Sealing  Compound  for. — Gelatin 
mixed  with  glycerine  yields  a  compound  liquid 
when  hot,  but  becoming  solid  by  cooling,  at  the 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


367 


same  time  retaining  much  of  the  elasticity.  Bot- 
tles may  be  hermetically  sealed  by  dipping  their 
necks  into  the  liquid  mixture,  and  repeating  the 
operation  until  the  cap  attains  any  thickness  re- 
quired. 

BOTTLING  MALT  LIQUORS.— There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  all  fermented  malt  liquors, 
as  well  as  wine,  are  improved  by  bottling,  when 
the  work  is  performed  with  sufficient  skill  and 
care ;  but  there  are  several  consideradons  requi- 
site to  success  which  we  shall  now  bring  under 
the  notice  of  our  readers. 

The  state  of  the  liquor  at  the  time  of  bottling. 
The  fermentation  of  the  liquor  should  be  nearly 
completed;  if  not,  there  will  be  the  risk  of  burst- 
ing the  bottles  in  consequence  of  the  generation 
of^too  large  a  quantity  of  gas.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  the  fermentation  be  over  and  the  liquor 
he  flat,  the  beer  will  become  more  or  less  sour. 
The  mode  of  judging  as  to  the  fitness  of  the 
liquor  for  holding  is  to  ascertain  its  condition  in 
the  cask.  If,  on  drawing  the  vent-peg,  the  liquor 
spurts  out  with  violence,  it  is  certain  that  the 
process  of  fermentation  is  still  going  on ;  on  the 
other  hand,  if  it  appears  to  be  still,  and  on  being 
tasted  is  in  good  condition  and  brisk,  it  may  be 
held  to  be  in  a  fit  state  for  botding.  If,  how- 
ever, it  be  too  brisk  and  frothy  while  botding, 
the  botdes  ought  to  be  left  uncorked  for  a  few 
hours,  and  filled  out.  They  should  only  be  filled 
up  as  the  froth  works  within  an  inch  of  the 
cork. 

BO  TTLING,  Corks  for. — ^There  is  no  economy 
in  bid  corks.  If  they  are  not  sufficiently  sound, 
and  allow  the  air  to  escape,  the  liquor  becomes 
flat,  and  consequently  sour,  and  the  bottles 
might  nearly  as  well  be  left  open.  The  corks 
should  be  soaked  in  the  liquor  before  being  put 
into  the  bottles,  and  if  the  bottles  be  then  laid 
on  their  sides,  the  corks  will  swell  so  as  to  be 
perfectly  tight.  It  need  hardly  be  added  that 
great  care  should  be  taken  that  the  bottles 
have  been  thoroughly  washed  and  are  perfectly 
clean. 

BRANDY. — ^To  40  gals,  of  pure  or  neutral 
spirits,  add  I  lb.  crude  tartar,  dissolved  in  I  gal. 
hot  water ;  acetic  ether,  %  pint ;  bruised  raisins, 
t  lbs.;  tinct.  kino,  2  ounces;  sugar,  3  lbs.;  color 
with  sugar  coloring.  Stand  14  days,  and  draw 
off. 

BRANDY,  BRITISH.— I.  Clean  spirit,  100 
gals.;  nitric  ether,  2  lbs.;  cassia  buds  (ground), 
^  lb.;  bitter  almond  meal,  y^  lb.;  orris  root 
(sliced),  6  ounces;  powdered  cloves,  I  ounce; 
capsicum,  i  oz. ;  good  vinegar,  2  gals. ;  brandy 
coloring,  l  quart.  Mix  well  in  an  empty  cognac 
cask,  and  let  them  macerate  for  a  fortnight,  oc- 
casionally stirring.  The  proportion  of  the  in- 
gredients may  be  varied  by  the  skillful  brewer, 
as  much  depends  on  their  respective  strengths. 

2.  Clean  spirit,  loo  gals.;  strong  vinegar,  3 
gals.;  bitter  almonds  (ground),  X  ^^•\  cassia 
buds  (ground),  ^  lb.;  orris  root  (ground),  7 
ounces ;  Guinea  pepper  (ground),  6  oz.;  pow- 
dered cloves,  I  ounce ;  tincture  of  catechu,  4 
pints ;  nitric  ether,  2  pints ;  brandy  coloring,  I 
quart.  Put  them  on  the  lees  into  a  fresh  emp- 
tied cornac  cask,  and  macerate  as  before.  In- 
stead of  tincture  of  catechu  you  may  use  half  a 
pound  of  the  powder  mixed  with  hot  water  to  a 
paste. 

3.  Good  plain  malt  spirit  (17  up),  loo  gals.  ; 
finely  powdered  catechu,  12  ounces ;  tincture  of 


vanilla,  2  ounces ;  burnt  sugar  coloring,  i  quart 
or  more.     Mix  well. 

BRANDY,  BLACA'BERRY. —Essence  of 
blackberry,  I  lb.;  blackberry  juice,  I  gal.;  syrup 
of  gum  arable,  I  gal.;  pure  spirits,  4  barrels. 

BRANDY,  CHERRY.  — 1.  To  every  10 
gals,  of  brandy  made  by  the  receipt  for  French 
brandy,  add  3  quarts  of  wild  black  cherries, 
stones  and  all  bruised;  crushed  sugar,  2  lbs.; 
let  it  stand  for  one  week,  then  draw  or  rack  it 
off  as  it  is  wanted  for  use. 

2.  Good  whisky,  10  gals.;  wild  black  ber- 
ries, 5  quarts  well  bruised  with  stones  broken ; 
common  almonds,  shelled,  I  lb.;  white  sugar, 
cinnamon,  cloves,  and  nutmeg,  well  bruised,  of 
each  1^  oz.  Mix,  and  let  them  stand  12  days, 
and  araw  off".  This,  with  the  addition  of  2.gds. 
brandv,  makes  most  superior  cherry  brandy. 

BRANDY,  COGNAC— To  every  10  gals,  of 
pure  spirits  add  2  quarts  New  England  rum,  or 
I  quart  Jamaica  rum,  and  from  30  to  40  drops 
of  oil  cognac  cut  in  half  a  pint  of  alcohol,  and 
color  with  burnt  sugar  to  suit. 

BRANDY,  To  Decolorize— When  stained  by 
the  cask,  a  nail,  or  dropping  a  bit  therein,  when 
boring  for  a  faucet,  or  any  other  cause,  add  about 
one  quart  of  new  milk  to  ten  gallons;  let  it  settle 
or  filter. 

BRANDY,  FRENCH.— Vme  spirits,  I  gal.; 
best  French  brandy,  or  any  kind  you  wish  to 
imitate,  I  quart ;  loaf  sugar,  2  ounces ;  sweet 
spirits  of  nitre,  ^  ounce ;  a  few  drops  of  tinct. 
of  catechu,  or  oak  bark,  to  roughen  the  taste  if 
desired,  and  color  to  suit. 

BRANDY,  PALE.—1%  made  the  same  as 
by  the  above  receipt,  using  pale  instead  of  the 
French,  and  using  only  I  oz.  tinct.  of  kino  for 
every  5  gals. 

BREWERIES.— The  size  of  a  brewery  is 
stated  in  the  number  of  quarters  of  malt  that  can 
be  used  in  one  brewing ;  thus,  a  brewery  having 
a  mash  tun  in  which  twenty  combs  of  malt  can 
be  mashed  at  a  brewing,  would  be  a  '  'ten  quarter 
brewery",  and  so  on,  the  rest  of  the  plant  being 
made  in  proportion. 

Until  steam  came  into  general  use  as  a  motive 
power,  all  the  labor  was  done  by  hand  or  horse 
power  ;  sometimes  a  water  wheel  was  used ;  but 
it  is  believed  that  on  no  occasion  has  wind  power 
been  applied.  Of  late  years,  steam  has  not  only 
been  used  in  breweries  as  a  motive  power,  but 
also  as  a  means  of  transmitting  heat ;  so  that  the 
brewer  having  a  boiler  to  supply  steam  to  the 
engines,  uses  it  also  to  supply  steam  for  boiling 
both  liquor  and  wort,  either  by  forming  the  boil- 
ing coppers  with  an  outer  pan  or  jacket  of  iron, 
and  passing  steam  through  the  space  between 
that  and  the  inner  pan  of  the  copper,  or  by  pass- 
ing the  steam  through  coils  of  copper  pipe  fixed 
at  the  bottoms  of  vessels  made  of  wood,  iron,  or 
copper,  whichever  of  these  be  preferred. 

In  building  a  brewery  every  advantage  should 
be  taken  of  any  favorable  natural  features  of  the- 
locality,  such  as  a  hill  side,  where  the  building 
may  be  arranged  so  that  the  utensils  can  be  placed 
in  a  position  one  above  another  in  level,  taking 
advantage  of  the  natural  slope  to  save  labor, 
which  might  otherwise  have  to  be  expended  in 
pumping  the  worts  or  beer  about.  A  good  sup-  i4 
ply  of  suitable  water,  or  "liquor",  as  it  is  called 
m  breweries,  is  also  indispensable.  That  there  - 
is  this  should  always  be  ascertained  before  either 
building  a  new  brewery  or  extending  an  old  one* 


368 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


The  mash  tun  should  be  made  either  of  good 
yellow  deals  or  of  oak,  and  should  have  a  false 
bottom,  generally  of  iron,  made  of  several  plates, 
so  as  easily  to  be  removed  for  cleansing  the  tun. 
These  plates  are  very  closely  perforated  -with 
holes  about  one  bvelfth  of  an  inch  in  diameter; 
sometimes,  however,  with  slots  that  width,  but 
about  two  inches  to  three  inches  long,  cast  in 
them.  These  slots  and  also  the  small  holes  are 
about  three  eighths  of  an  inch  on  the  bottom  side 
of  the  plate,  being  made  so  much  taper  to  pre- 
vent their  blocking.  The  plates  with  slots  are 
more  expensive  than  the  others,  but  some  brew- 
ers prefer  them.  The  mash  tun  should  contain 
from  eighteen  to  nineteen  cubic  feet  for  every 
quarter  of  malt.  Formerly,  when  the  crushed 
malt  had  been  placed  in  the  tun,  the  nearly  boil- 
ing hot  liquor  was  run  in,  and  the  whole  was 
thoroughly  mixed  together  by  men  with  poles, 
each  having  several  cross  pieces,  about  the  size 
of  the  staves  of  a  ladder,  in  one  end.  This  opera- 
tion is  termed  mashing,  and  these  oars  are  still 
used  by  some  brewers,  more  especially  where  a 
"Steele's"  or  a  similar  machine  is  used. 

A  better  and  more  certain  method  of  mashing 
•was  required ;  for  it  was  found  that  in  some  parts 
of  the  mash  tun  a  sort  of  cake  or  dumpling  would 
be  formed,  the  outside  of  which,  consisting  of  a 
pasty  mass  of  flour,  prevented  the  liquor  reach- 
ing the  inside,  to  extract  the  valuable  ingredient 
of  the  malt.  The  machine  which  for  many  years 
has  been  fitted  to  mash  tuns,  to  perform  this 
operation,  is  made  as  follows  :  A  circular  crank, 
with  radial  teeth,  is  bolted  to  the  sides  of  the 
mash  tun ;  a  vertical  shaft  is  erected  in  bearings 
in  the  center  of  the  tun.  This  shaft  is  either 
carried  some  few  feet  above  the  top  of  the  tun, 

1  or  else  passes  through  a  stuffing  box  in  the  bot- 
tom, and  is  worked  by  bevel  wheels  from  a.  hori- 
zontal shaft.  The  vertical  shaft  supports  loosely 
a  bearing  which  carries  one  end  of  a  second  hori- 
zontal shaft,  which  is  inside  the  tun,  at  about 
half  its  depth.  The  other  end  of  this  shaft  has 
a  pinion  keyed  upon  it.  This  pinion  gears  with 
it,  and  is  supported  by  the  circular  rack  before 
mentioned.  A  revolving  motion  is  given  to  this 
horizontal  shaft  by  bevel  wheels  from  the  vertical 
one,  and  upon  it  is  hung  a  sort  of  rake,  which, 
as  the  shaft  revolves,  thoroughly  mixes  up  the 
mash.  Sometimes  there  are  two,  and  even  three 
of  these  rake  shafts.  It  will  be  obvious  that,  as 
these  shafts  revolve,  the  pinion  gearing  into  the 
fixed  rack  causes  the  whole  to  revolve  somewhat 
slowly  round  the  tun. 

In  large  breweries,  where  there  are  sometimes 
a  dozen  or  more  mash  tuns,  rather  than  have  a 
large  engine,  it  is  better  to  have  a  small  one  to 
pump  all  the  liquor,  and  another  to  grind  the 
malt ;  and  these  may  be  kept  at  work  all  day, 
preparing  for  the  morrow.  Indeed,  a  vast 
amount  of  money  in  first  cost,  and  in  labor  after- 
wards, may  be  saved  by  properly  planning  and 
arranging  evei7thing  beforehand. 

BREWING. — The  process  of  brewing  has 
been  fully  described  in  many  excellent  treatises, 
from  which  the  intelligent  reader  can  obtain  all 
the  knowledge  he  requires ;  but  we  think  it  will 
be  of  service  to  furnish  a  condensed  view,  of 

^  what  is  essential  to  brewing  successfully,  on  the 
scale  suitable  for  a  single  household,  and  care- 
fully avoiding  all  such  details  as  are  not  abso- 
lutely requisite. 

The  Boiler,  — The  material  of  which  this  is 


made  requires  attention.  An  iron  boiler  will  be 
found  suitable,  but  it  is  much  less  desirable  than 
one  of  copper.  A  copper  boiler,  although  at  first 
more  expensive,  is  to  be  preferred,  as  it  can  be 
kept  cleaner,  is  more  readily  heated,  will  last  for 
a  greater  length  of  time,  and  as  old  metal  will  be 
worth  about  half  its  original  cost.  A  boiler  which 
can  contain  abput'fbrty-five  gallons.will  be  found 
most  convenient  for  domestic  use.  It  is  lar^-e 
enough  to  produce  half  a  hogshead  of  strong  ale, 
and  the  same  quantity  of  table  beer,  which  for 
many  families  will  be  found  a  sufficient  quantity. 
A  pipe  of  about  an  inch  and  three  quarters  m 
diameter  should  project  from  the  bottom  of  the 
boiler,  and  beyond  the  brickwork  with  which  it 
is  built  up,  and  this  pipe  ought  to  be  situated  so 
as  completely  to  dram  off  all  the  liquor  from  the 
boiler;  but  this  it  cannot  do  unless  tlie  internal 
orifice  of  the  pipe  be  on  a  level  with  the  lowest 
part  of  the  boiler.  Into  this  pipe  a  tap  is  to  be 
fixed  without  any  bend  or  curve  in  it,  so  as  the 
more  readily  to  allow  the  hops  to  pass  through. 
During  the  process  of  brewing  a  piece  of  canvas 
may  be  rolled  round  the  end  of  the  tap  so  as  to 
hang  down  into  the  sieve  through  which  the  con- 
tents of  the  boiler  are  to  be  strained. 

The  Mash-  Tub.  —  A  sherry-cask,  with  one 
fourth  of  its  length  cut  off,  will  make  an  excellent 
and  cheap  mash-tub,  capable  of  containing  about 
eighty  gallons.  At  the  distance  of  about  a  couple 
of  inches  from  the  bottom  of  the  mash-tub,  a 
wooden  hoop  must  be  fixed  to  support  a  false 
bottom  of  wood,  perforated  with  numerous  small 
holes,  close  to  each  other.  Both  the  false  bot- 
tom, and  the  hoop  on  which  it  rests,  must  be 
movable,  and  the  latter  must  be  attached  to  the 
sides  of  the  tub  with  small  nails.  The  mash-tub 
must  be  furnished  with  a  straight  tap,  on  a  level 
with  the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  for  the  purpose  of 
drawing  off  the  worts.  The  mash-tub  must  be 
placed  on  the  stand  or  gawntree,  at  a  height  suf- 
ficient to  allow  the  underback  to  be  placed  with 
facility  below  the  tap  in  the  mash-tub. 

The  Oar. — This  is  a  mashing-stick,  consisting 
of  an  ash  pole  about  two  yards  in  length,  having 
at  its  extremity  a  frame  about  twelve  inches  long, 
and  narrower  at  the  lower  than  at  the  upper  end. 
Across  this  frame  there  are  several  spars,  by 
which  it  is  rendered  a  convenient  implement  for 
thoroughly  mixing  the  malt,  and  bringing  it  all 
in  contact  with  the  water.  The  person  whose 
business  it  is  to  use  the  mashing-stick,  and  to 
stir  the  worts  in  the  boiler,  must  be  enabled  to 
stand  sufficiently  high  to  perform  the  operation 
efficiently,  and  for  this  purpose  he  ought  to  be 
furnished  with  a  set  of  steps  of  a  suitable 
height. 

Gauge  Sticks  are  of  importance  to  enable  the 
brewer  accurately  to  ascertain  the  quantity  of 
worts  in  the  boiler ;  to  measure  the  number  of 
gallons  of  water  in  the  mash-tub,  or  the  quantity 
of  liquor  in  the  fermenting  tuns  or  other  vessels. 
These  useful  implements  may  be  easily  made  by 
putting  into  the  different  vessels  they  are  intend- 
ed for,  a  certain  number  of  gallons  of  water,  and 
marking  the  stick  at  the  various  points  at  which 
the  water  rises  when  any  specified  number  of 
gallons  are  successively  introduced. 

The  Underback  and  Coolers.  —  The  mash-tub 
may  be  made  by  using  the  fourth  part  of  the 
sherry  cask  already  spoken  of.  It  will  suit  well 
as  an  underback,  and  along  with  three  or  four 
large  tubs  to  serve  as  coolersi  will  be  sufficient 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


369 


for  the  brewing  of  half  a  hogshead  of  ale,  and 
the  same  quantity  of  table  beer. 

Fermenting  Tuns,  etc.  —  For  half  a  hogshead 
O)'  ale,  and  the  same  quantity  of  table  beer,  two 
fermenting  tuns  will  be  necessary,  each  contain- 
ing forty-two  gallons.  Besides  these,  a  wooden 
vessel,  or  "piggin,"  holding  about  a  gallon,  and 
having  a  long  upright  handle,  will  be  necessary 
lor  the  purpose  of  lifting  the  worts  from  the 
underback  into  the  coolers,  and  a  couple  of  pails 
will  be  requisite,  each  of  them  being  marked  so 
as  to  indicate  two  gallons  and  a  half. 

The  Thermometer  and  Saccharometer.  —  The 
art  of  brewing  requires  that  the  degree  of  heat, 
and  the  quantity  of  saccharine  or  sweet  matter  in 
the  liquid  be  correctly  ascertained.  For  these 
purposes  the  instruments  are  requisite.  Their 
mode  of  action  will  be  explained  to  those  who 
purchase  them  by  the  manufacturer,  and  their 
uses  will  be  illustrated  in  the  instructions  we  are 
about  to  give. 

The  Bre7L'house  and  Vessels.  —  In  making  the 
comparatively  small  quantity  of  liquor  required 
in  a  single  household,  it  is  not  only  difficult,  but 
often  quite  impossible,  to  have  an  outhouse  set 
apart  for  brewing,  and  for  no  other  purpose. 
Yet  it  is  a  very  desirable  thingifthis  can  be  done. 
Washing,  for  example,  ought  never  to  be  carried 
on  in  a  brewhouse;  as  nothing  is  more  injurious 
than  to  leave  the  remnant  of  dirty  soapsuds  in 
the  tubs  used  in  brewing.  In  fact,  the  greatest 
cleanliness  is  indispensable.  All  the  vessels 
should  be  perfectly  sweet,  and  free  from  must- 
iness  or  any  other  smell ;  they  ought  to  be  strictly 
examined  the  day  before  the  brewing  commences, 
and  should  never  be  used  for  any  other  purpose ; 
and  they  ought  to  be  carefully  cleansed  and  kept 
quite  free  from  dirt. 

To  Clean  Casks. — ^These  should  be  well  clean- 
sed w-ith  boiling  water,  and  if  the  bung-hole  be 
large  enough,  they  should  be  scrubbed  inside 
with  a  handbrush,  sand,  and  fuller's  earth,  and 
afterwards  scalded.  As  to  the  coolers,  and  in- 
deed all  the  vessels,  care  should  be  taken  not  to 
let  the  water  stand  in  them  any  length  of  time, 
as  in  all  water  left  stagnant  a  prodigious  mul- 
titude of  animalcules  are  generated,  which,  al- 
though too  minute  to  be  visible  to  the  naked  eye, 
are  easily  discerned  by  the  microscope.  Water 
in  which  these  creatures  are  generated  emits  an 
intolerable  stench ;  and  if  the  vessels  containing 
them  are  of  wood,  they  retain  the  smell,  and 
hardly  any  amount  of  scrubbing  will  eradicate  it. 
Zinc-Lined  Coolers.  —  So  important  is  it  that 
the  coolers  should  be  free  from  any  bad  odor, 
that  we  recommend  that  the  interior  of  the  ves- 
sels be  lined  with  zinc;  this  secures  greater 
purity,  and  expedites  the  cooling  of  the  worts. 
The  mash-tub  should  be  kept  scrupulously  clean, 
no  grains  being  allowed  to  remain  in  it  longer 
than  the  day  after  the  brewing.  We  shall  now 
make  a  few  remarks  on  the  ingredients  used  in 
brewing,  and  then  give  a  description  of  the  pro- 
cess. 

IVater. — Different  opinions  are  entertained  as 
to  the  relative  merits  of  the  water  for  brewing; 
but  we  may  \vith  confidence  state  that  rain  water 
is  certainly  superior  to  any  other  for  the  purpose. 
It  is,  however,  difficult  to  obtain  this  in  a  condi- 
tion of  sufficient  purity,  as  the  rain  water  col- 
lected from  the  roofs  of  houses  carries  particles 
of  vegetable  substances,  imparting  to  the  water 
a  nauseous    flavor.      The  purest  water  is  that 


produced  from  melted  snow,  collected  in  the 
open  fields  after  a  heavy  fall.  This  water  pos- 
sesses the  highest  degree  of  purity,  and  is  all  but 
identical  with  distilled  water ;  it  being,  in  fact, 
the  result  of  distillation.  If  it  is  desirable  that 
rain  water  should  be  used,  let  it  be  obtained  in 
as  pure  a  condition,  and  as  free  from  any  peculiar 
taste  and  odor  as  possible.  River  water  is  well 
suited  to  the  purpose  so  far  as  its  softness  is  con- 
cerned, but  it  contains,  especially  in  the  warmer 
and  autumnal  months,  a  large  quantity  of  both 
animal  and  vegetable  substances.  Hard  water, 
in  consequence  of  its  chemical  constitution,  has 
less  power  than  the  two  other  kinds  to  extract 
the  virtues  of  the  malt  and  the  hops ;  but  this  in- 
convenience may  be  obviated  by  raising  the  heat 
of  the  water.  Skillful  brewing,  no  doubt,  can  do 
much  towards  rendering  the  liquor  made  from 
hard  water  as  good  as  any  other ;  but  undoubt- 
edly pure  rain  water  is  the  best. 

Malt.  —  The  best  malt  has  a  sweet  smell,  a 
mellow  taste,  a  round  body,  and  a  thin  skin ; 
pale  malt  is  adapted  for  domestic  brewing,  and 
brown  malt  for  public  breweries. 

Hops.  —  The  best  hops  are  of  a  bright  green 
color,  sweet  smell,  and  a  feeling  of  clamminess 
when  rubbed  between  the  hands. 

Brewing. — We  shall  now  describe  the  process 
of  brewing,  for,  say,  half  a  hogshead  of  strong 
ale,  the  same  quantity  of  middle  ale,  and  a  quar- 
ter hogshead  of  table  beer.  This  will  require  six 
bushels  of  malt,  and  care  must  be  taken  that  it 
has  not  been  dried  at  too  high  a  temperature, 
nor  ground  more  than  three  days,  and  that  it  is 
pale  malt,  and  of  the  best  quality. 

Heat  Required.  —  It  is  of  the  utmost  con- 
sequence to  obtain  such  a  degree  of  heat  as  shall 
be  best  adapted  to  extract  the  essential  properties 
of  the  malt.  Put  forty-four  gallons  of  boiling 
water,  heated  to  2 12  degrees  of  the  thermometer, 
into  the  mash-tub,  and  add  five  or  six  gallons  of 
cold  water,  so  as  to  reduce  the  heat  from  the 
boiling  point  to  182  degrees.  Put  the  malt  into 
the  mash-tub,  and  with  the  oar  or  mashing-stick 
stir  it  so  completely  that  the  water  shall  have 
access  to  every  part.  When  this  is  done,  let 
about  a  half-peck  of  the  malt  be  strewed  on  the 
top  of  the  mash  in  the  mash-tub ;  this  will  serve 
as  a  non-conductor,  and  tend  to  keep  in  the  heat. 
The  cover  is  now  to  be  put  on  the  mash-tub,  a 
blanket  placed  on  the  cover,  and  sacks  on  the 
blanket.  Every  means  must  be  employed  to 
keep  in  the  heat,  to  prevent  the  steam  from  es- 
caping. I^t  it  he  observed  that  there  are  now 
fifty  gallons  of  water  in  the  mash-tub,  and  six 
bushels  of  malt,  or  about  eight  and  a  quarter 
gallons  of  water  to  each  bushel  of  malt.  The 
mash  must  be  left  covered  from  two  to  three 
hours,  after  which  some  of  the  worts  is  to  be  run 
off  into  a  pail  and  returned  again,  till  at  last  the 
liquor  running  from  the  tap  appears  perfectly 
clear,  and  then  let  it  run  into  the  underback. 
When  the  worts  have  run  off  for  some  time,  and 
the  bed  of  the  mash  begins  to  appear,  water  at 
190  degrees  of  heat  must  be  added.  This  must 
be  done  in  such  a  manner  that  the  water  shall  fall 
in  a  shower  all  over  the  surface  of  the  mash  at 
the  same  moment,  so  as  to  carry  with  it  the  vir- 
tues of  the  malt  left  behind  by  the  liquor  already 
run  off.  While  this  new  supply  of  water  is  being 
showered  on  the  surface  of  the  mash,  the  tap  is 
still  running,  and  the  first  forty-four  gallons  must 
be  set  aside  for  the  half-hogshead  of  strong  ale*, 


370 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DA  V  WANTS. 


the  next  40  gals,  for  the  half-hogshead  of  the 
ale  of  middle  strength,  when  the  tap  should  be 
shut,  and  the  worts  intended  for  the  table  beer 
allowed  to  remain  in  the  mashing,  but  24  gals, 
of  water  at  195  degrees  of  temperature  must  be 
added  to  the  mash  for  the  table  beer,  in  the  man- 
ner already  described. 

Boiling  the  Worts, — In  boiling  the  worts  for 
the  strong  ale,  the  44  gals,  already  set  aside  for 
the  purpose  are  now  to  be  put  into  the  boiler, 
and  raised  to  the  temperature  of  200  degrees. 
Put  2  lbs.  of  the  best  hops,  well  rubbed  and 
separated  by  the  hand,  into  the  liquor,  and  boil 
briskly  for  three-quarters  of  an  hour ;  stir  well 
during  the  boiling.  Add  2  pounds  more  of  the 
hops,  rubbed  and  separated  as  before,  and  let  the 
boiling  be  continued  for  25  or  30  minutes  longer. 
The  quantity  of  44  gals.,  thus  boiled,  will  be  re- 
duced by  evaporation,  and  by  the  liquor  absorbed 
by  the  hops,  to  about  30  gals.;  and  before  draw- 
ing it  off  its  specific  gravity  should  be  tested  by 
the  saccharometer.  This  ought  to  be  from  102 
to  108,  but  if  greater  strength  be  required,  a 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  raw  sugar  for  each  gallon 
should  be  added,  which  ought  to  produce  a  spe- 
cific gravity  of  from  112  to  Xl8,  equal  to  the  best 
ale.  The  liquor  is  now  to  be  run  off  into  the 
tubs,  the  piece  of  canvas  already  spoken  of  being 
fixed  on  the  tap  so  as  to  direct  the  liquor  through 
the  hair  sieve  into  the  vessel  to  contain  it.  It  is 
then  put  into  the  coolers  to  the  depth  in  summer 
of  not  more  than  two,  and  in  winter  about  three 
or  four  inches. 

The  Second  Worts. — ^When  the  liquor  for  the 
strong  ale  is  out  of  the  copper,  the  second  worts 
must  be  put  into  it  along  with  two  pounds  of 
fresh  hops,  and  boiled  briskly  for  an  hour  and  a 
half.  If,  when  tested  by  the  saccharometer,  the 
specific  gravity  is  only  51,  and  if  the  quantity  of 
thirty  gals,  be  in  the  boiler,  20  pounds  of  sugar 
,must  be  added,  which  will  increase  it  to  73  or  74. 
After  boiling  a  few  minutes,  draw  off  the  liquor 
and  place  it  in  the  coolers.  The  worts  for  the 
table  beer  must  now  be  put  into  the  boiler,  with 
the  four  pounds  of  hops  boiled  in  the  processes 
before  referred  to.  It  must  be  boiled  for  two 
hours,  and  when  the  boiling  is  nearly  completed, 
half  a  pound  of  sugar  per  gallon  will  give  the 
beer  a  suitable  degree  of  specific  gravity. 

Fermentation. — Here  it  must  be  stated,  that 
for  each  kind  of  ale  or  beer  it  is  requisite  that 
there  should  be  a  surplus  quantity  of  a  couple  of 
gallons  to  supply  the  loss  occasioned  by  the  fer- 
mentation. It  is  desirable  to  have  three  fer- 
menting tuns.  When  the  liquor  for  the  strong 
ale  has  cooled  down  to  85  degrees,  take  out 
about  I  gal.  of  it,  and  pour  into  it  three  English 
pints  of  brewer's  strong  ale  yeast  of  the  best 
quality.  Pour  this  mixture  into  the  tun,  into 
which  put  the  worts,  and  let  it  then  be  well  in- 
corporated with  the  yeast,  and  cover  up  the  tun 
for  the  fermentation.  The  same  process  is  to  be 
carried  out  with  the  ale  of  the  second  strength, 
but  the  table  beer  is  to  be  fermented  at  80  de- 
grees, and  one  English  pint  of  yeast  will  be  suf- 
ficient. 

The  morning  after  the  liquor  has  been  put  into 
the  tuns  with  the  yeast,  the  surface  of  the  worts 
ought  to  be  covered  with  a  white  cream  ;  this  is 
to  DC  stirred  up  with  the  contents  of  the  tun, 
and  some  of  the  liquor  subjected  to  examination. 
Some  decrease  of  specific  gravity,  and  a  slight 
addition  to  the  heat  of  the  liquor  ought  to  be 


detected.  The  state  of  the  liquor  must  again  be 
examined  into  in  the  evening,  and  if  the  fermen- 
tation be  weak  some  yeast  must  be  added,  and 
mixed  up  with  the  mass  of  the  liquor.  If  by  the 
second  morning  the  work  is  going  on  well,  the 
surface  of  the  liquor  will  be  covered  with  thick 
froth ;  but  on  testing  the  condition  of  the  liquor, 
if  there  appears  no  indication  of  an  increase  of 
heat,  and  no  apparent  diminution  of  specific 
gravity  in  it,  let  the  head  of  froth  be  broken  up, 
and  the  whole  be  well  stirred.  The  head  of  froth 
which  afterwards  appears,  of  a  dark  brown  color, 
on  its  surface,  must  be  carefully  removed,  as  it 
will  fall  to  the  bottom  and  spoil  the  flavor  of 
the  ale.  The  same  remark  may  be  made  as  to 
the  yeast  which  appears  at  the  bungliole  during 
the  fermentation,  which  continues  for  some  time 
after  the  ale  is  put  into  the  casks. 

After  the  ale  and  beer  are  made,  the  next 
process  we  come  to  is  that  of 

Fining, —  There  are  several  methods  of  doing 
this.  Perhaps  as  good  a  way  as  any  is  to  dis- 
solve an  ounce  of  isinglass  in  a  quart  of  stale 
beer,  allowing  it  to  remain  for  several  days ;  add 
another  quart  of  the  stale  beer,  strain  tlirough 
a  sieve,  and  put  an  English  pint  to  each  half- 
hogshead. 

CARBONATED  DRINK.— Tv.^o  quarts  of 
ice  water,  fourteen  tablespoonfuls  of  vinegar, 
two  teaspoonfuls  of  ground  ginger ;  sweeten  to 
taste,  and  add  one  teaspoonful  of  soda  and  one 
of  cream  tartar. 

CHAMPA  ONE,  AMERICAN.— GooA  cider 
(crab-apple  cider  is  the  best),  7  gals. ;  best 
fourth-proof  brandy,  1  quart;  genuine  cham- 
pagne wine,  5  quarts ;  milk,  I  gal.;  bitartrate 
of  potassa,  2  ounces.  Mix,  and  let  stand  a  short 
time ;  bottle  while  fermenting.  An  excellent 
imitation. 

CHAMPAGNE,  BRITISH.— To  everv  five 
pounds  of  rhubarb,  when  sliced  and  bruisecf,  put 

1  gal.  of  cold  spring  water;  let  it  stand  three 
days,  stirring  two  or  three  times  every  day;  then 
press  and  strain  it  through  a  sieve,  and  to  every 
gallon  of  liquor,  put  three  jiounds  and  a  half  of 
loaf  sugar;  stir  it  well,  and  when  mellecf  barrel  it. 
Wheii^it  has  done  working  bung  it  up  close,  first 
suspending  a  muslin  bag  with  isinglass  from  the 
bung  into  the*  barrel.     To  15  gals,  of  liquor  put 

2  oz.  of  isinglass.  In  six  months  bottle  it  and 
wire  the  bottles;  let  them  stand  up  for  the  first 
month,  then  lay  4  or  5  down  lengtli\\ays  for  a 
week,  and  if  none  burst,  all  may  be  laid  down. 
Should  a  large  quantity  be  made,  it  must  remain 


longer  in  cask.     It  may  be  colored  pink  by  put 
.  '.  '         It  ^^'11  keep 
for  many  years. 


ling  in  a  quart  of  raspberry  juice. 


CHAMPA GNE,  B URGUND Y, —Loaf  sug- 
ar, 56  lbs.;  brown  sugar  (pale),  48  lbs.;  water 
(warm),  45  gals.;  white  tartar,  4  ounces.  Mix, 
and  at  a  proper  temperature  add  yeast,  I  quart ; 
afterwards  add  sweet  cider,  5  gals.;  bitter  al- 
monds (bruised),  6  or  7  in  number;  pale  spirit, 
I  gal.;  orris  powder,  %  ounce. 

CHAMPAGNE,  CIDER.— Goodi  dder,  20 
gals.;  spirit,  I  gal.;  honey  or  sugar,  6  lbs.  Mix, 
and  let  them  rest  for  a  fortnight;  then  fine  with 
skimmed  milk,  I  quart.  This,  put  up  in  cham- 
pagne bottles,  silvered,  and  labeled,  has  often 
been  sold  for  champagne.  It  opens  very  spark- 
ling. 

CHAMPAGNE  CUP.— To  two  ounces  of 
powdered  loaf  sugar  put  the  juice  and  rind  of  one 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


371 


lemon  pared  thin  ;  pour  over  these  a  large  glass 
of  dry  sherry,  and  let  it  stand  for  an  hour,  then 
add  one  bottle  of  sparkling  champagne  and  one 
of  soda  water,  a  thin  slice  of  fresh  cucumber  with 
the  rind  on,  a  sprig  of  borage  or  balm,  and  ice 
with  blocks  of  clear  ice, 

CHAMPAGNE,  SHAM,— Tai^Q  l  lemon, 
sliced ;  i  tablespoonful  of  tartaric  acid ;  i  ounce 
of  race  ginger;  l^  pounds  of  sugar;  2^  gallons 
of  boiling  water  poured  on  the  above.  When 
blood  warm,  add  I  gill  of  distillery  yeast,  or  2 
gills  of  home-brewed.  Let  it  stand  in  the  sun 
through  the  day.  When  cold,  in  the  evening, 
bottle,  cork,  and  wire  it.  In  two  days  it  is  ready 
for  use. 

CHERRY  BOUNCE.— TTiVc  lo  gallons  of 
good  whisky ;  4  to  6  quarts  of  wild  black  cher- 
ries bruised  so  as  to  break  the  stones ;  common 
almonds,  shelled,  I  lb. ;  white  sugar,  i^  lbs. ; 
cinnamon,  ^  oz. ;  cloves,  ^oz;  nutmeg,  %  oz.; 
all  bruised.  Let  stand  I2  to  13  days,  and  draw 
off.  This,  with  the  addition  of  2  gallons  of 
brandy,  makes  very  nice  Cherry  Brandy. 

CIDER,  General  Rules  far  Alaking. — Always 
choose  perfectly  ripe  and  sound  fruit. 

Pick  the  apples  by  hand.  (An  active  boy  with 
the  bag  slung  over  his  shoulder,  will  soon  clear 
a  tree.  Apples  that  have  lain  any  time  on  the 
soil,  contract  an  earthy  taste,  which  will  always 
be  found  in  the  cider.) 

After  sweating,  and  before  being  ground,  wipe 
them  dry,  and  if  any  are  found  bruised  or  rotten, 
put  them  in  a  heap  by  themselves,  for  an  inferior 
cider  to  make  vinegar. 

Always  use  hair  cloths,  instead  of  straw,  to 
place  between  the  layers  of  pomace.  The 
straw,  when  heated,  gives  a  disagreeable  taste 
to  the  cider. 

As  the  cider  runs  from  the  press,  let  it  pass 
through  a  hair  sieve  into  a  large  open  vessel, 
that  will  hold  as  much  juice  as  can  be  expressed 
in  one  day.  In  a  day,  or  sometimes  less,  the 
pomace  will  rise  to  the  top,  and  in  a  short  time 
grow  very  thick  :  when  little  white  bubbles  break 
through  it,  draw  off  the  liquor  by  a  spigot, 
placed  about  three  inches  from  the  bottom,  so 
that  the  lees  may  be  left  quietly  behind. 

The  cider  must  be  drawn  off  into  very  clean, 
sweet  casks,  and  closely  watched.  The  moment 
the  white  bubbles  before  mentioned  are  perceived 
rising  at  the  bung-hole,  rack  it  again.  When 
the  fermentation  is  completely  at  an  end,  fill  up 
the  cask  with  cider,  in  all  respects  like  that  al- 
ready contained  in  it,  and  bung  it  up  tight ;  pre- 
vious to  which  a  tumbler  ot  sweet  oil  may  be 
poured  into  the  bung-hole. 

After  being  made  and  barreled  it  should  be 
allowed  to  ferment  until  it  acquires  the  desired 
flavor,  for  perfectly  sweet  cider  is  not  desirable. 
In  the  meantime  clean  barrels  for  its  reception 
should  be  prepared  thus :  Some  clean  strips  of 
rag  are  dipped  into  melted  sulphur,  lighted  and 
hung  in  the  bung-hole  and  the  bung  laid  loosely 
on  the  end  of  the  rag.  This  is  to  allow  the  sul- 
phur vapor  to  well  fill  the  barrel.  Tie  up  a  half 
pint  of  mustard  seed  in  a  coarse  muslin  rag  and 

Sut  it  into  the  barrel,  then  put  your  cider  in. 
Tow  add  the  isinglass,  which  "fines"  the  cider 
but  does  not  help  to  keep  it  sweet.  This  is  the 
old  fashioned  way,  and  will  keep  cider  in  the 
same  condition  as  it  went  into  the  barrel,  if  kept 
in  a  cool  place,  for  a  year.  The  sulphur  vapor 
checks  the  fermentation,  and  the  sulphur  in  the 


mustard  seed  keeps  it  checked.  We  hear  that 
professional  cider  dealers  are  now  using  the  bi- 
sulphite of  lime  instead  of  the  mustard  seed  and 
sulphur  vapor.  This  bi-sulphite  of  lime  is  the 
same  as  the  "preserving  powder."  It  is  only 
another  form  of  using  the  sulphur,  but  is  more 
convenient  and  perhaps  more  effectual.  Another 
method  is  to  add  sugar,  one  and  a  half  pounds 
sugar  to  a  gallon  of  the  cider,  and  let  it  ferment. 
This  makes  a  fermented,  clear  good  cider,  but 
sweet.  It  lasts  sweet  about  six  months,  if  kept 
in  a  cool  situation. 

Preparatory  to  bottling  cider  it  should  be  ex- 
amined, to  see  whether  it  be  clear  and  sparkling. 
If  not  it  should  be  clarified  in  a  similar  way  to 
beer,  and  left  for  a  fortnight.  The  night  before 
it  is  intended  to  put  it  into  bottles,  the  bung 
should  be  taken  out  ot  the  cask,  and  left  so  until 
the  next  day,  when  it  may  be  bottled,  but  not 
corked  down  until  the  day  after,  as,  if  this  be 
done  at  once,  many  of  the  bottles  will  burst  by 
keeping.  The  best  corks,  and  champagne-bot- 
tles should  be  used,  and  it  is  usual  to  wire  and 
cover  the  corks  with  tinfoil,  after  the  manner  of 
champagne.  A  few  bottles  may  be  kept  in  a 
warm  place  to  ripen,  or  a  small  piece  of  lump 
sugar  may  be  put  into  each  bottle  before  cork- 
ing, if  the  cider  be  wanted  for  immediate  use,  or 
for  consumption  during  the  cooler  portion  of  the 
year,  but  for  warm  weather  and  for  long  keeping 
this  is  inadmissible.  The  bottled  stock  should 
be  stored  in  a  cool  cellar,  when  the  quality  will 
be  greatly  improved  by  age. 

CIDER,  To  Clear.  —  To  clear  and  improve 
cider  generally  take  two  quarts  of  ground  horse- 
radish and  one  pound  of  thick  gray  filtering  pa- 
per  to  the  barrel,  and  either  shake  or  stir  until 
the  paper  has  separated  into  small  shreds,  and 
let  it  stand  for  twenty-four  hours,  when  the  cider 
may  be  drawn  off  by  means  of  a  syphon  or  a 
stop  cock.  Instead  of  paper  a  preparation  of 
wool  may  be  taken,  which  is  to  be  had  in  the 
market  here,  and  which  is  preferable  to  paper, 
as  it  has  simply  to  be  washed  with  water  when 
it  may  be  used  again. 

CIDER,  BOILING,— To  prepare  cider  for 
boiling,  the  first  process  is  to  filter  it  immediately 
on  coming  from  the  press.  This  is  easiest  done 
by  placing  some  sticks  crosswise  in  the  bottom 
of  a  barrel — a  flour-barrel  with  a  single  head  is 
the  best — wherein  an  inch  hole  has  been  bored, 
and  covering  these  sticks  with  say  four  inches  of 
clean  rye  or  wheat  straw,  and  then  filling  the 
barrel  to  within  a  foot  of  the  top  with  clean  sand 
or  coal-dust — sand  is  the  best.  Pour  the  cider 
as  it  comes  from  the  press  into  the  top  of  this 
barrel,  drawing  it  off  as  soon  as  it  comes  out  at 
the  bottom  into  air-tight  casks,  and  let  it  stand 
in  the  cellar  until  March.  Then  draw  it  out  with 
as  little  exposure  to  the  air  as  possible,  put  it 
into  bottles  that  can  be  tightly  and  securely  cork- 
ed, and  in  two  months  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 

CIDER,  Wilhout  Apples.— To  each  gallon  of 
cold  water,  put  l  lb.  common  sugar,  %  oz.  tar- 
taric acid,  I  tablespoonful  of  yeast,  shake  well, 
make  in  the  evening,  and  it  will  be  fit  for  use 
next  day.  Make  in  a  keg  a  few  gallons  at  a 
time,  leaving  a  few  quarts  to  make  into  next 
time ;  not  using  yeast  again  until  the  keg  needs 
rinsing.  If  it  gets  a  little  sour  make  a  little  more 
into  it,  or  put  as  much  water  with  it  as  there  is 
cider,  and  put  it  with  the  vinegar.  If  it  is  desired 
to  bottle  this  cider  by  manufacturers  of  small 


37« 


DICTION AR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


drinks,  you  will  proceed  as  follows :  Put  in  a 
barrel  5  gallons  hot  water,  30  lbs.  brown  sugar, 
%  lb.  tartaric  acid,  25  gallons  cold  water,  3  pints 
of  hop  or  brewers'  yeast  worked  into  paste  with 
^  lb.  flour,  and  i  pint  water  will  be  required  in 
making  this  paste,  put  all  together  in  a  barrel, 
which  it  will  nil,  and  let  it  work  24  hours — the 
yeast  running  out  at  a  bung  all  the. time,  by  put- 
ting in  a  little  occasionally  to  keep  it  full.  Then 
bottle,  putting  in  2  or  3  broken  raisins  to  each 
bottle,  and  it  will  nearly  equal  champagne. 

CIDER  CHAMPAGNE.— Good  pale  vinous 
cider,  l  hogshead;  proof  spirit  (pale),  3  gallons; 
honey  or  sugar  14  lbs.  Mix,  and  let  them  re- 
main together  in  a  temperate  situation  for  one 
month  ;  then  add  orange-flower  water,  I  quart; 
and  fine  it  down  with  skimmed  milk,  j^  gallon. 
This  will  be  very  pale;  and  a  similar  article, 
when  bottled  in  champagne  bottles,  silvered  and 
labeled,  has  been  often  sold  to  the  ignorant  for 
champagne.  It  opens  very  brisk,  if  managed 
properly. 

CIDER,  CHAMPA  ^./Vi?.— Champagne  cider 
is  made  as  follows^ — To  loO  gals,  of  good  cider 
put  3  gals,  of  strained  honey,  or  24  lbs.  of  good 
white  sugar.  Stir  well  and  set  it  aside  for  a 
week.  Clarify  the  cider  with  half  a  gallon  of 
skimmed  milk,  or  j^f  lb.  of  dissolved  isinglass, 
and  add  4  gals,  of  pure  spirits.  After  2  or  3  days 
bottle  the  clear  cider,  and  it  will  become  spark- 
ling- 

In  order  to  produce  a  slow  fermentation,  the 
casks  containing  the  fermenting  liquor  must  be 
bunged  up  tight.  It  is  a  great  object  to  retain 
much  of  the  carbonic  gas  in  the  cider,  so  as  to 
develop  itself  after  being  bottled. 

CIDER,  CHERRY,— 2,0  gals,  of  apple  cider, 
8  quarts  of  dried  black  cherries,  2  quarts  of  dried 
«■  blueberries,  I  quart  of  elderberries,  75  1^^*  ^^ 
brown  sugar.  If  you  desire  to  make  smaller 
quaritities,  proportion  the  quantities  of  the  ingre- 
dients accordingly. 

CIDER,  To  CAN.— C\Aer,  if  taken  when 
first  made,  brought  to  boiling  heat,  and  canned, 
precisely  as  fruit  is  canned,  will  keep  from  year 
to  year  without  any  change  of  taste.  Canned  up 
in  this  way  in  the  fall,  it  may  bekepta  half  dozen 
years  or  longer,  as  good  as  when, first  made.  It 
is  better  that  the  cider  be  settled  and  poured  off 
from  the  dregs,  and  when  brought  to  boiling 
heat  the  scum  that  gathers  on  the  surface  taken 
off";  but  the  only  precaution  necessary  to  preser- 
vation of  the  cider  is  the  sealing  of  it  up  air  tight 
when  boiling  hot.  The  juice  of  other  fruit  can; 
no  doubt,  be  preserved  in  the  same  way.  To  all 
tastes  not  already  corrupted  by  strong  drink, 
these  unfermented  juices  are  very  delicious.  The 
juice  of  the  grape  is  better  than  wine  a  century 
old,  and  more  healthy.  Churches  believing  in 
literal  eating  and  drinking  at  the  Lord's  supper 
could  in  this  way  avoid  the  poisonous  fermented 
spirits  and  drink  the  pure  unfermented  juice  of 
the  grape,  as  was  doubtless  done  by  the  primi- 
tive Christians. 

CIDER,  DEVONSHIRE.  — The  apples, 
after  being  plucked,  are  left  in  heaps  in  the  or- 
chard for  some  time,  to  complete  their  ripening, 
and  render  them  more  saccharine.  They  are 
then  crushed  between  grooved  cylinders,  sur- 
mounted by  a  hopper,  or  in  a  circular  trough, 
by  two  vertical  edge-wheels  of  wood  moved  by  a 
horse ;  after  passing  through  which,  they  are  re- 
ceived into  large  tubs  or  dves,  and  are  then 


called  pomace.  They  are  afterwards  laid  on 
the  vat  in  alternate  layers  of  the  pomace  and 
clean  straw,  called  reeds.  They  are  then  pressed, 
a  little  water  being  occasionally  added.  The 
juice  passes  through  a  hair  sieve,  or  similar 
strainer,  and  is  received  in  a  large  vessel,  whence 
it  is  run  into  casks  or  open  vats,  where  every 
thing  held  in  mechanical  suspension  is  deposited. 
The  fermentation  is  often  slow  of  being  devel- 
oped; though  the  juice  be  set  in  November  or 
December,  the  working  sometimes  hardly  com- 
mences till  March.  Till  this  time  the  cider  is 
sweet;  it  now  becomes  pungent  and  vinous, 
and  is  ready  to  be  racked  for  use.  It  the  fer- 
mentation continue,  it  is  usual  to  rack  it  again 
into  a  clean  cask  that  has  been  well  sulphured 
out,  and  to  leave  behind  the  head  and  sediment ; 
or  two  or  three  cans  of  cider  are  put  into  a  clean 
cask,  and  a  match  ot  brimstone  turned  in  it ;  it 
is  then  agitated,  by  which  the  fermentation  of 
that  quantity  is  completely  stopped.  The  cask 
is  then  nearly  filled,  the  fermentation  of  the  whole 
is  checked,  and  the  cider  becomes  fine.  If,  on 
the  first  operation,  the  fermentation  is  not 
checked,  the  process  of  racking  is  repeated  until 
it  becomes  so,  and  is  continued  from  time  to 
time  till  the  cider  is  in  a  quiet  state  and  fit  for 
drinking. 

CIDER,  FRENCH.— After  the  fruit  is 
mashed  in  a  mill,  between  iron  cylinders,  it  is 
allowed  to  remain  in  a  large  tun  or  tub  for  14  or 
15  hours,  before  pressing.  The  juice  is  placed 
in  casks,  which  are  kept  quite  full,  and  so  placed 
upon  gawntrees,  or  stillions,  that  small  tubs  may 
be  put  under  them,  to  receive  the  matter  that 
works  over.  At  the  end  of  3  or  4  days  for 
sweet  cider,  and  9  or  10  days  for  strong  cider,  it 
is  racked  into  sulphured  casks,  and  tlien  stored 
in  a  cool  place. 

CIDER,  To  Preserve  and  Keep  Sweei.—\.  To 
one  barrel  of  cider  put  in  I  lb.  of  mustard  seed, 
2  lb.  of  raisins,  and  ^  lb.  of  the  sticks  (bark)  of 
cinnamon. 

2.  When  the  cider  in  the  barrel  is  in  a  lively 
fermentation,  add  as  much  white  sugar  as  will 
be  equal  to  a  ^  or  ^  of  a  pound  to  each  gallon 
of  cider  (according  as  the  apples  are  sweet  or 
sour),  let  the  fermentation  proceed  until  the 
liquid  has  the  taste  to  suit,  then  add  ^  of  an 
ounce  of  sulphite  (not  sulphate^  of  lime  to  each 
gallon  of  cider,  shake  well,  and  let  it  stand  three 
days,  and  bottle  for  use.  The  sulphite  should 
first  be  dissolved  in  a  quart  or  so  of  cider  before 
introducing  it  into  the  barrel  of  cider. 

3.  When  fermentation  commences  in  one  bar- 
rel, draw  off  the  liquor  into  another  one — strain- 
ing through  a  flannel  cloth.  Put  into  the  cider 
^^  of  an  ounce  of  the  oil  of  sassafras,  and  the 
same  of  the  oil  of  wintergreen — well  shaken  up 
in  a  pint  of  alcohol.  But  one  difficulty  is  said  to 
pertain  to  this  preparation  of  cider.  It  is  so 
palatable  that  people  won't  keep  it  long. 

4.  Much  of  the  excellence  ot  cider  depends 
upon  the  temperature  at  which  the  fermentation 
is  conducted,  and  is  a  point  greatly  overlooked 
by  the  manufacturers  of  this  liquor.  As  soon  as 
pressed  from  the  fruit,  it  should  be  strained  into 
sulphured  casks  and  placed  in  a  cool  situation 
where  the  temperature  does  not  exceed  50°  Fah. 
— if  left  in  the  heating  sun  much  of  the  sugar  is 
converted  into  vinegar  by  the  absorption  of  at- 
mospheric oxygen,  and  thus  the  liquor  becomes 
acid  and  rough.    Oa  the  contrary,  if  the  fermen- 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR, 


373 


tation  be  conducted  at  a  low  temperature,  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  sugar  is  converted  into  alcohol 
and  remains  in  the  liquor  instead  of  undergoing 
the  process  of  acetification. 

The  acetous  fermentation  of  the  conversion  of 
alcohol  into  vinegar  proceeds  most  rapidly  at  a 
temperature  of  ninety-five  degrees  Fidirenheit, 
nnd  at  a  lower  temperature  the  action  becomes 
slower,  until  at  46^  Fah.  no  such  change  takes 
place.  Independently  of  differences  in  the  quali- 
ty of  the  fruit,  this  is  the  principal  cause  of  the 
superiority  of  the  cider  made  by  one  person  over 
another,  living  in  the  same  neighborhood.  The 
one  has  a  cooler  cellar  or  barn  than  the  other  to 
store  his  cider  in. 

In  practice  it  has  been  found  tliat  sour  and 
rough  apples  produce  the  best  cider.  This  aris- 
es because  they  contain  less  sugar  and  more  malic 
acid,  and  the  presence  of  the  latter  impedes  the 
conversion  of  alcohol  into  vinegar,  but  cider 
made  with  such  apples  can  never  equal  in  quality 
that  prepared  at  a  low  temperature  from  fruit 
abounding  in  sugar,  which,  if  properly  strained 
or  racked  at  every  indication  of  fermentation,  will 
keep  good  twenty  years. 

CIDER,  To  Keep  Sweet  and  Sweeten  -when 
Sour.  —  To  keep  cider  perfect,  take  a  keg  and 
bore  holes  in  the  bottom  of  it;  spread  a  piece  of 
■woolen  cloth  at  the  bottom ;  then  fill  with  clean 
sand  closely  packed;  draw  your  cider  from  a 
barrel  just  as  fast  as  it  will  run  through  the  sand; 
after  tliis,  put  it  in  clean  barrels  which  have  had 
a  piece  of  cotton  or  linen  cloth  2  by  7  inches  dip- 
ped in  melted  sulphur  and  burned  inside  of  them, 
thereby  absorbing  the  sulphur  fumes  (this  pro- 
cess will  also  sweeten  sour  cider) ;  then  keep  it 
in  a  cellar  or  room  where  there  is  no  fire,  and 
add  %  lb.  white  mustard  seed  to  each  barrel.  If 
cider  is  long  made,  or  souring  when  you  get  it, 
about  I  qt.  of  hickory  ashes  (or  a  little  more  of 
other  hard  wood  ashes)  stirred  into  each  barrel 
■will  sweeten  and  clarify  it  nearly  equal  to  recti- 
fying it  as  above;  but  if  it  is  not  rectified,  it  must 
be  racked  off  to  get  clear  of  the  pomace,  as,  with 
this  in  it,  it  will  sour.  Oil  or  whisky  barrels  are 
best  to  put  cider  in,  or  %  pint  sweet  oil  to  a  bar- 
rel, or  a  gallon  of  whisky  to  a  barrel,  or  both,  may 
be  added  with  decidedly  good  effects ;  isinglass, 
4  oz.  to  each  barrel,  helps  to  clarify  and  settle 
cider  that  is  not  going  to  be  rectified. 

CIDER,  WESTERN.— To  one  pound  of  su- 
gar, add  one  half  an  ounce  of  tartaric  acid,  and 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  good  yeast.  Dissolve  the 
sugar  in  one  quart  of  warm  water ;  put  all  in  a 
gallon  jug;  shake  it  well,  fill  the  jug  with  pure 
cold  water,  let  it  stand  uncorked  twelve  hours, 
and  it  is  fit  for  use. 

CLARET,  BRITISH.  —  i.  Cider  (rough), 
35  gallons ;  red  Cape,  45  gallons ;  red  tartar,  dis- 
solved, 1%  pound.     Mix  well  and  fine. 

2.  Spirit,  5  gallons;  cider,  50  gallons;  red 
Cape,  35  gallons;  good  Port,  15  gallons;  red 
tartar,  dissolved,  2  pounds.     Mix  well  and  fine. 

3.  Cider,  50  gallons ;  spirit,  7  gallons ;  red 
Cape,  42  gallons ;  good  Port,  5  gallons;  red  tartar, 
2  pounds.     Mix  well  and  fine. 

4.  Red  Cape  or  Port,  50  gallons ;  cider,  50 gal- 
Ions  ;  spirit,  10  gallons ;  red  tartar,  2  or  3  pounds. 
Mix  well  and  fine. 

5.  Six  gallons  of  water,  two  gallons  of  cider, 
and  eight  pounds  of  Malaga  raisins,  bruised;  put 
them  all  together,  and  let  them  stand  closely  co- 
vered iu  a  warm  place  for  a  fortnight,  stirring 


them  well  every  second  day ;  then  strain  out  the 
liquor  into  a  clean  cask,  and  put  to  it  a  quart  of 
barberries,  a  pint  of  the  juice  of  raspberries,  and 
a  pint  of  the  juice  of  black  cherries.  Work  it  up 
with  a  little  mustard-seed,  and  cover  the  bung 
with  a  piece  of  dough ;  let  it  stand  at  the  fireside 
for  four  days;  then  bung  it  up,  and  let  it  remain 
a  week,  and  bottle  it  off.  When  it  becomes  fine 
and  ripe,  it  will  drink  like  claret- 

6.  Rough  Port,  50  gallons ;  cider,  50  gallons ; 
cream  of  tartar,  3  pounds;  powdered  catechu, 
%  pound;  spirit,  4  gallons.  Mix.  Red  Cape  may 
be  used  for  Port. 

CLARET  CUP.  —  A  bottle  of  light  claret, 
one  of  soda  water,  a  wineglassful  of  powdered 
sugar,  a  large  glass  of  sherry,  or  small  one  of  cu- 
racoa,  the  rind  of  a  lemon  cut  very  thin,  a  few 
slices  of  cucumber  with  the  rind  on,  a  sprig  of 
borage  or  mint,  mix  all  well  together,  and  ice  it 
by  putting  in  six  or  eight  lumps  of  clear  ice  the 
size  of  an  egg. 

COLORING  for  LIQUORS.— TakQ  2  pounds 
crushed  or  lump  sugar,  put  it  into  a  kettle  that 
will  hold  4  to  6  quarts,  with  ^  tumbler  of  water. 
Boil  it  until  it  is  black,  then  take  it  off  and  cool 
with  water,  stirring  it  as  you  put  in  the  water. 

COLORING  for  LIQUEURS.  —  Blue— Sul- 
phate of  indigo,  nearly  saturated  with  chalk. 

Yellow — Infusion  of  safilowers  in  water. 

Green — Equal  parts  of  each  of  the  above. 

Red — Cochineal  in  small  quantities. 

Violet — Turnsole. 

Fawn  color —  White  sugar,  and  heat  it  until 
of  a  proper  color. 

,  Dark  red  or  brandy  color  —  Burnt  sugar  or 
brandy  coloring. 

COOLING  DRINK  for  Hot  Weather.  —A 
delicious  and  slightly  aperient  effervescing  citrate 
of  magnesia  may  be  made  by  thoroughly  mixing 
3  ounces  of  powdered  loaf  sugar  with  2  ounces 
of  powdered  citric  acid,  then  add  |^  ounce  of  cal- 
cined magnesia,  I  yi  ounce  of  bicarbonate  of  soda, 
and  I  yi  ounce  of  tartaric  acid.  Pass  the  whole 
thrice  through  a  fine  sieve,  and  then  moisten  it 
with  very  strong  alcohoL  Granulate  it  by  passing 
it  through  a  coarse  sieve,  and  dry  on  a  wooden 
tray  at  a  temperature  of  50°  C.  When  dry  add 
ten  drops  of  essential  oil  of  lemons,  and  then  bot- 
tle at  once  in  clean  dry  bottles.  •        1 

CORDIAL,  ANISETTE  C40  Gals.)  —  Put 
in  a  barrel  13  gals,  alcohol,  75  per  cent.  Dis- 
solve 2%  oz.  essence  of  green  anise-seed  in  I  gaL 
95  per  cent,  alcohol,  and  add  %  gal.  orange- 
flower  water,  8  or  ten  drops  infusion  mace,  and 
5  drops  essence  of  cinnamon.  Then  put  in  the 
barrel  26  gals,  sugar  syrup,  25  degrees  Baume' ; 
stir  fifteen  minutes,  and  let  it  rest  four  or  five 
days ;  then  filter.  Add  2  or  3  sheets  of  filtering 
paper. 

CORDIAL,  BLACKBERRY.— To  one  gaL 
of  blackberry  juice  add  four  pounds  of  white  su- 
gar ;  boil  and  skim  off,  then  add  one  ounce  of 
cloves,  one  ounce  of  cinnamon,  ten  grated  nut- 
megs, and  boil  down  till  quite  rich ;  then  let  it 
cool  and  settle,  afterward  drain  off,  -and  add  one 
pint  of  good  brandy  or  whisky. 

CORDIAL,  CARA  WA  K— Take  8  gals,  spi- 
rit, 50  per  cent. ;  I  oz.  oil  of  caraway  wliich  you 
dissolve  in  spirit  95  per  cent.;  8  lbs.  sugar;  8  lbs. 
water.  Dissolve  your  sugar  in  tlie  water  ;  mix, 
stir,  and  filter. 

CORDIAL,  CINNAMON— This,  is  seldom 
made  with  cinnamon,  but  with  either  the  essential 


574 


DTCTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


oil,  or  bark  of  cassia.  It  is  preferred  colored, 
and  therefore  may  be  very  well  prepared  by 
simple  digestion.  If  the  oil  be  used,  I  dr.  will 
be  found  to  be  enough  for  2  or3  gallons  of  spirit. 
The  addition  of  2  or  3  drops  each  of  essence  of 
lemon  and  orange  peel,  with  about  a  spoonful  of 
essence  of  cardamoms  to  each  gallon,  will  improve 
it.     Some  persons  add  to    the  above   quantity 

1  drachm  of  cardamom  seeds  and  I  oz.  each  of 
dried  orange  and  lemon  peel,  l  oz.  of  oil  of  cas- 
sia is  considered  to  be  equal  to  8  lbs.  of  the  buds, 
or  bark.  If  wanted  dark  it  may  be  colored  with 
burnt  sugar.  The  quantity  of  sugar  is  l^  lb.  to 
the  gallon. 

CORDIAL,  CITRON.— Xt&ovt  rind  of  cit- 
rons, 3  lbs. ;  orange  peel,  I  lb. ;  nutmegs  bruised, 

2  oz. ;  proof  spirit,  13  gallons;  distill  or  macerate, 
add  water  sufficient,  and  2  lbs.  of  fine  lump  sugar, 
for  every  gallon  of  the  cordial. 

CORDIAL,  CZOr^.— Bruised  cloves  i  oz., 
or  essential  oil  i  dr.,  to  every  4  gallons  of  proof 
spirit.  If  distilled  it  should  be  drawn  over  with 
a  pretty  quick  fire.  It  is  preferred  of  a  very  deep 
color,  and  is  therefore  strongly  colored  with 
poppy-flowers  or  cochineal,  or  more  commonly 
with  brandy  coloring,  or  red  sanders  wood.  It 
should  have  3  lbs.  of  sugar  to  the  gallon,  and 
this  need  not  be  very  fine.  The  addition  of 
I  drachm  of  bruised  pimento,  or  5  drops  of  the 
oil  for  every  ounce  of  doves,  improves  this 
cordial. 

CORDIAL,  CORIANDER.— \  lb.  of  corian- 
der seeds ;  I  oz.  of  caraways,  and  the  peel  and 
juice  of  I  orange  to  every  3  gallons  of  proof 
spirit. 

CORDIAL,  CURA  CO  A. —Essence  of  bitter 
oranges,  2  oz. ;  ess.  of  neroli,  2  oz. ;  ess.  of  cin- 
namon, ^  oz. ;  3  drs.  mace,  infused  in  alcohol. 
Dissolve  the  above  essences  in  i  gal.  alcohol, 
95  per  cent. ;  then  put  in  a  clean  barrel  13  gals, 
alcohol,  85  per  cent. ;  26  gals,  sugar  syrup,  30 
degrees  Baum^ ;  and  add  i  gal.  perfumed  spirit 
as  above.     Color  with  saffron  or  turmeric. 

CORDIAL,  GINGER.— YicV  one  pound  of 
large  white  currants  from  their  stalks,  lay  them 
in  a  basin,  and  strew  over  them  the  rind  of  an 
orange  and  a  lemon  cut  very  thin,  or  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  essence  of  lemon,  and  one  ounce  and 
a  half  of  the  best  ground  ginger  and  a  quart  of 
good  whisky.  Let  all  lie  for  twenty-four  hours. 
If  it  tastes  strong  of  the  ginger,  then  strain  it ; 
if  not,  let  it  lie  for  twelve  hours  longer.  To 
every  quart  of  strained  juice  add  one  pound  of 
loaf  sugar  pounded ;  when  the  sugar  is  quite  dis- 
solved and  the  liqueur  appears  clear,  bottle  it. 
This  cordial  is  also  extremely  good  made  with 
raspberries  instead  of  currants. 

CORDIAL,  NOYAU.  — "Simch  and  pound 
very  fine  two  pounds  of  the  best  bitter  and  half 
a  pound  of  sweet  almonds.  Add  the  thinly  pared 
rinds  of  two  lemons,  and  three  tablespoonfuls  of 
boiled  milk  which  has  become  cold,  put  all  to- 
gether into  a  jar,  and  add  two  quarts  of  old 
whisky,  cork  up  the  jar,  and  let  it  stand  for  six 
weeks,  shaking  the  jar  every  day.  At  the  end  of 
that  time  strain  the  liquor,  and  to  every  quart 
add  three  pints  of  clarified  syrup,  and  filter 
through  blotting-paper.  The  almonds  that  are 
strained  from  the  liquor  make  a  nice  flavoring 
for  puddings,  by  putting  them  into  a  wide- 
mouthed  bottle  and  pouring  whisky  over  them. 

CORDIAL,  PEPPERMINT.— To  make 
peppermint  cordial  take  thirteen  gallons  of  recti- 


fied spirits,  one  in  five  under  hydrometer  proof, 
twelve  pounds  of  loaf  sugar,  one  pint  of  spirits  of 
wine  that  will  fire  gunpowder,  fifteen  penny- 
weights of  oil  of  peppermint,  and  as  much  water 
as  xnA  fill  up  the  cask,  which  should  be  set  on 
end ;  after  the  whole  has  been  well  mixed  this 
will  make  twenty  gallons. 

CORDIAL,  Strawberry  or  Raspberry. — Sugar 
down  the  berries  overnight,  using  more  sugar 
than  you  would  for  the  table,  about  half  as  much 
again.  In  the  morning  lay  them  in  a  hair  sieve 
over  the  basin ;  let  them  remain  until  evening, 
so  as  to  thoroughly  drain ;  then  put  the  juice  in 
a  thick  flannel  bag ;  let  it  drain  all  night,  being 
careful  not  to  squeeze  it,  as  that  takes  out  the 
brightness  and  clearness.  All  this  should  be 
done  in  a  cool  cellar,  or  it  will  be  apt  to  sour. 
Add  brandy  in  proportion  of  one-third  the  quan- 
tity of  juice,  and  as  much  more  sugar  as  the  taste 
demands.  Bottle  it  tightly.  It  will  keep  six  or 
eight  years,  and  is  better  at  last  than  at  first. 

CREAM  NECTAR.— I&rtmc  acid,  i  ounce; 
cream  of  tartar,  i  ounce;  white  sugar,  1}^  pounds; 
water,  1  pint;  the  whites  of  two  eggs,  well 
beaten ;  one  tablespoonful  of  wheat  flour.  Put 
all  the  above  articles  in  a  tin  dish,  and  heat  it — 
but  not  to  the  boiling  point — and  then  add  a  drop 
of  good  oil  of  lemon,  or  any  other  flavor  you 
choose,  and  then  you  have  the  syrup.  Directions 
for  Using.  —  Take  a  glass  two-thirds  full  of  wa- 
ter, add  3  tablespoonfuls  of  the  syrup,  and  as 
much  soda  as  you  can  place  on  a  dime.  This 
makes  a  cool  and  refreshing  drink  in  hot  weather. 

CREAM  .SCZJyi.— Loaf  sugar  ten  lbs.,  wa- 
ter 3  gals. ;  warm  gradually  so  as  not  to  burn ; 
good  rich  cream,  2  quarts;  extract  vanilla,  l^ 
ounce;  extract  nutmeg,  %  ounce;  tartaric  acid, 
4  ounces.  Just  bring  to  a  boiling  heat ;  for,  if 
you  cook  it  any  length  of  time,  it  will  crystallize ; 
use  4  or  5  spoonfuls  of  this  syrup  instead  of  three, 
as  in  other  syrups ;  put  %  teaspoonful  of  soda  to 
a  glass ;  if  used  without  a  fountain.  For  charged 
fountains  no  acid  is  used. 

CURRANT  ICE  WATER.— Tress  the  juice 
from  ripe  currants,  strain  it,  and  put  a  pound  of 
sugar  to  each  pint  of  juice.  Put  it  into  bottles, 
cork  and  seal  it,  and  keep  it  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 
When  wanted,  mix  it  with  ice  water  for  a  drink ; 
or  put  water  with  it,  make  it  very  sweet,  and 
freeze  it.  Freezing  takes  away  much  of  the 
sweetness.  The  juices  of  other  acid  fruits  may 
be  used  in  the  same  way. 

EFFERVESCING  FRUIT  DRINKS.— 
Very  fine  drinks  are  prepared  by  putting  straw- 
berries, raspberries,  or  blackberries,  into  good 
vinegar,  and  then  drawing  it  off,  and  adding  a 
new  supply  of  fruit,  till  enough  flavor  is  secured. 
Keep  the  vinegar  bottled,  and  in  hot  weather  use 
it  thus :  Dissolve  yi  a  teaspoonful,  or  less,  of 
saleratus,  or  soda,  in  a  tumbler  (very  little  wa- 
ter), till  the  lumps  are  all  out  Then  fill  the 
tumbler  two-thirds  full  of  water,  and  add  the 
fruit  vinegar.  If  several  persons  are  to  drink, 
put  the  fruit  vinegar  into  each  tumbler,  and  dis- 
solve the  soda  in  a  pitcher,  and  pour  into  the 
tumblers  as  each  person  is  ready  to  drink;  delay 
spoils  it. 

ETHER,  BUTRIC.—Thh  is  much  used  to 
impart  a  pineapple  flavor  to  rum.  Dissolved  in 
8  or  10  parts  of  alcohol  it  forms  the  pineapple 
essence.  From  20  to  25  drops  of  this  essence, 
added  to  I  lb.  sugar  containing  a  little  citric  acid, 
imparts  to  the  mixture  a  strong  taste  of  pineapple. 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


575 


ETHER,  A  A/ VLO- ACE  TIC— This  is  a 
preparation  of  fruit  oil  and  other  ingredients, 
and  when  diluted  with  alcohol,  it  is  sold  as  es- 
sence of  jargonelle  pear,  and  is  used  for  flavor- 
ing different  liquors.  Fifteen  parts  amylo-acetic 
ether,  with  half  a  part  of  acetic  ether,  dissolved 
in  lOO  parts  of  alcohol,  form  what  may  be  called 
the  bergamot  pear  essence,  which,  when  em- 
ployed to  flavor  sugar,  acidulated  with  a  little 
citric  add,  imparts  the  odor  of  the  bergamot 
pear,  and  a  fruity,  refreshing  taste. 

ETHER,  FELARGONIC—TYiis  has  the 
agreeable  odor  of  the  quince,  and  when  dissolved 
in  alcohol  in  due  proportion,  forms  the  quince 
essence. 

ETHER,  AMLITJC—iSamc  as  amylo  eth- 
er) mixed  with  butyric  ether,  forms  in  alcoholic 
solution  the  banana  essence. 

ETHER,  AMVLIC.—Axx  alcoholic  solution 
of  this  ether  in  the  proportion  of  i  part  to  6  or  8 
of  alcohol  forms  a  flavoring  liquid  under  the 
name  of  apple  essence. 

FINING  FOlF£>ER.—Take  eggs,  any 
quantity ;  beat  them  to  a  froth,  and  expose  them 
to  a  gentle  heat  or  in  the  sun  to  dry,  then  pow- 
der. In  some  cases  a  little  fine  wheat  flour  is 
added,  the  paste  made  into  balls,  and  dried  in 
the  sun,  or  a  warm  room,  and  then  powdered. 
Used  for  all  the  purposes  of  fresh  eggs  by  solu- 
tion in  cold  water. 

FREEZING  PREPARA  TYCA''.— Common 
sal-ammoniac,  well  pulverized,  i  part,  saltpetre 
2  parts ;  mix  well  together.  Then  take  common 
soda,  well  pulverized.  To  use,  take  equal  quanti- 
ties of  these  preparations  (which  must  be  kept 
separate  and  well  covered  previous  to  using)  and 
put  them  in  the  freezing  pot ;  add  of  water  a 
proper  quantity,  and  put  in  the  article  to  be 
frozen  in  a  proper  vessel ;  cover  up,  and  your 
wants  will  soon  be  supplied.  For  freezing  cream 
or  wines  this  can't  be  beat. 

GIN. — Take  lOO  gallons  of  clean,  rectified 
spirits ;  add,  after  you  have  killed  the  oils  well, 
I^  oz.  of  the  oil  of  English  juniper,  %  ounce  of 
angelica  essence,  ^  oz.  of  the  oil  bitter  almonds, 
y^  oz.  of  the  oil  of  coriander,  and  }4  oz.  of  the 
oil  of  caraway  ;  put  this  into  the  rectified  spirit 
and  well  rurnmage  it  up :  this  is  what  the  recti- 
fiers call  strong  gin. 

To  make  this  up,  as  it  is  called  by  the  trade, 
add  45  lbs.  of  loaf-sugar,  dissolved;  then  rum- 
mage the  whole  well  up  together  with  4  oz.  of 
roche  alum.  For  finings,  there  may  be  added  2 
oz.  of  salts  of  tartar. 

GIN,  CORDIAL.— Oi  the  oil  of  bitter  al- 
monds, vitriol,  turpentine,  and  juniper,  ^  a 
drachm  each,  kill  the  oils  in  spirits  of  wine;  15 
gallons  of  clean,  rectified  proof-spirits,  to  which 
add  I  drachm  of  coriander  seeds,  i  drachm  of 
pulverized  orris  root,  ^  pint  of  elder-flower  wa- 
ter, with  10  lbs.  of  sugar  and  5  gals,  of  water  or 
liquor. 

GIN,  ENGLISH.— VXam  malt  spirit,  100 
gals.;  spirits  of  turpentine,  I  pint;  bay  salt,  7 
lbs.  Mix  and  distill.  The  difference  in  the  flavor 
of  gin  is  produced  b^  varying  the  proportion  of 
turpentine,  and  by  occasionally  adding  a  small 
quantity  of  juniper  berries. 

GIN,  HOLLAND.— To  40  gals,  of  neutral 
spirits,  add  2  ounces  spirits  nitre;  4  lbs.  of  loaf 
sugar ;  I  oz.  oil  juniper ;  y^  ounce  oil  caraway. 
The  juniper  and  ciraway  to  be  first  cut  in  a 
quart  of  alcohol ;  stand  24  hours. 


GIN,  HOLLAND  (  To  Reduce).— To  25  gals, 
pure  Holland  gin,  add  25  gallons  pure  French 
spirit;  ^  gallon  of  white  sugar  syrup;  mix  thor- 
oughly. 

GINGER  POP.—\.  Crushed  white  sugar  28 
lbs.,  water  30  gals.,  yeast  i  pint,  powdered  gin- 
ger (best)  I  lb,,  essence  of  lemon  ^  oz.,  essence 
of  cloves  j^  oz.  To  the  ginger  pour  half  a  gal- 
lon of  boiling  water  and  let  it  stand  15  or  20 
minutes.  Dissolve  the  sugar  in  2  gals,  of  warm 
water,  pour  both  into  a  barrel  half  filled  with 
cold  water,  then  add  the  essence  and  the  yeast ; 
let  it  stand  half  an  hour,  then  fill  up  with  cold 
water.  Let  it  ferment  6  to  12  hours,  and  bot- 
Ue. 

2.  One  and  a  half  ounces  of  the  best  ground 
Jamaica  ginger,  i  oz.  of  cream  of  tartar,  i  lb.  of 
sugar,  and  2  sliced  lemons  ;  to  all  of  which  add 
4  quarts  of  boiling  water,  and  yi  pint  of  yeast ; 
let  it  ferment  for  24  hours,  strain  and  bottle  it. 
In  a  week  or  two  it  will  be  ready  for  use. 

3.  Water  5^  gals.;  ginger  root,  bruised,  ]^ 
lb.;  tartaric  acid  /^  oz.;  white  sugar  2j^  lbs.; 
whites  of  3  eggs,  well  beaten ;  lemon  oil  i  tea- 
spoon; yeast  i  gill.  Boil  the  root  for  30  minutes 
in  I  gal.  of  the  water,  strain  off,  and  put  the  oil 
in  while  hot;  mix.  Make  over  night,  and  in  the 
morning  skim  and  bottle,  keeping  out  sedi- 
ments. 

HOPS,  To  Choose. — Put  them  between  the 
fingers  or  the  palms  of  the  hand,  and  if  good,  a 
rich  glutinous  substance  will  be  felt,  with  a  fra- 
grant smell,  and  a  fine  yellow  dust  will  appear. 
The  best  color  is  a  fine  olive  gieen,  but  if  too 
green,  and  the  seeds  are  small  and  shriveled, 
they  have  been  picked  too  soon  and  will  be  defi- 
cient in  flavor.  If  of  a  dusty  brown  color,  they 
were  picked  too  late,  and  should  not  be  chosen. 
When  a  year  old,  they  are  considered  as  losing 
one-fourth  in  strength. 

LEMONADE.— \\'V\iQ^  sugar  l  lb.;  tartaric 
acid  ^  oz.;  essence  of  lemon  30  drops;  water  3 
quarts.     Mix. 

LEMONADE,  ITALIAN— Y^xt:  and  press 
2  doz.  lemons;  pour  the  juice  on  the  peels,  and 
let  it  remain  on  them  all  night ;  in  the  morning 
add  2  lbs.  of  loaf  sugar,  a  quart  of  good  sherry, 
and  3  quarts  of  boiling  water.  Mix  well,  add  a 
quart  of  boiling  milk,  and  strain  it  through  a 
jelly-bag  till  clear. 

LEMONADE,  MILK.—Th.z  juice  of  seven 
lemons,  half  a  pint  of  sherr)*,  %  of  a  pound  of 
white  sugar,  and  a  quart  of  boiling  water ;  mix, 
and  when  cold  add  a  pint  of  boiling  milk ;  let  it 
stand  for  some  hours,  then  strain  clear  through 
a  jelly-bag,  and  ice.  This  is  always  better  if 
made  the  day  before  it  is  required. 

LEMONADE,  PORTABLE.  —  i.  Mix 
strained  lemon  juice  with  loaf  sugar,  in  the  pro- 
portion of  4  large  lemons  to  a  pound,  or  as  much 
as  it  will  hold  in  solution ;  grate  the  rind  of  the 
lemons  into  this,  and  preserve  the  mixture  in  a 
jar.  If  this  is  too  sweet,  add  a  httle  citric  acid. 
Use  a  tablespoonful  to  a  tumbler  of  water. 

2.  Tartaric  acid,  one-half  ounce ;  loaf  sugar, 
three  ounces ;  essence  of  lemon,  one-half  drachm. 
Powder  the  acid  and  sugar;  mix  them  and  pour 
the  essence  of  lemon  upon  them,  a  few  drofis  at 
a  time ;  when  all  is  mixed,  divide  into  twelve 
equal  parts,  and  put  them  in  white  paper,  like 
powders.  When  wanted,  dissolve  one  in  a 
tumbler  of  water,  and  lemonade  will  be  tlie  re- 
sult. 


376 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


LEMONADE,  EFFERVESCING.—  Take 
powdered  white  sugar,  i  pound ;  bicarbonate  of 
soda,  ^  pound;  essence  of  lemon,  \%  drachms. 
Mix  and  divide  it  into  six  dozen  papers. 

Tartaric  or  citric  acid,  5  ounces.  Divided  into 
the  same  number  of  papers. 

The  granulated  effervescent  powders  found  in 
the  market  are  made  in  the  following  way: — A 
clean  iron  or  copper  pan  is  heated  over  a  slow 
fire,  and  the  mixture  of  finely  pulverized  sugar 
and  citric  acid  put  in  and  well  stirred,  until  it 
commences  to  cake,  without  of  course  changing 
its  color ;  the  pan  is  then  taken  from  the  fire  and 
the  bicarbonate  of  soda  stirred  into  the  mixture, 
until  it  is  uniformly  distributed  through  the 
mass,  when  the  whole  is  pressed  through  a  coarse 
sieve,  and  the  granules  exposed  to  the  air  for  a 
little  while  to  harden.  They  are  then  ready  for 
bottling.  A  tablespoonful  of  this  put  in  a  glass 
of  water  will  dissolve  almost  instantaneously, 
producing  a  good  lemonade. 

MEAD. —  The  following  is  a  good  receipt  for 
mead : —  On  twenty  pounds  of  honey  pour  five 
gallons  of  boiling  water ;  boil,  and  remove  the 
scum  as  it  rises ;  add  one  ounce  of  best  hops,  and 
boil  for  ten  minutes ;  then  put  the  liquor  into  a 
tub  to  cool ;  when  all  but  cold  add  a  little  yeast 
spread  upon  a  slice  of  toasted  bread ;  let  it  stand 
in  a  warm  room.  When  fermentation  is  finished, 
bung  it  down,  leaving  a  peg-hole  which  can  after- 
wards be  closed,  and  in  less  than  a  year  it  will 
be  fit  to  bottle. 
-?  MEAD,  SARSAPARILLA.  —  i  pound  of 
Spanish  sarsaparilla ;  boil  5  hours,  so  as  to  strain 
off  2  gallons;  add  16  pounds  of  sugar,  and  10  oz. 
of  tartaric  acid.  Half  a  wineglass  of  syrup  to 
half  pint  tumbler  of  water,  and  one  half  teaspoon- 
ful  of  soda  water,  is  a  fair  proportion  for  a  drink. 

METHEGLIN—TsWx  one  and  a  half  barrels 
of  water  with  as  much  honey  as  will  cause  an  egg 
to  rise  a  little  above  the  water;  then  boil  the 
mixture  to  one  barrel,  skimming  off  the  surface. 
It  will  be  a  fine  red  or  wine  color,  and  clear;  then 
remove  from  the  fire,  and  when  cold,  put  it  into 
a  barrel,  leaving  the  bung-hole  open  for  several 
days,  until  fermentation  be  over;  then  stop  it 
close,  and  put  into  a  cold  cellar. 

NECTAR,  CREAM.  —  Part  ist;  take  one 
gallon  water,  6  lbs.  loaf  sugar,  6  oz.  tartaric  acid, 
gum  arable  I  oz.  Part  2d ;  4  teaspoonfuls  of  flour, 
the  whites  of  4  eggs  beat  finely  together ;  then 
add  yi  pint  water;  when  the  first  part  is  blood 
warm  put  in  the  2d,  boil  3  minutes,  and  it  is  done. 
Directions :  3  tablespoonfuls  of  the  syrup  to  a 
glass  half  or  two-thirds  full  of  water,  add  ^  tea- 
spoonful  of  carljonate  of  soda  made  fine;  stir  well 
and  drink  at  y<Ar  leisure. 

ORANGEADE. — Squeeze  the  juice  of  seven 
good  oranges,  peel  three  of  them,  and  pour  boil- 
ing water  over  the  peel,  cover  it  close  till  cold, 
boil  water  and  sugar  together  to  a  thin  syrup, 
skim  carefully;  when  all  are  cold,  mix  the  juice, 
the  infusion,  and  the  syrup  well  together,  with  as 
much  more  water  as  will  make  a  rich  drink, 
strain  through  a  jelly-bag,  add  a  large  glass  of 
pale  brandy,  and  ice  it  well  with  lumps  of  clear 
ice. 

ORGEA  T.  —  Boil  two  quarts  of  milk  with  a 
stick  of  cinnamon,  and  let  it  stand  to  be  quite  cold, 
taking  out  the  cinnamon.  Blanch  four  ounces  of 
the  best  sweet  almonds  ;  pound  them  well  (in  a 
marble  mortar)  with  a  little  rose  water  ;  mix  them 
well  with  the  milk;  sweeten  to  your  taste;  let  it 


boil  again  for  a  few  minutes ;  strain  through  a 
fine  sieve  till  quite  smooth  and  free  from  almonds. 
Serve  either  cold  or  warm,  in  handled  glasses. 

PORTER.  —  Pale  malt,  8  quarters  ;  amber 
malt,  6  quarters ;  brown  malt,  2  quarters.  Mash 
it  twice,  with  55  and  48  barrels  of  water,  then 
boil  with  Kent  hops,  one  cwt.,  and  set  with  yeast, 
10  gallons ;  salt,  7  pounds ;  flour,  2  pounds. 
Twenty  barrels  of  good  table  beer  may  be  had. 
from  the  grains.  If  deficient  in  color,  add  burnt 
malt. 

PORTER,  For  Bottling.— Vz\e  malt,  5  quar- 
ters ;  amber  malt,  3  quarters ;  brown  malt,  2 
quarters;  burnt  malt  to  color  if  required.  Mash 
with  twenty-four,  fourteen  and  eleven  barrels  of 
water,  then  boil  with  Kent  hops,  one  cwt.,  and 
set  with  yeast,  7  gallons;  salt,  3  pounds.  Mash 
the  grains  for  table  beer. 

PORTER,  To  Bottle.— 1.  Choose  clear  weath- 
er, if  possible. 

2.  Leave  the  bung  out  of  the  cask  all  night, 

3.  Fill  your  bottles,  then  throw  sheets  of  paper 
over  them  to  keep  out  the  dust,  and  let  them 
stand  for  twenty-four  hours,  then  cork  and  wire. 

4.  Pack  them  away  in  a  cool  place. 

If  for  exportation  to  a  hot  climate,  the  bung 
must  be  left  out  of  the  cask  for  twenty-four 
hours,  and  the  bottles  must  not  be  corked  for  at 
least  three  days.  If  for  immediate  use,  we  may 
ripen  it  in  two  or  three  days,  by  adding  a  small 
piece  of  sugar  to  each  bottle  before  corking. 

PUNCH. — Water,  3  gals. ;  tartaric  acid,  4  oz.> 
or  to  taste;  lump  sugar,  to  sweeten;  brandy,  3 
pints ;  rum,  3  pmts.  The  peels  of  three  lemons 
grated,  essence  of  lemon  to  flavor ;  rub  the  es- 
sence with  a  little  lump  sugar  in  a  mortar,  adding 
a  little  of  the  spirit. 

PUNCH,  MILK.  —  Yellow  rinds  of  2  dozen 
lemons;  steep  two  days  in  two  quarts  of  brandy; 
add  spirits,  3qts. ;  hot  water,  2qts.;  lemon  juice, 
I  qt.;  loaf  sugar,  4  lbs.;  boiling  milk,  2  qts.;  2 
nutmegs  grated;  mix,  and  in  two  hours  strain 
through  wool. 

RA  TAFIA.  —  Ratafia  may  be  made  with  the 
juice  of  any  fruit.  Take  3  gals,  cherry  juice, 
and  4  lbs.  sugar,  which  you  dissolve  in  the  juice; 
steep  in  2^  gals,  brandy  ten  days;  2  drs.  cinna- 
mon; 24  cloves;  16  oz.  peach-leaves;  8  oz.  bruised 
cherry  kernels.  Filter,  mix  both  liquids,  and 
filter  again. 

RUM,  JAMAICA.—  i.  To  24  gallons  New- 
England  rum,  add  5  gallons  Jamaica  rum ;  2  oz. 
btityric  ether  ;  ^  ounce  oil  of  caraway,  cut  with 
alcohol,  95  per  cent.    Color  with  sugar  coloring. 

2.  To  36  gallons  pure  spirits,  add  i  gallon 
Jamaica  rum ;  3  ounces  butyric  ether ;  3  ounces 
acetic  ether;  Vz  gallon  sugar  syrup.  Mix  the 
ethers  and  acici  with  the  Jamaica  rum,  and  stir  it 
well  in  the  spirit.  Color  with  burnt  sugar 
coloring. 

RUM,  PINE-APPLE.— 10  50  gallons  rum, 
made  by  the  fruit  method,  add  25  pine-apples 
sliced,  and  8  pounds  white  sugar.  Let  it  stand 
two  weeks  before  drawing  ofl. 

RUM,  SANTA  CRUZ.—  To  50  gallons  pure 
proof  spirit,  add  5  galloifs  Santa  Crgz  rum ;  5 
pounds  refined  sugar,  in  ^  gallon  water;  3  ounces 
butyric  acid;  2  ounces  acetic  ether.  Color  if  ne- 
cessary. 

RUM,  ST.  CROIX.—  To  40  gallons  p.  or  n. 
spirits,  add  2  gallons  St.  Croix  rum ;  2  ounces 
acetic  acid;  l^  ounce  butyric  acid;  3  pounds 
loaf  sugar.    .       . .       --  - 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


377 


RUM  SHRUB.— T^iviTinc  acid,  5  lbs.;  pale 
sugar,    100  lbs.;  oil  lemon,   4  drs.  ;  oil  orange, 

4  drs. ;  put  them  into  a  large  cask  (80  gals. ) 
and  add  water,  10  gals.  Rummage  till  the  acid 
and  sugar  are  dissolved,  then  add  rum  (proof), 
20  gals.;  water  to  make  up  55  gals,  in  all ;  col- 
oring I  quart  or  more.  Fine  with  12  eggs.  The 
addition  of  12  sliced  oranges  will  improve  the 
flavor. 

SALINE  DRAUGHT.— Tzke  20  grains  of 
carbonate  of  soda,  and  an  equal  quantity  of  white 
sugar,  25  grains  of  either  lemon  or  tartaric  acid ; 
mix  this  in  2  glasses  of  water,  as  usual.  If  you 
substitute  half  a  lemon  for  the  acid,  it  will  be  a 
still  more  delicious  draught  and  very  refreshing 
in  hot  weather,  or  when  feverish. 

SCHIEDAM  SCHNAPPS,  To  Imitate.— 
To  25  gals,  good  common  gin,  5  over  proof,  add 
15  pints  strained  honey;    2  gals,  clear  water; 

5  pints  white-sugar  syrup ;  5  pints  spirit  of 
nutmegs  mixed  with  the  nitric  ether ;  5  pints 
orange-flower  water ;  7  quarts  pure  water ;  i 
ounce  acetic  ether;  8  drops  oil  of  wintergreen, 
dissolved  with  the  acetic  ether.  Mix  all  the  in- 
gredients well;  if  necessary,  fine  with  alum  and 
salt  of  tartar. 

SHERBET.— BoW  in  3  pints  of  water  6  or  8 
stalks  of  green  rhubarb,  and  4  oz.  of  raisins  or 
figs ;  when  the  water  has  boiled  about  half  an 
hour,  •  strain  it,  and  mix  it  with  a  teaspoonful  of 
rose  water,  and  orange  or  lemon  syrup  to  the 
taste.     Drink  it  cold. 

SHERBET,  LEMON— T>is%o\xQ  1%  lbs. 
of  loaf  sugar  in  I  quart  of  water;  add  the  juice 
of  10  lemons ;  press  the  lemons  so  as  to  extract 
both  the  juice  and  the  oil  of  the  rind,  and  let  the 
peel  remain  a  while  in  the  water  and  sugar. 
Strain  through  a  sieve,  and  freeze  like  ice 
cream. 

SHERBET,  ORANGE.— Take  the  juice  of 
1  dozen  oranges,  and  pour  I  pint  of  boiling  wa- 
ter on  the  peel,  and  let  it  stand,  covered,  half  an 
hour.  Boil  I  lb.  of  loaf  sugar  in  I  pint  of  water, 
skim,  and  then  add  the  juice  and  the  water  from 
the  peel  to  the  sugar.  Strain  and  cool,  or  freeze 
it.  The  juice  of  2,  and  a  little  more  sugar,  im- 
proves it. 

SHERBET,  PERSIAN— Pulyerized  sugar 
1  lb.;  super-carbonate  of  soda  4  ounces;  tartaric 
acid  3  oz.;  put  all  the  articles  into  the  stove  oven 
when  moderately  warm,  being  separate,  upon 
paper  or  plates ;  let  them  remain  sufficiently  long 
to  dry  out  all  dampness  absorbed  from  the  aii* 
then  rub  about  40  drops  of  lemon  oil,  (or  if  pre- 
ferred any  other  flavored  oil, )  thoroughly  with 
the  sugar  in  a  mortar — wedge-wood  is  the  best — 
then  add  the  soda  and  acid,  and  continue  the 
rubbing  until  all  are  thoroughly  mixed. 

SUMMER  DRINKS.— The  first,  thelsest, 
because  the  safest  for  laborers,  invalids,  the 
sedentary,  for  all  classes,  at  all  times  of  the  day 
and  night,  is  half  a  glass  at  a  time,  repeated  in 
10  minutes  if  desired,  of  common  cold  water,  at 
the  temperature  of  the  spring,  or  well,  or  reser- 
voir, or  cistern.  Ice  water  is  more  palatable, 
but  very  often  kills. 

Any  drink  which  contains  alcohol,  even  cider, 
root  beer,  or  domestic  cordials — all  are  not  only 
not  harmless,  but  are  positively  injurious,  be- 
cause the  atom  of  alcohol,  by  using  the  strength 
of  the  next  minute  for  the  present,  leaves  the 
system  that  next  minute  just  that  much  weaker 
than  it  would  have  been  had  not  that  atom  of 


alcohol  been  taken;  this  is  the  case,  because  that 
atom  of  alcohol  has  not  one  particle  of  nutriment, 
hence  cannot  supply  the  system  with  one  single 
atom  of  strength. 

If  anything  is  added  to  the  summer  drink,  it 
should  contain  some  nutriment,  so  as  to  strength-  — 
en  the  body,  as  well  as  to  dilute  the  blood  for 
purposes  of  a  more  easy  flow  through  the  system, 
as  any  one  knows  that  the  thinner  the  fluid  is, 
the  more  easily  does  it  flow.  Some  of  the  more 
nutritious  and  safe  drinks  are  given  below,  espe- 
cially for  those  who  drink  in  the  sun  of  simimer, 
all  to  be  taken  at  the  natural  temperature  of  the 
shadiest  spot  in  the  locality. 

To  any  of  them  ice  may  be  added,  but  it  is  a 
luxurious,  not  a  beneficial  ingredient,  nor  a  safe 
one. 

1.  Buttermilk. 

2.  A  pint  of  molasses  to  a  gallon  of  water. 

3.  A  lemon  to  a  half  a  gallon  of  water,  and  a 
teacupful  of  molasses,*or  as  much  sugar. 

4.  Vinegar,  sugar  and  water  are  substitutes, 
but  the  vinegar  is  not  a  natural  acid,  contains 
free  alcohol,  hence  is  not  as  safe  or  healthful.      ( 

5.  A  thin  gruel  made  of  corn  or  oats,  is 
strengthening. 

6.  A  pint  of  grapes,  currants,  or  garden  ber- 
ries to  a  half  gallon  of  water  is  agreeable. 

Cold  water  applied  to  the  head  is  very  refresh- 
ing to  harvesters.  Wading  in  water  abates  thirst. 
Persons  cast  away  at  sea  will  suffer  less  from 
thirst,  if  the  clothing  is  kept  wringing  wet  with 
salt  water.  A  piece  of  silk  fitted  in  the  hat  is  a  \ 
great  protection  to  the  head  against  sun  heat ;  it 
is  an  absolute  protection  if  one  side  is  well  cov- 
ered with  gold  leaf.  As  there  is  always  a  space 
between  the  top  of  the  head  and  crown  of  the 
hat,  hatters  should  practice  this  idea. 

SYRUP,  BLACA'BERR V.  —Blackherry 
juice,  I  pint;  clarified  sugar,  2j4  lbs.;  brandy  or 
whisky,  ^  glass.  Dissolve  the  sugar  by  the  aid 
of  heat  in  the  juice,  and  when  cold  add  the  spirit. 
SYRUP,  Aromatic  Blackberry. — The  aromatic 
blackberry  syrup  is  made  by  taking  aromatic 
syrup  instead  of  clarified  sugar.  The  former 
is  made  in  the  following  way :  Refined  sugar, 
5  pounds  ;  water,  2  pints ;  bruised  ginger,  I 
ounce;  cloves,  yi  oz.;  calamus  root,  %  oz.;  nut- 
megs, I  oz.;  boil  for  2  hours  the  ginger,  cloves, 
calamus,  and  nutmegs  in  the  water,  strain,  and 
dissolve  the  sugar,  and  when  near  cold  add  oil 
of  bitter  almonds,  4  drops;  essence  of  cinnamon, 
15  drops;  essence  of  nutmegs,  i  tablespoonful; 
essence  of  lemon,  20  drops.  Stir  the  whole  well 
until  the  oils  are  perfectly  dissolved. 

SYRUPS,  To  Color.— Powder  cochineal  I  oz.; 
soft  water  i  pint ;  boil  the  cochineal  in  the  wa- 
ter for  a  few  minutes,  using  a  copper  kettle; 
while  boiling,  add  30  grains  of  powdered  alum, 
and  I  dr.  of  cream  of  tartar;  when  the  coloring 
matter  is  all  out  of  the  cochineal,  remove  it  from 
the  fire,  and  when  a  little  cool,  strain,  bottle, 
and  set  aside  for  use. 

SYRUP,  LEMON  — Coffee  sugar,  3  lbs.; 
water,  l>^  pints;  dissolve  by  gentle  heat,  and 
add  citric  acid  3  oz.,  and  flavor  with  oil  or  ex- 
tract of  lemon.  Or  take  citric  acid  in  powder  % 
oz.;  oil  of  lemon  4  drops  ;  simple  syrup  i  quart. 
Rub  the  acid  and  oil  in  3  or  4  spoons  of  the 
syrup,  then  add  the  mixture  to  the  remainder, 
and  dissolve  with  gentle  heat. 

SYRUP,  Imitation  Lemon. — Four  ounces  of 
tartaric  acid,  powdered;  2  drachms  of  oil  of  lem- 


378 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


on.  This  can  be  kept  in  a  vial  for  a  month,  and 
then  must  be  renewed,  A  tablespoonful,  put 
into  water  sweetened  with  white  sugar,  makes 
six  glasses  of  lemonade. 

SYRUP,  RASPBERRY.— Tske  orris  root, 
bruised,  any  quantity,  say  %  lb.,  and  just  hand- 
somely cover  it  with  dilute  alcohol,  (76  per  cent, 
alcohol,  and  water,  equal  quantities,)  so  that  it 
cannot  be  made  any  stronger  of  the  root. 

SYRUP,  SARSAPARILLA.  —To  simple 
syrup  add  10  drops  oil  of  anise ;  20  drops  oil  of 
wintergreen ;  20  drops  oil  of  sassafras,  and  6  oz. 
of  caramel  or  coloring  to  the  gallon.  Before  the 
oils  are  added  to  the  syrup,  they  should  be  cut 
by  grinding  them  in  a  mortar  with  as  much  sugar 
as  they  will  moisten,  or  mix  with  a  small  quantity 
of  alcohol. 

SYRUP,  SODA.— The  common  or  more  wa- 
tery syrups  are  made  by  using  loaf  or  crushed 
sugar,  8  pounds;  pure  water,  I  gallon;  gum 
arable,  2  ounces ;  mix  in  a  brass  or  copper  kettle; 
boil  until  the  gum  is  dissolved,  then  skim  and 
strain  through  white  flannel,  after  which  add 
tartaric  acid,  5^  ounces,  dissolved  in  hot  water; 
to  flavor,  use  extract  of  lemon,  orange,  rose, 
pineapple,  peach,  sarsaparilla,  strawberry,  etc., 
}4  ounce  to  each  bottle,  or  to  your  taste. 

SYRUP,  FA  A' ILL  A. —To  simple  syrup  add 
^  oz.  of  extract  of  vanilla  to  the  gallon. 

TEARS  of  the  Widow  of  Maladar.—  Tlain 
spirit  at  18"  B.  5  quarts;  bruised  cloves  J4  oz. ; 
bruised  mace  48  grs. ;  digest  in  a  corked  carboy 
for  a  week,  add  burnt  sugar  to  impart  a  slight 
color,  filter,  and  add  white  sugar  4^  lbs. ;  dis- 
solved in  distilled  or  filtered  rain  water  j4  gallon; 
some  add  2  or  3  oz.  of  orange  flower  water.  A 
pleasant  liquor. 

VINEGAR,  To  Make— \.  Make  a  box  about 
three  and  a  half  by  three  feet,  and  seven  feet 
long,  with  one  side  hung  on  hinges  so  that  it  can 
be  opened  and  shut.  Inside  of  this  box,  on 
cleats  to  hold  them,  fit  shelves  the  size  of  the  in- 
side of  the  box ;  the  shelves  are  to  be  about  one 
and  a  half  inches  apart.  On  the  upper  side  of 
these  shelves  gouge  out  channels  with  a  one  and 
a  half  inch  chisel  or  gouge,  a  half  or  three-quar- 
ters of  an  inch  deep,  running  from  one  end  to 
the  other  (nearly),  then  turn  and  come  back  to 
(riearly)  the  other  end,  about  six  inches  from  the 
last  channel  made,  and  so  continue  until  the  up- 
per side  is  covered  with  channels  running^  from 
end  to  end.  There  should  be  cleats  fastened  to 
the  under  side  of  the  shelf  to  prevent  the  shelf 
from  warping;  the  cleats  are  put  on  with  screws. 
The  channels  must  be  made  slightly  slanting. 
At  the  end  of  the  last  channel  made  bore  a 
three-quarter  inch  hole.  In  this  hole  place  a 
short  wooden  tube,  so  that  when  the  cider  ar- 
rives here  it  will  fall  through  and  into  the  com- 
mencement of  the  first  channel  in  the  next  shelf 
below.  All  these  shelves  are  made  alike.  The 
shelves  must,  of  course,  slant  from  side  to  side, 
and  about  two  inches  is  the  right  slant ;  that  is 
to  say,  one  side  of  the  shelf  must  be  two  inches 
lower  than  the  other.  One  shelf  must  slant  one 
■way,  and  the  one  next  below  must  slant  the  other 
way.  Under  the  hole  in  the  last  channel  of  the 
bottom  shelf,  place  a  barrel  or  hogshead  to  catch 
the  vinegar  as  it  falls  through  the  tube.  Now 
bore  a  one  inch  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  box, 
at  one  end,  not  into  a  channel,  but  so  the  vine- 
gar cannot  run  out.  Now  in  the  other  end  of 
the  first  or  lowest  shelf,  bore  a  one  inch  hole 


near  one  corner,  then  in  the  next  shelf  above  in 
the  opposite  end  and  corner,  bore  another  like 
hole,  and  so  continue  until  each  shelf  has  such  a 
hole  bored  through  it,  and  of  course  you  will 
want  a  hole  in  the  top  of  the  box.  These  holes 
are  for  a  draft  of  air  to  circulate  through  the  box, 
and  as  the  air  in  the  box  is  warmer  than  the  air 
in  the  room  there  will  of  course  be  a  draft  of  air 
through  the  box.  The  cider  or  other  mixture 
heats  itself  in  passing  through. 

To  commence  making  vinegar,  have  your  box 
or  maker  in  some  small  room  where  you  can 
have  a  fire  and  keep  the  temperature  about  90*^ 
or  95°  Fah.  Have  a  barrel,  or  tub,  or  hogshead 
placed  a  little  higher  than  the  box  and  near  the 
end  where  the  first  channel  commences  in  the 
top  shelf;  in  this  tub  or  hogshead  have  a  faucet 
so  that  you  can  regulate  the  amount  of  cider  or 
mixture  running.  Your  mixtures  ought  to  be 
warmed  to  about  90  or  95  degrees.  A  few  gal- 
lons or  a  half  barrel  of  good  strong  vinegar 
should  be  run  through  first,  so  that  the  shelves 
will  be  well  soured  before  letting  other  mixtures 
run  through.  It  is  a  good  idea  to  add  one-third 
or  one-fourth  of  good  vinegar  to  any  mixture  of 
cider  before  allowing  it  to  run  through  the  maker. 
Then  open  the  faucet  so  that  a  stream  not  larger 
than  a  straw  shall  fall  into  the  commencement  of 
the  first  channel  in  the  top  shelf,  and  when  it 
falls  through  the  last  hole  and  into  the  barrel 
below  the  maker,  you  will  find  it  is  good,  strong, 
and  pure  vinegar.  This  I  believe  to  be  the  best 
and  simplest  way  to  make  vinegar  quickly  yet 
discovered.  The  side  hung  on  hinges  should  be 
kept  closed  while  making  and  should  shut  tight. 
The  outside  box  can  be  put  together  with  nails, 
being  careful  to  expose  none  to  the  action  of  the 
vinegar  inside  of  the  box.  Do  not  use  any  nails 
or  iron  in  putting  in  the  shelves,  etc.,  as  if  you 
do,  you  will  have  ink  instead  of  vinegar.  All 
fastenings  must  be  made  of  wood  pegs  in  place 
of  nails,  etc.,  etc.  Of  course,  when  once  started, 
you  will  make  vinegar  night  and  day  until 
through  making. 

If  you  do  not  intend  to  make  any  great  amount 
of  vinegar  it  would  probably  be  best  for  you  to 
make  it  with  shavings,  which  you  can  get  at  the 
planing  mills  cheaply  or  for  nothing.  If  not  near 
a  mill  they  can  be  made  quickly  by  hand. 

To  make  molasses  vinegar,  take  any  amount 
of  water,  and  for  every  ten  gallons  used  add  one 
of  molasses  and  a  little  yeast,  and  let  it  ferment. 
After  done  working  let  it  run  through  the  maker. 
If  you  want  something  very  strong  use  two  gal- 
lons, instead  of  one,  for  every  ten  gallons  of  wa- 
ter.    Sorghum  vinegar  is  made  the  same. 

2.  As  my  object  is  to  give  full  practical  direc- 
tions to  manufacture  vinegar  from  cider  and  other 
alcoholic  solutions,  in  the  quickest  possible  time, 
I  shall  do  so  by  using  the  fewest  words  I  can, 
and  give  directions  that  all  may  understand.  In 
the  first  place  it  is  necessary  that  the  cider  should 
have  passed  through  the  first  fermentation  or  got 
through  working  —  the  longer  you  let  it  stand 
after  fermentation  the  better  for  the  resulting 
vinegar —  then  get  four  hogsheads,  remove  three 
of  the  heads  from  two  of  the  same,  leave  in  the 
head  that  is  the  least  likely  to  leak,  then  get  four 
sticks,  one  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter  or  there- 
about, and  one  foot  long ;  make  a  sort  of  table  or 
frame-work  just  large  enough  to  go  inside  the 
hogshead,  and  place  it  in  the  same ;  now  lay 
across  this  frame-work  sticks  or  boards,  they  need 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


379 


not  be  tight  together,  but  perhaps  half  an  inch 
apart,  so  as  to  let  the  air  go  up  through ;  now  fill 
the  hogshead  with  shavings  from  some  hard 
wood  (birch,  or  maple,  or  beech  is  best),  then 
take  one  of  the  hogsheads  that  has  no  head  in 
and  shave  off  one  end  so  as  to  fit  into  the  hogs- 
head just  filled,  one  or  tvi'o  inches ;  then  place  it 
on  top  of  the  other  hogshead,  the  same  standing 
on  one  end,  and  fill  this  one  to  within  about  eight 
inches  of  the  top  with  shavings.  The  shavings 
are  merely  poured  into  the  stands  from  baskets ; 
they  are  not  to  be  pressed  or  pounded  down,  as 
it  is  very  important  that  they  should  lay  in  the 
stands  loosely,  so  as  to  allow  the  air  to  circulate 
up  through  all  parts  of  the  stands ;  then  get  a 
wooden  hoop,  one  that  came  off  from  one  of  the 
hogsheads,  and  place  it  inside  of  the  last  hogs- 
head filled,  about  eight  inches  from  the  top,  and 
fasten  it  with  wooden  pegs ;  then  get  some  good 
boards,  matched  are  best,  and  cut  out  a  head 
that  will  fit  on  the  hoop  just  put  in,  and  cork  it 
tight  with  rags  or  cotton;  then  bore  about  fifty 
holes  in  the  head  not  larger  than  a  quarter  of  an 
inch.  It  is  easiest  to  mark  the  head  off  in  squares 
and  bore  the  holes  in  the  corner  off  each  square 
all  over  the  head,  before  the  head  is  fastened  in 
the  hogshead ;  then  cut  off  three  or  four  boards 
to  lay  on  top  for  a  cover,  then  bore  a  hole  about 
two  inches  from  the  bottom  of  the  lower  hogs- 
head for  a  faucet  to  draw  off  the  vinegar ;  then 
another  three-quarter  inch  hole  about  one  foot 
from  the  bottom,  this  to  be  left  open  for  a  vent 
hole,  as  it  is  highly  important  that  there  should 
be  a  current  of  air  through  the  shavings,  as  this 
is  what  causes  the  acetification  of  the  cider  or 
other  mixture  poured  through  the  shavings ;  also 
bore  a  three-quarter  inch  hole  just  below  the 
perforated  head ;  then  fix  the  other  two  hogs- 
0  heads  the  same  as  the  two  just  finished,  and 
place  all  four  in  some  room  in  some  out-shed 
where  you  can  have  a  fire  if  necessary,  and  you 
are  ready  to  go  making  vinegar. 

Now  warm  the  room  to  about  ninety  by  the 
thermometer,  and  keep  it  so  for  two  or  three 
hours ;  the  cider  or  other  mixture  should  stand 
in  the  vinegar  room  until  it  has  acquired  a  tem- 
perature of  about  eighty  or  ninety  degrees ;  then 
commence  making  vinegar  by  pouring  into  the 
stand  marked  No.  i,  cider  at  the  rate  of  one  and 
a  half  to  two  gallons  per  hour  and  continue  to  do 
so  until  you  have  about  ten  gallons  in  the  lower 
hogshead  of  No.  i  stand,  then  draw  from  No.  I 
stand  as  much  and  as  often  as  you  put  it  in  No.  i, 
and  pour  it  into  No.  2,  and  from  No.  2  draw 
every  hour  pure  made  vinegar. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  stands  should 
stand  quite  level,  so  that  the  cider  or  mixture  in 
spreading  over  the  head  bored  full  of  holes  will 
run  through  each  and  every  hole,  so  that  in 
dropping  over  the  shavings  it  will  be  exposed  to 
the  air  as  much  as  possible.  If  on  lifting  the 
top,  the  air  coming  out  smells  strong  of  vinegar 
all  is  doing  well  (and  the  air  should  be  a  little 
warmer  than  the  air  in  the  vinegar  room);  if  it 
is  not  so,  then  you  must  not  pour  the  cider  so 
often,  and  not  quite  so  much  at  a  time,  and  all 
will  soon  be  right.  It  is  not  necessary  that  you 
should  be  particular  to  pour  it  through  every 
hour,  but  in  order  to  make  the  largest  amount 
per  day,  you  should  pour  it  through  as  often  as 
every  hour,  which  is  as  often  as  it  should  be 
poured  through.  It  would  be  advisable  to  have 
your  cider  or  other  mixture  already  worked  be- 


fore you  commence  making  vinegar,  as  after  you 
once  get  your  stands  in  working  order  they  keep 
improving,  and  will  make  better  vinegar  at  the 
end  of  a  week  than  when  you  first  commenced 
with  them ;  and  after  you  once  get  them  started 
you  ought  not  to  stop  them  until  you  get  through 
making  or  have  made  enough  to  last  six  months. 
You  can  if  you  wish  let  the  stands  remain  idle 
for  a  week  at  any  time,  but  if  idle  longer,  say  a 
month  or  two,  the  shavings  are  very  apt  to  get 
mouldy,  then  they  must  be  exchanged  for  new 
ones.  The  shavings  last  from  three  to  six 
months  constant  use,  and  may  be  known  to  be 
spoiled  when  the  liquid  coming  from  the  stands 
is  not  cleoTi  and  the  vinegar  will  not  have  the 
full  strengtn.  The  shavings  can  be  washed  and 
used  again,  but  it  is  about  as  well  to  get  new 
ones.  If  you  want  to  make  a  little  cheaper  vine- 
gar, and  yet  one  that  you  can  warrant  to  keep 
pickles,  you  can  take  the  cider  and  put  three 
times  as  much  water  with  it,  and  for  every  ten 
gallons  of  water  add  one  gallon  of  cheap  molasses 
or  cheap  whisky  (which  is  best)  and  let  it  fer- 
ment ;  if  molasses,  then  pour  through  the  same 
as  if  it  were  cider ;  you  will  find  you  have  a  good 
strong  vinegar,  and  not  more  than  one  in  fifty 
can  tell  it  from  pure  cider  vinegar ;  if  you  want 
vinegar  that  is  extra  strong,  then  use  two  gallons 
of  molasses  in  place  of  one  as  above,  and  you 
will  find  you  have  vinegar  strong  enough  for 
table  or  any  other  use.  After  you  get  your 
stands  making  vinegar,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  put 
with  your  cider  or  mixture  about  one  gallon  of 
vinegar  to  every  eight  or  ten  of  mixture,  as  it  acts 
as  a  kind  of  vinegar  ferment,  and  the  vinegar 
makes  quicker  and  better;  it  is  a  good  plan  to  stop 
the  lower  vent  hole  every  night  after  you  are  done 
work  for  the  day,  and  open  it  in  the  morning. 

Commence  work  as  early  in  the  morning  as 
you  choose,  and  work  as  late  at  night  as  you 
wish.  Some  makers  work  all  night,  and  the 
stands  work  as  well  or  better  than  if  idle  nights, 
should  you  not  have  or  wish  to  purchase  hogs- 
heads, and  not  be  particular  about  making  it  very 
fast  or  in  any  great  quantity,  you  can  take  com- 
mon cider  barrels  and  fix  them  the  same  as  di- 
rected to  fix  the  hogsheads,  but  you  must  not 
pour  more  than  three  or  four  quarts  through 
these  small  stands  at  once.  Stands  of  this  size 
can  be  put  in  some  unoccupied  room  in  the  house 
or  in  the  cellar ;  when  you  are  making  vinegar  it 
is  not  expected  you  will  pay  your  whole  attention 
to  it,  but  will  attend  to  your  other  work,  the 
same  as  usual,  and  pour  through  your  vinegar 
every  hour,  or  about  as  often  as  this ;  in  this  way 
the  cost  of  making  is  Httle  or  nothing.  Of  course, 
the  more  stands  you  have  the  faster  you  can 
make.  Should  you  have  molasses  sugar,  or  re- 
fuse molasses,  mix  about  one  gallon  with  ten  of 
water,  and  ferment  it,  and  pour  it  through  the 
same  as  if  it  were  pure  cider.  The  same  mix- 
tures as  used  by  the  box-making  arrangement 
can  of  course  be  used  in  making  with  the  shav- 
ings. Rain  or  brook  water  is  much  better  for 
making  mixtures  than  well  water,  which  is  gen- 
erally hard.  It  takes  from  two  to  five  days  for  . 
molasses  and  water  or  other  mixtures  to  ferment,  " 
and  may  be  known  to  be  through  fermenting 
when  it  remains  quiet  and  the  hissing  noise  ceases. 
If  yeast  is  plenty  and  cheap,  it  is  well  to  use  two 
to  four  quarts  to  the  barrel  of  mixture,  and  should 
be  well  stirred  up.  If  the  color  is  not  dark 
enough,  then  take  any  quantity  of  cheap  brown 


38o 


DICTIONAR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  V  WANTS. 


sugar  and  put  it  in  a  kettle  over  a  hot  fire  with 
about  one  half  part  water,  and  let  it  burn  for 
c^out  one  hour;  then  put  about  one  quart  of  wa- 
ter to  every  five  pounds  of  sugar,  and  mix  it 
well,  and  you  have  a  good  coloring  and  can 
color  to  suit  your  self.  If  there  should'be  any 
trouble  in  the  stands  not  working  good,  you  can 
easily  apply  a  remedy,  but  if  yoUffollow  direc- 
tions, everything  will  go  on  all  right. 

3.  To  eight  gallons  of  clear  rain  water,  add 
three  quarts  of  molasses ;  turn  the  mixture  into 
a  clean  tight  cask,  shake  it  well  two  or  three 
times,  and  add  three  spoonfuls  of  good  yeast  or 
two  yeast  cakes.  Place  the  cask  in  a  warm 
place ;  and  in  ten  or  fifteen  days  a(l([\a  sheet  of 
common  wrapping-paper,  ^meared  with  molas- 
ses, and  torn  into  narrow  strips,  and  you  will 
have  good  vinegar.  The  paper  is  necessary  to 
form  the  "mother,"  or  life,  of  the  liquor. 

4.  Acetic  acid,  4  lbs.;  molasses,  I  gallon;  yeast, 
1  quart;  put  them  into  a  forty-gallon  cask,  and 
fill  it  up  with  rain  water ;  stir  it  up,  and  let  it 
stand  one  to  three  weeks,  letting  it  have  all  the 
air  possible,  and  you  will  have  good  vinegar.  If 
wanted  stronger,  add  more  molasses.  Should 
you  at  any  time  have  weak  vinegar  on  hand,  put 
molasses  into  it  to  set  it  working.  This  will  soon 
correct  it. 

5.  Molasses  l  qt. ;  yeast  I  pt. ;  warm  rain  wa- 
ter 3  gals.  Vni  jJl  into  a  jug  or  keg,  and  tie  a 
piece  of  gauze  over  the  bung  to  keep  out  flies 
and  let  in  air.  In  hot  weather  set  it  in  the  sun ; 
in  cold  weather  set  it  by  the  stove  or  the  chimney 
comer,  and  in  three  weeks  you  will  have  good 
vinegar.  When  this  is  getting  low,  pour  out 
some  for  use,  and  fill  up  the  jug  in  the  same  pro- 
portion as  at  first,  and  you  will  never  have 
trouble  for  want  of  good  vinegar. 

6.  To  I  gallon  of  clear  clover  blossoms  add  I 
quart  of  molasses  and  a  %  pound  of  sugar;  pour 
over  these  one  gallon  of  boiling  water.  When 
cold,  add  %  a  pint  of  good  yeast.  If  more  wa- 
ter is  needed,  add  as  you  please.  It  makes 
strong,  pure  vinegar. 

7.  Mix  5  qts.  of  warm  rain  water  with  2  qts. 
of  Orleans  molasses,  and  4  qts.  of  yeast.  In  a 
few  weeks  you  will  have  the  best  vinegar  you 
ever  tasted. 

8.  One  pint  of  strained  honey  and  two  gallons 
of  soft  water.  Let  it'  stand  in  a  moderately- 
warm  pkice.  In  three  weeks  it  will  be  excellent 
vinegar. 

VINEGAR,  CAMP.— Take  sliced  garlic,  4 
ounces ;  soy,  2  ounces ;  walnut  catsup,  2  ounces; 
cayenne  pepper,  I  ounce ;  black  pepper,  i  ounce; 
chopped  anchovies,  15;  vinegar,  i  gallon;  coch- 
ineal, I  drachm.  Infuse  for  one  month,  and  strain. 

VINEGAR,  CIDER.  —  i.  The  most  profit- 
able return  from  such  apples  as  are  made  into 
cider  is  the  further  transformation  of  the  juice 
into  vinegar.  To  do  this,  the  barrels  should  be 
completely  filled,  so  that  all  impurities  that 
"working" — fermenting — throws  off  will  be  eject- 
ed through  the  bung-hole.  This  process  should 
be  completed  before  the  barrel  is  put  in  the  cel- 
lar, and  when  this  is  done,  the  purified  juice 
should  be  drawn  out  of  the  original  cask  and  put 
into  others  where  there  is  a  small  amount  of  old 
vinegar,  which  will  amazingly  hasten  the  desired 
result.  If  no  vinegar  can  be  obtained  to  "start" 
the  cider,  it  must  remain  in  a  dry  cellar  six 
months,  and  perhaps  a  year  (the  longer  the  bet- 
ter), before  it  will  be  fit  for  the  table. 


2.  Save  all  your  apple  parings  and  slice  in 
with  them  all  waste  apples  and  other  fruits ;  keep 
them  in  a  cool  place  till  you  get  a  pailful,  then 
turn  a  large  plate  over  them,  on  which  a  light 
weight  should  be  placed,  and  pour  on  boiling 
water  till  it  comes  to  the  top.  After  they  have 
stood  two  or  three  days  pour  off  the  liquid,  which 
will  be  as  good  cider  as  much  that  is  offered  for 
sale ;  strain  and  pour  it  into  a  cask  or  some  other 
convenient  vessel,  (anything  that  can  be  closely 
covered  will  do,)  and  drop  in  a  piece  of  "mother," 
or  vinegar  plant,  procured  of  some  one  that  has 
good  vinegar.  If  set  in  a  warm  place,  the  vine- 
gar will  be  fit  for  use  in  three  or  four  weeks, 
when  it  can  be  drawn  off  for  use,  and  the  cask 
filled  with  cider  made  from  time  to  time  by  this 
process.  The  parings  should  be  pressed  com- 
pactly into  a  tub  or  pail,  and  only  water  enough 
poured  over  to  come  to  their  surface,  otherwise 
the  cider  would  be  so  weak  as  to  require  the  ad- 
dition of  molasses.  By  having  two  casks,  one 
to  contain  the  vinegar  already  made  and  the  other 
to  fill  into  from  time  to  time,  one  never  need  be 
without  good  vinegar.  The  rinsings  of  preserve 
kettles,  sweetmeat  jars,  and  from  honey,  also 
stale  beer  and  old  cider,  should  all  be  saved  for 
the  vinegar  cask;  only  caution  should  be  used 
that  there  be  sufficient  sweetness  or  body  to 
whatever  is  poured  in,  or  the  vinegar  may  die 
from  lack  of  strength. 

3.  A  barrel  or  a  cask  of  new  sweet  cider,  buried 
so  as  to  be  well  covered  with  fresh  earth,  will 
turn  to  sharp,  clear,  delicious  vinegar  in  three  or 
four  weeks,  as  good  as  ever  sought  affinity  with 
cabbage,  pickles,  or  table  sauce,  and  better  than 
is  possible  to  make  by  any  other  process. 

VINEGAR,  COLD  IVA  TER.— To  six  gal- 
lons of  rain  water,  add  one  gallon  of  common 
molasses,  and  half  a  gallon  of  good  hop  yeast ; 
set  the  cask  in  a  warm  place,  and  shake  well 
once  a  week  for  a  few  weeks;  and  you  will  have 
excellent  vinegar.  A  bit  of  gauze  or  very  thin 
cloth  should  be  tacked  over  the  bung-hole,  to 
keep  out  dust  and  insects  till  the  vinegar  is  made; 
then  put  in  the  bung  and  keep  it  from  the  air  or 
it  will  lose  strength. 

VINEGAR,  COWSLIP.  — To  4  gallons  of 
water  with  the  chill  just  taken  off,  add  6  pounds 
of  brown  sugar  and  ^  a  peck  of  cowslips,  flowers 
and  stalks  together;  put  all  into  a  cask  with  3 
tablespoonfuls  of  yeast ;  lay  a  piece  of  glass  or 
slate  over  the  bung-hole,  and  set  it  in  a  warm 
place  till  the  vinegar  grows  sour,  when  the  bung 
may  be  fastened  down.  This  is  a  cheap  and  ex- 
cellent vinegar,  keeping  pickles  nice  and  crisp. 
If  kept  in  a  warm  place  the  vinegar  will  be  ready 
in  six  months.  A  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  gelatine 
or  isinglass  will  make  it  clear  sooner. 

VINEGAR,  BLA  CK  CURRANT.  —To  four 
pounds  of  fruit,  very  ripe,  put  three  pints  of 
vinegar;  let  it  stand  three  days,  stir  occasionally; 
squeeze  and  strain  the  fruit.  After  boiling  ten 
minutes,  to  every  pint  of  juice  add  one  pound  of 
lump  sugar.     Boil  twenty  minutes. 

VINEGAR,  HONEY.— W\\  one  pound  of 
honey  with  a  gallon  of  cider,  and  expose  it  to  the 
sun,  or  keep  it  where  it  is  warm,  and  in  a  few 
months  it  will  be  so  strong  that  water  will  be 
necessarv  to  dilute  it. 

VINEGAR, HORSERADISH.— VoMr&qMari 
of  best  vinegar  on  three  ounces  of  scraped  horse- 
radish, an  ounce  of  minced  eschalot,  and  one 
drachm  of  cayenne;  let  it  stand  a  week,  and  you 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


381 


will  have  an  excellent  relish  for  cokl  beef,  salad, 
etc.,  costing  scarcely  anything.  Horseradish  is 
in  highest  perfection  about  November. 

VINEGAR,  GOOSEBERRY.— BxmsQ  the 
gooseberries,  when  ripe,  and  to  every  quart  put 
3  quarts  of  water ;  stir  them  well  together,  and 
let  the  whole  stand  for  24  hours,  then  strain  it 
through  a  canvas  bag.  To  every  gallon  of 
liquor  add  I  lb.  of  brown  sugar,  and  stir  them 
well  together  before  they  are  put  into  the  cask. 
Proceed  in  all  other  respects  as  before.  This 
vinegar  possesses  a  pleasant  taste  and  smell;  but 
raspberry  vinegar,  which  may  be  made  on  the 
same  plan,  is  far  superior  in  these  respects.  The 
raspberries  are  not  required  to  be  of  the  best 
sort,  still  they  should  be  ripe  and  well-flavored. 
VINEGAR,  PERRY.— Fnt  30  or  40  lbs.  of 
Tvild  pears  into  a  tub,  pour  water  over  them,  and 
leave  them  3  days  to  ferment.  Repeat  this  every 
day  for  a  month,  at  the  end  of  which  it  will  be 
good  vinegar. 

VINEGAR,  DR  Y  FOR  TABLE.  —  Wash 
well  half  a  pound  of  white  tartar  with  warm  wa- 
ter, then  dry  it,  and  pulverize  as  fine  as  possible. 
Soak  that  powder  with  good  sharp  vinegar,  and 
dry  it  before  the  fire  or  in  the  sun.  Re-soak  it 
as  before  with  vinegar,  and  dry  it  as  above,  re- 
peating this  operation  a  dozen  times.  By  these 
means  you  will  have  a  very  good  and  sharp 
powder,  which  turns  water  instantly  into  vine- 
gar. It  is  very  convenient  to  carry  in  the  pocket, 
especially  when  traveling. 

VINEGAR,  PRIMROSE.— To  15  quarts  of 
water  put  6  lbs.  of  brown  sugar;  let  it  boil  ten 
minutes,  and  take  off  the  scum;  pour  on  it  half 
a  peck  of  primroses  ;  before  it  is  quite  cold,  put 
in  a  little  fresh  yeast,  and  let  it  work  in  a  warm 
place  all  night.  Put  it  in  a  barrel  in  the  kitchen, 
and  when  done  working  close  the  barrel,  still 
keeping  it  in  a  warm  place.- 

VINEGAR,  RASPBERRY— I.  Take  fresh 
raspberries  picked  from  their  stalks,  3  lbs.;  best 
white  wine  vinegar,  2  pints.  Steep  the  raspber- 
ries for  a  fortnight  in  a  covered  glass  vessel  in 
the  vinegar,  and  then  strain  without  pressing, 
adding  afterwards  2  or  3  lbs.  of  loaf  sugar,  which 
is  to  be  dissolved  with  a  gentle  heat  in  the  water 
bath.  By  this  method,  which  is  unfortunately 
expensive,  the  beautiful  aroma  of  the  fruit  is 
entirely  preserved. 

2.  Boil  down  the  juice  of  raspberries  with  an 
equal  weight  of  sugar,  and  add  to  the  mixture 
an  equal  quantity  of  the  best  white  wine  or 
French  vinegar. 

3.  (Very  fine.)  Fill  glass  jars,  or  large  wide- 
necked  bottles,  with  very  ripe  but  perfectly 
sound,  freshly-gathered  raspberries,  freed  from 
the  stalks,  and  cover  them  with  pale  white  wine 
vinegar ;  they  may  be  left  to  infuse  from  a  week 
to  ten  days  without  injury,  or  the  vinegar  may 
be  poured  from  them  in  four  or  five.  After  it  is 
drained  off,  turn  the  fruit  into  a  hair  sieve  placed 
over  a  deep  dish  or  bowl,  as  the  juice  will  flow 
slowly  from  it  for  many  hours  ;  put  fresh  rasp- 
berries into  the  bottles,  and  pour  the  vinegar 
back  upon  them.  Two  or  three  days  later 
change  the  fruit  again,  and  when  it  has  stood  the 
same  space  of  time  drain  the  whole  of  the  vine- 
gar from  it ;  pass  it  through  a  jelly-bag  or  a  thick 
linen  cloth,  and  boil  it  gently  for  4  or  5  minutes 
with  its  weight  of  good  sugar,  roughly  powdered, 
or  a  pound  and  a  quarter  to  the  exact  pint,  and 
be  very  careful  to  remove  the  scum  entirely  as  it 


rises.  On  the  following  day  bottle  the  syrup, 
observing  the  directions  we  have  given  for  the 
strawberry  vinegar.  When  the  fruit  is  scarce  it 
may  be  changed  twice  only,  and  left  a  few  days 
longer  in  the  vinegar. 

4.  To  each  quart  of  raspberries,  allow  a  pound 
of  loaf  sugar.  Mash  the  raspberries  and  strew 
the  sugar  over  them,  having  first  crushed  it  with 
the  rolling-pin.  Let  the  raspberries  and  sugar 
stand  till  next  day,  keeping  them  well  covered, 
then  put  them  in  a  thin  linen  bag  and  squeeze 
out  the  juice  with  your  hands.  To  every  pint  of 
juice  allow  a  quart  of  the  best  vinegar.  Bottle 
it,  cork  it  tightly,  and  set  it  away  for  use.  It 
will  be  ready  in  a  few  days. 

5.  Put  a  pound  of  very  fine  ripe  raspberries  in 
a  bowl,  bruise  them  well,  and  pour  upon  them  a 
quart  of  the  best  white  wine  vinegar ;  next  day 
strain  the  liquor  on  a  pound  of  fresh  ripe  rasp- 
berries ;  bruise  them  also,  and  the  following  day 
do  the  same,  but  do  not  squeeze  the  fruit,  or  it 
will  make  it  foment;  only  drain  the  liquor  as  dry 
as  you  can  from  it.  The  last  time  pass  it  through 
a  canvas  bag,  previously  wet  with  the  vinegar, 
to  prevent  waste.  Put  the  juice  into  a  stone  jar, 
with  a  pound  of  sugar  to  every  pint  of  juice ;  the 
sugar  must  be  broken  into  lumps ;  stir  it,  and 
when  melted,  put  the  jar  into  a  pan  of  water ; 
let  it  simmer,  and  skim  it ;  when  cold,  bottle  it; 
it  will  be  fine,  and  thick,  when  cold,  like  strained 
honey,  newly  prepared. 

VINEGAR,  RHUBARB.— Excellent  vine- 
gar may  be  made  from  the  rhubarb  plant  in  the 
following  manner:  For  5  gals,  take  12  ordinary 
sized  stalks  of  rhubarb;  pound  or  crush  them 
with  a  piece  of  wood  in  the  bottom  of  a  strong 
tub ;  add  3  gals,  of  water ;  let  this  stand  twenty- 
five  hours,  strain  off  the  crushed  rhubarb,  and 
add  9  lbs.  of  sugar  free  from  molasses,  and  a 
small  teacupful  of  the  best  brewers'  yeast ;  raise 
the  temperature  to  60"  or  80°,  and  put  into  a 
twelve-gallon  cask ;  place  it  in  a  position  where 
the  temperature  will  not  fall  below  60°,  In  a 
month  strain  off  from  the  grounds,  returning  it 
to  the  cask  again,  and  let  it  stand  till  it  becomes 
vinegar. 

VINEGAR,  STRA  WBERRY.—i.  Take  the 
stalks  from  the  fruit,  which  should  be  a  highly 
flavored  sort,  quite  ripe,  fresh  from  the  beds, 
and  gathered  in  dry  weather ;  weigh  and  put  it 
into  large  glass  jars,  or  wide-necked  bottles,  and 
to  each  pound  pour  about  a  pint  and  a  half  of 
fine  pale  white  wine  vinegar,  which  will  answer 
the  purpose  better  than  the  entirely  colorless 
kind,  sold  under  the  name  of  distilled  vinegar, 
but  which  is  the  pyroligneous  acid  greatly  diluted. 
Tie  a  thick  paper  over  them,  and  let  the  straw- 
berries remain  from  3  to  4  days ;  then  pour  off 
the  vinegar  and  empty  them  into  a  jelly-bag,  or 
suspend  them  in  a  cloth  that  all  the  liquid  may 
drop  from  them  without  pressure ;  take  an  equal 
weight  of  fresh  fruit,  pour  the  vinegar  upon  it, 
and  3  days  afterwards  repeat  the  same  process, 
diminishing  a  little  the  proportion  of  strawber- 
ries, of  which  the  flavor  ought  ultimately  to  over- 
power the  vinegar.  In  three  days  drain  off  the 
liquid  very  closely,  and  after  having  strained  it 
through  a  linen  or  a  flannel  bag,  weigh  it,  and 
mix  with  it  an  equal  quantity  of  highly  refined 
sugar  roughly  powdered;  when  this  is  nearly 
dissolved,  stir  the  syrup  over  a  very  clear  fire 
until  it  has  boiled  5  minutes,  and  skim  it  thor- 
oughly;   pour  it  into  a  delicately  clean  stone 


382 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


pitcher,  or  into  large  China  jugs,  throw  a  folded 
cloth  over  and  let  it  remain  until  the  morrow ; 
put  it  into  pint  or  half  pint  bottles,  and  cork  them 
lightly  with  new  velvet  corks,  for  if  these  be 
pressed  in  tightly  at  first,  the  bottles  would  be 
liable  to  burst;  in  four  or  five  days  they  may  be 
closely  corked,  and  stored  in  a  dry  and  cool 
place. 

Damp  destroys  the  color  and  injures  the  flavor 
of  these  fine  fruit  vinegars,  of  which  a  spoonful 
or  two  in  a  glass  of  water  affords  so  agreeable  a 
summer  beverage,  and  one  which,  in  many  cases 
of  illness,  is  so  acceptable  to  invalids. 

Where  there  is  a  garden  the  fruit  may  be 
thrown  into  the  vinegar  as  it  ripens,  within  an 
interval  of  forty-eight  hours,  instead  of  being  all 
put  to  infuse  at  once,  and  it  must  then  remain  a 
proportionate  time ;  one  or  two  days  in  addition 
to   that  specified  will  make  no  difference  to  the 

E reparation.  The  enameled  stewpans  are  the 
est  possible  vessels  to  boil  it  in,  but  it  may  be 
simmered  in  a  stone  jar  set  into  a  pan  of  boiling 
water,  when  there  is  nothing  more  appropriate 
at  hand ;  though  the  syrup  does  not  usually  keep 
so  well  when  this  last  method  is  adopted. 

2.  Put  4  pounds  of  very  ripe  strawberries, 
nicely  dressed,  into  3  quarts  of  the  best  vinegar, 
and  let  them  stand  3  or  4  days ;  then  drain  the 
vinegar  through  a  jelly-bag,  and  pour  it  on  the 
same  quantity  of  fruit.  Repeat  the  process  in 
three  days  for  a  third  time.  Finally,  to  each 
pound  of  the  liquor  thus  obtained,  add  I  pound 
of  fine  sugar.  Bottle,  and  let  it  stand  covered, 
but  not  tightly  corked,  I  week;  then  cork  it  tight, 
and  set  it  in  a  cool,  dry  place,  where  it  will  not 
freeze. 

VINEGAR,  SUGAR.  —  Put  nine  pounds  of 
brown  sugar  to  every  six  gallons  of  water ;  boil 
it  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  then  pour  it  in  a 
tub  in  a  luke-warm  state ;  put  to  it  a  pint  of  new 
bran,  let  it  work  four  or  five  days,  stir  it  up  three 
or  four  times  a  day,  then  turn  it  into  a  clean 
barrel,  iron-hooped,  and  set  full  in  the  sun. 

VINEGARfrom  SORGHUM.— Yox  40  gals. 
take  8  gallons  of  syrup ;  put  this  in  first,  then  fill 
with  rain  water.  If  you  can  get  filtered  cistern 
water  it  will  make  the  vinegar  clearer.  Add  a 
teacupful  of  hop  yeast,  then  set  the  barrel  in  a 
warm  place  with  bung  Qpen. 

VINEGAR,  WHITE  WINE.— M^sh  up 
20  lbs.  raisins,  and  add  10  gallons  water;  let  it 
stand  in  a  warm  place  for  one  month,  and  you 
will  have  pure  white  wine  vinegar.  The  raisins 
may  be  used  a  second  time  the  same  way. 

VIN^EGAR,  To  Increase  the  S/tarpness  and 
Strength  of . — Boil  two  quarts  of  good  vinegar  till 
reduced  to  one ;  then  put  it  in  a  vessel  and  set 
it  in  the  sun  for  a  week.  Now  mix  the  vinegar 
with  six  times  its  quantity  of  bad  vinegar  in  a 
small  cask :  it  will  not  only  mend  it,  but  make  it 
strong  and  agreeable. 

VINEGAR  PLANT.— Wh:A  VS  popularly 
know  as  the  vinegar  plant  is  only  a  form  of  the 
"mother  of  vinegar,  which  is,  again,  only  a 
state  of  common  mould.  For  the  manner  of 
obtaining  it,  we  quote  the  following  from  the 
Irish  Farmers'  Gazette: — Leave  a  little  vinegar 
in  a  small  bottle  to  become  stale  (during  hot, 
close  weather  is  best),  till  a  film  appears  on  the 
surface.  If  a  few  fragments  of  coarse  brown 
sugar  be  now  added,  it  will  somewhat  aid  its 
growth ;  but  when  the  film  has  attained  the  thick- 
ness of  parchment,  it  is  ready  for  transfer  to 


syrup,  where  it  soon  becomes  the  housewife's 
normal  vinegar  plant.  Procure  a  large  jar  or 
bottle,  and  to  two  quarts  of  boiling  water  add 
half  a  pound  of  treacle  and  half  a  pound  of  the 
commonest  brown  sugar  ;  stir  well  together,  and 
when  cool  transfer  the  film  from  the  surface  of 
the  vinegar  to  the  surface  of  the  syrup ;  cover  up 
to  exclude  air,  and  keep  in  a  warm  cupboard. 
This  film  will  rapidly  grow,  and  form  a  thick, 
slippery,  gelatinous  mass  all  over  the  surface  of 
the  syrup,  and  in  course  of  six  weeks  or  so  the 
liquid  will  be  changed  to  excellent  vinegar.  The 
vinegar  plant  can  now  be  taken  and  divided  into 
layers,  or  cut  up  into  fragments,  each  piece  of 
which  if  placed  upon  fresh  syrup  will  rapidly 
grow  and  change  the  liquor  into  vinegar.  The 
vinegar  should  be  allowed  to  settle,  and  be  strain- 
ed before  it  is  used. 

WAX  PUTTY,  for  Leaky  Casks,  Bungs,  etc. 
— Spirits  turpentine,  2 pounds;  tallow,  4 pounds; 
yellow  wax,  8  pounds;  solid  turpentine,  12 
pounds.  Melt  the  wax  and  solid  turpentine 
together  over  a  slow  fire;  then  add  the  tallow. 
When  melted,  remove  far  from  the  fire ;  then 
stir  in  the  spirits  turpentine,  and  let  it  cool. 

WHISKY,  BOURBON.  —  To  100  gallons 
pure  proof  spirit,  add  4  ounces  pear  oil ;  2  oz. 
pelargonic  ether ;  13  drs.  oil  of  wintergreen, 
dissolved  in  the  ether ;  I  gallon  wine  vinegar. 
Color  with  burnt  sugar. 

WHISKY,  Irish  or  Scotch.  —  To  40  gallons 
proof  spirits,  add  60  drops  of  creosote,  dissolved 
m  I  quart  of  alcohol;  2  ounces  acetic  acid;  I 
pound  loaf  sugar.     Stand  48  hours. 

WHISKY,  MONONGAHELA.  —  To  40 
gallons  proof  spirits,  add  2  ounces  spirits  of  nitre; 
4  pounds  dried  peaches  ;  4  pounds  N.  O.  sugar ; 
I  quart  rye  (burnt  and  ground  like  coffee) ;  ^ 
pound  allspice ;  ^  pound  cinnamon ;  ^  pound 
cloves.  Put  in  the  ingredients,  and  after  stand- 
ing 5  days,  draw  it  off,  and  strain  the  same,  if 
necessary. 

WHISKY,  To  Neutralize  to  make  Various 
Liquoi-s. — To  40  gallons  of  whisky,  add  l^lbs. 
unslaked  lime,  3^  lb.  alum,  and  ^^  pint  spirits 
of  nitre.     Stand  24  hours  and  draw  it  off. 

WINE  MAKING,  Process  of.  —  The  Must. 
— ^We  suppose  that  the  grapes  are  fully  ripened 
and  ready  for  use,  although  still  on  the  vines. 
Select  a  clear  day  and  gather  the  vintage  as  soon 
as  the  dew  is  off  the  grapes.  Every  bunch  should 
be  clipped  from  the  vines  with  a  pair  of  scissors, 
and  carefully  laid  in  a  basket,  or  other  vessel,  to 
avoid  bruising  as  much  as  possible.  Gather  none 
but  the  fully  ripe  grapes,  and  as  many  of  them 
as  can  be  pressed  in  a  day  to  insure  uniform 
quality,  a  very  important  consideration.  Besides, 
the  larger  the  quantity  fermented  at  once,  the 
better  the  wine  will  be.  The  grapes  being 
brought  to  the  wine  house  should  now  be  care- 
fully overlooked,  and  all  the  imperfect  and  decay- 
ed ones  removed.  The  next  consideration  is 
whether  the  grapes  shall  be  pressed  with,  or 
without  their  stems.  Many  recommend  the 
latter,  as  there  is  an  astringent  property  in  the 
stems  that  gives  a  peculiar  flavor  to  the  wine; 
but  no  doubt  the  better  way  is  to  strip  the 
berries  from  the  stalks.  This  is  sometimes  done 
by  hand  picking,  but  a  very  simple  instrument 
will  greatly  expedite  the  process.  Take  a  box 
or  trough,  and  lay  within  it,  a  few  inches 
from  the  bottom  and  from  the  top,  a  lattice 
work    of    wooden    slats     (which     had    better 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


383 


be  joined   without  nails);    upon    this    lay    the 
bunches. 

Lay  a  similar  but  smaller  lattice,  with  a  handle 
to  work  it,  upon  the  mass,  and  by  rubbing  the 
grapes  between  the  two,  the  berries  will  readily 
separate  from  the  combs  and  fall  through  into  the 
trough  beneath.  By  the  aid  of  an  assistant, 
drawing  the  grapes  as  they  fall,  through  an 
opening  at  the  end  of  the  trough,  a  great  deal 
can  be  done  in  a  short  time.  The  next  step  is 
to  mash  the  grapes.  The  oldest  and  best  method 
is  to  stamp  them  with  naked  feet.  In  some  wine 
countries  the  stampers  wear  sabots,  or  wooden 
shoes ;  sometimes  wooden  pounders  or  beetles 
are  used,  and  sometimes  the  grapes  are  passed 
between  rollers,  grooved  or  fluted  diagonally,  so 
as  not  to  break  the  grape  stones.  (There  is  a 
bitter  principle  in  the  stones  or  pips  very  much 
to  be  avoided. ) 

We  now  come  to  the  pressing.  The  ordinary 
wine-press  is  a  platform  of  solid  wood,  raised 
high  enough  from  the  ground  to  allow  the  must 
to  run  through  a  spout  on  one  side  into  proper 
vessels.  Two  upright  beams  of  heavy  timber, 
and  a  cross  beam  at  top,  support  a  powerful 
screw  that  is  worked  by  hand  levers,  like  a  wind- 
lass. The  grapes  are  placed  upon  the  platform 
and  heavy  timbers  laid  upon  them :  then  abo\'e 
these  other  tiers  of  timbers  are  crossed,  and 
upon  all  the  great  screw  comes  down,  just  as  the 
President  of  the  United  States  comes  down  upon 
the  postmasters  and  collectors. 

Besides  the  alwve  there  are  smaller  presses 
used,  some  of  which  are  for  sale  at  the  agricul- 
tural warehouses.  For  small  quantities  of  grapes 
a  home-made  press  will  answer.  Take  an  or- 
dinary barrel,  bore  holes  in  the  bottom  and  lower 
half,  with  a  half-inch  auger,  place  a  layer  of 
clean  straw  on  the  bottom  and  against  the  sides, 
within  which  place  the  maslied  grapes,  and  upon 
them  a  layer  of  straw  and  the  barrel-head.  Upon 
the  whole  place  a  short  upright  of  stout  timber. 
Stand  this  barrel  in  a  tub,  about  a  foot  from  the 
wall ;  nail  a  cleat  to  the  wall,  under  which  place 
the  end  of  a  lever  that  rests  upon  the  upright ; 
by  hanging  heavy  weights  upon  the  long  end  of 
the  lever,  you  haVe  a  tolerably  powerful  wine- 
press. 

A  few  hints  about  pressing.  Some  exquisite 
%vines  are  made  by  piling  a  mass  of  trodden 
grapes  in  a  great  upright  vessel,  and  using  only 
the  must  that  runs  off  without  the  aid  of  the 
screw.  The  rest  of  the  must  goes  to  press  and 
produces  an  ordinary  wine.  When  the  w  ine  press 
is  used  alone,  three  qualities  can  be  produced : 
first,  by  reserving  the  must  that  flows  from  the 
gentlest  pressure;  secondly,  by  keeping  apart 
the  must  of  a  severer  pressure ;  and,  thirdly,  by 
extracting  the  last  drop  of  juice  with  all  the 
power  of  the  screw,  aided  by  a  long  rope  attach- 
ed to  the  lever,  and  worked  by  a  windlass.  We 
may  also  add,  that  a  sort  of  bastard  wine  can  be 
made,  by  adding  water  to  the  skins  left  after  the 
third  pressure,  partially  fermenting  tlie  mass, 
and  subjecting  it  to  a  fourth  pressure.  The  pro- 
duct, however^  is  not  wine,  but  only  a  first  cousin 
of  wine,  of  poor  quality,  and  known  as  piquette. 

In  this  country  these  nice  distinctions  are  not 
always  observed.  The  entire  product  of  a  vine- 
yard often  goes  to  form  one  wine  only,  and  in 
this  \'iew  we  shall  continue ;  hinting,  that  as  the 
select  wines  of  the  world  bring  enormous  prices, 
and  the  common  wines  the  opposite,  that  it  is 


worth  the  while  of  every  American  wine-maker 
to  do  his  best,  and  follow  the  injunction  of  St. 
Paul :  "Try  all  things." 

Fermentation.  — As  soon  as  the  must  is  pres- 
sed from  the  grapes,  it  is  put  in  casks  prepared 
for  the  purpose ;  these  casks  should  be  as  large 
as  possible,  "for  the  larger  the  cask  the  better 
the  wine."  The  casks  should  be  three-quarters 
full  only,  and  it  is  recommended  by  some,  that  a 
square  hole,  about  six  inches  across,  should  be 
left  at  the  top,  covered  by  a  coarse  piece  of  can-  f 
vas.  The  following  extract  from  Mulder's 
"Chemistry  of  Wine,"  will  explain  this  process  * 
clearly : 

"Shortly  after  pressing,  the  liquid  appears  to 
be  in  motion,  ana  little  air  bubbles  rise  to  the 
surface;  fermentation  has  begun;  the  juice,  not 
quite  clear  at  first,  becomes  more  turbid,  the 
motion  of  the  liquor  increases,  and  froth  is  form- 
ed on  the  surface;  the  gas  bubbles  become 
larger,  the  consistency  of  the  liquor  decreases,  as 
do  also  its  saccharine  contents.  In  place  of  these, 
more  and  more  alcohol  is  engendered,  and  the 
liquid,  originally  watery,  and  now  enriched  with 
alcohol  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  can  no  longer 
retain  in  a  state  of  perfect  solution  various  mat- 
ters which  it  previously  held  in  that  condition. 
Fermentation  reaches  its  highest  point  with  great- 
er or  less  rapidity,  according  to  the  temperature; 
in  a  moderate  climate  it  generally  occurs  in  from 
three  to  four  days. 

"When  the  fermentation  is  diminishing,  and 
l)efore  it  is  completely  finished,  the  whole  mass 
of  liquid  is  stirred  up,  in  order  to  bring  its  ele- 
ments into  contact  with  each  other  afresh. 

"After  some  days  the  whole  mass  reaches  its 
highest  point  of  effervescence,  and  at  this  it  re- 
mains for  three  or  four  days ;  it  then  begins  to 
diminish,  and  by  forming  a  precipitate  at  the 
bottom,  allows  the  wine  to  become  gradually 
clearer. 

"The  wine  is  now  racked  off  into  another  ves- 
sel, the  sediment  being  left  behind.  Fermenta- 
tion continues,  but  more  quietly ;  and  this  is  call- 
ed after-fermentation.  Sugar  is  being  constantly 
converted  into  alcohol  and  carbonic  acid,  and  a 
fresh  precipitate  is  constantly  forming,  and  de- 
positing itself  at  the  bottom. 

"After  the  wine  has  undergone  this  after-fer- 
mentation for  several  months  (and  the  fermenta- 
tion generally  increases  again  during  the  next 
spring ;  at  the  time,  it  is  said,  when  the  vines 
blossom,  that  is,  when  the  warmth  of  the  air  ex- 
cites fermentation  again,)  and  has  been  drawn 
off  from  time  to  time  in  other  vessels,  in  order 
to  free  it  from  the  sediment  which  has  been  con- 
tinually forming,  it  is  transferred  into  casks  in 
which  it  can  be  exported." 

WINE,  APPLE.  —  Take  pure  cider  made 
from  sound  ripe  apples  as  it  runs  from  the  press; 
put  sixty  pounds  of  common  brown  sugar  into 
fifteen  gallons  of  the  cider,  and  let  it  dissolve ; 
then  put  the  mixture  into  a  clean  barrel,  and  fill 
the  barrel  up  to  within  two  gallons  of  being  full, 
with  clean  cider ;  put  the  cask  in  a  cool  place, 
leanng  the  bung  out  for  forty-eight  hours ;  then 
put  in  the  bung,  with  a  small  vent,  until  fermen- 
tation wholly  ceases,  and  bung  up  tight ;  and  in 
one  year  the  wine  will  be  fit  for  use.  This  wine 
requires  no  racking ;  the  longer  it  stands  upon 
the  lees,  the  better. 

WINE,  APRICOT.  —Wipe  clean  and  cut 
twelve  pounds  of  apricots ;  boil  them  in  two  gal- 


384 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


Ions  of  water  till  the  water  has  imbibed  the  flavor 
of  the  fruit ;  then  strain  the  liquor  through  a  hair 
sieve,  and  to  each  quart  of  it  put  six  ounces  of 
loaf  sugar ;  then  boil  it  and  add  6  lbs.  sugar  and 
one  pound  of  sliced  beetroot.  When  fermented, 
put  into  the  cask  a  quart  or  more  of  brandy 
or  flavorless  whisky. 

IVINE,  BLACKBERRY.— G^iher  the  ber- 
ries when  perfectly  ripe,  and  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  avoid  bruising.  Empty  them,  as  fast  as 
gathered,  into  a  tub  until  you  have  a  quantity 
sufficient  to  fill,  with  juice,  the  cask  in  which 
you  propose  to  make  the  wine. 

Have  the  utensils,  etc.,  required  in  the  process, 
all  ready  before  you  pick — or  at  least  before  you 
mash  your  berries.  Everything  must  be  scru- 
pulously clean.  You  want  a  keg,  a  beater  of 
seasoned  hard  wood,  a  pail,  a  large  bowl,  tureen 
or  other  vessel  into  which  to  strain  your  juice,  a 
good  thick  strainer — two  or  three  folds  of  fine 
white  flannel  is  the  best  material —  a  couple  of 
yards  of  osnaburgs,  a  spare  tub  or  a  bucket  or 
two,  and  a  tub  of  soft  spring  water.  Everything 
must  be  perfectly  clean  and  free  from  dirt  or  odor 
of  any  kind. 

Crush  the  berries  thoroughly  with  the  beater, 
and  then  after  straining  the  liquor,  which  runs 
freely  from  the  pulp  through  the  folded  flannel, 
empty  it  into  the  cask,  measuring  it  as  you  put  it 
in.  When  the  juice  has  been  all  drained  from 
the  pulp,  you  proceed  to  press  the  pulp  dry.  If 
the  quantity  is  large,  this  had  best  be  done  by  a 
regular  press,  but  if  only  a  few  gallons  are  want- 
ed, the  osnaburg  answers  very  well.  Stretch 
out  the  osnaburg,  put  a  gallon  or  a  gallon  and  a 
'  half  of  the  pulp  into  the  center,  fold  the  cloth 
over  it  on  each  side,  and  let  a  strong  hand  at 
either  end  twist  the  cloth  with  all  their  strength; 
f  when  the  juice  is  well  pressed  out,  remove  and 
jlay  aside  the  cake  of  pomace,  and  put  in  more 
(pulp.  This  process  is  apparently  rough,  but  is 
t)Oth  rapid  and  effiectual.  The  juice  so  extracted 
is  strained  and  measured  into  the  cask  as  before 
mentioned.  The  flannel  strainer  and  the  osna- 
burg may  need  rinsing  occasionally  during  the 
work. 

When  all  the  pulp  is  pressed,  put  the  hard 
cakes  of  pomace  taken  from  the  cloth  into  a  tub, 
and  pour  upon  them  a  little  more  soft  spring 
water  than  you  have  clear  juice ;  break  up  the 
balls  and  wash  them  thoroughly  in  the  water,  so 
as  to  obtain  all  the  juice  left  in  the  mass,  and 
then  strain  it  clear :  measure  out  as  many  gallons 
of  this  water  as  you  have  of  clear  juice,  say  five 
gallons  of  the  water  to  five  gallons  of  the  juice, 
dissolve  in  each  gallon  of  the  water  six  pounds 
of  sugar  (brown  or  white,  as  you  want  a  com- 
mon or  first-rate  wine),  and  when  thoroughly 
dissolved,  add  the  juice  (first  passing  it  again 
through  the  strainer),  and  mix  them.  Then 
rinse  out  your  cask,  put  it  where  it  can  stand 
undisturbed"  in  a  cellar;  fill  it  perfectly  full  of 
the  mixture,  and  lay  a  cloth  loosely  over  the 
bung-hole.  In  two  or  three  days  fermentation 
will  commence,  and  the  impurities  run  over  at 
the  bung ;  look  at  it  every  day,  and  if  it  does  not 
run  over,  with  some  of  the  mixture  which  you 
have  reserved  in  another  vessel,  fill  it  up  to  the 
bung.  In  about  three  weeks  fermentation  will 
have  ceased,  and  the  wine  be  still ;  fill  it  again, 
drive  in  the  bung  tight,  nail  a  tin  over  it,  and  let 
it  remain  undisturbed  until  the  following  Novem- 
ber, or  what  is.  better,  March.    Then  draw  it  off, 


without  shaking  the  cask,  put  it  into  bottles  or 
demijohns,  cork  tightly  and  seal  over. 

For  a  ten-gallon  cask,  you  will  need  about  4^3 
gallons  of  juice,  4^  gallons  of  water,  and  26 
pounds  of  sugar,  and  in  the  same  proportion  for 
larger  or  smaller  quantities.  Some  persons  add 
spirit  to  the  wine,  but  instead  of  doing  good,  it 
is  only  an  injury. 

Another  process  is,  after  pouring  in  the  mix- 
ture for  a  ten-gallon  cask,  to  beat  up  the  whites 
of  two  or  three  eggs  into  a  froth,  put  them  into 
the  cask,  and  with  a  long  stick  mix  them  thor- 
oughly with  the  wine.  In  five  or  six  days,  draw 
the  now  clarified  wine  off"  by  a  spigot,  and  with- 
out shaking  the  cask  at  all,  into  a  clean  cask, 
bung  up  and  tin,  to  be  drawn  off"  into  glass  in 
November  or  March. 

The  more  carefully  your  juice  is  strained,  tjie 
better  the  quality  of  your  sugar,  and  the  more 
scrupulously  clean  your  utensils,  particularly 
your  kegs,  are,  the  purer  and  better  will  be  your 
wine. 

The  best  quality,  when  you  gather  your  own 
fruit,  and  make  it  yourself,  costs  you  only  the 
price  of  the  white  sugar,  and  when  bottled  will 
cost  you  in  money  about  twelve  and  a  half  cents 
a  bottle. 

WINE,  BLACKBERRY,  {Other  Methods 
of.  Making). — I.  Having  procured  berries  that 
are  fully  ripe,  put  them  into  a  tub  or  pan  with  a 
tap  to  it,  and  pour  upon  them  as  much  boiling 
water  as  will  just  cover  them.  As  soon  as  the 
heat  will  permit  the  hand  to  be  put  into  the  ves- 
sel, bruise  them  well  till  all  the  berries  are  bro- 
ken. Then  let  them  stand  covered  till  the  ber- 
ries begin  to  rise  toward  the  top,  which  they 
usually  do  in  three  or  four  days.  Then  draw 
off"  the  clear  liquor  into  another  vessel,  and  add 
to  every  10  quarts  of  this  liquor  4  pounds  of 
sugar ;  stir  it  •  well,  and  let  it  stand  to  work  a 
week  or  ten  days ;  then  filter  it  through  a  flannel 
jelly  bag  into  a  cask.  Take  now  4  ounces  of 
isinglass  and  lay  it  to  steep  for  twelve  hours  in 
a  pint  of  blackberry  juice ;  the  next  morning  boil 
it  over  a  slow  fire  for  half  an  hour  with  a  quart 
or  3  pints  more  juice,  and  pour  it  into  the  cask ; 
when  cool,  rouse  it  about  well  and  leave  it  to 
settle  for  a  few  days,  then  rack  it  off  into  a  clean 
cask,  and  bung  it  down. 

2.  The  following  is  said  to  be  an  excellent 
recipe  for  the  manufacture  of  a  superior  wine 
from  blackberries : —  Measure  your  berries,  and 
bruise  them ;  to  every  gallon  adding  i  quart  of 
boiling  water.  Let  the  mixture  stand  twenty- 
four  hours,  stirring  occasionally ;  then  strain  off" 
the  liquor  into  a  cask,  to  every  gallon  adding  2 
pounds  of  sugar;  cork  tight,  and  let  stand  till 
the  following  October,  and  you  will  have  wine 
ready  for  use,  without  any  further  straining  or 
boiling,  that  will  make  lips  smack,  as  they  never 
smacked  under  similar  influence  before. 

3.  Gather  when  ripe,  on  a  dry  day.  Put  into 
a  vessel,  with  the  head  out,  and  a  tap  fitted  near 
the  bottom ;  pour  on  them  boiling  water  to  cover 
them.  Mash  the  berries  with  your  hands,  and 
let  them  stand  covered  till  the  pulp  rises  to  the 
top  and  forms  a  crust,  in  three  or  four  days. 
Then  draw  off  the  fluid  into  another  vessel,  and 
to  every  gallon  hdd  one  pound  of  sugar ;  mix 
well,  and  put  into  a  cask,  to  work  for  a  week  or 
ten  days,  and  throw  off  any  remaining  lees, 
keeping  the  cask  well  filled,  particularly  at  the 
commencement.   When  the  working  has  ceased. 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  VINEGAR. 


385 


bung  it  ^own ;  after  six  to  twelve  months  it  may 
be  bottled. 

WINE,  CHERRY.— \.  To  make  5  pints  of 
this  wine,  take  15  lbs.  of  cherries  and  2  of  cur- 
fants  ;  bruise  them  together  ;  mix  with  them  7^ 
of  the  kernels,  and  put  the  whole  of  the  cherries, 
currants,  and  kernels  into  a  barrel,  with  a  quart- 
er of  a  pound  of  sugar  to  every  pint  of  juice. 
The  barrel  must  be  quite  full ;  cover  the  barrel 
with  vine  leaves,  and  sand  above  them,  and  let 
it  stand  until  it  has  done  working,  M'hich  will  be 
in  about  three  weeks ;  then  stop  it  with  a  bung, 
and  in  two  months  time  it  may  be  bottled. 

2.  Gather  the  cherries  when  quite  ripe.  Pull 
them  from  their  stalks,  and  press  them  through 
a  hair  sieve.     To  every  gallon  of  the  liquor  add 

2  lbs.  of  lump  sugar  finely  beaten,  stir  all  to- 
gether, and  put  it  into  a  vessel  that  will  just  hold 
it.  When  it  has  done  fermenting,  stop  it  very 
close  for  three  months,  and  then  bottle  it  off  for 
use. 

WINE,  CIDER.— Ltt  the  new  cider  from 
sour  apples,  (ripe,  sound  fruit  preferred,)  fer- 
ment from  I  to  3  weeks,  as  the  weather  is  warm 
or  cool.  When  it  has  attained  to  a  lively  fermen- 
tation, add  to  each  gallon,  according  to  its  acidi- 
ty, from  }2  ^  1^'  to  2  lbs.  of  white  crushed  sugar, 
and  let  the  whole  ferment  until  it  possesses  pre- 
cisely the  taste  which  it  is  desired  should  be 
permanent.  In  this  condition  pour  out  a  quart 
of  the  cider  and  add  for  each  gallon  }^  ounce  of 
sulphite  of  lime,  not  sulphate.  Stir  the  powder 
and  cider  until  intimately  mixed,  and  return  the 
emulsion  to  the  fermenting  liquid.  Agitate  brisk- 
ly and  thoroughly  for  a  few  moments,  and  then 
let  the  cider  settle.  Fermentation  will  cease  at 
once.  When  after  a  few  days,  the  cider  has  be- 
come clear,  draw  oflf  carefully,  to  avoid  the  sedi- 
ment, and  bottle.  If  loosely  corked,  which  is 
better,  it  will  become  a  sparkling  cider  wine, 
and  may  be  kept  indefinitely  long. 

WINE,  CURRAN^T.— The  currants  should 
be  fully  ripe  when  picked ;  put  them  into  a  large 
tub,  in  which  they  should  remain  a  day  or  two  ; 
then  crush  with  the  hands,  unless  you  have  a 
small  patent  wine  press,  in  which  they  should 
not  be  pressed  too  much,  or  the  stems  will  be 
bruised,  and  impart  a  disagreeable  taste  to  the 
juice.  If  the  hands  are  used,  put  the  crushed 
fruit,  after  the  juice  had  been  poured  off,  in  a 
cloth  or  sack  and  press  out  the  remaining  juice. 
Put  the  juice  back  into  the  tub  after  cleansing  it, 
where  it  should  remain  about  three  days,  until 
the  first  stages  of  fermentation  are  over,  and  re- 
moving once  or  twice  a  day  the  scum  copiously 
arising  to  the  top.  Then  put  the  juice  in  a  ves- 
sel— a  demijohn,  keg,  or  barrel — of  a  size  to  suit 
the  quantity  made,  and  to  each  quart  of  juice  add 

3  lbs.  of  the  best  yellow  sugar,  and  soft  water 
sufficient  to  make  a  gallon. 

Thus,  ten  quarts  of  juice  and  30  lbs.  of  sugar 
will  give  you  10  gals,  of  wine,  and  so  on  in  pro- 
portion. Those  who  do  not  like  sweet  wine  can 
reduce  the  quantity  of  sugar  to  two  and  a  half, 
or  who  wish  it  very  sweet,  raise  to  three  and  a 
half  pounds  per  gallon. 

The  vessel  must  be  full,  and  the  bung  or  stop- 
per left  off  until  fermentation  ceases,  which  will 
be  m  12  or  15  days.  Meanwhile,  the  cask  must 
be  filled  up  daily  with  currant  juice  left  over,  as 
fermentation  throws  out  the  impure  matter. 
When  fermentation  ceases,  rack  the  wine  off 
carefully,  either  from  the  spiggot  or  by  a  syphon, 


and  keep  running  all  the  time.  Cleanse  the  cask 
thoroughly  with  boiling  water,  then  return  the 
wine,  bung  up  tightly,  and  let  it  stand  4  or  5 
months,  when  it  will  be  fit  to  drink,  and  can  be 
bottled  if  desired. 

All  the  vessels,  casks,  etc.,  should  be  perfectly 
sweet,  and  the  whole  operation  should  be  done 
with  an  eye  to  cleanliness.  In  such  event,  every 
drop  of  brandy  or  other  spirituous  liquors  added 
will  detract  from  the  flavor  of  the  wine,  and  will 
not,  in  the  least  degree,  increase  its  keeping 
qualities.  Currant  wine  made  in  this  way  will 
keep  for  an  age. 

WINE,  CURRANT,  Other  Methods  of  Mak- 
ing.— I.  To  every  pailful  of  currants,  on  the 
stem,  put  one  pailful  of  water ;  mash  and  strain. 
To  each  gallon  of  the  mixture  of  juice  and  water 
add  2)%  lbs.  of  sugar:  Mix  well,  and  put  into 
your  cask,  which  should  be  placed  in  the  cellar, 
on  the  tilt,  that  it  may  be  racked  off  in  October, 
without  stirring  up  the  sediment.  Two  bushels 
of  currants  will  make  one  barrel  of  wine.  Four 
gallons  of  the  mixture  of  juice  and  water  will, 
after  13  lbs.  of  sugar  are  added,  make  5  gals,  of 
wine.  The  barrel  should  be  filled  within  three 
inches  of  the  bung,  which  must  be  made  air 
tight,  by  placing  wet  cl.ny  over  it  after  it  is 
driven  in. 

2.  Pick  your  currants  when  ripe  on  a  fair  day, 
crush  them  well,  and  to  every  gallon  of  juice  add 
two  of  water  and  3  lbs.  of  sugar — if  you  wish  it 
sweeter,  add  another  half  pound  of  sugar — mix 
all  together  in  some  large  vessel,  then  dip  out 
into  earthen  jars,  let  it  stand  to  ferment  in  some 
cool  place,  skimming  it  every  other  morning. 
In  about  ten  days  it  will  be  ready  to  strain  off; 
bottle  and  seal,  or  put  in  a  cask  and  cork  tight, 
the  longer  you  keep  it  the  better  it  will  be. 

3.  Into  a  ten  gallon  keg,  put  10  quarts  of  cur- 
rant juice,  30  lbs.  of  sugar  and  fill  up  with  water. 
Let  it  stand  in  a  cool  place,  until  sufficiently 
worked,  and  then  bung  up  tight.  You  can  let  it 
remain  in  the  cask,  and  draw  out,  as  you  want 
to  use  it. 

WINES,  Coloring  /7r.— WTiite  sugar,  i  lb.; 
water,  i  gal.;  put  into  an  iron  kettle,  let  boil, 
and  burn  to  a  red  black,  and  thick ;  remove  from 
the  fire  and  add  a  little  hot  water  to  keep  it  from 
hardening  as  it  cools  ;  then  bottle  for  use. 

WINE,  To  Cool. — In  the  absence  of  ice  take 
a  bottle  of  wine,  surround  it  with  a  piece  of  linen 
dipped  in  water,  and  place  it  in  a  draught.  It 
will  be  found  that  the  liquid  in  the  bottle  will  be 
reduced  to  a  temperature  much  below  that  of  the 
surrounding  air,  having  parted  with  its  caloric  to 
the  vapour  formed  by  the  evaporation  of  the  wa- 
ter of  the  cloth. 

WINE,  DAMSON— GaXher  the  fruit  dry, 
weigh  and  bruise  it,  and  to  every  8  lbs.  of  fruit 
add  I  gal.  of  water ;  boil  the  water,  pour  it  on 
the  fruit  scalding  hot;  let  it  stand  for  two  days; 
then  draw  it  off,  put  it  into  a  clean  cask,  and  to 
every  gallon  of  liquor  and  2%  lbs.  of  good  sugar; 
fill  the  cask.  It  may  be  bottled  off  after  stand- 
ing in  the  cask  a  year.  On  bottling  the  wine, 
put  a  small  lump  of  loaf  sugar  into  every  bottle. 

WINE,  ELDERBERRY.— T^Vq  elderberry 
juice,  10  gals.;  water,  10  gals. ;  white  sugar,  45 
pounds ;  red  tartar,  8  ounces.  These  are  put 
into  a  cask,  a  little  yeast  added,  and  the  whole  is 
fermented.  When  undergoing  fermentation, 
ginger  root,  4  ounces  ;  allspice  4,  and  cloves  i 
ounce,  are  put  into  a  bag  of  clean  cotton  cloth, 

35 


386 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


and  suspended  in  the  cask.  They  give  a  pleasant 
flavor  to  the  wine,  which  will  become  clear  in 
about  two  months,  and  may  be  drawn  off  and 
bottled.  Some  add  brandy  to  this  wine,  but  if 
the  fermentation  is  properly  conducted,  this  is 
not  necessary. 

WINE,  ELDER,  (^Flavored  with  Hops.)— 
A  lady,  disliking  the  taste  of  spices  in  home- 
made wines,  was  induced  to  try  the  effect  of  fla- 
voring elder  wines  with  hops.  The  result  is  one 
of  the  most  grateful,  wholesome,  and  valuable 
beverages.  Its  color  equals  that  of  the  finest 
claret ;  and  it  produces  no  acidity  alter  drinking, 
as  many  home-made  wines  do.  The  berries, 
which  must  be  thoroughly  ripe,  are  to  be  stripped 
from  the  stalk,  and  squeezed  to  a  pulp.  Stir  and 
squeeze  this  pulp,  once  every  day  for  four  days ; 
then  separate  the  juice  from  the  pulp  by  passing 
through  a  cane  sieve  or  basket ;  to  every  gallon 
of  juice,  add  half  a  gallon  of  cold  spring  water; 
boil  nine  gallons  with  six  ounces  of  hops  for  half 
an  hour ;  then  strain  it,  and  boil  again,  with  three 
pounds  of  sugar  to  the  gallon,  for  about  ten 
minutes,  skimming  it  all  the  time;  pour  it  into  a 
cooler,  and,  while  lukewarm,  put  a  piece  of 
toasted  bread  with  a  little  barm  on  it  to  set  it 
working ;  put  it  into  a  cask  as  soon  as  cold ;  when 
it  has  done  working,  cork  it  down,  and  leave  it 
six  months  before  it  is  tapped ;  it  is  then  drink- 
able, but  improves  with  age  exceedingly. 

WINE,  To  Restore  when  Flat. —  Add  four  or 
five  pounds  of  sugar,  honey,  or  bruised  raisins, 
to  every  hundred  gallons,  and  bung  close.  A 
little  spirits  may  also  be  added 

WINE,  GRAPE. — Take  two  quarts  of  grape 
juice,  two  quarts  of  water,  four  pounds  of  sugar. 
Extract  thejuice  of  the  grape  in  any  simple  way; 
if  only  a  few  quarts  are  desired,  we  do  it  with  a 
strainer  and  a  pair  of  squeezers,  if  a  larger  quan- 
tity is  desired,  put  the  grapes  into  a  cheese  press 
made  particularly  clean,  putting  on  sufficient 
weight  to  extract  the  juice  of  a  full  hoop  of  grapes, 
being  careful  that  none  but  perfect  grapes  are 
used,  perfectly  ripe  and  free  from  blemish.  After 
the  first  pressing  put  a  little  water  with  the  pulp 
and  press  a  second  time,  using  the  juice  of  the 
second  pressing  with  the  water  to  be  mixed  with 
the  clear  grape  juice.  If  only  a  few  quarts  are 
made  place  the  wine  as  soon  as  mixed  into  bot- 
tles, filling  them  even  full  and  allow  to  stand  in  a 
warm  place  untill  it  ferment,  which  will  take 
about  thirty-six  hours  usually ;  then  remove  all 
the  scum,  cool  and  put  into  a  dark,  cool  place. 
If  a  few  gallons  are  desired  place  in  a  keg,  but 
the  keg  must  be  even  full,  and  after  fermentation 
has  taken  place  and  the  scum  removed,  draw  off 
and  bottle,  and  cork  tight. 

WINE,  GINGER.— \.  Boil  together  for  half 
an  hour,  7  quarts  of  water,  6  pounds  of  sugar, 
2  ounces  of  the  best  ginger,  bruised,  and  the  rind 
of  three  good-sized  lemons.  When  lukewarm 
put  the  whole  into  a  cask,  with  the  juice  of  the 
lemons,  and  ^  of  a  pound  of  sun  raisins ;  add 
I  teispoonful  of  new  yeast,  and  stir  the  wine 
every  day  for  ten  days. 

2.  Water,  10  gals. ;  lump  sugar,  20  lbs.;  brui- 
sed ginger,  8  oz.;  3  or  4  eggs.  Boil  well  and 
,  skim ;  then  pour  hot  on  six  or  seven  lemons  cut 
in  slized,  macerate  for  two  hours ;  then  rack  and 
ferment;  next  add  spirits,  2  qts.;  and  afterwards 
finings,  I  pint;  runmage  well.  To  make  the 
color,  Ijoil  Yz  oz.  saleratus,  and  ]A  oz.  alum,  in 
I  pint  of  vrater,  till  you  get  a  brigh  red  color. 


3.  Take  one  quart  of  95  per  cent,  alcohol,  and 
put  into  it  one  ounce  of  best  ginger  root,  (bruis- 
ed and  not  ground,)  five  grains  of  capsicum,  and 
one  drachm  of  tartaric  acid.  Let  stand  one  week 
and  filter.  Now  add  one  gallon  of  water,  in 
which  one  pound  of  crushed  sugar  has  been  boiled. 
Mix  when  cold.  To  make  the  color,  boil  ^  oz. 
of  cochineal,  %  ounce  of  cream  tartar,  ^  ounce 
of  saleratus,  and  ^  ounce  alum  in  a  pint  of  water 
till  you  get  a  bright  red  color. 

WINE,  GOOSEBERRY.— Y\qV  and  bruise 
the  gooseberries,  and  to  every  pound,  put  a  quart 
of  cold  spring  water,  and  let  it  stand  three  days, 
stirring  it  twice  or  thrice  a  day.  Add  to  every 
gallon  of  juice  three  pounds  of  loaf  sugar;  fill  the 
barrel,  and  when  it  is  done  working,  add  to  every 
twenty  quarts  of  liquor,  one  quart  of  brandy,  and 
a  little  isinglass.  The  gooseberries  m«st  be 
picked  Avhen  they  are  just  changing  color.  The 
liquor  ought  to  stand  in  the  barrel  six  months. 
Taste  it  occasionally,  and  bottle  when  the  sweet- 
ness has  gone  off. 

WINES,  HOMEMADE.  —  To  secure  the 
best  results  whatever  fruit  is  chosen,  currant, 
gooseberry,  elderberry,  etc..  it  should  be  gath- 
ered during  fair  weather,  and  be  fully  ripe,  but 
not  over  ripe.  If  not  ripe  enough  it  will  make 
a  harsh  wine  and  will  require  too  much  sugar  to 
save  it ;  if  over  ripe  it  will  be  dull  in  flavor.  Next 
it  should  be  picked  clear  of  stems  and  damaged 
or  green  fruit.  Then  bruise  or  mash  the  fruit 
with  say  an  instrument  like  an  ordinary  potato 
masher.  This  should  be  done  in  a  vessel  con- 
taining a  guard,  such  as  a  piece  of  wire  sieve, 
over  the  tap  hole,  so  as  to  keep  back  husks  and 
seeds  when  drawing  off  the  liquor.  After  mashing 
add  water  in  proportions  hereafter  to  be  named, 
and  stir  up  well  the  mixture  of  mashed  fruit  and 
water.  Let  it  stand  thirty  or  forty  hours,  stirring 
every  four  or  five  hours.  Now  draw  off  the 
liquor  through  the  tap  hole,  and  gather  the  resi- 
due into  a  coarse  bag  and  squeeze  thejuice  out 
of  it  and  add  to  the  liquid  already  drawn  oS, 
The  sugar,  tartar,  etc.,  are  now  added  in  a  fine 
powder  or  solution,  and  the  whole  well  stirred. 
If  the  weather  is  moderately  warm  fermentation 
soon  sets  in,  which  shoukl  go  on  three  or  four 
days  before  the  new  made  wine  is  put  into  the 
cask.  The  bung  should  be  left  out,  so  that  the 
wine  can  clear  itself.  In  about  a  week  whatever 
flavoring  extracts  are  wanted  can  be  put  into  the 
wine  and  in  about  another  week  the  brandy  or 
clear  spirits  needed  to  give  it  keeping  qualities. 
The  cask  is  now  filled  up  with  wine  that  has 
arived  at  a  similar  state  of  ripeness  and  bunged 
tight.  After  four  or  five  weeks  it  is  tried  by 
boring  a  hole  about  a  third  from  the  top  of  the 
heading  and  a  gill  or  so  drawn  off  to  see  whether 
it  is  clear.  If  it  is  not,  bung  it  up  again  and  let 
it  rest,  or  fine  it  with  isinglass  as  we  will  explain 
by-and-by.  If  already  fine,  it  may  be  carefully 
drawn  off  by  a  spigot  inserted  so  as  not  to  drain 
the  very  bottom  of  the  cask.  The  bottom  may  be 
kept  for  vinegar.  The  mashed  mass  or  must  of 
strongly  flavored  fruits  such  as  mulberries  or 
black  currants  may  be  boiled,  but  the  flavors  of 
the  delicate  kinds  are  spoiled  by  boiling. 

The  general  proportions  are :  Fruit,  four  to  six 
pounds;  soft  water,  one  gallon;  sugar,  three  to 
five  pounds,  according  to  the  sweetness  of  the 
juice  (the  juice  should  aiwavs  be  of  a  positive  or 
cloying  sweetness  when  the  sugar  is  added); 
cream  of  tartar,  one  and  a  quarter  ounces ;  brandy 


fVAVES,  LIQUORS  AiVD  VINEGAR, 


387 


fourth  proof,  two-thirds  of  a  gill  to  a  gallon  of 
the  wine.  If  the  fruit  is  sweet,  or  a  full  propor- 
tion of  sugar  used,  no  spirit  or  brandy  will  be 
needed ;  enough  alcoliol  will  be  liberated  to  pre- 
serve the  wines.  If  no  brandy  is  convenient  a 
quarter  of  a  gill  of  spirits  of  wine  will  do  in  its 
place,  or  a  gill  of  bourbon  whisky  run  through  a 
handful  of  broken  charcoal  so  as  to  take  out  the 
whisky  flavor. 

Every  sweet  fluid  will  yield  a  wine.  Beets, 
parsnips,  turnips,  sugar,  maple  juice,  cherryjuice, 
wortleberry,  raspberry,  etc,  etc.  Many  pleasant 
flavors  are  made  by  mixing  t\vo  or  three  different 
kinds  of  fruit. 

For  fining  or  clearing  the  wine  use  a  quarter 
of  a  pound  of  isinglass,  dissolved  in  a  portion  of 
the  wine,  to  a  barrel.  This  must  be  put  in  after 
fermentation  is  over,  and  should  be  added  gently 
nt  the  bung  hole,  and  managed  so  as  to  spread 
as  much  as  possible  over  the  upper  surface  of  the 
liquid;  the  intention  being  that  the  isinglass 
should  unite  with  impurities  and  carry  them  with 
it  to  be  bottom. 

WINE,  LEMON. — Sugar,  60  pounds ;  rais- 
ins (bruised),  15  pounds;  water,  30  gallons.  Boil, 
then  add  cifler,  15  gallons.  Ferment,  and  add 
spirit,  3  gallons;  white  tartar,  12  ounces;  essence 
of  lemon,  2  ounces ;  finings,  I  pint.  Observe  to 
shake  the  essence,  w  ith  a  pint  of  the  spirit,  until 
it  becomes  milky,  before  adding  it  to  the  wine. 

WINE,  MADEIRA,— To  40  gallons  pre- 
pared cider,  add,  \(.  lb,  tartaric  acid ;  4  gallons 
spirits;  3  lbs.  loaf-sugar.  Let  it  stand  todays, 
draw  it  off  carefully;  fine  it  down,  and  again  rack 
it  into  another  cask. 

WINE,  MORELLA.—I^Q  the  juice  of 
Morella  or  tame  clierries,  and  to  each  quart  put 
three  quarts  of  water  and  four,  pounds  of  coarse 
brown  sugar ;  let  them  ferment  and  skim  until 
worked  clear ;  then  draw  off,  avoiding  the  sedi- 
ment at  the  bottom.  Bung  up,  or  bottle,  which 
is  best  for  all  wines,  letting  the  bottles  lie  always 
on  the  side,  either  for  wines  or  beers, 

WINE,  MULBERRY,  —  The  mulberries 
ought  to  be  gathered  when  they  are  just  turning 
from  red  to  black,  and  when  they  are  quite  free 
from  dew  or  moisture.  When  gathered,  let  them 
be  spread  loose  on  a  cloth  or  a  clean  floor,  and 
let  them  lie  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then,  hav- 
ing put  them  into  a  proper  vessel,  squeeze  out 
the  j  uice,  and  drain  it  off  from  the  seeds.  Then 
boil  a  gallon  of  water  for  each  gallon  of  juice; 
skim  the  water,  and  add  some  cinnamon  slightly 
bruised.  To  each  gallon  add  six  ounces  of  white 
sugar-candy  finely  powdered.  Skim  and  strain 
when  the  liquor  is  settled,  and  add  to  it  more  of 
the  juice.  To  every  gallon  of  the  liquor  add  a 
pint  of  white  or  Rhenish  wine.  Let  it  stand  to 
settle  in  the  cisk  five  or  six  days,  then  draw  it 
off  and  keep  it  in  a  cool  place. 

WINE,  PARSNIP.— Take  fifteen  pounds  of 
sliced  parsnips,  and  boil  until  quite  soft  in  five 
gallons  of  water ;  squeeze  the  liquor  well  out  of 
them,   run  it  through  a  sieve,  and  add   three 

f>ounds  of  coarse  lump  sugar  to  every  gallon  of 
iquor.  Boil  the  whole  for  three-quarters  of  an 
hour.  When  it  is  nearly  cold,  add  a  little  yeast 
on  toast.  Let  it  remain  in  a  tub  for  ten  days, 
stirring  it  from  the  bottom  every  day ;  then  put 
it  into  a  cask  for  a  year.  As  it  works  over,  fill 
it  up  every  dav. 

IVIA'E,  {Poor,)  To  ImproT'e.  —  Poor  wines 
may  be  improved  by  being  racked  off,  and  re- 


turned to  the  cask  again  ;  and  then  putting  into 
the  wine  about  i  lb.  of  jar  or  box  raisins,  bruised, 
and  I  quart  of  brandy. 

Or,  put  into  the  wine  2  lbs,  of  honey,  and  a 
pint  or  two  of  brandy.  The  honey  and  brandy 
to  be  first  mixed  together. 

Or,  draw  off  3  or  4  quarts  of  such  wine  and 
fill  the  cask  up  with  strong  wine. 

WINE,  (Bri/M)  PORT.—X.  Damson  juice, 
20  gallons;  cider,  20  gallons;  sloe  juice,  I  pound; 
sugar,  10  pounds ;  honey,  10  pounds.  Ferment, 
then  add  spirit,  3  gallons ;  red  cape,  10  gallons ; 
red  tartar  (dissolved),  ^  pound;  powder  of 
catechu,  ^  pound ;  bruised  ginger,  l  ounce ;  cas- 
sia, I  ounce ;  cloves,  ^  ounce.  Mix  well  with 
brandy  coloring,  I  pint,  and  fine  with  bullock's 
blood. 

2.  BuUace,  8  pounds ;  damsons,  40  pounds ; 
water,  6  gallons.  Boil  the  water,  skim  it,  and 
pour  it  boiling  hot  on  the  fruit ;  let  it  stand  four 
or  six  days  at  least.  During  that  time  bruise 
the  fruit  or  squeeze  it  with  your  hands.  Then 
draw  or  pour  it  off"  into  a  cask,  and  to  every  gal- 
lon of  liquor  put  two  pounds  and  a  half  of  fine 
sugar,  or  rather  more :  put  some  yeast  on  a  slice 
of  bread  (warm)  to  work  it.  When  done  work- 
ing, put  a  little  brandy  into  to  the  cask  and  fill  it 
up.  Bung  it  up  close,  and  let  stand  six  or  twelve 
months :  then  bottle  it  off.  The  quantity  of  bul- 
lace  should  be  one  pound  to  every  five  of  damsons. 
This  wine  is  nearer  in  flavour  to  port  than  any 
other :  if  made  with  cold  water,  it  will  be  equally 
as  good,  but  of  a  different  color. 

3,  Red  cape,  100  gallons:  sloe  juice,  i  gallon; 
honey,  12  pounds;  rough  cider,  21  gallons; 
bruised  cochineal,  4  ounces ;  brandy  coloring, 
I  pint ;  spirit,  6  gallons ;  bruised  bitter  almonds, 
Yi  ounce ;  cloves,  ^^  ounce ;  powered  catechu, 
r  pound;  re(i  tartar,  I  pound.  Mix  well,  and 
fine  down  with  bullock's  blood. 

4-  Cider,  25  gallons;  elder  juice,  5  gallons; 
port  wine,  5  gallons ;  brandy,  I  gallon ;  red  tar- 
tar, 6  ounces ;  catechu,  2  ounces ;  finings,  I 
quart;  logwood,  I  pound.  Well  mix  and  bung 
close, 

WINE,  PORT,— I,  To  40  gals,  prepared 
cider  add  6  gals,  good  port  wine;  10  quarts  wild 
grapes,  (clusters);  ^  lb.  bruised  rhatany  root, 
3  oz.  tincture  of  kino ;  3  lbs.  loaf  sugar ;  2  gals, 
spirits.  Let  this  stand  ten  days;  color  if  too 
light,  with  tincture  of  rhatany,  then  rack  it  off 
and  fine  it.  This  should  be  repeated  until  the 
color  is  perfect  and  the  liquid  clear. 

2.  Worked  cider,  42  gallons ;  good  port  wine, 
12  gallons;  good  brandy, 3  gallons;  pure  spirits, 
6  gallons.  Mix.  Elderberries  and  sloes,  and 
the  fruit  of  the  black  hawes,  make  a  fine  purple 
color  for  wines,  or  use  burnt  sugar. 

WINE,  QUINCE.— <:imnc&s  (sliced),  12  in 
number ;  boil  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  in  water, 
I  gallon ;  then  add  lump-sugar,  2  pounds.  Fer- 
ment, and  add  lemon  wine,  I  gallon;  spirit,  I 
pint. 

WINE,  RASIN  —  Raisins,  5  cwt. ;  water, 
100  gallons.  Put  them  into  a  cask.  Mash  for 
a  fortnight,  frequently  stirring,  and  leave  the 
bung  loose  until  the  active  fermentation  ceases, 
then  add  brandy,  $  gallons.  Well  mix,  and  let 
it  stand  till  fine.  The  quantity  of  raisins  and 
brandy  may  be  altered  to  suit. 

WINE,  RASPBERR  K— Take  three  pounds 
of  raisins,  wash,  clean,  and  stone  them  thor- 
oughly ;  boil  two  gallons  of  spring  water  for  half 


3S8 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


an  hour  ;  as  soon  as  it  is  taken  off  the  fire  pour 
it  into  a  deep  stone  jar,  and  put  in  the  raisins, 
with  six  quarts  of  raspberries  and  2  lbs.  of  loaf 
sugar ;  stir  it  ■well  together,  and  cover  them 
closely,  and  set  it  in  a  cool  place ;  stir  it  twice  a 
day,  then  pass  it  through  a  sieve ;  put  the  liquor 
into  a  close  vessel,  adding  I  lb.  more  loaf  sugar; 
let  it  stand  for  a  day  and  night  to  settle,  after 
■which  bottle  it,  adding  a  little  more  sugar. 

WINE,  RHUBARB.— To  each  gal.  of  juice, 
add  I  gal.  of  soft  ■water  in  which  7  lbs.  of  brown 
sugar  iias  been  dissolved ;  fill  a  keg  or  a  barrel 
■with  this  proportion,  leaving  the  bung  out,  and 
keep  it  filled  ■ivith  sweetened  water  as  it  works 
over  until  clear ;  then  bung  down  or  bottle  as 
you  desire. 

These  stalks  will  furnish  about  three-fourths 
their  weight  in  juice,  or  from  sixteen  hundred  to 
two  thousand  gallons  of  wine  to  each  acre  of 
well  cultivated  plants.  Fill  the  barrels  and  let 
them  stand  until  spring,  and  bottle,  as  any  wine 
■will  be  better  in  glass  or  stone. 

WINE,  To  Remove  Ropiness  from. — Add  a 
little  catechu  or  a  small  quantity  of  the  bruised 
berries  of  the  mountain  ash. 

WINE,  To  make  Settle  We//.— Take  a  pint 
of  wheat  and  boil  it  in  a  quart  of  water  till  it 
bursts  and  becomes  soft ;  then  squeeze  through 
a  linen  cloth,  and  put  a  pint  of  the  liquor  into  a 
hogshead  ot  unsettled  white  wine ;  stir  it  well 
about,  and  it  will  become  fine. 

WINE,  SHERRY.— To  40  gals,  prepared 
cider,  add  2  gals,  spirits ;  3  lbs.  of  raisins ;  6 
gals,  good  sherry,  and  }4  oz.  oil  bitter  almonds, 
(dissolved  in  alcohol.)  Let  it  stand  10  days,  and 
draw  it  off  carefully ;  fine  it  down  and  again  rack 
it  into  another  cask. 

WINE,  LONDON  SHERRY.— Chopped 
f  raisins,  400  lbs.;  soft  water,  100  gals.;  sugar, 
45  lbs.;  white  tartar,  I  lb.;  cider,  16  gals.  Let 
them  stand  together  in  a  close  vessel  one  month; 
stir  frequently.  Then  add  of  spirits  8  gals.;  wild 
cherries,  bruised,  8  lbs.  Let  them  stand  I  month 
longer,  and  fine  with  isinglass. 

WINE,  To  Restore,  'when  Sour  or  Sharp. — 
I.  Fill  a  bag  with  leek-seed,  or  of  leaves  or 
twisters  of  vine,  and  put  either  of  them  to  infuse 
in  the  cask. 

2.  Put  a  small  quantity  of  powdered  charcoal 
in  the  wine,  shake  it,  and  after  is  has  remained 
still  for  48  hours  decant  steadily. 

WINE,  STRAWBERRY.— Bruised  straw- 
berries, 12  gals.;  cider,  10  gals.;  water,  7  gals.; 
sugar,  25  lbs.  Ferment,  then  add  of  bruised 
orris  root,  bruised  bitter  almonds,  and  bruised 
cloves,  each  }4  oz.;  dissolved  red  tartar,  6  oz. 
WINE,  TOMATO.— Take  ripe,  fresh  toma- 
toes,  mash  very  fine,  strain  through  a  fine  sieve, 
Sweeten  with  good  sugar  to  suit  the  taste,  set  it 
away  in  an  earthen  or  glass  vessel,  nearly  full, 
cover  tight,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  hole 
for  the  refuse  to  work  off  through  during  its  fer- 
mentation. When  it  is  done  fermenting,  it  will 
become  pure  and  clear.  Then  bottle,  and  cork 
■  tight.  A  little  salt  improves  its  flavor ;  age  im- 
proves it. 

WINE,  T'W^iV//'.— Take  a  large  number  of 
turnips,  pare  and  slice  them ;  then  place  them  in 
a  cider-press,  and  obtain  all  the  juice  you  can. 
To  every  gal.  of  juice  add  3  lbs.  of  lump  sugar, 
and  half  a  pint  of  brandy.  Pour  into  a  cask,  but 
do  not  bung  until  it  has  done  working;  then 
bung  it  close  for  three  months,  and  draw  off  into 


another  cask ;    when  it  is  fine,  bottle,   and  cork 
well. 

WINE,  [/NEERMENTED.  — Gather  the 
grapes  when  well  ripened.  Carefully  remove  all 
decayed  and  xmripe  berries.  Mixed  varieties,  or 
any  one  of  the  favorite  varieties  of  grapes  may 
be  used.  Press  out  the  juice  and  boil  as  long  as 
any  scum  rises.  Skim  carefully  from  time  to 
time.  Do  not  boil  to  exceed  an  hour.  Pottle 
while  hot,  and  seal  either  in  glass  bottles,  jugs, 
or  air-tight  casks.  It  is  fit  for  use  at  any  time, 
but  after  being  opened  it  must  not  be  allowed  to 
ferment.  Excepting  strawberry  syrup,  this  will 
be  found  the  most  delightful  and  exhilarating  of 
all  unfermented  beverages.  It  needs  no  sugar, 
and  may  be  reduced  when  drank. 

WINE,  To  Remove  the  Taste  of  the  Cask 
from. — Finest  oil  of  olives,  i  lb.  Put  it  into  the 
hogshead,  bung  close,  and  roll  it  about,  or  other- 
wise well  agitate  it,  for  3  or  4  hours,  then  gib 
and  allow  it  to  settle.  The  olive  oil  will  gradu- 
ally rise  to  the  top  and  carry  the  ill  flavor 
with  it. 

WINE,  To  F/avor. — When  the  vinous  fer- 
mentation is  about  half  over,  the  flavoring  ingre- 
dients are  to  be  put  into  the  vat  and  well  stirred 
into  the  contents.  If  almonds  form  a  component 
part,  they  are  first  to'  be  beaten  to  a  paste  and 
mixed  with  a  pint  or  two  of  the  must.  Nutmegs, 
cinnamon,  ginger,  seeds,  etc.,  should,  before 
they  are  put  into  the  vat,  be  reduced  to  powder, 
and  mixed  with  some  of  the  must. 

WINE,  To  Me/low. — Wine,  either  in  bottla 
or  wood,  will  mellow  much  quicker  when  only 
covered  ■with  pieces  of  bladder  well  secured, 
than  ■with  corks  or  bungs.  The  bladder  allow? 
the  watery  particles  to  escape,  but  is  imperviout 
to  alcohol. 

WINE,  To  Convent  WJiite  into  Red.—Vui  4 
ounces  of  turnsole  rags  into  an  earthen  vessel, 
and  pour  upon  them  a  pint  of  boiling  water; 
cover  the  vessel  close,  and  leave  it  to  cool ;  strain 
off  the  liquor,  ■which  will  be  of  a  fine  deep  red, 
inclining  to  p"arple.  A  small  portion  of  this  col* 
ors  a  large  quantity  of  wine.  This  tincture  may 
either  be  made  in  brandy,  or  mixed  with  it,  or 
else  made  into  a  syrup,  with  sugar,  for  keeping. 
In  those  countries  which  do  not  produce  the 
tingeing  grape  ■w'hich  affords  a  blood-red  juice, 
wherewith  the  wines  of  France  are  often  stained, 
in  defect  of  this  the  juice  of  elderberries  is  used, 
and  sometimes  logwood  is  used  at  Oporto. 

WOOD,  To  Remove  the  Taste  of  when  A'rai. 
— ^A  new  keg,  churn,  bucket,  or  other  wooden 
vessel,  will  generally  communicate  a  disagree- 
able taste  to  anything  that  is  put  into  it.  To 
prevent  this  inconvenience,  first  scald  the  vessel 
well  with  boiling  water,  letting  the  water  remain 
in  it  till  cold ;  then  dissolve  some  pearlash  or 
soda  in  lukewarm  water,  adding  a  little  lime  to 
it,  and  wash  the  inside  of  the  vessel  well  with 
this  solution.  Afterwards  scald  it  well  with  plain 
hot  water,  and  rinse  it  with  cold  water  before 
you  use  it. 

WOODEN  TAPS  AND  FAUCETS,  To 
Prevent  Cracking. — This  is  best  prevented  by 
putting  the  taps  and  faucets  in  melting  paraffine, 
and  heating  them  before  at  a  temperature  of  212° 
F,  until  bubbles  of  air  cease  to  escape  from  the 
wood.  The  whole  is  then  allowed  to  cool  to 
about  120°  F.,  when  the  taps  are  taken  from  the 
bath  and  cleaned  from  the  adhering  paraffine  by 
rubbing  with  a  dry  coarse  piece  of  cloth. 


WORKERS  IN  GLASS. 


389 


WORKERS  IN  GLASS. 


AMALGAM  for  MIRRORS.— Lt^di  and  tin 
of  each  2  oz.;  bismuth  2  oz.;  mercury  4  ounces. 
Add  the  mercury  to  the  rest  in  a  melted  state 
and  removed  from  the  fire ;  mix  well  wth  an 
iron  rod. 

This  amalgam  melts  at  a  low  heat,  and  is  em- 
ployed for  silvering  the  insides  of  hollow  glass 
vessels,  globes,  convex  mirrors,  etc.  The  glass 
laeing  well  cleaned,  is  carefully  warmed,  and  the 
amalgam,  rendered  fluid  by  heat,  is  then  poured 
in,  and  the  vessel  turned  round  and  round,  so 
that  the  metal  may  be  brought  in  contact  with 
every  part  of  the  glass,  which  it  is  desired  to 
cover.  At  a  certain  temperature  this  amalgam 
readily  adheres  to  glass. 

BREAK  (  To)  GLA  SS  in  any  Required  way. 
— Dip  a  piece  of  worsted  thread  in  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine, wrap  it  round  the  glass  in  the  direction 
required  to  be  broken,  and  then'set  fire  to  the 
thread,  or  apply  a  red  hot  wire  round  the  glass, 
and  if  it  does  not  immediately  crack,  throw  cold 
water  on  it  while  the  wire  remains  hot.  By  this 
means  glass  that  is  broken  may  often  be  fash- 
ioned and  rendered  useful  for  a  variety  of  pur- 
poses. 

BOREING  HOLES  in  Glass.— Any  hard 
steel  tool  will  cut  glass  with  great  facility  when 
kept  freely  wet  with  camphor  dissolved  in  tur- 
pentine. A  drill-bow  may  be  used,  or  even  the 
nand  alone.  A  hole  bored  may  be  readily  en- 
larged by  a  round  file.  The  ragged  edges  of 
glass  vessels  may  also  be  thus  easily  smoothed 
by  a  flat  file.  Flat  window  glass  can  readily  be 
sawed  by  a  watch  spring  saw  by  aid  of  this  solu- 
tion. In  short,  the  most  brittle  glass  can  be 
wrought  almost  as  easily  as  brass  by  the  use  of 
cutting  tools  kept  constantly  moist  with  cam- 
phorized  oil  of  turpentine. 

COLORS,  To  Faint  -with  upon  Glass.— Tlie 
several  sorts  of  colors,  ground  in  oil  for  this  pur- 
pose, may  be  had  at  all  the  color-shops,  etc. 

Whites. — Flake  white,  podium. 

Blacks. — Lampblack,  ivory-black. 

Browns. — Spanish  brown,  umber,  spruce  ochre, 
Dutch  pink,  orpiment. 

Blues. — Blue  bice,  Prussian  blue. 

Reds. — Rose-pink,  vermilion,  red-lead,  Indian- 
red,  lake  cinnabar. 

Yello7Lis.  —  English  pink,  masticot,  English 
ochre,  Saunders  blue,  smalt. 

Greens. — Verdigris,  terra  vert,  verditer. 

The  ultramarine  for  blue,  and  the  carmine  for 
red,  are  rather  to  be  bought  in  powders,  as  in 
that  state  they  are  less  apt  to  dry  ;  and  as  the 
least  tint  of  these  will  give  the  picture  a  cast, 
mix  up  what  is  wanted  for  present  use  with  a 
drop  or  two  of  nut-oil  -upon  the  pallet  with  the 
pallet-knife. 

Then  lay  a  sheet  of  white  paper  on  the  table, 
and  taking  the  picture  in  the  left  hand,  with  the 
turpentine  side  next  you,  hold  it  sloping  (the 
bottom  resting  on  the  white  paper),  and  all  out- 
lines and  tints  of  the  prints  will  be  seen  on  the 
glass ;  and  nothing  remains  but  to  lay  on  the 
colors  proper  for  the  different  parts,  as  follows  : 

As  the  lights  and  shades  of  the  picture  open, 
lay  the  lighter  colors  first  on  the  lighter  parts  of 
tte  print,  and  the  darker  over  the  shaded  parts ; 


and  having  laid  on  the  brighter  colors,  it  is  not 
material  if  the  darker  sorts  are  laid  a  little  over 
them ;  for  the  first  color  will  hide  those  laid  on 
afterwards.     For  example : 

Reds. — Lay  on  the  first  red-lead,  and  shade 
\vith  lake  or  carmine. 

Yellows. — The  lightest  yellow  may  be  laid  on 
first,  and  shaded  with  Dutch  pink. 

Blues. — Blue  bice,  or  ultramarine,  used  for 
the  lights,  may  be  shaded  with  indigo. 

Greens. — Lay  on  verdigris  first,  then  a  mixture 
of  that  and  Dutch  pink.  This  green  may  be 
lightened  by  an  addition  of  Dutch  pink. 

When  any  of  these  are  too  strong,  they  may 
be  lightened,  by  mixing  white  with  them  upon 
the  pallet ;  or  darken  them  as  much  as  required 
by  mixing  them  with  a  deeper  shade  of  the  same 
color. 

The  colors  must  not  be  laid  on  too  thick  ;  but 
if  troublesome,  thin  them  before  using  them, 
with  a  little  turpentine  oil. 

Take  care  to  have  a  pencil  for  each  color,  and 
never  use  that  which  has  been  used  for  green, 
with  any  other  color  without  first  washing  it  well 
with  turpentine  oil,  as  that  color  is  apt  to  appear 
predominant  when  the  colors  are  dry. 

Wash  all  the  pencils,  after  using,  in  turpentine 
oil. 

The  glass,  when  painted,  must  stand  3  or  4 
days  free  from  dust  before  it  is  framed. 

COLORS  for  Grotinds  en  Glass. — Take  iron- 
filings  and  Dutch  yellow  beads,  equal  parts.  If  a 
little  red  cast  is  wanted,  add  a  little  copper  filings. 
With  a  steel  muUer  grind  these  together  on  a 
thick  and  strong  copper  plate,  or  on  porphyry. 
Then  add  a  little  gum  arable,  borax,  common 
salt,  and  clear  water.  Mix  these  with  a  little 
fluid,  and  put  the  composition  in  a  phial  for  use. 

When  it  is  to  be  used  there  is  nothing  to  do 
but,  with  a  hair  pencil,  to  lay  it  quite  flat  on  th« 
design  drawn  the  day  before;  and  having  left 
this  to  dry  also  for  another  day,  with  the  quill  of 
a  turkey,  the  nib  unsplit,  heighten  the  hghts  in 
the  same  manner  as  with  crayons  on  blue  paper. 
Whenever  there  are  more  coats  of  the  above 
composition  put  one  upon  another,  the  shade 
will  naturally  be  stronger ;  and  when  this  is  fin- 
ished, lay  the  colors  for  garments  and  complex- 
ions. 

COLOR,  LAKE  (For  Glass).  — Gnndi  the 
lake  with  water  impregnated  with  gum  and  salt ; 
then  make  use  of  it  with  the  brush.  The  shad- 
ing is  operated  by  laying  a  double,  treble,  or 
more  coats  of  the  color,  where  it  is  wanted 
darker- 

COLOR,  FLUE  FURFLE.—Uake  a  com- 
pound of  lake  and  indigo,  ground  together  with 
gum  and  salt  water,  and  use  it  as  directed  in  the 
preceding  article, 

COLOR,  green:— Mix  with  an  propor- 
tionable  quantity  of  gamboge  ground  together  as 
above. 

COLOR,  YELLOW.— Grind  gamboge  with 
salt  water  only. 

CROWN  WINDOW-GLASS. —Take  of 
white  sand,  60  lbs.;  of  purified  pearlash,  30  lbs.; 
of  saltpetre,  15  lbs. ;  of  borax,  I  lb. ;  and  of 
arsenic,  }^  lb. 


390 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


This  will  be  very  clear  and  colorless  if  the  in- 
gredients ¥e  good,  and  will  not  be  very  dear.  It 
will  run  with  a  moderate  heat ;  but  if  it  be  desir- 
ed to  be  yet  more  fusible  and  soft,  ?^  a  lb.  or  a 
pound  more  of  arsenic  may  be  added. 

If  the  glass  should  prove  yellow,  the  manganese 
must  be  used  as  above  directed  lor  the  looking- 
glass. 

CUTTING  GLASS.— ThQ  cutting  of  glass, 
says  the  Technologist,  is  an  operation  so  fre- 
quently put  in  practice  in  the  laboratory,  that 
any  simple  method  of  effecting  it  is  sure  to  run 
the  rounds  of  the  press  as  soon  as  published. 
Almost  all  the  methods  in  common  use  are  very 
old.  Of  course,  for  cutting  flat  glass,  such  as 
window  panes,  th'e  diamonds  is  the  best  agent. 
For  cutting  rounds,  or  ovals,  out  of  flat  glass, 
the  diamond  is  the  best  tool ;  and,  if  the  operator 
has  no  diamond,  it  will  always  pay  to  carry  the 
job  to  a  glazier,  rather  than  waste  time  and  make 
a  poor  job  by  other  and  inferior  means.  When, 
however,  it  is  required  to  cut  off  a  very  little 
from  a  circle  or  oval,  the  diamond  is  not  avail- 
able, except  in  very  skillful  hands.  In  this  case, 
a  pair  of  pliers,  or  very  dull  scissors,  in  the  best 
tool,  and  the  cutting  is  best  performed  under 
water.  A  little  practice  will  enable  the  operator 
to  shape  a  small  round,  or  oval,  with  great  ra- 
pidity, ease,  and  precision.  When  bottles  or 
flasks  are  to  be  cut,  the  diamond  is  still  the  best 
tool  in  skillful  bands ;  but  ordinary  operators  will 
succeed  best  with  pastiles,  or  a  red  hot  poker. 
We  prefer  the  latter,  as  being  the  most  easily 
obtained,  and  the  most  efficient;  and  we  have 
never  found  any  difficulty  in  cutting  off  broken 
flasks  so  as  to  make  dishes,  or  to  carry  a  cut 
spirally  round  a  long  bottle,  so  as  to  cut  it  in  the 
form  of  a  corkscrew.  And,  by  the  way,  when 
so  cut,  glass  exhibits  considerable  elasticity,  and 
the  spiral  may  be  elongated  like  a  ringlet.  The 
process  is  very  simple.  The  line  of  the  cut 
should  be  marked  by  chalk,  or  by  pasting  a  thin 
strip  of  paper  alongside  of  it ;  then  make  a  file 
mark  to  commence  the  cut ;  apply  the  hot  iron, 
and  a  crack  will  start ;  and  this  crack  will  follow 
the  iron  wherever  we  choose  to  lead  it. 

For  drilling  holes  in  glass,  a  common  steel 
drill,  well  made  and  tempered,  is  the  best  tool. 
The  steel  should  be  worked  at  a  low  temperature, 
so  as  to  be  sure  not  to  burn  it,  and  then  tem- 
pered as  hard  as  possible,  in  either  mercury  or 
a  bath  of  salt  water  that  has  been  well  boiled. 
Such  a  drill  will  go  through  glass  very  rapidly, 
if  kept  well  moistened.  A  good  liquid  for  moist- 
ening such  drills  is  turpentine  in  which  some 
camphor  has  been  dissolved.  This  was  the  lu- 
bricator recommended  by  Griffin  in  his  work  on 
chemical  manipulation,  and  it  has  been  frequent- 
ly published  since.  Dilute  sulphuric  acid  is 
equally  good,  if  not  better ;  and  we  have  found 
carbolic  acid  singularly  efficient. 

DRAWING  on  GLASS.— Gnni  lampblack 
with  gum-water  and  some  common  salt.  With  a 
pen  or  hair-pencil,  draw  the  design  on  the  glass, 
and  afterwards  shade  and  paint  as  already  given 
elsewhere. 

ENGRA  VINGS,  To  Transfer  on  Glass.— 
Metallic  colors  prepared  and  mixed  with  fat  oil, 
are  applied  to  the  stamp  on  the  engraved  plate. 
Wipe  with  the  hand  in  the  manner  of  the  printers 
of  colored  plates ;  take  a  proof  on  a  sheet  of 
silver  paper,  which  is  immediately  transferred  on 
the  tablet  of  glass  destined  to  be  painted,  being 


careful  to  turn  the  colored  side  against  the  glass; 
it  adheres  to  it,  and  as  soon  as  the  copy  is  quite 
dry,  take  off  the  superfluous  paper  by  washing  it 
with  a  sponge ;  there  will  remain  only  the  color 
transferred  to  the  glass ;  it  is  fixed  by  passing 
the  glass  through  the  ovens. 

ETCHING  on  C/ajj.— Druggist  bottles,  bar- 
tumblers,  signs,  and  glassware  of  every  descrip- 
tion, can  be  lettered  in  a  beautiful  style  of  art,  by 
simply  giving  the  article  to  be  engraved,  or 
etched,  a  thin  coat  of  the  engraver's  varnish, 
and  the  application  of  fluoric  acid.  Before 
doing  so,  the  glass  must  be  thoroughly  clean- 
ed and  heated,  so  that  it  can  hardly  be  held. 
The  varnish  is  then  to  he  applied  lightly  over, 
and  made  smooth  by  dabbing  it  with  a  small  ball 
of  silk,  filled  with  cotton.  When  dry  and  ever, 
the  lines  may  be  traced  on  it  by  a  sharp  steel, 
cutting  clear  through  the  varnish  to  the  glass. 
The  varnish  must  be  removed  clean  from  each 
letter,  otherwise  it  will  be  an  imperfect  job. 
When  all  is  ready,  pour  on  or  apply  the  fluoric 
acid  with  a  feather,  filling  each  letter.  Let  it  re- 
main until  it  etches  to  the  required  depth,  then 
wash  off  with  water,  and  remove  the  varnish. 

FLINT-GLASS.  —  Take  of  white  sand,  120 
lbs.;  red-lead,  50  lbs.;  the  best  pearlash,  40  lbs.; 
nitre,  20  lbs.;  manganese,  5  oz. 

If  the  composition  be  fused  with  a  very  strong 
fire,  and  time  be  given  to  it,  a  glass  will  be  pro- 
duced that  will  have  the  play  of  the  best  flint- 
glass,  and  yet  be  hard  and  strong.  It  is  not  so 
cheap  as  other  compositions,  where  arsenic 
or  common  salt  is  introduced,  or  where  more 
of  the  pearlash  are  used;  in  either  of  which 
eases,  savings  may  be  made  by  diminishing  pro- 
portionably  the  quantitie  of  nitre.  But  the  qual- 
ities of  this  glass  will  be  found  to  come  nearer  to 
the  standard  of  perfection,  which  is  to  unite  the 
lustre  and  hardness  together  in  the  greatest  de- 
gree they  are  compatible  with  each  other. 

FRIT,  To  Make.  —  Frit,  in  the  glass  manu- 
facture, is  the  matter  or  ingredients  of  wich  glass 
is  to  be  made,  when  they  have  been  calcined  or 
baked  in  a  furnace.  There  are  three  kinds  of 
frit :  the  first,  crystal  frit,  or  that  for  crystal  or 
clear  glass,  is  made  with  salt  of  pulverine  and 
sand.  The  second  and  ordinary  frit  is  made  of 
the  bare  ashes  of  the  pulverine  or  barilla,  with- 
out extracting  the  salt  from  them.  This  makes 
the  ordinary  white  or  crystal-glass.  The  third 
is  frit  for  green  glasses,  made  of  common  ashes, 
without  any  preparation.  This  last  frit  will  re- 
quire 10  or  12  hours  baking.  The  materials  in 
each  are  to  be  finely  powdered,  washed  and 
searced ;  then  equally  mixed,  and  frequently  stir- 
red together  in  the  melting-pot. 

GILD,  (To)  Glass  and  Poirelaiit. —  Drinking 
and  other  glasses  are  sometimes  gilt  on  their 
edges.  This  is  done,  either  by  an  adhesive  var- 
nish, or  by  heat.  The  prepared  by  dissolving  in 
boiled  linseed-oil  an  equal  weight  either  of  copal 
or  amber.  This  is  to  be  diluted  by  a  proper 
quantity  of  oil  of  turpentine,  so  as  to  be  applied 
as  thin  as  possible  to  the  parts  of  the  glass  in- 
tended to  be  gilt.  When  this  is  done,  whicli  will 
be  in  about  24  hours,  the  glass  is  to  be  placed  in 
a  stove,  till  it  is  so  warm  almost  to  burn  the 
fingers  when  handled.  At  this  temperature  the 
varnish  will  become  adhesive,  and  a  piece  of 
leafgold,  applied  in  the  usual  way,  will  immedi- 
ately stick.  Sweep  off  the  superfluous  portions 
of  the  leaf;  and  when  quite  cold  it  may  be  burn- 


WORKERS  IN  GLASS. 


391 


jshed,  takmg  clear  to  interpose  a  piece  of  very 
thin  paper  (Indian  paper)  between  the  gold  and 
the  burnisher.  If  the  varnish  is  very  cold,  this 
is  the  best  method  of  gilding  glass,  as  the  gold 
is  thus  fixed  on  more  evenly  than  in  any  other 
way. 

GLASS  for  LOOKING-GLASS  PLATES. 
— I.  Take  of  white  sand,  cleansed,  60  lbs.;  of 
purified  pearlash,  25  lbs.;  of  saltpetre,  15  lbs.; 
and  of  borax,  7  lbs. 

This  composition  should  be  continued  long  in 
the  fire;  which  should  be  for  some  time  strong, 
and  afterwards  more  moderate,  that  the  glass 
may  be  entirely  free  from  bubbles  before  it  is 
working.  It  will  be  entirely  clear  of  all  color, 
unless  in  case  of  some  accident ;  hut  if  any  yellow 
tinge  should,  nevertheless  unfortunately  infect  it, 
there  is  no  remedy  except  by  adding  a  small 
proportion  of  manganese,  which  should  be  mixed 
with  an  equal  quantity  of  arsenic,  and  after  their 
being  put  into  the  glass,  giving  it  a  considerable 
heat  again,  and  then  suffering  it  to  free  itself  from 
bubbles  in  a  more  moderate  one,  as  before.  If 
the  tinge  be  slight,  an  ounce  of  manganese  may 
be  first  tried,  and  if  that  prove  insufficient,  the 
quantity  must  be  increased,  but  the  glass  will 
always  be  obscure  in  proportion  to  the  quantity 
that  is  admitted. 

2.  Take  of  the  white  sand,  60  lbs.;  of  pearlash, 
20  lbs.;  of  common  salt,  ID  lbs.;  of  nitre,  7  lbs.; 
and  of  borax,  I  lb. 

■'  This  glass  will  rnn  with  a  little  heat  as  the 
former,  but  it  will  be  more  brittle  and  refract  the 
ravs  of  the  light  in  a  greater  degree. 

'GREEN  BOTTLE-GLASS.— \.  Take  of 
wood-ashes,  200  lbs.;  and  of  sand,  1 00  lbs.  Mix 
them  thoroughly  by  grinding  together. 

This  is  the  due  proportion  where  the  sand  is 
good  and  the  wood-ashes  are  used  without  any 
other  addition. 

2.  Take  of  wood-ashes,  170  lbs.;  of  sand,  loo 
lbs.;  and  of  scoria,  or  clinkers,  50  lbs.  Mix  the 
whole  well  by  grinding  them  together. 

The  clinkers  should  be  well  ground  before  they 
are  used,  if  they  admit  of  it;  but  frequently  they 
are  too  hard,  and  in  that  case  they  should  be 
broken  into  as  small  bits  as  can  be  done  conveni- 
ently and  mixed  with  the  other  matter  without 
any  grinding.  The  harder  they  are,  the  less 
material  will  be  the  powdering  of  them  as  they 
will  the  sooner  melt  of  themselves  in  the  furnace, 
and  consequentlv  mix  with  the  other  ingredients. 

GREEN  FIIIAL-GLASS  (  O^wotcjw).— Take 
of  the  cheapest  kind  of  white  sand,  120  lbs.;  of 
wood-ashes,  well  burnt  and  sifted,  80  lbs.;  of 
pearlash,  20  lbs.;  of  common  salt,  15  lbs.;  and  of 
arsenic,  i  lb. 

This  will  be  green,  but  tolerably  transparent 
and  will  work  with  a  moderate  fire,  and  vitrify 
quickly  with  a  strong  one. 

GREEN  WINDOW-GLASS.—  r.  Take  of 
white  sand6olbs.;  of  unpurified  pearlash,  30 lbs.; 
of  common  salt,  10  lbs.;  of  arsenic,  2lbs.;  and  of 
manganese  2  oz.  This  is  a  cheap  composition  and 
will  not  appear  too  green  nor  be  very  deficient 
in  transparency. 

2.  Take  of  the  cheapest  kind  of  white  sand, 
120  lbs.;  of  unpurified  pearlash,  30  lbs.;  of  wood- 
ashes,  well  burnt  and  sifted,  60  lbs.,  of  common 
salt,  20  lbs.;  and  of  arsenic,  5  lbs.  This  compo- 
sition is  very  cheap,  and  will  produce  a  good 
glass  with  a  greenish  cast. 

LUTES. — Lutes  are  compositions  which  are 


employed  to  defend  glass  and  other  vessels,  from 
the  action  of  fire,  or  to  fill  up  the  vacancies  which 
occur,  when  separate  tubes,  for  the  necks  of 
different  vessels,  are  inserted  into  each  other 
during  the  process  of  distillation.  Those  lutes 
which  are  exposed  to  the  action  of  fire,  are  usu- 
ally called  fire-lutes. 

For  a  very  excellent  fire-lute,  which  will  enable 
glass  vessels  to  sustain  an  incredible  degree  of 
heat,  take  fragments  of  porcelain,  pulverise  and 
sift  them  well,  and  add  an  equal  quantity  of  fine 
clay,  previously  softened  with  as  much  of  a 
saturated  solution  of  muriate  of  soda,  as  is  requi- 
site to  give  tlie  whole  a  proper  consistence. 
Apply  a  thin  and  uniform  coat  of  this  composition 
to  the  glass  vessels,  and  allow  it  to  dry  slowly 
before  they  are  put  in  on  the  fire. 

Equal  parts  of  coarse  and  refractory  clay 
mixed  with  a  little  hair,  form  a  good  lute. 

Fat  earth,  beaten  up  with  fresh  horse-dung, 
Chaptal  recommends  as  an  excellent  fire  -  lute, 
which  he  generally  used,  and  the  adhesion  of 
which  was  such,  that  after  the  retort  had  cracked, 
the  distillation  could  be  carried  on  and  regularly 
finished. 

Lutes  for  the  joining  of  such  vessels  as  retorts 
and  receivers,  are  varied  according  to  the  nature 
of  the  vapors  which  will  act  against  them,  in 
order  not  to  employ  a  more  expensive  and  trouble- 
some composition  than  the  case  requires.  For 
resisting  watery  vapors,  shps  of  wet  bladder,  or 
slips  of  wet  paper  or  linen,  covered  with  stiff 
flour  paste,  may  be  bound  over  the  juncture. 

A  closer  and  neater  lute  for  more  penetrating 
vapors,  is  composed  of  whites  o:  eggs  made 
into  a  smooth  paste  with  quick -lime,  and  applied 
upon  strips  of  linen.  The  quick-lime  should  be 
previously  slacked  in  the  air,  and  reduced  to  a 
fine  powder.  The  cement  should  be  applied  the 
moment  it  is  made ;  it  soon  dries,  becomes  very 
firm ;  and  is  in  chemical  experiments  one  of  the 
most  useful  cements  known. 

Where  saline,  acrid  vapors  are  to  be  resisted, 
a  lute  should  be  composed  of  boiled  linseed  oil 
intimately  mixed  with  clay,  which  has  been  pre- 
viously dried,  finely  powdered,  and  sifted.  This 
is  called  fat  lute.  It  is  applied  to  the  junctures, 
as  the  undermost  layers,  and  is  secured  in  its 
place  by  the  white  of  egg  lute  last  mentioned, 
which  is  tied  on  with  packthread. 

MANUFACTURE  OF  GLASS.  —  Glass  is 
a  combination  of  sand,  flint,  spar,  or  some  other 
silicious  substance,  with  one  or  other  of  the  fixed 
alkalies,  and  in  some  cases  with  a  metalic  oxide. 
Of  the  alkalies,  soda  is  commonly  prefered ;  and 
of  the  silicious  substances,  white  sand  is  most 
in  repute,  as  it  requires  no  preparation  for  coarse 
goods,  while  more  washing  in  water  is  sufficient 
for  those  of  a  finer  (juality.  The  metallic  oxid 
usually  employed,  is  litharge,  or  some  other 
preperation  of  lead.    Iron  is  used  in  bottle  glass. 

The  silicious  matter  should  be  fused  in  contact 
with  something  called  a  flux.  The  substances 
proper  for  this  purpose  are  lead,  borax,  arsenic, 
nitre  or  any  alkaline  matter.  The  lead  is  used 
in  the  state  of  red-lead;  and  the  alkalies  are 
soda,  pearlash,  seasalt,  and  wood-ashes.  When 
red-lead  is  used  alone,  it  gives  the  glass  a  yellow 
cast,  and  requires  the  addition  of  nitre  to  correct 
it.  Arsenic,  in  the  same  manner,  if  used  in 
excess,  is  apt  to  render  the  glass  milky.  For 
aperfectly  transparent  glass,  the  pearlash  is  found 
much  superior  to  lead;  perhaps  better  than  any 


392 


DICTION AR  Y  OF  E  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


other  flux,  except  it  be  borax,  which  is  too  ex- 
pensive to  be  used,  except  for  experiments,  or 
for  the  best  looking-glasses. 

The  materials  for  making  glass  must  first  be 
reduced  to  powder,  which  is  done  in  mortars  or 
by  horse  mills.  After  sifting  out  the  coarse  parts, 
the  proper  proportions  of  silex  and  flux  are  mix- 
ed together,  and  put  into  the  calcining  furnace, 
where  they  are  kept  in  a  moderate  heat  for  5  or 
6  hours,  being  frequently  stirred  about  during 
the  process.  When  taken  out  the  water  is  called 
frit.  Frit  is  easily  converted  into  glass  by  only 
pounding  it,  and  vitrifying  it  in  the  melting  pots 
of  the  glass  furnace ;  but  in  making  fine  glass,  it 
will  sometimes  require  a  small  addition  of  flux  to 
the  frit  to  correct  any  fault.  For,  as  the  flux  is 
the  most  expensive  article,  the  manufacturer  will 
rather  put  too  little  at  first  than  otherwise,  as  he 
can  remedy  this  defect  in  the  melting  pot.  The 
heat  in  the  furnace  must  be  kept  up  until  the 
glass  is  brought  to  a  state  of  perfect  fusion ;  and 
during  this  process  any  scum  which  arises  must 
be  removed  by  ladles.  When  the  glass  is  per- 
fectly melted,  the  glass-blowers  commence  their 
operations. 

For  the  best  flint-glass,  120  lbs.  of  white  sand, 
50  lbs.  of  red-lead,  40  lbs.  of  the  best  pearlash, 
20  lbs.  of  nitre,  and  5  oz.  of  manganese;  if  a 
pound  or  two  of  arsenic  be  added,  the  composi- 
tion will  fuse  much  quicker,  and  with  a  lower 
temperature. 

For  a  cheaper  flint-glass,  take  120  lbs.  of  white 
sand,  35  lbs.  of  pearlash,  40  lbs.  of  red-lead,  13 
lbs.  of  nitre,  6  lbs.  of  arsenic,  and  4  oz.  of  mag- 
nesia. 

This  requires  a  long  heating  to  make  clear 
glass,  and  the  heat  should  be  brought  on  gradu- 
ally, or  the  arsenic  is  in  danger  of  subliming  be- 
fore the  fusion  commences.  A  still  cheaper 
composition  is  made  by  omitting  the  arsenic  in 
the  foregoing,  and  substituting  common  sea- 
salt. 

For  the  best  German  crystal-glass,  take  120 
lbs.  of  calcined  flints  or  white  sand,  the  best 
pearlash,  70  lbs. ;  saltpetre,  10  lbs. ;  arsenic, 
Yz  lb. ;  and  5  oz.  of  manganese.  •  Or,  a  cheaper 
composition  for  the  same  purpose  is  120  lbs.  of 
sand  or  flints,  46  lbs.  of  pearlash,  7  lbs.  of  nitre, 
6  lbs.  of  arsenic,  and  5  oz.  of  manganese.  This 
will  require  a  long  continuance  in  the  furnace ; 
as  do  all  others  where  much  of  the  arsenic  is 
employed. 

For  looking-glass  plates,  washed  white  sand, 
60  lbs. ;  purified  pearlash,  25  lbs. ;  nitre,  15  lbs.; 
and  7  lbs.  of  borax.  If  properly  managed,  this 
glass  will  be  colorless.  But  if  it  should  be  ting- 
ed by  accident,  a  trifling  quantity  of  arsenic,  and 
an  equal  quantity  of  manganese,  will  correct  it ; 
an  ounce  of  each  may  be  tried  first,  and  the 
quantity  increased  if  necessary. 

The  ingredients  for  the  best  crown-glass  must 
be  prepared  in  the  same  manner  as  for  looking- 
glasses,  and  mixed  in  the  following  proportions : 
60  lbs.  of  white  sand,  30  lbs.  of  pearlash,  and  15 
lbs.  of  nitre,  1  lb.  of  borax,  and  ^  lb.  of  arsenic. 

The  composition  for  common  green  window- 
glass  is,  120  lbs.  of  white  sand,  30  lbs.  ofun- 
purified  pearlash ;  wood-ashes,  well  burnt  and 
sifted,  60  lb. ;  common  salt,  20  lbs. ;  and  5  lbs. 
of  arsenic. 

Common  green  bottle-glass  is  made  from  200 
lbs.  of  wood-ashes,  and  100  lbs.  of  sand;  or  170 
lbs.  of  ashes,  100  lbs.  of  sand,  and  50  lbs.  of  the 


slag  of  an  iron  furnace ;  these  materials  must  be 
well  mixed. 

The  materials  employed  iu  the  manufacture  of 
glass,  are  by  chemists  reduced  to  three  classes, 
namely,  alkalies,  earths,  and  metallic  oxides. 

The  fixed  alkalies  may  be  employed  indiffer- 
ently; but  soda  is  preferred  in  this  country.  The 
soda  of  commerce  is  usually  mixed  with  common 
salt,  and  combined  with  carbonic  acid.  It  is  pro- 
per to  purify  it  from  both  of  these  foreign  bodies 
before  using  it.    This,  however,  is  seldom  done. 

The  earths  are  silica  (the  basis  of  flints),  lime, 
and  sometimes  a  little  alumina  (the  basis  of  clay). 
Silica  constitutes  the  basis  of  glass.  It  is  em- 
ployed in  the  state  of  fine  sand  or  flints ;  and 
sometimes  for  making  very  fine  glass,  rock  crys- 
tal is  employed.  When  sand  is  used,  it  ought, 
if  possible,  to  be  perfectly  white,  for  when  it  is 
colored  with  metallic  oxides,  the  tinnsparency  of 
the  glass  is  injured.  Such  sand  can  only  be 
employed  for  very  coarse  glasses.  It  is  neces- 
sary to  free  the  sand  from  all  the  loose  earthy 
particles  with  which  it  may  be  mixed,  whi>;h  is 
done  by  washing  it  well  with  water. 

Lime  renders  glass  less  brittle,  and  enables  it 
to  withstand  better  the  action  of  the  atmosphere. 
It  ought  in  no  case  to  exceed  the  20th  part  of  the 
silica  employed,  otherwise  it  corrodes  the  glass 
pots.  This  indeed  may  be  prevented  by  throw- 
ing a  little  clay  into  the  melted  glass;  but  in  that 
case  a  green  glass  only  is  obtained. 

The  metallic  oxides  employed  are  the  red  oxide 
of  lead  or  litharge,  and  the  white  oxide  of  arsenic. 
The  red  oxide  of  lead,  when  added  in  sufificient 
quantity,  enters  into  fusion  with  silica,  and  forms 
a  milky  hue  like  the  dial-plate  of  a  watch.  When 
any  combustible  body  is  present,  it  is  usual,  in 
some  manufactories,  to  add  a  little  white  oxide 
of  arsenic.  This  supplying  oxygen,  the  cumbus- 
tible  is  burnt,  and  flies  off,  while  the  revived  ar- 
senic is  at  the  same  time  volatized. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  glass  adapted  to  dif- 
ferent uses.  The  best  and  most  beautiful  are 
the  flint  and  the  plate-glass.  These,  when  well 
made,  are  perfectly  transparent  and  colorless, 
heavy  and  brilliant.  They  are  composed  of  fixed 
alkah,  pure  silicious  sand,  calcined  flints  and 
litharge,  in  different  proportions.  The  flint  glass 
contains  a  large  quantity  of  oxide  of  lead,  which 
by  certain  processes  is  easily  separated.  The 
plate  glass  is  poured  in  the  melted  state  upon  a 
table  covered  with  copper.  The  plate  is  cast  %, 
an  inch  thick  or  more,  and  is  ground  down  to  a 
proper  degree  of  thickness,  and  then  polished. 

Crown-glass,  that  used  for  windows,  is  made 
without  lead,  chiefly  of  fixed  alkali  fused  with 
silicious  sand,  to  which  is  added  some  black  oxide 
of  manganese,  which  is  apt  to  give  the  glass  a 
tinge  of  purple. 

Bottle-glass  is  the  coarsest  and  cheapest  kind, 
in  this  little  or  no  fixed  alkali  enters  the  com- 
position. It  consists  of  alkalide  earth  and  oxide 
of  iron  combined  with  alumina  and  silica.  In 
this  country  it  is  composed  of  sand  and  the  refuse 
of  the  soap-boiler,  which  consists  of  the  lime  em- 
ployed in  rendering  this  alkali  caustic,  and  of  the 
earthy  matters  with  which  the  alkali  was  con- 
taminated. The  most  fusible  is  flint-glass,  and 
the  least  fusible  is  bottle-glass. 

MARBLE  {To)  a  Globe  Glass.— QxmA  well 
on  a  stone,  minium  for  red,  turmeric,  or  rather 
cerussa  citrina,  for  yellow,  smalt  for  blue,  verd- 
igris for  green,  ceruse,  or  chalk,  for  white.  W' ork 


WORKERS  IN  GLASS. 


393 


each  in  oil  separate,  and  with  a  hog's  hair  pencil, 
single  or  mixed,  as  you  think  fit,  scatter  the  same 
into  the  glass,  and  roll  it,  or  dispose  the  colors, 
as  you  like.  Then,  last  of  all,  fling  a  little  mead 
amongst  them,  which  covers  all.  For  the  Magic 
Lanthorn,  paint  the  glasses  with  transparent 
colors,  tempered  with  oil  of  spike. 

PA  CKING  Glass  or  China.  —  Procure  some 
soft  straw  or  hay  to  pack  them  in,  and,  if  they 
are  to  be  sent  a  long  way  and  are  heavy,  the  hay 
or  straw  should  be  a  little  damp,  which  will  pre- 
vent them  slipping  about.  Let  the  largest  and 
heaviest  things  be  always  put  undermost  in  the 
box  or  hamper.  Let  there  be  plenty  of  straw, 
and  pack  the  articles  tight;  but  never  attempt  to 
pack  up  glass  or  China  which  is  of  much  conse- 
quence, till  it  has  been  overlooked  by  some  one 
used  to  the  job.  The  expense  will  be  but  trifling 
to  have  a  person  to  do  it  who  understands  it,  and 
the  loss  may  be  great,  if  articles  of  much  value 
are  packed  up  in  an  improper  manner. 

PAIN7  (To)  and  STAIN  Class  and  Por- 
celain.—  I.  To  paint  upon  glass  is  an  art  which 
has  generally  appeared  difficult ;  yet  there  is  no 
representation  more  elegant  than  that  of  a  mezzo- 
tint© painted  in  this  manner,  for  it  gives  all  the 
softness  that  can  be  desired  in  a  picture,  and  is 
easy  to  work,  as  there  are  no  outlines  to  draw, 
nor  any  shades  to  make. 

The  prints  are  those  done  in  mezzotinto;  for 
their  shades  being  rubbed  down  on  the  glass,  the 
several  lines,  which  represent  the  shady  part  of 
any  common  print,  are  by  this  means  blended 
together,  and  appear  as  soft  and  united  as  in  any 
drawing  of  Indian-ink. 

Provide  such  mezzotintos  as  are  wanted ;  cut 
the'  margin ;  then  get  a  piece  of  fine  crown-glass, 
the  size  of  the  print,  and  as  flat  and  free  from 
knots  and  scratches  as  possible ;  clean  the  glass 
and  lay  some  Venice  turpentine,  quite  thin  and 
smooth,  on  one  side,  with  a  brush  of  hog's  hair. 
Lay  the  print  flat  in  water,  and  let  it  remain  on 
the  surface  till  it  sinks,  it  is  then  damp  enough; 
take  it  carefully  out,  and  dab  it  between  some 
papers,  that  no  water  may  be  seen,  yet  so  as  to 
be  damp. 

Next  lay  the  damp  print  with  its  face  upper- 
most upon  a  flat  table ;  then  hold  the  glass  over 
it,  without  touching  the  turpentine,  till  it  is 
exactly  even  with  the  print,  let  it  fall  gently  on 
it.  Press  the  glass  down  carefully  with  the 
fingers  in  several  parts,  so  that  the  turpentine 
may  stick  to  the  print;  after  which  take  it  up, 
then  holding  the  glass  towards  you,  press  the 
prints  with  the  fingers,  from  the  centre  towards 
the  edges,  till  no  blisters  remain. 

When  this  is  done,  wet  the  back  of  the  paint 
with  a  sponge,  till  the  paper  will  rub  off  with  the 
fingers;  then  rub  it  gently,  and  the  white  paper 
will  roll  off,  leaving  the  impression  only  upon  the 
glass ;  then  let  it  dry,  and,  with  a  camel's  hair 
pencil,  dipped  in  oil  of  turpentine,  wet  it  all  over, 
and  it  will  be  perfectly  transparent,  and  fit  for 
painting. 

2.  The  first  thing  to  be  done,  in  order  to  paint, 
.  or  stain  glass  in  the  modern  way,  is  to  design, 
and  even  color  the  whole  subject  on  paper.  Then 
choose  such  pieces  of  glass  as  are  clean,  even, 
and  smooth,  and  proper  to  receive  the  several 
parts.  Proceed  to  distribute  the  design  itself,  or 
the  paper  it  is  drawn  on,  into  pieces  suitable  to 
those  of  the  glass;  always  taking  care  that  the 
glasses  may  join  in  the  contours  of  the  figures, 


and  the  folds  of  the  draperies ;  that  the  carnations 
and  other  finer  parts  may  not  be  impaired  by  the 
lead  with  which  the  pieces  are  to  be  joined  to- 
gether. The  distribution  being  made,  mark  all 
the  glasses,  as  well  as  papers,  that  they  may  be 
known  again;  which  done,  apply  every  part  of 
the  design  upon  the  glass  intended  for  it;  and 
copy  or  transfer  the  design  upon  the  glass  with 
the  black  color  diluted  in  gum-water,  by  tracing 
and  following  all  the  lines  and  strokes  that  appear 
through  the  glass,  with  the  point  of  a  pencil. 

When  these  strokes  are  well  dried,  which  will 
be  in  about  2  days  (the  work  being  only  in  black 
and  white),  give  it  a  slight  wash  over  with  urine, 
gum-arabic,  and  a  little  black;  and  repeat  this 
several  times,  according  as  the  shades  are  desired 
to  be  heightened,  with  this  precaution,  never  to 
apply  a  new  wash  till  the  former  is  sufficiently 
dried.  This  done,  the  lights  and  risings  are 
given  by  rubbing  ofl  the  color  in  the  respective 
places  with  a  wooden  point,  or  by  the  handle  of 
the  pencil. 

The  colors  are  used  with  gum-water,  the  same 
as  in  painting  in  miniature,  taking  care  to  apply 
them  lightly,  for  fear  of  effacing  the  outlines  of 
the  design  ;  or  even,  for  the  greater  security,  to 
apply  them  on  the  other  side ;  especially  yellow, 
which  is  very  pernicious  to  the  other  colors,  by 
blending  therewith.  And  here  too,  as  in  pieces 
of  black  and  white,  particular  regard  must  always 
be  had  not  to  lay  color  on  color,  till  such  time 
as  the  former  is  well  dried. 

When  the  painting  of  all  the  pieces  is  finished, 
they  are  carried  to  the  furnace  to  anneal,  or  to 
bake  the  colors. 

PHIAL-GLASS  (Best).— Take  of  white  sand, 
I20  lbs.;  of  unpurified  pearlash,  50  lbs. ;  of  com- 
mon salt,  10  lbs.;  of  arsenic,  5  lbs. ;  and  of  man- 
ganese, 5  oz. 

This  will  be  a  very  good  glass  for  the  purpose 
and  will  work  with  a  moderate  heat,  but  requires 
time  to  become  clear,  on  account  of  the  proportion 
of  arsenic;  when,  however,  it  is  once  in  good 
condition,  it  will  come  very  near  to  the  crystal 
glass. 

PRINCE  RUPERT'S  DROPS.  —  Prince 
Rupert's  drops  are  made  by  letting  drops  of  melt- 
ed glass  fall  into  cold  water ;  the  drops  assumed 
by  that  means  an  oval  form,  with  a  tail  or  neck 
resembling  a  retort.  They  possess  this  singular 
property,  that  if  a  small  portion  of  the  tail  is 
broken  oft,  the  whole  bursts  into  powder,  with 
an  explosion,  and  a  considerable  shock  is  commu- 
nicated to  the  hand  that  grasps  it. 

POLISHING  and  GRINDING  Glass.—  To 
grind  plate-glass,  lay  it  horizontally  upon  a  flat 
stone  table,  made  of  a  very  fine  grained  free- 
stone ;  and  forits  greater  security,  plaster  it  down 
with  mortar  or  stucco.  The  stone  table  is  sup- 
ported  by  a  strong  wooden  frame,  with  a  ledge 
all  round  its  edges,  rising  about  2  inches  above 
the  glass.  Upon  the  plate  to  be  ground  is  laid 
another  rough  glass,  not  above  half  as  big,  and 
so  loose  as  to  slide  upon  the  former ;  but  cement- 
ed to  a  wooden  plank,  to  guard  it  from  the  injury 
it  must  otherwise  receive  from  the  scraping  of  the 
wheel  whereto  the  plank  is  fastened,  and  from 
the  weights  laid  upon  it  to  promote  the  triture 
or  grinding  of  the  glasses.  The  whole  is  covered 
with  a  wheel  made  of  hard  light  wood,  about  6 
inches  in  diameter  by  pulling  of  which  backwards 
and  forwards  alternately,  and  sometimes  turning 
it    round,    the    workmen,    who    always    stand 


394 


DICTIONARY  OP  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


opposite  to  each  other,  produce  a  constant  attri- 
tion between  the  two  glasses,  and  bring  them  to 
whatever  degree  of  smoothness  they  please,  by 
first  pouring  in  water  and  coarse  sand ;  after  that, 
a  finer  sort  of  sand,  as  the  work  advances,  till  at 
last  they  pour  in  the  powder  of  smalt.  As  the 
upper  or  imcumbent  glass  becomes  smooth,  it 
must  be  removed,  and  another,  from  time  to  time, 
substituted  to  it. 

The  engine  just  described  is  called  a  mill  by 
the  workmen,  and  is  employed  only  in  grinding 
the  largest-sized  glasses.  In  gi-inding  lesser 
glasses,  they  usualy  work  without  a  wheel,  having 
four  wooden  handles  fastened  to  the  corners  of 
the  stone  that  loads  the  upper  plank,  by  which 
they  work  it  about.  The  grmder's  part  done,  the 
glass  is  turned  over  to  the  polisher,  .who,  with 
fine  powder  of  tripoli  stone  or  emery,  brings  it  to 
a  perfect  evenness  and  lustre.  The  instrument 
made  use  off  in  this  branch,  is  a  board  furnished 
with  a  felt  and  small  roller,  which  the  workman 
moves  by  means  of  a  double  handle  at  both  ends. 
The  artist  in  working  this  roller,  is  assisted  by  a 
wooden  hoop  or  spring,  to  the  end  of  which  it  is 
fixed;  for  the  spring,  by  constantly  bringing  the 
roller  back  to  the  same  points,  facilitates  the 
action  of  the  workman's  arm. 

SIL  VERING  GLASS.— Th&v?ci\oM.%  methods 
invented  by  Liebig,  Bothe,  Boettger,  and  others 
for  depositing  silver  upon  glass  have  been  con- 
siderably modified  and  improved  by  Krippendorf, 
in  Switzerland,  and  we  give  below  a  condensed 
statement  of  the  latest  improvements  introduced 
by  him.  The  following  are  the  labels  required 
for  the  materials  to  be  used  in  silvering  glass : 

1.  Seignette  salts ;  that  is  tartrate  of  soda  and 
potash. 

2.  Solution  of  seignette  salts  in  the  proportion 
of  one  gramme  to  fifty  grammes  of  distilled  water. 

3.  Caustic  ammonia,  fifty  cubic  centimeters. 

4.  Solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  i  -S. 

5.  A  flask  of  1,000  cubic  centimeters  capacity 
for  the  reducing  liquid. 

6.  A  second  flask  of  same  size  for  the  silvering 
solution. 

With  the  help  of  the  above  chemicals  and 
flasks,  the  two  normal  solutions,  viz.:  (i)  the 
reducing  liquid;  (2)  the  silvering  liquid  can  be 
prepared  in  the  flasks  (5  and  6). 

1,  The  normal  reducing  solution:  900  cubic 
centimeters  (grammes)  distilled  water  are  mixed 
with  ninety  cubic  centimeters  seignette  salts 
solution  (2)  and  the  mixture  brought  to  boiling 
over  a  suitable  fire.  During  the  boiling  of  the 
liquid,  by  which  considerable  steam  is  evolved, 
twenty  cubic  centimeters  of  the  nitrate  of  silver 
solution  are  added  from  No.  4,  by  which  the 
whole  liquid  is  blackened.  The  whole  is  allowed 
to  boil  for  ten  minutes  until  the  so  called  oxytar- 
trate  of  silver  is  formed,  when  the  reducing 
liquid  is  ready  for  use.  This  normal  liquid  can 
be  preserved  any  length  of  time  ;  in  fact,  it  seems  • 
to  improve  by  age.  It  can  be  kept  in  flasks,  and 
when  required  for  use  must  be  carefully  filtered. 
Experience  has  shown  that  it  is  better  to  prepare 
the  normal  reducing  hquid  in  a  flask  rather  than 
in  a  capsule. 

2.  The  normal  silvering  liquid:  Nitrate  of  silver 
is  dissolved  in  water,  and  ammonia  gradually 
added  until  the  brown  precipitate  is  nearly  all 
dissolved,  then  filtered,  and  diluted  until  there  is 
one  gramme  of  nitrate  of  silver  in  100  cubic 
cai  timeters  of  the  liquid.   For  those  who  are  not 


chemists,  it  is  as  well  to  take  900  cubic  centi- 
meters distilled  water,  add  eighty  cubic  centi- 
meters of  the  silver  solution  from  No.  4  ( i  -S) 
and  afterwards  100  drops  caustic  ammonia  from 
No.  3. 

3.  The  silvering  process:  Equal  volumes  of 
the  liquids  (i)  and  (2)  are  carefully  and  separately 
filtered  and  afterwards  poured  together  into  a 
vessel  of  the  proper  size,  and  the  well  cleaned 
glass  plate  introduced.  In  about  ten  minutes  a 
decomposition  of  the  mixture  begins  to  take  place, 
indicated  by  a  blackening  of  the  surface,  and  pure 
metallic  silver  will  be  deposited  upon  the  plate. 
The  introduction  of  the  plate  and  the  cleaning  of 
it  take  place  precisely  as  in  photographic  opera- 
tions, otherwise  irregular  lines  and  unequal 
deposits  of  silver  result.  Gentle  heat  and  sunlight 
facilitate  the  operation,  while  cold  and  darkness 
retard  it.  Finally  the  plate  is  removed  from  the 
vessel,  rinsed  with  pure  water,  and  varnished  or 
otherwise  protected  by  a  background.  Good 
photographic  varnish  can  be  recommended  for 
coating  the  film.  For  bath,  after  the  operation, 
contains  fifty  to  sixty  per  cent  of  the  original 
silver,  which  can  be  reclaimed  as  chloride  by  the 
addition  of  hydrochloric  acid.  Hollow  ware, 
reagent  bottles,  and  test  tubes  are  silvered  by 
simply  pouring  in  the  solutions  (i)  and  (2)  in  the 
some  way  as  described  above.  The  silvering  the 
interior  of  large  flasks,  it  is  well  to  introduce  a 
small  quantity  of  the  liquid  at  first,  and  to  turn 
it  rapidly  around  until  the  surface  is  covered 
with  a  thin  deposit.  Treated  in  this  way,  the 
operation  becomes  a  very  simple  one,  and  may 
lead  to  the  introduction  of  silver  mirrors  as  sub- 
stitutes for  quicksilver  glasses  for  very  many 
purposes. 

SIZING  for  GOLD  on  (7/a.w.— Rub  up  copal 
varnish  either  with  white  hole,  umber,  or  ochre, 
all  of  which  must  be  perfectly  dry,  and  then  strain 
through  a  cloth.  The  glass  must  then  be  clean- 
sed with  fine  chalk,  painted  over  with  the  varnish, 
placed  in  a  warm  room,  and  protected  from  dust. 
When  it  is  sufficiently  dry,  the  leaf  is  to  be 
applied  and  pressed  down  with  cotton. 

SOLUBLE  GLASS,  To  Prepare.  —  This  ar- 
tide  of  commerce,  which  has  come  into  extensive 
use  for  a  great  variety  of  purposes,  is  very  easily 
prepared  when  once  the  process  is  known. 

Potash  soluble  glass  is  obtained  by  mixing  15 
parts  powdered  quartz  or  pure  sand  with  10  parts 
of  purified  pearlashes,  and  I  quart  of  charcoal, 
in  a  Hessian  crucible,  and  exposing  the  mixture 
to  such  a  heat  as  that  the  mass  after  six  hours 
shall  have  become  vitrified.  Charcoal  is  employed 
for  assisting,  by  its  decomposition,  the  production 
of  carbonic  acid,  as  also  some  sulphuric  acid, 
which  may  have  been  produced.  It  is  at  present, 
however,  omitted ;  and  if  the  glass  is  manufac- 
tured on  a  large  scale,  the  vitrification  is  done  in 
a  reverberatory  furnace  capable  of  holcKng  from 
1200  to  1500  pounds.  The  ashes  and  sand  must 
be  well  mixed  together  for  some  time,  the  furnace 
must  be  very  hot  before  throwing  the  mixture  in, 
and  the  heat  must  be  constantly  kept  up  until  the 
entire  mass  is  in  a  liquid  condition.  The  material 
is  then  raked  out  and  thrown  upon  a  stone  hearth, 
and  left  to  cool.  The  glass  mass  so  obtained  is 
hard  and  blistery,  of  blackish-gray  color;  and  if 
the  ashes  were  not  pure,  it  will  also  be  adulterated 
with  foreign  salts.  By  pulverizing  and  exposing 
it  to  the  air,  it  will  absorb  acidity,  and  by  degrees 
tlae  foreigu  salts  will,  after  frequent  agitation  and 


WORKERS  IN  GLASS. 


395 


stirring,  be  completely  separated,  particularly 
after  pouring  over  the  mass  some  cold  water, 
which  dissolves  them,  but  not  the  soluble  glass. 
The  purified  mass  is  now  put  into  an  iron  cal- 
dron, containing  five  times  its  quantity  of  hot 
water,  in  small  portions,  and  with  constant  agi- 
tation and  replacing  occasionally  hot  water  for 
that  which  evaporates  during  the  boiling;  after 
five  or  six  hours  the  whole  is  dissolved;  the 
liquid  is  then  removed  and  left  to  settle  over 
night,  in  order  to  be  able  to  separate  any  unde- 
composed  silex.  The  next  day  it  is  evaporated 
still  further  until  it  has  assumed  the  consistency 
of  a  syrup,  and_  standing  zS*'  B.,  and  is  com- 
posed of  28  per  cent,  of  potash,  62  per  cent,  of 
silica,  and  12  per  cent,  of  water.  It  has  an  al- 
kaline taste,  is"  soluble  in  all  proportions  of 
water,  and  is  precipitated  by  alcohol;  if  any 
salts  should  effervesce,  they  may  be  wiped  off. 
The  color  is  not  quite  white,  but  has  a  greenish 
or  yellowish  white  tinge. 

To  make  soda  soluble  glass,  to  45  parts  of  silica 
or  white  river  sand  are  added  23  parts  of  carbon- 
ate of  soda  fully  calcined,  and  3  parts  of  char- 
coal. This  is  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
other  glass.  The  proportions  of  the  mixture  are 
altered  by  different  manufacturers;  some  pro- 
pose to  use  100  parts  silex,  60  parts  anhydrous 
Glauber  salts,  and  15  to  20  parts  of  charcoal. 
By  the  addition  of  some  copper  scales  to  the 
mixture  the  sulphur  will  be  separated.  Another 
method  is  proposed  by  dissolving  the  fine  silex 
in  caustic  soda  lye.  Kuhlman  employs  the  pow- 
dered flint,  which  is  dissolved  in  an  iron  caldron 
under  a  pressure  from  7  to  8  atmospheres. 

Liebig  has  recommended  infusorial  earth  in 
place  of  sand,  on  account  of  its  being  readily 
soluble  in  caustic  lye;  and  he  proposes  to  use 
120  parts  of  the  earth  to  75  parts  of  caustic  soda, 
from  which  240  parts  of  silica-jelly  may  be  ob- 
tained. His  mode  is  to  calcine  the  earth  so  as 
to  become  white,  and  passing  it  through  a  sieve. 
The  lye  he  prepares  from  75  ounces  of  calcined 
soda,  dissolved  in  five  times  the  quantity  of  boil- 
ing water,  and  then  treated  by  56  ounces  of  dry 
slacked  lime ;  this  lye  is  concentrated  by  boil- 
ing down  to  48"  B. ;  in  this  boiling  lye  120 
ounces  of  the  prepared  infusorial  earth  are  added 
by  degrees,  which  are  readily  dissolved,  leaving 
scarcely  any  sediment.  It  has  then  to  undergo 
several  operations  for  making  it  suitable  for  use, 
such  as  treating  again  with  lime-water,  boiling  it 
and  separating  any  precipitate,  which  by  con- 
tinued boiling  forms  into  balls,  and  which  can 
then  be  removed  from  the  liquid.  This  clear 
liquid  is  then  evaporated  to  the  consistency  of 
syrup ;  it  forms  a  jelly  slightly  colored,  feels  dry 
and  not  sticky,  and  is  readily  soluble  in  boiling 
water. 

The  difference  between  potash  and  soda  sol- 
uble glass  is  not  material;  the  first  may  be  pre- 
ferred in  whitewashing  with  plaster  of  Paris, 
while  the  soda  glass  is  more  fluidly  divisible. 

It  may  be  observed  that,  before  applying 
either  soluble  glass,  it  ought  to  be  exposed  to 
the  air  for  ten  or  twelve  days,  in  order  to  allow 
the  efflorescence  of  any  excess  of  alkali  which 
might  act  injuriously. 

Double  soluble  glass  is  compound  of  potash 
and  soda,  and  is  prepared  from  1 00  parts  of 
quartz,  28  parts  of  purified  pearlashes,  22  parts 
of  anhydrous  bicarbonate  of  soda,  and  6  parts  of 
charcoal,  which  are  spread  in  the  manner  al- 


ready described.  If  the  mass  is  fully  evapor- 
ated to  dryness,  it  forms  a  vitrious  solid  guss, 
which  cannot  be  scratched  by  steel,  has  a  con- 
choidal  fracture,  is  of  a  sea-green  color,  is  trans- 
lucent and  even  transparent,  has  a  specific  grav- 
ity of  1.43. 

Soluble  glass  for  the  use  of  stereo-chromic 
painting  is  obtained  by  fusing  3  parts  of  pure 
carbonate  of  soda  and  2  parts  of  powdered 
quartz,  from  which  a  concentrated  solution  is 
prepared,  i  part  of  which  is  then  added  to  4 
parts  of  a  concentrated  and  fully  saturated  solu- 
tion of  potash-glass  solution,  by  which  tliere  is 
a  more  condensed  amount  of  silica  with  the 
alkalies ;  this  solution  has  been  found  to  work 
well  for  paint.  Siemens's  patent  for  the  manu- 
facture of  soluble  glass  consists  in  the  produc- 
tion of  a  liquid  quartz  by  digesting  the  sand  or 
quartz  in  a  steam-boiler  tightly  closed  and  at  a 
temperature  corresponding  to  4-5  atmospheres, 
with  the  common  caustic  alkalies,  which  are  in 
this  way  capacitated  to  dissolve  from  three  to  four 
times  the  weight  of  silica  to  a  thin  liquid.  The 
apparatus,  which  was  patented  in  1845,  is  well 
known  in  this  country,  as  some  persons,  many 
years  later,  obtained  a  patent  for  the  same  pur- 
pose in  the  United  States,  which,  on  inspection, 
does  not  appear  to  differ  from  that  of  Siemens 
Brothers.  ^ 

The  latter  is  the  true  method  of  making  soluble 
glass ;  in  fact,  the  only  process  by  which  it  ought 
to  be  made,  and  we  believe  the  only  way  in  which 
at  present  it'  is  produced  by  those  who  pretend 
to  manufacture  a  serviceable  article. 

When  made  in  the  old  way,  by  simply  boil- 
ing, at  about  212"  Fahr.,  or  slightly  above  that 
temperature,  the  water  is  unable  to  dissolve  a 
glass  containing  more  than  about  60  parts  silex, 
as  the  remaining  10  parts  of  potash  or  30  of 
soda  are  necessary  to  render  it  soluble.  When, 
however,  a  close  boiler  is  used,  according  to 
Kuhlman's  method,  and  a  pressure  of  7  or  8 
atmospheres,  which  corresponds  with  a  temper- 
ature of  some  120**  above  the  boiling  point  of 
water,  the  solvent  qualities  of  the  latter  are  in- 
creased to  such  an  extent  as  to  enable  it  to  dis- 
solve a  glass  containing  half  and  one  third  the 
amount  of  potash  or  soda. 

Experience  has  taught  that  the  soluble  glass 
made  in  the  old  way,  with  an  excess  of  alkali, 
can  not  stand  the  influence  of  the  atmosphere 
when  used  as  a  paint.  The  soda  washes  out, 
and  leaves  the  silex  in  a  pulverized  condition,  so 
that  it  soon  disappears.  In  this  way  the  re- 
putation of  soluble  glass  has  suffered  consider- 
ably, before  chemistry  had  taught  to  produce  a 
better  article.  Now,  however,  that  by  means  of 
heat  and  pressure  we  are  able  to  dissolve  a  glass 
containing  so  little  soda  that  the  particles 
appear  protected  or  enveloped  by  the  silica,  the 
atmospheric  influences  do  not  affect  these,  for  it 
is  itself  a  paint,  varnish,  or  rather  glazing,  and  a 
useful  addition  to  common  oil  paint.  It  enters 
in  the  chemical  paint,  already  described,  and 
gives  it  the  glossy  appearance. 

An  object  painted  with  soluble  glass  which 
was  prepared  by  simple  boiling  is  only  slightly 
affected  by  cold  water,  but  strongly  by  boiling 
water.  When  prepared  under  pressure  and  a 
heat  of  some  330  °,  from  a  compound  containing 
the  least  possible  amount  of  alkali,  it  is  \\v\- 
affected  by  cold  water,  and  the  object  painted  or 
covered  by  the  san^e  can  only  be  deprived  of  its 


396 


DICTION-ARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


coating  by  undergoing  the  same  heat  and  pressure 
as  was  required  to  prepare  the  original  solution. 

These  remarks  will  show  the  great  value  of 
soluble  glass,  when  prepared  after  the  improved 
method,  as  compared  to  the  less  value,  or  rather 
inutility,  of  that  prepared  after  the  old  method, 
at  least  in  cases  where  it  is  used  for  paint  or 
Tarnish. 

The  most  extensive  use  which  is  made  at 
present  of  soluble  glass,  produced  after  the  old 
method,  is  for  the  adulteration  of  soap;  in  fact, 
such  a  preparation  is  a  kind  of  soap,  in  which 
the  expensive  fatty  acids  are  replaced  by  the 
cheap  silicic  acid  or  sand ;  but  it  is  a  bad  soap, 
very  caustic,  as  the  silicic  acid  but  very  imper- 
fectly neutralizes  the  alkali;  consequently  all 
soaps  adulterated  in  this  way  are  very  injurious 
for  the  skin,  and  for  fine  textures. 

In  several  European  countries,  a  penalty  of 
heavy  fines  is  imposed  on  its  manufacture,  being 
considered  as  an  injurious  adulteration  of  an 
article  of  prime  necessity,  of  which  the  purity 
ought  to  be  protected,  and  the  universal  appli- 
cation encouraged  as  much  as  possible. 

SOLUBLE  GLASS  for  FLOORS.  —  Instead 
of  the  old-fashioned  method  of  using  wax  for 
polishing  floors,  soluble  glass  is  now  employed 
to  great  advantage.  For  this  purpose  the  floor 
is  first  well  cleaned,  and  then  the  cracks  filled  up 
with  a  cement  of  water-glass  and  powdered  chalk 
or  gypsum;  afterward  a  water-glass  of  sixty  to 
sixty-five  degrees,  of  the  thickness  of  syrup,  is 
applied  by  means  of  a  stiff  brush.  Any  desired 
color  is  to  be  imparted  to  the  floor  in  a  second 
coat  of  the  water-glass,  and  additional  coats  are 
to  be  given  until  the  requisite  polish  is  obtained. 
A  still  higher  finish  may  be  given  by  pumicating 
off  the  lost  layer,  and  then  putting  on  a  coating 
of  oil. 

STAINING  GLASS.— 1\C\=,  beautiful  branch 
of  the  art  is  quite  too  much  neglected.  The 
gorgeous  display  that  may  be  made,  and  that  has 
been  so  sucessfuUy  done  by  some  artists,  is  suffi- 
cient to  excite  the  desire  to  bring  it  into  more 
general  use.  One  can  conceive  of  no  more  beau- 
tiful method  of  ornamenting  the  windows  of 
churches,  and  public  buildings,  or,  in  fact,  any- 
thing in  the  way  of  ornamenting  on  glass.  The 
following  method  is  the  one  now  in  general  use. 
Before  engaging  in  this,  it  would  be  better  if  the 
artist  could  get  some  little  previous  instruction. 
We  will  endeavor  to  give  the  correct  principles  in 
regard  to  the  oven,  the  baking,  the  colors,  and 
the  manner  of  making  and  using  them. 

The  Oven  is  made  of  fire  brick,  and  arched 
over  like  a  common  bake  oven.  This  is  to  admit 
of  an  iron  chest,  or  muffle,  as  it  is  called,  so  close 
on  the  outside  that  neither  fire  nor  smoke  can 
penetrate,  and  about  three  or  four  inches  less 
than  the  oven,  so  that  there  may  be  an  equal 
space  at  the  top,  bottom,  and  sides,  with  legs  to 
keei)  it  from  the  bottom. 

The  sheet  of  glass  to  be  worked  upon  (the 
softer  the  glass  the  better)  should  be  spread  over 
with  gum  water,  and  let  dry,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  colors  from  running  together,  it  being  also 
much  better  than  the  slippery  glass  to  work  on. 
After  it  is  dry,  lay  it  down  evenly  upon  the 
design,  which  has  been  previously  sketched  upon 
paper,  and  trace,  with  a  fine  hair  pencil,  all  the 
outlines  and  shades  of  the  picture  or  ornament 
wdth  black.  (See  the  mode  of  the  preparation  of 
colors  at  the  end  of  this  article.) 


The  Lights  and  Shades  are  produced  by  dots, 
lines,  and  hatches,  very  much  after  the  manner 
of  the  engraver.  When  this  is  finished  and  dry, 
it  is  ready  for  the 

Floating,  Take  the  prepared  colors  and  float 
th/sm  on  by  dipping  the  pencil  in  the  color,  and 
taking  it,  as  full  as  it  will  hold,  to  the  glass,  and 
just  near  enough  so  that  the  mixture  will  flow  out 
upon  the  glass,  care  being  taken  that  the  pencil 
does  not  touch  the  glass,  as  it  leaves  a  spot.  This 
refers  only  to  transparent  colors. 

Taking  out  the  Lights. — ^The  methods  of  doing 
this,  after  the  color  is  on,  are  various.  Perhaps 
the  best  way  is  to  take  a  goose-quill,  made  in  the 
shape  of  a  pen,  without  the  slit.  With  this  the 
artists  take  out  the  lights  by  dots,  lines,  etc.,  to 
suit  his  taste.  It  is  then  ready  for  the  kiln  or 
oven. 

Over  the  bottom  of  the  oven,  or  muffle,  must 
be  spread,  about  a  half  inch  thick,  a  bed  of 
slacked  lime,  perfectly  dry,  and  sifted  through  a 
sieve.  Upon  this  lay  a  sheet  of  glass,  then 
another  layer  of  lime,  and  «o  on,  if  desired,  for 
half  a  dozen  sheets,  though  for  very  fine  work, 
and  where  uniformity  of  coloring  is  required,  it 
is  better  to  have  a  less  number.  There  may  be 
quite  a  number  of  iron  slides  in  the  muffle,  so 
that  a  number  of  glasses  may  be  burned  at  one 
heat,  without  having  more  than  one  or  two  upon 
each  slide.  Close  the  muffle  and  raise  the  fire ; 
but  gradually,  or  the  heat  will  break  the  glass. 

After  it  is  got  up  to  a  red  heat,  it  may  remain 
so  for  two,  three,  or  four  hours,  according  to  the 
tests,  which  are  straps  of  glass,  painted  with  the 
same  colors  as  the  sheets,  and  drawn  out  occa- 
sionally. When  the  colors  are  properly  burned 
in,  the  fire  may  die  away  gradually,  as  it  was 
raised.  When  cold,  the  glass  is  taken  out  and 
well  cleaned. 

The  chemicals  mentioned  in  the  following  pre- 
paration of  colors,  may  be  had  at  most  of  the 
first-class  drug  stores.  These  preparations  should 
be  combined,  so  that  each  shall  require  about  the 
same  amount  of  heating  to  bring  out  the  color. 

STAINING  GLASS,  Colors/or.— Flesh.  Red 
lead  I  oz.;  red  enamel  2  oz.  Grind  to  a  fine 
powder;  work  it  up  with  alcohol,  on  a  flag  stone. 
Requires  slight  baking.  —  Black.  Iron  scales 
14^  oz.;  white  crystal  glass  2  oz.;  antimony  i  oz.; 
manganese  %  oz.  Pound  fine  and  grind  in  strong 
vinegar. — Brilliant  Black.  Made  to  any  degree 
of  depth  by  the  mixture  of  cobalt  with  the  oxides 
of  iron  and  manganese.  —  Broavn.  White  glass 
I  oz.;  manganese  Y^  oz. — Rich  Bro^n.  Oxide  of 
platinum. — Red.  Red  chalk  I  oz.;  white,  hard 
enamel  2  oz.;  peroxide  of  copper  I  drachm. — 
Fine  Red.  Rust  of  iron  3  oz.,  glass  of  antimony 
20Z.,  litharge  2  oz.,  sulphuret  of  silver  ^drachm. 
— Green.  Brass  dust  2  oz.,  red  lead  2  oz.,  white 
sand  2  oz.  Calcine  the  brass  to  an  oxide,  and 
make  all  into  a  fine  powder.  Heat  in  a  crucible 
one  hour,  in  a  hot  oven.  When  cold,  grind  in  a 
brass  mortar. — Green.  Oxide  of  chrome. — Green. 
Blue  on  one  side,  yellow  on  the  other. —  Yelloiv. 
Fine  silver,  dissolved  in  nitric  acid.  Dilute  with 
plenty  of  water.  Pour  in  a  strong  solution  of 
salt,  and  the  silver,  in  the  form  of  phloride  of 
silver,  will  fall  to  the  bottom  in  a  yellow  powder. 
When  settled,  pour  off  the  fluid ;  fill  up  with 
water ;  when  settled,  pour  off  again,  and  so  on 
for  five  or  six  times.  When  dry,  mix  the  powder 
with  three  times  its  weight  in  pipe  cl.iy,  well 
burned  aud  pounded.     Paint  on  the  back  of  the 


WORKERS  LW  METALS. 


397 


glass. —  Yellcnv.  Sulphuret  of  silver,  glass  of 
antimony,  and  burnt  yellow  ocher. — Blue. 
Oxide  of  cobalt,  which  is  cobalt  ore,  after 
being  well  roasted,  is  dissolved  in  diluted 
nitric  acid.  Add  considerable  water,  and 
pour  into  it  a  strong  solution  of  carbonate  of 
soda.  A  carbonate  of  cobalt  is  thrown  to  the 
bottom  in  a  powder.  Wash  well,  as  for  chloride 
of  silver,  and  let  dry.  Mix  this  with  three  times 
its  weight  of  saltpeter.  Burn  the  mixture  in  a 
crucible,  by  putting^a  red  hot  coal  to  it.  Heat, 
wash,  and  dry  it. '  Three  pints  of  this  to  one  of 
a  flux  made  of  white  sand,  borax,  saltpeter,  and 
a  very  little  chalk,  melted  together  for  an  hour, 
and  then  ground  into  an  enamel  powder  for  use. 
Any  shape  may  be  had  by  more  or  less  flux. — 
Violet.  Black  oxide  of  manganese,  I  oz. ;  zaffer, 
I  oz. ;  pounded  white  glass,  10  02.  i  red  lead,  i 
oz.  J  miX|  fuse,  and  grind. 


The  fluxes  are  made  of  flint  glass,  borax,  pipe 
clay,  white  sand,  &c. 

The  principles  of  glass  staining,  and  making 
the  colors,  therefore,  will  be  found  of  great  ser- 
vice to  beginners ;  yet  it  must  be  understood 
that  the  practice  will  be  very  difficult,  without 
some  practical  instructions  ;  yet,  one  who  has  a 
taste,  and  some  scientific  ability,  may  be  enabled, 
by  studying  these  rules  closely,  and  by  a  few 
trials  in  experimenting,  to  succeed  in  producing 
the  work  properly. 

WIN  DO  W  GLASS,  (  C^-f<7/).— Take  of  white 
sand,  6o  lbs. ;  of  unpurified  pearlash,  25  lbs.  ;  of 
common  salt,  10  lbs. ;  of  nitre  5  lbs. ;  of  arsenic 
2  lbs.  ;  and  of  manganese,  i}i  oz.  This  will 
be  inferior,  but  may  be  improved,  when  de- 
sired, by  purifying  the  pearlash.  For  other 
methods  of^  makiog  cheap  glass,  see  receipts  al- 
ready given* 


WORKERS  IN  metals: 


ALLOY  (^Anti-Friction),  For  Journal  Soxes. 
—I.  Zinc,  17  parts;  copper,  l  part;  antimony, 
lyi  parts.  This  possesses  unsurpassable  antifric- 
ion  qualities,  and  does  not  require  the  protection 
of  outer  casings  of  a  harder  metal.  2.  The  best 
alloy  for  journal  boxes  is  composed  of  copper, 
24  lbs.  ;  tin,  24  lbs. ;  and  antimony,  8  lbs. 
Melt  the  copper  first,  then  add  the  tin,  and  lastly 
the  antimony.  It  should  first  be  run  into  ingots, 
then  melted  and  cast  in  the  form  required  for 
the  boxes. 

ALLO  Y Incorrasive. — By  preparingan  alloy  of 
97  parts  lead  to  3  parts  tin,  a  metal  is  produced 
upon  which  the  action  of  pure  water  is  very 
much  decreased ;  and  by  using  an  alloy  of  95 
parts  lead  to  5  parts  tin,  we  have  a  metal  on 
which  the  action  of  pure  water  is  scarcely  per- 
ceptible. 

ALLOY,  for  Soldering  Iron  to  Steel,  or  either 
0/  these  to  Brass. — This  alloy  consists  of  3  parts 
of  tin,  39^  of  copper,  and  7^  of  zinc.  When 
applied  in  a  molden  state,  it  will  firmly  unite  the 
metals  first  named. 

ALUMINUM,  To  Extract  from  Clay.—Tht 
first  thing  is  to  extr.ict  from  the  clay  alum, 
and  then  from  the  alum  alumina,  and  then  con- 
vert the  alumina  into  a  chloride  of  alumina ;  and 
then  from  this,  by  the  aid  of  sodium,  we  obtain 
aluminum.  All  these  processes  require  so  much 
patient  labor  and  apparatus,  as  to  account  for 
the  cost  of  extraction  and  put  it  beyond  the  reach 
of  most  amateurs.  We  will  give  the  processes 
from  the  beginning.  Clay  free  from  carbonate  of 
lime  or  oxide  of  iron,  is  dried  without  burning, 
powdered,  sifted,  and  mixed  with  forty-five  per 
cent,  of  sulphuric  acid  (oil  of  vitriol)  of  the 
gravity  1.45.  All  this  in  a  stone  or  brick  recep- 
tacle. Then  it  is  heated  in  a  furnace  two  or 
three  days,  withdrawn,  and  allowed  to  rest  for  a 
week  in  a  warm  place ;  then  it  is  leached  as 
wood  ashes  are  leached  for  ley.  This  is  boiled 
until  it  is  a  thick  liquid,  when  a  solution  of  am- 
monia is  added,  which  causes  the  thicker  parts  of 
the  alum  water  to  fall  to  the  bottom;  the  upper 


thin  liquor  is  drawn  off,  a  thin  wire  of  thread 
put  in  the  middle,  around  which  the  alum  (sul- 
phate of  alumina)  in  a  few  days  crystalizes,  as 
we  see  it  in  the  druggists.  Now  we  have  what 
is  called  ammonia  alum.  Now  take  any  quan- 
tity of  this,  expose  it  to  a  white  heat  in  a  cruci- 
ble to  drive  off  the  sulphur  and  ammonia,  and 
we  have  a  white  powdery  mass  called  alumina. 

Now  supposing  your  alumina  to  have  come 
out  pure  and  clear,  mix  equal  parts  of  alumina, 
oil,  and  lampblack,  and  escpose  to  a  very  strong 
heat  to  thoroughly  drive  off  every  trace  of  water. 
This  heat  is  kept  up  until  all  the  oil  and 
lampblack  is  driven  off.  Then  take  what  is  left, 
put  into  a  porcelain  tub  over  a  furnace;  through 
this  tube  pass  chlorine  gas,  while  the  tube  is 
heated  red  hot.  Your  gas  is  obtained  by  pour- 
ing four  parts  muriatic  acid  upon  one  part  of 
black  oxide  of  manganese ;  the  gas  rises  there- 
from and  may  be  conducted  by  a  tube  over  the 
alumina.  As  soon  as  the  tube  is  choked — that 
is,  when  no  more  gas  will  enter  into  combina- 
tion with  the  alumina,  stop  operations  and  allow 
the  whole  to  cool.  You  now  have  the  sesqui- 
chloride  of  alumina  in  crystals  at  the  cooler  end 
of  the  tube.  This  is  taken  out  and  preserved  in 
naphtha  for  use.  It  attracts  the  water  of  the  at- 
mosphere very  rapidly.  Now  take  your  sesqui- 
chloride — say  six  ounces — put  it  into  a  wide  tub ; 
heat  it  to  drive  off  moisture  and  add ;  then  in 
the  portion  of  the  tube  nearest  you  put  some 
pieces  of  sodium,  which  has  a  strong  affinity  for 
chlorine,  and  increase  the  heat  until  no  more 
sodium  is  visible — or,  in  other  words,  you  now 
have  resulting  the  double  chloride  of  sodium  and 
aluminum.  It  is  best  to  have  a  connection  with 
a  stream  of  hydrogen  gas,  in  which  the  last 
found  compound  is  cooled.  Now  put  the  whole 
into  a  crucible,  cover  with  common  salt,  and  ex- 
pose to  a  powerful  heat.  At  the  end  of  an  hour 
or  so  the  button  of  aluminum  is  found  at  the 
bottom  of  the  crucible. 

This  is  an  outline  of  the  principal  processes 
from  the  clay  to  the  metal.    Manufacturers  on 


398 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


the  large  scale  make  many  variations,  of  course  ; 
but  they  generally  purchase  their  alum  ready 
made.  There  is  no  certain  methods  of  obtaining 
aluminum  from  the  clay  by  any  shorter  process. 
An  Italian  chemist,  Corbelli,  says  he  has  obtained 
it  by  mixing  six  parts  pure  clay  with  ten  parts  of 
sulphuric  or  muriatic  acid,  and  then  heating  the 
dried  and  filtered  solution  in  a  porcelain  crucible 
to  900°  Fahrenheit ;  then  powdering  this  cal- 
cined mass,  he  mixes  it  with  twenty  parts  ferro- 
cyanide  of  potassium  and  fifteen  parts  chloride 
of  sodium  powdered  and  thoroughly  dried ;  the 
whole  is  then  exposed  to  a  white  heat  in  a  porce- 
lain crucible,  until  the  contents  are  fused,  when 
the  usual  button  of  aluminum  is  found  at  the 
bottom.  We  have,  however,  never  heard  of  any 
one  who  has  repeated  the  Italian  gentleman's 
experiment. 

AMALGAM  for  Electrical  Machines.  —  I. 
Zinc  and  tin,  of  each  one  part,  quicksilver  two 
parts.  Melt  the  tin  and  zinc,  add  the  mercury 
made  hot,  pour  the  mixture  into  a  wooden  box, 
and  shake  until  cold. 

2.  Zinc,  2  parts,  tin,  part,  quicksilver,  3 
parts. 

3.  Zinc,  2  parts,  tin,  I  part,  quicksilver,  5 
parts. 

4.  Quicksilver,  6  oz.,  bees  wax,  ^  oz.,  zinc, 
2  oz.,  grain  tin,  I  oz. 

5.  Boettger  recommends  an  amalgam  made  of 
two  parts  by  weight  of  zinc,  mixed,  while  melt- 
ed, with  one  part  of  mercury.  He  finds  it  supe- 
rior to  the  amalgam  commonly  used. 

AMALGAM  of  Gold. — Place  one  part  of  gold 
in  a  small  iron  saucepan  or  ladle,  perfectly  clean, 
then  add  8  parts  of  mercury,  and  apply  a  gentle 
heat,  when  the  gold  will  dissolve ;  agitate  the 
mixture  for  one  minute,  and  pour  it  out  on  a 
clean  plate  or  stone  slab. 

For  gilding  brass,  copper,  etc.  The  metal  to 
be  gilded  is  first  rubbed  over  with  a  solution  of 
nitrate  of  mercury,  and  then  covered  with  a  very 
thin  film  of  the  amalgam.  On  heat  being  applied 
the  mercury  volatilizes,  leaving  the  gold  behind. 

A  much  less  proportion  of  gold  is  often  em- 
ployed than  the  above,  where  a  very  thin  and 
cheap  gilding  is  required,  as  by  increasing  the 
quantity  of  the  mercury,  the  precious  metal  may 
be  extended  over  a  much  larger  surface.  A  simi- 
lar amalgam  prepared  with  silver  is  used  for  sil- 
vering. 

AMALGAM  for  Mirrors, — Lead  and  tin, 
each  I  oz. ;  bismuth,  2  oz.;  mercury  4  oz.;  melt 
as  before,  and  add  the  mercury.  These  are  used 
to  silver  mirrors,  glass  globes,  etc.,  by  warming 
the  glass,  melting  the  amalgam,  and  apply- 
ing it. 

ANNEALING  STEEL.  — \.  For  a  small 
quantity.  Heat  the  steel  to  a  cherry  red  in  a 
Charcot  fire,  then  bury  in  sawdust,  in  an  iron 
box,  covering  the  sawdust  with  ashes.  Let  stay 
until  cold. — 2.  For  a  larger  quantity,  and  when 
it  is  required  to  be  very  "soft."  Pack  the  steel 
with  cast  iron  (lathe  or  planer)  chips  in  an  iron 
box,  as  follows  :  Having  at  least  ^  or  J^  inch 
in  depth  of  chips  in  the  bottom  of  box,  put  in  a 
layer  of  steel,  then  more  chips  to  fill  spaces  be- 
tween the  steel,  and  also  the  Yz  ox  %  inch  space 
between  the  sides  of  box  and  steel,  then  more 
steel ;  and,  lastly,  at  least  I  inch  in  depth  of 
chips,  well  rammed  down  on  top  of  steel.  Heat 
to  and  keep  at  a  red  heat  for  from  two  to  four 
hours.     Do  not  disturb  the  box  until  cold. 


ANVILS,  Improved. — The  face  or  table  of 
anvils,  as  at  present  made,  is  often  defective, 
having  frequently  hard  and  soft  places  after 
hardening,  while  the  face  should  be  equally  hard 
all  over  its  surface ;  and  the  steel  in  some  in- 
stances not  being  properly  welded  to  the  iron 
part  or  butt  which  forms  the  lower  part,  the  anvil 
is  thereby  rendered  unsound  and  not  fit  for  use. 
Some  improvements  recently  patented  by  an  in- 
ventor of  Sheffield,  England,  have  for  their  ob- 
ject the  removal  of  such  defects,  and  consist  in 
so  making  anvils  that  the  face  may  be  equally 
hard  all  over  when  finished,  and  in  so  casting  or 
welding  the  butt  to  the  head  or  upper  table  that 
the  parts  may  be  thoroughly  amalgamated,  and 
the  anvil  made  more  durable  at  a  less  expense 
than  hitherto. 

He  first  prepares  a  model  of  the  size  and  shape 
of  the  anvil  to  be  produced.  He  then  places  it 
in  a  box,  covers  it  with  composition,  and  fills  up 
the  box  with  sand  in  the  ordinary  manner.  After 
the  model  is  removed,  and  the  sand  perfectly 
dry,  (this  being  done  in  the  usual  way,)  he  first 
pours  in  the  molten  steel  to  form  the  face  or 
table,  then,  through  the  same  aperture,  (after  the 
steel  on  the  table  is  sufficiently  cool,)  he  pours 
in  a  very  mild  molten  steel,  which  flows  over  the 
table  and  gives  the  requisite  toughness  and  so- 
lidity to  the  steel  back.  After  a  proper  time  has 
elapsed,  he  pours  in  through  another  opening 
the  iron  or  metal,  which  also  runs  upon  the  steel, 
and  forms  the  lower  part  or  butt  of  the  anvil, 
and  a  perfect  amalgamation  takes  place  between 
the  iron  and  steel.  The  casting  being  complete, 
it  is  then  finished  in  the  ordinary  manner. 

To  harden  the  work,  a  large  metal  box  or 
trough,  6  or  8  inches  deep,  is  formed,  in  which 
is  inserted  a  number  of  perforated  sharp-edge 
bars  of  metal,  on  which  the  anvil  is  allowed  to 
rest  on  its  face  or  upper  surface,  either  flat  or 
slanting.  A  sluice  communicating  with  a  reser- 
voir of  water  is  then  opened,  and  a  force  of  cold 
water  is  allowed  to  flow  upon  the  face  by  an  up- 
ward cast,  and  to  pass  under  the  anvil  and  over 
the  bars  to  any  depth  required.  By  these  means 
a  much  harder  and  more  regular  surface  is  ob- 
tained than  by  the  present  mode  of  manufacture. 
After  this,  the  surface  is  ground  in  the  ordinary 
way. 

ANTIMONOID. — A  welding  power,  named 
antimonoid,  has  been  in  use  for  some  time  past 
in  Germany,  and  found  to  be  of  great  efficiency. 
The  formula  for  its  preparation  has,  until  lately, 
been  kept  a  secret ;  but  we  now  learn  that  it 
consists  of  four  parts  of  iron  turnings,  three  parts 
of  borax,  two  parts  of  borate  of  iron,  and  one  of 
water. 

ASHBERRIUM.—IMxi  name  has  been  ap- 
plied  to  a  new  alloy  which  consists  of  80  parts  of 
tin,  14  of  antimony,  2  of  copper,  2  of  nickel,  i 
of  alimonium,  and  I  of  zinc. 

BA  TTER  Y,  Cheap  Electrical. — First  procure 
a  common  wine  bottle  of  a  good  length  and 
thickish  glass.  Drill  a  hole  through  its  bottom, 
which  is  generally  done  by  placing  a  piece  of 
worsted,  which  must  be  dipped  in  turpentine, 
upon  the  bottom,  and  igniting  it.  Through  this 
hole  and  the  mouth  pass  a  spindle.  Fasten  it 
well  in  the  bottle ;  put  a  crank  upon  one  end. 
Then  put  the  bottle  on  a  frame  similar  to  a 
grindstone.  Next  make  a  cushion  of  wash-leath- 
er, stufied  with  wool,  and  fastened  to  the  top  of 
a  small  frame.     This  frame  is  to  be  of  such  a 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


399 

touch  it  with  a  little  grease ;  if  you  want  to  take 
the  copper  off"  the  article  you  must  do  it  over  with 
a  slight  varnish.  —  3-  -^  Cheap  Galvanic  Battery 
has  been  described  by  Dr.  Golding  Bird,  which, 
it  is  stated  can  decompose  w^ter  and  ignite  char- 
coal. The  mode  of  construction  is  to  break  the 
stem  of  six  tobacco  pipes  close  to  the  bowls,  and 
close  the  apertures  at  the  bottom  of  each  bowl 
with  sealing  wax ;  get  six  small  toy  tumblers, 
about  half  an  inch  in  hight :  put  in  each  a  cylinder 
of  amalgamated  zinc,  and  place  in  each  pipe  bowl' 
a  thin  slip  of  platinum  foil,  half  an  inch  wide,  and 
connect  it  with  the  zinc  of  the  next  cell  with 
platinum  wire ;  fill  the  pipe  bowls  with  the  nitric 
acid  and  the  tumblers  with  dilute  sulphuric  acid, 
and  the  battery  is  complete.  In  case  the  plati- 
num cannot  be  obtained,  copper  may  be  substi- 
tuted. This  battery  is  in  imitation  of  the  famou.s 
battery  made  by  Faraday  out  of  a  common 
thimble. 

BA  TTERY  {Mercurial)  of  Davy.— This  gal-' 
vanic  battery,  which  has  lately  been  extensively 
and  almost  exclusively  used  in  France,  is  not  so 
universally  known  as  it  deserves.  It  is  composed 
of  zinc  and  carbon ;  but  in  place  of  diluted  acid, 
the  zinc  is  simply  immersed  in  pure  water,  while 
the  carbon  is  immersed  in  a  paste  of  moistened 
sulphate  of  the  oxide  of  mercury.  The  chemical 
action  is  similar  to  the  Daniel  battery,  consisting 
of  zinc,  copper,  and  sulphate  of  copper.  The 
zinc  is  oxidized  at  the  expense  of  the  water,  which 
is  decomposed,  its  oxygen  combining  with  the 
zinc,  forming  oxide  of  zinc,  while  the  hydrogen 
in  its  nascent  state  reduces  the  oxide  of  mercury, 
combining  with  the  oxygen,  forming  water,  and 
leaving  the  mercury  in  a  metallic  state.  In  this 
condition  mercury  can  not  remain  in  combination 
with  sulphuric  acid.  Hence,  the  latter  is  also  set 
free  and  combines  with  the  oxid  of  zinc,  forming 
sulphate  of  zinc;  exactly  as  is  the  case  in  the 
Lowe,  Daniel,  and  other  batteries,  while  the 
metallic  mercury  collects  at  the  bottom  of  the 
vessel.  Such  a  battery  may  remain  in  operation 
for  half  a  year,  without  cleaning  or  the  addition 
of  liquid.  The  current  generated  by  40  small 
elements  has  the  same  power  as  that  from  60  of 
Daniel's  larger  ones,  which  lasted  less  than  half 
the  time. 

As  a  modification  of  this  battery,  instead  of  the 
soluble  sulphate  of  mercury,  the  insoluble  sub- 
sulphate  of  the  same  metal  may  be  used.  When 
mercury  is  boiled  with  sulphuric  acid,  a  portion 
of  the  acid  is  decomposed  in  order  to  furnish 
oxygen  for  the  oxidation  of  the  mercury,  which 
then  combines  with  the  remaining  acid  and  forms 
a  dry,  neutral  salt.  When  this  is  diluted  with 
water,  it  is  resolved,  like  many  other  salts,  into 
two  compounds;  an  acid  sulphate,  which  is 
dissolved,  andabasic  sulphate,  which  is  insoluble. 
The  latter  has  a  lemon-yellow  color,  and  being 
supposed  to  resemble  closely  in  its  medical  effects 
the  powdered  root  of  a  now  obsolete  plant,  the 
turpeth,  it  was  called  the  mineral  turpeth. 

For  many  years  this  substance  had  no  practical 
value  in  the  arts,  but  now  it  will  probably  be 
extensively  employed  in  galvanic  batteries  for 
telegraphic  and  other  purposes. 

BA  TTERY,  To  plate  with.  —  If  the  plate,  is 
to  be  gold  use  the  gold  solution  for  electro-plating; 
if  silver,  use  the  silver  solution.  Prepare  the 
article  to  be  plated  by  immersing  it  for  several 
minutes  in  a  strong  ley  made  of  potash  and  rain 
water,  polishing  off  thoroughly  at  the  end  of  the 


hight  that  the  cushion  shall  press  against  the 
sides  of  tlie  bottle,  and  a  piece  of  black  silk  is 
fastened  to  the  top  of  the  cushion,  and  hangs 
over  the  bottle.  The  cushion  should  be  smeared 
with  an  amalgam  formed  by  melting  together  in 
the  bowl  of  a  tobacco  pipe,  one  part  of  tin  with 
two  of  zmc ;  to  which,  while  fluid,  should  be 
added  six  parts  of  mercury.  These  should  be 
stirred  about  till  quite  cold,  and  then  reduced  to 
a  fine  powder  in  a  mortar,  and  mixed  with  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  lard  to  form  a  stickish  paste. 
When  this  is  done  the  machine  is  complete.  But 
before  using  we  must  have  a  conductor.  This  is 
made  in  the  following  manner:  At  right  angles  to 
one  end  of  a  cylinder  of  wood,  about  two  and 
one-half  inches  in  diameter,  and  six  fhches  long, 
fix  a  small  wooden  cylinder  about  three-quarters 
of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  three  inches  long, 
rounded  at  both  ends ;  the  other  end  of  the  large 
cylinder  is  also  to  be  rounded.  Cover  the  whole 
with  tinfoil,  and  mount  it  on  a  stand  on  a  glass 
rod.  When  used,  it  is  to  be  placed  with  the 
even  piece  in  a  line  even  with,  and  about  half  an 
inch  from  the  bottle ;  and  it  should  be  of  such  a 
hight  as  to  come  just  below  the  silk  apron.  When 
it  is  wished  to  charge  a  Leyden  jar,  it  is  to  be 
placed  at  the  round  end  of  the  conductor.  By 
these  simple  means  a  great  variety  of  pleasing 
experiments  may  be  performed. 

BA  TTER  V,    Cheap  Galvanic.  —  I.    Procure 
about  twenty  copper  pennies,  (if  worn  smooth  so 
much  the  better)  or  get  some  sheet  copper,  cut 
circular  and  of  a  large  diameter,  and  the  same 
number  similar  pieces  of  zinc.     The  latter  may 
be  formed  by  the  constructor  himself;  being  very 
easily  melted,  it  may  be  cast  in  a  mold  like  lead, 
or  it  may  be  procured  in  a  sheet,  and  cut  similar 
to  the  copper.     Then  provide  the  same  number 
of  pieces  of  cloth,   which  must  be  soaked  in  a 
solution  of  common  salt  and  water;  or  what  is 
better,  a  liquid  composed  of  one  quart  of  sul- 
phuric acid,  two  of  nitric  acid  and  sixty  of  water. 
After  this  is  done,  place  one  of  the  pieces  of  zinc 
in  a  tea  saucer,  and  on  it  put  one  of  the  pennies, 
or  j)ieces  of  sheet-copper;  on  this  place  a  piece 
of  cloth,  and  so  continue  making  a  pile — zinc, 
copper,  cloth — until  they  are   all   piled  on   one 
another ;  taking  care  to  make  the  same  arrange- 
ment throughout.     The  piece  on  the  top,  which 
will  be  a  penny,    should  have  a  copper  wire, 
which,  for  some  experiments,  should  be  tipped 
with  platinum  wire  soldered  to  it,  and  the  lower 
piece,  which  will  be  zinc,   should  be  treated  in 
the  same  manner.    From  the  ends  of  these  wires 
a  stream  of  the  galvanic  fluid  will  constantly  issue, 
until  all  the  acid  is  absorbed  from  the  pieces  of 
cloth,  and  although  the  apparatus  is  on  a  very 
small  scale,  a  variety  of  exceedingly  interesting 
experiments  may  be  performed  with  it. — 2.  Take 
a  cylindrical  vessel,  and  put  another  of  porous 
porcelain  inside  of  it;  fill  the  vessel  with  diluted 
sulphuric  acid,   and  the  space  between  the  two 
with  sulphate  of  copper  (if  you  require  to  plate 
the  article  with  copper);  if  not  a  solution  of  the 
salt  of  gold,  silver,  etc. ,  according  to  that  whidi 
you  wish  it  to  be ;  put  a  slip  of  zinc  in  the  sul- 
phuric acid,  and  attach  a  copper  wire  to  it,  and 
the  other  end  to  the  medal  or  article  you  wish  to 
plate,  and  immerse  that  in  the  other  solution. 
Your  battery  is  now  complete.     If  you  want  the 
copper  to   be   very   thick,    you  must  put  a  few- 
solid  crystals  of  copper  in  the  solution;  where 
you  do  not  want  it  to  come  in  contact,  you  must 


400 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


time  with  a  soft  brush  and  prepared  chalk.  Care 
should  be  taken  not  to  let  the  fingers  laid  down 
in  the  directions  for  plating  with  a  battery.  If 
the  article  being  plated  has  the  strip  of  zinc 
touching  much  of  its  surface,  it  may  be  well  to 
change  the  place  of  contact  at  every  polishing. 

You  will  find  this  mode  of  plating  but  little  in- 
ferior to  that  of  plating  with  a  battery.  It  is 
more  employed  now,  perhaps,  than  any  other. 

BA  TTER  V  (  Galvanic)  Improved  Liquid  for, 
— Mr.  Victor  Barjon's  new  battery  liquid,  is  made 
by  mixing  a  solution  of  bichromate  of  potash  with 
a  little  lime,  and  with  sulphuric  acid.  He  puts 
2  lbs.  of  bichromate  of  potash  into  a  gallon  of 
boiling  water,  and  lets  the  solution  cool  down  to 
68°,  and  adds  2  oz.  of  lime.  After  stirring,  he 
adds  sulphuric  acid  until  the  gravity  reaches  35° 
Beaume.  Then,  having  stirred  the  whole,  he 
lets  it  stand  for  24  hours,  when  it  is  ready  for 
use. 

BELL  METAL.— \.  Melt  together  under 
powdered  charcoal,  100  parts  of  pure  copper, 
with  20  parts  of  tin,  and  unite  the  two  metals  by 
frequently  stirring  the  mass.  Product  very  fine. 
— 2.  Copper  3  parts;  tin  I  part;  as  above.  Some 
of  the  finest  church  bells  in  the  world  have  this 
composition. — 3.  Copper  2  parts  ;  tin  I  part ;  as 
above. — 4.  Copper  72  parts;  tin  26^  parts; 
iron  lYz  parts.  Tlie  bells  of  small  clocks  or 
pendules  are  made  of  this  alloy  in  Paris. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  in  this  process  to 
keep  the  metals  from  contact  with  the  air,  for 
which  purpose,  the  powdered  charcoal  is  em- 
ployed. The  union  of  the  two  metals  in  this  alloy 
IS  so  complete,  that  its  gravity  is  considerably 
greater  than  that  of  the  mean  of  its  constituents, 
thus  evincing  chemical  union  to  have  taken 
place. 
%  The  proportions  of  the  first  form  are  those  of 
the  Indian  gong,  so  much  celebrated  for  the 
richness  of  its  tone.  In  very  small  bells,  and  in 
those  of  repeating  watches,  a  little  zinc  is  gene- 
rally added,  which  makes  them  give  out  their 
tones  the  sharper.  A  less  proportion  of  tin  is 
now  generally  used  for  church  bells,  than  for 
house  or  clock  bells,  the  tones  being  thought  to 
be  rendered  thereby  more  suitable  to  their  re- 
spective  purposes.  The  substitution  of  zinc  for 
the  iron  m  the  last  formula,  would  (I  am  told) 
improve  the  tone. 

To  give  this  alloy  its  highest  degree  of  sono- 
rousness, it  must  be  subjected  to  sudden  refrige- 
ration. M.  D'Arcet  recommends  the  pieces  to 
be  ignited  after  they  are  cast,  and  then  to  be 
suddenly  plunged  into  cold  water.  They  are 
next  to  undergo  a  well-regulated  pressure  by 
skillful  hammering,  until  they  have  assumed 
their  intended  form  ;  then  to  be  heated,  and  al- 
lowed to  cool  slowly  in  the  air.  In  a  general 
way,  however,  bells  are  formed  by  simple  cast- 
ing. The  addition  of  lead,  and  other  metals,  to 
this  alloy,  greatly  lessens  its  sonorousness.  For 
common  purpose  the  third  form  is  generally 
used. 

BOILER  EXPLOSIONS,  To  Prevent.  — 
Frequent  inspection  and  careful  management  of 
,  boilers  are  the  best  preventives  of  explosions, 
'.'  and  the  insurance  of  losses  by  damage  from  such 
explosions,  by  companies  established  especially 
for  such  purposes,  secures  the  desirable  inspec- 
tion ;  while  if  the  rides  adopted  by  these  com- 
panies are  faithfully  observed,  good  management 
as  well  as  safety  is  obtained.     The  following 


rules  are  so  plain  and  practical  that  they  are 
calculated  to  meet  almost  every  conceivable  exi- 
gency : 

Lo7L>  Water. — In  case  of  low  water,  immedi- 
ately bank  or  cover  the  fires  with  ashes,  or  if  no 
ashes  are  at  hand,  use  fresh  coal.  Do  not  turn 
on  the  feed  under  any  circumstances,  nor  tamper 
with  or  open  the  safety-valve.  Let  the  steam 
outlets  remain  as  they  are. 

In  Cases  of  Foaming. — Close  throttle,  and  keep 
closed  long  enough  to  show  true  level  of  water. 
If  that  level  is  sufficiently  high,  feeding  and  blow- 
ing will  usually  suffice  to  correct  the  evil.  In 
cases  of  violent  foaming,  caused  by  dirty  water, 
or  change  from  salt  to  fresh,  or  vice  versa,  in 
addition  to  the  action  before  stated,  check  draught 
and  cover  fires  with  fresh  coal. 

Safety-Valves. — Raise  the  safety-valves  cau- 
tiously and  frequently,  as  they  are  liable  to  be- 
come fast  in  their  seats,  and  useless  for  the  pur- 
pose intended. 

Safety-Valve  and  Pressure-Gauge. — Should 
the  gauge  at  any  time  indicate  the  limit  of  pres- 
sure allowed  by  this  company,  see  that  the  safety- 
valves  are  blowing  off.  In  case  of  difference, 
notify  the  company's  inspector. 

Gauge-Cocks  —  Glass-Gauge.  —  Keep  gauge- 
cocks  clear,  and  in  constant  use.  Do  not  open 
them  too  suddenly.  Glass  gauges  should  not  be 
relied  on  altogether. 

Leaks.  —  When  leaks  are  discovered,  they 
should  be  repaired  as  soon  as  possible. 

Blisters. — When  a  blister  appears,  there  must 
be  no  delay  in  having  it  carefully  examined,  and 
trimmed  or  patched,  as  the  case  may  require. 

Clean  Sheets. — Particular  care  should  be  taken 
to  keep  sheets  and  parts  of  boilers  exposed  to 
the  fire  perfectly  clean ;  also  all  tubes ;  flues  and 
connections  well  swept.  This  is  particularly 
necessary  where  wood  or  soft  coal  is  used  for 
fuel. 

Blowing-Off. — Blow  down  at  least  once  in  two 
weeks — every  Saturday  night  would  be  better. 
In  case  the  feed  becomes  muddy,  blow  out  six  or 
eight  inches  everyday.  Where  surface  blow-cocks 
are  used,  they  should  be  often  opened  for  a  few 
moments  at  a  time. 

Filling  up  the  Boiler. — After  blowing  down, 
allow  the  boiler  to  become  cool  before  filling 
again.  Cold  water  pumped  into  hot  boilers  is 
very  injurious  from  sudden  contraction. 

Exterior  of  Boiler. — Care  should  be  taken  that 
no  water  comes  in  contact  with  the  exterior 
of  the  boiler,  either  from  leaky  joints  or  other 
causes. 

Removing  Deposit  and  Sediment. — In  tubular 
boilers,  the  hand-holes  should  be  often  opened, 
and  all  collections  removed  from  over  the  fire. 
Also,  when  boilers  are  fed  in  front  and  blown 
off  through  the  same  pipe,  the  collections  of  mud 
or  sediment  in  the  rear  end  should  be  often  re- 
moved. 

General  Care  of  Boilers  and  Connections.— 
Under  all  circumstances  keep  the  gauges,  cocks, 
etc.,  clean  and  in  good  order;  and  things  gene- 
rally, in  and  about  the  engine  and  boiler-room, 
in  neat  condition. 

BOILER  INCRUSTA  TIONS,  To  Prevent. 
— A  very  simple  mode  of  preventing  boiler  in- 
crustation is  in  general  use  at  the  Darmstadt 
gas-works.  The  engine  has  worked  day  and 
night  since  1854  almost  without  interruption,  and 
the  formation  of  calcareous  deposits  has  been 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


401 


entirely  prevented  by  the  use  of  crude  prolig- 
neous  acid,  combined  with  tar  ;  it  is  either  intro- 
duced into  the  boiler  or  mixed  with  the  feed 
water.  Since  the  mixture  has  been  in  use  they 
have  never  had  a  stoppage  through  incrustation, 
and  have  never  had  to  use  a  hammer  to  remove 
scale.  Each  year,  during  the  summer,  when 
less  gas  is  required,  the  boiler  is  opened,  and 
perhaps  a  couple  of  handfuls  of  loose  sediment 
taken  from  the  bottom.  The  quantity  employed 
is  very  small— just  enough  to  redden  litmus 
paper;  consequently  the  iron  is  not  attacked,  as 
mdeed  is  apparent  from  the  fact  that  the  boiler 
has  been  but  twice  under  repair. 

BOILERS,  ToFrn'ent  Lime  Deposits.— ?\x\. 
into  your  cistern  or  tank,  from  which  the  boiler 
is  fed,  a  sufficient  amount  of  oak  tan  bark,  in 
the  piece,  to  color  the  water  rather  dark;  run 
four  weeks  and  renew.  This  plan  has  been 
much  used,  in  the  lime-stone  sections  of  Ohio, 
giving  general  satisfaction. 

BORAX,  To  Prepare  for  the  Blaiv-pipe.— 
Take  one  ounce  of  borax,  coarsely  powdered, 

?ut  it  into  a  clean  crucible,  and  cover  it  loosely, 
ut  the  whole  into  a  furnace,  and  watch  it  till  it 
ceases  to  swell,  then  augment  the  heat,  and 
when  the  whole  fuses  quietly,  take  it  out,  and 
pour  it  into  a  wedgewood-ware  or  metallic  mor- 
tar, and  when  cold,  reduce  it  to  an  impalable 
powder,  in  which  state  it  is  to  be  used. 

BORAX,  Substitute  for. — Coppers,  2  oz.  ; 
saltpetre,  I  oz.  ;  common  salt,  6  oz. ;  black  ox- 
ide of  manganese,  I  oz. ;  prussiate  of  potash,  i 
oz. ;  all  pulverized,  and  mixed  with  3  lbs.  of 
nice  welding  sand,  and  use  the  same  as  you  would 
sand.  High  tempered  steel  can  be  welded  with 
this  at  a  lower  heat  than  is  required  for  borax. 

BRASS. — An  alloy  of  copper  and  zinc. 
Brass  was  formerly  manufactured  by  cementing 
granulated  copper,  or  copper  clippings,  with 
calcined  calamine  and  charcoal,  in  crucibles,  ex- 

})0sed  to  a  bright  heat.  The  alloy  was  found  in 
umps  at  the  bottom  of  the  crucible  on  cooling. 
These  were  remelted  and  cast  into  ingots.  At 
the  present  day,  brass  is  generally  made  by  di- 
rect union  of  the  metals.  This  process  requires 
much  care,  owing  to  the  different  degrees  of 
fusibility  of  copper  and  zinc.  The  proper  quan- 
tity of  zinc  is  first  melted,  and  slips  of  copper 
plunged  into  it,  which  are  rapidly  dissolved,  as 
It  were,  and  the  addition  is  continued  until  an 
alloy  is  formed,  somewhat  difficult  of  fusion, 
when  the  remainder  of  the  copper  is  added. 
The  brass  thus  formed  is  broken  into  pieces,  and 
remelted  under  charcoal,  and  a  proper  addition 
of  either  zinc  or  copper  made,  to  bring  it  up  to 
the  color  and  quality  desired.  It  is  next  cast 
into  plates,  or  other  forms,  in  moulds  of  granite. 
When  submitted  to  the  rolling-press  for  reduc- 
tian  to  thin  plates,  it  requires  to  undergo  the 
operation  of  annealing  several  times. 

1.  {Fine  Brass.) — 2  parts  of  copper  to  I  part 
of  zinc.  This  is  nearly  one  equivalent  each  of 
copper  and  zinc,  if  the  equivalent  ot  the  former 
metal  be  taken  at  63-2;  or  2  equivalents  of  cop- 
per to  I  equivalent  of  zinc,  if  it  be  taken  with 
Liebig  .ind  Berzelius,  at  31-6. 

2.  Copper  4  parts,  zinc  I  part.  An  excellent 
and  very  useful  brass. 

BRASS,  Dipping. — ^The  operation  of  "dip- 
ping "is  practised  as  follows :  The  shop 
is  or  should  be,  a  well  ventilated,  high- 
roofed     apartment,    with    abundant    provision 


for  the  escape  of  the  fumes  of  the  acid. 
It  is  built  round  interiorly  with  brick-work, 
on  which  to  place  the  tubs  which  contain  the 
water  to  kill  the  acitl,  and  the  "jowls"  or 
earthware  vessels  in  which  the  various  strengths 
of  acid  are  contained.  There  should  also  be  a 
muffle  in  which  to  anneal  the  work,  and  a  hori- 
zontal plate  of  iron  with  provision  to  heat  it,  in 
order  to  keep  the  boxwood  receptacle  or  sheet- 
iron  pan  and  its  contents  at  a  moderate  temper- 
ature. This  shop  should  be  in  connection  with 
a  space  or  yard  in  which  to  place  the  pickle 
troughs,  and  there  should  be  ample  provision  for 
the  supply  of  clean  cold  water ;  it  soft  water  so 
much  the  better ;  also  a  set  lx)iler  in  which  to 
keep  hot  a  supply  of  lye  or  alkaline  solution,  as 
potash  or  soda.  The  materials  employed  are 
aquafortis  of  various  strengths,  pure  water,  and 
argol,  i.  e.,  the  refuse  or  sediment  of  wine  casks, 
or  crude  tartar  in  the  form  of  a  powder.  After 
annealing,  the  work  is  immersed  in  a  weak  so- 
lution of  pickle,  to  scale  it,  or  remove  the  ex- 
ternal skin.  After  rinsing  it  out,  it  is  brushed 
with  sand,  to  remove  the  more  firmly  adherent 
scales.  Again  pickled,  if  uniformly  clean,  it  is 
then  in  a  condition  to  receive  a  final  finish,  if 
bright  dipped;  and,  if  dead  dipped,  to  be  sub- 
jected to  the  "deadening"  process,  which  is 
conducted  as  follows  :  The  aquafortis  is  reduced 
from  its  dipping  strength  by  means  of  water,  or 
a  special  variety  is  used  and  designated  by  the 
name  of  "deadening  aqua."  A  quantity  of 
either  the  former  or  latter  is  poured  into  a 
"jowl."  or  brown  earthenware  opened-mouthed 
vessel.  The  articles  are  placed  therein,  and  the 
jowl  agitated  till  a  creamy  coating  is  observ- 
able over  their  entire  surface ;  they  are  then  re- 
moved and  washed  out  in  water.  After  they  arc 
cooled  and  the  acid  "killed,"  they  are  passed 
through  the  strong  aquafortis,  rinsed  out  in  three 
several  tubs  of  water,  and  then  dried  out  in 
warm  box-sawdust  contained  in  the  sheet-iron 
pan  already  alluded  to.  Any  acid  which  may 
have  accidently  insinuated  itself  into  defects  in 
the  work  is  neutralized  by  immersion  in  the  lye 
or  alkaline  solution  contained  in  the  boiler. 
After  the  articles  are  dried  out  they  are  then 
plunged  into  a  tub  containing  pure  water,  on 
the  surface  of  which  is  strewed  a  small  quantity 
of  argol,  or  tartar.  In  this  condition  the  work- 
man holds  them  in  his  vice,  or,  if  round  or 
globular  places  them  on  the  chuck  in  his  lathe. 

The  operation  of  dipping  is  considerably  de- 
pendent on  temperature.  It  is  retarded  by  cold, 
and  accelerated  by  a  moderate  heat ;  in  exceed- 
ingly hot  weather  it  is  with  great  difficulty  ac- 
complished, and  is  rarely  satisfactory,  as  the 
work  becomes  speckled  or  irregular  in  the  "dead- 
ening." The  success  of  the  operation  of  dip- 
ping is  greatly  dependent  on  the  mixture  of  the 
metal,  and  not  a  little  on  the  aquafortis,  its 
strength  and  purity.  Up  to  the  present  time 
practice  has  been  the  only  guide  to  English 
"dippers;"  the  recurrence  of  a  certain  phenom- 
ena they  obviate  by  experience,  by  rule  of  thumb 
or  experiment ;  and  these  experiments  are  not 
on  all  occasions  successful  in  removing  the  diffi- 
culties which  present  themselves.  Science,  to 
be  useful,  should  deal  with  the  rationale  of  the 
operations  and  processes  employed  in  manufac- 
tures ;  but  no  scientific  work  has  yet  explained 
the  "why  and  because "  which  regidates  the 
failure  or  success  of  "dead  dipping." 

26 


402 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


To  dipping  follows  burnishing,  the  process  of 
which  is  as  follows ; 

BRASS,  BURNISHING.  —  Burnishing, 
which  furnishes  a  contrast  to  other  portions  of 
dead  dipped  work,  is  effected  by  means  of  steel 
burnisher,  or  tools  of  steel,  varying  in  form, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  work  and  surfaces 
of  the  portion  to  be  burnished.  For  ordinay  flat 
work,  or  tubes  and  the  edges  of  cast  work,  the 
burnishers  are  from  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  long 
and  oval  shape,  and  tapering  to  a  point.  Other 
varieties  of  burnishers,  as  for  lathe  burnishing, 
are  made  with  variously  formed  terminations; 
others  are  hooked,  and  of  various  breadths  and 
thicknesses  ;  all  are  blunt,  and  after  being  hard- 
ened are  polished  up  to  the  highest  degree  of 
brilliancy  on  the  portion  used  for  burnishing. 
The  article  to  be  burnished  is  held  in  a  vice,  if 
cast;  if  stamped,  it  is  laid  on  a  ♦'force"  or  solid 
metal  convex  brass  or  lead  cast  of  the  stamped 
article ;  this  furnishes  an  internal  support  to  the 
thin  metal,  and  prevents  its  sinking  under  the 
pressure  of  the  burnisher.  The  surface  to  be 
burnished  is  operated  upon  with  the  steel  burn- 
isher, dipped  in  "ox  gall."  This  lubricates  the 
burnisher,  and  prevents  scratching.  The  work, 
when  it  gets  dry,  is  dipped  into  the  argol  water. 
When  the  article  has  been  burnished  on  all  the 
portions  intended,  it  is  passed  through  "sharp 
water,"  i.  e.,  water  in  which  a  small  quantity  of 
acid  has  been  mixed,  thereafter  it  is  rinsed  out 
in  pure  water,  and  finally  dried  out  in  warm  box- 
sawdust  ;  it  is  then  lacquered  to  protect  it  from 
oxidation  or  tarnish. 

BRASS,  To  Bronze. — For  bronzing  the  brass 
objects  are  first  made  warm,  and  washed  in  a  hot 
solution  of  ammonium  chloride,  (sal  .immoniac,) 
and  then  placed  over  night  in  a  tolerably  diluted 
solution  of  two  parts  cupric  acetate,  (verdigris.) 
and  one  part  ammonium  chloride  in  six  parts  of 
vinegar.  The  next  morning  they  are  taken  out 
and  washed.  A  bronze  to  be  applied  with  the 
brush  is  made  by  boiling  l6  parts  ammonium 
carbonate  and  1 6  parts  cupric  sulphate  in  200 
parts  vinegar  till  the  latter  is  almost  entirely 
evaporated ;  then  adding  one  part  of  oxalic  acicl, 
and  4  parts  of  ammonium  chloride  dissolved  in 
200  parts  vinegar ;  the  whole  is  placed  over  the 
fire  till  it  boils,  then  cooled,  filtered,  and  preserv- 
ed in  well-stoppered  bottles.  Clean  thoroughly 
the  object  to  be  bronzed,  heat  it,  and  apply  the 
liquid  with  a  fine  brush.  After  griving  it  time 
to  act,  pour  on  boiling  water,  and  rub  with  a  dry 
oily  cotton  rag,  and  then  with  dry  cotton,  till 
every  trace  of  the  vinegar  has  disappeared. 

BRASS,  A  nnu.  —  The  difficulty  of  uniting 
iron  to  brass  is  created  by  the  unequal  rate  of 
expansion  in  the  two  metals,  which  destroys  the 
unity  when  the  temperature  is  changed.  A  new 
alloy  of  copper  is  announced,  and  the  inventor 
claims  that  its  expansion  by  heat  is  so  similar  to 
iron  and  steel,  that  the  surfaces  may  be  regarded, 
when  joined,  as  permanently  united,  for  all  prac- 
tical purposes.  The  formula  is  as  follows :  Tin, 
3  parts ;  copper,  39^  parts ;  zinc  7^  parts. 

BRASS,  Coating;: —  i.  Brass  plates  and  rods 
may  be  covered  with  asuperficial  coating  of  brass, 
by  exposing  them  in  a  heated  state  to  the  fumes 
of  melted  zinc,  at  a  high  temperature.  Use.  For 
rolling  into  thin  plates,  or  drawing  into  wire.  The 
celebrated  spurious  gold  wire  of  Lyons  is  thus 
made. — 2.  Vessels  of  copper  mr.y  be  coated  with 
brass,  internally,  by  filling  them   with   water 


strongly  acidulated  with  muriatic  acid,  adding 
some  amalgam  of  zinc  and  cream  of  tartar,  and 
then  boiling  for  a  short  time. 

BRASS,  To  Coat  with  Tin. —  It  is  often  desir- 
able to  coat  brass,  copper  or  lead  with  a  thin 
covering  of  tin.  This  can  be  managed  thus: 
Half  a  pint  of  table  salt  and  a  quarter  pound  of 
cream  of  tartar  are  dissolved  in  about  five  gallons 
of  water.  Some  tin  scrapings  or  filings  are  then 
added  to  the  water.  The  articles  to  be  coated 
are  then  put  into  the  solution  and  smartly  boil^, 
being  stirred  all  the  time,  until  the  requisite 
coating  is  given.  Boiling  in  a  tin  vessel  without 
the  filings  will  give  a  very  fair  coating,  but  of 
course  not  so  good. 

BRASS,  7'o  Cover 'with  beautiful  Lustre  Col- 
ors.—  One  ounce  of  cream  of  tartar  is  dissolved 
in  one  quart  of  hot  water,  to  which  is  added  h.ilf 
an  ounce  of  tin  salt  (protochloride  ofiin)  dissolv- 
ed in  four  ounces  of  cold  water.  The  whole  is 
then  heated  to  boiling,  the  clear  solution  decanted 
from  a  trifling  precipitate,  and  poured  under 
continual  stirring  into  a  solution  of  three  ounces 
hyposulphite  of  soda  in  one-half  a  pint  of  water, 
whereupon  it  is  again  heated  to  boiling,  and 
filtered  from  the  separated  sulphur.  This  solution 
produces  on  brass  the  various  luster-colors, 
depending  on  the  length  of  time  during  which 
the  articles  are  allowed  to  remain  in  it.  The 
colors  at  first  will  be  light  to  dark  gold  yellow, 
passing  through  all  the  tints  of  red  to  an  irri- 
descent  brown.  A  similar  series  of  colors  is 
produced  by  sulphide  of  copper  and  lead,  which, 
however,  are  not  remarkable  for  their  stability; 
whether  this  defect  will  be  obviated  by  the  use  of 
the  tin  solution,  experience  and  time  alone  can 
show. 

BRASS,  CLEANING  of.—  Rub  the  surface 
of  the  metal  with  rotten  stone  and  sweet  oil,  then 
rub  off  with  a  piece  of  cotton  flannel  and  polish 
with  soft  leather.  A  solution  of  oxalic  acid  rub- 
bed over  tarnished  brass  soon  removes  the 
tarnish,  rendering  the  metal  bright.  The  acid 
must  be  washed  off  with  water,  and  the  brass 
rubbed  with  wjytening  and  soft  leather.  A 
mixture  of  murfatic  acid  and  alum  dissolved  in 
water,  imparts  a  golden  color  to  brass  articles 
that  are  steeped  in  it  for  a  few  seconds. 

BRASS,  Cleansing  Solution  for. — Put  fogether 
two  ounces  sulphuric  acid,  an  ounce  and  a  half 
nitric  acid,  one  dram  saltpetre  and  two  ounces 
rain  water.  Let  stand  for  a  few  hours,  and 
apply  by  passing  the  article  in  and  out  quickly, 
and  then  washing  off  thoroughly  with  clean  rain 
water.  Old  discolored  brass  chains  treated  in 
this  way  will  look  equally  as  well  as  when  new. 
The  usual  method  of  drying  is  in  sawdust. 

BRA  SS,  To  Deposit  on  Zinc  and  other  Metals. 
— It  is  easy  enough  to  electro-plate  brass  objects 
with  copper,  silver,  or  gold,  by  means  of  the 
galvanic  battery ;  but  the  deposition  of  brass  on 
other  metals  is  not  so  easy.  Brass  being  an  alloy 
of  copper  and  zinc,  there  is  a  tendency  to  deposit 
the  copper  in  preference,  if  we  use  a  solution  of 
sulphate  of  copper  and  sulphate  of  zinc,  mixed, 
for  our  deposition  bath.  Experience  has  proved 
that  weak  currents,  produced  by  weak  batteries, 
have  especially  a  tendency  to  deposit  only  one 
metal  out  of  the  mixture,  of  diverse  metallic  salts, 
and  it  requires  a  strong  current  to  deposit  them 
together,  so  as  to  obtain  an  alloy.  But  strong 
currents  possess  the  grave  objection  of  deposition 
thick,  irregular,  brittle  films,  which  do  not  adhere 


WORKERS  IiV  METALS, 


403 


well  and  easily  peel  off.  Hence  it  is  desirable  to 
use  a  preparation  of  the  metallic  salts,  which 
will  permit  their  simultaneous  precipitation  at  the 
same  time  with  a  weak  current, 
t  Such  a  preparation  was  given  recently  by 
Walenn,  in  England.  It  had  already  been  found 
that  by  using  in  the  bath  the  cyanides  of  copper 
and  zinc,  (cyanides,  by  the  way,  are  always  used 
in  depositing  gold  and  silver, )  the  alloy  may  be 
much  more  easily  deposited  than  from  the  sul- 
phides. The  manufacturers  of  gas  fixtures  make 
their  castings  of  chandeliers  and  brackets  mostly 
of  zinc,  and  then  electro-plate  them  with  brass. 
This  method  is  followed  at  present,  also,  in 
making  statuary.  It  is  prepared  in  quantity  for 
the  trade  on  a  large  manufacturing  scale.  The 
practice  in  such  establishments,  thus  far,  is  to 
dissolve  cyanide  of  copper  and  zinc  in  a  solution 
of  cyanide  of  potassium  and  a  salt  of  ammonium, 
so  as  to  obtain  a  more  soluble  double  or  triple 
salt  of  the  metal,  with  potassium  and  ammo- 
nium. 

This  preparation,  notwithstanding  it  allows 
the  deposition  of  the  alloy  to  take  place  regular- 
ly, has  the  defect  of  evolving  hydrogen  gas  in 
great  quantity,  which  interferes  with  the  galvanic 
current ;  and  this  defect  has  been  removed  by 
the  prescription  of  Walenn,  which  runs  as  fol- 
lows :  To  a  mixed  solution  of  cyanide  of  potas- 
sium and  neutral  tartrate  of  ammonia  in  water, 
add  the  cyanides  of  copper  and  zinc  till  saturated, 
then  add  the  oxides  of  the  same  metals ;  that  is, 
black  oxide  of  copper  and  unadulterated  zinc- 
white,  and  let  the  liquid  dissolve  as  much  of 
them  as  possible.  This  preparation  being  used 
as  a  bath,  causes  the  evolution  of  hydrogen  to  be 
made  much  less.  It  may  even  be  entirely  pre- 
vented by  the  addition  of  ammonide  of  copper, 
when  a  very  weak  galvanic  current  will  suffice. 
If  the  color  of  the  brass  is  too  pale,  a  little  more 
copper  salt  is  to  be  added  to  the  solution ;  if  too 
deeply  copper-colored,  a  little  more  of  the  zinc 
salt.  A  large  brass  plate  is  used  for  the  positive 
electrode,  the  object  to  be  coated  being  attached 
to  the  negative  one.  If  every  thing  works  right, 
the  brass  plate  will  lose  as  much  in  weight  as  the 
object  gains  by  the  deposit.  As  a  general  hint 
for  all  electro-plating,  we  must  observe  that  the 
objects  to  be  coated  must  be  well  cleaned, 
scrubbed  with  fine  sand,  washed,  then  scrubbed 
again,  and  then  connected  with  the  zinc  pole  of 
the  battery  before  being  placed  in  the  trough ; 
and  that  the  best  way  of  treatment  after  the  de- 
posit is  formed,  is  to  wash  in  clear  water  and 
dry  in  the  sawdust  of  a  non-resinous  wood.  If 
the  solution  is  worked  at  an  elevated  temperature, 
the  contact  of  the  coating  will  be  promoted.  Fi- 
nally, we  may  observe  that  acid  solutions  give 
"mat"  deposits,  while  alkaline  solutions  give  the 
reverse,  a  bright  or  bristling  coating. 

BRASS  INLAID  WORK,  To  Polish.— ?\\z 
the  brass  very  clean  with  a  smooth  file;  then 
take  some  tripoli  powdered  very  fine,  and  mix  it 
with  the  linseed  oil.  Dip  in  this  a  rubber  of  hat, 
with  which  polish  the  work  until  the  desired  ef- 
fect is  obtained. 

If  the  work  is  ebony,  or  black  rose-wood,  take 
some  elder-coal  powdered  very  fine,  and  apply  it 
dry  after  you  have  done  with  the  tripoli,  and  it 
will  produce  a  superior  polish. 

The  Trench  mode  of  ornamenting  with  brass 
differs  widely  from  ours,  theirs  being  chiefly 
water-gilt   (or  mouiu),    excepting   the  flutes  of  1 


columns,  etc.,  which  are  polished  very  high  with 
rotten  stone,  and  finished  with  elder-coal. 

BRASS,  To  Lacquer.  —  Lacquering,  or  the 
covering  of  finished  brass  work  with  transparent 
varnish  to  preserve  the  surface  and  finish  of  the 
articles  from  ordinary  and  extraordinary  atmos- 
pheric and  other  influences,  may  be  said  to  com- 
plete the  manipulatory  operations  in  the  manu- 
facture of  objects  in  brass.  The  lacquering  room, 
in  the  best  regulated  manufactories,  is  a  lofty, 
well-aired  apartment,  with  counters  round,  on 
which  to  lay  the  finished  articles.  In  it  are  erect- 
ed, on  brick  basements,  with  cast-iron  top  or 
plate  placed  horizontally  like  an  ordinary  hot- 
hearth,  one  or  more  stoves.  Ordinary  cast-iron 
frames  and  doors  are  inserted  in  front  to  allow 
of  the  introduction  of  the  fuel.  A  series  of  flues 
running  under  the  surface  of  the  iron  plate  se- 
cures the  diffusion  of  the  heat  generally  on  its 
upper  surface.  On  this  plate  are  laid  the  articles 
to  be  lacquered.  The  lacquer  or  varnish  is  com- 
posed of  spirits  of  wine  m  which  has  been  dis- 
solved seed  lac  In  appearance  it  presents  that 
of  pale  French  brandy,  verging,  where  colored, 
into  that  of  the  brown  variety  of  the  spirit  already 
named.  Turmeric,  dragon's  blood,  or  sandal 
wood,  will  impart  various  shades  of  color  if  dis- 
solved in  the  mixture  of  spirits  of  wine  and  lac 
already  named.  The  brass  articles  having  been 
coated  over  when  cold  with  the  lacquer,  are  laid 
on  the  hot  iron  plate,  and  when  sufficiently  heat- 
ed are  again  coated  with  lacquer  applied  with 
large  round  camel  hair  brushes,  of  sizes  varying 
from  five-eighth  inch  to  one  inch  diameter. 
Delicate  and  skillful  application,  and  the  perfec- 
tion of  lacquering  consist  in  a  uniform  coating. 
Careless  lacquering  is  indicated  by  smearing  or 
irregular  depths  of  shade,  and  consequently  im- 
paired brilliancy  of  effect.  Too  much  heat  friz- 
zles the  lacquer ;  if  too  cold  the  articles  will  be 
dull.  The  spirit  of  wine  is  simply  a  solvent  for 
the  gum,  and  when  the  lacquer  is  applied  evap- 
orates or  flies  off,  leaving  the  gum  on  the  surface 
of  the  brass,  and  protects  its  surface  completely 
for  years  from  ordinary  exhalations  or  other  in- 
fluences. ,Sea  air,  the  noxious  fumes  of  chemi- 
cals or  tobacco,  the  deposits  of  flies,  damp,  etc., 
however,  act  upon  it,  and  corrode  through  the 
lacquer,  impairing  its  brilliancy  and  protective 
properties.  The  idea  that  lacquering  brightens 
up  brass  work,  apart  from  finish,  is  an  error  too 
frequently  entertained;  imless  there  is  preNaous 
finish,  lacquer  being  transparent  serves  only  to 
render  more  apparent  the  existing  defects  on  the 
surface  of  the  object  on  which  it  is  applied. 

Attempts  have  been  made  to  introduce  steam- 
hfeated  lacquering  plates,  or  a  hollow  iron  box 
into  which  the  steam  passes.  Heat  in  steam, 
however,  indicates  pressure,  and  no  ordinary  en- 
gine boiler  valve  could  be  so  loaded  as  to  stand 
the  pressure  to  get  up  the  required  degree  of 
heat  equal  to  that  produced  by  fuel  introduced 
immediately  under  a  cast-iron  pl.ate. 

Steam  has,Jiowever,  been  successfully  applied 
to  the  lacquering  of  tubes  and  other  hollow  ar- 
ticles as  follows:  A  stcim  pipe  is  conducted  from 
the  boiler  of  the  engine  connected  with  the  works; 
this  pipe  is  led  into  the  lacquering  room,  and 
placed  horizontally  about  three  feet  or  three  feet 
six  inches  from  the  floor.  In  this  horizontal  tube 
is  inserted,  at  regular  distance-;,  a  number  of  good 
well-made  gun-metal  taps  ;  these  are  fitted  with 
lever  keys,  easily  removed  after  tlie  steam  has 


404 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


been  turned  on  or  off.  The  taps  have  tapering 
ends,  which  are  inserted  into  the  ends  of  the 
pipe  or  tube  to  be  lacquered.  The  opposite  end 
of  the  tube  is  supported  on  a%tand,  the  steam  is 
turned  on,  passes  through  the  interior  of  the 
tube,  and  speedily  heats  it  to  a  sufficient  temper- 
ature for  lacquering.  The  lacquer  is  then  ap- 
{ilied  as  already  described.  For  the  purpose  of 
acquering  such  articles  as  have  been  named,  the 
steam  method  alluded  to  has  no  equal.  The 
heat  of  the  tube,  or  hollow  article  to  be  operated 
upon,  can  be  increased  or  diminished  at  will  by 
simply  turning  on  more,  or  checking  the  admis- 
sion of  the  steam.  Contrast  this  with  the  ted- 
ious process  of  heating  a  twelve  or  eighteen  feet 
tube,  or  hollow  cornice  pole,  on  a  cast-iron 
plate.  The  utmost  length  which  could  be  prop- 
erly heated  at  one  time  would  not  extend  be- 
3'ond  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet.  We  have  thus 
at  least  twelve  separate  heatings ;  removed 
from  the  hot  plate  the  article  speedily  cools,  and 
we  have  nine  or  twelve  separate  joinings  of  lac- 
quer ;  the  lacquerer  must  be  careful  and  skillful 
indeed  who  is  able  to  conceal  the  junctions  of 
the  several  points  of  contact.  If  this  is  con- 
trasted with  the  tube  regularly  heated  by  steam, 
the  superiority  of  the  steam  process  will  at  once 
be  recognized. 

BRASS  ORNAMENTS,  To  Clean.— Brass 
ornaments,  that  have  not  been  gilt  or  lacquered, 
may  be  clean,  and  a  very  brilliant  color  given 
to  them,  by  washing  them  with  alum  boiled  in 
strong  lye,  in  the  proportion  of  an  ounce  to  a 
pint,  and  afterwards  rubbing  them  with  strong 
tripoli. 

BRASS  ORNAMENTS,  To  Preserve.— 'Y\(\% 
may  be  done  by  two  simple  processes.  The 
first  is  to  beat  sal  ammoniac  into  a  fine  powder, 
then  to  moisten  it  with  soft  water,  rubbing  it  on 
the  ornaments;  which  must  be  heated  over 
charcoal  and  rubbed  dry  with  bran  and  whiting. 
The  second  is  to  wash  the  brass  work  with  roche 
alum  boiled  in  strong  lye,  in  the  proportion  of  an 
ounce  to  a  pint.  When  dry  it  must  be  rubbed 
with  fine  tripoli.  Either  of  these  processes  will 
give  to  brass  the  brilliancy  of  gold.    , 

BRASS,  To  Temper,  or  Draw  its  Temper. — 
Brass  is  rendered  hard  by  hammering  or  rolling, 
therefore  when  you  make  a  thing  of  brass,  neces- 
sary to  be  in  temper,  you  must  prepare  the  ma- 
terial before  shaping  the  article.  Temper  may 
be  drawn  from  brass  by  heating  it  to  a  cherry 
red,  and  then  simply  plunging  it  into  water  the 
same  as  though  you  were  going  to  temper 
steel. 

BRASS,  For  Wire. — Copper,  34  parts ;  cala- 
mine, 56  parts.     Mix. 

BLUING  Small  Steel  Articles.— l.  Having 
a  quantity  of  charcoal  ashes  on  an  iron  plate,  or 
in  a  box,  place  over  the  fire,  and  heat  slowly. 
Put  the  articles  to  be  blued  in  the  ashes,  and  as 
they  get  heated,  take  out  occasionally  to  see  how 
the  color  is  drawing.  When  the  color  is  a  blue, 
do  not  take  them  out,  but  leave  them  until  they 
have  become  white  again,  when  they  should  be 
taken  out  and  allowed  to  cool.  Now,  by  return- 
ing the  articles  and  reheating  you  will  have  the 
"second  blue."  The  first  blue  will  rub  off 
easily,  the  second  blue  will  wear  quite  a  long 
time,  but  in  order  to  get  a  good  color,  the  article 
should  be  highly  polished,  and  free  from  grease 
of  any  kind,  and  in  no  case  should  the  articles 
be  dipped  in  oil  or  water,  before  or  after  bluing, 


unless  you  wish  to  spoil  the  color. — 2.  Give  the 
pieces  a  bright  fine  polish,  and  lay  them  in  a 
sheet-iron  pan,  with  some  slaked  lime.  Set  the 
pan  over  a  forge,  or  in  any  place  where  he  can 
regulate  the  heat,  and  watch  them  carefully  until 
they  have  the  right  color.  If  the  steel  be  good, 
they  will  take  on  a  bright  vivid  blue. 

BLUE  (^Transparent),  For  Steel  Ploughs. — 
Take  dammar  varnish  %  gal. ;  finely  ground 
Prussian-blue  %  oz.  ;  mix  thoroughly.  For 
ground  steel  ploughs,  or  other  ground  steel,  one 
or  two  coats  of  this  will  be  found  sufficient  to 
give  a  nice  blue  appearance,  like  highly  tempered 
steel;  some  may  wish  a  little  more  blue;  if  so, 
add  the  Prussian-blue  to  your  liking. 

BRITANNIA  METAL.— i.  Tin,  82  parts  ; 
lead,  18 parts;  brass,  5  parts;  antimony,  5  parts. 
Mix. 

2.  Brass,  I  part;  antimony,  4  parts;  tin,  20 
parts.     Mix. 

3.  Plate  brass,  tin,  bismuth,  and  antimony,  of 
each  equal  parts.  Add  this  mixture  to  melted 
tin  until  it  acquires  the  proper  color  and  hard- 
ness. 

BRONZE,  Aluminum. — Resembles  gold  in 
appearance ;  is  said  to  be  twice  as  strong  as  the 
best  gun-metal ;  as  light  as  wrought-iron  ;  is  not 
easily  tarnished.  It  is  easily  stamped  and  en- 
graved. It  is  composed  of  10  parts  of  alumi- 
num and  90  of  copper.  It  requires  to  be  re- 
melted,  as  the  first  melting  is  brittle. 

BRONZE,  Gold. — Pure  gold  bronze  powder 
may  be  made  as  follows :  Grind  leaf  gold  with 
pure  honey  until  the  leaves  are  broken  up  and 
minutely  divided.  Remove  tliis  mixture  from 
the  stone  by  a  spatula  and  stir  up  in  a  basin  of 
water ;  the  water  will  melt  the  honey  and  set  the 
gold  free.  Leave  the  basin  undisturbed  until  the 
gold  subsides.  Pour  off  the  water  and  add 
fresh  instead,  until  the  honey  is  entirely  washed 
away,  after  which  collect  the  gold  on  filtering 
pans  and  dry  for  use.  A  cheaper  sort  may  be 
made  thus  :  Melt  one  pound  of  tin  in  a  crucible 
and  pour  it  on  one-half  pound  of  pure  mercury; 
when  this  is  solid  grind  it  into  powder  with  seven 
ounces  of  flowers  of  sulphur,  and  one-half  pound 
of  sal  ammoniac 

BRONZING  Gun-barrels.— The  so-called 
butter  of  zinc  used  for  bronzing  gun-barrels  is 
made  by  dissolving  zinc  in  hydrochloric  acid 
till  no  more  free  acid  is  left ;  which  is  secured  by 
placing  zinc  in  the  acid  until  it  ceases  to  be  dis- 
solved. The  liquid  is  then  evaporated  until  a 
drop  taken  out  and  placed  on  a  piece  of  glass 
solidifies  in  cooling,  when  it  is  mixed  with  2 
parts  of  olive-oil  for  every  three  parts  of  the  li- 
quid. The  barrels  must  be  cleansed  and 
warmed  before  applying  the  so-called  butter, 
which  put  on  with  a  piece  of  linen  rag. 

BRONZE,  For  Cutting  Instrtimcnts. — Cop- 
per, 100  parts ;  tin,  14  parts.  M.  Dussaussy 
says  that  the  above  alloy,  when  hardened  and 
tempered  after  the  manner  of  the  ancients,  will 
yield  an  edge  nearly  equal  to  that  of  steel.  Sev- 
eral analyses  have  been  made  of  ancient  cutting 
instruments,  whence  it  appears  that  the  proportion 
of  tin  varies  from  4  to  15  per  cent.,  which  tends 
to  prove  that  more  depends  on  the  exact  mode 
of  tempering  the  alloy,  than  on  the  relative 
quantities  of  the  ingredients.  Zinc  and  tin  are  in- 
admissible in  bronze  for  this  purpose.  One  or 
two  per  cent,  of  iron  might  nevertheless  be 
added  with  advantage.    The  ancient  bronze  used 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


40s 


for  springs,  contained  only  3  to  4  per  cent,  of 
tin, 

BRONZING  FLUID.  — ¥oT  hrovm:  Iron 
filings,  or  scales,  i  lb.;  arsenic,  I  oz.;  hydrochloric 
acid,  I  lb.;  metallic  zinc,  l  oz.  The  article  to  be 
bronzed  is  to  be  dipped  in  this  solution  till  the 
desired  effect  be  produced. 

BRONZE,  Green. — Acetic  acid,  diluted,  4lbs.; 
green  verditer,  2  oz.;  muriate  of  ammonia,  i  oz.; 
common  salt,  2oz.;  alum,  >^  oz.;  French  berries, 
Yz  lb.;  boil  them  together  till  the  berries  have 
yielded  their  color,  and  strain.  Olive  bronze,  for 
brass  or  copper, — Nitric  acid,  loz.;  hydrochloric 
acid,  2  oz.;  add  titanium  or  palladium,  as  much 
as  will  dissolve,  and  add  three  pints  of  distilled 
water. 

BRONZING  for  Iron  or  ^^w^.— First,  make 
a  black  paint;  then  put  in  a  little  chrome-yellow, 
only  sufficient  to  give  it  a  dark-green  shade ; 
apply  a  coat  of  this  to  the  article  to  be  bronzed ; 
when  dry,  give  it  a  coat  of  varnish ;  and  when 
the  varnish  is  a  little  dry,  dust  on  bronze  by 
dipping  a  piece  of  velvet  into  the  bronze  and 
shaking  it  upon  the  varnish;  then  give  it  another 
coat  of  varnish,  and  when  dry,  all  is  complete. 

BRONZING  of  Medals  and  Ornaments  of 
Copper,  Electrotypes,  etc, — i.  Having  thoroughly 
cleaned  and  polished  the  surface  of  the  specimen, 
with  a  brush  apply  the  common  crocus  powder, 
previously  made  into  a  paste  with  water.  When 
dry,  place  it  in  an  iron  ladle,  or  on  a  common  fire- 
shovel,  over  a  clear  fire  about  I  minute ;  and 
when  sufficiently  cool,  polish  with  a  plate  brush. 
By  this  process  a  bronze  similar  to  that  on  tea- 
urns  is  produced ;  the  shade  depending  upon  the 
duration  of  the  exposure  to  the  fire. 

2.  By  substituting  finely-powdered  plumbago 
for  crocus  powder  in  the  above  process,  a  beauti- 
ful, deep,  and  permanent  bronze  appearance  is 
produced. 

3.  Rub  the  medal  with  a  solution  of  livers  of 
.  sulphur,   or  sulphuret  of  potassium,    then  dry. 

This  produces  the  appearance  of  antique  bronze 
very  exactly. 

4.  Dissolve  2  oz.  of  verdigris  and  I  oz.  of  sal 
ammoniac  in  i  pint  of  vinegar,  and  dilute  the 
mixture  with  water  until  it  tastes  but  slightly 
metallic,  when  it  must  be  boiled  for  a  few  min- 
utes, and  filtered  for  use.  Copper  medals,  etc. , 
previously  thoroughly  cleaned  from  grease  and 
dirt,  are  to  be  steeped  in  the  liquor  at  the  boiling 
point,  until  the  desii-ed  effect  is  produced.  Care 
must  be  taken  not  to  keep  them  in  the  solution 
too  long.  When  taken  out,  they  should  be  care- 
fully washed  in  hot  water,  and  well  dried.  Gives 
an  antique  appearance. 

5.  (Chinese  method. )  Make  a  paste  with  2  oz. 
each  of  verdigris  and  vermilion ;  5  oz.  each  of 
alum  and  sal  ammoniac,  all  in  fine  powder,  and 
vinegar  q.  s.;  then  spread  it  over  the  surface  of 
the  copper,  previously  well  cleaned  and  bright- 
ened, uniformly  warm  the  article  by  the  fire,  and 
afterwards  well  wash  and  dry  it,  when,  if  the  tint 
be  not  deep  enough,  the  process  may  be  repeated. 
The  addition  of  a  little  blue  vitriol  inclines  the 
color  to  a  chestnut  brown,  and  a  little  borax  to  a 
yellowish  brown.  Much  employed  by  the  Chinese 
for  copper  tea-urns. 

6.  Dissolve  i  oz.  of  sal  ammoniac,  3  oz,  cream 
of  tartar,  and  6  oz.  of  common  salt,  in  i  pint  of 
hot  water ;  then  add  2  oz.  of  nitrate  of  copper, 
dissolved  in  }/^  a  pint  of  water ;  mix  well,  and 
apply  it  repeatedly  to  the  article,  placed  in  a  damp 


situation,  by  means  of  a  brush  moistened  there- 
with.    Very  antique. 

7.  Sal^  of  sorrel  ^  oz.;  sal  ammoniac  i  oz.; 
distilled  vinegar  2%  pints ;  dissolve.     As  last. 

BRONZE  for  Mortars. — Copper  93  parts;  lead 
5  parts;  tin  2  parts.  The  edges  and  lips  of 
mortars  must  be  tempered  by  heating  them  to  a 
cherry  red,  and  then  plunging  them  into  cold 
water;  as  unless  so  treated,  they  are  very  apt  to 
be  broken. 

BRONZE  for  Ornamental  Work  to  he  Gilded. 
—  I.  Copper  82  parts ;  zinc  18  parts ;  tin  3  parts ; 
lead  2  parts. 

2.  Copper  83  parts;  zinc  17  parts;  tin  I  part; 
lead  ^  part. 

BRONZE  POWDER.—  I.  {Beautiful  red.) 
Mix  together  sulphate  of  copper  100  parts;  car- 
bonate of  soda  60  parts;  apply  heat  until  they 
unite  into  a  mass,  then  cool,  powder,  and  add 
copper  filings  15  parts ;  well  mix,  and  keep  them 
at  a  white  heat  for  twenty  minutes,  then  cool, 
powder,  and  wash  and  dry. 

2.  {Gold colored.)  Verdigris  8 oz. ;  tutty  powder 
40Z.;  borax  and  nitre,  of  each  2  oz.;  bichloride  of 
mercury  ^  oz.;  make  them  into  a  paste  with  oil, 
and  fuse  them  together.  Used  in  japanning  as  a 
gold  color. 

3.  Dutch  leaf  reduced  to  an  impalpable  powder 
by  grinding. 

4.  {Iron colored.)  Plumbago  finely  pow^dered. 

5.  {Silver  white.)  Melt  together  i  oz.  each  of 
bismuth  and  tin,  then  add  I  oz.  of  running  quick- 
silver ;  cool  and  poivder. 

•  BRONZE  for  Statuary. — i.  Copper  88  parts  ; 
tin  9  parts ;  zinc  2  parts;  lead  i  part. 

2.  Copper  82^  parts;  tin  5  parts;  zinc  10 5^ 
parts ;  lead  2  parts.  These  are  very  nearly  the 
proportions  in  the  celebrated  statue  of  Louis  XV. 

3.  Copper  90  parts ;  tin  9  parts ;  lead  I  part. 

4.  Copper  91  parts ;  tin  9  parts. 
BRONZING,  Surface. — This  term  is  applied 

to  the  process  of  imparting  to  the  surfaces  of 
figures  of  wood,  plaster  of  Paris  etc.,  a  metallic 
appearance.  This  is  done  by  first  giving  them  a 
coat  of  oil  or  size  varnish,  and  when  this  is  nearly 
dry,  applying  with  a  dabber  of  cotton  or  a  camel- 
hair  pencil,  any  of  the  metallic  bronze  powders ; 
or  the  powder  may  be  placed  in  a  little  bag  of 
muslin,  and  dusted  over  the  surface,  and  after- 
wards finished  off  with  a  wad  of  linen.  The  sur- 
face must  be  afterwards  varnished. 

Paper  is  bronzed  by  mixing  the  powders  up 
with  a  little  gum  and  water,  and  afterwards 
burnishing. 

Iron  castings  may  be  bronzed  by  thorough 
cleaning,  and  subsequent  immersion  in  a  solution 
of  sulphate  of  copper,  when  they  acquire  a  coat  of 
the  latter  metal.  They  must  be  then  washed  in 
water. 

BRONZE  {  VINEGAR),forBrass.—Vmeg3X, 
ID  gals.;  blue  vitriol,  3  lbs.;  muriatic  acid,  3  lbs.; 
corrosive  sublimate,  4  grs.;  sal  ammonia,  2  lbs.; 
alum,  8  oz. 

BUTCHER  KNIVES.—  In  forging  out  the 
knife  as  you  get  it  near  to  its  proper  thickness, 
be  very  careful  not  to  heat  it  too  high,  and  to 
water-hammer  as  for  mill  picks ;  when  about  to 
temper,  heat  only  to  a  cherry-red  and  hold  it  in 
such  a  way  that  you  can  hold  it  plumb  as  you 
put  it  into  the  water,  which  prevents  it  from 
springing — put  it  plumb  into  the  water  and  it 
will  come  out  straight. 

Take  it  from  the  water  to  the  fire  and  pass  it 


4o6 


DICTIONAR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


through  the  blaze  until  a  little  hot;  then  rub  a 
candle  over  it  upon  both  sides  and  back  to  the 
fire,-  passing  it  backward  and  forward,  in  the 
blaze,  turning  it  over  often  to  keep  thereat  even 
over  the  whole  surface,  until  the  tallow  passes 
off  as  though  it  went  into  the  steel ;  then  take 
out  and  rub  the  candle  over  it  again  (on  both 
sides  each  time)  and  back  to  the  fire,  passing  it 
as  before,  until  it  starts  into  a  blaze,  with  a  snap, 
being  careful  that  the  heat  is  even  over  the  whole 
length  and  width  of  the  tool,  then  rub  the  tallow 
over  it  again  and  back,  for  3  times,  quickly  as  it 
burns  off;  and  lastly  rub  the  tallow  over  it  again 
and  push  it  into  the  dust  of  the  forge,  letting  it 
remain  until  cold. 

If  these  directions  are  followed  with  dexterity 
you  will  have  the  temper  alike  from  edge  to 
back;  and  the  edge  will  be  the  best  ever  made. 
CAR  A  T. — ^The  carat  is  an  imaginary  weight, 
that  expresses  the  fineness  of  gold,  or  the  pro- 
portion of  pure  gold  in  a  mass  of  metal ;  thus, 
an  ounce  of  gold  is  divided  into  24  carats,  and 
gold  of  22  carats  fine  is  gold  of  which  22  parts 
out  of  24  are  pure,  the  other  two  parts  being  sil- 
ver, copper,  or  other  metal ;  the  weight  of  four 
grains,  used  by  jewelers  in  weighing  precious 
stones  and  pearls,  is  sometimes  called  diamond 
weight — the  carat  consisting  of  4  nominal  grains, 
a  little  lighter  than  4  grains  troy,  or  74V16  carat 
grains  being  equal  to  72  grains  troy.  The  term 
or  weight  carat  derives  its  name  from  a  bean,  the 
fruit  of  an  Abyssinian  tree,  called  kuara.  This 
bean,  from  the  time  of  its  being  gathered  varies 
very  little  in  its  weight,  and  seems  to  have  been, 
from  a  very  remote  period,  used  as  a  weight  for 
gold  in  Africa.  In  India  also  the  bean  is  used 
as  a  weight  for  gems  and  pearls. 

CASTING  Delicate  Objects  in  Metal,  as  done 
in  India, — The  goldsmiths  and  silver  workers 
always  prefer  the  curious  clay  compound  pre- 
pared by  the  white  ants,  and  taken  out  of  their 
huge  honeycomb  abodes,  for  forming  the  tiny 
crucibles  used  in  tlieir  arts  ;  it  burns  beautifully 
without  cracking,  when  taken  from  a  proper  lo- 
cality, but  is  more  frequently  found  full  of  grit, 
and  too  friable  after  repeated  washings,  to  hold 
together.  The  stomachs  of  these  "white  ants" 
are  evidently  supplied  with  a  powerful  chemical 
secretion,  and  this,  doubtless  combining  with 
certain  clays  and  earths,  constitutes  the  useful 
crucible  product.  It  burns  to  a  hard  white  ves- 
sel, on  which  the  borax  of  the  artisan  gives  a 
brilliant  internal  glaze;  but  this  earth  is  never  used 
for  any  but  the  diminutive  melting  pots  alluded 
to.  AVhite  ants,  if  they  "swarm"  or  "lodge"  for 
a  short  time  on  sheet  glass,  corrode  the  same  in 
zigzag  patterns,  as  if  etdied  by  fluoric  acid ;  oc- 
casionally these  marks  resemble  Persian  charac- 
ters or  Egyptian  hieroglyphics.  Hence  some 
potent  chemical  acid  enters  into  their  building 
composition,  of  which  the  tenacity  in  some  coun- 
tries, when  it  has  been  well  kneaded,  pounded, 
and  sun-dried,  renders  it  a  fine  cheap  flooring 
for  settlers'  houses.  It  is  very  generally  used  in 
South  Africa. 

In  casting  small  articles  in  brass  and  the 
cheaper  metals,  they  fix  the  mold  with  iron  wire 
to  the  mouth  of  the  melting  pot,  well  luting  the 
connections  repeatedly  with  a  mixture  of  stiff  clay 
and  cow-dung  kneaded  together  till  quite  strong 
and  safe,  gradually  warming  the  luting  at  the 
mouth  of  the  furnace,  and  repairing  all  cracks 
and  fissures  as  they  may  appear  j  when  thorough- 


ly dry,  the  whole  mass  is  put  in  the  rude  native 
furnace  of  common  clay  ;  and  on  the  contents  of 
the  melting  pot  being  fused,  it  is  turned  gently 
"topsy  turvy"  and  the  metal  runs  from  its  in- 
verted mouth  into  the  attached  mold.  For  arti- 
cles of  ornament  and  elaborate  design,  of  any 
size,  even  to  a  field  piece,  the  native  workman 
makes  a  composition  of  two  parts  "dammar" 
resin,  and  one  pai't  beeswax  (common  resin  will 
replace  the  first  in  America);  these  are  very 
slowly  and  carefully  melted  over  charcoal,  and 
stirred  together  (in  the  open  air,  and  not  under 
a  roof),  and  when  almost  hard  are  molded  by  the 
hands,  the  lathe,  or  in  metallic  shapes.  These 
models  in  their  turn  are  then  encased  in  suitable 
mold  clay,  and  very  carefully  and  slowly  dried  in 
a  shady  spot  until  perfectly  hard  and  seasoned. 
The  workman  then,  over  charcoal,  gently  heats 
the  mold  and  pours  out  the  composition  from  the 
hole  he  left  as  a  future  "ingate;"  when  every 
particle  of  the  mixture  has  flowed  out  into  a  ves- 
sel held  to  catch  it  for  future  use,  he  increases 
his  fire  till  smoke  rises  from  the  interior  of  his 
mold,  and  it  is  gradually  brought  to  a  condition 
to  receive  the  molten  metal.  From  an  earring 
to  an  idol  this  is  the  favorite  modus  operandi  of 
casting,  and  it  can  be  most  thoroughly  recom- 
mended to  the  ingenious  amateur,  if  he  be  not 
already  practicing  it.  Bismuth  is  so  very  highly 
priced  in  India  that  "fusible  metal"  is  never  em- 
ployed; the  present  mode,  besides  being  cheap- 
er, gives  a  sharper  casting,  especially  for  small 
jewelry,  and  tiny  silver  ornaments,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  avoiding  the  contamination  of  precious 
metals  by  the  lead  of  the  alloy. 

There  is  great  reason  for  supposing  that  in  the 
days  of  "human  sacrifices,"  models  of  the  entire 
figure  were  obtained  by  casts  of  the  victims  who 
were  immolated,  in  substantial  clay  coverings, 
which,  when  red  hot,  were  filled  with  molten 
gold  or  silver,  and  gave  the  perfect  images  re- 
quired by  the  priesthood.  The  delicate  German 
castings  of  flowers  and  insects  are  nowadays  cast 
in  the  same  fashion — "burning  out."  Fish  and 
reptiles,  such  as  snakes  and  lizards,  may  be  so 
cast  very  life-like  in  tin,  and  afterwards  bronzed. 
CASTING  METALS,  Nno  Process  of.— 
Any  design,  whether  in  high  or  low  relief,  chased 
on  metal  of  any  required  pattern  or  shape,  whether 
flat  as  a  door-plate  or  round  as  a  vase,  can  be  re- 
produced by  casting  ad  infinitum,  and  each  cast- 
ing will  show  upon  it  all  the  sharpness  of  the 
original  chasing.  Molds  are  made  with  a  pre- 
paration of  fine  clay.  The  making  of  one  of  these 
molds  takes  from  five  to  ten  minutes.  They  have 
then  to  stand  twenty-four  hours  exposed  to  dry 
air,  after  which  they  are  baked  in  a  furnace  for 
eight  hours.  These  clay  molds,  into  which  the 
metal  is  afterwards  poured,  are,  to  all  intents 
and  purposes,  encaustic  tiles.  The  molds  are 
placed  in  a  box,  and  the  air  is  extracted  from 
them  so  as  to  form  a  vacuum,  after  which  the 
molten  metal  is  forced  into  them;  and  in  this 
way  in  ten  minutes  a  casting  can  be  completed. 
When  the  casting  is  taken  out,  the  design,  how- 
ever intricate,  is  found  to  be  perfectly  represent- 
ed, with  the  exception  of  removing  a  slight  sur- 
face of  clay  from  it,  which  can  be  done  in  half  an 
hour,  and  the  article  is  then  ready  to  be  sent  to 
the  bronzer,  instead  of  having  to  be  put  in  the 
chaser's  hands.  In  this  way  an  enormous  amount 
of  cost  and  labor  on  ornamental  articles  in  metal 
is  saved. 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


407 


CASTINGS,  Soldering.— Y'lvsi  dip  the  cast- 
ings in  alcohol,  after  which,  sprinkle  muriate  of 
ammonia  (sal-ammoniac)  over  the  surface  to  be 
soldered.  Then  hold  the  casting  over  a  charcoal 
fire  till  the  sal-ammoniac  begins  to  smoke,  then 
dip  into  melted  tin  (not  solder).  This  prepares 
the  metal  for  soldering,  which  can  then  be  done 
in  the  ordinary  way. 

CAST-IRON,  To  Soften  for  Drilling.— HqoX 
to  a  cherry  red,  having  it  lie  level  in  the  fire, 
then  with  a  pair  of  cold  tongs  put  on  a  piece  of 
brimstone,  a  little  less  in  size  than  you  wish  the 
hole  to  be  when  drilled,  and  it  softens  entirely 
through  the  piece ;  let  it  lie  in  the  fire  until  a 
little  cool,  when  it  is  ready  to  drill. 

CAST-IRON,  To  W^f/^.— Take  of  good  clear 
white  sand,  three  parts;  refined  solton,  one  part; 
fosterine,  one  part;  rock-salt,  one  part;  mix  all 
together.  Take  2  pieces  of  cast-iron,  heat  them 
in  a  moderate  charcoal-fire,  occasionally  taking 
them  out  while  heating,  ^d  dipping  them  into 
the  composition,  until  they  are  of  a  proper  heat 
to  weld ;  then  at  once  lay  them  on  the  anvil,  and 
gently  hammer  them  together,  and,  if  done  care- 
uilly  by  one  who  understands  welding  iron,  you 
'  will  have  thetn  nicely  welded  together.  One  man 
prefers  heating  the  metal,  then  cooling  it  in  the 
water  of  common  beans,  and  heat  it  again  for 
welding. 

CA  S  T-STEEL,  English. — The  finest  of  steel, 
called  English  cast-steel,  is  prepared  by  breaking 
to  pieces  blistered  steel,  and  then  melting  it  in  a 
crucible  with  a  flux  composed  of  carbonaceous 
and  vitrifiable  ingredients.  The  vitrifiable  ingre- 
dient is  used  only  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  fusible  body, 
which  flows  over  the  surface  of  the  metal  in  the 
crucibles,  and  prevents  the  access  of  the  oxygen 
of  the  atmosphere.  Broken  glass  is  sometimes 
used  for  this  purpose. 

Wlien  thoroughly  fused  it  is  cast  into  ingots, 
which,  by  gentle  heating  and  careful  hammering, 
are  tilted  into  bars.  13y  this  process  the  steel 
becomes  more  highly  carbonized  in  proportion  to 
the  quantity  of  flux,  and  in  consequence  is  more 
brittle  and  fusible  than  before.     Hence  it  sur- 

E asses  all  other  steel  in  uniformity  of  texture, 
ardness,  and  closeness  of  grain,  and  is  the  ma- 
terial employed  in  all  the  finest  articles  of  English 
cutlery. 

CAST-STEEL,  To  Restore  when  Burnt. — 
Take  i  ^  pounds  borax,  %  pound  sal-ammoniac, 
^  pound  prussiate  of  potash,  I  ounce  rosin. 
Pound  the  above  fine,  add  a  gill  each  of  water 
and  alcohol.  Put  in  an  iron  kettle,  and  boil  until 
it  becomes  a  paste.  Do  not  boil  too  long,  or  it 
will  become  hard  on  cooling. 

CAST-STEEL  and  IRON,  To  Make  Edge- 
tools  from.  —  This  method  consists  in  fixing  a 
clean  piece  of  wrought  iron,  brought  to  a  weld- 
ing heat,  in  the  center  of  a  mold,  and  then  pour- 
ing in  melted  steel,  so  as  entirely  to  envelop  the 
iron ;  and  then  forging  the  mass  into  the  shape 
required. 

CASE-HARDENING.— ThQ  operation  of 
giving  a  surface  of  steel  to  pieces  of  iron,  by 
which  they  are  rendered  capable  of  receiving 
great  external  hardness,  while  the  interior  portion 
retains  all  the  toughness  of  good  wrought  iron. 
Iron  tools,  fire-irons,  fenders,  keys,  etc.,  are 
usually  case-liardened. 

I.  The  goods,  finished  in  every  respect  but 
polishing,  are  put  into  an  iron  box,  and  covered 
with  animal  or  vegetable  charcoal,  and  cemented 


at  a  red  heat,   for  a  period  varying  with  the  size 
and  description  of  the  articles  operated  on. 

2.  Cow's  horn  or  hoof  is  to  be  baked  or  thor- 
oughly dried,  and  pulverized.  To  this  add  an 
equal  quantity  of  bay  salt ;  mix  them  with  stale 
chamber-lye,  or  wliite  wine  vinegar;  cover  the 
iron  with  this  mixture,  and  bed  it  in  the  same  in 
loam,  or  inclose  it  in  an  iron  box ;  lay  it  then  on 
the  hearth  of  the  forge  to  dry  and  harden  ;  then 
put  it  into  the  fire,  and  blow  till  the  lump  have  a 
blood-red  heat,  and  no  higher,  lest  the  mixture  be 
burnt  too  much.  Take  the  iron  out,  and  immerse 
it  in  water  to  harden. 

3.  The  iron,  previously  polished  and  finished, 
is  to  be  heated  to  a  bright  red  and  rubbed  or 
sprinkled  over  with  prussiate  of  potash.  As  soon 
as  the  prussiate  appears  to  be  decomposed  and 
dissipated,  plunge  the  article  into  cold  water. 

4.  Make  a  paste  with  a  concentrated  solution 
of  prussiate  of  potash  and  loam,  and  coat  the  iron 
therewith  ;  then  expose  it  to  a  strong  red  heat, 
and  when  it  has  fallen  to  a  dull  red,  plunge  the 
whole  into  cold  water. 

CASE  SPRINGS,  for  Watches,  To  Tem- 
per.— Having  fitted  the  spring  in  the  case  ac- 
cording to  your  liking,  temper  it  hard  by  heating 
and  plunging  into  water.  Next  polish  the  small 
end  so  that  you  may  be  able  to  see  when  the 
color  changes ;  lay  it  on  a  piece  of  copper  or 
brass  plate,  and  hold  the  plate  over  your  lamp, . 
'with  the  blaze  directly  under  the  largest  part  of 
the  spring.  Watch  the  polished  part  of  the  steel 
closely,  and  when  you  see  it  turn  blue  remove 
the  plate  from  the  lamp,  letting  all  cool  gradual- 
ly together.  When  cool  enough  to  handle  polish 
the  end  of  the  spring  again,  place  it  on  the  plate 
and  hold  over  the  lamp  as  before.  The  third 
bluing  of  the  polished  end  will  leave  the  spring 
in  proper  temper.  Any  steel  article  to  which 
you  desire  to  give  a  spring  temper  may  be  treat- 
ed in  the  same  way. 

Another  process  said  to  be  good  is  to  temper 
the  spring  as  in  the  first  instance ;  then  put  it 
into  a  small  iron  ladle,  cover  it  with  linseed  oil 
and  hold  over  a  lamp  till  the  oil  takes  fire.  Re- 
move the  ladle,  but  let  the  oil  continue  to  burn 
until  nearly  all  consumed,  when  blow  out,  re- 
cover with  oil  and  hold  over  the  lamp  as  before. 
The  third  burning  out  of  the  oil  will  leave  the 
spring  in  the  right  temper. 

CLOCKS,  To  Clean  and  Repair.— Take  the 
movement  of  the  clock  "to  pieces."  Brush  the 
wheels  and  pinions  thoroughly  with  a  stiff, 
coarse  brush;  also  the  plates  into  which  the  trains 
work.  Clean  the  pivots  well  by  turning  in  a 
piece  of  cotton  cloth  held  tightly  between  your 
thumb  and  finger.  The  pivot  holes  in  the  plates 
are  generally  cleansed  by  turning  a  piece  of  wood 
into  them,  but  it  will  be  found  that  a  strip  of  cloth 
or  a  solt  cord  drawn  tightly  through  them  will  act 
the  best.  If  you  use  two  cords,  the  first  one 
slightly  oiled,  and  the  next  dry  to  clean  the  oil 
out,  all  the  better.  Do  not  use  salt  or  acid  to 
clean  your  clock— it  can  do  no  good,  but  may  do 
a  great  deal  of  liarm.  Boiling  the  movement  in 
water,  as  some  practice,  is  also  foolishness. 

The  holes  through  which  the  great  arbors,  or 
winding  axles  work,  are  the  only  ones  that  usu- 
ally require  bushing.  When  they  have  become 
too  much  worn  the  great  wheel  on  the  axle  before 
named  strikes  too  deeply  into  the  pinions  above 
it,  and  stops  the  clock.  To  remedy  this  bushing 
is  necessary,  of  course.     The  most  common  way 


4o8 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


of  doing  it  is  to  drive  a  steel  point  or  punch  into 
the  plate  just  above  the  axle  hole,  thus  forcing 
the  brass  downward  until  the  hole  is  reduced  to 
its  original  size.  Another  mode  is  to  solder  a 
piece  of  brass  upon  the  plate  in  such  a  position 
as  to  hold  the  axle  down  to  its  proper  place.  If 
you  simply  wish  your  clock  to  run,  and  have  no 
ambition  to  produce  a  bush  that  will  look  work- 
manlike, about  as  good  a  way  as  .  Js  to  fit 
a  piece  of  hard  wood  between  the  pj^t  which 
comes  through  the  top  of  the  plate  and  the  axle. 
Make  it  long  enough  to  hold  the  axle  to  its 
proper  place  and  so  that  the  axle  will  run  on  the 
end  of  the  grain.  Cut  notches  where  the  pivots 
come  through,  and  secure  by  wrapping  around  it 
and  the  plate  a  piece  of  small  wire,  or  a  thread. 
There  is  no  post  coming  through  above  the  axle 
on  the  striking  side,  but  this  will  rarely  require 
bushing. 

To  remedy  worn  pinions  turn  the  leaves  or 
rollers  so  the  worn  places  upon  them  will  be 
towards  the  arbor  or  shaft,  and  fasten  them  in 
that  position.  If  they  are  "rolling  pinions,"  and 
you  cannot  secure  them  otherwise,  you  had  better 
do  it  with  a  little  soft  solder. 

Oil  only,  and  very  lightly,  the  pallets  of  the 
verge,  the  steel  pin  upon  which  the  verge  works, 
and  the  point  where  the  loop  of  the  verge  wire 
works  over  the  pendulum  wire.  Use  none  but 
the  best  watch  oil.  Many  jobs  of  clock  cleaning 
are  spoiled  by  oiling  all  the  pivots  and  probably 
the  pinions.  The  doing  of  this  causes  their  accu- 
mulation of  dust,  and  this  dust  mixing  with  the 
oil,  by  grinding  together  increases  the  friction 
of  the  parts,  and  sooner  or  later,  the  stoppage  of 
the  clock.  We  often  hear  persons  complaining 
of  their  clocks  stopping  in  cold  weather — in  nine 
cases  out  of  ten  the  cause  may  be  attributed  to 
this  very  injudicious  use  of  oil.  A  gum  has 
formed  on  the  pivots  or  pinions,  or  both,  which 
stiffens  under  the  influence  of  the  cold,  and,  of 
course,  stops  the  movement.  But  this  is  not  the 
only  bad  result.  A  clock  grinding  along  in  con- 
sequence of  having  been  improperly  oiled,  will 
wear  out  in  less  than  half  the  time  that  it  would 
under  other  circumstances.  The  reason  in  this 
must  be  apparent  to  all — each  pivot  or  each 
pinion  leaf  has  been  converted,  as  it  were,  into  a 
grindstone. 

If  not  very  cautious  in  putting  up  your  clock 
you  will  get  some  of  the  striking-train  wheels  in 
wrong,  and  thus  produce  a  derangement  in  the 
striking.  If  this  should  happen,  prize  the  plates 
apart  on  the  striking  side,  slip  the  pivots  of  the 
upper  wheels  out,  and  having  disconnected  them 
from  the  train,  turn  them  part  around  and  put 
them  back.  If  still  not  right,  repeat  the  experi- 
ment. A  few  efforts  at  most  will  get  them  to 
working  properly. 

Always  examine  the  pendulum  wire  at  the 
point  where  the  loop  of  the  verge  wire  works 
over  it.  You  will  generally  find  a  small  notch, 
or  at  least  a  rough  place,  worn  there.  Dress  it 
out  perfectly  smooth,  or  your  clock  will  not  be 
likely  to  work  well.  Small  as  this  defect  may 
seem,  it  stops  a  large  number  of  clocks. 

COINS  etc. ,  To  take  Impressions  from. — Make 
a  thick  solution  of  isinglass  in  water,  and  lay  it 
hot  on  the  metal;  let  it  remain  for  twelve  hours, 
then  remove  it,  breathe  on  it  and  apply  gold  or 
silver-leaf  on  the  wrong  side.  Any  color  may  be 
given  to  the  isinglass  instead  of  gold  or  silver, 
by  simple  mixture. 


COPPER,  To  Whiten  Throughout.— ^Yzk^ 
thin  plates  of  copper,  as  thin  as  a  knife,  heat  them 
six  or  seven  times,  and  quench  them  in  water  ; 
then  melt  them,  and  to  each  pound  add  4  ounces 
of  saltpetre  and  4  ounces  of  arsenic,  well  powder- 
ed and  mixed,  and  first  melted  apart  in  another 
crucible,  by  gentle  degrees  ;  then  take  them  out, 
and  powder  them;  then  take  Venetian  borax  and 
white  tartar,  of  each  an  ounce  and  a  half;  then 
melt  these,  with  the  former  powder,  in  a  crucible, 
and  pour  them  out  into  some  iron  receiver;  it 
will  appear  as  clear  as  crystal,  and  is  called 
crystallinum  fixiim  arsenicum.  Of  this  clear 
matter,  broken  into  little  pieces,  throw  into  the 
melted  copper  (by  small  pieces  at  a  time,  staying 
five  or  six  minutes  between  each  injection)  4  oz.; 
when  all  is  thrown  in,  increase  the  fire,  till  all  be 
well  melted  together  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour; 
then  pour  it  out  into  an  ingot. 

COPPER  SOLUTION  for  Battery.  —  To 
every  gallon  of  saturafed  solution  of  sulphate  of 
copper,  add  2^  ounces  of  strong  sul]ihuric  acid 
and  ^2  drachm  white  arsenic.  If  single  cell, 
place  a  bag  of  sulphate  in  the  solution  just  below 
the  surface,  to  keep  up  the  strength. 

COPPER  Powder. — This  is  prepared  by  dis- 
solving fihngs  or  slips  of  copper  with  nitrous 
acid  in  a  receiver.  When  the  acid  is  saturated, 
the  slips  are  to  be  removed;  or,  if  filings  be  em- 
ployed, the  solution  is  to  be  poured  off  from 
what  remains  undissolved.  Small  bars  are  then 
put  in,  which  will  precipitate  the  copper-powder 
from  the  saturated  acid;  and,  the  liquid  being 
poured  from  the  powder,  this  is  to  be  washed 
clean  of  the  crystals  by  repeated  waters. 

COPPER,  To  Tin  for  Strw-Dishcs  or  other 
Purposes. — Wash  the  surface  of  the  article  to  be 
tinned,  with  sulphuric  acid ;  and  rub  the  surface 
well,  so  as  to  have  it  smooth  and  free  of  black- 
ness caused  by  the  acid;  then  sprinkle  calcined 
and  finely  pulverized  sal-ammoniac  upon  the 
surface,  holding  it  over  a  fire  where  it  will  be- 
come sufficiently  hot  to  melt  a  bar  of  solder 
which  is  to  be  rubbed  over  the  surface;  if  a  stew- 
dish  put  the  solder  into  it  and  swab  it  about 
when  melted.  You  will  wipe  off  any  surplus 
solder,  and  also  for  the  purpose  of  smoothing 
the  surface,  by  means  of  a  tow  or  cotton  swab, 
tied  or  tacked  to  a  rod.  In  this  way  any  dish  or 
copper  article  may  be  nicely  tinned. 

COPPER,  To  .SZ/trr.— Silver  dust  (fine), 
one  ounce ;  common  salt  and  sal  ammoniac,  of 
each  four  ounces ;  corrosive  sublimate,  a  quarter 
of  an  ounce.  Mix.  The  copper  must  be  pre- 
viously well  cleaned  by  friction,  adding  a  little 
warm  water  to  form  a  paste. 

COPPER,  To  Deposit  upon  Cast-iron.— The 
pieces  of  cast-iron  are  first  placed  in  a  bath  made 
of  50  parts  of  hydrochloric  acid,  at  15°  Beaume 
(sp.  gr.,  1. 105),  and  I  part  of  nitric  acid;  next, 
in  a  second  bath,  composed  of  10  parts  of  nitric 
acid,  10  parts  of  chloride  of  copper,  dissolved  in 
80  parts  of  the  same  hydrochloric  acid  as  just 
alluded  to.  The  objects  are  rubbed  with  a 
woolen  rag  and  a  soft  brush,  next  washed  with 
water,  and  again  immersed  until  the  desired 
thickness  of  copper  is  deposited.  When  it  is 
desired  to  give  the  appearance  of  bronze,  the 
coppered  surface  is  rubbed  with  a  mixture  of  4 
parts  of  sal  ammoniac  and  i  each  of  <  alic  and 
acetic  acids  dissolved  in  30  parts  of  water. 

COPPER  and  BRASS,  To  7;«.— Boil  6 
lbs.  of  cream  of  tartar,    4  gals,  of  water,  and  8 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


409 


lbs,  of  grain-tin,  or  tin  shavings.  After  the  ma- 
terials have  boiled  a  sufficient  time,  the  substance 
to  be  tinned  is  put  therein  and  the  boiling  con- 
tinued, when  the  tin  is  precipitated  in  its  metallic 
form. 

COPPER,  BRASS  ANDIRON,  To  Tin  in 
the  cold  and  without  Apparatus. — The  requisites 
for  accomphshing  this  object  are :  1st.  The  ob- 
ject to  be  coated  with  tin  must  be  entirely  free 
from  oxide.  It  must  be  carefully  cleaned,  and 
care  be  taken  that  no  grease  spots  are  left ;  it 
makes  no  difference  whether  the  object  be 
cleaned  mechanically  or  chemically.  2d.  Zinc 
powder  ;  the  best  is  that  prepared  artificially  by 
melting  zinc  and  pouring  it  into  an  iron  mortar. 
It  can  be  easily  pulverized  immediately  after  sol- 
idification ;  it  should  be  about  as  fine  as  writing 
sand.  3d.  A  solution  of  protochloride  of  tin, 
containing  5  to  10  per  cent.,  to  which  as  much 
pulverized  cream  of  tartar  must  be  added  as  will 
go  on  the  point  of  a  knife.  The  object  to  be 
tinned  is  moistened  with  the  tin  solution,  after 
which  it  is  rubbed  hard  with  the  zinc  powder. 
The  tinning  appears  at  once.  The  tin  salt  is  de- 
composed by  the  zinc,  metallic  tin  being  depos- 
ited. When  the  object  tinned  is  polished  brass 
or  copper,  it  appears  as  beautiful  as  if  silvered, 
and  retains  its  luster  for  a  long  time.  The  author 
uses  this  method  in  his  laboratory  to  preserve  his 
iron,  steel  and  copper  apparatus  from  rust.  This 
method  would  become  of  great  importance  if  the 
tinning  could  be  made  as  thick  as  in  the  dry  way, 
but  this  has  not  as  yet  been  accomplished. 

COPPER  and  BRASS,  To  Coat  with  Zinc. 
— In  order  to  do  this,  it  is  simply  necessary  to 
immerse  the  articles  in  a  boiling  bath  of  sal  am- 
moniac containing  zinc-foil  or  powdered  zinc. 
The  deposit  thus  made  is  brilliant  and  adheres 
firmly. 

COPPER  and  BRASS  {Polished),  To  Clean. 
— Copper  tea-kettles,  boilers,  and  other  house- 
hold articles  having  polished  surfaces  should  not 
be  allowed  to  get  rusty,  as  rust  will  destroy  more 
of  the  metal  than  is  used  up  by  the  ordinary 
wear  of  the  utensils.  If  the  surface  be  rubbed 
but  a  little  every  day,  the  labor  of  keeping  them 
bright  will  be  very  light.  In  case  a  rust  has 
formed  on  the  surface,  apply  a  solution  of  oxalic 
acid,  which,  well  rubbed  over  tarnished  copper 
or  brass,  will  soon  remove  the  tarnish,  rendenng 
the  metal  bright.  The  acid  must  be  washed  off 
with  water,  and  the  surface  rubbed  with  whiten- 
ing and  soft  leather.  A  mixture  of  muriatic  acid 
and  alum,  dissolved  in  water,  imparts  a  golden 
color  to  brass  articles  that  are  steeped  in  it  for  a 
few  seconds.  To  give  a  finer  polish,  go  over 
the  surface  of  the  metal  with  rotten-stone  and 
sweet-oil ;  then  rub  off  with  a  piece  of  cotton 
flannel  and  polish  it  with  soft  leather. 

DIAMONDS,  Imitation.  —  Imitation  dia- 
monds are  plenty  enough,  and  in  their  fabrication 
considerable  skill  is  often  displayed,  and  the  im- 
itation is  at  times  very  clever ;  it  appears,  how- 
ever, that  there  is  a  prospect  that  real  diamonds 
will  eventually  be  manufactured.  Hitherto 
though  chemists  have  had  no  difficulty  in  dis- 
covering of  what  diamonds  were  composed,  they 
have  never  succeeded  in  producing  them.  Dia- 
monds are  chemically  the  same  as  charcoal,  and 
they  may  be  readily  converted  into  it,  but  the 
more  satisfactory  transmutation  of  charcoal  into 
diamonds  proved  a  most  tantalizing  mystery.  At 
last  we  hear  of  the  secret  being  discovered,  and 


the  discoverer,  instead  of  privately  profiting  by  it, 
makes  it  pubhc.  It  is  said  to  be  simply  this: 
If  a  current  of  chlorine  be  m.ade  to  pass  through 
cast-iron,  when  in  a  state  of  fusion,  perchloride 
of  iron  is  formed,  which  disappears  by  evapor» 
ation,  leaving  the  carbon  of  the  metal  at  liberty 
in  a  crystallized  state,  forming  either  black,  color- 
less or  colored  diamonds. 

DIN  or,  SHOPS,  To  Prezient.—K  rubber 
cushion  under  the  leg  of  work-benches  in  manu- 
factories, is  a  cheap  relief  from  the  deafening  din 
of  noisy  shops.  Chambers'  Journal  describes  a 
factory  where  the  hammering  of  fifty  copper- 
smiths was  scarcely  audible  in  the  room  below, 
their  benches  having  under  each  leg  a  rubber 
cushion.  We  have  seen  the  same  effect  pro- 
duced by  standing  the  legs  of  the  bench  in  nail- 
kegs  filled  with  sand,  by  which  means  all  vibra- 
tion and  shock  was  prevented. 

DRILLS  and  GRA  VERS,  To  Temper.— 
When  the  graver  or  drill  is  too  hard,  which 
may  be  known  by  the  frequent  breaking  of  the 
point,  temper  as  follows  :  Heat  a  poker  red  hot, 
and  hold  the  graver  to  it  within  an  inch  of  the 
point,  waving  it  to  and  fro  till  the  steel  changes  to 
a  light  straw  color ;  then  put  the  point  into  oil 
to  cool,  or  hold  the  graver  close  to  the  flame  of  a 
candle  till  it  be  of  the  same  color  and  cool  in 
tallow ;  but  be  careful  either  way  not  to  hold  it 
too  long,  for  then  it  will  be  too  soft,  in  which 
case  the  point  will  be  blue,  and  must  be  broken 
off  and  whetted  and  tempered  anew. 

DRILLS,  (yeweller's).  To  Temper. — Select 
none  but  the  finest  and  best  steel  for  your  drills. 
In  making  them  never  heat  higher  than  a  cherry 
red,  and  always  hammer  till  nearly  cold.  Do  all 
your  hammering  in  one  way;  for  if,  after  you  have 
flattened  your  piece  out,  you  attempt  to  hammer 
it  back  to  a  square  or  a  round  you  spoil  it. 
When  your  drill  is  in  proper  shape  heat  it  to  a 
cherry  red,  and  thrust  it  into  a  piece  of  resin,  or 
into  quicksilver. 

ELAINE,  To  obtain  Pure. — Olive  oil,  I  part; 
alcohol,  9  parts.  Mix  and  heat  to  the  boiling 
point,  in  a  close  vessel,  then  allow  it  to  cool,  and 
place  it  in  a  freezing  mixture  until  the  whole  of 
the  stearine  is  deposited,  then  decant  the  clear 
and  distill  off  the  alcohol  in  a  water-bath,  the 
remainder  will  be  pure  elaine.  This  elaine  or 
pure  oil  will  not  freeze  in  frosty  weather,  and 
neither  thickens  nor  corrodes  when  applied  to 
metals.  It  is  a  perfect  cure  for  "lame"  chrono- 
meters, watches,  &c. 

ELECTRO-COPPERING.—  Make  a  strong 
solution  of  sulphate  of  copper  (boiling  water  will 
dissolve  the  most)  and  strain  it.  Connect  to  the 
wire  from  the  zinc  pole  of  the  battery,  a  clean 
plate  of  copper,  and  place  it  in  the  solution. 
Suspend  from  a  rod  across  the  top  of  the  bath, 
by  means  of  wire,  the  articles  to  be  coppered, 
care  being  taken  that  they  do  not  touch  each 
other,  and  connect  this  rod  with  the  other  pole 
of  the  battery.  Smee's  battery  and  the  electro- 
poion  batterv  are  the  best  for  this  kind  of  work. 
ELECTRO-GILDING  and  SILVERING. 
—  The  Gold  Bath. — Gilding  can  be  done  either 
hot  or  cold;  in  each  case  the  composition  of  the 
bath  is  the  same,  only  the  gilding  with  a  warm 
bath  is  generally  richer  in  tone,  and  may  some- 
times render  coloring  unnecessary.  With  a  cold 
bath,  necessitated  by  the  difficulty  of  heating 
large  masses  of  liquid  for  the  production  of  bulky 
articles,  coloring  is  always  indispensable.     Gild- 


410 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


ing  by  cold  baths  has  nearly  disappeared  from 
workshops  where  steam  is  employed. 

The  baths  are  formed  of  double  cyanide  of 
gold  and  potassium.  Dissolve  2  oz.  of  gold  in 
aqua  regia;  evaporate  the  solution  to  a  sirupy 
consistence;  redissolve  it  in  warm  water,  and  add, 
little  by  little,  2^  lbs.  of  cyanide  of  potassium, 
previously  dissolved  in  water.  This  will  make 
about  thirteen  gallons  of  bath.  It  is  best  not  to 
employ  it  until  it  has  been  boiled  several  hours. 
The  most  suitable  temperature  for  tl^e  bath,  when 
in  operation,  is  i6o*'  Fahr. 

Immerse  in  the  bath  a  plate  of  gold  put  in 
communication  with  the  positive  pole,  and  which 
serves  to  feed  the  bath  continually.  In  proportion 
as  the  gold  is  deposited  upon  the  object  to  be 
gilt  placed  at  the  negative  pole,  a  nearly  equal 
quantity  of  gold  is  dissolved  at  the  positive  pole, 
and  maintains  the  bath  in  the  same  state  of 
saturation. 

By  this  arrangement  the  cold  baths  acq^iire  great 
durability ;  it  is  also  applied  to  warm  baths,  but 
they  deteriorate  very  quickly.  The  cyanide  of 
potassium  is  destroyed  by  a  prolonged  boiling. 
The  electric  current  is  furnished  by  a  Bunsen's 
battery,  the  number  of  cells  being  regulated  by 
the  nature  of  the  article  to  be  gilt. 

Before  putting  the  articles  into  the  bath,  they 
are  rinsed  in  alcohol,  in  order  to  dissolve  the 
greasy  matters  by  which  they  are  soiled ;  next 
into  a  bath  of  dilute  nitric  acid;  then  into  a  bath 
of  acid  nitrate  of  mercury,  strength  4  per  cent.; 
and  lastly,  rinsed  in  abundance  of  water;  the 
articles  are  then  ready  to  be  immersed  in  the 
gold  bath.  The  time  of  the  immersion  varies 
according  to  the  thickness  to  be  given  to  the 
coating,  and  is  in  direct  proportion  with  the 
weight  of  gold  deposited. 

To  ascertain  the  weight  of  gold  (deposited, 
two  weighings  are  necessary;  the  first,  when  the 
articles  are  about  to  be  put  into  the  bath ;  the 
second,  upon  the  gilt  and  dried  articles. 

All  the  metals  gild  equally  well  in  the  above 
bath,  but  steel  requires  a  more  concentrated 
solution,  or,  what  is  better,  a  previous  coppering 
in  an  alkaline  bath.  Aluminum  can  not  be  gilt 
directly;  it  must  be  coppered  also.  In  this  case, 
an  acid  copper  bath  is  best  for  the  purpose. 

Reserves. —  By  means  of  reserves  we  may  ob- 
tain various  artistic  effects,  for  which  taste  is  the 
only  guide.  The  most  suitable  varnish  for  this 
kind  of  work  is  composed  of  copal  varnish,  oil, 
and  chromate  of  lead.  This  varnish  is  applied 
with  a  hair-pencil  to  all  those  parts  of  the  article 
where  it  is  not  wished  that  the  metal  should  be 
deposited.  When  it  is  allowed  to  dry  properly, 
it  is  not  attacked  by  acid  or  alkaline  solutions. 
It  is  completely  dissolved  by  essence  of  turpen- 
tine or  light  coal-oil.  "^ 

Green  and  Red  Gilding. —  We  may  obtain 
green  gold  and  red  gold  directly  by  the  battery. 
For  green  gold,  a  solution  of  the  double  cyanide 
of  silver  and  potassium  is  added  to  the  gold  bath 
until  the  desired  color  is  obtained;  then  we 
operate  with  an  anode  of  gold  alloy.  In  this 
process,  as  in  all  those  which  have  for  their  aim 
the  deposit  of  metallic  alloys,  it  is  very  important 
to  well  proportion  experimentally  the  surface  of 
the  anode  to  that  of  the  article  to  be  gilt.  To 
obtain  red  gold,  a  solution  of  cyanide  of  potassium 
and  copper  is  added  to  the  gold  bath.  But  the 
result  is  obtained  more  easily  with  the  mixture 
formerly  employed  by  the  mercery-gilders,  which 


consisted  of  25  parts  of  acetate  of  copper,  65  of 
cream  of  tartar,  and  10  of  table-salt,  applied  with 
a  soft  brush.  The  articles  are  heated  over  charcoal 
until  the  salts  assume  a  brownish  color;  they  are 
then  cooled  in  water  acidulated  with  nitric  acid. 

Upon  removal  from  the  gold  bath,  the  articles 
are  generally  of  a  tarnished  color,  in  which  state 
they  are  unfit  for  sale.  They  have,  therefore,  to 
undergo  several  operations  with  the  scratch-brush, 
and  coloring  and  burnishing. 

Polishing. — This  operation  is  performed  with 
a  scratch-brush  of  brass  wire,  the  diameter  of 
which  varies  according  to  the  delicacy  of  the 
article.  It  is  always  performed  under  a  liquid 
— generally  licorice  -  water — the  object  of  which 
is  to  form  a  light  mucilage,  which  admits  of  the 
scratch-brush  rubbing  the  gilt  article  less  roughly. 

For  smooth  surfaces,  the  hand-labor  is  re- 
placed by  the  wheel.  _  Upon  an  axle  revolving 
600  times  a  minute  a  mandrel  of  copper  is  mount- 
ed, furnished  with  a  brass  wire  brush;  a  reservoir 
above  constantly  supplies  the  brush  with  the 
mucilaginous  liquid,  which  flows  into  a  lower 
receptacle.  One  workman  can  accomplish  as 
much  with  the  wheel  as  ten  without  it. 

Coloring  is  performed  by  means  of  a  mixture 
called  ormolu,  and  composed  of  30  pai'ts  of  alum, 
30  of  nitrate  of  potassa,  30  of  red  ochre,  8  of 
sulphate  of  zinc,  l  of  common  salt  and  i  of  sul- 
phate of  iron.  It  is  applied  with  a  soft  brush. 
Tlie  articles  are  placed  over  a  clear  charcoal  fire 
until  the  salts,  melted  and  dried,  assume  a  brown 
aspect;  they  are  then  suddenly  cooled  in  nitric 
acid  water  containing  3  per  cent,  of  hydrochloric 
acid;  afterwards  washed  in  abundance  of  water 
and  dried  with  sawdust. 

Burnishing  is  effected  by  means  of  hard  stones 
— agates,  hematites — mounted  in  strong  wooden 
handles,  or  with  tools   of  highly-polished  steel. 

Flat  Gilding. —  Starting  with  the  principle, 
"As  is  the  surface  so  is  the  gilding,"  if  we  can 
obtain  a  perfectly  mat  surface  before  gilding,  it 
is  evident  that  we  shall  have  very  little  to  do  in 
order  to  retain  this  aspect  after  gilding.  The 
result  has  been  obtained  by  previously  depositing 
a  mat  coating  of  a  less  costly  metal  than  gold, 
the  deposit  of  which  can  be  easily  regulated. 

Silver  and  copper  equally  accomplish  this  aim. 
The  silvering  is  performed  in  baths,  which  will 
be  described  elsewhere;  only  the  silver  bath 
must  not  contain  more  than  eight  grains  of  silver 
per  1000,  and  the  deposit  must  be  made  slowly 
with  a  very  weak  current.  The  coppering  is 
performed  in  the  usual  baths  of  sulphate  of  copper, 
after  a  first  coating  given  in  the  alkaline  copper 
bath.  The  time  of  immersion  and  the  energy  of 
the  pile  aro  conditions  which  a  little  practice  will 
soon  teach. 

The  articles  being  perfectly  mat,  are  conveyed 
to  a  more  dilute  gold  bath  than  that  prescribed 
above,  which  is  worked  warm.  It  must  not 
contain  more  than  five  grains  per  1000.  It  is 
important  to  continually  move  the  articles  about 
in  the  bath,  and  to  maneuvre  the  anode  so  as  to 
render  the  color  uniform.  Gilding  upon  copper, 
less  costly  than  gilding  upon  silver,  is  usually 
of  an  inferior  tone  of  color,  and  more  liable  to 
oxidize;  so  the  latter  metal  is  generally  pre- 
ferred. 

The  metals  deposited  under  the  influence  of 
the  electric  battery  do.  not  always  present  the 
same  physical  characters. 

SometJroes  tlie  deposit  is  rough  and  brittle,  at 


WORKERS  IiV  METALS. 


411 


others  soft  and  flexible;  sometimes  it   possesses 
intermediate  qualities,    and  is  as   perfect  in  its 

f)hysical  properties  as  the  best  rolled  copper ; 
astly  it  may  be  deposited  under  the  form  of  a 
non-adherent  crystalline  powder. 

These  different  molecular  states  depend  on  the 
relations  which  must  exist  aniong  the  four  fol- 
lowing conditions :  1st,  the  proportions  of  the 
two  electrodes;  2d,  the  strength  of  the  solutions; 
3d,  the  temperature  at  which  the  operation  is 
carried  on ;  4th,  the  intensity  of  the  pile. 

In  all  cases,  it  is  important  that  the  relative 
surfaces  of  the  anode  and  the  articles  in  com- 
munication with  the  negative  pole  be  nearly 
equal.  A  positive  electrode  larger  than  the 
negative  electrode  tends  to  produce  a  crystalline 
deposit,  which  may  extend  to  the  pulverulent 
state,  if  the  difference  in  their  dimensions  is  very 
considerable.  By  working  .with  a  too  concen- 
trated solution,  the  deposit  is  rough  and  brittle ; 
increasing  the  intensity  of  the  battery  will  restore 
the  deposit  to  its  normal  state. 

If  the  bath  be  too  weak,  or  the  temperature  be 
too  low,  the  deposit  slackens,  and  assumes  a 
crystalline  appearance,  which  may  be  easily  made; 
to  disappear  by  raising  the  temperature,  or  by 
diminishing  the  intensity  of  the  pile.  If  the 
temperature  be  too  high,  the  deposit  will  become 
pulverulent.  This  may  be  remedied  by  dimin- 
ishing the  power  of  the  pile  employed.  The 
regulation  of  the  intensity  of  the  current  is,  in 
most  cases,  the  jremedy  to  apply  to  the  accidents 
that  occur. 

Therefore,  it  is  ftn  the  perfect  equilibrium 
among  these  four  conditions  that  the  galvanic 
precipitation  of  a  metal  with  all  its  special  quali- 
ties of  ductility  and  malleability  depends.  The 
operator  soon  acquires  the  means  of  working 
satisfactorily. 

In  those  cases  in  which  a  simple  cell  is  em- 
ployed, the  success  of  the  operation  depends  on 
the  relation  between  the  zinc  surfaces  and  the 
number  of  articles  to  be  coated. 

With  perfectly  saturated  solutions  and  a  weak 
current,  success  is  certain. 

ELECTRO-PLATING  BrassorZincwithotit 
a  Battery. — Take  a  cold,  saturated  solution  of 
cupric  sulphate,  (blue  vitriol, )  and  pour  in  a  so- 
lution of  potassic  cyanide,  till  the  precipitate  first 
formed  is  dissolved  again.  After  the  liquid  has 
become  clear,  add  one  tenth  to  one  fifth  of  its 
volume  of  liquid  ammonia,and  dilute  with  water  till 
Beaume's  hydrometer  for  heavy  liquids  indicates 
8°,  corresponding  with  a  specific  gravity  of  1.06. 
As  during  this  operation  the  very  poisonous 
hydrocyanic  (prussic)  acid  is  developed,  in  the 
form  of  vapor,  it  is  necessary  to  perform  it  either 
in  the  open  air,  or  under  a  flue  with  good  draught, 
and  to  avoid  the  fumes. 

Then  take  the  zinc  objects,  and  clean  them  with 
diluted  sulphuric  acid,  pumice-stone  and  sand, 
wash  them  with  water,  and  place  them  for  twenty- 
four  hours  in  the  above-described  liquid.  After 
which,  when  taken  out  and  washed  with  water, 
they  will  be  found  covered  with  a  film  of 
copper. 

In  order  to  cover  with  brass,  pour  into  a 
saturated  solution  of  equal  parts  of  cupric  and 
zincic  sulphate  (blue  and  white  vitriol)  the  solu- 
tion of  potassic  cyanide,  until  the  precipitate  is 
dissolved  again,  and  add  the  same  quantity  of 
ammonia  as  before — one  tenth  to  one  fifth.  If  a 
pale  brass  is  desired,   take  two  parts  of  zincic 


sulphate  to  one  of  cupric  sulphate,   (vitriol,)  and 
proceed  as  already  described. 

In  case  zinc  objects  are  to .  be  gilded,  it  is 
necessary  to  cover  them  first  with  copper,  on 
which  the  gold  deposits  better  than  on  zinc.  It 
is  the  same  with  iron  objects.  This  metal,  how- 
ever, is  much  more  easily  covered  with  copper 
than  zinc  is,  iron  requiring  only  an  immersion  in 
a  solution  of  cupric  sulphate. 

ELECTRO-PI^A  TING  Glass  Mi)-rors.  — 
The  platinized  mirrors  are  not  electro-plated,  the 
platinum  solution  is  simply  put  on  the  glass  and 
the  metalprecipitated  by  heat  and  purely  chemical 
action.  To  make  the  solution,  take  chloride  of 
platinum,  and  if  you  can  not  obtain  it  from  some 
chemist,  you  may  easily  make  it  by  dissolving 
half  an  ounce  of  platinum  in  aqua  regia  and 
evaporating  to  dryness  in  order  to  remove  all 
excess  of  acid,  applying  only  a  moderate  heat 
in  order  not  to  reduce  the  platinum  back  to  its 
metallic  state.  This  chloride  of  platinum  is  there 
rubbed  up  on  a  glass  plate  with  oil  of  lavender, 
adding  the  oil  carefully  little  by  little  so  as  not 
to  cause  the  mixture  to  become  too  hot,  which 
would  result  in  a  failure.  After  adding  nearly 
two  ounces  of  eil,  the  mixture  is  left  for  two 
weeks  to  settle,  when  the  liquid  is  poured  off 
from  the  sediment  and  filtered.  After  another 
week's  rest,  i  drachm  of  litharge  and  i  drachm 
of  borate  of  lead  are  rubbed  up  with  i  scruple  of 
lavender  oil,  and  this  mixture  added  to  the 
platinum  mixture  only  as  it  is  to  be  used.  The 
mixture  is  then  put  on  the  glass  and  gradually 
dried,  when  the  glass  is  introduced  into  a  properly 
constructed  furnace,  similar  to  a  muffle  furnace; 
at  the  red  heat  the  oil  is  decomposed,  its  carbon 
and  hydrogen  reduces  the  platinum  to  the  metallic 
state,  and  mingling  with  the  easily  fusible  lead 
and  borax  glass  formed  on  the  surface,  melts  into 
the  surface  of  the  glass  plate  and  forms  the  pla- 
tinum mirror,  so  much  admired  fortheir  property 
of  reflecting  light  from  both  sides,  while  at  the 
same  time  they  are  transparent  enough  to  make 
strongly  illuminated  objects  visible  through  them. 
As  it  takes  for  every  square  foot  scarcely  i  grain 
of  platinum,  it  is  seen  that  the  coating  is  very 
thin,  showing  the  great  divisibility  of  this  metal; 
and  as  I  grain  of  platinum  costs  less  than  2 
cents,  the  process  is  not  expensive,  the  labor  and 
other  materials  used  amounting  to  more  than  the 
expense  of  the  platinum. 

ELECTRO-FLA  TING  Silver  on  Irm.— The 
common  practice  among  electro-platers  is  to 
immerse  the  steel  or  iron,  first  in  a  bath  of 
sulphate  of  copper,  and  connect  it  for  a  short 
time  with  a  not  too  strong  battery,  so  as  to  ob- 
tain a  thin,  even  film  of  metallic  copper.  On  this 
the  silver  mav  then  easily  be  deposited. 

ELECTRO-PLATING  German  Silver  on 
other  Metals. — Take  the  chl'orides  of  the  three 
metals  which  constitute  German  silver  and  mix 
them  in  propordon  as  they  are  in  that  alloy ;  that 
is,  for  the  basest:  i  nickel,  4  zinc,  and  5  copper  ; 
for  the  best  or  imitation  silver  ofFrick:  3  nickel, 
2  zinc,  and  8  copper ;  and  the  Chinese  white 
copper  :  6  nickel,  5  zinc,  and  8  copper  ;  all  other  ■'■ 
German  silver  alloys  are  between  these,  so  it 
will  be  seen  that  a  wide  latitude  exists.  These 
chlorides  are  made  by  dissolving  the  respective 
metals  in  hydrochloric  acid,  and  driving  off  the 
excess  by  a  moderate  heat.  When  dissolved  in 
water,  a  concentrated  solution  of  cyanide  of  potas- 
sium is  added,  and  in  this  way  the  cyanides  of  the 


412 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


metals  are  formed  which  precipitate,  and  are  re- 
dissolved  again  by  adding  more  of  the  cyanide 
solution.  We  thus  obtain  a  solution  of  the  cya- 
nides of  the  metals  in  cyanide  of  potassium,  the 
same  as  was  obtained  in  the  solution  for  electro- 
plating brass.  The  solution  is  then  moderately 
heated  in  a  cast-iron  vessel,  and  the  objects  to  be 
plated  suspended  in  the  same  after  having  been 
carefully  cleaned  and  connected  with  the  zinc 
pole  of  the  battery;  on  the  other  pole  of  the 
battery,  of  course,  a  plate  of  German  silver  is 
suspended,  of  a  similar  alloy  in  order  to  keep  the 
solution  uniform,  as  from  this  plate  the  same 
amount  is  dissolved  as  is  deposited  on  the  ob- 
jects plated. 

ELECTRO-PLA  TING,  Gold  solution  for.— 
Dissolve  five  pennyweights  gold  coin,  five  grains 
pure  copper  and  four  grains  pure  silver  in  three 
ounces  nitromuriatic  acid;  which  is  simply  two 
parts  muriatic  acid  and  one  part  nitric  acid.  The 
silver  will  not  be  taken  into  solution  as  are  the 
other  two  metals,  but  will  gather  at  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel.  Add  one  ounce  pulverized  sul- 
phate of  iron,  half  an  ounce  pulverized  borax, 
twenty-five  grains  pure  table  salt,  and  one  quart 
hot  rain  water.  Upon  this  the  gold  and  copper 
will  be  thrown  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel  with 
the  silver.  Let  stand  till  fully  settled,  then  pour 
off  the  liquid  carefully,  and  refill  with  boiling 
rain  water  as  before.  Continue  to  repeat  this 
operation  until  the  precipitate  is  thoroughly 
washed;  or,  in  other  words,  fill  up,  let  settle, 
and  pour  off  so  long  as  the  accumulation  at  the 
bottom  of  the  vessel  is  acid  to  the  taste. 

You  now  have  about  an  eighteen  carat  chloride 
of  gold.  Add  to  it  an  ounce  and  an  eighth  cyanu-  • 
ret  potassa,  and  one  quart  rain  water — the  latter 
heated  to  the  boiling  point.  Shake  up  well,  then 
let  stand  about  twenty-four  hours  and  it  will  be 
ready  for  use. 

Some  use  platina  as  an  alloy  instead  of  silver, 
under  the  impression  that  plating  done  with  it  is 
harder.  I  have  used  both,  but  never  could  see 
much  difference. 

Solution  for  a  darker  colored  plate  to  imitate 
Guinea  gold  may  be  made  by  adding  to  the  above 
one  ounce  of  dragon's  blood  and  five  grains  iodide 
of  iron. 

If  you  desire  an  alloyed  plate,  proceed  as  first 
directed,  without  the  silver  or  copper,  and  with 
an  ounce  and  a  half  of  sulphuret  potassa  in  place 
of  the  iron,  borax  and  salt. 

ELECTRO-PLATING,  Silver  solution  for. 
— Put  together  into  a  glass  vessel,  one  ounce  good 
silver,  made  thin  and  cut  into  strips;  two  ounces 
best  nitric  acid  and  half  an  ounce  pure  rain  water. 
If  solution  does  not  begin  at  once,  add  a  little 
more  water — coiTtinue  to  add  a  very  little  at  a 
time  till  it  does.  In  the  event  it  starts  off  well, 
but  stops  before  the  silver  is  fully  dissolved,  you 
may  generally  start  it  up  again  all  right  by  add- 
ing a  little  more  water. 

When  solution  is  entirely  effected,  add  one 
quart  of  warm  rain  water  and  a  large  tablespoon- 
ful  of  table  salt.  Shake  well  and  let  settle,  then 
proceed  to  pour  off  and  wash  through  other 
waters  as  in  the  case  of  the  gold  preparation. 
When  no  longer  acid  to  the  taste,  put  in  an  ounce 
and  an  eighth  cyanuret  potassa  and  a  quart  pure 
rain  water ;  after  standing  about  twenty-four 
hours  it  will  be  ready  for  use. 

ELECTRO-PLA  TED  GOODS,  To  rcmmc 
Tarnish  f torn. — Make  a  solution  of  half  a  pound 


cyanuret  potassa  in  two  gallons  rain  water.  Im- 
merse the  article  till  the  tarnish  has  disappeared, 
then  rinse  off  carefully  in  three  or  four  waters, 
and  dry  in  sawdust. 

ELECTROTYPING.—The  object  sought  to 
be  attained  by  electrotyping  is,  by  means  of  the 
action  of  the  electricity  generated  by  a  galvanic 
pile  or  battery,  to  precipitate  a  metal  from  its 
solution  upon  a  given  subject  in  a  continuous  uni- 
form coating,  so  that  this  coating  is  an  exact  copy 
of  all  the  details  on  the  surface  of  the  object. 
This  coating  may  be  adherent  when  it  is  desired 
to  protect  an  inferior  metal  by  a  superior,  as  when 
copper  is  plated  with  silver ;  or  the  coating  may 
be  non-adherent  when  deposited  in  a  mould,  as 
in  the  reproduction  of  antique  bronzes,  etc. 

The  electric  current  employed  is  usually  sup- 
plied by  the  "constant  battery,"  known  as 
Daniell's,  or  by  a  Bunsen's  battery.  The  ap- 
paratus is  either  simple  or  compound.  In  a 
simple  apparatus,  the  mould,  the  object  upon 
which  the  precipitated  metal  must  be  deposited, 
forms  an  essential  portion  of  the  electric  current. 
In  a  compound  apparatus,  the  battery  is  outside 
the  bath  to  be  decomposed,  and  the  mould  is 
connected  with  the  zinc  pole ;  the  copper  or  carbon 
pole  is  connected  with  the  bath.  The  advantage 
derived  from  employing  a  compound  apparatus 
consists  in  its  enabling  the  operator  to  attach  to 
the  copper  pole  a  soluble  electrode,  or  anode : 
that  is,  a  plate  of  the  same  metal  as  is  held  in 
solution  in  the  bath,  which  plate  becomes  dis- 
solved in  nearly  the  same  ratio  as  the  metal  is 
deposited  upon  the  mould. 

The  electrotype  apparatus  is  termed  simple 
when  the  galvanic  current  is  produced  in  the  same 
vessel  as  that  in  which  the  metallic  deposit  is 
effected.  It  is  most  frequently  employed  to  ob- 
tain deposits  of  copper;  but  when  deposits  of  the 
precious  metals  are  required,  the  compound  ap- 
paratus is  preferred. 

Into  any  suitable  vessel,  which  may  be  of  glass, 
earthenware,  stoneware  or  wood,  put  the  solution 
of  the  metal  to  be  deposited — sulphate  of  copper, 
(blue  vitriol,)  for  example — with  which  to  cover 
the  moulds  with  copper.  Another  vessel,  of 
much  smaller  diameter,  is  placed  in  the  center  of 
the  first  vessel;  it  must  be  of  porous  material — 
unglazed  porcelain,  for  instance.  Sulphuric  acid, 
diluted  with  from  twelve  to  fifteen  times  its 
weight  of  water,  is  poured  into  the  smaller  vessel, 
and  a  plate  or  cylinder  of  amalgamated  zinc  sus- 
pended in  it.  The  moulds  are  put  in  communi- 
cation with  the  zinc  by  means  of  a  copper  Mire. 
The  solution  becomes  exhausted  of  its  copper  in 
proportion  as  it  is  deposited  on  the  moulds,  and 
must  be  renewed  by  suspending  a  bag  of  crystals 
of  sulphate  of  copper  in  the  bath. 

When  operations  are  carried  on  upon  a  large 
scale,  the  apparatus  may  be  constructed  in  tiie 
following  manner:  a  box  of  any  required  dimen- 
sions constructed  of  elm,  oak,  or  any  hard  wood, 
is  coated  inside  with  pitch,  marine  glue,  or  gutta- 
percha. The  box  is  divided  into  two  compart- 
ments by  a  porous  partition  or  diaphragm,  which 
may  be  made  of  plaster  of  Paris  or  of  parchment. 
If  of  plaster,  it  must  not  be  more  than  half  an 
inch  in  thickness,  so  that  the  intensity  of  the 
current  may  be  diminished  .as  little    as  possible. 

The  first  compartment  is  nearly  filled  with  a 
cold  saturated  solution  of  sulphate  of  copper,  or 
of  any  other  salt  which  it  is  intended  to  decom- 
pose.    Into  this  solution   the  moulds  are  sus- 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


413 


pended  near  the  diaphragm.  The  second  com- 
partment is  filled  with  water  slightly  acidulated, 
in  which  a  plate  of  zinc,  presenting  a  surface 
nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  mould,  is  suspended, 
about  half  an  inch  from  the  diaphragm.  When 
matters  are  thus  arranged,  connection  is  estab- 
lished by  means  of  a  copper  wire  between  the 
moulds  and  the  zinc.  As  soon  as  the  circuit  is 
closed,  an  electric  current  results,  in  consequence 
of  which  the  zinc  becomes  the  positive  pole,  and 
the  mould  the  negative  pole;  the  sulphate  of 
copper  is  decomposed,  the  sulphuric  acid  and  the 
oxygen  go  to  the  zinc,  which  is  dissolved ;  the 
hydrogen  of  the  decomposed  water  then  reduces 
the  copper,  which  is  deposited  at  the  negative 
pole.  The  solution  is  kept  in  a  state  of  satu- 
ration, as  in  the  preceding  case.  The  tem- 
perature should  be  maintained  between  104° 
and  107*^  Fahr.,  to  avoid  crystallization;  and  as  | 
saturation  is  always  more  complete  at  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel  than  at  the  top,  the  mould  must  be 
turned  from  time  to  time  quickly,  to  prevent 
oxidation. 

Another  inconvenience  is  the  unequal  thick- 
ness of  the  deposit,  always  more  abundant  at 
the  extreme  opposite  to  the  point  of  connection 
than  at  the  point  itself.  This  inconvenience  is 
remedied  by  placing  several  conducting-wires 
along  both  ends  of  the  mould,  taking  care  to 
turn  back  those  which  are  fixed  to  the  lower  edge. 
The  apparatus  is  compound  when  the  galvanic 
current  is  produced  outside  the  bath  containing 
the  solution  to  be  decomposed.  In  this  arrange- 
ment a  current  of  any  degree  of  strength  may  be 
employed,  according  to  the  size  and  number  of 
cells  forming  the  battery. 

ELECTROTYPING,  DanidVs  Battery  for. 
— ^l"he  batteries  generally  employed  are  those  of 
Daniell  and  Bunsen.  The  Daniell  battery,  as 
improved,  consists  of  a  copper  vessel,  about  7 
in.  in  height,  5^  in.  in  width,  and  ^  of  an  in. 
in  thickness,  furnished  with  two  appendages, 
forming  a  beveled  pocket,  communicating  with 
the  interior  of  the  vessel  by  numerous  apertures, 
and  filled  with  crystals  of  sulphate  of  copper.  A 
saturated  solution  of  sulphate  of  copper  is  poured 
into  the  vessel,  into  which  a  linen  bag  is  im- 
mersed, containing  a  plate  of  zinc,  4^  inches 
wide.  By  means  of  two  screws,  the  conducting 
wires  may  be  adjusted  to  the  poles,  or  the  zinc 
element  may  be  attached  to  the  succeeding  cop- 
per element. 

Bunseti's  Battery. — ^This,  like  Daniell's,  is  a 
constant  battery.  It  is  composed  of  a  cylinder 
of  amalgamated  zinc,  placed  in  an  earthenware 
or  glass  vessel,  containing  diluted  sulphuric  acid. 
This  cylinder  surrounds  a  porous  vessel,  which 
contains  a  cylinder  of  carbon,  dipping  into  nitric 
acid.  To  the  upper  portion  of  the  zinc  a  strip 
of  copper  is  soldered,  the  conical  extremity  of 
which  fits  tightly  into  an  aperture  pierced  in  the 
upper  portion  of  the  carbon  of  the  adjoining 
element.  By  these  means  communication  be- 
tween the  elements  is  established. 

The  negative  pole  is  always  at  the  extremity 
of  the  pile  terminated  by  the  zinc ;  the  positive 
pole  at  the  other  extremity. 

The  best  proportions  of  water  and  sulphuric 
acid  to  employ  to  form  the  acidulated  water  in 
which  the  zmc  is  immersed  are  one  part  acid  to 
nine  parts  water.  The  nitric  acid  surrounding 
the  carbon  must  be  concentrated,  but  not  fuming. 
Smee^s  Battery. — This  form  of  constant  bat- 


tery is  mostly  employed  in  the  production  and 
duplicating  of  copper  plates.  The  voltaic  couple 
consists  of  a  plate  of  platinized  silver  placed 
between  two  surfaces  of  amalgamated  zinc.  Tlie 
silver  communicates  by  a  wire  with  the  positive 
pole  of  the  decomposing  apparatus,  or  the  anode, 
which  must  be  of  equal  surface  with  the  mould. 
The  zinc  is  connected  by  a  wire,  fastened  by  a 
screw  to  the  mould  placed  at  the  negative  pole 
of  the  decomposing  apparatus.  The  voltaic  ap- 
paratus must  be  charged  with  sulphuric  acid 
diluted  with  fifteen  or  sixteen  times  its  weight 
of  water. 

The  decomposing  apparatus  may  be  either 
vertical  or  horizontal.  If  the  latter,  the  mould 
must  be  placed  at  the  bottom,  else  the  deposit 
of  copper  will  not  be  of  uniform  hardness.  The 
vertical  form  is  considered  best  for  slow  deposit; 
the  horizontal  is  more  appropriate  for  a  rapid 
deposit  of  copper. 

When  the  apparatus  is  filled  with  liquid,  take 
a  piece  of  copper  of  the  same  dimensions  as  the 
plate  to  be  moulded  or  copied,  and  put  it  in 
communication  with  the  silver  of  the  battery. 
The  battery  being  charged,  the  vessel  filled  with 
the  solution,  and  the  piece  of  copper  to  be  dis- 
solved (anode)  being  immersed  in  the  solution 
and  connected  with  the  silver  of  the  battery,  the 
wire  which  is  soldered  to  the  plate  or  mould  on 
which  the  deposit  is  to  be  made  is  put  into  com- 
munication with  the  zinc  of  the  battery,  and  the 
operator  must  take  especial  care  not  to  immerse 
this  plate  or  mould  in  the  solution  until  the  last 
thing,  in  order  to  complete  the  circuit  with  it. 
These  arrangements  being  properly  made,  we 
see  a  deposit  of  pure  copper  formed,  which  does 
not  adhere  to  the  original  plate,  on  account  of 
the  film  of  air  which  separates  them,  or  the  very 
thin  coating  of  wax  with  which  the  plate  has 
been  previously  rubbed. 

Definition  of  the  Electric  Current. — When  the 
opposite  poles  of  an  electric  pile  are  connected 
by  a  good  conductor — as  a  copper  wire,  for  ex- 
ample, the  electricities  are  set  in  motion  in  the 
wire.  The  positive  electricity  passes  from  the 
positive  to  the  negative  pole,  the  negative  elec- 
tricity travels  in  the  opposite  direction.  It  will 
be  perceived  that  there  are  two  currents  of  elec- 
tricity. To  designate  the  direction  in  which  they 
travel,  it  is  only  necessary  simply  to  indicate  the 
path  the  positive  electricity  takes ;  it  being  un- 
derstood that  the  negative  electricity  takes  the 
opposite  direction. 

Chemical  Effect  of  the  Battery. — If  we  attach 
a  metallic  wire  to  one  of  the  poles,  and  a  second 
wire  to  the  other  pole,  and  then  immerse  these 
two  conductors  (electrodes)  in  a  saline  solution 
— sulphate  of  copper,  for  example — taking  care 
that  the  wires  do  not  touch,  we  perceive  that  the 
metal  of  the  salt  in  solution  becomes  deposited 
upon  the  negative  electrode :  the  other  elements 
of  the  salt  go  to  the  positive  electrode. 

The  same  experiment  performed  upon  an  al- 
kaline or  earthy  salt,  placed  in  solution  in  a  U 
tube,  gives  the  alkali  at  the  negative  pole  and  the 
acid  at  the  positive  pole. 

From  this  it  appears  that  the  salts  do  not  all 
behave  in  the  same  manner  under  the  influence 
of  the  electric  current;  but  the  difference  in  the 
results  observed  is  not  due  to  a  difference  in  the 
action  of  the  current ;  it  arises  from  the  oxidiza- 
bility of  the  alkaline  and  earthy  metals,  which, 
upon  their  arrival  at  the  negative  pole,  decompose 


414 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


the  water  and  become  oxidized,  with  a  disengage- 
ment of  hydrogen. 

ELECTROTYPING,  Baths  for.— T\iQs.^^2L- 
ratus  by  the  aid  of  which  we  may  decompose  the 
various  metallic  combinations  employed  in  electro- 
typing  having  been  described,  we  proceed  to  give 
Some  details  upon  the  combinations  themselves. 
Copper Baihs. — The  sulphate,  chlorate,  nitrate, 
and  acetate  are  the  combinations  employed, 
especially  the  sulphate,  on  account  of  its  cheap- 
ness. This  salt  presents  a  considerable  resistance 
to  the  passage  of  the  electric  current,  and  the 
conducting  power  of<the  solution  may  be  increas- 
ed by  adding  to  it  a  small  quantity  of  sulphuric 
or  nitric  acid.  A  solution  containing  one  pound 
of  sulphate  of  copper  in  three  and  a  half  pints  of 
water,  and  one  third  to  one  half  of  its  volume  of 
sulphuric  acid,  diluted  with  eight  parts  of  water, 
forms  a  good  working  bath,  especially  when 
operating  with  non-conducting  substances  coated 
with  plumbago. 

The  soluble  electrode  is  always  in  copper ;  the 
mould  may  be  formed  of  plumbago,  carbon,  gold, 
silver,  platina,  nickel,  as  well  as  of  copper. 

The  discoverers  of  electrotyping  are  of  opinion 
that  it  is  always  objectionable  to  employ  an  acid 
bath,  yet  many  persons  prefer  it.  The  nitrate, 
chloride,  and  other  soluble  salts  of  copj^er  present 
no  advantages  over  the  sulphate. 

Silver  Baths. — The  choice  of  the  silver  salt  to 
be  employed  depends  upon  the  nature  of  the 
mould,  which  may  be  gold,  platinum,  silver, 
copper,  carbon,  or  a  plastic  substance  covered 
with  one  of  these  substances.  Sulphate  of  silver 
answers  very  well  for  metals  which  have  more 
affinity  for  oxygen  than  silver.  Of  all  the  salts 
that  can  be  employed,  the  nitrate  of  silver  is  the 
least  suitable.  The  following  is  the  composition 
of  the  silver  bath  now  generally  adopted :  Dis- 
solve 2  lbs.  of  silver  in  6  lbs.  of  nitric  acid,  and 
gently  evaporate  the  solution  over  a  spirit-lamp 
until  the  resulting  nitrate  is  fused.  By  this 
means  we  drive  off  not  only  the  excess  of  acid, 


The  bath  is  •formed  of  the  double  cyanide  of 
gold  and  potassium,  dissolved  in  an  excess  of 
potassium.  To  prepare  it,  dissolve  2  oz.  of  gold 
in  aquaregia;  evaporate  it  to  a  syrupy  consistence; 
re-dissolve  it  in  warm  water,  and  add,  little  by 
little,  2  lbs.  of  cyanide  of  potassium,  previously 
dissolved  in  water,  and  thus  form  1 1  gallons  of 
bath.  It  is  best  to  boil  it  several  hours  before 
employing  it.  The  most  suitable  temperature 
for  operating  is  i6o°  Fahr. 

ELECTROTYPING,  Moulds  for.—  Every 
substance  which  is  a  conductor  of  electricity  may 
be  employed  to  form  a  mould  suitable  for  the 
electrotypmg  process,  provided  that  it  is  not 
liable  to  be  acted  upon  by  the  solution,  or  to  be 
reacted  upon  by  the  metal  precipitated.  A  non- 
conducting mould  fulfilling  these  conditions  may 
also  be  employed,  by  taking  the  precaution  of 
imparting  a  conducting  faculty  to  its  surface  by 
means  of  a  very  thin  coating  of  a  conducting 
body,  like  plumbago,  in  a  state  of  powder. 

Metallic  Moulds. — The  conducting  bodies  ca- 
pable of  serving  as  moulds  are — the  metals, 
well-calcined  carbon,  and  plumbago.  The  so- 
lution most  commonly  employed  in  electrotype 
operations  is  sulphate  of  copper,  upon  which 
zinc,  tin  and  iron  act.  These  three  metals  can 
not,  therefore,  be  employed  to  make  moulds, 
unless  previously  coppered  in  alkaline  baths. 
Platina  and  gold  perfectly  unite  all  the  required 
conditions ;  but  their  high  price  does  not  admit 
of  their  being  employed  on  a  large  scale.  These 
exceptions  stated,  there  remain  among  the  abun- 
dant metals  only  silver,  copper,  and  lead,  and 
the  alloys  of  the  latter  metal,  to  form  moulds. 
Silver,  which  can  be  precipitated  only  by  gold 
and  platinum,  must  be  employed  to  reduce  the 
metals  when  we  wish  the  deposit  precipitated  to 
be  of  great  purity.  We  obtain  very  excellent 
moulds  of  copper  by  means  of  an  electro-chemical 
deposit  of  this  metal  upon  the  original  subject, 
or  upon  a  cast  suitably  metallized.  Sheet-lead, 
when  carefully  cleaned  of  its  oxide,  is  first  flatten- 


but  also  reduce  the  copper  that  may  be  present.  |  ed  in  a  press  between  two  iron  plates.  The 
Then  dissolve  the  nitrate  in  a  gallon  of  water.  I  object  to  be  moulded  is  placed  on  the  lead  and 
Then,  in  another  vessel,  dissolve  4  lbs.  of  cyanide  |  covered  with  a  steel  plate,  and  passed  through  a 
of  potassium,  and  add  the  solution  gradually  to    rolling-press ;    the  lead  receives   a  perfect 


the  silver  solution ;  cyanide  of  silver  is  precipi- 
tated, and  the  nitrate  of  potassa  formed  remains 
in  solution. 

This  operation,  conducted  with  care,  up  to  the 
moment  when  the  addition  of  a  small  quantity  of 
cyanide  no  longer  causes  a  precipitate,  admits  of 
the  removal  of  the  nitrate  of  potassa  in  solution 
by  decantation.  The  precipitate  remaining  in 
the  vessel  is  washed  in  pure  water,  and  imme- 
diately dissolved  in  4  lbs.  of  cyanide  of  potassium. 
Then  sufficient  water  is  added  to  make  up  ten 
gallons.  This  bath  is  not  immediately  ready  for 
use.  Before  it  will  yield  a  good  deposit,  it  must 
be  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of  an  old  bath ; 
or,  to  impart  to  it  the  qualities  of  an  old  bath,  it 
must  be  boiled  for  several  hours ;  or,  which  is 
more  to  be  depended  upon,  2  lbs.  of  yellow 
prussiate  of  potash  is  added  to  every  4  lbs.  of 
silver.  But  this  last  composition  of  the  bath, 
although  most  generally  employed,  is  not  adapted 
for  brilliant  silvering. 

Gold  Baths. — Gilriing  may  be  done  either  hot 
or  cold ;  the  composition  of  the  bath  is  the  same 
in  each  case;  only  warm  gilding  is  generally 
richer  in  color,  and  is  usually  adopted  where  the 
baths  can  be  heated  by  steam. 


im- 
pression of  even  the  most  delicate  parts.  This 
is  the  method  adopted  in  "nature  printing." 
The  alloys  of  lead  employed  are  plumber's  solder, 
type-metal,  and  fusible  metal.  Moulds  in  fusible 
metal  are  employed  onlyin  copying  medals.  The 
alloy  most  frequently  employed  consists  of  five 
parts  lead,  three  parts  tin,  and  three  parts  liismuth. 
It  melts  at  176°  Fahr.  With  this  alloy  moulds 
are  taken  by  percussion.  Moulds  are  taken  in 
plumber's  solder  by  pouring  the  metal  on  a 
piece  of  paper,  and  laying  this  on  a  piece  of 
cloth.  The  medal  to  be  copied  is  laid  upon  the 
alloy,  covered  with  a  piece  of  wood,  and  struck 
a  sharp  blow.  The  mould  must  not  be  separated 
from  the  metal  until  the  latter  is  quite  cold. 
Success  in  this  kind  of  moulding  depends  on  the 
skill  of  the  operator. 

A^on-conducting Moulds. — The  plastic  materials 
most  commonly  used  are  plaster  of  Paris,  wax, 
stearine,  paraffine,  gelatine,  sealing-wax,  and 
gutta-percha. 

Wax.  —  Plaster  models  are  put  into  warm 
water  until  they  are  ihorouglily  saturated,  but 
not  so  as  to  ap])ear  wet  on  the  surface;  the 
plaster  is  then  put  into  a  paper  bag,  and  melted 
wax  poured  upon  it.     Left  in  a  cool  place,   the 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


415 


wax  easily  separates  from  the  plaster;  but  as  wax 
and  similar  substances  contract  materially  upon 
cooling,  it  is  necessary  to  employ  a  mixture  of 
equal  parts  of  yellow  wax  and  resin.  When 
melted  and  stirred  together,  the  mixture  is  left 
to  repose  until  all  the  bubbles  have  disappeared, 
and  it  has  acquired  the  consistency  of  treacle.  It 
is  then  poured  over  the  mode^Jike  wax. 

Stcarine. — Stearine  may  be  employed  in  lieu 
of  wax — or,  still  better,  a  mixture  of  thirty-two 
parts  of  spermaceti,  seven  of  wax,  and  seven  of 
mutton-fat,  melted  and  strained.  It  is  well  to 
add  a  little  plumbago  to  the  mixture,  to  irnpart 
conductibility.  Plaster  moulds  should  be  satu- 
rated with  stearine.  Sulphur  moulds  yield  very 
fine  impressions. 

Gtitta-percha. — ^This  substance  is  admirably 
adapted  for  electrotype  opei'ations.  Sufficiently 
elastic  to  admit  of  the  copying  of  undercut  ob- 
jects, and  wholly  unchangeable  in  acid  and  alka- 
line baths,  it  lasts  almost  indefinitely,  if  it  be 
kept  from  the  air.  To  prevent  the  spontaneous 
change  of  gutta-percha,  it  must  be  kept  under 
water.  When  old,  it  becomes  brittle.  Its  ori- 
ginal properties  may  be  restored  by  boiling  it 
with  a  third  of  its  weight  of  new  gutta-percha. 

There  are  two  methods  of  obtaining  a  mould — 
by  melting  and  by  pressure. 

The  first  method  consists  in  putting  into  a  stove, 
heated  to  230  or  250°  Fahr.,  the  model  and  the 
sheet  of  gutta-percha,  mixed  with  one  third  its 
weight  of  linseed-oil,  so  as  to  form  a  kind  of 
fusion  on  the  surface  of  the  model ;  then,  on  re- 
moval from  the  stove,  the  gutta-percha  is  pressed 
down  upon  the  model  by  the  hand,  moistened 
with  cold  water  to  prevent  adherence,  until  a 
perfect  mould  may  be  supposed  to  be  taken. 
When  the  gutta-percha  is  cold,  it  is  separated 
from  the  model,  and  presents  a  perfect  copy  of 
all  the  details  of  the  original.  The  principal  ob- 
jection to  this  method  is  that  the  gutta-percha 
undergoes  great  change,  in  consequence  of  which 
it  will  serve  for  only  a  small  number  of  opera- 
tions, and  require  a  long  time  for  each. 

The  second  process,  much  preferable  to  the 
first,  is  by  mechanical  pressure.  It  requires  a 
large  quantity  of  material,  but  is  a  better  and 
quicker  process  than  that  described  above.  On 
the  platform  of  a  screw-press  a  frame  is  placed, 
in  which  the  bed  upon  which  the  model  to  be 
copied  is  laid.  A  lump  of  gutta  percha,  softened 
in  boiling  water,  and  well  kneaded  in  the  hands, 
then  a  counterpart  representing  the  principal 
sinuosities  of  the  model,  and  horizontal  on  its 
upper  surface,  are  laid  upon  the  bed.  In  order 
to  avoid  the  adherence  of  the  model,  it  is  gone 
over  with  a  soft  brush  dipped  in  weak  soap- 
water,  and  the  lump  of  gutta-percha  is  dusted 
with  plumbago.  The  gutta-percha,  in  yielding 
under  the  pressure,  drives  out  the  air  and  water 
before  it,  and  impresses  itself  perfectly  on  the 
model.  When  cold,  the  mould  is  removed. 
Moulding  in  gutta-percha  requires  models  in 
metal,  which  may  be  pressed  or  heated  without 
fear  of  injury.  If  the  model  be  of  plaster  or  wax, 
we  have  recourse  to  modeling  in 

Gelatine. — This  substance  is  more  elastic  than 
gutta-percha,  and  admits  of  objects  more  under- 
cut being  executed.  It  has  the  inconvenience  of 
spoiHng  in  acid  baths,  and  of  furnishing  a  very 
brittle  metal,  in  consequence  of  the  necessity 
that  exists  for  making  a  very  rapid  deposit  to 
avoid  alteration  in  the  surface  of  the  mould. 


Gelatine  becomes  nearly  impermeable  if  we  add 
to  its  solution  in  warm  water  2  per  cent,  of  tan- 
nic acid  dissolved  in  alcohol,  and  10  per  cent,  of 
treacle.  But  it  still  spoils  in  the  baths  if  care  be 
not  taken  to  protect  the  external  surface  by  a 
thin  coating  of  gutta-percha  or  by  a  thick  var- 
nish. Dipping  the  gelatine  mould  into  a  strong 
solution  of  alum  renders  it  of  a  horny  texture, 
and  less  subject  to  be  acted  upon  by  the  bath, 
but  the  mould  contracts  a  little  in  consequence  of 
this  treatment.  ] 

Sealing-Wax. — Only  the  best  quality  of  this 
material  can  be  employed  as  moulds.  It  is  usu-  , 
ally  applied  to  copy  seals,  by  holding  a  card  over 
the  flame  of  a  candle,  and  rubbing  the  surface  in 
a  circular  direction  with  a  stick  of  sealing-wax 
until  sufficient  thickness  is  obtained.  Care  must 
be  taken  that  no  air-bubbles  exist.  The  seal  or 
other  object  to  be  copied  is  then  applied  with 
strong  pressure,  and  left  till  cold. 

ELECTRO  TYPING,  Metallization  of  the 
Moulds  for. — Non-conductors  of  electricity  re- 
quire to  be  metallized  in  order  to  render  them 
conductors.  This  is  accomplished  by  two  methods 
— the  dry  way  and  the  wet  way. 

Plumbago. — Of  all  metallic  or  metallizing 
powders  applied  by  the  dry  way,  plumbago  is 
the  best.  Its  unctuous  nature  renders  its  appli- 
cation easy ;  by  means  of  a  soft  brush,  the  plum- 
bago may  be  applied  to  the  most  undercut  por- 
tions of  the  mould.  All  kinds  of  plumbago  are 
not  equally  good  for  metallization,  and  it  is  use- 
ful to  make  trial  of  their  conductibility  before 
adopting  them. 

The  moist  way  consists  in  coating  the  surface 
of  the  mould  with  a  metallic  solution,  and  in  re- 
ducing the  metal  it  contains  by  the  action  of  a 
gas,  of  a  liquid,  or  of  light.  The  most  con- 
venient solution  is  that  of  nitrate  of  silver  in  al- 
cohol. It  is  applied  to  the  mould  with  a  fine 
pencil,  and  left  to  dry.  Two  or  three  successive 
applications  are  necessary;  then  the  article  is 
submitted  to  the  action  of  nascent  sulphureted 
hydrogen  gas.  Immediately  the  surface  of  the 
mould  turns  black  the  mould  is  ready  for  the 
bath,  for  the  sulphureted  silver  has  rendered  the 
surface  conducting.  We  may  arrive  at  the  same 
result  by  replacing  the  action  of  sulphureted 
hydrogen  by  that  of  phosphorus  dissolved  in  sul- 
phide of  carbon,  or  by  the  direct  action  of  solar 
light,  or  by  gallic  and  pyrogallic  acids,  or  by 
sulphate  of  iron  in  its  minimum  state  of  oxida- 
tion ;  but  the  first  method  is  preferable.  It  is 
employed  to  metallize  vegetable  and  animal  mat- 
ters, such  as  flowers,  fruit,  insects  and  osier  and 
reed  articles,  so  as  to  produce  very  curious  re- 
sults. The  reduction  of  nitrate  of  silver  by  hy- 
drogen permits,  also,  of  the  metallizing  of  silk 
threads,  and  consequently,  of  coppering,  gilding, 
and  silvering  them.  So,  also,  by  metallization 
by  the  moist  way,  glass  may  be  covered  with 
metallic  deposits,  producing  very  remarkable 
artistic  effects. 

When  the  moulds  are  rendered  conductors,  a 
copper  wire  is  attached  to  them,  and  they  are  put 
into  the  bath. 

If  the  article  be  undercut,  it  is  well  to  multi- 
ply the  points  of  contact,  so  as  to  cause  the  de- 
po'sits  to  fall  upon  several  parts  at  once.  The 
physical  qualities  of  the  copper  obtained  depend 
upon  a  perfect  equilibrium  between  the  four  con- 
ditions which  we  have  before  described. 
The  thickness  of  the  copper  deposited  upon  a 


4i6 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


given  surface  can  not  be  perfectly  uniform,  in 
consequence  of  the  galvanic  current  acting  in  an 
inverse  ratio  to  the  distance.  The  result  is  that 
the  parts  of  the  mould  nearest  to  the  anode 
receive  most  deposit,  while  the  distant  portions 
receive  much  less.  There  exist,  therefore,  very 
sensible  differences  in  the  thickness  of  the  depo- 
sits, and,  consequently,  the  electrotype  deposit 
does  not  present  all  the  solidity  desirable. 

To  remedy  this  inconvenience,  it  has  been  pro- 
posed to  solidify  the  interior  of  the  galvanic  shell, 
and  take  advantage  of  the  different  fusion  points 
of  copper  and  brass. 

By  means  of  the  gas  blow-pipe,  wire  or  pieces 
of  brass  are  melted  into  the  copper  shell,  and 
perfectly  unite  with  it,  giving  to  the  electro 
deposit  the  malleability  and  other  qualities  of  an 
article  that  has  been  cast. 

Metallic  Powders.  —  Copper  and  silver  are 
sometimes  employed  as  metallic  powders. 

To  obtain  an  extremely  fine  copper  powder,  the 
copper  is  precipitated  from  a  boiling  solution  of 
its  sulphate  by  metallic  zinc ;  the  copper  is  after- 
ward separated  from  the  zinc  in  excess  by  diluted 
sulphuric  acid.  The  powder  obtained  is  dried  at 
a  gentle  heat. 

Silver  powder  is  prepared  by  boiling  recently- 
prepared  chloride  of  silver  in  water  acidulated 
with  sulphuric  acid,  and  a  piece  of  pure  zinc. 

The  metallic  powders  are  applied  to  the 
moulds  —  plaster  impregnated  with  unctuous 
matters,  etc. — after  slightly  warming  them.  A 
camel's  or  badger's-hair  pencil  is  preferred  for 
this  purpose.  The  parts  of  the  mould  on  which 
the  metal  is  not  to  be  deposited  are  coated  with 
varnish. 

Metals  can  be  applied  to  glass  without  the 
interposition  of  a  varnish.  The  object  is  sub- 
'  mitted  to  the  fumes  of  hydrofluoric  acid,  until  the 
I  surface  assumes  a  mat  ox  ground-glass  appearance. 
Plumbago  is  then  applied  with  a  cork  or  leather 
stump.  An  exceedingly  thin  coating  of  plumbago 
adheres  to  the  rough  surface  with  great  force. 

Cleaning. — The  plastic  moulds,  when  covered 
with  a  conducting    coating    by    the  preceding 

Processes,  are  ready  to  be  immersed  in  the  baths, 
'he  metallic  surfaces  require  to  be  first  scoured 
and  cleaned,  either  by  chemical  or  mechanical 
means,  which  will  be  described  hereafter. 

ELECTROTYPING,  Solders  for.  —  To 
establish  communication  between  the  mould  and 
the  negative  pole  of  the  galvanic  battery,  a  con- 
ductor is  formed  of  a  band  of  copper  or  of  lead, 
which,  if  the  mould  is  metallic,  is  soldered  to  the 
edges  in  the  following  manner: 

Soldering  with  Chloride  of  Zinc  and  Tin. — 
The  two  surfaces  to  be  united  are  scraped  clean, 
and  slightly  moistened  with  a  pencil  dipped  in 
hydrochlorate  of  zinc,  and  then  are  easily  soldered 
with  the  soldering-iron  and  a  little  tm  solder. 
After  putting  them  closely  in  contact,  the 
soldering  is  completed  with  the  iron  or  the 
spirit-lamp. 

Soldering  with  Stearine.  —  This  process  is 
simpler  than  the  other.  Siearine,  generally  at 
hand,  is  the  only  substance  required  to  deoxidize 
the  metals,  and  determine  their  adherence  by  the 
aid  of  tin  solder. 

The  pieces  to  be  cleaned  are  first  scraped,  and 
rubbed  with  sand-paper.  The  articles  are  then 
warmed  at  the  flame  of  a  spirit-lamp,  and  rubbed 
lightly  with  a  piece  of  stearine.  A  very  thin 
piece  of  solder  is  then  applied  to  the  heated  part, 


which  immediately  spreads,  and  combines  in- 
timately with  the  copper.  The  same  operation 
is  repea}  ."d  upon  the  other  piece  to  be  soldered. 
The  two'articles  are  now  held  in  close  contact 
by  a  pair  of  pincers,  and  heated  together,  and 
they  are  left  in  the  pincers  until  they  are  cold. 

ELECTROTYPE  PLATES,  To  Coat  with 
Iron. — The  following  has  been  successfully  em- 
ployed in  coating  electrotype  deposits  with  a  coatin  g 
of  pure  iron,  thereby  rendering  them  little  inferior 
to  steel-plate  engravings  as  regards  durability  : 

Dissolve  I  lb.  of  sal  ammoniac  in  I  gal.  of 
rain-water,  then  add  2  lbs.  of  neutral  acetate  of 
iron ;  boil  the  solution  in  an  iron-kettle  for  2 
hours,  replacing  the  water  lost  by  evaporation  ; 
when  cold,  filter  the  solution,  and  keep  it  in 
close-covered  vats  (when  not  in  use)  to  prevent 
oxidation. 

The  iron  plate  used  in  the  decomposition-cell 
must  be  of  the  same  surface  as  the  plate  to  be 
coated  with  iron  ;  a  Smee's  battery,  of  at  least  3 
cells,  charged  with  I  part  sulphuric  acid,  and  60 
parts  water,  being  used   for   the  decomposition. 

To  insure  success  the  following  rules  must  be 
observed:  1st.  The  plate  must  be  thoroughly 
freed  from  any  greasy  matter  by  immersing  in  a 
solution  of  caustic  soda,  then  rinsed  in  clean  cold 
rain-water,  after  which  dip  it  in  dilute  acetic  acid, 
and  immediately  transfer  it  to  the  solution  of  iron; 
this  will  insure  perfect  adhesion  between  the 
metals.  2d.  The  solution  must  be  filtered  pre- 
vious to  use  to  remove  the  oxide  of  iron  formed 
by  exposure  to  the  atmosphere.  After  the  plates 
have  been  coated  with  iron  they  must  be  well 
rinsed  in  clear  warm  rain-water,  then  in  a  weak 
alkaline  solution,  well  dried  with  a  piece  of 
clean  soft  cotton,  and  slightly  oiled  to  prevent 
oxidation. 

The  coating  of  iron  is  very  hard  and  brittle, 
resembling  the  white  iron  used  by  manufacturers 
of  malleable  iron.  Should  any  of  the  surface  be 
damaged,  the  whole  coating  of  iron  may  be  re- 
moved by  immersion  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  and 
re-coated  again  by  the  above  process. 

ELECTROTYPING  Plaster  Casts. —To 
prepare  a  plaster  cast  for  electrotyping,  first  dry 
the  plaster  cast  in  the  oven  thoroughly,  then  get 
equal  parts  of  beeswax  and  common  resin,  melt 
them  together,  and  boil  the  cast  until  it  will  not 
absorb  any  more ;  when  cold,  get  some  good 
black  lead  and  cover  the  cast  entirely,  not  thick 
but  a  bright  surface,  then  you  can  electroplate  in 
your  battery  as  usual. 

EMERY  WHEELS.— Take  &  solid  wheel, 
made  of  pine,  or  any  other  soft  wood,  and  of  the 
size  required  for  his  purpose.  Turn  the  wheel 
true,  and  then  turn  rounds  or  hollows  in  its  face, 
to  suit  the  tools  he  wishes  to  grind,  gouges, 
rounds,  etc.,  mentioned  by  him.  Then  let  him 
prepare  some  best  glue,  and,  using  it  hot  and 
thin,  put  it  on  the  face  of  the  wheel  with  a  brush. 
The  first  coat  of  glue  should  be  a  light  one,  and 
when  it  is  dry  a  second  one  should  be  a})plied, 
and  as  quickly  as  possible,  as  much  emery  should 
be  sifted  upon  the  wet  surface  as  the  glue  will 
hold.  When  this  is  dry  another  coat  of  glue 
and  emery  should  be  applied  in  the  same  way. 
This  will  make  a  wheel  that  will  last  for  months, 
and  grind  faster  than  anything  else. 

ENAMELS.— ThQ  beauty  of  the  enamels 
is  altogether  dependent  on  the  purity  of  their 
component  parts,  and  great  care  is  therefore  re- 
quired in  the  selection. 


WORKERS  IN-  METALS. 


417 


The  presence  of  iron  in  the  white  ground  mass 
is  especially  obnoxious,  and  for  this  reason  crude 
soda  is  never  used  in  its  composition  ;  but  always 
a  purified  article.  White  enamel/*  prepared 
similarly  to  those  given  in  our  former  article, 
is  always  the  ground  mass  of  enamels,  and  a 
coloring  is  produced  by  the  addition  of  various 
oxides  of  metals.  To  affix  enamels  to  metals,  a 
ground  mass  of  white  is  burned  in  under  a  muffle 
furnace  first,  and  the  colored  enamel  is  afterward 
put  on  with  a  brush,  and  burned  in  at  a  second 
and  less  intense  heating.  The  ground  mass  is 
required  to  be  less  fusible,  and  contains,  there- 
fore, less  fluxing  material  than  the  colored 
enamels  afterward  added.  Besides  carbonate  of 
soda,  borax,  and  saltpetre,  the  silicate  of  lead  is 
the  principd  flux  used ;  but  the  latter  must  never 
be  employed  when  a  purple  color  is  to  be 
produced  by  oxide  or  chloride  of  gold,  as  the 
color  would  be  destroyed  during  the  heating. 

The  following  composition,  given  by  Dr.  F. 
Stohmann,  answers  excellently  for  the  ground 
mass,  when  purple,  blue,  and  other  tender  colors 
are  to  be  added  subsequently :  3  parts  of  sand, 
I  part  of  chalk,  3  parts  of  calcined  borax;  or  3 
parts  of  glass  free  from  lead,  I  part  of  calcined 
borax,  %  part  of  nitrate  of  soda,  and  I  part  of 
antimoniate  of  potash.  The  latter  composition 
is  especially  adapted  for  blue  colors.  The  quan- 
tity of  metal  oxides  depends  entirely  on  the 
depth  of  the  color  which  it  is  intended  to 
produce. 

The  quantity  of  the  above  component  parts 
can  be  varied  within  certain  limits;  but  the 
principal  quality  requisite  in  a  good  enamel  must 
never  be  lost  sight  of;  that  is,  it  must,  when  ex- 
posed to  a  low  temperature,  become  sufficiently 
soft  to  show  a  glassy  surface  after  cooling,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  it  must  not  become  thinly  fluid 
when  smelted.  This  shows  that  it  is  by  no 
means  easy  to  hit  always  the  exact  proportions, 
and  that  great  care   is  required  in  the  business. 

When  a  white  opaque  enamel  is  to  be  produced, 
it  is  especially  important  to  use  very  pure  ma- 
terials. But  if  the  mass,  after  smelting,  shows 
a  slight  tinge  only,  the  clear  white  can,  in  most 
cases,  be  restored  by  the  addition  of  a  little  py- 
rolusite,  which,  however,  must  contain  at  least 
90  to  95  per  cent,  of  black  oxide  of  manganese. 
If  the  common  kinds,  which  often  contain  from 
30  to  40  per  cent,  of  peroxide  of  iron  are  used, 
they  would  spoil  the  color  still  more.  An  excess 
of  pure  black  oxide  of  manganese  is  also  in- 
jurious, as  it  would  produce  a  violet  color.  The 
action  of  pyrolusite  in  producing  a  clear  white 
is  simply  based  on  the  fact  that  it  gives  off  oxy- 
gen in  the  heat  to  organic  matter  which  may  be 
in  the  paste,  and  destroys  it;  and  if  small  quan- 
tities of  protoxide  of  iron  are  present  they  are 
oxidized  to  peroxide.  Being  itself  reduced  to 
the  colorless  suboxide,  it  is  incorporated  in  the 
mass  without  imparting  the  violet  color,  so  char- 
acteristic to  its  higher  oxides.  If  a  bluish  white 
is  desired,  it  can  be  easily  imparted  to  the  paste 
by  adding  a  small  excess  of  pyrolusite.  A  yellow- 
ish tinge  may  thus  be  completely  covered. 

To  the  original  basis  of  white  enamels,  which 
has  very  nearly  or  entirely  the  composition  of 
clear  crystal  glass,  a  certain  proportion  of  a 
mixture  of  oxide  of  lead  and  tin,  and  often  also 
sand,  is  added.  The  metal  oxides  are  prepared 
by  calcining  the  metals  in  the  air.  This  is  easily 
done,  as  at  a  certain  temperature  a  proper  mixture 


of  lead  and  tin  burns  like  tinder.  It  is  then  only 
necessary  to  continually  take  off  the  skin  of  the 
oxides  in  order  to  expose  new  metal  surface  to 
the  air.  The  whole  mass  is  thus  finally  changed 
into  a  yellowish  powder,  which  is  best  heated  a 
second  time  until  no  more  sparks  issue  from  it. 
The  second  heating  is  performed  in  order  to 
oxidize  the  small  globules  of  metal  which  may 
have  been  scraped  off  the  surface  of  the  metal  to- 
gether with  the  oxides.  The  proportion  of  lead 
and  tin  taken  varies  greatly,  from  15  to  40  parts 
being  used  to  100  parts  of  lead.  Oxidation  takes 
place  the  more  readily,  the  more  lead  there  is  in 
the  alloy.  / 

A  very  fine  white  enamel  is  obtained  by  smel- 
ting one  part  of  the  oxides  (made  by  calcining  2 
parts  of  lead  and  I  of  tin)  with  2  parts  of  finely 
pulverized  crystal  glass,  and  a  small  quantity  of 
pyrolusite.  When  the  mass  has  become  entirely 
fluid,  it  is  poured  into  cold  water,  and  sub- 
sequently powdered  to  repeat  the  operation  of 
smelting.  This  is  often  done  three  or  four  times, 
in  order  to  produce  an  entirely  homogeneous 
mass. 

Thepurity  of  the  white  is  principally  dependent 
on  the  proportion  of  tin  in  the  composition,  a 
larger  addition  producing  a  more  prominent 
white.  The  less  sand  there  is  used,  the  more 
fusible  is  the  enamel,  and  vice  versa. 

Sometimes  the  antimoniate  of  potash  or  soda  is 
used  in  the  composition,  but  it  must  never  be 
brought  together  with  a  glass  containing  lead, 
as  a  very  inferior  enamel  would  result.  The 
usual  composition  of  enamels,  in  which  the 
antimoniate  is  present,  is  3  parts  of  crystal  glass 
to  I  part  of  antimoniate.  It  is  mixed  and  smelted 
in  the  usual  way. 

For  fine  white  enamels  pure  sand  is  usuallynot 
taken.  A  mixture  of  I  part  of  sand,  and  ^  part 
salt,  which  has  been  calcined,  is  melted  with  % 
part  oxide  of  lead  ;  this  mass  is  powdered  and 
used  instead  of  sand. 

According  to  Clouet,  a  mixture  of  60  parts  of 
sand,  30  parts  alum,  35  parts  salt,  and  1 00  parts 
of  litharge  produces  a  good  white  enamel,  which 
resists  a  high  temperature.  It  is  desirable  that 
the  sand  contain  a  small  proportion  of  talc. 

The  most  important  manufacture  in  which 
enameling  is  used  is  that  of  the  dials  for  clocks 
and  watches.  The  proceeding  is  as  follows :  If" 
the  dials  are  large,  both  sides  are  covered  with  a 
coarsely  pulverized  mass  of  enamel,  which  has 
been  previously  prepared,  and  is  only  made  into 
a  pasty  mass  with  a  little  water.  This  is  allowed 
to  dry  gradually  at  a  low  heat,  and  then  the 
whole  is  exposed  to  the  heat  of  a  muffle-furnace, 
until  the  enamel  has  become  soft  and  glassy.  It  is 
taken  out,  and  the  small  blisters  which  are  usually 
found  on  the  surface  are  ground  down  with  fine 
sand.  The  dials  are  then  brought  back  into  the 
furnace,  and  once  more  heated  until  the  enamel 
just  commences  to  smelt  on  the  surface.  On  taking 
them  out  and  cooling  them,  it  is  found  that  the 
surfaces  have  the  peculiar  beautiful  lustre  which 
we  see  on  dials.  The  circles  are  then  drawn  and 
divided  into  hours  and  minutes,  by  means  of  a 
machine;  the  marks  are  made  with  black  enamel, 
which  is  mixed  with  a  little  lavender  oil ;  and  to 
burn  in  the  black  marks  the  dials  are  exposed  to 
another  slight  heat.  Small  dials  are  enameled 
on  one  side  only. 

When  jewelry  or  other  ornaments  are  to  be 
enameled  on  parts  of  tlieir  surfaces  only,  the 
27 


4i8 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


respective  spots  are  first  roughened,  and  an  in- 
denture is  made  either  with  a  chisel  or  a  stamp. 
These  places  are  then  filled  with  enamel,  which 
is  burned  in. 

Colored  enamels  are  mostly  spread  on  a  white 
ground  mass,  which  has  been  previously  burned 
in,  but  sometimes  they  are  put  directly  on  the 
metal.  In  the  latter  case  a  comparatively  low 
heat  is  employed  in  burning  in  the  enamel. 

The  colors  in  enamels  are  produced  by  oxides 
of  metals,  as  mentioned  above.  Their  stability 
in  the  heat  depends  on  the  degree  of  the  affinity 
which  the  metau  has  for  the  oxygen. 

According  to  Dr.  F.  Stohmann,  the  different 
colors  are  prepared  as  follows : 

Purple. — Oxide  or  chloride  of  gold  is  used  to 
produce  this  color.  Very  little  gold  is  sufficient 
to  color  a  large  quantity  of  enamel.  As  before 
mentioned,  a  paste  must  not  be  used  for  this 
enamel  which  contains  lead  or  tin ;  it  is  custom- 
ary to  use  one  consisting  of  crystal  glass,  borax, 
and  saltpetre,  or  of  3  parts  quartz-sand,  I  part 
chalk,  and  3  parts  calcined  borax.  The  purple 
color  can  not  stand  high  temperatures. 

Red. — We  have  no  metal  the  oxide  of  which 
gives  us  directly  a  red  color.  It  is  therefore 
produced  by  adding  to  the  paste  of  the  enamel  a 
mixture  of  peroxide  of  iron  and  clay,  which  is 
hard  to  fuse.  But  even  in  burning  this  in  too 
high  a  heat  must  be  avoided,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  formation  of  silicate  of  peroxide  of  iron, 
which  would  destroy  the  color.  The  mixture  is 
made  by  heating  2  to  2^  parts  of  copperas  and 
I  part  of  sulphate  of  alumina,  first  slowly,  to 
drive  out  the  water,  then  stronger,  until  the 
whole  has  assumed  a  red  color.  The  right 
moment  is  seen  by  samples,  which  are  from  time 
to  time  taken  out  of  the  furnace,  and  allowed  to 
cool,  when  the  true  color  appears.  The  depth 
of  the  red  color  can  be  widely  varied  by  altering 
the  proportion  of  copperas  and  sulphate  of  alum- 
ina. Thus  the  proportion  above  given  would 
produce  a  deep  red,  while  3  parts  of  sulphate  of 
alumina  and  I  part  of  copperas  would  make  a 
flesh-color. 

Yellow. — A  good  yellow  color  is  made  by 
mixing  l  part  of  oxide  of  antimony,  i  part  of 
white-lead,  i  part  of  alum,  and  I  of  sal-ammonia. 
These  substances  are  heated  over  a  fire  until  the 
sal-ammonia  has  sublimated,  and  the  whole  has 
assumed  a  yellow  color.  With  a  small  quantity 
of  peroxide  of  iron,  a  yellow  color  can  also  be 
produced,  if  a  high  heat  is  used  in  burning  the 
paste.  This  may  consist  of  sand,  oxide  of  lead, 
and  borax  for  the  antimony  yellow,  and  of  alum, 
oxide  of  lead,  salt,  and  talcose  sand,  for  the  oxide 
of  iron. 

A  good  yellow  may  also  be  produced  with  the 
salts  of  silver.  For  this  purpose  a  small  quantity 
of  oxide  of  silver,  for  mstance,  is  put  on  the 
surface  of  the  enamel,  which  has  already  been 
burned  before,  and  a  low  heat  is  given.  After 
cooling,  metallic  silver  will  be  found  coating  the 
spot.  On  scraping  this  off,  the  enamel  below  will 
be  found  yellow. 

Green. — This  is  produced  by  burning  2  ounces 
of  oxide  of  cojiper  or  chrome  with  4  ounces  of 
paste.  A  small  quantity  of  peroxide  of  iron  is 
sometimes  added. 

Blue  is  always  produced  by  oxide  of  cobalt. 
It  is  mixed  with  a  paste  which  contains  little  or 
no  lead,  as  this  would  deteriorate  the  color. 
Black  is  produced  by  adding  large  quantities 


of  metal  oxides  with  the  paste,  so  that  their  color 
becomes  so  dark  as  to  appear  black.  It  can  be 
done,  for  instance,  by  mixing  pyrolusite,  oxide 
of  copper,  and  oxide  of  cobalt,  or,  according  to 
Clouet,  by  mixing  an  easily  fusible  clay  with  a 
third  of  its  weight  of  protoxide  of  iron. 

Violet. — It  has  already  been  mentioned  that 
this  color  is  produced  by  black  oxide  of  mangan- 
ese. Care  must  be  taken  that  no  organic  sub- 
stances— as,  for  instance,  ccal-dust,  smoke,  etc. 
— come  in  contact  with  it  in  burning,  as  these 
destroy  the  color. 

According  to  Armengaud's  G^nie  Industriel, 
an  enamel  which  is  applicable  to  fine  stone-work, 
metals,  and  fancy  wood-work,  is  produced  with- 
out the  employment  of  heat,  in  the  following 
manner : 

1.  By  mixing  mineral  salts  or  oxides,  which 
are  capable  of  forming  silicates  with  silica,  in  a 
solution  of  soda  water-glass  of  syrup  consistency, 
with  a  certain  amount  of  silica. 

2.  By  precipitating  these  sUicates  by  means  of 
a  fixing  medium,  which  consists  of  a  salt,  acting 
by  double  decomposition. 

The  artificially  produce  dsilicate  of  soda  is  dis- 
solved in  water,  and  the  solution  concentrated  to 
the  consistency  of  syrup ;  then  the  finely-pulver- 
ized mineral,  mixed  with  finely-ground  quartz, 
is  added  to  the  solution  of  water-glass,  and  by 
careful  mixing  and  rubbing  the  whole,  it  is  made 
into  a  homogeneous  paste  or  thin  dough. 

This  is  spread  on  the  object  which  it  is  to 
adorn,  or  to  guard  against  the  influence  of  the 
atmosphere.  As  soon  as  the  mass  has  become 
dry,  the  fixing-medium,  or  reagent,  which  is  a 
more  or  less  clear  solution  of  a  salt  by  which  the 
silicates  are  to  be  precipitated,  is  spread  over  it 
with  a  fine  brush. 

The  precipitation  takes  place  after  some  time : 
and  when  the  covering  substances  have  become 
entirely  hard,  the  covered  object  attains  a  much 
greater  durability.  This  is  the  case,  because  it 
has  received  an  entirely  new  structure  for  a  thick- 
ness of  several  millimeters  from  its  surface,  which 
now  is  much  more  perfectly  coherent. 

The  coherence  and  different  appearance  of  the 
surface  can  be  varied  in  itensity,  by — i.  Giving 
a  larger  addition  of  silica,  from  ^/^  to  ^  of  the 
mass,  if  an  enamel  is  tlesired  which  can  resist  a 
high  temperature.  2.  By  augmenting  the  quan- 
tity of  soda,  or  potash  water-glass.  This  must 
be  done  to  the  higher  a  degree  the  easier  fusible 
the  product  is  intended  to  be. 

ENAMELED  Writing  Surfaces. — A  useful 
substance  for  making  gl.iss  labels,  sign  boards, 
etc.,  is  made  as  follows :  30  parts,  by  weight,  of 
pure  saltpetre,  90  parts  of  fine  sand  (silicic  acid), 
and  250  parts  of  litharge,  to  be  thorouglily  blend- 
ed, and  then  melted.  'I'he  enamel  made  by  these 
means  can  be  written  or  drawn  on  with  the  same 
facility  as  the  best  paper;  and  has  the  novel,  and, 
we  may  say,  the  unprecedented,  capability,  of 
perfect  permanency,  if  the  ink  be  properly  pre- 
pared, as  the  writing  can  be  burnt  in,  by  means 
of  a  muffle,  in  less  than  a  minute.  Another 
advantage  will  help  to  recommend  it  to  ingenious 
inventors :  it  can  be  treated,  for  photographic 
purposes,  with  a  substitute  for  collodion.  This 
substitute  can  be  prepared  as  follows  :  10  parts 
of  gum,  I  part  of  honey,  and  3  parts  of  bichro- 
mate of  potash;  filtered  and  dried  on  the  surface 
of  the  above  described  preparation.  The  plate 
is  exposed  in  the  usual  way.     The  development 


WORKERS  IN  METALS, 


419 


is  made  by  dusting,  the  powder  being  composed 
of  10  parts,  by  weight,  of  cobalt  oxide,  90  parts 
of  iron  scales,  loo  parts  of  red  lead,  and  30  parts 
of  sand.  When  these  components  are  mixed, 
the  chromate  should  be  decomposed  by  immer- 
sion in  a  bath  of  water,  acidulated  with  5  per 
cent,  of  muriatic  acid.  After  washing  and  dry- 
ing, the  enamel  should  be  melted  on  a  piece  of 
iron  plate,  coated  with  chalk;  a  minute's  sub- 
jection to  heat  is  enough,  and  the  photograph 
on  the  enamel,  perfectly  glazed  on,  will  be  ap- 
parent. 

ETCHING, — A  species  of  engraving,  in 
which  the  design  is  formed  on  the  plate  by  the 
action  of  an  acid,  or  some  other  fluid,  instead  of 
the  graver. 

The  plate  is  covered  with  a  ground  or  varnish 
capable  of  resisting  the  action  of  the  etching 
fluid,  the  design  is  next  scratched  on  the  metal 
by  means  of  a  species  of  needle  or  pointed  tool 
of  steel.  A  border  of  wax  is  then  placed  round 
the  plate,  and  the  *'biting"  menstruum  poured  on, 
and  allowed  to  remain  till  the  lights  or  finest 
portion  of  the  design  is  sufficiently  "bit  in."  The 
etching  fluid  is  then  poured  off,  the  plate 
washed,  and  the  light  parts  "stopped  up"  with 
wax  or  varnish,  when  the  solvent  is  again  poured 
on,  and  allowed  to  remain  until  the  finest  portion 
of  the  exposed  lines  are  sufficiently  deep,  when 
the  acid  is  again  poured  off,  and  the  whole  pro- 
cess is  repeated  till  the  very  darkest  lines  or 
shadows  are  sufficiently  formed.  The  plate  is 
then  cleaned,  and  is  printed  from  in  the  same 
way  as  a  common  engraved  copper-plate.  The 
most  approved  way  of  laying  the  design  on  the 
etching  ground,  is  first  to  draw  it  with  a  black- 
lead  pencil  on  paper,  then  to  damp  the  paper, 
place  it  with  the  design  next  the  wax  or  varnish, 
and  to  pass  the  whole  through  a  rolling-press, 
by  which  means  the  picture  will  be  transferred 
from  the  paper  to  the  ground. 

There  are  several  varieties  of  etching,  among 
which  may  be  named  etching  loith  a  dry  point, 
performed  entirely  with  the  point,  without  any 
ground,  the  burr  being  removed  with  the  scraper; 
etching  with  a  soft  ground,  when  a  coating  of 
lard  or  tallow  is  employed,  and  the  design  is 
drawn  on  a  piece  of  paper,  laid  evenly  on  the 
ground,  by  which  means  the  fatty  matter  adheres 
to  the  paper,  on  the  parts  pressed  on  by  the 
pencil,  and  the  copper  beneath  becomes  exposed. 
This  method  is  employed  to  produce  imitations 
of  chalk  or  pencil  drawings.  Stippling,  or  exe- 
cuting the  design  in  dots  instead  oflines.  Aqua- 
iinta,  in  which  a  weak  spirituous  solution  of  gum 
mastich  is  poured  over  the  plate,  placed  in  a 
slanting  direction,  by  which  a  gi-anulated  surface 
is  formed,  and  small  interstices  left,  exposing 
the  naked  metal ;  a  wall  of  wax  is  next  placed 
round  the  margin  of  the  plate,  the  etching  fluid 
poured  on,  and  the  lighter  parts  successively 
"stopped  out"  until  the  design  is  completed. 
Aquatinta  etchings  bear  a  great  resemblance  to 
Indian  ink  drawings.  The  fineness  or  coarseness 
of  the  grain  depends  entirely  upon  the  quantity 
of  matter  dissolved  in  the  spirit  employed  to 
form  the  ground. 

The  fluids  employed  for  "biting  in"  the  de- 
signs vary  considerably;  almost  every  etcher 
having  his  own  receipt.  Aquafortis,  more  or 
less  diluted,  is.  however,  generally  employed  for 
copper,  and  this,   with   the  addition  ofpyrolig- 


that  will  rapidly  dissolve  the  metal  may  be  used 
for  this  purpose.  The  etching  varnish  or  ground 
may  be  formed  of  any  substance  capable  of  re- 
sisting the  action  of  the  etching  fluid,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  sufficiently  soft  to  allow  of  the  free 
use  of  the  needle  or  point,  and  sufficiently  solid 
to  prevent  an  injury  to  the  design  during  the 
"scratching  in." 

In  etching  on  glass,  the  ground  is  laid  on,  and 
the  design  scratched  out  in  the  usual  way,  when 
liquid  hydrofluoric  acid  is  applied,  or  the  glass 
is  exposed  to  the  action  of  hydrofluoric  acid  gas. 
The  former  renders  the  surface  of  the  etching 
transparent,  the  latter  opaque.  A  very  simple 
way  of  performing  this  operation  is  to  wet  the 
design  with  sulphuric  acid,  and  then  to  sprinkle 
on  some  finely-pulverized  fluor  spar,  (fluoride 
of  calcium, )  by  which  means  hydrofluoric  acid  is 
set  free  and  attacks  the  glass.  This  may  be  very 
easily  applied  to  the  graduation  of  glass  vessels, 
thermometer  tubes,  etc. 

A  most  rapid  method  of  etching  on  iron  or 
steel,  capable  of  very  general  application,  is  as 
follows  :  Warm  the  metal  until  it  is  capable  of 
melting  a  piece  of  beeswax,  or  etching  varnish, 
which  must  then  be  carefully  rubbed  over  it,  so 
as  to  form  a  thin  and  even  coating ;  allow  the 
whole  to  cool,  and  scratch  out  the  design  in  the 
common  way,  with  a  needle  or  point ;  then 
sprinkle  on  a  little  powdered  iodine,  and  at  the 
same  time  add  a  few  drops  of  water  with  a  camel- 
hair  pencil,  and  work  them  into  a  liquid  paste, 
which  must  be  moved  about  over  the  intended 
engraving,  for  a  period  varying  from  one  to  five 
minutes,  according  to  the  depth  of  lines  required 
to  be  produced.  Afterwards  wash  the  whole  in 
clean  water.  Persons  acquainted  with  the  pro- 
perties of  iodine  will  readily  perceive  that  the 
same  etching-paste,  by  being  kept  for  a  few  days, 
will  again  acquire  the  property  of  dissolving  iron. 
I  have  thus  successfully  employed  the  same  ma- 
terials three  or  four  times.  Iodine  will,  doubt- 
less, at  no  very  distant  period,  supersede  the 
use  of  acids  for  the  above  purpose,  on  account  of 
its  portability  and  convenience.  To  travelers 
and  amateurs  who  amuse  themselves  with  the 
delightful  art  of  etching,  it  will,  I  think,  prove 
invaluable. 

ETCHING  on  Ivory. — Cover  the  ivory  to  be 
etched  with  a  thin  coating  of  beeswax,  then  trace 
the  figure  you  desire  to  present  through  the  wax. 
Pour  over  it  a  strong  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver. 
Let  remain  a  sufficient  length  of  time,  then  re- 
move it,  with  the  wax,  by  washing  in  warm 
water.  The  design  will  be  left  in  dark  lines  on 
the  ivory. 

FILES  and  RASPS.— Files  and  other  in- 
struments for  the  abrasion  of  various  substances 
may  be  made  by  folding  up  separate  pieces  of 
wet  clay  in  muslin,  cambric,  and  Irish  linen, 
forcing  them  by  the  pressure  of  the  hand  into 
the  interstices  of  the  threads,  so  that  oil  divest- 
ing them  of  the  covering,  and  having  them  well 
baked,  a  file  is  produced  of  a  new  species,  said 
to  be  capable  of  operating  on  steel;  andveryuseful 
in  cutting  glass,  polishing,  and  rasping  wood, 
ivory,  and  all  sorts  of  metals. 

FILES  and  RA SFS,  To  Re-cut  ivhcn  Old.— 
Dissolve  4  oz.  of  saleratus  in  i  quart  of  water, 
and  boil  the  files  in  it  for  half  an  hour;  then  re- 
move, wash,  and  dry  them.  Xow  have  ready, 
in  a  glass  or  stone  ware  vessel,  i  quart  of  rain 


neous  acid,  for  etching  on  steel ;  but  any  flufd  I  water,  into  which  you  have  slowly  added  4  oz.  of 


420 


DICTIONAR  YOFE  VER  Y-DA  V  WANTS. 


best  sulphuric  acid,  and  keep  the  proportions  for 
any  amount  used.  Immerse  the  files  in  this 
preparation  for  from  six  to  twelve  hours,  accord- 
ing to  fineness  or  coarseness  of  the  file;  then 
remove ;  wash  them  clean,  dry  quickly,  and  put 
a  little  sweet  oil  on  them  to  cover  the  surface. 
If  the  files  are  coarse,  they  will  need  to  remain 
in  about  twelve  hours,  but  for  fine  files  six  to 
eight  hours  is  sufficient.  This  plan  is  applicable 
to  blacksmiths',  gunsmiths',  tinners',  copper- 
smiths' and  machinists'  files.  Copper  and  tin 
workers  will  only  require  a  short  time  to  take 
the  articles  out  of  their  files,  as  the  soft  metals 
with  which  they  become  filled  are  soon  dissolved. 
Blacksmiths'  and  saw-mill  files  require  full  time. 
Files  may  be  re-cut  three  times  by  this  process. 
The  liquid  may  be  used  at  different  times  if  re- 
quired. Keep  away  from  children,  as  it  is  pois- 
onous. 

FILES,  To  Clean.— Holding  a  file  filled  with 
work  under  a  steam  jet  at  40  lbs.  pressure  is  an 
effectual  way  of  cleaning  the  same. 

GALVANIZING  Gray  Iron  Castings.  — 
Cleanse  the  articles  in  an  ordinary  chafing  mill, 
which  consists  of  a  barrel  revolving  on  its  axis ; 
when  the  sand  is  all  removed  take  them  out  and 
heat  one  by  one,  plunging  while  hot  in  a  liquid 
composed  as  follows :  10  pounds  of  hydrochloric 
acid,  sheet  zinc,  q.  s.  to  make  a  saturated  solu- 
tion. In  making  this  solution,  when  the  evolu- 
tion of  gas  has  ceased,  add  muriate,  or  preferably 
sulphate  of  ammonia,  I  pound,  and  let  it  stand 
until  dissolved.  The  castings  should  be  so  hot 
that  when  dipped  into  this  solution,  and  instant- 
ly removed,  they  will  immediately  dry,  leaving 
the  surface  crystallized  like  frost-work  on  a  win- 
dow pane.  Next,  plunge  Ihem  while  hot,  but 
perfectly  dry,  into  a  bath  of  melted  zinc,  previ- 
f  ously  skimming  the  oxide  on  the  surface  away, 
and  throwing  thereon  a  small  amount  of  pow- 
dered sal-ammoniac.  If  the  articles  are  very 
small,  inclose  them  in  a  wrought-iron  basket  on 
a  pole,  and  lower  them  into  the  metal.  When 
this  is  done,  shake  off  the  superfluous  metal,  and 
cast  them  into  a  vessel  of  water  to  prevent  them 
from  adhering  together  when  the  zinc  upon  the 
surface  solidifies. 

GILDING. — Gold  is  employed  for  gilding  the 
surface  of  copper,  brass  and  silver  by  the  follow- 
ing different  processes :  l.  Hot  gilding  for  the 
ormulu,  the  bright  French  gold  for  ornaments  of 
all  kinds;  the  metal  to  be  gilded  is  first  washed 
with  a  solution  of  nitrate  of  mercury  or  amalga- 
mating water,  which  gives  a  silvery  surface ;  to 
this  surface  an  amalgam  of  gold  and  mercury  is 
applied,  from  which  the  mercury  is  driven  off  hy 
heat.  The  color  is  then  hightened  by  burning  it 
on  Calder's  wax,  formed  of  wax,  verdigris  and 
blue  vitriol ;  it  is  then  polished  and  brightened 
by  a  boiling  solution  of  common  salt  and  cream 
ef  tartar.  Some  adepts  heat  the  article  on  a  hot 
iron  plate  provided  with  small  apertures,  and 
when  heated  apply  some  solution  of  iodine  and 
yellow  ochre  with  a  brush.  2.  German  gilding 
of  silver  is  performed  by  a  solution  of  gold  in 
nitric  acid,  to  which  sal-ammoniac  and  alembroth 
(a  triple  salt  formed  by  salt  and  ammonia  and 
corrosive  sublimate)  have  been  added.  This  so- 
lution of  gold  evaporates  to  the  consistency  of 
oil,  and  is  then  applied  to  the  silver  or  nickel, 
both  of  w  liich  it  blackens,  but  they  appear  gilded 
on  being  healed.  3.  Gilding  is  also  performed 
by  rubbing  the  metal  with  .lite  ashes  of  linen 


rags  which  have  been  impregnated  with  a  solu- 
tion of  gold.  4.  Wet  gilding  by  merely  dipping 
the  work  in  a  solution  of  gold.  5.  Gilding  by 
the  well-known  process  of  electro-plating. 

GILDING,  Grecian.  —  Take  sal-ammoniac 
and  bichloride  of  mercury,  equal  parts,  dissolve 
in  nitric  acid,  and  make  a  solution  of  gold  with 
this  fluid,  lay  it  on  the  silver  and  expose  it  to  a 
red  heat;  it  will  then  be  gilded. 

GILDING  Polished  y>/,f/'fl/j.--i. Polished  iron 
and  steel  may  be  readily  gilded  by  applying  an 
ethereal  solution  of  gold  to  the  surface  with  a 
camel-hair  pencil.  The  ether  flies  off  and  leaves 
the  surface  coated  with  gold ;  it  must  then  be 
polished  with  a  burnisher.  In  this  way,  any 
fancy  device  or  writing  may  be  executed  on  steel 
or  iron.  This  species  of  gilding  is  not,  however, 
so  durable  as  the  following : — 

2.  Apply  gold  leaf  to  the  surface  of  polished 
iron,  steel,  or  copper,  heated  to  a  bluish  tint, 
press  it  on  gently  with  a  burnisher,  avoiding 
i)reaking  or  injuring  the  gold;  again  expose  it 
to  a  gentle  heat,  and  repeat  the  process  with 
fresh  leaves  of  gold,  until  the  .gilding  has  ac- 
quired a  proper  thickness  ;  then  let  it  cool  and 
polish  it  with  the  burnisher. 

GILDING  Picture  Frames. — The  surface  to 
be  gilt  must  be  carefully  covered  with  a  strong 
size,  made  by  boiling  down  pieces  of  white  leath- 
er, or  clippmgs  of  parchment,  till  they  are  re- 
duced to  a  strong  jelly.  This  coating  being  dried 
eight  or  ten  times,  more  size  must  be  applied, 
the  size  being  mixed  with  a  small  quantity  of 
whitening.  The  last  coating  is  composed  of  size 
and  massicot,  or  sometimes  yellow  ochre.  Let 
it  dry  thoroughly,  and  then  damp  the  surface  a 
little  at  a  time  with  a  damp  sponge,  and  apply 
the  gold  leaf  before  this  dries.  It  will  immedi- 
ately adhere,  and  when  dry,  those  parts  which 
are  to  be  brilliant  are  to  be  burnished  with  an 
agate  or  dog's-tooth  burnisher. 

GILDING  and  SIL  VERING,  To  Test  the 
Gentiineness  of. — A  solution  of  chloride  of  cop- 
per is  the  test  for  gilding.  When  the  object  is 
only  covered  with  the  usual  gold-colored  alloy, 
this  reagent  produces  a  black  spot,  which  is  not 
seen  if  the  gilding  has  been  done  with  gold. 

Equal  parts  of  bichromate  of  potash  and  nitric 
acid,  brought  in  contact  with  real  silver,  will 
form  a  red  spot,  while  alloys  imitating  silver 
show  divers  other  peculiar  colors,  or  no  change 
whatever. 

GILT  ORNAMENTS,  To  Clean.— Th^  best 
way  to  prevent  gold  and  gilt  ornaments  from 
tarnishing,  and  to  make  them  bright,  is  to  keep 
them  in  box-wood  sawdust,  which  may  be  ob- 
tained at  any  ivory  turner's.  To  clean  them, 
wash  in  a  lather  with  a  soft  brush,  rinse,  and  let 
them  drain  on  a  cloth.  When  nearly  dry,  put 
them  into  the  box-wood  sawdust. 

GLASS  GLOBES,  To  Silver.— TzV^  equal 
parts  of  tin  and  lead,  and  melt  them  together; 
add  while  they  are  in  fusion  two  parts  of  bismuth 
and  two  parts  of  mercury.  Take  from  the  fire, 
and  so  soon  as  cool  enough  for  the  glass  to  bear 
it,  pour  into  the  globe  and  move  slowly  so  that 
the  amalgam  will  pass  over  every  part  of  its  in- 
terior. A  thin  film  will  be  left  at  every  point  of 
contact. 

GOLD,  Artificial. — An  American  has  dis- 
covered a  beautiful  alloy,  which  has  been  most 
successfully  applied  as  a  substitute  for  gold ;  it 
is  composed  of  pure  copper,  100  parts ;  pure  tin. 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


421 


17  parts;  magnesia,  6  parts;  tartar  of  commerce, 
9  parts;  sal  ammoniac,  3  •6  parts;  and  quicklime, 
I  '6  part.  The  copper  is  first  melted,  then  the 
lime,  magnesia,  sal  ammoniac,  and  tartar  are 
added,  little  at  a  time,  and  the  whole  is  briskly 
stirred  for  about  half  an  hour,  so  as  to  mix 
thoroughly,  after  which  the  tin  is  thrown  on  the 
surface  in  small  grains,  stirring  until  entirely 
fused.  The  crucible  is  now  covered,  and  the 
fusion  kept  up  for  about  thirty-five  minutes, 
when  the  dross  is  skimmed  off,  and  the  alloy 
found  ready  for  use.  It  is  quite  malleable  and 
ductile,  and  may  be  drawn,  stamped,  chased, 
beaten  into  powder,  or  into  leaves,  like  gold  leaf. 
In  all  of  which  conditions  it  is  not  distinguishable 
from  gold  even  by  good  judges,  except  by  its 
inferior  weight. 

GOLD  ARTICLES,  Polishing  Pcmder  for. 
— Dr.  W.  Hofmann  has  analyzed  a  polishing 
powder  sold  by  gold  workers  in  Germany,  which 
always  commands  a  very  high  price,  and  hence, 
it  may  be  inferred,  is  well  adapted  for  the  pur- 
pose. He  found  it  to  be  a  very  simple  composi- 
tion, being  a  mixture  of  about  70  per  cent,  of 
sesquioxide  of  iron  and  30  per  cent,  of  sal-ammo- 
niac. To  prepare  it,  protochloride  of  iron,  pre- 
pared by  dissolving  iron  in  hydrochloric  acid,  is 
treated  with  liquid  ammonia,  until  a  precipitate  is 
no  longer  formed.  The  precipitate  is  collected 
on  a  filter,  and  without  washing,  is  dried  at  such 
a  temperature  that  the  adhering  sal-ammoniac 
shall  not  be  volatilized.  The  peroxide  of  iron 
precipitate  at  first  becomes  charged  with  sesqui- 
oxide. 

GOLD,  To  make  of  Four  Carats. — Four  carat 
gold  is  used  to  a  considerable  extent  for  cheap 
rings,  pin-tongues  and  the  like.  It  is  a  very 
nice  metal,  wears  well,  does  not  black  the  finger, 
and  presents  somewhat  the  appearance  of  Guinea 
gold.  You  make  it  by  melting  together  eighteen 
parts  copper,  four  parts  gold,  and  two  parts  silver. 

GOLD,  To  jKake  of  Twelve  Carats. — Melt 
together,  in  the  usual  way,  twenty-five  grains 
gold — if  coin — thirteen  and  a  half  grains  copper, 
and  seven  and  a  third  grains  silver.  This  is  a 
very  good  gold  for  rings,  etc. — stands  acids 
almost  equal  to  the  higher  grades,  and  looks  fully 
as  well.     Of  course  it  is  deficient  in  weight. 

GOLD,  To  make  of  Sixteen  Carats.  —  Com- 

Sound  sixteen  grains  pure  gold  with  five  and  a 
alf  grains  pure  copper  and  two  and  a  half  grains 
pure  silver.  Or,  if  gold  coin  is  used,  seventeen 
grains  gold,  five  grains  copper  and  two  grains 
silver. 

GOLD,  To  make  of  Eighteen  Carats.  —  To 
make  the  eighteen  carat  gold,  generally  in  use, 
melt  together  as  above,  eighteen  grains  pure 
gold,  four  grains  pure  copper  and  two  grains 
pure  silver.  In  cases  where  you  find  it  necessary 
to  use  gold  coin,  weigh  out  in  the  proportion  of 
nineteen  and  a  half  grains  gold,  three  grains  cop- 
per and  one  and  a  half  grains  silver. 

GOLD  COIN,  To  ;;w/(r.— The  gold  of  Ameri- 
can and  English  coin  is  twenty-two  carat  fine. 
Copper  alone  usually  forms  the  alloy,  though  a 
portion  of  silver  is  sometimes  added.  To  make 
coin  gold,  you  melt  together  with  saltpetre  and 
sal-ammoniac,  the  two  metals  in  the  proportion 
of  twenty-two  grains  pure  gold  and  two  grains 
pure  copper.  When  silver  forms  a  part  of  the 
alloy  it  is  usually  about  one-third  silver  to  two- 
thirds  copper. 

GOLD,    Counterfeit.  —  Fuse    together    with 


saltpetre,  sal-ammoniac  and  powdered  charcoal, 
four  parts  platina,  two  and  a  half  parts  pure 
copper,  one  part  pure  zinc,  two  parts  block  tin 
and  one  and  a  half  parts  pure  lead. 

Another  good  recipe  calls  for  two  parts  platina, 
one  part  silver  and  three  parts  copper. 

A  metal  compounded  in  accordance  with  either 
formula,  as  exhibited  above,  will  so  nearly  re- 
semble gold  as  to  almost  defy  detection  without 
a  resort  to  thorough  tests.  The  platina  requires 
a  high  temperature  to  melt,  but  nothing  could  be 
substituted  that  would  act  so  well,  as  it  adds  to 
the  ring  of  the  metal,  and  to  a  great  extent  forti- 
fies it  against  the  action  of  acids. 

If  at  any  time  you  should  find  your  metal  too 
hard  or  brittle  for  practical  use  re-melt  it  with 
sal-ammoniac.  It  may  in  some  cases  be  necessary 
to  repeat  this  operation  several  times,  but  it  will 
be  sure  to  produce  the  desired  effect  eventually. 

GOLD,  Coloring. — Gold  is  colored  by  two 
processes,  called  the  dry  and  wet  color;  but  the 
materials  used  in  both  cases  are  the  same.  They 
are  as  follows : — One  part  salt,  one  part  alum, 
and  two  parts  saltpetre;  each  material  to  be 
pounded  separately  in  a  mortar,  taking  care  they 
are  perfectly  clean  (this  is  the  dry  process).  Af- 
ter being  well  pounded  they  are  put  into  an  iron 
color-pot  and  slowly  heated  over  a  fire.  The 
color  must  boil  gradually,  and  must  be  stirred 
with  an  iron  rod.  It  will  then  rise,  and  then  it 
is  ready  for  the  reception  of  the  articles  to  be 
colored,  which  must  be  not  less  than  18  carat. 
They  are  suspended  in  the  color  by  r8  carat  wire, 
and  kept  in  motion  till  the  liquid  begins  to  sink, 
then  they  are  taken  out  and  dipped  in  aquafortis 
pickle.  The  color  will  rise  again,  and  then 
another  dip,  and  sometimes  two,  is  necessary  to 
give  them  the  proper  color.  The  wet  color 
process  is  a  much  inferior  method,  except  for 
gold  of  lower  standard,  and  then  not  below  15 
carat,  as  the  alloy  would  suffer  so  seriously  from 
the  coloring.  The  fact  is,  coloring  is  no  more 
than  taking  from  the  surface  the  inferior  metals, 
leaving  a  thin  coating  of  pure  gold. 

GOLD  CHAIN,  To  C^««.— Put  it  an  a  small 
glass  bottle,  with  warm  soapsuds  and  a  little 
prepared  chalk;  shake  it  well,  rinse  in  clear, 
cold  water,  and  wipe  on  a  towel. 

GOLD,  To  C/^«w.— Powder  some  whiting, 
and  make  it  into  a  moist  paste  with  some  sal 
volatile.  Cover  over  the  gold  ornaments  and 
surface  with  a  soft  brush,  let  it  dry,  and  then 
brush  it  off  with  a  moderately  hard  brush. 

GOLD  AMALGAM,  To  J/«/Cr.— Eight  parts 
of  gold  and  one  of  mercury  are  formed  into  an 
amalgam  for  plating  by  rendering  the  gold  into 
thin  plates',  making  it  red  hot  and  then  putting  it 
into  the  mercury  while  the  latter  is  also  heated 
to  ebullition.  The  gold  immediately  disappears 
in  combination  with  the  mercury,  after  which  the 
mixture  may  be  turned  into  water  to  cool.  It  is 
then  ready  for  use. 

GOLD  AMALGAM,  To  Plate  wttJu~<:kM. 
amalgam  is  chiefly  used  as  a  plating  for  silver, 
copper  or  brass.  The  article  to  be  plated  is 
washed  over  with  diluted  nitric  acid  or  potash  lye 
and  prepared  chalk,  to  remove  any  tarnish  or 
rust  that  might  prevent  the  amalgam  from  ad- 
hering. After  having  been  polished  perfectly 
bright  the  amalgam  is  applied  as  evenly  as  pos- 
sible, usually  with  a  fine  scratch  brush.  It  is 
then  set  upon  a  grate  over  a  charcoal  fire,  or 
placed  into  an  oven  and  heated  to  that  degree  at 


422 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


which  mercury  exhales.  The  gold,  when  the 
mercury  has  evaporated,  presents  a  dull  yellow 
color.  Cover  it  with  a  coating  of  pulverized 
nitre  and  alum  in  equal  parts,  mixed  to  a  paste 
with  water,  and  heat  again  till  it  is  thoroughly 
melted,  then  plunge  into  water.  Burnish  up 
with  a  steel  or  blo<Sstone  burnisher. 

GOLD,  To  separate  from  Gilt  Copper  or 
Silver. — ^Take  a  solution  of  borax  in  water,  ap- 
ply to  the  gilt  surface,  and  sprinkle  over  it  some 
finely  powdered  sulphur,  make  the  article  red- 
hot  and  quench  it  in  water,  then  scrape  off  the 
gold  and  recover  it  by  means  of  lead. 

GOLD  or  SILVER,  To  Enamel.— liikQ 
half  a  pennyweight  of  silver,  two  pennyweights 
and  a  half  of  copper,  three  pennyweights  and  a 
half  of  lead  and  two  pennyweights  and  a  half  of 
muriate  of  ammonia.  Melt  together  and  pour 
into  a  crucible  with  twice  as  much  pulverized 
sulphur ;  the  crucible  is  then  to  be  immediately 
covered  that  the  sulphur  may  not  take  fire,  and 
the  mixture  is  to  be  calcined  over  a  smelting  fire 
until  the  superfluous  sulphur  is  burned  away. 
The  compound  is  then  to  be  coarsely  pounded, 
and  with  a  solution  of  muriate  of  ammonia  to  be 
formed  into  a  paste,  which  is  to  be  placed  upon 
the  article  it  is  designed  to  enamel.  The  article 
must  then  be  held  over  a  spirit  lamp  till  the 
compound  upon  it  melts  and  flows.  After  this 
it  may  be  smoothed  and  polished  up  in  safety. 
This  makes  the  black  enamel  now  so  much  used 
on  jewelry. 

GOLD,  French. — Spanish  copper  6  parts, 
silver  3  parts ;  gold  5  parts.     Mix. 

GOLD  (Green),  To  Make.—M€[\.  together 
nineteen  grains  pure  gold  and  five  grains  pure 
silver.  The  metal  thus  prepared  has  a  beautiful 
green  shade.  Some  years  ago  it  was  used  pretty 
extensively  by  jewelers  in  the  formation  of  leaves, 
but  we  do  not  meet  with  it  so  often  now. 

GOLD  (Green),  To  Highten  the  Color  oj.— 
Take  of  saltpetre,  i  oz.  10  dwts. ;  sal  ammoniac, 
I  oz.  4  dwts. ;  Roman  vitriol,  I  oz.  4  dwts. ; 
verdigris,  18  dwts.  Mix  them  well  together  and 
dissolve  a  portion  in  water,  as  occasion  requires. 

The  work  must  be  dipped  in  these  composi- 
tions, applied  to  a  proper  heat  to  burn  them  off, 
and  then  quenched  in  water  or  vinegar. 

GOLD,  To  Gild  with  tipon  Silver. — Beat  a 
ducat  thin,  and  dissolve  it  in  two  ounces  oiaqua 
regia;  dip  clean  rags  in  it  and  let  them  dry; 
bum  the  rags,  and,  with  the  tinder  thereof,  rub 
the  silver  with  a  little  spittle ;  be  sure  first  that 
the  silver  be  cleansed  from  grease. 

GOLD,  Imitation. — i.  Four  ounces  platina, 
three  ounces  silver,  one  ounce  copper. 

2.  To  100  parts  copper,  melt  with  six  parts 
magnesia,  three  and  one-half  parts  sal  ammonia, 
one  eight-tenth  parts  quicklime,  and  nine  parts 
cream  tart.ar,  and,  when  fusing  for  some  time, 
add  17  parts  zinc,  and  stir  it  quickly. 

3.  Sixteen  parts  copper,  seven  parts  platina; 
melt  with  borax  and  charcoal  and  one  part  zinc 
added. 

4.  Platinum,  16  parts ;  copper,  7  parts;  zinc, 
I  part;  put  in  a  crucible,  cover  with  charcoal 
powder,  and  melt  into  a  mass. 

GOLD  LAQUER.—Qo\^  Laquer  is  made 
by  dissolving  gum  shellac  in  alcohol,  and  color- 
ing it  with  turmeric  or  gamboge.  It  is  strained 
through  a  cloth  before  it  is  used,  and  generally 
takes  several  days  to  macerate. 

GOLD,    Mosaic. — Copper   and   zinc,  equal 


parts.  Fuse  at  the  lowest  possible  temperature, 
and  stir  well  to  produce  a  perfect  admixture, 
then  add  more  zinc  until  the  fused  alloy  becomes 
perfectly  white;  lastly,  pour  it  into  moulds. 
The  proportion  of  zinc  to  the  copper  is  from  50 
to  55  per  cent.,  exclusive  of  what  is  lost  by  the 
heat  employed. 

GOLD,  Oreide. — The  best  article  is  made  by 
compounding  four  parts  pure  copper,  one  and 
three-fourth  parts  pure  zinc,  one-fourth  part 
magnesia,  one-tenth  part  sal-ammoniac,  one- 
twelfth  part  quicklime,  and  one  part  cream  tar- 
tar. Melt  the  copper  first,  then  add  as  rapidly 
as  possible  the  other  articles  in  the  order  named. 

GOLD  i^6i^Z>£y?.— Put  some  gold-leaf,  with 
a  little  honey,  or  thick  gum-water  made  with 
gum-arabic,  into  an  earthen  mortar,  and  pound 
the  mixture  till  the  gold  is  reduced  to  very  small 
particles;  then  wash  out  the  honey  or  gum  re- 
peatedly with  warm  water,  and  the  gold  in  pow- 
der will  be  left  behind.  When  dry,  it  is  fit  for 
use. 

GOLD  (Dutch)  Poavder. — This  is  made  from 
Dutch  gold-leaf,  which  is  sold  in  books  at  a  very 
low  price.  Treat  in  the  manner  described  above 
for  true  gold-powder.  When  this  inferior  pow- 
der is  used,  cover  the  gilding  with  a  coat  of  clear 
varnish,  otherwise  it  will  soon  lose  its  bright 
appearance. 

GOLD  (Mosaic)  Powder  for  Bronzing,  etc. — 
Melt  I  lb.  tin  in  a  crucible,  add  ^  lb.  of  purified 
quicksilver  to  it ;  when  this  is  cold,  it  is  reduced 
to  powder,  and  ground,  with  ^  lb.  sal-ammo- 
niac and  7  oz.  flour  of  sulphur,  till  the  whole  is 
thoroughly  mixed.  They  are  then  calcined  in  a 
matrass ;  and  the  sublimation  of  the  other  in- 
gredients leaves  the  tin  converted  into  the  mo- 
saic gold-powder  which  is  found  at  the  bottom 
of  the  glass.  Remove  any  black  or  discolored 
particles.  The  sal-ammoniac  used  must  be  very 
white  and  clear,  and  the  mercury  of  the  utmost 
purity.  When  a  deeper  red  is  required,  grind 
a  very  small  quantity  of  red-lead  with  the  above 
materials. 

GOLD  PLATING  SOLUTION,  To  Make 
and  Apply. — Dissolve  half  an  ounce  of  gold 
amalgam  in  one  ounce  of  nitro-muriatic  acid. 
Add  two  ounces  of  alcohol,  and  then,  having 
brightened  the  article  in  the  usual  way,  apply 
the  solution  with  a  soft  brush.  Rinse  and  dry 
in  saw-dust,  or  with  tissue  paper,  and  pohsh  up 
with  chamois  skin. 

GOLD,  To  Refine. — If  you  desire  to  refine 
your  gold  from  the  baser  metals,  swedge  or  roll 
it  out  very  thin,  then  cut  into  naiTOw  strips  and 
curl  up  so  as  to  prevent  its  lying  flatly.  Drop 
the  pieces  thus  prepared  into  a  vessel  containing 
good  nitric  acid,  in  the  proportion  of  acid  two 
ounces,  and  pure  rain  water  half  an  ounce. 
Suffer  to  remain  until  thoroughly  dissolved, 
which  will  be  the  case  in  from  half  an  hour  to 
one  hour.  Then  pour  off  the  liquid  carefully  and 
you  will  find  the  gold  in  the  forAi  of  a  yellow 
powder  lying  at  the  bottom  of  the  vessel.  Wash 
this  with  pure  water  til!  it  ceases  to  have  an  acid 
taste,  after  which  you  may  melt  and  cast  into  any 
form  you  choose.  Gold  treated  in  this  w.iy  may 
be  relied  on  as  perfectly  pure. 

In  melting  gold  use  none  other  than  a  char- 
coal fire,  and  during  the 'process  sprinkle  salt' 
petre  and  potash  into  the  crucible  occasionally. 
Do  not  attempt  to  melt  with  stone  coal,  as  it  ren- 
ders the  metal  brittle  a^d  otherwise  imperfect. 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


4*3 


GOLD,  Recovering. — Gold  may  be  stripped 
from  articles  that  have  been  gilt  by  placing  them 
in  strong  nitric  acid,  in  which  some  salt  has  been 
previously  dissolved.  When  a  number  of  arti- 
cles have  been  stripped  in  the  solution,  it  begins 
to  work  slowly,  and  it  is  time  then  to  abandon 
it,  and  use  a  new  one.  The  gold  may  then  be 
recovered  from  the  old  solution,  by  evaporating 
it  to  drj'ness,  and  fusing  the  residuum  with  a 
small  piece  of  soda  or  potash,  the  gold  being 
fused  into  a  button.  The  addition  of  a  little  salt- 
petre will  tend  to  make  the  refining  process  more 
complete.  As  there  is  some  trouble  connected 
wth  this  process,  it  is  scarcely  worth  adopting 
where  very  small  quantities  of  gold  are  con- 
cerned. In  such  a  case  it  is  a  better  plan  to  sus- 
pend the  article,  from  which  the  gold  is  to  be 
removed,  in  the  gilding  bath  in  the  place  of  the 
anode  when  gilding  another  article. 

GOLD  (Red),  To  Highten  tJie  Color  of.— To 
4  oz.  of  melted  yellow  wax,  add,  in  fine  powder, 
ly^  oz.  of  red  ochre,  \]/^  oz.  of  verdigris,  cal- 
cined till  it  yield  no  fumes,  and  %  oz.  of  calcined 
borax;  mix  them  well  together.  It  is  necessary 
to  calcine  the  verdigris,  or  else  by  the  heat  ap- 
plied in  burning  the  wax,  the  vinegar  becomes 
so  concentrated  as  to  corrode  the  surface,  and 
make  it  appear  speckled. 

GOLD  SOLDER.— M&\t  together  in  a  char- 
coal fire  twenty-four  grains  gold  coin,  nine  grains 
pure  silver,  six  grains  copper  and  three  grains 
good  brass.  This  makes  a  solder  for  gold  rang- 
ing from  twelve  to  sixteen  carats  in  fineness. 
Where  a  finer  grade  is  to  be  worked,  the  solder 
may  be  made  to  correspond  by  increasing  the 
proportion  of  gold  in  its  composition.  A  darker 
solder  may  be  made,  if  desired,  by  lessening  the 
proportion  of  silver,  and  increasing  that  of  the 
copper  in  a  corresponding  degree. 

GOLD  TARNISHED  in  SOLDERING, 
To  Clean. — The  old  English  mode  was  to  expose 
all  parts  of  the  article  to  a  uniform  heat,  allow  it 
to  cool  and  then  boil  until  bright  in  urine  and 
sal-ammoniac.  It  is  now  usually  cleansed  with 
diluted  sulphuric  acid.  The  pickle  is  made  in 
about  the  proportion  of  one-eighth  of  an  ounce 
acid  to  one  ounce  rain  water. 

GOLD  and  SIL  VER,  A  New  Process  of  Sepa- 
rating.— Instead  of  precipitating  the  sulphate  of 
silver,  which  results  from  the  refining  of  gold  by 
sulphuric  acid,  by  copper,  it  is  reduced,  at  the 
■works  of  the  San  Francisco  Assaying  and  Refin- 
ing Co.,  by  protosulphate  of  iron.  The  hot, 
thick,  turbid  mass,  which  is  obtained  by  treating 
the  bullion  with  sulphuric  acid  in  cast-iron  pots, 
is  placed  into  a  cast-iron  vessel  containing  sul- 
phuric acid  of  58"  B.  heated  to  about  110°  C. 
A  very  small  quantity  of  water  is  then  added,  and 
after  a  few  minutes  the  now  clear  solution  is 
drawn  into  a  second  vessel,  which  can  be  cooled 
from  the  outside.  By  the  addition  of  the  water 
all  the  sulphate  of  lead  is  precipitated,  which 
carries  down  all  impurities,  and  all  the  suspended 
gold.  As  soon  as  the  solution  in  the  lower  ves- 
sel is  cooled  to  from  30°  to  40°  C,  the  mother 
liquor  is  pumped  back  into  the  upper  vessel, 
where  it  is  ag.iin  heated  and  treated  as  before 
with  acid  of  58"  B.  The  sulphate  of  silver  is 
found  in  hard  yellow  crystals  in  a  layer  one  or 
two  inches  thick,  containing  but.  very  little  free 
acid.  The  crystals  are  put  on  the  false  bottom 
of  a  box  lined  wltli  lead,  which  is  provided  with 
wheels  and  an  opening  for  letting  off  the  liquor. 


These  crystals  are  mixed  with  a  red  powder,  es- 
sentially sulphate  of  copper.  A  hot  aqueous  so- 
lution of  sulphate  of  copper  is  allowed  to  run 
through  them.  The  copper  salt  is  dissolved  first, 
and  collected  in  a  separate  vessel  to  be  worked 
for  sulphate  of  cojjper.  As  soon  as  the  filtrate 
shows  the  pure  brown  color  of  the  sesquisulphate 
of  iron,  it  runs  into  another  vessel,  where  on 
cooling  the  greater  part  of  the  dissolved  silver 
salt  is  decomposed,  and  metallic  silver  precipi- 
tated, which  is  added  to  the  principal  mass  on 
the  filter.  Here  the  crystals  have  been  converted 
into  a  dense  coherent  mass  of  metallic  silver, 
which  may  be  considered  as  completely  reduced 
as  soon  as  the  iron  solution,  filtering  through, 
shows  a  pure  green  color.  It  is  washed  with 
water,  pressed,  and  melted.  The  oxidized  iron 
solution  is  collected  in  a  lead  lined  vessel,  which 
contains  iron  scraps.  It  is  thereby  converted 
into  a  solution  of  protosulphate,  and  used  again. 
The  small  quantity  of  silver  and  copper,  which 
is  precipitated  by  the  iron  scraps,  is  from  time 
to  time  added  to  the  crystals  on  the  filter  where 
the  copper  is  rapidly  dissolved.  One  hundred 
pounds  of  silver,  reduced  on  the  filter,  require 
about*  20  cubic  feet  of  solution  of  protosulphate 
of  iron. 

GOLD,  Test  for. — In  order  to  ascertain  wheth- 
er an  article  is  made  of  gold,  if  a  doubt  arises  a 
simple  plan  is  to  rub  a  portion  of  the  article  upon 
a  piece  of  slate,  wedgewood  ware  or  oil  stone 
(dry),  and  then  apply  a  single  drop  of  nitric  acid 
by  touching  the  part  with  the  stopper  of  the  bot- 
tle. If  the  acid  produces  no  effect  the  article 
may  be  considered  gold.  K  very  inferior  alloy 
of  gold,  however  (twelve  carat  gold),  will  stand 
this  test ;  but  its  color'  will  act  as  a  guide,  as  it 
will  fail  (except  when  electro-gilt)  to  present  the 
rich  yellow  color  of  good  gold.  When  a  common 
gold  article  has  been  strongly  gilt,  it  will  be  ad- 
visable to  pass  a  keen  but  smooth  file  over  a 
small  part  of  the  article,  and  then  apply  the  nitric 
acid  to  the  part,  when,  if  the  article  is  not  gen- 
uine, the  characteristic  green  tint  of  nitrate  of 
copper  will  at  once  show  itself. 

GOLD  (  Yellow),  To  Highten  the  Color  of.— 
Take  of  saltpetre,  6  oz. ;  green  copperas,  2  oz. ; 
white  vitriol  and  alum,  of  each,  i  oz. 

If  it  be  wanted  redder,  a  small  portion  of  blue 
vitriol  must  be  added.  These  are  to  be  well 
mixed,  and  dissolved  in  water  as  the  color  is 
wanted. 

GONGS,  Chinese.— It  is  said  they  are  of  an 
alloy  consisting  of  78  per  cent,  of  copper  and  22 
of  zinc.  The  operation  of  making  them  chiefly 
consists  in  a  well-managed  beating  out  and  an- 
nealing of  the  disc. 

GUN-BARRELS,  Broioning for.— Spirits  of 
nitre  i  lb. ;  alcohol  I  lb. ;  corrosive  sublimate  I 
oz. ;  mix  in  a  bottle  and  keep  corked  for  use. 
Plug  both  ends  of  the  barrel,  and  let  the  plugs 
stick  out  three  or  four  inches,  to  handle  by,  and 
also  to  prevent  the  fluid  from  entering  the  barrel, 
causing  it  to  rust ;  polish  the  barrel  perfectly ; 
then  rub  it  well  with  quicklime  by  means  of  a 
cloth,  which  removes  oil  or  grease  ;  now  apply 
the  browning  fluid  with  a  clean  white  cloth,  ap- 
ply one  coat  and  set  in  a  warm,  dark  place,  until 
a  red  rust  is  formed  over  the  whole  surface, 
which  will  require,  in  warm  weather,  from  ten 
to  twelve  hours,  and  in  cold  weather,  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  hours,  or  until  the  rust  becomes  red ; 
then  card  it  down  with  a  gun-maker's  card  and 


424 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


rub  off  with  a  clean  cloth ;  repeat  the  process 
until  the  color  suits,  as  each  coat  gives  a  darker 
shf-de. 

XiUNBARRELS  {Twist),  Browning  for.— 
Take  spirits  of  nitre  ^  oz. ;  tincture  of  steel 
%  oz.  ;  (if  the  tincture  of  steel  cannot  be  obtain- 
ed, the  unmedicated  tincture  of  iron  may  be  used, 
but  it  is  not  so  good)  black  brimstone  ]^  oz. ; 
blue  vitriol  ]^  oz. ;  corrosive  sublimate  ^  oz. ; 
nitric  acid  i  dr.  or  60  drops;  copperas  %  oz.; 
mix  with  \]/2  pts.  of  rain  water,  keep  corked, 
also,  as  the  other,  and  the  process  of  applying  is 
also  the  same. 

GUN  METAL.— \.  Melt  together  112  lbs.  of 
Bristol  brass,  14  lbs.  of  spelter,  and  7  lbs,  of 
block  tin. — 2.  Melt  together  9  parts  of  copper 
and  I  part  of  tin ;  the  above  compounds  are  those 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  small  and  great  brass 
guns,  swivels,  etc. 

HAIRSPRING  of  Watch,  To  weaken.— TVxs 
is  often  effected  by  grinding  the  spring  down. 
You  remove  the  spring  from  the  collet,  and  place 
it  upon  a  piece  of  pivot  wood  cut  to  fit  the  centre 
coil.  A  piece  of  soft  steel  wire,  flattened  so  as 
to  pass  freely  between  the  coils,  and  armed  with 
a  little  pulverized  oil-stone  and  oil,  will  serve  as 
your  grinder,  and  with  it  you  may  soon  reduce 
the  strength  of  the  spring.  Your  operations  will, 
of  course,  be  confined  to  the  centre  coil,  for  no 
other  part  of  the  spring  will  rest  sufficiently 
against  the  wood  to  enable  you  to  grind  it,  but 
this  will  generally  suffice.  The  effect  will  be 
more  rapid  than  one  would  suppose,  therefore  it 
will  stand  you  in  hand  to  be  careful  or  you  may 
get  the  spring  too  weak  before  you  suspect  it. 

Another  and  perhaps  later  process  is  as  follows: 
Fit  the  collect,  without  removing  the  spring, 
upon  a  stick  of  pivot  wood,  and  having  prepared 
a  little  diluted  nitric  acid  in  a  watch-glass,  plunge 
the  centre  coils  into  it,  keeping  the  other  parts 
of  the  spring  from  contact  by  holding  it  in  the 
shape  of  an  inverted  hoop  skirt,  with  your 
tweezers.  Expose  it  a  few  seconds,  governing 
the  time  of  course  by  the  degree  of  effect  desired, 
and  then  rinse  off,  first  with  clean  water,  and 
afterwards  with  alcohol.  Dry  in  the  sun  or  with 
tissue  paper. 

HARDENING  Mill-Picks  and  Cast-Steel  in 
General. — The  hardening  of  cast-steel  in  general 
is  a  process  well  known  to  every  smith  and  forge- 
man  and  to  the  mechanic,  in  so  far  as  it  regards 
turning-tools,  chisel,  hammers,  and  other  tools 
which  he  has  constantly  to  use.  But  it  frequently 
happens  that  the  same  chisel,  after  being  ap- 
parently well  hardened,  has  assumed  quite 
another  degree  than  it  had  at  first.  It  is,  there- 
fore, not  surprising  that  the  workman,  after 
having  struck  the  right  degree,  takes  care  of  his 
tool  in  every  conceivable  manner.  Even  work- 
men that  are  exclusively  occupied  with  hardening 
can  only  guarantee  five  good  pieces  out  of  ten. 
One  thinks  he  has  obtained  a  uniform  degree, 
by  testing  with  the  file,  but  use  soon  proves  that 
the  degree  varies  in  the  different  pieces.  The 
one  bends,  the  other  breaks ;  and  yet  they  are 
all  made  out  of  one  and  the  same  material,  and 
have  passed  through  the  same  operation.  Let 
us  first  see  what  qualities  are  best  adapted  for 
the  respective  instruments.  For  mill-picks, 
especially  when  theyare  to  be  used  for  re-dressing 
French  stones,  only  the  very  best  English  tool- 
steel  should  be  selected.  The  commercial  English 
cast-steel,  so  called,  is,  although  it  is  directly 


imported  and  bears  the  stamp  "Huntsman," 
only  mild  cast-steel,  or  at  least  an  inferior  kind 
of  tool-steel. 

Unfortunately  for  the  artisan,  common  welding- 
steel  is  sold  sometimes  for  tool-steel.  Both 
kinds  consist  of  cast-steel,  but  they  are  unequal 
in  quality.  The  steel  sold  under  tire  term  Fiiss- 
stahl  (foot-steel)  —  so  called  because  it  only 
occurs  in  lengths  of  one  foot — although  only  one 
fourth  of  an  inch  thick,  is  really  excellent  tool- 
steel.  Yet,  in  order  to  get  only  this  brand,  and 
no  other,  one  has  to  get  it  directly  from  the 
manufacturer,  who,  by  the  way,  should  be  in- 
formed for  what  purpose  it  is  intended. 

The  second  reason  why  the  hardness  is  not 
always  found  to  be  a  uniform  one,  is  to  be  attri- 
buted to  forging.  In  forging,  it  is  scarcely  to 
be  avoided  that  one  piece  gets  warmer  than  an- 
otl:er,  since  it  is  not  well  possible  to  measure  the 
heat  during  this  operation.  The  warmer  the  steel, 
the  more  does  its  texture  become  changed  and 
the  more  the  molecules  separate  from  each  other. 
It  is  also  observable  that  an  inferior  piece 
of  cast-steel  tears  and  cracks  if  forged  too 
cold. 

Mill-picks  should  be  forged  in  the  following 
manner:  The  steel  must  be  slowly  heated  in  the 
charcoal  fire  till  it  assumes  a  bright  red  color. 
If  a  part  gets  yellow  or  white,  it  should  be  cut 
off,  and  used  for  some  other  purpose.  A  mill- 
pick  must  be  beaten  out  on  one  side  in  one  heat ; 
when  the  steel  commences  to  cool  off,  cold  water 
must  be  poured  upon  the  anvil,  and  the  hammer 
also  must  be  dipped  into  cold  water.  The  blows 
should  be  light,  quick,  and  frequent,  and  the 
water  must  be  renewed  at  the  same  time,  until 
the  iron  is  perfectly  cool.  By  this  procedure  it 
will  acquire  a  very  dense  structure.  Should 
cracks  present  themselves,  the  fissured  piece  is 
to  be  cut  off.  The  steel  may  then  l^e  filed  or 
ground  until  as  thin  as  desired.  This  method 
being  applied  by  a  very  few  smiths  only,  com- 
paratively speaking,  the  stone-dresser  himself 
will  have  to  watch  the  operations  of  the  smith. 

All  the  vaunted  nostrums  for  hardening  fail 
to  give  satisfaction  for  the  purpose  in  question. 

The  process  of  hardening  proper  is  practiced 
as  follows  ibr  ordinary  tools :  The  tool  after  being 
heated  to  the  desired  length,  is  immersed  in 
water  for  only  a  short  time ;  it  is  then  withdrawn 
and  polished  with  pumice-stone,  so  that  the  an- 
nealing colors  may  be  recognized.  If  it  possesses 
the  desired  color,  the  whole  piece  is  at  once  im- 
mersed in  the  trough.  This  process,  indeed, 
suffices  very  well  for  the  tools  of  iron  workers ; 
but  not  so  for  tools  that  are  to  be  possessed  of  a 
high  and  perfectly  uniform  degree  of  hardness, 
as  is  the  case  with  millers'  tools.  If  they  are 
forged  as  described  above,  and  then  properly 
prepared  by  grinding  or  filing,  the  hardening 
may  be  proceeded  with.  No  one,  in  the  first 
place,  should  endeavor  to  heat  the  pieces  in  the 
smith's  hearth.  This  process  should  be  accom- 
plished by  setting  four  bricks  upon  a  solid  sup- 
port, filling  the  interior  with  charcoal,  that  is 
kindled  and  fanned  until  well  glowing.  The 
picks  are  then  stuck  in  and  left  to  themselves, 
without  further  fanning.  When  they  have  as- 
sumed the  color  of  the  fuel,  the  time  has  arrived 
when  they  may  be  dipped  into  the  water. 

The  water  should  not  be  calcareous,  or  if  it  is 
so,  a  little  soap  or  soda  should  be  added  to  it  in 
order  to  neutralize  the  lime.     Its  temperature 


WORKERS  IN-  METALS. 


425 

man,  however  well  instructed  in  theories  and 
rules,  must  study  closely  the  behavior  of  his  ma- 
terial, and  watch  his  process  well — in  short,  use 
his  own  judgment. 

HOLES  IN  IRON,  Chinese  Method  0/ Men- 
ding. —  The  Chinese  mend  holes  in  cast-iron 
vessels  as  follows :  They  melt  a  small  quantity 
of  iron  in  a  crucible  the  size  of  a  thimble,  and 
pour  the  molten  metal  on  a  piece  of  felt  covered 
with  wood-ashes.  This  is  pressed  inside  the 
vessel  against  the  hole,  and  as  it  exudes  on  the 
other  side  it  is  struck  by  a  small  roll  of  felt  cov- 
ered with  ashes.  The  new  iron  then  adheres  to 
the  old. 

HORSE-POWER  of  Steam-Engines  and 
Boilers,  To  Ascertain. — The  Franklin  Institute, 
in  Philadelphia,  referred  this  subject  to  a  com- 
mittee, which  has  quite  recently  delivered  a  report, 
which  from  its  useful  contents  we  think  will 
prove  of  interest.     It  is  as  follows: 

In  a  thorough  examination  of  this  question,  it 
is  necessary  first  to  advert  to  the  origin  of  the 
term  horse-power,  and  the  manner  in  which  it 
was  first  used  to  designate  the  power  of  the 
steam-engine.  The  early  demand  for  the  steam- 
engine  was  to  effect  some  task  before  performed 
by  horses,  and  it  became  a  question  of  comparison 
of  the  new  mechanical  with  the  animal  motor. 

From  experiments  made  to  determine  the 
actual  power  exerted  by  good  average  horses,  it 
has  been  found  that  a  horse,  working  for  eight 
hours  per  day,  will  exert  a  force  equal  to  about 
23,400  pounds,  and  when  working  for  three 
hours  only,  will  exert  as  much  as  32,900  pounds, 
raised  one  foot  high  per  minute.  The  example 
taken  as  a  unit  by  James  Watt  was  that  given  by 
the  heavy  dray-horses  of  the  brewers  of  London, 
whose  maximum  performance  in  hauling  was 
found  to  be  150  pounds  at  two  and  a  half  miles 
per  hour;  equal  to  33,000  pounds  lifted  one  foot 
high  in  a  minute.  This  has  since  remained  the 
standard  for  a  horse-power,  both  in  English, 
Continental,  and  American  practice. 

This  unit  of  power  exerted  upon  the  piston  of 
the  steam-engine,  measured  by  the  instrument 
known  as  an  indicator,  is  termed  the  indicated 
horse-power;  and  the  power  given  out  by  the 
engine  to  the  machinery  is  the  actual  or  effective 
horse-power,  being  the  indicated  power  minus 
the  friction  of  the  engine.  There  is  also  the 
nominal  power,  a  term  based  upon  the  size  of 
the  cylinder  and  an  arbitrarily  assumed  speed  of 
piston  and  pressure  of  steam.  This  might  also 
be  termed  the  commercial  power  of  the  engine. 
Watt,  in  the  construction  of  steam-engines  after 
the  type  established  by  him,  adopted  for  the  speed 
of  the  piston  128  times  the  cube  root  of  the  stroke 
in  feet ;  and  assumed  seven  pounds  as  the  effect- 
ive pressure  upon  the  piston.  He  thus  obtained 
a  nominal  horse-power,  which,  under  the  most 
unfavorable  circumstances,  his  engines  were  sure 
to  produce. 

Then,  again,  we  have  the  rule  of  the  British 
admiralty  for  marine-engines,  in  which  the  old 
assumed  pressure  of  seven  pounds  is  adhered  to, 
but  the  actual  speed  of  the  piston  is  taken  into 
account.  Another  rule  for  the  nominal  power 
of  high-pressure  engines  has  the  authority  of 
Bourne,  who  assumes  the  speed  of  the  piston  to 
be  that  given  by  Watt,  and  the  effective  pressure 
on  the  piston  to  be  three  times  as  great,  th.it  is, 
twentv-one  pounds  per  square  inch.  His  rule  is 
to  multiply  the  square  of  the  diameter   of  th« 


also  must  not  be  low,  about  65°  being  the  most 
suitable. 

After  being  withdrawn,  the  objects,  of  which  it 
is  said  that  they  are    "hard  as  glass,"   must   be 
•'letdown."    To  this  end  a  sufficiently  strong 
piece  of  iron  is  brought  to  a  red  heat ;  the  respec- 
tive tools  are  then  laid  upon  it,  and   the  time  is 
waited   for   when   the  desired    tempering-color 
appears.     It  should  be  near  sulphur  yellow  for 
mill-picks;    orange  for  cutting- tools  on  metal; 
Z'w/r^  for  wood-cutting  tools;    and  dark  blue  io 
light  blue  for  hard  chisels  to  be  used  on  metal. 
When  the  desired  color  has   made    its   ap- 
pearance, the  tools  are  repeatedly  coated  with  a 
fat  oil,  (olive  or  rape-seed  oil,   not  petroleum,) 
whereupon  they  are  allowed  to  cool.     For  the 
different  brands  of  one  and  the  same  kind  of  steel, 
the  proper  color  can   only  be  found  out  by  ex- 
periments.    In  hardening  files,  it  is  beneficial  to 
stir  in  the  water  some  acid,  which  purifies  them 
from  the  adhering  film  of  oxide.      Upon  fine, 
pohshed  objects  common  washing-soap  may  be 
spread.    For  steel  that  readily'  acquires  fissures 
the  following  procedure  is  to  be  recommended : 
Finely  ground  chalk  is  mixed  with  oil  to  a  thick 
paste,   and  with  this  the  piece  is  brushed  over. 
Then  it  is  hardened,  as  above  described.    If  such 
a  tool  is  tested  with  the  file  after  hardening,  it  is 
apparently  very  soft ;  however,   this  softness  is 
only  limited  to  the  depth  of  a  thin  crust,  that  has 
been  formed  by  the  mixture.    When  the  latter  is 
cleaned  off,  the  tool  will  appear  perfectly  hard. 
All  these  remarks  refer  to  tool-steel  and  welding- 
steel. 

A  few  words  may  be  added  on  the  hardening 
of  pivots  and  counter-sinks.  In  withdrawing 
pivots  from  the  water  they  sometimes  break  in- 
stantaneously, sometimes  after  a  short  while. 
In  order  to  obviate  this,  wrought-iron  rings  must 
be  drawn  on  their  heads.  The  diameter  of  the 
ring  should  exceed  that  of  the  pivots  by  one 
eighth  of  an  inch.  They  are  to  be  heated  slowly 
and  with  caution,  in  order  that  they  may  get 
uniformly  hot.  When  they  have  attained  the 
proper  degree  of  heat,  finely  powdered  yellow 
prussiate  of  potassa  is  spread  over  them,  the 
cylinders  being  turned  constantly  so  that  the 
flux  may  flow  around  them.  However,  before 
this  substance  ceases  to  flow,  the  pivots  must  be 
withdrawn  from  the  fire  and  immersed  vertically 
into  the  cooling-trough.  The  water  must  be  of 
the  same  temperature  and  nature  as  above  pre- 
scribed. The  tools  have  to  remain  in  the  water 
from  one  to  six  days,  according  to  their  dimen- 
sions. If  prematurely  withdrawn,  they  often 
break.  Pivots  that  are  to  remain  soft,  so  that 
they  may  be  turned,  should  be  well  covered  with 
a  mixture  of  clay  and  calf's  hair.  But,  though 
these  precautions  m.ay  have  been  observed,  break- 
ages are  still  within  the  range  of  possibility.  It 
has,  for  instance,  happened  to  the  writer,  though 
but  once,  that  a  cylinder  broke  after  having  been 
ready  for  four  weeks. 

Springs  and  counter-sinks  are  cooled  in  oil,  of 
which  there  must  be  a  sufficient  quantity  so  that 
it  may  not  get  too  hot. 

Springs  are  annealed  by  heating  them  upon  a 
hot  iron  until  a  pigeon's  wing  will  singe,  or  at 
least  become  yellow,  when  held  at  some  distance 
over  it,  when  they  are  allowed  to  cool. 

In  conclusion,  it  may  not  be  superfluous  to 
remark  that  it  is  in  hardening  as  in  most  other 
branches  of  the  arts  and  manufactures ;  the  work- 


426 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY   WANTS. 


cylinder  in  inches  by  the  cube  root  of  the  stroke 
in  feet,  and  divide  the  product  by  15%-  Thus 
we  find  a  great  diversity  in  the  rules  for  estimat- 
ing the  nominal  power  of  engines.  This  nomi- 
nal power,  the  power  at  which  the  engine  is  rated 
by  the  maker,  has  gradually  become  greater  as 
the  speed  and  pressure  have  been  increased. 
But,  in  all  cases,  the  nominal  power  is  much  less 
than  the  actual  power  at  which  such  engine  is 
capable  of  working,  with  the  average  pressure 
and  speed  common  to  engines  of  that  class. 

Going  back  to  the  historical  era  of  the  use  of 
steam,  the  committee  find  that,  at  an  early  day, 
although  subsequent  to  Watt's  time,  the  evapo- 
ration of  a  cubic  foot  of  water  per  hour,  from 
and  at  the  temperature  of  212°,  was  ruled  to  be 
the  measure  of  a  nominal  horse-power.  All 
subsequent  authorities,  without  exception,  have 
adopted  this  standard.  In  the  steam-boiler  they 
make  no  distinction  between  the  nominal  and 
the  actual  horse-power.  There  is  only  one  de- 
finition of  the  term,  and  that  is  the  evaporation 
of  a  cubic  foot  of  water,  as  previously  stated.  It 
is  with  this  definition  that  we  use  the  term  horse- 
power. This  rule  appears  yet  to  be  applicable, 
and  it  only  needs  some  statements  of  conditions 
such  as  will  allow  purchasers  and  sellers  to  con- 
form to  this  requirement. 

For  stationary  boilers,  with  natural  draught, 
assuming  that  the  chimneys  and  flues  shall  be 
adequate,  in  size  and  form,  to  afford  the  necessary 
draught,  and  that  the  fuel  is  coal  of  average  good 
quality,  it  appears  that  nearly  all  writers  give 
about  55-100  square  feet  of  grate  to  each  horse- 
power of  boilers ;  and  as  this  ratio  gives  a  very 
small  grate  for  the  lesser  number  of  horse-power, 
about  two  feet  are  added  as  a  constant. 

Having  thus  designated  the  means  for  burning 
the  fuel,  the  conditions  attached  to  the  horse- 
power of  boilers  are  within  some  limit  as  to 
quantity  of  fuel  to  be  used  in  producing  this 
effect.  In  other  words,  the  arrangement  and 
extent  of  heating-surface  should  be  such  that  at 
least  the  average  result  by  evaporation  of  nine 
pounds  of  water  from  and  at  212°  with  one  pound 
of  good  anthracite  coal  burned  (over  and  above 
ashes)  shall  be  attained.  As  there  are  59.48 
pounds  of  water  at  212''  in  a  cubic  foot,  it  follows 
that  6.61  pounds  of  coal  will  be  needed  for  its 
evaporation.  Adopting  the  more  convenient 
number  of  seven  pounds  as  a  liberal  allowance, 
the  rule  would  be  7  H.  P.  divided  by  0.55  H.  P. 
2,  equal  to  the  number  of  pounds  burned  per 
hour  per  square  foot  of  grate ;  or  for  boilers  of 

10  h.  p.,  7^  square  feet  of  grate,  9.33  pounds 
per  hour  per  square  foot  of  grate. 

20  h.  p.,  13  square  feet  of  grate,  10. 76  pounds 
per  hour  per  square  foot  of  grate. 

40  h.  p.,  24  square  feet  of  grate,  11.66  pounds 
per  hour  per  square  foot  of  grate. 

60  h.  p.,  35  square  feet  of  grate,  12.00  pounds 
per  hour  per  square  foot  of  grate. 

It  may  be  as  well  to  refer  to  chimneys  and 
flues,  and  add  tl^t  the  average  height  of  chim- 
neys above  the  surface  of  the  grate  for  stationary 
boilers  should  be  taken  as  from  fifty  to  sixty  feet, 
and  the  sectional  area  to  conform  to  BouUon  & 
Watt's  rule,  (as  quoted  by  Bourne,)  which  is, 
"Multiply  the  number  of  pounds  of  coal  con- 
sumed under  the  boiler  f>er  hour  by  twelve,  and 
divide  the  product  by  the  square  root  of  the 
height  of  the  chimney  in  feet,  and  the  quotient 
is  the  proper  area  of  the  chimney  in  inches  at 


the  smallest  part."  The  rule,  though  appropriate 
for  land  boilers  of  moderate  size,  is  not  applicable 
to  powerful  boilers  with  internal  flues,  such  as 
those  used  in  steam-vessels  in  which  the  sec- 
tional area  of  the  chimney  is  from  six  to  eight 
square  inches  per  horse-power. 

The  sectional  area  of  tubes  or  flues,  and  the 
setting  of  the  boiler,  must  also  be  properly  pro- 
portioned so  that  the  escaping  gases,  as  they 
leave  the  steam-generating  surface  of  the  boiler, 
be  not  more  then  300**  above  the  temperature  of 
the  steam.  The  above  conditions  apply  parti- 
cularly to  stationary  boilers  with  natural  draught. 
We  have  no  intention,  however,  to  limit  the  test 
of  a  boiler  to  these  conditions  of  grate-surface 
and  chimney;  they  are  incidentally  mentioned 
as  good  average  practice.  When  a  forced 
draught  is  employed,  as  in  the  locomotive,  we 
find  the  heating-surface  sixty-five  times  the  grate 
area,  and  eighty  pounds  of  coal  burned  per  square 
foot  of  grate. 

These  general  conditions,  dependent  upon 
each  other,  being  fulfilled,  namely,  a  grate-sur- 
face so  proportioned  to  the  draught  as  to  admit 
easily  the  combustion  of  seven  pounds  of  anth- 
racite coal,  or  combustible  equal  to  that  amount 
per  horse-power  per  hour,  and  the  escaping  gases 
not  over  the  temperature  before  mentioned,  it 
rnd!y  be  safely  asserted  that  a  boiler  so  set,  of  any 
given  horse-power,  failing  to  evaporate  that 
number  of  cubic  feet  of  water  per  hour,  with  that 
amount  of  coal,  does  not  produce  its  nominal 
horse-power.  We  may  also  state,  in  connection 
herewith,  that  a  cubic  foot  of  water  evaporated 
into  steam  is  abundance  for  one  actual  horse- 
power, when  used  in  the  cylinder  of  an  engine 
without  expansion ;  when  used  in  a  three-port 
slide-valve  engine,  cutting  off  during  the  last 
quarter,  it  will  yield  about  l^  indicated  horse- 
power, and  will  give  as  high  as  ly^  indicated 
horse-power,  according  to  the  pressure  of  the 
steam,  the  point  of  cut-off  and  the  type  and  effi- 
ciency of  the  engine. 

IRON,  To  Galvanize. — To  effect  this  result, 
the  iron  plates  are  first  immersed  in  a  "cleansing 
bath"  of  equal  parts  of  sulphuric  or  muriatic  acid 
and  water,  used  warm.  They  are  then  scrubbed 
with  emery  or  sand,  to  clean  them  thoroughly 
and  detach  all  scales,  if  any  are  left;  after  which 
they  are  immersed  in  a  "preparing  bath,"  of 
equal  parts  of  saturated  solutions  of  chloride  of 
zinc  and  chloride  of  ammonium,  from  which 
bath  they  are  directly  transferred  to  the  flliid 
"metallic  bath,"  consisting  of  twenty  chemicaj 
equivalents  of  zinc  to  one  of  mercury,  or,  by 
weight,  six  hundred  and  forty  pounds  of  zinc  to 
one  hundred  and  six  of  mercury,  to  which  are 
added  from  five  to  six  ounces  of  sodium.  As 
soon  as  the  iron  has  attained  the  temperature  of 
this  hot  fluid  bath,  which  is  only  680''  Fahr.,  it 
may  be  removed,  and  will  then  be  found  tho- 
roughly coated  with  zinc. 

Care  must  be  taken  not  to  leave  the  plates  too 
long  immersed  in  this  bath,  as  its  affinity  for  iron 
is  such  that  they  may  become  dissolved.  This 
is  the  case  with  thin  plates  of  wrought-iron, 
which,  even  when  one  eighth  of  an  inch  thick, 
may  be  dissolved  in  a  few  seconds.  It  is  safe, 
therefore,  to  let  the  bath  ])reviously  act  on  some 
wrought-iron,  so  that  it  dissolves  a  portion  of  it, 
in  order  to  satisfy  its  inconveniently  great  affi- 
nity for  this  metal. 
From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  clear  that  this 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


427 


method  produces  not  only  a  superficial  zinc  coat- 
ing, but  also  a  layer  of  an  alloy  of  zinc  and  iron. 
This  can  not  peel  off,  but  can  only  be  lost  by 
oxidation  of  the  zinc,  which  protects  the  iron  as 
long  as  this  oxidation  lasts.  The  "galvanic" 
protection,  of  course,  ceases  as  soon  as  the  last 
of  the  metallic  zinc  has  become  oxidized. 

IRON  CASTINGS,  Ornamentation  of.  — 
Since  Zimmerman,  of  Berlin,  began  to  make  his 
exquisite  iron  castings  many  things  both  useful 
and  ornamental  have  been  produced  in  cast  iron. 
But  iron  being  so  liable  to  rust,  it  is  desirable  to 
protect  it  from  the  influence  of  the  atmosphere. 
This  is  usually  effected  by  means  of  a  bronze 
paint.  The  bronze  paint  used  to  coat  the  Berlin 
castings  is  made  of  ferro-cyanide  of  copper,  which 
forms  a  rich  brown  paint  with  a  metallic  lustre. 
The  ferro-cyanide  of  copper  is  easily  made  in  the 
following  manner  :  A  solution  of  sulphate  of 
copper  is  taken  and  to  it  is  added  gradually  a 
solution  of  ferro-cyanide  of  potassium,  when  a 
brown  precipitate  will  be  produced.  This,  when 
mixed  with  a  suitable  vehicle,  is  used  as  a  basis 
for  all  the  different  colored  bronzing,  whether 
yellow,  green  or  brown. 

The  French  use  the  green  bronzing  very  much, 
which  may  be  produced  in  the  following  manner: 
When  the  ground  has  been  produced  with  the 
above  paint,  and  before  it  is  quite  dry,  it  is  dust- 
ed over  with  copper  bronze  powder,  and  allowed 
to  dry  thoroughly,  and  then  the  loose  powder  is 
brushed  off  and  the  article  is  polished ;  it  will 
then  appear  like  bright  copper.  The  only  thing 
required  to  produce  the  green  tint  is  to  wash  the 
articles  gently  over  with  a  solution  of  acetate  of 
copper  and  allow  it  to  dry  gradually.  When 
perfectly  dry,  the  higher  parts  of  the  article  must 
be  rubbed  with  a  piece  of  clean  rag  to  cause  the 
brown  copper  color  to  appear.  The  article  will 
look  like  a  bronze  which  has  become  green  by 
age.  The  common  brown  bronze  is  produced  by 
brushing  the  above  bright  copper  colored  bronze 
over  with  black  lead ;  and  the  pale  or  yellow 
bronze  is  produced  by  using  yellow  bronze  or 
brass  powder  in  pl^ce  of  the  copper  powder  above 
referred  to.  Those  who  wish  a  more  solid  and 
durable  bronze  than  bronze  paint  and  powder 
will  produce,  coat  the  iron  by  electricity  with 
copper  or  brass,  and  produce  the  different  colors 
by  the  same  means  as  those  used  to  color  the 
copper  and  brass  colors  produced  by  the  pow- 
ders. 

An  easy  method  of  coating  cast-iron  with  cop- 
per is  that  of  M.  Oudrd.  He  first  coats  the 
cast-iron  with  a  metallic  paint,  and  then  electro- 
deposits  copper  upon  it  in  a  bath  of  sulphate  of 
copper.  A  modification  of  his  process  is  some- 
times used — a  brass  powder  being  used  instead 
of  copper  powder.  This  brass  powder  is  pro- 
duced in  the  following  manner :  Equal  parts  of 
copper  and  tin  are  melted  together,  and  when 
cold  the  alloy  is  powdered  in  a  mortar  and  sifted; 
this  can  easily  be  done,  for  this  alloy  is  as  brittle 
as  glass.  This  powder  is  mixed  with  the  ferro- 
cyanide  of  copper  paint,  which  makes  a  very 
good  conducting  surface  and  takes  the  copper 
well  in  the  sulphate  of  copper  bath,  and  the  paint 
adheres  very  firmly  to  the  iron. 

For  brassing  iron  the  method  is  not  quite  so 
simple.  For  brassing  direct  on  the  iron  the  iron 
is  required  to  be  scrupulously  clean,  or  the  de- 
posit will  not  adhere  ;  but  the  easiest  way  is  first 
to  coat  the  article  with  copper  by  Oudre's  pro- 


cess, and  then,  after  thoroughly  rinsing  it  in 
clean  water,  transfer  it  to  the  brassing  solution, 
which  is  formed  and  worked  in  the  following 
manner,  according  to  Morris  and  Johnson's  pro- 
cess : — Dissolve  i  lb.  of  cyanide  of  potassium, 
I  lb.  of  carbonate  of  ammonia,  2  oz.  cyanide  of 
copper,  and  l  oz.  of  cyanide  of  zinc  in  i  gallon 
of  water,  and  work  the  solution  at  150°  Fahr., 
with  a  large  brass  anode  and  a  powerful  battery. 
To  increase  the  proportion  of  zinc  add  carbonate 
of  ammonia  or  lower  the  temperature.  We  have 
tried  this  method  of  depositing  brass,  and  have 
found  it  a  very  good  one ;  but  the  electrolytic 
processes  are  very  little  used  for  bronzing  because 
they  are  more  difficult,  consequently  more  ex- 
pensive. 

IRON,  To  Give  the  Color  of  Copper.— 'YtH&s.  i 
oz.  of  copper-plates,  cleansed  in  the  fire ;  3  oz. 
oi  aqua  fortis ;  dissolve  the  copper,  and  when  it 
is  cold  use  it  by  washing  your  iron  with  it  by  the 
help  of  a  feather ;  it  is  presently  deansed  and 
smooth,  and  will  be  of  a  copper  color ;  by  much 
using  or  rubbing  it  will  wear  off,  but  may  be  re- 
newed by  the  same  process. 

IRON,  To  Preserve  from  Oxidization.  — 
Among  the  many  processes  and  preparations  for 
preserving  iron  from  the  action  of  the  atmos- 
phere, the  following  will  be  found  the  most  effi- 
cient in  all  cases  where  galvanization  is  impracti- 
cable ;  and,  being  unaffected  by  sea  water,  it  is 
especially  applicable  to  the  bottoms  of  iron  ships, 
and  marine  work  generally:  Sulphur,  17  lbs.; 
caustic  potash  (lye  of  35°  B.),  5  lbs.,  and  copper 
filings,  I  lb.  To  be  heated  until  the  copper  and 
sulphur  dissolve.  Heat,  in  another  vessel,  tal- 
low, 750  lbs.,  and  turpentine,  150  lbs.,  until  the 
tallow  is  liquefied.  The  compositions  are  to  be 
mixed  and  stirred  together  while  hot,  and  may 
be  laid  on,  as  paint,  to  the  iron. 

IRON  WORK,  To  Taint.— There  is  no  pro- 
duction for  iron  work  so  efficacious  as  well  boiled 
linseed  oil,  properly  laid  on.  The  iron  should 
be  first  well  cleaned  and  freed  from  all  rust  and 
dirt ;  the  oil  should  be  of  the  best  quality,  and 
well  boiled,  without  litharge  or  any  dryer  being 
added.  The  iron  should  be  painted  over  with 
this,  but  the  oil  must  be  laid  on  as  bare  as  pos- 
sible, and  on  this  fact  depends  in  a  great  measure 
the  success  of  the  application,  for  if  there  be  too 
thick  a  coat  of  oil  put  upon  the  work,  it  will  skin 
over,  be  liable  to  blister,  and  scarcely  ever  get 
hard;  but  if  iron  be  painted  with  three  coats  of 
oil,  and  only  so  much  put  on  each  coat  as  can  be 
made  to  cover  it  by  hard  brushing,  we  will  guar- 
antee that  the  same  will  preserve  the  iron  from 
the  atmosphere  for  a  much  longer  time  than  any 
other  process  of  painting.  If  a  dark  coloring 
matter  be  necessary,  we  prefer  burnt  umber  to 
any  other  pigment  as  a  stain ;  it  is  a  good  hard 
dryer,  and  has  many  other  good  properties,  and 
mixes  well  with  the  oil  without  injuring  it. 

IRON,  To  Improve  when  Poor. — Black  oxide 
of  manganese  I  part;  copperas  and  common  salt 
4  parts  each;  dissolve  in  soft  water  and  boil  until 
dry ;  when  cool  pulverize  and  mix  quite  freely 
with  nice  welding  sand.  When  you  have  poor 
iron  which  you  cannot  afford  to  throw  away,  heat 
it  and  roll  it  in  this  mixture,  working  for  a  time, 
re-heating,  etc.,  will  soon  free  it  from  all  impu- 
rities, which  is  the  cause  of  its  rottenness. 

IRON  RAILINGS,  Decay  ^/— Every  one 
must  have  noticed  the  destructive  combination  of 
lead  and  iron,  from  railings  being  fixed  in  stone 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


428 

vith  the  former  metal.  The  reason  for  this  is, 
that  the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere  keeps  up  a 
galvanic  action  between  the  two  metals._  This 
waste  may  be  prevented  by  substituting  zinc  for 
lead,  in  which  case  the  galvanic  influence  would 
be  inverted;  the  whole  of  its  action  would  fall  on 
the  zinc :  the  one  remaining  uninjured,  the  other 
nearly  so.  Paint  formed  of  the  oxide  of  zinc,  for 
the  same  reason  preserves  iron  exposed  to  the 
atmosphere  infinitely  better  than  the  ordinary 
paint  composed  of  the  oxide  of  lead. 

IRON,  To  Tin.— To  tin  iron,  clean  the  sur- 
face with  dilute  sulphuric  acid— scratch-brushing 
if  necessary — until  the  entire  surface  is  bright. 
Take  it  from  the  acid,  and  dip  it  in  a  bath  of  hot 
lime  water,  and  rub  dry  with  bran  or  sawdust. 
Then  dip  it  in  melted  tin,  having  upon  its  sur- 
face a  stratum  of  melted  tallow. 

IRON  SLAG  CEMENT.— \  rfew  form  of 
cement,  of  much  value,  may,  it  is  said,  be  pre- 
pared by  finely  pulverizing  the  slag  of  iron  fur- 
naces, and  passing  this  through  a  fine  sieve. 
This  powder  is  then  to  be  mixed  in  a  mill  with 
calcined  gypsum,  to  which  a  variable  amount  of 
soluble  phosphate  of  lime  has  been  previously 
added.  The  best  proportion  of  the  different  in- 
gredients is  said  to  consist  of  700  parts  of  gypsum 
and  300  of  slag,  to  which,  for  use  in  the  open  air, 
28  parts  of  soluble  phosphate  of  lime  are  to  be 
added.  This,  however,  may  be  replaced  by  a 
corresponding  quantity,  six  to  fourteen  parts,  of 
phosphoric  or  boracic  acid,  or  any  other  substance 
capable  of  combination  with  the  iron.  The  super- 
phosphate of  lime  may  also  be  substituted  for  the 
soluble  phosphate.  For  this,  however,  an  equal 
quantity  of  slag  must  be  used.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  the  quantity  of  soluble  phosphate  of  lime 
IS  increased,  the  sulphate  maybe  entirely  omitted. 

It  is  always  necessary  to  have  the  different 
ingredients  finely  pulverized  and  well  mixed. 
When  used,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water  is  to  be 
added,  and  the  whole  thoroughly  stirred  together. 
"With  these  substances  blocks  can  be  made  as 
hard  as  marble,  and  capable  of  imitating  this 
substance  very  closely.  For  this  purpose  the 
necessary  moulds  are  to  be  laid  upon  a  porous 
bed — gypsum,  for  instance — and  subjected,  by 
means  of  a  screw  or  hydraulic  press,  to  a  great 
pressure.  The  cement,  thus  compressed,  is  re- 
moved from  the  mould  in  the  form  of  a  very 
hard  block,  which  takes  as  fine  a  polish  asmarble, 
and  may  be  stained  or  colored  previous  to  the 
pressure  in  such  a  way  as  closely  to  resemble  the 
different  colors  of  this  rock.  This  artificial  marble 
resists  the  influence  of  air,  moisture,  and  frost, 
and  is  said  to  be  well  adapted  for  the  fronts  of 
houses,  floor  tiles,  etc. 

IRON,  To  Test  the  Quality  of  .—Iron  men  of 
long  experience  are  often  able,  or  at  least  claim 
to  be  able,  to  tell  the  quality  of  iron  by  the  eye 
alone.  But  the  test  of  the  eye  in  deciding  the 
quality  of  any  iron  must  not  be  definitely  relied 
upon.  It  has  been  laid  down  that  good  wrought- 
iron  should  be  silvery  white,  fibrous,  having  a 
fresh  and  somewhat  reflex  appearance  in  its  fibres, 
silky ;  when  carbon  is  in  excess,  it  is  claimed  to 
have  a  bluish,  and  often  gray  color;  sulphur 
in  excess,  a  dead  color,  with  a  tinge  of  blue ; 
silica,  phosphorus,  and  carbon  in  excess,  a  bright 
color,  which  is  the  more  beautiful  the  more  silica 
and  phosphorus  exist.  But  the  lustre  of  iron 
does  not  depend  principally  upon  its  color,  for 
pure  iron,    though   silvery  white,    reflects   little 


light.  A  small  quantity  of  carbon  in  chemical 
combination,  as  well  as  of  phosphorus  or  silica, 
increases  the  brilliancy  of  its  lustre,  while  the 
lustre  is  generally  diminished  by  silica,  lime,  sul- 
phur, magnesia,  or  carbon  in  larger  quantities. 
The  most  reliable  test  is  ductility  and  malleability, 
with  a  due  admixture  of  the  eye-test  just  de- 
scribed. 

IRON,  To  Prevent  Welding. — Where  it  is 
desired  to  weld  two  bars  of  iron  together,  for 
making  axletrees  or  other  purposes,  through 
which  you  wish  to  have  a  bolt-hole^  without 
punching  out  a  piece  of  the  iron,  you  will  lake  a 
piece  of  wet  paste-board,  the  width  of  the  bar 
and  the  length  you  desire  not  to  weld,  and  place 
it  between  the  two  pieces  of  iron,  and  hold  them 
firmly  uj)on  the  pasteboard  while  taking  the  heat, 
and  the  iron  will  weld  up  to  the  pasteboard,  but 
not  where  it  is;  then  open  the  hole,  with  swedge 
and  punch,  to  the  desired  size. 

IVOR  Y,  To  Sikjcr. — Immerse  the  ivory  in  a 
weak  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver  till  it  takes  upon 
itself  a  bright  yd'low  color ;  take  it  then  from  the 
solution  and  expose,  under  water,  to  the  rays  of 
the  sun.  In  two  or  three  hours  it  will  become 
black;  but  on  taking  it  out  of  the  water  and 
rubbing  it,  the  blackness  will  change  to  a  beau- 
tiful silvering. 

JAPANNING  on  Metal,  Wood  and  Paper. 
— Japanning  on  metal,  wood,  and  paper  is  exe- 
cuted in  much  the  same  manner  as  similar  works 
in  spirit  or  oil  varnishes,  except  that  every  coat 
of  color  or  varnish  is  dried  by  placing  the  object 
in  an  oven  or  chamber  called  a  stove,  heated  by 
flues  to  as  high  a  temperature  as  can  safely  be 
employed  without  injuring  the  articles,  or  causing 
the  varnish  to  blister  or  run.  For  ornamental 
works,  the  colors  ordinarily  employed  by  artists 
are  used;  they  are  ground  in  linseed  oil  or  tur- 
pentine, and  are  afterwards  brought  to  a  proper 
consistence  for  working  by  mixing  them  with 
copal  or  anime  varnish.  The  latter  is  generally 
used,  as  it  dries  quicker,  and  is  less  expensive 
than  the  copal  varnish. 

For  black  japanned  works,  the  ground  is  first 
prepared  with  a  coating  of  black,  made  by  mixing 
drop  ivory  black  to  a  proper  consistence  with 
dark-colored  anime  varnish,  as  this  gives  a  black- 
er surface  than  would  be  produced  by  the  japan 
alone.  The  object  is  then  dried  in  the  stove, 
three  or  four  coats  of  japan  are  afterwards  applied, 
and  the  work  is  dried  in  the  stove  between  every 
coat.  If  the  surface  is  required  to  be  polished, 
as  for  the  best  works,  five  or  six  coats  of  japan 
are  necessary,  to  give  suflicient  body  to  prevent 
the  japan  being  rubbed  through  in  the  polishing. 

For  brown  japanned  works,  the  clear  japan 
alone  is  used  as  the  ground,  or  umber  is  mixed 
with  the  japan  to  give  the  required  tint,  and  the 
work  is  afterwards  dried  in  the  oven,  in  the 
same  manner  as  black  japan. 

For  colored  works  no  japan  is  used,  but  they 
are  painted  with  the  ordinary  painters'  colors, 
ground  with  linseed  oil  or  turpentine,  and  mixed 
with  anime  varnish;  and  the  work  is  dried  in  the 
oven  in  the  same  manner  as  the  black  jnpan. 

To  protect  the  colors,  and  give  brilliancy  and 
durability  to  the  surface,  the  work  is  afterwards 
varnished  with  copal  or  anime  varnish,  made 
without  driers.  Two  or  three  coats  of  varnish 
suffice  for  ordinary  works,  and  five  or  six  for  the 
best  works  that  are  polished.  Very  pale  varnish 
is  of  course  required,  for  light  colors. 


WORKERS  nv  METALS, 


429 


Ornamental  devices  are  painted  on  the  objects 
in  the  usual  manner,  after  the  general  color  of 
the  ground  has  been  laid  on.  The  colors  are 
dried  in  the  stove,  and  the  work  is  finally  var- 
nished and  polished  just  the  same  as  plain  colors, 
but  more  carefully. 

Metal  works  require  no  other  preparation  than 
cleaning  with  turpentine,  to  free  them  from 
grease  or  oil,  unless  the  latter  should  happen  to 
be  linseed  oil,  in  which  case  the  cleaning  is  gene- 
rally dispensed  with,  and  the  articles  are  placed 
in  the  stove  and  heated  until  the  oil  is  baked 
quite  hard. 

Wood  that  is  intended  to  be  used  for  the  best 
japanned  work,  requires  to  be  thoroughly  well 
dried  before  it  is  made  up,  or  otherwise  it  will 
be  subject  to  all  the  evils  of  shrinking,  warping, 
and  splitting,  when  exposed  to  the  heat  of  the 
stove.  To  avoid  these  evils,  the  wood,  after 
having  been  well  seasoned  in  the  usual  manner, 
by  exposure  to  the  air,  is  sawn  out  nearly  to  the 
required  forms,  and  baked  for  several  days  in 
the  japanner's  stove,  the  heat  of  which  is  grad- 
ually increased ;  and  the  wood  is  afterwards 
worked  up  into  chairs,  tables,  trays,  and  similar 
articles,  which  are  afterwards  again  exposed  to 
the  heat  of  the  stove,  and  any  cracks  or  other 
imperfections,  that  may  be  thus  rendered  appa- 
rent, are  carefully  stopped  with  putty,  or  white 
lead,  before  the  japanning  is  commenced. 

JEWELRY,  To  C/d-aw.— Dissolve  one 
ounce  of  cyanide  of  potassium  in  three  gills  of 
soft  water.  Turn  up  the  end  of  a  piece  of  brass 
or  iron  wire  into  a  hook.  Attach  to  it  the  article 
to  be  cleaned,  and  immerse  it  in  the  solution, 
shaking  it.  backward  and  forward  for  a  second  or 
two,  then  take  it  out  and  rinse  well  in  clean 
water.  Wash  it  with  warm  water  and  soap  to 
remove  any  film  of  cyanide  that  may  remain; 
rinse  again,  dip  into  spirits  of  wine,  and  dry  in 
boxwood  sawdust.  The  advantage  of  dipping  in 
spirits  of  wine  is  the  immediate  drying  of  the 
work  without  any  sticking  of  the  sawdust  to  it. 
When  done  with  the  solution,  put  it  in  a  bottle 
and  cork  tightly.  It  may  be  used  again  and 
again  for  some  months.  Do  not  forget  to  label 
the  bottle — Poison.  One  caution  is  necessary; 
do  not  bend  over  the  solution  so  as  to  inhale  its 
odor,  nor  dip  the  fingers  in  it;  if  one  of  the  ar- 
ticles drops  from  the  hook,  better  empty  the 
solution  into  another  vessel.  The  cyanide  is  a 
violent  poison,  and  although  there  is  no  danger 
in  cautiously  using  it,  carelessly  inhaling  it  is  in- 
jurious, and  its.  absorption  through  the  pores  of 
the  skin  even  more  so. 

JE  WELR  Y  (  Gilf),  To  aean.—Take  half  a 
pint  of  boiling  water,  or  a  little  less,  and  put  it  into 
a  clean  oil  flask.  To  this  add  one  ounce  of  cyanide 
of  potassium,  shake  the  flask,  and  the  cyanide 
■will  dissolve.  When  the  liquid  is  cold,  add  half 
a  fluid  ounce  of  liquor  ammonia,  and  one  fluid 
ounce  of  rectified  alcohol.  Shake  the  mixture 
together,  and  it  will  be  ready  for  use.  All  kinds 
of  gilt  articles,  whether  Birmingham  ware  or 
"articles  de  Paris,"  which  have  become  dis- 
colored, may  be  rendered  bright  by  brushing 
tkem  with  the  above  mentioned  fluid. 

JE  WELERS'ROC/GE.—i.BissoWe  sulphate 
of  iron  in  hot  water,  add  a  solution  of  pearlash  as 
long  as  any  precipitate  falls,  wash  this  often  with 
warm  water,  drain  it,  and  calcine  to  a  bright  red 
color. — 2.  Precipitate  a  dilute  solution  of  sulphate 
of  iron,  with  ammonia  in  excess,  wash  and  ex- 


press the  precipitate,  then  calcine  it  to  redness. 
Used  as  a  polishing  powder,  and  for  covering 
razor  strops. 

LIGHTNING  RODS.—T\\e  best  method  of 
erecting  and  constructing  lightning  rods,  accord- 
ing to  Prof.  Henry,  is  as  follows : — 

1.  The  rod  should  consist  of  round  iron  of 
about  one  inch  in  diameter ;  its  parts,  through- 
out the  whole  length,  should  be  in  perfect  metallic 
continuity,  by  being  secured  together  by  coupling 
ferrules. 

2.  To  secure  it  from  rust  the  rod  should  be 
coated  with  black  paint,  itself  a  good  conductor. 

3.  It  should  terminate  in  a  single  platinum 
point. 

4.  The  shorter  and  more  direct  the  course  of 
the  rod  to  the  earth  the  better ;  bendings  should 
be  rounded,  and  not  formed  in  acute  angles. 

5.  It  should  be  fastened  to  the  building  by  iron 
eyes,  and  may  be  insulated  from  these  by  cylin- 
ders of  glass. 

6.  The  rod  should  be  connected  with  the  earth 
in  the  most  perfect  manner  possible,  and  nothing 
is  better  for  this  purpose  than  to  place  it  in 
metallic  contact  with  the  gas-pipes,  or,  better, 
the  water-pipes  of  the  city.  This  connection 
may  be  made  by  a  ribbon  of  copper  or  iron  sol- 
dered to  the  end  of  the  rod  at  one  of  its  extremi- 
ties, and  wrapped^round  the  pipe  at  the  other. 
If  a  connection  or  this  kind  is  impracticable,  the 
rod  should  be  continued  horizontally  to  the 
nearest  well,  and  then  turned  vertically  down- 
ward until  the  end  enters  the  water  as  deep  as 
its  lowest  level.  The  horizontal  part  of  the  rod 
may  be  buried  in  a  stratum  of  pounded  charcoal 
and  ashes.  The  rod  should  be  placed,  in  pre- 
ference, on  the  west  side  of  the  building.  A  rod 
of  this  kind  may  be  put  up  by  an  ordinary  black- 
smith. The  rod  in  question  is  in  accordance 
with  our  latest  knowledge  of  all  the  facts  of  elec- 
tricity. Attempted  improvements  on  it  are 
worthless,  and,  as  a  general  thing,  are  proposed 
by  those  who  are  but  slightly  acquainted  with 
the  subject. 

MEDALS,  Moulds  /or.— Take  a  thin  piece 
of  wood,  of  the  thickness  of  the  cast  around  the 
edge.  Then  cut  a  hole  and  fit  in  the  metal  per- 
fectly. Dampen  some  soft  newspaper,  and  spread 
over  the  face.  Beat  to  a  pulp  about  one  eighth 
inch  thick  all  over  one  face  of  the  medal,  and 
about  one  half  inch  around  on  the  wood.  Now 
spread  some  more  over  without  beating,  and 
clamp  fast  to  the  wood.  Dry  by  the  fire  per- 
fectly. That  will  remove  when  dry.  Then  ope- 
rate with  the  other  side  in  the  same  manner.  He 
will  then  have  moulds  more  perfect  than  can  be 
made  in  any  other  way  I  know  of,  except  they 
are  made  of  metal.  Let  him  take  out  the  medal, 
and  p]ace  the  papers  in  position,  making  a  vent 
through  the  wood  for  air  and  gases.  He  need 
not  be  afraid  of  the  paper's  burning. 

MAGNESIUM.— The  metallic  base  of  the 
earth  magnesia.  The  existence  of  this  metal  was 
demonstrated  by  Sir  H.  Davy  in  1808,  but  it  was 
first  obtained  in  sufficient  quantity  to  examine  its 
properties,  by  Bussy  in  1830. 

Introduce  5  or  6  pieces  of  potassium  about  the 
size  of  peas,  into  a  glass  tube  retort,  and  over 
the  potassium  lay  a  sufficient  number  of  small 
fragments  of  chloride  of  magnesium  to  cover  it. 
The  latter  must  then  be  heated  to  near  its  point 
of  fusion,  when  the  flame  of  the  lamp  must  be 
applied  to  the  potassium,  so  that  its  vapor  may 


430 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DA  Y  WANTS. 


pass  through  the  sttatum  of  heated  chloride.  As 
soon  as  the  vivid  incandescence  that  follows  is 
over,  throw  the  mass  into  water,  and  collect  the 
insoluble  metallic  portion. 

Color  and  lustre  resemble  silver,  malleable  and 
fusible  at  a  red  heat,  unaffected  by  dry  air  and 
water;  burns  with  brilliancy  in  oxygen  gas, 
yielding  oxide  or  protoxide  of  magnesium,  or 
magnesia,  and  inflames  spontaneously  in  chlo- 
rine, yielding  cliloride  of  magnesium.  It  dis- 
solves in  the  acids  with  the  evolution  of  hydrogen 
gas,  and  pure  salts  of  magnesia  result.  Chloride 
of  magnesium  is  best  prepared  by  dissolving 
magnesia  in  muriatic  acid,  evaporating  to  dry- 
ness, adding  an  equal  weight  of  muriate  of  am- 
monia, projecting  the  mixture  into  a  red-hot 
platinum  crucible,  and  continuing  the  heat  till  a 
state  of  tranquil  fusion  be  attained.  On  cooling 
it  forms  a  transparent,  colorless,  and  very  deli- 
quescent mass.  Iodide,  fluoride,  and  bromide 
of  magnesium  may  be  prepared  by  dissolving 
magnesia  in  hydriodic,  hydrofluoric,  and  hydro- 
bromic  acids. 

METALS,  Fancy  Coloring  for.—l.  A  solu- 
tion is  made  in  the  following  manner: — Dissolve 
four  ounces  of  the  hyposulphite  of  soda  in  one 
and  a  half  pint  of  water,  and  then  add  a  solution 
of  one  ounce  of  acetate  of  lead  in  the  same  quan- 
tity of  water.  Articles  to  be  colored  are  placed 
in  the  mixture  which  is  then  gradually  heated  to 
boiling  point.  The  effect  of  this  solution  is  to 
give  iron  the  effect  of  blue  steel ;  zinc  becomes 
bronze;  and  copper  or  brass  becomes  succes- 
sively yellowish,  red,  scarlet,  deep  blue,  light 
blue,  bluish  white,  and,  finally,  white,  with  a 
tinge  of  rose.  This  solution  has  no  effect  on  lead 
or  tin. — 2.  By  replacing  the  acetate  of  lead  in  the 
solution  by  sulphate  of  copper,  brass  becomes 
first  of  a  fine  rosy  tint,  then  green,  and  finally  of 
an  iridescent  brown  color.  Zinc  does  not  color 
in  this  solution — it  throws  down  a  precipitate  of 
brown  sulphuret  of  copper ;  but  if  boiled  in  a 
solution  containing  both  lead  and  copper,  it  be- 
comes covered  with  a  black  adherent  crust,  which 
may  be  improved  by  a  thin  coating  of  wax. — 3. 
If  the  lead  solution  be  thickened  with  a  little 
gum  tragacanth,  and  patterns  be  traced  with  it 
on  brass  which  is  afterward  heated  to  two  hund- 
red and  twelve  degrees,  and  then  plunged  in  so- 
lution No.  I,  a  good  marked  effect  is  produced. 

METAL,  To  Ckan.—Mix  '/^  pint  of  refined 
neat's-foot  oil,  and  ^  a  gill  of  spirit  of  turpen- 
tine. Scrape  a  little  rotten-stone ;  wet  a  woolen 
rag  with  the  liquid,  dip  it  into  the  scraped  kernel, 
and  rub  the  metal  well.  Wipe  it  off  with  a  soft 
cloth,  polish  with  dry  leather,  and  use  more  of 
the  kernel.  In  respect  to  steel,  if  it  is  very  rusty, 
use  a  little  powder  of  pumice  with  the  liquid,  on 
a  separate  woolen  rag  first. 

METALS,  Paste  for  Cleaning.— T^t  oxalic 
acid,  I  part;  rotten-stone,  6  parts.  Mix  with 
equal  parts  of  train  oil  and  spirits  of  turpentine 
to  a  paste. 

METAL  {Specula),  for  Telescopes. —'i^ltM  7 
lbs.  of  copper,  and  when  fused  add  3  lbs.  of  zinc 
and  4  lbs.  of  tin.  These  metals  will  combine  to 
form  a  beautiful  alloy  of  great  lustre,  and  of  a 
light  yellow  color,  fitted  to  be  made  into  specula 
for  telescopes.  Mr.  Mudge  used  only  copper 
and  grain  tin,  in  the  proportion  of  2  lbs.  to  i\]4 
ounces. 

METAL  SHEATHING  for  Ships.  —Best 
selected  copper,  60  parts ;  best  zinc,  40  parts ; 


melt  together  in  the  usual  manner,  and  roll  into 
sheets  of  suitable  thickness.  This  composition 
resists  oxidation  from  exposure  to  sea-water,  and 
prevents  the  adhesion  of^ barnacles. 

AIETAL,  Printers^  Type. — Put  into  a  crucible 
ID  lbs.  of  lead,  and  when  it  is  in  a  state  of  fusion, 
throw  in  2  lbs.  of  antimony;  these  metals,  in 
such  proportions,  form  the  alloy  of  which  com- 
mon printing  types  are  made.  The  antimony 
gives  a  hardness  to  the  lead,  without  which  the 
type  would  speedily  be  rendered  useless  in  a 
printing  press.  Different  proportions  of  lead, 
copper,  brass,  and  antimony,  frequently  consti- 
tute this  metal.  Every  artist  has  his  own  pro- 
portions, so  that  the  same  composition  cannot 
be  obtained  from  different  foundries ;  each  boasts 
of  the  superiority  of  his  own  mixture. 

METAL,  White. — I.  Melt  together  10  oz.  of 
lead,  5  oz.  of  bismuth,  and  4  drs.  ofregulusof 
antimony. — 2.  Melt  together  2  lbs.  of  regulus  of 
antimony,  8  oz,  of  brass,  and  lo  oz.  of  tin. 

METALS,  Writing  Inscriptions  on. — Take 
}i  lb.  of  nitric  acid  and  i  oz.  of  muriatic  acid. 
Mix,  shake  well  together,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 
Cover  the  place  you  wish  to  mark  with  melted 
bees-wax;  when  cold,  write  your  inscription 
plainly  in  the  wax  clear  to  the  metal  with  a  sharp 
instrument ;  then  apply  the  mixed  acids  with  a 
feather,  carefully  filling  each  letter.  Let  it  re- 
main from  one  to  ten  minutes,  according  to  ap- 
pearance desired  ;  then  throw  on  water,  which 
stops  the  process,  and  remove  the  wax. 

MOIREE  METALLIQUE,  A  Method  of 
Otnamenting  the  Surface  of  Tin  Plate  by  Acid. 
— The  plates  are  washed  by  an  alkaline  solution, 
then  in  water,  heated,  and  sponged  or  sprinkled 
with  the  acid  solution.  Tlie  appearance  varies 
with  the  degree  of  heat  and  the  nature  and 
strength  of  the  acids  employed.  The  plates,  after 
the  application  of  the  acids,  are  plunged  into 
water  slightly  acidulated,  dried,  and  covered  with 
whitie  or  colored  varnishes.  The  following  are 
some  of  the  acid  mixtures  used :  Nitro-muriatic 
acid,  in  different  degrees  of  dilution  ;  sulphuric 
acid,  with  5  parts  of  water ;  i  part  of  sulphuric 
acid,  2  of  muriatic  acid,  and  8  of  water;  a  strong 
solution  of  citric  acid  ;  l  part  of  nitric  acid,  2  of 
sulphuric  acid,  and  18  of  water.  Solution  of  pot- 
ash is  also  used. 

NICKEL  PLATING.  —The  advantages  of 
electro-plating  with  nickel  are :  First,  that  the 
coating  of  nickel  is  quite  hard,  nearly  as  hard  as 
iron,  so  that  it  keeps  its  polish  much  better  than 
Britannia  metal  or  any  other  similar  tin  alloy — 
even  better  than  brass  or  silver;  secondly,  that 
it  adheres  well,  even  when  put  on  in  thick  layers, 
so  that  it  may  be  easily  polished ;  and  then  has 
a  shade  between  that  of  polished  steel  and  that 
of  alloy  of  silver  and  copper ;  thirdly,  that  it  re- 
quires no  lacquer  or  varnish,  since  it  does  not 
tarnish  by  exposure  to  the  air,  as  brass  does,  and 
even  silver,  when  exposed  to  the  least  trace  of 
sulphurous  vapors.  It  retains  its  lustre  for  a 
very  long  time,  being  proof  against  oxidation 
under  ordinary  circumstances ;  wherefore  Richter 
counted  nickel  among  the  noble  metals.  It  only 
oxidizes  at  a  red  heat  when  in  contact  with  air ; 
when  air  is  excluded,  heat  reduces  its  oxide  to 
the  metallic  state.  Plating  with  nickel  is  accom- 
plished like  other  electro-plating,  only  the  bath 
or  nickel  solution  is  prepared  in  a  peculiar  way. 
The  simple  soluble  salts  of  nickel  appear  not 
adapted  for  the  purpose;    double  salts  are  re- 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


431 


quired.  Becquerel,  the  great  French  chemist, 
prescribes  a  solution  of  the  double  sulphate  of 
nickel  and  potassa;  this  solution  is  not  patented, 
and  may  be  used  by  every  one. 

A  few  of  the  methods  of  preparing  the  salts, 
that  are  or  may  be  used,  are  as  follows : 

According  to  H.  Rose,  nickel  may  be  sepa- 
rated from  cobalt  as  follows :  The  mixed  metals 
are  dissolved  in  considerable  excess  of  hydro- 
chloric acid,  and  the  solution  is  diluted  with  a 
very  large  quantity  of  water;  a  current  of  chlorine 
is  then  passed  through  the  liquor  for  several 
hours,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  flask  is  left 
filled  with  the  gas  after  the  current  has  ceased ; 
carbonate  of  baryta  is  next  added  in  excess,  the 
whole  digested  together,  with  frequent  agitation 
for  fifteen  or  eighteen  hours,  and  then  thrown 
on  a  filter.  The  filtrate  yields  pure  oxide  of 
nickel  by  precipitation  with  caustic  potassa; 
while  the  residuuni  on  the  filter,  after  being 
washed  in  water,  dissolved  in  hot  hydrochloric 
acid,  and  the  baryta  precipitated  with  a  sulphuric 
acid,  furnishes,  with  hydrate  of  potassa,  a  pre- 
cipitate of  hydrated  oxide  of  cobalt,  free  from 
nickel,  which,  when  washed  and  dried,  is  re- 
duced in  a  platinum  or  porcelain  crucible  by 
hydrogen  gas. 

Acetate  of  Nickel. — By  neutralizing  acetic  acid 
with  carbonate  or  oxide  of  nickel,  and  gently 
concentrating  by  evaporation,  so  that  crystals 
may  form.  Small  green  crystals,  soluble  in  six 
parts  of  water. 

Carbonate  of  Nickel. — This  salt  may  be  ob- 
tained in  the  manner  described  above  in  connec- 
tion with  the  preparation  of  metallic  nickel,  or 
by  simply  adding  carbonate  of  soda  to  a  solution 
of  chloride  or  sulphate  of  nickel,  but  in  this  case 
some  hydrate  of  nickel  is  precipitated  with  it. 
The  following  is  another  formula  which  produces 
a  nearly  pure  carbonate,  but  one  which  may  still 
contain  a  little  cobalt,  the  entire  separation  of 
which  is  a  matter  of  extreme  difficulty,  and  can 
only  be  effected  in  the  manner  recommended  by 
Rose,  described  above : 

The  mineral  (crude  speiss  or  kupfernickel)  is 
broken  into  small  fragments,  mixed  with  from 
one  fourth  to  one  half  its  weight  of  iron  filings, 
and  the  whole  dissolved  in  aqua  regia;  the  solu- 
tion is  gently  evaporated  to  dryness,  the  residue 
treated  with  boiling  water,  and  the  insoluble 
arseniate  of  iron  removed  by  filtration;  the  liquid 
is  next  acidulated  with  hydrochloric  acid,  treated 
with  sulphureted  hydrogen,  in  excess  to  preci- 
pitate the  copper,  and  after  filtration  is  boiled 
with  a  little  nitric  acid,  to  bring  back  the  iron  to 
the  state  of  sesquioxide ;  to  the  cold  and  largely 
diluted  liquid  a  solution  of  bicarbonate  of  soda  is 
gradually  added,  and  the  sesquioxide  of  iron 
separated  by  filtration;  lastly,  the  filtered  solution 
is  boiled  with  carbonate  of  soda,  in  excess,  and 
the  pale  green  precipitate  of  carbonate  of  nickel 
collected,  washed  and  dried. 

It  is  freely  soluble  in  the  acids,  and  is  chiefly 
employed  to  prepare  the  salts  and  other  com- 
pounds of  nickel. 

Chloride  of  N'ickel. — From  carbonate  or  oxide 
of  nickel  and  hydrochloric  acid,  as  the  acetate. 
Small  green  crystals,  which  are  rendered  yellow 
and  anhydrous  by  heat,  unless  they  contain  cobalt, 
when  the  salt  retains  a  tint  of  green. 

Oxalate  of  Nickel. — By  adding  a  strong  solu- 
tion of  oxalic  acid  to  a  like  solution  of  sulphate  of 
nickel,  and  collecting  the  pale  bluish-green  pre- 


cipitate which  forms  after  a  time.  Used  to  prepare 
both  metallic  nickel  and  its  oxide. 

Oxides  of  Nickel. — There  are  two  oxides  of 
nickel,  but  only  one  of  them  (protoxide)  acts  as 
a  base : 

Protoxide  of  Nickel. — I.  Byheatingthe  nitrate, 
carbonate  or  oxalate,  to  redness  in  open  vessels. 
Anhydrous. 

2.  By  precipitating  a  soluble  salt  of  nickel 
with  caustic  potassa.  Hydr.ated.  An  ash-gray 
powder,  freely  soluble  in  acids,  forming  the  or- 
dinary salts  of  nickel. 

Sesquioxide  of  Nickel. — By  passing  chlorine  « 
through  water  holding  the  hydrated  protoxide  in 
suspension;  or  by  mixing  a  salt  of  nickel  with 
bleaching  powder.    An  insoluble,  black  powder, 
which  is  decomposed  by  heat. 

Sulphate  ofN^ickcl. — From  carbonate  or  oxide 
of  nickel  and  dilute  sulphuric  acid  as  the  acetate. 
Green  prismatic  crystals,  soluble  in  three  parts 
of  cold  water.  With  the  sulphates  of  potassa 
and  ammonia,  it  forms  beautiful  double  salts. 

It  may  also  be  that  ammonia,  potassic  or  sodic 
chlorides  will  prove  useful.  Solutions  of  the  re- 
spective chlorides  (chloride  of  nickel  and  of  the 
chloride  which  it  is  desired  to  unite  with  it)  are 
poured  together  and  allowed  to  crystallize. 

OIL  for  Sewing  Machines,  IVatches,  etc. — 
Refined  oil,  for  fine  mechanism,  can  be  prepared 
by  putting  zinc  and  lead  shavings,  in  equal  parts, 
into  good  Florence  olive  oil,  and  placing  it  in  a 
cool  place  till  the  oil  becomes  colorless. 

OIL,  Watchmakers'. — ^This  is  prepared  by 
placing  a  clean  slip  of  lead  in  a  small,  white 
glass  bottle  filled  with  olive  oil,  and  exposing  it 
to  the  sun's  rays  for  some  time,  till  a  curdy 
matter  ceases  to  deposit,  and  the  oil  has  become 
quite  limpid  and  colorless. 

PEARLS  or  Delicate  Articles,  To  Hold.— 
Eastern  jewelers  resort  to  an  ingenious  plan  for 
firmly  securing  in  any  desired  position  such 
pearls  as  they  wish  to  drill  or  work  upon.  The 
gems  are  first  fitted  loosely  in  holes  bored  in  a 
piece  of  soft  wood.  A  few  drops  of  water  are 
then  sprinkled  over  them,  and  this  penetrating 
the  fibres,  causes  the  wood  to  swell  and  the  pearl 
is  held  as  in  a  vise,  but  without  marring  it  or  in 
any  way  depreciating  its  value.  After  a  time  the 
water  evaporates,  the  fibres  gradually  relax,  and 
the  gem  is  again  set  free. 

PEWTER,  Common.— Ue\t  in  a  crucible  7 
lbs.  of  tin,  and  when  fused  throw  in  i  lb.  of  lead, 
6  oz.  of  copper  and  2  oz.  of  zinc.  This  combi- 
nation of  metals  will  form  an  alloy  of  great 
durability  and  tenacity;  also  of  considerable 
lustre. 

PEWTER,  Best.— The  best  sort  of  pewter 
consists  of  100  parts  of  tin,  and  17  of  regulus  of 
antimony. 

PEWTER,  Hard.— Melt  together  12  lbs.  of 
tin,  I  lb.  of  regxilus  of  antimony,  and  4  oz.  of 
copper. 

PINCHBECK.— I.  Put  into  a  crucible  5  oz. 
of  pure  copper;  when  it  is  in  a  state  of  fusion 
add  I  oz.  of  zinc.  These  metals  combine,  forming 
an  alloy  not  unlike  jeweler's  gold ;  pour  it  into 
a  mould  of  any  shape.  This  alloy  is  used  for 
inferior  jewelry.  . 

Some  use  only  half  this  quantity  of  zmc,  m 
which  proportion  the  alloy  is  more  easily  worked, 
especially  in  the  making  of  jewelry. 

2.  Mc'll  together  I  oz.  of  brass  with  i^^  or  3 
oz.  of  copper,  fused  under  a  coat  of  charcoal  dust. 


432 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


FLA  TING  and  GILDING  without  a  Batte- 
ry.— A  very  useful  solution  of  silver  or  gold  for 
plating  or  gilding  without  the  aid  of  a  battery 
may  be  made  as  follows :  Take,  say,  i  ounce  of 
nitrate  of  silver,  dissolved  in  I  quart  of  distilled 
or  rain  water.  When  thoroughly  dissolved, 
throw  in  a  few  crystals  of  hyposulphite  of  soda, 
which  will  at  first  form  a  brown  precipitate,  but 
which  eventually  becomes  redissolved  if  suffi- 
cient hyposulphite  has  been  employed.  A  slight 
excess  of  this  salt  must,  however,  be  added. 
The  solution  thus  formed  may  be  used  for  coat- 
ing small  articles  of  steel,  brass,  or  German  sil- 
ver, by  simply  dipping  a  sponge  in  the  solution 
and  rubbing  it  over  the  surface  of  the  article  to 
be  coated.  I  have  succeeded  in  coating  steel 
very  satisfactorily  by  this  means,  and  have  found 
the  silver  so  firmly  attached  to  the  steel  (when 
the  solution  has  been  carefully  made)  that  it  has 
been  removed  with  considerable  difficulty.  A 
solution  of  gold  may  be  made  in  the  same  way, 
and  applied  as  described.  A  concentrated  solu- 
tion of  either  gold  or  silver  thus  made,  may  be 
used  for  coating  parts  of  articles  which  have 
stripped  or  blistered,  by  applying  it  with  a  camel 
hair  pencil  to  the  part,  and  touching  the  spot  at 
the  same  time  with  a  thin  clean  strip  of  zinc. 

FLA  TING  on  Iron  and  Steel.— Tsks  two 
quarts  rain  water,  dissolve  two  pounds  cyanide 
of  potassium,  and  filter.  This  solution  is  only 
for  steel  or  iron.  In  order  to  plate  steel  or  iron, 
dip  it  into  pure  sulphuric  acid  for  one  minute, 
then  clean  with  pumice  stone  and  brush ;  rinse, 
and  hang  in  cyanide  solution  of  potassium  for 
three  minutes,  or  until  it  becomes  white;  then 
hang  in  silver  solution  until  plated  heavy  enough. 

FLA  TED  METAL,  Test  f or. —K  cold  solu- 
tion of  bichromate  of  potassa  in  nitric  acid  is, 
according  to  Dr.  Bottger,  an  excellent  test  for 
the  genuineness  of  silver-plating  on  metals. 
The  metallic  surface  to  be  tested  is  first  of  all 
cleaned  with  strong  alcohol,  in  order  to  remove 
dirt,  fatty  matter,  and  especially  any  varnish. 
A  drop  of  the  test-fluid  is  then  applied  to  the 
metallic  surface  by  means  of  a  glass  rod,  and 
immediately  afterwards  washed  off  with  some 
cold  water.  If  pure  silver  is  present,  there  will 
appear  a  blood-red  colored  mark  (chromate  of 
silver).  Upon  German  silver  the  test-liquid 
appears  brown,  but,  after  washing  with  water, 
the  blood-red  colored  mark  does  not  appear;  the 
so-called  Britannia  metal  is  colored  black ;  on 
platinum  no  action  is  visible ;  metallic  surfaces 
coated  with  an  amalgam  of  mercury  yield  a  reddish 
speck,  which,  however,  is  entirely  washed  off  by 
water ;  on  lead  and  bismuth  the  test-liquid  forms 
a  yellow-colored  precipitate;  zinc  and  tin  are 
both  strongly  acted  upon  by  this  test-liquid ;  the 
'  stain,  as  regards  the  former  metal,  is  entirely 
removed  by  water,  while,  as  regards  the  latter, 
the  test-liquid  is  colored  brownish,  and  addition 
of  water  produces  a  yellow  precipitate  which 
somewhat  adheres  to  the  tin. 

FLASTER  FIGURES,  To  give  the  Ap- 
pearance of  Bronze. — Make  a  preparation  of 
palm  soap,  five  ounces;  sulphate  of  copper,  one 
and  a  half  ounces,  and  sulphate  of  iron,  one  and 
a  half  ounces.  Dissolve  the  soap  in  rain  water  in 
one  vessel  and  the  sulphates  in  another.  Put 
together  and  let  settle,  then  pour  off  the  water. 
Dry  the  precipitate,  and  apply  to  the  figure  by 
mixing  as  a  paint  with  linseed  oil  and  turpentine. 

FOLISUED   IRONS,    To  Freserve  from 


Rust. — Polished  iron-work  may  be  preserved 
from  rust  by  a  mixture  not  very  expensive,  con- 
sisting of  copal  varnish  intimately  mixed  with 
as  much  olive-oil  as  will  give  it  a  degree  of 
greasiness,  adding  thereto  nearly  as  much  spirit 
of  turpentine  as  of  varnish ;  or  varnish  with  wax 
dissolved  in  benzine.  The  cast-iron  work  is 
best  preserved  by  rubbing  it  with  Vilack-lead. 

But  where  rust  has  begun  to  make  its  appear- 
ance on  grates  or  fire-irons,  apply  a  mixture  of 
tripoli,  with  half  its  quantity  of  sulphur,  inti- 
mately mingled  on  a  marble  slab  and  laid  on 
with  a  piece  of  soft  leather ;  or  emery  and  oil 
may  be  applied  with  excellent  effect ;  not  laid 
on  in  the  usual  slovenly  way,  but  with  a  spongy 
piece  of  the  fig-tree  fully  saturated  with  the  mix- 
ture. This  will  not  only  clean,  but  polish,  and 
render  the  use  of  whiting  unnecessary. 

FOLISHING  FOWDER.—  'ie^weXQxs  and 
others  who  have  use  for  jewelers'  rouge  as  a 
polish  for  glass  or  metal  will  find  the  following 
a  perfect  recipe :  Dissolve  any  quantity  of  good 
green  vitriol  (sulphate  of  iron)  in  enough  water 
not  to  leave  a  sediment.  When  well  dissolved, 
drop  into  the  water  small  lumps  of  carbonate  of 
ammonia  until  the  iron  falls  to  the  bottom  in  the 
form  of  a  fine  powder  (the  peroxide  of  iron). 
Keep  on  dropping  in  ammonia  until  no  more 
iron  falls.  Let  the  water  stand  awhile  until  it 
clears,  then  pour  it  off.  Turn  the  iron  powder 
between  two  sheets  of  blotting  paper,  and  press 
it  to  get  it  as  dry  as  possible.  Then  turn  it  into 
an  old  teacup  or  porcelain  crucible  and  stand  it 
over  a  clear  good  fire  until  the  iron  is  just  red 
hot  (in  the  dark)  and  no  more.  When  this  is 
done  you  have  the  best  polishing  powder  known 
in  the  trade  at  a  very  trifling  cost. 

FUTTY FOLISHERS.—i.  Melt  tin,  rake 
off  the  dross  as  it  is  formed,  and  calcine  this 
dross  till  it  becomes  whitish. — 2.  Melt  tin  I  oz. 
with  an  equal  weight,  or  Ij^  oz.  of  lead,  and 
then  raise  the  heat  so  as  to  render  the  mixed 
metals  red  hot,  when  the  tin  will  be  immediately 
flung  out  in  the  state  of  putty.  Both  are  very 
hard,  used  for  polishing  glass  and  japan  work, 
and  to  color  opaque  white  enamel. 

RUST,  To  Remove  from  Polished  Steel  or 
Iron. — Sometimes  rust  can  be  removed  from 
polished  iron  or  steel  with  little  difficulty;  but 
sometimes  it  can  not  be  made  to  disappear  with- 
out polishing  the  surface  anew.  Rust  is  oxide 
of  iron.  The  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere  unites 
with  the  iron  chemically,  thus  forming  a  thin 
scale  on  the  surface,  not  one  thousandth  part  of 
an  inch  in  thickness.  Red  rust  may  be  formed 
on  the  polished  surface  a  thousand  times  without 
materially  corroding  the  metal,  provided  it  be 
removed  soon  after  it  has  formed.  The  usual 
manner  of  removing  red  rust  is  to  cover  the 
rusty  portion  with  common  olive  oil,  and  rub  it 
in  well  with  a  woolen  cloth.  After  it  has  stood 
a  few  hours,  rub  the  parts  with  finely  pulverized 
slaked  lime,  or  Spanish  whiting,  until  the  rust 
is  all  removed.  If  red  rust  is  allowed  to  accu- 
mulate until  the  polished  surface  is  corroded, 
sweet  oil  and  a  severe  rubbing  will  seldom 
remove  it.  The  entire  surface  must  be  repol- 
ished  with  emery,  or  some  other  grit,  before 
black  rust  will  disappear  from  polished  steel  or 
any  other  metal. 

RUSSIAN  SHEET-IRON,  Manufacture 
of. — The  refined  iron  is  hammered  under  the 
tilt-hammer  into  narrow  slabs,  calculated  to  pro* 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


433 


duce  a  sheet  of  finished  iron  two  archines  by 
one,  (fifty-six  inches  by  twenty-eight  inches,) 
weighing  when  finished  from  six  to  twelve 
pounds.  These  slabs  are  called  balvanky.  They 
are  put  in  the  reheating  furnaces,  heated  to  a 
red  heat,  and  rolled  down  in  three  operations  to 
something  like  a  sheet,  the  rolls  being  screwed 
tighter  as  the  surface  gets  thinner.  This  must 
be  subsequently  hammered  to  reduce  its  thick- 
ness and  to  receive  the  glance.  A  number  of 
these  sheets  having  been  again  heated  to  a  red 
heat,  have  charcoal,  pounded  to  as  impalpable  a 
powder  as  possible,  shaken  between  them 
through  the  bottom  of  a  linen  bag.  The  pile, 
then  receiving  a  covering  and  a  bottom  in  the 
shape  of  a  sheet  of  thicker  iron,  is  placed  under 
a  heavy  hammer;  the  bundle,  grasped  with  tongs 
by  two  men,  is  poked  backward  and  forward 
by  the  gang,  so  that  every  part  may  be  well 
hammered.  So  soon  as  the  redness  goes  off, 
they  are  finished,  so  far  as  this  part  of  the  ope- 
ration goes.  So  far  they  have  received  some  of 
the  g/ance,  or  necessary  polish;  they  are  again 
heated,  and  treated  differently  in  this  respect; 
but  instead  of  having  the  powdered  charcoal 
strewed  between  them,  each  two  red-hot  sheets 
have  a  cold-finished  sheet  put  between  them ; 
they  are  again  hammered,  and  after  this  process 
are  finished,  as  far  as  thickness  and  glance  goes. 

Thrown  down  separately  to  cool,  they  are 
taken  to  the  shears,  placed  on  a  frame  of  the 
regulation  size,  and  trimmed.  Each  sheet  is 
then  weighed,  and  after  being  thus  assorted  in 
weights,  are  finally  sorted  into  first,  second,  and 
thirds,  according  to  their  glance  and  freedom 
from  flaws  and  spots.  A  first-class  sheet  must 
be  like  a  mirror,  without  a  spot  upon  it.  One 
hundred  puds  of  balvanky  make  seventy  puds 
of  finished  sheets;  but  this  allowance  for  waste 
is  far  too  large,  and  might  easily  be  reduced. 
Four  heats  are  required  to  finish. 

The  general  weight  per  sheet  is  from  six  to 
twelve  pounds,  the  larger  demand  being  from 
ten  to  eleven  pounds;  but  they  are  made  weigh- 
ing as  much  as  thirty  pounds,  and  may  then  al- 
most be  called  thin  boiler-plates,  being  used  for 
stoves,  etc.  Besides  the  finished  sheets,  a  quan- 
tity of  what  are  called  red  sheets  are  made,  which 
are  not  polished,  and  do  not  undergo  the  last 
operation. 

SA  WS,  To  Mend  when  Broken. — Pure  silver 
19  parts;  pure  copper  i  part;  pure  brass  2  parts; 
all  are  to  be  filed  into  powder  and  intimately 
mixed.  Place  the  saw  level  upon  the  anvil,  the 
broken  edges  in  close  contact,  and  hold  them  so; 
now  put  a  small  line  of  the  mixture  along  the 
seam,  covering  it  with  a  large  bulk  of  powdered 
charcoal ;  now,  with  a  spirit-lamp  and  a  jewel- 
ers' blow-pipe,  hold  the  coal-dust  in  place,  and 
blow  sufficient  to  melt  the  solder  mixture;  then 
with  a  hammer  set  the  joint  smooth,  if  not  al- 
ready so,  and  file  away  any  superfluous  solder; 
and  you  will  be  surprised  at  its  strength. 

SAPVS,  Tempering. — The  usual  method  of 
tempering  saws  is  to  heat  and  then  dip  them  in 
oil.  This  process  is  slow,  costly,  and  laborious. 
It  is  also  disadvantageous,  because  the  saws  be- 
come warped,  and  require  to  be  hammered  up 
straight  again  by  h.and.  A  late  improvement 
consists  in  tempering  and  straightening  the  saws 
at  one  operation.  This  is  done  by  heating  the 
saws  to  the  proper  degree,  and  then  pressing 
them  with  a  sudden  and  powerful  stroke  between 


two  surfaces  of  cold  iron.  A  drop  press  is  em- 
ployed for  the  purpose.  The  mechanism  is  quite 
simple  and  inexpensive.  Its  use  effects  an  im- 
portant economy  in  the  manufacture  of  nearly 
all  kinds  of  saws,  and  also  improves  their  qual- 
ity. 

SAW  TEETH,  Shape  0/— The  adaptation 
of  tools,  in  form  and  construction,  to  the  nature 
of  the  work  required  of  them,  is  an  important 
item  in  every  branch  of  mechanical  industry, 
and  in  none  more  vitally  than  in  the  sawing  of 
lumber.  The  distinction  to  be  made  according 
to  the  direction  in  which  the  saw  is  to  run, 
whether  across  the  grain  or  with  the  grain,  is 
sufficiently  plain,  and  is  familiar  to  every  work- 
man in  a  saw  mill.  As  the  fiber  of  the  wood  to 
be  severed  in  cross  cutting  presents  a  firm,  al- 
most unyielding  resistance  to  the  saw,  the  teeth 
are  of  an  acute  or  lancet-like  shape,  cutting  the 
wood  rapidly  asunder,  as  if  with  a  succession  of 
knives,  and  producing  a  fine  granular  sawdust ; 
while  the  teeth  of  the  rip  saw,  cutting  wuth  or 
rather  separating  the  grain,  are  made  compara- 
tively large  and  coarse,  encountering  less  resis- 
tance from  the  wood,  which  they  tear  into  small 
chips  or  shavings.  The  experience  of  workmen 
in  soft  and  especially  in  gummy  or  resinous 
woods,  such  as  pitch  pine,  larch,  etc.,  gives  still 
more  striking  proof  of  the  necessity  of  adapting 
the  saw  to  the  nature  of  the  material  in  which  it 
is  to  operate.  To  prevent  the  choking  of  the 
saw,  and  a  resulting  demand  for  additional  pow- 
er to  maintain  the  motion,  the  points  of  the  teeth 
require  to  be  made  acute  and  to  have  consider- 
able pitch,  in  order  to  overcome  the  obstruction 
of  damp  sawdust  accumulating  in  their  path; 
and  in  gummy  wood,  an  application  of  grease  is 
often  necessary,  as  a  remedy  for  the  heating  and 
friction  caused  by  the  tendency  of  the  resin  to 
adhere  to  the  saw. 

It  may  be  stated,  in  general  terms,  that  for 
soft  or  yielding  woods,  of  the  class  of  which  the 
willow  and  pine  are  common  examples,  the  pitch 
should  be  greater,  and  the  teeth  large  and  acute- 
ly pointed.  For  mahogany,  rosewood,  and  other 
woods  of  tough  and  dense  fiber,  teeth  of  less 
size  and  of  perpendicular  pitch  are  appropriate. 
The  principle  which  should  govetn  the  shape  of 
saw  teeth  is  indeed  an  extremely  simple  one, 
and  would  seem  to  require  no  formal  statement, 
more  especially  as  it  is  certain  to  make  itself 
manifest,  if  disregarded,  upon  a  brief  experiment. 
In  practice,  however,  it  often  fails  to  receive  due 
attention,  and  no  small  amount  of  inconvenience 
and  actual  loss  is  occasioned  by  neglect  of  this 
material  point. 

SAW,  To  Put  in  Order. —Tkst,  the  saw 
should  be  set ;  this  may  be  done  by  laying  the 
blade  flat  upon  a  piece  o'f  heavy  plank  or  scant- 
ling, and  bending  the  teeth  with  a  hammer  and 
punch.  The  set,  or  punch,  can  be  made  of  a 
three-cornered  saw  file,  broken  off  at  each  end, 
and  the  smallest  end  ground  square.  Set  the 
punch  square  upon  the  tooth,  but  inclined  from 
you,  so  that  it  rests  mainly  upon  the  point  of 
the  tooth,  and  hit  it  a  light  blow  with  the  ham- 
mer. Every  other  tooth  should  be  bent  in  this 
manner,  then  the  saw  turned  over,  and  the  ope- 
ration repeated.  The  set  already  in  tlie  saw 
will  be  the  guide  as  to  the  direction  tlie  tooth  is 
to  be  bent.  If  the  saw,  previous  to  setting,  is 
inclined  to  catch  and  jump,  one  of  three  things 
is  the  matter;  the  set  is  uneven,  a  few  teeth  are 

28 


434 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


longer  than  the  rest,  or  the  teeth  have  been  filed 
hooking.  Either  of  these  troubles  can  be  easily 
detected  and  renmedied.  If  by  looking  along  the 
teeth  from  end  to  end,  an  unevenness  is  seen, 
lay  the  blade  upon  the  head  of  an  axe,  or  some- 
thing of  the  kind,  and  strike  gently  upon  the 
sides  of  the  teeth  with  a  hammer  until  all  of  the 
set  is  removed;  then  set  the  saw  as  above  directed. 
If  after  the  saw  is  properly  set,  some  of  the  teeth 
should  be  longer  than  others,  put  the  blade  be- 
tween two  thin  boards,  three  or  four  inches 
wide,  and  as  long  as  the  saw;  screw  them  firm- 
ly in  a  vice,  the  same  as  for  filing,  and  run  a 
fiat  saw-mill  file  lengthwise  along  the  teeth  until 
they  are  brought  level.  The  saw  is  now  ready 
for  filing.  The  file  should  be  placed  between 
the  teeth  in  a  diagonal  direction,  but  held  level. 
Every  other  space  should  be  filed  from  the  small 
end  to  the  handle ;  then  the  remaining  spaces 
filed  by  holding  the  file  at  an  opposite  angle. 
After  this  operation  is  completed,  then  look 
across  the  teeth  again,  and  if  the  channel  be- 
tween the  rows  of  teeth  terminates  in  the  centre, 
the  filing  is  good;  if  it  terminates  at  one  side  of 
the  centre,  the  full  side  needs  more  filing.  If 
the  saw  catches  and  jumps  after  jointing  up,  it 
will  be  owing  to  the  teeth  having  been  filed  too 
hooking,  or,  in  other  words,  the  points  inclined 
too  much  towards  the  narrow  end  of  the  saw. 
This  can  be  remedied  by  refiling  and  taking  off 
from  the  lower  side  of  the  teeth  enough  to  make 
them  stand  upright  on  the  blade.  Always  file 
where  there  is  suflScient  light  to  enable  you  to 
see  points  distinctly.  Be  exceedingly  careful  to 
stop  filing  as  soon  as  the  tooth  is  filed  to  a  per- 
fect point.  One  thrust  with  the  file  after  a  tooth 
has  been  brought  to  a  complete  edge,  Avill  short- 
en it,  put  the  saw  out  of  order  just  in  proportion 
as  the  point  is  filed  off.  Let  the  points  be  set 
uniformly,  and  only  a  little.  Go  over  the  teeth 
with  an  old  file,  and  give  them  a  more  perfect 
cutting-edge.  Then  lay  the  blade  flatly  on  a 
smooth  board,  and  pass  a  fine-gritted  whetstone 
along  the  sides  of  the  points,  to  remove  the  wiry 
edge,  and  to  give  the  teeth  as  fine  a  cutting-edge 
as  practicable. 

SAWS  (Large),  Sharpening  the  Teeth  of. — 
In  extensive  lumber  districts,  where  large  saws 
of  any  description  are  employed,  the  mere  cost 
of  the  files  necessary  for  filing  the  teeth  is  an 
item  of  great  expense  during  the  year.  The 
teeth  of  a  large  circular  saw  for  cutting  logs  into 
lumber  will  frequently  be  equivalent  to  the  cut- 
ting edge  of  a  straight  saw  twelve  to  sixteen  feet 
in  length.  When  the  points  of  only  one  or  two 
of  the  teeth  happen  to  get  dulled,  the  expense 
for  files  alone,  not  including  labor,  will  frequent- 
ly exceed  one  dollar  to  put  the  saw  in  order, 
especially  if  the  length  of  the  teeth  be  maintained 
by  filing  into  the  blade  at  the  base  of  each  tooth 
as  much  as  the  points  are  filed  off. 

In  lieu  of  large  files,  foremen  of  many  saw- 
mills employ  a  narrow  grindstone  hung  on  a 
journal  having  turned  bearings  neatly  fitted  to 
metallic  boxes,  so  that  the  stone  must  revolve 
true.  Any  gi-indstone  may  be  employed  for 
such  a  purpose  by  turning  a  small  portion  of  the 
periphery  of  the  desired  form  to  fit  the  spaces 
ijetween  the  teeth.  One  side  of  the  stone  should 
be  dressed  at  a  right  angle  with  a  line  cutting 
the  centre  of  the  journal,  for  grinding  the  face- 
edge  of  the  teeth;  and  the  opposite  side  should  be 
beveled  to  correspond  with  the  back  of  each  ttjoth. 


The  most  efficient  tool  for  turning  off  the 
grindstone  may  be  made  of  a  bar  of  Swede's 
iron,  by  drawing  out  one  end  about  as  large  as 
a  man's  little  finger,  and  turning  up  about  half 
an  inch  of  the  point.  Such  a  tool,  made  of  very 
soft  iron-,  will  be  found  much  more  efficient  than 
if  it  were  steel.  When  turning  the  stone  off, 
let  it  revolve  about  one  hundred  times  per 
minute. 

Now,  make  a  table  on  which  to  place  the  saw 
when  grinding  the  teeth ;  and  dress  both  the 
front  and  back  of  each  tooth  square  across  the 
blade.  Let  the  periphery  of  the  stone  hi-  kept 
wet,  when  in  use ;  as  the  grit  will  cut  cleaner 
than  if  the  stone  were  dry.  Water  will  also 
prevent  heating  the  teeth.  After  the  teeth  have 
been  ground  properly,  if  it  is  desirable  that  the 
cutting  points  should  be  flaring,  for  sawing 
across  the  grain  of  timber,  use  a  triangular  file 
for  beveling  the  face  of  every  tooth.  The  backa 
of  teeth  do  not  need  to  be  beveled  in  any  saw, 
as  there  is  nothing  gained  by  it.  Furthermore, 
it  will  always  be  found  more  expensive,  both  in 
files  and  in  labor,  than  to  file  square  across  the 
teeth.  For  sawing  with  the  grain,  both  the 
face  and  back  should  be  dressed  square  across 
the  blade.  When  a  saw  is  put  in  order  for  cut- 
ting across  the  grain,  if  only  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  of  the  points  be  filed  obliquely  on  the  face- 
edge,  the  saw  will  cut  quite  as  rapidly  as  if  the 
teeth  were  beveled  both  on  the  face  and  back 
edges. 

A  grindstone  will  often  save  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  dollars  per  annum  in  the  value  of  large 
files. 

In  many  machine-shops  and  manufactories, 
where  a  large  number  of  small  saws  are  em- 
ployed, emery-wheels  are  used  extensively  for 
sharpening.  The  emery-wheel  is  hung  on  a 
neatly  turned  mandrel,  and  held  betv.een  iron 
collars,  like  a  circular  saw.  The  periphery  is 
made  of  the  requisite  form  to  fit  the  teeth.  In 
some  instances,  when  circular  saws  are  being 
sharpened  by  an  emery-wheel,  the  saw  is  secur- 
ed to  a  journal,  as  it  rests  flat  on  the  table,  so 
that  every  tooth  may  be  dressed  with  greater 
precision  than  could  otherwise  be  attained,  ex- 
cept by  filers  of  long  experience. 

SILVER,  To  Alloy. — Copper  is  the  only  less 
precious  metal  that  alloys  well  with  silver.  Its 
addition  is  a  decided  improvement  on  the  ori- 
ginal, rendering  it  harder,  finer  in  appearance 
and  more  sonorous;  and  it  is  astonishing  to  note 
the  quantity  that  may  be  added  without  other- 
wise changing  the  first  appearance  of  the  metal. 
An  alloy  of  silver  and  copper  in  the  proportion 
of  four-fifths  silver  to  one  of  copper,  is  fully  as 
white  as  the  silver  would  be  entirely  pure. 
When  the  proportion  of  copper  rises  aliove  one- 
fifth,  it  begins  to  have  an  influence  in  the  color. 
American  coin  silver  is  one-tenth  copper. 

The  baser  white  metals  cannot  be  alloyed 
with  silver  to  any  great  extent,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  they  impart  to  the  compound  too  great  a 
degree  of  brittleness.  A  small  proportion  of 
block  tin  virtually  converts  it  into  bell  metal. 

The  following  is,  perhaps,  the  l)est  known 
composition  for  a  cheap  silver:  Pure  silver,  say 
one  ounce;  copper,  one-sixth  of  an  ounce;  brass, 
two-thirds  of  an  ounce;  bismuth,  one-third  of 
an  ounce;  clean  salt,  two-thirds  of  an  ounce; 
white  arsenic,  one-third  of  an  ounce ;  and  potash, 
one-third  of  an  ounce.    Melt  the  silver,  copper 


WORKERS  IN-  METALS, 


435 


and  brass  first,  then  add  the  other  articles  in  the 
order  named.  Sprinkle  a  very  little  borax  into 
the  crucible  while  melting — too  much  will  have 
a  tendency  to  render  the  metal  unraalleable. 

SILI&R,  To  CUan. — Never  use  a  particle 
of  soap  on  your  silver  ware,  as  it  dulls  the  luster, 
giving  the  article  more  the  appearance  of  pewter 
than  silver.  When  it  wants  cleaning  rub  it  with 
a  piece  of  soft  leather  and  prepared  chalk,  the 
latter  made  into  a  kind  of  paste  with  pure  water. 
SIL  VEF.,  Mixture  for  CUaning. — Common 
prepared  chalk,  or  whiting,  %  lb. ;  gum  cam- 
phor, %  oz. ;  aqua  ammonia  and  alcohol,  of  each 
I  oz. ;  benzine,  3  oz. ;  mix  well  together,  and 
apply  with  a  soft  sponge,  and  allow  it  to  dry  be- 
fore polishing. 

SILVER,  To  keep  Bright.— For  the  pre- 
servation of  the  luster  of  articles  of  silver  or 
plafed  ware,  when  not  needed  for  actual  use  for 
a  considerable  time,  a  coating  of  collodion  (to 
be  had  at  the  drug  stores),  may  be  employed  to 
great  advantage.  The  articles  are  to  be  heated, 
and  the  collodion  then  carefully  applied  by  means 
of  a  brush,  so  as  to  cover  the  surface  thoroughly 
and  uniformly.  It  is  used  most  conveniently 
when  diluted  with  alcohol,  as  for  photographic 
purposes.  Articles  thus  prepared  exhibit  no 
trace  whatever  of  their  covering,  and  have  stood 
for  more  than  a  j-ear  in  shop  windows  and  in 
dwellings,  retaining  their  white  luster  and  color, 
while  other  pieces  not  thus  prepared  became  se- 
riously tarnished. 

SILVER,  Frosted. — To  produce  a  frosted 
surface  on  polished  silver,  use  cyanide  of  potas- 
sium with  a  brush,  but  do  not  handle  it  more 
than  you  can  help.  Get  a  piece  of  lance  wood 
or  box,  and  make  a  pair  of  wood  pliers.  The 
proportion  should  be  an  ounce  dissolved  in  a  half 
pint  of  water.     It  is  very  poisonous. 

SILVER,  Counterfeit. — Combine  by  fusion 
one  part  pure  copper,  twenty-four  parts  block 
tin,  one  and  a  half  parts  pure  antimony,  one 
fourth  part  pure  bismuth  and  two  parts  clear 
glass.  The  glass  may  be  omitted  save  in  cases 
where  it  is  an  object  to  have  the  metal  sonorous. 
SILVER  (Dead  White  in).  To  Restore.— 
The  process  for  producing  or  restoring  the  dead 
white  to  silver  is  simple.  Before  attempting  it, 
the  work  must  be  carefully  examined  to  discover 
whether  it  has  been  previously  repaired.  Un- 
skillful workmen  often  resort  to  "soft  solder" 
unnecessarily.  If  any  "soft  solder"  (pewter)  is 
found  about  the  work,  the  process  must  not  be 
attempted.  If  the  article  is  all/right  in  that  re- 
spect, pound  together  three  parts  charcoal  and 
one  of  niter.  Add  sufficient  water  to  form  a 
paste.  With  a  camel's-hair  brush  give  the  ar- 
ticle a  thin  coat  of  the  mixture,  put  it  in  a  small 
annealing  pan,  and  submit  it  to  the  fire  until  it 
becomes  just  red  hot;  then  wthdraw  it  from  the 
fire,  let  it  stand  a  minute,  and  turn  it  out  into  a 
weak  solution  of  sulphuric  acid  (one  part  acid, 
ten  parts  water)  in  the  boiling  pan.  Boil,  pour 
off  the  acid,  rinse;  wash  with  warm  water  and 
soap,  using  a  soft  brush ;  dip  in  spirits  of  wine, 
and  dry  in  box-wood  sawdust.  If  any  spots 
should  still  remain  on  the  work,  anneal  it  with- 
out the  mixture,  boil  out  and  wash  as  before. 
Burnish  the  parts  intended  to  be  bright.  Do  not 
use  the  common  American  saltpeter.  The  Eng- 
lish refined  niter,  although  it  costs  more,  is  re- 
ally less  expensive,  as  a  smaller  quantity  goes 
farther,  and  does  the  work  more  effectually. 


Purchase  at  the  wholesale  druggists.  Never 
neglect  to  dip  your  work  in  spirits  of  wine,  and 
dry  in  box-wood  sawdust.  You  cannot  dry  it 
properly  by  wiping;  a  moisture  will  remain  and 
the  gloss  is  lost;  while  by  dipping  in  spirits,  all 
jewelry  and  silver  ornaments  may  be  taken  im- 
mediately, thoroughly  dry,  and  retaining  their 
full  luster. 

SILVER,  German. — The  best  German  sil- 
ver may  be  made  by  melting  together  twenty- 
five  parts  copper,  fifteen  parts  zinc  and  ten  parts 
nickel. 

SILVERING  //?6>A^.— Small  wares  of  iron 
may  be  effectually  silvered  without  battery  thus: 
The  articles  are  suspended  in  dilute  sulphuric 
acid  until  the  iron  shows  a  clean,  bright  surface. 
After  rinsing  in  pure  water,  they  are  placed  in  a 
bath  of  a  mixed  solution  of  sulphate  of  zinc, 
sulphate  of  copper  and  C3-anide  of  potassium, 
and  here  remain  until  they  receive  a  bright  coat- 
ing of  brass.  Lastly,  they  are  transferred  to  a 
bath  of  nitrate  of  silver,  cyanide  of  potassium 
and  sulphate  of  soda,  in  which  they  quickly 
receive  a  coating  of  silver. 

SILVER  IMITATIONS.— Co^^r,  i  lb.; 
tin,  ^  oz.;  melt.  This  composition  will  roll  and 
ring  very  near  to  silver.  Britannia  Metal:  cop- 
per, I  lb. ;  tin,  I  lb.  ;  regulus  of  antimony,  2 
lbs. ;  melt  together,  with  or  without  a  little  bis- 
muth. Genuine  German  Silver:  iron,  2^  parts; 
nickel,  31^  parts;  zinc,  25^  parts;  copper, 
40^  parts;  melt.  Fine  White  German  Silver: 
iron,  I  part;  nickel,  10  parts;  zinc,  ID  parts; 
copper,  20  parts ;  melt.  Pinchbeck :  copper,  5 
parts  ;  zinc,  I  part ;  melt  the  copper,  then  add 
the  zinc.  Jewelers'  Metal:  copper,  30  parts ; 
tin,  7  parts ;  brass,  10  parts ;  mix. 

SIL  VERING. — A  Bavarian  has  patented  aa 
improved  process  for  silvering  copper,  brass 
and  other  alloys  by  means  of  a  solution  of  silver 
in  cyanide  of  potassium.  The  difference  from 
the  usual  method  consists  in  the  use  of  zinc 
filings,  with  which  the  objects  are  coated;  when 
the  silvering  solution  is  applied,  an  immediate 
deposition  of  a  much  more  durable  character 
takes  place.  The  filings  are  easily  removed  by 
rinsing  in  water,  and  may  be  used  repeatedly 
for  the  same  purpose.  Metallic  iron  may  be 
coated  with  copper  in  the  same  manner,  by 
substituting  for  the  silver  a  solution  of  copper  in 
the  cyanide;  and  over  this  copper  deposit  a 
coating  of  silver  may  be  applied. 

SILVER  PLATING,  Solutiottsfor.—lu 
making  any  of  these  solutions,  perfectly  fine  sil- 
ver must  be  employed ;  or,  if  it  be  desired  to  use 
standard  or  other  impure  silver,  it  will  be  better 
to  purify  the  silver  by  first  dissolving  it  in  nitric 
acid;  then  add  about  one  quart  of  cold  water  to 
the  acid  solution  obtained  from  dissohnng  four 
ounces  of  silver.  Now  throw  in  a  few  pieces  of 
sheet  copper  to  precipitate  the  silver.  In  a  few 
moments  the  silver  will  begin  to  deposit  itself 
upon  the  copper,  and  by  continuing  the  process 
for  some  time,  and  adding  a  gentle  heat,  the 
whole  of  the  silver  will  eventually  become  pre- 
cipitated in  the  form  of  minute  crystals.  Wnen 
the  pure  silver  is  thus  obtained,  it  is  to  be  again 
dissolved  in  two  parts  water  and  one  part  nitric 
acid. 

Solution  1 :  Fine  silver,  i  ounce ;  nitric  acid, 
about  I  ounce;  water,  5^  ounce. 

Put  the  silver  carefully  into  a  Florence  flask, 
and  then  pour  in  the  acid  and  water  j  place  the 


436 


DICTION  A  R  Y  OFE  VER  Y-DA  Y  WANTS. 


flask  oil  a  sand  bath  for  a  few  minutes,  taking 
care  not  to  apply  too  much  heat;  and,  as  soon  as 
chemical  action  becomes  violent,  remove  the  flask 
to  a  cooler  place,  and  allow  the  action  to  go  on 
until  it  nearly  ceases ;  when,  if  there  be  silver 
still  undissolved,  the  flask  may  be  again  placed 
on  the  sand  bath  until  the  silver  disappears.  If, 
however,  the  acid  employed  has  been  weak,  it 
may  be  necessary  to  add  a  little  more.  The  red 
fumes,  formed  when  chemical  action  is  going  on, 
disappear  Avhen  the  silver  is  dissolved,  or  when 
the  acid  has  done  its  work.  If  a  little  black 
powder  be  visible  at  the  bottom  of  the  flask,  it 
may  be  taken  care  of  separately,  as  it  is  gold. 
I  have  frequently  found  gold  in  the  silver  pur- 
chased of  a  refiner ;  in  some  instances  more  than 
sufficient  to  pay  the  expense  of  the  acid 
employed. 

The  nitrate  of  silver  formed  during  the  above 
operation  should  be  carefully  poured  into  a 
porcelain  or  Wedgwood  capsule,  and  heated 
until  a  pellicle  appears  on  the  surface,  when  it 
may  be  placed  aside  to  crystallize.  The  un- 
crystallized  liquor  should  then  be  poured  from 
the  crystals  into  another  capsule,  andheat  applied 
until  it  has  evaporated  sufficiently  to  crystallize. 
When  this  is  done,  the  crystals  of  nitrate  of 
silver  are  to  be  placed  in  a  large  jar  or  other 
suitable  vessel,  and  about  three  pints  of  cold 
distilled  water  added,  the  whole  being  well 
stirred  with  a  glass  rod  until  the  crystals  are 
dissolved. 

A  quantity  of  carbonate  of  potassa  is  now  to 
be  dissolved  in  distilled  water,  and  some  of  the 
solution  added  to  the  nitrate  of  silver,  until  no 
further  precipitation  takes  place.  It  is  advis- 
able occasionally  to  put  a  little  of  the  clear 
solution  in  a  glass,  or  test  tube,  and  to  add  a 
few  drops  of  the  solution  of  potassa,  in  order  to 
ascertain  whether  all  the  silver  is  thro%vn  down, 
or  otherwise ;  as  soon  as  the  application  of  the 
alkaline  solution  produces  no  effect  upon  the 
solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  this  operation  is 
complete. 

The  supernatant  liquor  (that  is,  the  fluid 
■which  remains  above  the  precipitate)  should  next 
be  carefully  poured  off  the  precipitated  silver,  and 
fresh  water  added;  this  is  again  allowed  to  settle, 
and  the  water  poured  off  as  before,  which  ope- 
ration should  be  repeated  several  times  in  order 
to  wash  the  precipitate  thoroughly. 

A  quantity  of  cyanide  of  potassium  is  then  to 
be  dissolved  in  hot  or  cold  water,  and  rather 
more  than  is  sufficient  to  dissolve  the  precipitate 
added.  In  a  few  minutes  the  carbonate  of  silver 
■will  be  dissolved  by  the  cyanide,  but  in  all  pro- 
bability there  will  be  a  trifling  sediment  at  the 
bottom  of  the  vessel,  which  may  be  separated 
from  the  solution  by  filtration,  and  preserved, 
as  in  all  probability  it  will  contain  a  little  silver. 

Sufficient  water  is  now  to  be  added  to  make 
one  gallon  of  solution.  Should  the  solution  be 
found  to  work  rather  slowly  at  first,  a  little  of 
the  solution  of  cyanide  may  be  added  from  time 
to  time,  as  it  is  required :  but  it  is  preferable,  in 
working  a  new  solution,  to  have  as  small  a  pro- 
portion of  cyanide  as  possible,  otherwise  the 
articles  may  strip,  especially  if  they  are  composed 
of  German  silver. 

When  a  silver  solution  has  been  worked  for 
some  lengtii  of  time,  it  acquires  organic  matter, 
and  is  then  capable  of  bearing,  without  injury, 
a  larger  proportion  of  cyanide. 


It  is  necessary  that  the  nitric  acid  employed 
for  dissolving  silver  should  be  of  good  commer- 
cial quality,  if  not  chemically  pure,  for  if  it 
contain  hydrochloric  acid  C which  is  not  an  un- 
frequent  adulteration),  a  portion  of  the  silver 
dissolved  will  become  precipitated  in  the  form  of 
awhiteflocculent  powder  (chloride  of  silver),  and 
the  success  of  the  operation  is  thereby  impaired. 
Solution  2 :  To  one  ounce  of  silver,  dissolved 
and  crystallized  as  above  directed,  is  to  be  added 
three  pints  of  distilled  water.  The  silver  is  to  be 
precipitated  from  this  by  adding  gradually  a 
strong  solution  of  cyanide  of  potassium.  This 
must  be  done  with  caution,  as  an  excess  of 
cyanide  will  redissolve  the  precipitate.  Should 
the  operator,  however,  accidentally  apply  too 
much  cyanide,  a  little  nitrate  of  silver  in  solution 
may  be  added,  the  silver  of  which  will  be  preci- 
pitated by  the  surplus  cyanide.  A  portion  of 
the  solution  should  be  placed  in  a  wineglass 
occasionally,  and  a  drop  of  cyanide  added,  until 
no  further  effect  is  produced  by  this  substance. 

As  soon  as  the  precipitate  (which  is  white)  has 
subsided,  the  clear  solution  is  to  be  poured  off, 
and  fresh  water  added,  this  being  done  several 
times,  as  before,  to  wash  the  precipitate. 

Three  pounds  of  ferrocyanide  of  potassium 
(yellow  prussiate  of  potassa)  may  now  be  dis- 
solved in  water,  and  added  to  the  precipitate. 

When  the  precipitate  is  dissolved,  add  suffi- 
cient water  to  make  one  gallon  of  solution,  which 
should  then  be  filtered  before  using.  This 
solution  is  not  very  profitable  to  the  electro-plater, 
as  it  requires  fresh  silver  to  be  added  frequently, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  anode,  or  silver  plate, 
is  not  acted  upon  by  the  ferrocyanide,  therefore 
the  solution  soon  becomes  deprived  of  its  silver. 
It  may  be  used,  however,  for  experimental 
purposes. 

Solution  3:  One  ounce  of  fine  silver,  dissolved 
and  treated  as  before,  to  which  add  three  pints 
of  distilled  water.  Precipitate  the  silver  by 
adding  a  strong  solution  of  common  salt — an 
excess  does  no  harm.  A  single  drop  of  hydro- 
chloric acid  will  show  whether  all  the  silver  is 
thrown  down  or  not.  The  white  precipitate 
thus  formed  (which  is  chloride  of  silver)  is  to  be 
washed  as  before. 

A  quantity  of  hyposulphite  of  soda  is  next 
dissolved  in  hot  distilled  water,  and  a  sufficient 
quantity  added  to  dissolve  the  precipitate.  Wa- 
ter is  then  to  be  added  to  make  one  gallon. 
This  solution  is  decomposed  by  hght,  and  should 
therefore  be  kept  covered  up,  or  in  a  dark  place. 
It  is  not  much  used  by  electro-platers. 

Solution  4:  One  ounce  of  fine  silver  treated 
as  before,  and  dissolved  in  three  pints  of  distilled 
water.  Precipitate  with  common  salt,  and  wash, 
as  above  directed.  Dissolve  the  precipitate  with 
a  strong  solution  of  cyanide  of  potassium,  tak- 
ing care  not  to  add  much  more  than  will  dissolve 
the  chloride  of  silver.  Filter  carefully,  at  least 
once  through  the  same  filtering  paper,  and  once 
through  clean  filtering  paper,  and  then  add 
enough  distilled  water  to  make  one  gallon  of 
solution. 

The  above  solution  is  very  useful  when  it  is 
desired  to  plate  an  article  delicately  white,  but 
the  silver  is  liable  to  strip  when  the  burnisher  is 
applied  to  it.  This  solution,  however,  may  be 
employed  with  less  fear  of  the  work  stripping, 
if  it  be  used  weaker,  with  a  small  sur^ce  of 
anode  and  feeble  battery  power. 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


437 


Under  all  circumstances  this  solution  is  more 
applicable  to  surfaces  which  only  require  to  be 
scratch-brushed,  or  which  are  to  be  left  dead. 
Chased  figures,  clock  dials,  cast  metal  work, 
etc.,  may  be  admirably  plated  with  this  solu- 
tion. 

Solutions:  One  ounce  of  fine  silver,  as  be- 
fore, and  the  crystals  dissolved  in  three  pints  of 
tiistilled  water.  Add  strong  solution  of  cyanide 
of  potassium  until  no  further  precipitation  takes 
place.  If  too  much  cyanide  be  added,  it  will  re- 
tlissolve  the  precipitate.  Pour  off  the  super- 
natant liquor  and  wash  the  silver  as  before. 
Now  add  strong  solution  of  cyanide  to  dissolve 
the  precipitate.  Make  one  gallon  with  distilled 
water.  The  solution  should  have  a  moderate 
excess  of  cyahide,  and  it  must  be  filtered  before 
using. 

Solution  6 :  A  silver  solution  may  be  made 
by  dissolving  one  ounce  of  silver  as  before. 
Dissolve  the  crystals  in  one  pint  of  distilled  wa- 
ter. Next  be  prepared  with  a  large  vessel  full 
of  lime  water,  made  by  addin<»  recently  slaked 
lime  to  an  ample  quantity  of  water,  which,  it 
must  be  remembered,  dissolves  but  a  very  small 
percentage  of  lime.  To  the  clear  lime  water  is 
to  be  added  the  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver, 
which  will  be  converted  into  a  dark  brown  pre- 
cipitate (oxide  of  silver).  When  all  the  silver 
is  thrown  down,  the  clear  liquor  is  to  be  poured 
off,  and  the  precipitate  washed  as  before.  Now 
add  strong  cyanide  of  potassium  solution  to  dis- 
solve the  oxide  of  silver,  and  make  one  gallon 
■with  distilled  water. 

This  makes  a  very  excellent  solution,  although 
it  is  somewhat  troublesome  to  prepare. 

Solution  7".  Dissolve  in  one  gallon  of  water 
one  ounce  and  a  quarter  of  cyanide  of  potassium, 
in  a  stoneware  or  glass  vessel.  Fill  a  porous 
cell  with  some  of  this  solution,  and  place  it  in 
the  larger  vessel;  the  solution  should  be  the 
same  hight  in  both  vessels.  Then  put  a  piece 
of  sheet  copper  or  iron,  connected  with  the  wire 
which  proceeds  from  the  zinc  of  the  battery,  into 
the  porous  cell.  Place  in  the  stone  vessel  a 
piece  of  stout  sheet  silver,  which  must  be  pre- 
viously attached  to  the  wire  issuing  from  the 
copper  of  the  battery.  It  is  well  to  employ 
several  cells  alternated,  for  this  purpose,  when 
a  large  quantity  of  solution  has  to  be  prepared; 
that  is  to  say,  the  zinc  of  one  battery  should  be 
united  by  a  wire  with  the  copper  of  the  next, 
and  so  on.  In  a  few  hours  the  solution  in  the 
larger  vessel  will  have  acquired  sufficient  silver, 
and  the  solution  may  be  at  once  used.  The 
porous  cell  is  to  be  removed,  and  its  contents 
may  be  thrown  away. 

In  working  this  solution,  at  first  it  is  neces- 
sary to  expose  a  rather  large  surface  of  anode, 
and  small  quantities  of  cyanide  must  be  added 
occasionally  until  the  solution  is  in  brisk  work- 
ing order. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  solutions,  when  care- 
fully prepared,  and  is  less  liable  to  strip  than 
many  others. 

Solutions  of  silver  may  be  prepared  by  preci- 
pitating the  silver  from  the  solution  of  nitrate 
with  ammonia,  soda,  magnesia,  etc.,  etc.,  but 
for  all  practical  purposes  the  solutions  i,  4,  5,  6, 
and  7,  may,  if  carefully  prepared,  be  depended 
upon. 

When  it  is  desired  that  the  articles  should 
come  out  of  the  bath  having  a  bright  appearance, 


a  little  bisulphuret  of  carbon  is  added  to  the  so- 
lution. This  is  best  done  in  the  following  man- 
ner :  Put  an  ounce  of  bisulphuret  of  carbon  into 
a  pint  bottle  containing  a  strong  silver  solution 
with  cyanide  in  excess.  The  bottle  should  be 
repeatedly  shaken,  and  the  mixture  is  ready  for 
use  in  a  few  days.  A  few  drops  of  this  solution 
may  be  poured  into  the  plating  bath  occasionally, 
until  the  work  appears  sufficiently  bright.  The 
bisulphuret  solution,  however,  must  be  added 
with  care,  for  an  excess  is  apt  to  spoil  the  solu- 
tion. In  plating  surfaces  which  cannot  easily 
be  scratch-brushed,  this  brightening  process  is 
serviceable.  The  operator,  however,  must  never 
add  too  much  at  a  time. 

In  making  up  any  of  the  foregoing  solutions, 
the  weights  and  measures  employed  are  troy,  or 
apothecaries'  weight,  and  imperial  measure. 

SILVER  PLATING  FLUID.— Dhiolvt 
I  ounce  of  nitrate  of  silver  in  crystal,  in  12  oun- 
ces of  soft  water,  then  dissolve  in  the  water  2 
ounces  cyanuret  of  potash,  shake  the  whole  to- 
gether, and  let  it  stand  till  it  becomes  clear. 
Have  ready  some  half  ounce  vials,  and  fill  half 
full  of  Paris  white,  or  fine  whiting,  and  then  fill 
up  the  bottles  with  the  liquor,  and  it  is  ready 
for  use.  The  whiting  does  not  increase  the 
coating  power,  it  only  helps  to  clean  the  ar- 
ticles, and  to  save  the  silver  fluid,  by  half  filling 
the  bottles. 

SILVERING  POWDER.— Yox  silvering 
copper,  covering  the  worn  parts  of  plated  goods, 
etc. — I,  Nitrate  of  silver,  common  salt,  each  30 
grs. ;  cream  of  tartar,  3^  drs.  Mix.  Moisten 
with  cold  water  and  rub  on  the  article  to  be  sil- 
vered.— 2,  Pure  silver  (precipitated  from  the 
nitrate  by  copper),  20  grs.  ;  cream  of  tartar,  2 
drs. ;  salt,  2  drs. — 3.  Precipitated  silver,  ^l^  oz. ; 
common  salt,  sal  ammoniac,  each  2  oz. ;  corro- 
sive sublimate,  i  dr.  Make  into  a  paste  with 
water.  Copper  utensils  are  previously  boiled 
with  cream  of  tartar  and  aluni,  rubbed  with  this 
paste  made  red  hot  and  afterwards  polished. — 
4.  Nitrate  of  silver,  I  part ;  cyanide  of  potas- 
sium, 3  parts ;  water  enough  to  make  a  paste. 
SIL  VER,  To  Refine. — Dissolve  in  nitric  acid 
as  in  the  case  of  the  gold.  When  the  silver  has 
entirely  disappeared,  add  to  the  two  and  a  half 
ounces  of  solution  nearly  one  quart  of  pure  rain 
water.  Sink,  then,  a  sheet  of  clean  copper  into 
it — the  silver  will  collect  rapidly  upon  the  cop>- 
per,  and  you  can  scrape  it  off  and  melt  into  bulk 
at  pleasure. 

In  the  event  you  were  refining  gold  in  accord- 
ance with  the  foregoing  formula,  and  the  impu- 
rity was  silver,  the  only  steps  necessary  to  save 
the  latter  would  be  to  add  the  above  named  pro- 
portion of  water  to  the  solution  poured  from  the 
gold,  and  then  to  proceed  with  your  copper 
plate  as  just  directed. 

SILVER  Tarnished  in  Soldering^  To  Clean. 
— Some  expose  to  a  uniform  heat,  as  in  the  case 
of  gold,  and  then  boil  in  strong  alum  water. 
Others  immerse  for  a  considerable  length  of 
time  in  a  liquid  made  of  half  an  ounce  of  cyanu- 
ret potassa  to  one  pint  rain  water,  and  then 
brush  off  with  prepared  chalk. 

SILVER,  To  make  Transparent.— Refined 
silver,  one  ounce ;  dissolve  it  in  two  ounces  of 
aqua  fortis;  precipitate  it  with  a  pugil  (a  quan- 
tity that  may  be  taken  up  between  the  thumb 
and  finger)  of  salt,  then  strain  it  through  a 
paper,  and  tlie  remainder  melt  in  a  crucible  for 


43S 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


about  half  an  hour,  and  pour  it  out,  and  it  will 
be  transparent. 

SILVER  LEAF,  To  Varnish  like  Gold.— 
Fix  the  leaf  on  the  subject,  similar  to  gold  leaf, 
by  the  interposition  of  proper  glutinous  matters; 
spread  the  varnish  upon  the  piece  with  a  pencil. 
When  the  first  coat  is  dry  wash  the  piece  again 
and  again  with  the  varnish  till  the  color  appears 
sufficiently  deep.  What  is  called  gilt-leather, 
and  many  picture-frames,  have  no  other  than 
this  gilding;  washing  them  with  a  little  rectified 
spirit  of  wine  affords  a  proof  of  this,  the  spirit 
dissolving  the  varnish,  and  lea\-ing  the  silver- 
leaf  of  its  own  whiteness.  For  plain  frames 
thick  tin-foil  may  be  used  instead  of  silver. 
The  tin-leaf,  fixed  on  the  piece  with  glue,  is  to 
be  burnished,  then  polished  with  emery  and  a 
fine  linen  cloth,  and  afterwards  with  putty  ap- 
plied in  the  same  manner ;  being  tlien  lacquered 
over  with  varnish  5  or  6  times,  it  looks  very 
nearly  like  burnished  gold.  The  same  varnish, 
made  with  a  less  proportion  of  coloring  ma- 
terials, is  applied  also  on  works  of  brass,  both 
for  heightening  the  color  of  the  metal  to  a  re- 
semblance with  that  of  gold,  and  for  preserving 
it  from  being  tarnished  by  the  air. 

SILVER,  To  -write  on  -with  a  Black,  that 
■will  never  go  off. — ^Take  burnt  lead  and  pulverize 
it.  Incorporate  it  next  with  sulphur  and  vinegar, 
to  the  consistency  of  a  painting  color,  and 
write  with  it  on  any  silver  plate.  Let  it  dry, 
then  present  it  to  the  fire  so  as  to  heat  the  work 
a  little,  and  it  is  finished. 

SPECULA,  Polishing  Powder  for. — Prepare 
peroxide  of  iron,  by  precipitation,  from  a  diluted 
solution  of  sulphate  of  iron  ^vith  water  of  am- 
monia. Wash  the  precipitate,  press  it  in  a 
screw  press  until  nearly  dry,  and  expose  it  to  a 
heat  which  in  the  dark  appears  a  dull  red. 

SPRINGS  (  Trap),  To  Temper.— For  temp- 
ering cast  steel  trap  springs,  all  that  is  necessary 
is  to  heat  them  in  the  dark  just  that  you  may  see 
it  is  red,  then  cool  them  in  lukewarm  water. 
The  reason  why  darkness  is  required  to  temper 
springs  is  that  a  lower  degree  of  heat  can  be 
seen  in  the  night  than  by  day-light;  and  the  low 
heat  and  warm  water  give  the  desired  temper. 
SPRINGS  of  IRON  IVIRE.-Aker  wind- 
ing the  wire  around  the  mandrel,  take  the  latter 
out  and  replace  it  with  a  rod  of  common  rough 
iron,  large  enough  to  quite  fill  the  spring,  as 
after  the  spring  has  been  cut  off,  it  will  unwind 
enough  to  increase  the  diameter  considerably. 
Then  take  the  rod  with  the  spring  on  it,  and 
heat  to  a  cherry  red,  after  which  sprinkle  it  with 
prussiate  of  potash.  Repeat  this  two  or  three 
times.  After  putting  on  the  salt  for  the  last 
time,  heat  again  and  plunge  into  cold  water,  and 
you  will  have  a  spring  as  brittle  as  glass.  Then 
put  oil  on  it,  retaining  the  spring  on  the  rod, 
and  heat  till  the  oil  burns  off  with  a  blaze. 

SOLDER,  To  Make  Adhere  to  Brass  or  Cop- 
per.— Prepare  a  soldering  solution  in  this  way: 
Pour  a  small  quantity  of  muriatic  acid  on  some 
zinc  filings,  so  as  to  completely  cover  the  zinc. 
Let  it  stand  about  an  hour,  and  then  pour  off 
the  acid,  to  which  add  twice  its  amount  of  wa- 
ter. By  first  wetting  the  brass  or  copper  with 
this  preparation,  the  solder  will  readily  adhere. 
SOLDER,  Common. — Put  into  a  crucible  2 
lbs.  of  lead,  and  when  melted  throw  in  I  lb.  of 
tin.  This  alloy  is  that  generally  known  by  the 
iiame  of  solder.    When  heated  by  a  hot  iron 


and  applied  to  tinned  iron  with  powdered  rosin, 
it  acts  as  a  cement  or  solder ;  it  is  also  used  to 
join  leaden  pipes,  etc. 

SOLDER,  Hard. — Melt  together  2  lbs.  cop- 
per and  I  lb.  tin. 

SOLDER,  Soft. — A  strong,  easily  flowing 
and  white  solder  is  composed  of  lead  one  part, 
and  tin  2  parts.  When  the  lead  is  melted  up 
put  in  the  tin,  and  then  throw  in  a  small  piece 
of  resin  as  a  flux.  In  soldering  fine  work,  wet 
the  parts  to  be  joined  with  muriatic  acid  in 
which  as  much  zinc  has  been  dissolved  as  the 
acid  will  take  up.  It  is  cleaner  than  the  old 
method  of  using  Venetian  turpentine  or  resin. 
A  method  of  making  silver  solder  :  Put  into  a 
clean  crucible  pure  silver  two  parts,  clean  brass 
one  part,  with  a  small  piece  of  borax  ;  melt  and 
pour  into  ingot.  Formerly  the  solder  was  re- 
turned to  the  crucible  for  a  second  melting,  but 
it  is  not  necessary.  The  solder  flows  easily  and 
clean.  Solder  made  from  coin,  as  it  frequently 
is,  often  melts  with  difficulty,  and  remains  lumpy 
around  the  joints,  requiring  the  use  of  the  file 
to  remove  it,  while  the  addition  of  any  of  the 
inferior  metals  to  the  solder  causes  it  to  eat  into 
the  article  joined  by  it. 

SOLDER  ( To  Soft)  Articles.— Mohten  the 
parts  to  be  united  with  soldering  fluid;  then, 
ha\-ing  joined  them  together,  lay  a  small  piece 
of  solder  upon  the  joint  and  hold  over  your 
lamp,  or  direct  the  blaze  upon  it  with  your 
blow-pipe  until  fusion  is  apparent.  Withdraw 
then  from  the  blaze  immediately,  as  too  much 
heat  will  render  the  solder  brittle  and  unsatis- 
factory. When  the  parts  to  be  joined  can  be 
made  to  spring  or  press  against  each  other,  it  is 
best  to  place  a  thin  piece  of  solder  between 
them  before  exposing  to  the  lamp. 

Where  two  smooth  surfaces  are  to  be  soldered 
one  upon  the  other,  you  may  make  an  excellent 
job  by  moistening  them  with  the  fluid,  and  then, 
having  placed  a  sheet  of  tin  foil  between  them, 
holding  them  pressed  firmly  together  over  your 
lamp  till  the  foil  melts.  If  the  surfaces  fit  nice- 
ly a  joint  may  be  made  in  this  way  so  close  as 
to  be  almost  imperceptible.  The  brightest  look- 
ing lead  which  comes  as  a  lining  to  tin  boxes 
works  better  in  the  same  wav  than  tin  foil. 

SOLDER,  Silver.— -i.  Hardest.  Silver,  4 
parts,  copper,  I  part ;  fuse  together.  2.  Hard. 
Sterling  silver,  3  parts,  melt,  add  brass  wire,  i 
part*  3.  Soft.  Silver,  2  parts,  melt,  add  brass 
wire,  I  part.  This  is  generally  used ;  some  add 
a  little  arsenic,  to  make  it  whiter  and  more  fu- 
sible, but  it  becomes  less  malleable,  and  more 
injurious.  4.  Pure  tin,  or  tin  solder,  (2  lead  to 
I  tin",)  used  for  inferior  works. 

SOLDERING  (Soft),  Liquid  for.— X  liquid 
for  soldering  tin,  iron,  or  copper  with  soft  sol- 
der, is  obtained  when  the  solution  of  zinc  in 
muriatic  acid  is  gradually  heated,  and  then  a 
proportionate  quantity  of  oxide  or  carbonate  of 
tin  in  powder  is  added  to  neutralize  the  liquid. 
The  same  will  not  corrode  the  seams  like  that 
made  of  zinc  and  acid  alone.  For  a  fine  job  on 
tin,  stearic  acid  obtained  from  the  candle  fac- 
tories is  much  preferable  to  resin,  etc.,  and  will 
not  run  off  so  easily  from  the  soldering  iron. 

SOLDERING  FERRULES  for  Tool-Han- 
dles, etc. — Take  your  ferrule,  lap  round  the  join- 
ing a  small  piece  of  brass  wire,  then  just  wet 
the  ferrule,  scatter  on  the  joining-ground,  borax, 
put  it  on.  the  end  of  a  wire,  hold  it  in  the  fire 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


439 


till  the  brass  fuses.  It  will  fill  up  the  joining, 
and  form  a  perfect  solder.  It  may  afterwards 
be  turned  in  the  lathe. 

STEEL,  To  Distinguish  from  Iron.— The 
principal  characters  by  which  steel  may  be  dis- 
tinguished from  iron,  are  as  follows  : — 

1.  After  being  polished,  steel  appears  of  a 
•whiter  light  gray  hue,  without  the  blue  cast  ex- 
hibited by  iron.     It  also  takes  a  higher  polish. 

2.  The  hardest  steel,  when  not  annealed,  ap- 
pears granulated,  but  dull,  and  without  shining 
fibres. 

3.  ^Vhen  steeped  in  acids  the  harder  tlie  steel 
is,  of  a  darker  hue  is  its  surface. 

4.  Steel  is  not  so  much  inclined  ro  rust  as 
iron. 

5.  In  general,  steel  has  a  greater  specific 
gravity. 

6.  By  being  hardened  and  wrought,  it  may  be 
rendered  much  more  elastic  than  iron. 

7.  It  is  not  attracted  so  strongly  by  the  mag- 
net, as  soft  iron.  It  likewise  acquires  magnetic 
properties  more  slowly,  but  retains  them  longer ; 
for  which  reason,  steel  is  used  in  making  needles 
for  compasses  and  artificial  magnets. 

8.  Steel  is  ignited  sooner,  and  fuses  with  less 
degree  of  heat  than  malleable  iron,  which  can 
scarcely  be  made  to  fuse  without  the  addition  of 
powdered  charcoal;  by  which  it  is  converted  into 
steel,  and  afterwards  into  crude  iron. 

9.  Polished  steel  is  sooner  tinged  by  heat, 
and  that  with  higher  colors  than  iron. 

10.  In  a  calcining  heat,  it  suffers  less  loss  by 
burning  than  soft  iron  does  in  the  same  heat, 
and  the  same  time.  In  calcination  a  light  blue 
flame  hovers  over  the  steel,  either  with  or  with- 
out a  sulphureous  odor. 

11.  The  scales  of  steel  are  harder  and  sharper 
than  those  of  iron ;  and  consequently  more  fit 
for  polishing  with. 

12.  In  a  white  heat,  when  exposed  to  the 
blast  of  the  bellows  among  the  coals,  it  begins 
to  sweat,  wet,  or  melt,  partly  with  light-colored 
and  bright,  and  partly  with  red  sparkles,  but 
less  crackling  than  those  of  iron.  In  a  melting 
heat,  too,  it  consumes  faster. 

13.  In  the  sulphuric,  nitric,  and  other  acids, 
steel  is  violently  attacked,  but  is  longer  in  dis- 
solvinfT  than  iron.  After  maceration,  according 
as  it  is  softer  or  harder,  it  appears  of  a  lighter 
or  darker  gray  color ;  while  iron  on  the  other 
hand  is  white. 

STEEL,  Bessemer  Process  of  Making. — He- 
matite pig-iron  smelted  with  coke  and  hotblast 
has  chiefly  been  used.  The  metal  is  melted  in 
a  reverberatory  furnace,  and  is  then  run  into  a 
founder's  ladle,  and  from  thence  it  is  transferred 
to  the  vessel  in  which  its  conversion  into  steel  is 
to  be  effected.  It  is  made  of  stout  plate  iron  and 
lined  with  a  powdered  argillaceous  stone  found 
in  this  neighborhood  below  the  coal,  and  known 
as  ganister.  The  converting  vessel  is  mounted 
on  axes,  which  rest  on  stout  iron  standards,  and 
by  means  of  a  wheel  and  handle  it  may  be 
turned  into  any  required  position.  There  is  an 
opening  at  the  top  for  the  inlet  and  pouring  out 
of  the  metal,  and  at  the  lowest  part  are  inserted 
7  fireclay  tuyeres,  each  having  five  openings  in 
them;  these  openings  communicate  at  one  end 
with  the  interior  of  the  vessel,  and  at  the  other 
end  with  a  box  called  the  tuyere-box,  into  which 
a  current  of  air  from  a  suitable  blast  engine  is 
conveyed  under  a  pressure  of  about  14  lbs.  to 


the  square  inch,  a  pressure  more  than  sufficient 
to  prevent  tlie  fluid  metal  from  entering  the 
tuyeres.  Before  commencing  the  first  operation, 
the  interior  of  the  vessel  is  heated  by  coke,  a 
blast  through  the  tuyeres  being  used  to  urge  the 
fire.  When  sufficiently  heated,  the  vessel  is 
turned  upside  down,  and  all  the  unburned  coke 
is  shaken  out  The  molten  pig-iron  is  then  run 
in  from  the  ladle  before  referred  to ;  the  vessel, 
during  the  pouring  in  of  the  iron,  is  kept  in  such 
a  position  that  the  orifices  of  the  tuyeres  are  at 
a  higher  level  than  the  surface  of  the  metal. 
WTien  all  the  iron  has  run  in  the  blast  is  turned 
on,  and  the  vessel  quickly  moved  round.  The 
air  then  rushes  upwards  into  fluid  metal  from 
each  of  the  35  small  orifices  of  the  tuyeres,  pro- 
ducing a  most  violent  agitation  of  the  whole 
mass.  The  silicium,  always  present  in  greater 
or  less  quantities  in  pig-iron,  is  first  attacked. 
It  unites  readily  with  the  oxygen  of  the  air, 
producing  silicic  acid;  at  the  same  time  a  small 
portion  of  the  iron  undergoes  oxidation,  hence 
a  fluid  silicate  of  the  oxide  of  iron  is  formed,  a 
little  carbon  being  simultaneously  eliminated. 
The  heat  is  thus  gradually  increased  until  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  silicium  is  oxidized ;  this  gene- 
rally takes  place  in  about  12  minutes  from  the 
commencement  of  the  process.  The  carbon 
now  begins  to  unite  more  freely  with  the  oxygen 
of  the  air,  producing  at  first  a  small  flame,  which 
rapidly  increases,  and  in  about  three  minutes 
from  its  first  appearance  we  have  a  most  intense 
combustion  going  on:  the  metal  rises  higher  and 
higher  in  the  vessel,  sometimes  occupying  more 
than  double  its  former  space.  The  frothy  liquid 
now  presents  an  enormous  surface  to  the  action 
of  the  oxygen  of  the  air,  which  unites  rapidly 
with  the  carbon  contained  in  the  crude  iron,  and 
produces  a  most  intense  combustion,  the  whole, 
•in  fact,  being  a  perfect  mixture  of  metal  and  fire. 
The  carbon  is  now  eliminated  so  rapidly  as  to 
produce  a  series  of  harmless  explosions,  throw- 
ing out  the  fluid  slags  in  great  quantities,  while 
the  union  of  the  gases  is  so  perfect  that  a  volum- 
inous white  flame  rushes  from  the  mouth  of 
the  vessel,  illuminating  the  whole  building,  and 
indicating  to  the  practiced  eye  the  precise  condi- 
tion of  the  metal  inside.  The  workman  may 
thus  leave  off  whenever  the  number  of  minutes 
he  has  been  blowing  and  the  appearance  of  the 
flame  indicate  the  required  quality  of  the  metal. 
This  is  the  mode  preferred  in  working  the  pro- 
cess in  Sweden.  But  here  we  prefer  to  blow  the 
metal  until  the  flame  suddenly  stops,  which  it 
does  just  on  the  approach  of  the  metal  to  the 
condition  of  malleable  iron :  a  small  quantity  of 
charcoal  pig-iron,  containing  a  known  quantity 
of  carbon,  is  then  added,  and  steel  is  produced 
of  any  desired  degree  of  carburation,  the  process 
ha^ng  occupied  about  28  minutes  from  the 
commencement.  The  vessel  is  then  turned,  and 
the  fluid  steel  is  run  into  the  casting  ladle,  which 
is  provided  with  a  plug  rod  covered  with  loam  : 
the  rod  passes  over  the  top  of  the  ladle,  and 
works  in  guides  on  the  outside  of  it,  so  that,  by 
means  of  a  lever  handle,  the  workman  may  move 
it  up  and  down  as  desired.  The  lower  part  of 
the  plug,  which  occupies  the  interior  of  the  ladle, 
has  fitted  to  its  lower  end  a  fire-clay  cone,  which 
rests  in  a  seating  of  the  same  material  let  into 
the  bottom  of  the  ladle,  thus  forming  a  cone 
valve,  by  means  of  which  the  fluid  steel  is  run 
into  different-sized  moulds,  as  may  be  requii'ed, 


440 


DICTIOiVARY   OF  E VERY-DAY   WANTS. 


the  stream  of  fluid  steel  being  prevented  by  the^ 
valve  plug  from  flowing  during  the  movement' 
of  the  casting  ladle  from  one  mould  to  another. 
By  tapping  the  metal  from  below,  no  scoria  or 
other  extraneous  floating  matters  are  allowed  to 
pass  into  the  mould. 

STEEL,  Heaton  Process  of  Making. --T)a:\% 
is  essentially  a  direct  method  of  producing  steel 
chemically  that  bids  fair  to  be  of  the  very  first 
importance,  and  almost  to  revolutionize  that 
branch  of  industry.  This,  to  express  it  in  the 
fewest  words,  consists  in  pouring  melted  iron 
upon  nitrate  of  soda  in  a  cupola  furnace,  by 
means  of  which  the  oxygen  developed  from  the 
nitrate  combines  with  all  the  impurities — carbon, 
silicon,  phosphorus,  sulphur,  etc. — which  disap- 
pear, leaving  the  iron  in  the  form  of  a  crude 
steel,  to  be  used  in  that  form,  or  to  be  converted 
by  a  subsequent  process  into  cast  steel.  The 
details  of  the  process  are  as  follows: 

Cast  iron  of  any  quality  (and  this  constitutes 
the  chief  advantage  of  the  new  process)  is  melt- 
""ed  in  a  common  iron  cupola  furnace,  and  a 
known  quantity — from  half  a  ton  to  a  ton — is 
tapped  out  into  an  ordinary  crane  ladle,  which 
is  swung  round  to  the  side  of  the  converter. 
This  is  a  tall  cylinder  of  boiler-plate  iron,  open 
at  the  bottom,  and  with  a  space  between  it  and 
the  floor.  There  is  a  fire-brick  lining  to  the 
converter,  and  a  conical  covering,  out  of  which 
an  iron  funnel  opens  into  the  atmosphere.  In 
the  bottom  are  placed  a  number  of  short  cylin- 
drical pots,  lined  with  brick  and  fire-clay.  Into 
the  bottom  of  one  of  these  pots  is  placed  a  given 
weight  of  crude  nitrate  of  soda,  the  surface  of 
which  is  leveled,  and  covered  with  a  circular, 
perforated  plate  of  thick  cast  iron.  At  the  side 
of  the  cylinder  is  a  hopper,  covered  by  a  loosely 
hinged  flap  of  boiler-plate.  This  is  raised,  and 
the  ladleful  of  cast  iron  is  poured  into  the  con- 
verter, descending  upon  the  top  of  the  perfor- 
ated plate,  which  becomes  gradually  heated,  and 
a  reaction  soon  commences  in  the  nitrate,  result- 
ing in  the  development  of  brown  nitrous  fumes, 
followed  by  blackish-gray  and  whitish  fumes 
mixed  with  steam.  In  five  or  six  minutes  de- 
flagration ensues,  with  a  roaring  noise,  and  the 
escape  of  a  brilliant  yellow  flame  from  the  top 
of  the  chimney,  this  lasting  for  a  minute  and  a 
half,  and  then  subsiding.  The  converter  is  then 
detached  from  the  chimney,  and  the  contents  of 
the  pot  emptied  on  the  iron  pavement  of  the 
foundry,  consisting  of  crude  steel  and  of  slag. 
The  steel  is  in  a  pasty  state,  and  the  slag  fluid, 
the  cast  iron  plate  melted  up  with  the  general 
mass. 

The  crude  steel  thus  made  is  then  broken  up, 
and  again  heated  on  a  balling  furnace;  after- 
ward rolled  or  forged  into  suitable  shapes.  The 
material  in  this  form  is  called  "steel  iron,"  and 
has  qualities  fully  equal,  for  most  purposes,  to 
the  Lowmoor  iron.  It  welds  perfectly,  is  neither 
"hot-short"  nor  "cold-short,"  and  forges  well 
at  both  a  low  red  and  clear  yellow  heat.  To 
convert  this  again  into  cast  steel,  the  cakes,  after 
squeezing  in  the  shingling  hammer,  are  broken 
up  and  put  into  ordinary  clay  melting  pots  hold- 
ing about  60  lbs.  each.  To  lOO  lbs.  of  the  metal 
are  added  2>^  or  3  lbs.  of  spiegeleisen,  or  its 
equivalent  of  oxide  of  manganese  and  charcoal, 
and  the  whole  fused  and  cast  into  ingots.  It  is 
now  cast  steel,  and  from  it  bars  can  be  produced 
in  the  usual  way,  fit  for  any  required  purpose. 


STEEL,  Sictneti's. — The  following  is  the 
process  by  which  this  steel  is  produced :  Good 
hematite  ore  and  spathic  ore  are  mixed  and 
treated  with  carbonaceous  materials,  by  which 
their  total  or  partial  reduction  into  metallic  iron 
is  effected.  This  metallic  iron  is  then  subjected 
to  very  intense  heat  on  the  open  hearth  of  a  re- 
generative gas  furnace,  and  in  certain  given 
quantities,  or  series  of  installments,  is  dropped 
into  a  bath  of  cast-iron  previously  prepared  in 
the  furnace.  This  operation  is  continued  until 
the  requisite  degree  of  decarbonization  is  ar- 
rived at ;  and  manganese  is  added  in  the  form 
of  ore  or  of  spiegeleisen.  The  quantity  of  mol- 
ten metal  thus  produced  in  one  charge  is  about 
four  tons.  One  ton  of  steel  ingots  may  be 
produced  with  a  ton  and  a  half  of  cheap  small 
coal.  The  ordinary  Sheffield  process  requires 
from  five  to  six  tons  of  fuel  for  one  ton  of  steel. 

STEEL,  Tempering. — Giving  the  proper 
degree  of  hardness  to  tools  is  a  subject  of  deep 
interest  to  most  of  our  readers,  so  that  any  light 
that  may  be  imparted  on  the  subject  must  be  of 
more  or  less  importance.  For  tempering  many 
kinds  of  tools,  the  steel  is  first  hardened  by 
heating  it  to  a  cherry  red,  and  plunging  it  into 
cold  water.  Afterward  the  temper  is  drawn  by 
moderately  heating  the  steel  again.  Different 
degrees  of  hardness  are  required  for  different 
purposes,  and  the  degree  of  heat  for  each  of 
these,  with  the  corresponding  color,  will  be 
found  in  the  annexed  table : 

Very  pale  straw-color,  430° — the  temper  re- 
quired for  lancets. 

A  shade  of  darker  yellow,  450" — for  razors 
and  surgical  instruments. 

Darker  straw-yellow,  470° — for  penknives. 

Still  darker  yellow,  490° — chisels  for  cutting 
iron. 

A  brovra  yellow,  500'* — axes  and  plane-irons. 

Yellow,  slightly  tinged  with  purple,  520** — 
table-knives  and  watch-springs. 

STEEL,  To  Color  Blue. — The  steel  must  be 
finely  polished  on  its  surface,  and  then  exposed 
to  a  uniform  degree  of  heat.  Accordingly,  there 
are  three  ways  of  coloring :  First,  by  a  flame 
producing  no  soot,  as  spirit  of  wine;  secondly, 
by  a  hot  plate  of  iron ;  and  thirdly,  by  wood- 
ashes.  As  a  very  regular  degree  of  heat  is  ne- 
cessary, wood-ashes  for  fine  work  bears  the  pre- 
ference. The  work  must  be  covered  over  with 
them,  and  carefully  watched ;  when  the  color  is 
sufficiently  heightened,  the  work  is  perfect. 
This  color  is  occasionally  taken  off"  with  a  very 
dilute  muriatic  acid. 

STEEL,  To  Remove  Bhmigfrom. — Immerse 
in  a  pickle  composed  of  equal  parts  muriatic  acid 
and  elixir  vitriol.  Rinse  in  pure  water  and  dry 
in  tissue  paper. 

STEEL,  Scaling. — The  scales  on  steel  arti- 
cles can  be  removed  by  pickling  in  \\  ater  with  a 
little  sulphuric  acid  in  it,  and  when  the  scale  is 
loosened,  brushing  with  sand  and  a  stiff"  brush. 

STEEL  (^Bunit),  To  Restore. — Borax,  3  oz.; 
sal-ammoniac,  8  oz.;  prussiate  of  potash,  3  oz.; 
blue  clay,  2  oz.;  rosin,  l^  lb.;  water,  i  gill; 
alcohol,  I  gill.  Put  all  on  a  fire,  and  simmer 
till  it  dries  to  a  powder.  The  steel  is  to  be 
heated,  and  dipped  into  this  powder,  and  after- 
wards hammered. 

STEEL,  To  Toughen. — Rosin  2  lbs.;  tallow 
2  lbs. ;  black  pitch  I  lb. ;  melt  together,  and  dip 
the  steel  in  when  hot. 


IVOR  KB  RS  IiV  METALS. 


441 


STEEL  GOODS,  To  Prcsetve.  —  Caout- 
chouc, I  part;  turpentine,  16  parts.  Dissolve 
\rith  a  gentle  heat,  then  add  boiled  oil,  8  parts. 
Mix  by  bringing  them  to  the  heat  of  boiling 
water;  apply  it  to  the  steel  with  a  brush,  in  the 
way  of  varnish.  It  may  be  removed  when  dry 
with  turpentine.  The  oil  may  be  wholly  omitted. 
STEAM  BOILERS,  To  7aork  wilhout  mak- 
ing smoke. — Smoke  can  not  be  consumed  when 
once  made,  but  it  can  be  prevented  by  properly 
proportioned  fire-grates,  with  due  admission  of 
air  and  careful  firing,  and  without  the  need  of 
expensive  or  patent  apparatus.  The  subject  may 
be  clearly  explained  by  a  simple  illustration. 
Petroline  or  naphtha  and  such  like  compounds 
form  the  most  smoky  fuel ;  yet  for  a  few  pence 
lamps  can  be  purchased  which  are  familiar  to 
all,  which  consume  it  without  the  least  trace  of 
smoke.  The  most  simple  cottager  knows  that 
his  lamp  never  need  smoke  unless  it  is  turned 
up  too  high.  It  smokes  in  that  case  because  it 
is  then  worked  beyond  its  power.  Immediately 
it  is  turned  lower,  the  lamp  gives  better  light  at 
a  less  cost  and  without  waste.  It  is  just  the 
same  with  boiler  and  other  fire-grates.  When 
they  smoke,  it  shows  they  are  overworked. 
Lessen  the  quantity  of  fuel  burned  in  each  grate 
to  the  proper  proportion,  and  keep  the  supply  of 
fuel  regular,  and  the  smoke  will  cease,  and  tlie 
greatest  economy  will  be  received. 

A  bright  and  smokeless  flame  as  well  indicates 
that  a  large  furnace  is  doing  its  proper  and  high- 
est duty,  as  the  bright  flame  shows  the  lamp  to 
be  in  order.  It  is  well  that  public  bodies  should 
insist  on  smoke  being  prevented  as  much  as  pos- 
sible ;  but  mischief  and  dissatisfaction  result  if 
the  only  way  to  satisfy  complaint  is  by  adopting 
some  of  the  special  apparatus.  The  true  way 
to  prevent  smoke  is  to  have  sufficient  boiler-room 
to  generate  the  steam  required  sufficiently  slowly 
to  allow  the  combustion  to  be  complete.  There 
is  greater  economy  in  this  than  in  futile  efforts 
to  force  too  small  a  boiler  to  do  the  required 
work  with  ruinous  waste. 

TEMPERING  LIQUID.— \.  To  6  quarts 
soft  water  put  in  corrosive  sublimate,  I  oz. ;  com- 
mon salt,  2  handfuls ;  when  dissolved  it  is  ready 
for  use.  The  first  gives  toughness  to  the  steel, 
while  the  latter  gives  the  hardness.  Be  careful 
with  this  preparation,  as  it  is  a  dangerous  poison. 
— 2.  Salt,  Yz  tea-cup ;  saltpetre,  y^oz.;  alum, 
pulverized,  i  tea-spoon;  soft  water,  I  gallon; 
never  heat  over  a  cherry  red,  nor  draw  any  tem- 
per.— 3.  Saltpetre,  sal-ammoniac,  and  alum,  of 
each  2  oz. ;  salt,  l>^  lbs. ;  water,  3  gallons,  and 
draw  no  temper. — 4.  Saltpetre  and  alum,  each 
2  oz. ;  sal-ammoniac,  Yz  oz. ;  salt,  \Yz  lbs. ; 
soft  water,  2  gallons.  Heat  to  a  cherry  red,  and 
plunge  in,  drawing  no  temper, 

TESTING  by  Means  of  the  Blowpipe.— 
Sulphuret  of  sodium  is  one  of  the  best  blowpipe 
tests,  if  used  in  the  following  manner :  First, 
a  bead  is  made  with  borax  and  the  substance  to 
be  tested,  and  this  bead,  having  been  made  very 
fluid  within  the  reduction  flame,  there  is  added 
to  it  some  dry  and  pulveRzed  polysulphuret  of 
s^ura,  and  the  bead  again  heated  in  the  reduc- 
tion flame.  If  the  substance  under  investigation 
can  form  a  sulpho-acid,  there  will  be  formed  a 
soluble  sulpho-salt  and  a  clear  bead ;  but  when 
no  such  salt  can  be  formed,  with  lead,  for  in- 
stance, an  opaque  bead  will  be  formed.  Iron, 
lead,  bismuth,  nickel,  cobalt,  palladium,  thalli- 


um, silver,  copper,  uranium,  etc.,  fused  in  a 
bead  of  borax,  to  which,  afterwards,  sulphuret 
of  sodium  is  added,  will  yield  a  black  or  brown 
colored  opaque  bead;  zinc  yields  a  white  opaque 
bead;  cadmium,  while  yet  hot,  scarlet  red,  and 
yellow  after  cooling;  manganese,  a  dirty  chest- 
nut brown;  gold  and  platinum,  a  clear,  trans- 
parent, mahogany  brown  bead;  tin,  a  clear, 
transparent,  yellowish  brown  bead;  chromium, 
a  green  bead;  arsenic  and  antimony,  colorless 
clear  beads;  vanadium  and  iridium,  blood  red 
beads;  a  slight  excess  of  the  sulphuret  of  sodium 
is  required,  and  the  bead  should  be  heated  care- 
fully, but  steadily,  and  with  a  good  blast  in  the 
reduction  flame. 

TIERS  ARGENT.  —This  alloy,  generally 
supposed  to  consist  of  one-third  silver  and  two- 
thirds  nickel,  has  been  analyzed  recently  by  Dr. 
C.  Winkler  and  found  to  be  composed  of  silver, 
27.56  parts;  zinc,  9.57;  nickel,  3.42;  copper, 
59.06;  total,  99.61. 

TINNING. — I.  Plates  or  vessels  of  brass 
or  copper,  boiled  with  a  solution  of  stannate  of 
potassa,  mixed  with  turnings  of  tin,  become,  in 
the  course  of  a  few  minutes,  covered  with  a  firm- 
ly-attached layer  of  pure  tin. — 2.  A  similar  effect 
is  produced  by  boiUng  the  articles  with  tin  filings 
and  caustic  alkaU,  or  cream  of  tartar.  In  the  above 
way  chemical  vessels  made  of  copper  or  brass  may 
be  easily  and  perfectly  tinned. 

TINNING  by  the  Moist  VVay.—li  is  a  well 
known  fact  that,  when  it  is  desirable  to  cover 
metals,  especially  brass  or  copper,  with  a  strong- 
ly adhering  coaling  of  tin,  this  is  usually  effected 
by  boiling  the  articles  to  be  thus  coated  with  an 
aqueous  fluid,  to  which  is  added  cream  of  tartar, 
crystallized  protochloride  of  tin,  and  some  lumps 
of  pure  metallic  tin.  The  author  states  that,  in- 
stead of  this  mixture,  he  uses,  with  very  good 
success,  a  solution  of  one  part  of  protochloride 
of  tin  in  ten  parts  of  water,  to  which  he  next 
adds  a  solution  of  two  parts  of  caustic  soda  in 
twenty  parts  of  water;  the  mixture  becomes 
turbid,  but  this  does  not  effect  the  tinning  ope- 
ration, which  is  effected  by  heating  the  objects 
to  be  tinned  in  this  fluid,  care  being  taken,  at 
the  same  time,  to  place  in  the  liquid  a  piece  of 
perforated  block-tin  plate,  and  to  stir  up  the  fluid 
during  the  tinning  with  a  rod  of  zinc. 

TIN,  To  Crystallize. — Sulphuric  acid,  4  oz.; 
soft  water,  2  to  3  oz.,  according  to  strength  of 
the  acid;  salt,  i^  oz«  Mix.  Heat  the  tin  hot 
over  a  stove,  then  with  a  sponge  apply  the  mix- 
ture, then  wash  off  directly  with  clean  water. 
Dry  the  tin,  and  varnish  with  demar  varnish. 

TIN  PL  A  TE,  Crystallized.  —The  figures  are 
more  or  less  beautiful  ana  diversified,  according 
to  the  degree  of  heat,  and  relative  dilution  of 
the  acid.  Place  the  tin-plate,  slightly  heated, 
over  a  tub  of  water,  and  rub  its  surface  with  a 
sponge  dipped  in  a  liquor  composed  of  four  parts 
of  aquafortis,  and  two  of  distilled  water,  holding 
one  part  of  common  salt  or  sal  ammoniac  in 
solution.  Whenever  the  crystalline  spangles 
seem  to  be  thoroughly  brought  out,  the  plate 
must  be  immersed  in  water,  washed  either  with 
a  feather  or  a  httle  cotton  (taking  care  not  to 
rub  off  the  film  of  tin  that  forms  the  feathering), 
forthwith  dried  with  a  low  heat,  and  coated  with 
a  lacquer  varnish,  otherwise  it  loses  its  lustre  in 
the  air.  If  the  whole  surface  is  not  plunged  at 
once  in  cold  water,  but  if  it  be  partially  cooled 
by  sprinkling  water  on  it,  the  crystallization  will 


442 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


be  finely  variegated  with  large  and  small  figures. 
Similar  results  will  be  obtained  by  blowing  cold 
air  through  a  pipe  on  the  tinned  surface,  while 
it  is  just  passing  from  tlie  fused  to  the  solid  state. 
TIN  CANS,  Size  of  Sheet,  for  from  \  to  \Q0 
Gallons: — 

For  I     gallon,     7  by  20  inches. 
2,y2     "        10  by  28       " 

5  "    12  by  40   " 

6  "  14  by  40  " 
10  "  20  by  42  " 
15  "  30  by  42  " 
25  "  30  by  56  " 
40  "  36  by  63  " 
50  "  40  by  70  '* 
75    •«   40  by  84   " 

100         "        40  by  98       " 

This  includes  all  the  laps,  seams,  etc.,  which 
will  be  found  sufficiently  correct  for  all  practical 
purposes. 

TIN,  Muriate  of.  {Tin  Liquor.)— Get  at  a 
tinner's  shop,  block  tin ;  put  it  in  a  shovel,  and 
melt  it.  After  it  is  melted,  pour  it  from  the 
height  of  4  or  5  feet  into  a  pail  of  clear  water. 
The  object  of  this  is  to  have  the  tin  in  small 
particles,  so  that  the  acid  can  dissolve  it.  Take 
It  out  of  the  water  and  dry  it;  then  put  it  into  a 
strong  glass  bottle ;  pour  over  it  muriatic  acid, 
12  oz.;  "then  slowly  add  sulphuric  acid,  8  oz. 
The  acid  should  be  added  about  a  table-spoon  at 
a  time,  at  intervals  of  5  or  8  minutes ;  for  if  you 
add  it  too  rapidly  you  run  the  risk  of  breaking 
the  bottle  by  heat.  After  you  have  all  the  acid 
in,  let  the  bottle  stand  until  the  ebullition  sub- 
sides; then  stop  it  up  with  a  beeswax  or  glass 
stopper,  and  set  it  away ;  and  it  will  keep  good  for 
a  year  or  more,  or  will  be  fit  for  use  in  24  hours. 

TINWARE,  To  Mend.—Tske  a  vial  two- 
thirds  full  of  muriatic  acid,  put  into  it  all  the 
chippings  of  sheet  zinc  it  will  dissolve,  then  put 
in  a  crumb  of  sal  ammoniac,  and  fill  up  with 
water.  Wet  the  place  to  be  mended  with  this 
liquid,  put  a  piece  of  zinc  over  the  hole,  and 
apply  a  spirit  lamp  or  candle  below  it,  which 
melts  the  solder  on  the  tin,  and  causes  the  zinc 
to  adhere. 

TINNING  Cast-Iron.— The  iron  is  first  well 
rubbed  and  cleaned  in  a  bath  of  diluted  sulphuric 
acid,  then  dipped  in  a  solution  of  one  part  of  sal 
ammoniac  in  seven  parts  of  water.  The  tin  used 
is  alloyed  with  three  ounces  of  copper  for  one 
hundred  pounds  of  tin.  The  degree  of  tempera- 
ture at  which  the  melted  tin  will  attach  itself  to 
the  cleaned  cast-iron  objects  must  be  found  by 
experience.  When  too  hot,  it  will  not  adhere 
•well.  The  objects  to  be  tinned  must  be  very 
smooth,  otherwise  the  tinning  will  not  succeed ; 
and  in  order  to  make  the  alloy  with  copper,  it  is 
best  to  melt  the  copper  first  with  a  few  pounds 
of  the  tin,  so  that  the  higher  temperature  re- 
quired to  make  this  alloy  may  be  more  easily 
reached.  When  cast-iron  objects  have  to  be 
covered  with  a  thick  coating  of  tin — for  instance, 
the  inside  of  iron  pots — they  are  first  thoroughly 
cleaned,  if  possible,  by  grinding  or  turning,  then 
heated  to  the  melting  point  of  the  tin,  then  some 
of  this  tin  is  poured  in  with  sal  ammoniac,  and 
this  rubbed  on  the  smooth  surface  with  a  piece 
of  cork,  and  the  excess  of  tin  poured  out.  When 
covered  with  tin,  in  order  to  prevent  this  from 
draining  off  from  the  iron  surface,  and  giving  a 
coating  of  irregular  thickness,  before  the  pot  is 
cold  and  the  tin  solidified,  the  outside  of  the  pot 


is  plunged  in  cold  water,  which  must  not  be 
allowed  to  get  on  the  inside.  In  this  way  the 
tin  coating  may  be  obtained  of  a  more  uniform 
thickness. 

TINNING  {Cold)  and  Soldering.— T[\\i.\s 
done  by  means  of  an  amalgam  of  tin  and  mex- 
cury.  For  tinning,  it  is  made  with  so  little 
mercury  as  to  be  soft  and  friable.  1  he  pieces  to 
be  tinned,  even  if  of  cast-iron,  steel,  or  vrought- 
iron,  are  first  thoroughly  cleaned  by  filing,  scrap- 
ing, turning,  rubbing  with  emery  or  sandpaper, 
or  otherwise,  without  using  any  oil  or  fat,  and 
theri  rubbed  with  a  heavy  rag,  moistened  with 
muriatic  acid.  A  little  of  the  ^malgam  is  then 
rubbed  on  with  the  same  rag,  and  if  the  clean- 
ing was  complete,  the  metal  is  found  to  be 
thoroughly  coated. 

Such  pieces  may  then  be  soldered  in  the  usual 
manner,  with  the  common  alloy  of  tin  and  lead; 
but  for  cold  soldering,  an  alloy  of  tin  and  mer- 
cury is  made,  with  more  mercury  than  the  above, 
so  as  to  form  a  soft,  pasty  mass,  which  is  placed 
between  the  tinned  objects.  The  latter  are 
pressed  together  to  remove  superfluous  metal, 
and  then  set  aside  to  harden. 

In  order  to  make  a  cold  soldering  joint  be- 
tween pieces  of  tin,  lead,  bismuth,  or  antimony, 
all  that  is  required  is  pure  mercury.  Clean  and 
amalgamate  the  surfaces  to  be  joined,  and  place 
a  few  drops  of  mercury  between;  press  to- 
gether; remove  the  drops  of  mercury  squeezed 
out ;  and  put  in  an  airy,  warm  place,  to  harden. 
The  mercury  will  slowly  disappear  by  eva- 
poration, and  leave  the  metal  united. 

TIN,  Gold  Lacquer  for. — Alcohol  in  a  flask 
y^  pt. ;  add  gum  shellac  i  oz. ;  turmeric  y^  oz.; 
red-sanders  ^  oz.  Set  the  flask  in  a  warm 
place,  shake  frequently  for  12  hours  or  more, 
then  strain  off  the  liquor,  rinse  the  bottle  and 
return  it,  corking  tightly  for  use. 

When  this  varnish  is  used,  it  must  be  applied 
to  the  work  freely  and  flowing,  or,  if  the  work 
admits  of  it,  it  may  be  dipped  into  the  varnish, 
and  laid  on  the  top  of  the  stove  to  dry,  which  it 
will  do  veiy  quickly;  and  they  must  not  be 
rubbed  or  brushed  while  drying ;  or  the  article 
may  be  hot  when  applied.  One  or  more  coats 
may  be  laid  on,  as  the  color  is  required  more  or 
less  light  or  deep.  This  is  applied  to  lanterns, 
etc.  If  any  of  it  should  become  thick  from  eva- 
poration, at  any  time,  thin  it  with  alcohol.  And 
by  proper  modifications,  all  the  various  colors 
are  obtained. 

TOMBAC,  White. — When  copper  is  com- 
bined with  arsenic,  by  melting  them  together  in 
a  close  crucible,  and  covering  the  surface  with 
common  salt  to  prevent  oxidation,  a  white  brittle 
alloy  is  formed. 

TOMBAC,  Red.—VvX  into  a  crucible  5;^ 
lbs.  of  copper;  when  fused  add  y^  Ih.  of  zinc; 
these  metals  will  combine,  forming  an  alloy  of  a 
reddish  color,  but  possessing  more  lustre  than 
copper,  and  also  greater  durability. 

TYPE  METAL.— LeTsA  3  parts;  antimony 
I  part;  melted  together.  Small  types  are 
usually  made  of  a  harder  composition  than  large 
ones.  A  good  stereotype  metal  is  said  to  be 
made  of  lead  9  parts ;  antimony  2  do. ;  bismuth 
I  do.  This  alloy  expands  as  it  cools,  and  con- 
sequently brings  out  a  fine  impression. 

VARNISH  for  /;w?.  —  The  following  is  a 
method  given  by  Mr.  Weiszkopf  of  producing 
upon   iron  a  durable  black    shining  varnish: 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


443 


'•Take  oil  of  turpentine,  add  to  it,  drop  by  drop 
and  while  stirring,  strong  sulphuric  acid  until  a 
syrupy  precipitate  is  quite  formed,  and  no  more 
of  it  is  produced  on  further  addition  of  a  drop  of 
acid.  The  liquid  is  now  repeatedly  washed  with 
water,  every  time  refreshed  after  a  good  stirring 
until  the  water  does  not  exhibit  any  more  acid 
reaction  on  being  tested  with  blue  litmus  paper. 
The  precipitate  is  next  brought  upon  a  cloth  fil- 
ter, and,  after  all  the  water  has  run  off,  the  syr- 
upy mass  is'fit  for  use.  This  thickish  magma 
is  painted  over  the  iron  with  a  brush ;  if  it  hap- 
pens to  be  too  stiff,  it  is  previously  diluted  with 
some  oil  of  turpentine.  Immediately  after  the 
iron  has  been  St)  painted,  the  paint  is  burnt  in 
by  a  gentle  heat,  and,  after  cooling,  the  black 
surface  is  rubbed  over  with  a  piece  of  woolen 
stuff  dipped  in,  and  moistened  with  linseed  oil. 
Accordmg  to  the  author,  this  varnish  is  not  a 
simple  covering  of  the  surface,  but  it  is  chemi- 
cally combined  with  the  metal,  and  does  not, 
therefore,  wear  off  or  peel  off,  as  other  paints 
and  varnishes  do,  from  iron." 

VARN'ISHfor  Iron  and  Steel. — Dissolve  lo 
parts  of  clear  grains  of  mastic,  5  parts  of  cam- 
phor, 15  parts  of  sandarac,  and  5  ofelemi,  in 
a  sufficient  quantity  of  alcohol,  and  apply  this 
varnish  without  heat.  The  articles  will  not  only 
be  preserved  from  rust,  but  the  varnish  will  re- 
tain its  transparency,  and  the  metallic  brilliancy 
of  the  articles  will  not  be  obscured. 

VARNISH  {Anii-Riist),  for  Iron  atid  Steel. 
— Resin,  120  parts  ;  sandarac,  180  parts;  gum 
lac,  60  parts;  essence  of  turpentine,  120  parts  ; 
rectified  alcohol,  180  parts.  Pound  the  first  three 
ingredients,  digest  them  by  a  regular  heat  until 
they  are  melted,  and  add  the  turpentine  very 
gradually.  After  complete  solution  has  taken 
place,  add  the  alcohol,  and  filter  through  fine 
cloth  or  thick  filtering-paper.  The  varnish  should 
be  kept  in  welUstoppered  bottles. 

VARNISH  for  rw/j.— Take  tallow,  2  oz.; 
rosin,  l  oz.;  and  melt  together.  Strain  while 
hot  to  get  rid  of  specks  which  are  in  the  rosin ; 
apply  a  slight  coat  on  your  tools  with  a  brush, 
and  it  will  keep  off  rust  for  any  length  of  time. 

VARNISH,  Gold. — ^Turmeric,  i  dram;  gam- 
boge, I  dram;  turpentine,  2  pints;  shellac,  5  oz.; 
sandarac,  5  oz.;  dragon's  blood,  8  drams;  thin 
mastic  varnish,  8  oz. ;  digest  with  occasional 
agitation  for  14  days;  then  set  aside  to  fine,  and 
pour  off  the  clear. 

VARNISH  {Black),  for  Coal  Buckets.— As- 

{)haltum,  I  lb. ;  lamp-black,  ]^  lb. ;  rosin,  \^ 
b.;  spirits  of  turpentine,  i  quart.  Dissolve  tne 
asphaltum  and  rosin  in  the  turpentine ;  then  rub 
up  the  lampblack  with  linseed  oil,  only  sufficient 
to  form  a  paste,  and  mix  with  the  others.  Apply 
with  a  brush. 

WATCHES,  To  Clean.— It  is  hardly  neces- 
sary to  say  that  great  caution  must  be  observed 
in  taking  the  watch  down — that  is,  in  separating 
its  parts.  If  you  are  new  at  the  business  think 
before  you  act,  and  then  act  slowly.  Take  off 
the  hands  carefully  so  as  not  to  bend  the  slender 
pivots  upon  which  they  work ;  this  will  be  the 
first  step.  Second — loosen  and  lift  the  movement 
from  the  case.  Third — remove  the  dial  and  dial 
wheels.  Fourth — let  down  the  main-spring  by 
placing  your  bench  key  upon  the  arbor,  or 
"winding  post,"  and  turning  as  though  you  were 
going  to  wind  the  watch  until  the  click  rests 
lightly  upon  the  ratchet ;  then  with  your  screw- 


driver press  the  point  of  the  click  away  from  the 
teeth,  and  ease  down  the  springs.  Fifth — draw 
the  screws  (or  pins)  and  remove  the  bridges  of 
the  train,  or  the  upper  plate,  as  the  case  may  be. 
Sixth — take  out  the  balance.  Great  care  must 
be  observed  in  this  or  you  will  injure  the  hair- 
spring. The  stud  or  little  square  post  into  which 
the  hair-spring  is  fastened  may  be  removed  from 
the  bridge  or  plate  of  most  modern  watches, 
without  unkeymg  the  spring,  by  slipping  a  thin 
instrument,  as  the  edge  of  a  knife  blade,  under 
the  corner  of  it  and  prying  upward.  This  will 
save  you  a  considerable  amount  of  trouble,  as  you 
will  not  have  the  hair-spring  to  adjust  when  you 
reset  the  balance. 

If  the  watch  upon  which  you  propose  to  work 
has  an  upper  plate,  as  an  American  or  English 
lever  for  instance,  loosen  the  lever  before  you 
have  entirely  separated  the  plates,  otherwise  it 
will  hang  and  most  likely  be  broken. 

Having  the  machine  now  down,  brush  the 
dust  from  its  different  parts  and  subject  them  to 
a  careful  examination  with  your  eye-glass.  As- 
sure yourself  that  the  teeth  of  the  wheels  and 
leaves  of  the  pinions  are  all  perfect  and  smooth; 
that  the  pivots  are  all  straight,  round  and  highly 
polished;  that  the  holes  through  which  they  are 
to  work,  are  not  too  large,  and  have  not  become 
oval  in  shape ;  that  every  jewel  is  smooth  and 
perfectly  sound ;  and  that  none  of  them  are  loose 
in  their  settings.  See,  also,  that  the  escapement 
is  not  too  deep  or  too  shallow;  that  the  lever 
or  cylinder  is  perfect;  that  all  the  wheels  have 
sufficient  play  to  avoid  friction,  but  not  enough 
to  derange  their  coming  together  properly;  that 
none  of  them  work  against  the  pillar-plate ;  that 
the  balance  turns  horizontally  and  does  not  rub ; 
that  the  hair-spring  is  not  bent  or  wrongly  set 
so  that  the  coils  rub  on  each  otlier,  on  the  plate 
or  on  the  balance;  in  short,  that  everything 
about  the  whole  movement  is  just  as  reason 
would  teach  you  it  should  be.  If  you  find  it 
otherwise,  proceed  to  repair  in  accordance  with 
a  carefully  weighed  judgment,  and  the  processes 
given  elsewhere,  after  which  clean — if  not, 
the  watch  only  needs  to  be  cleaned,  and  there- 
fore you  may  go  ahead  vt'ith  your  work  at  once. 

Many  watchmakers  wet  the  pillar  plates  and 
bridges  with  saliva,  and  then  dipping  the  brush 
into  pulverized  chalk  or  Spanish  whiting,  rub 
vigorously  until  they  appear  bright.  This  is  not 
a  good  plan,  as  it  tends  to  remove  the  plating 
and  roughen  the  parts,  and  the  chalk  gets  into 
the  holes  and  damages  them,  or  sticks  around 
the  edges  of  the  wheel-beds.  The  best  process 
is  to  simply  blow  your  breath  upon  the  plate  or 
bridge  to  be  cleaned,  and  then  to  use  your  brush 
with  a  little  prepared  chalk — (See  recipe  for  pre- 
paring it. )  The  wheels  and  bridges  should  be 
held  between  the  thumb  and  finger  in  a  piece  of 
soft  paper  while  undergoing  the  process ;  other- 
wise the  oil  from  the  skin  will  prevent  their 
becoming  clean.  The  pinions  may  be  cleaned 
by  sinking  them  several  times  into  a  piece  of 
pith,  and  the  holes  by  turning  a  nicely  shaped 
piece  of  pivot  wood  into  them,  first  dry  and 
afterwards  oiled  a  very  little  with  watch  oil. 
When  the  holes  pass  through  jewels  you  must 
work  gently  to  avoid  breaking  them. 

The  oiling  above  named  is  all  the  watch  will 
need.  A  great  fault  with  many  watchmakers 
lies  in  their  use  of  too  much  oil. 

Some  watchmakers  employ  what  they  call  the 


444 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


•'Chemical  Process"  to  clean  and  remove  dis- 
colorations  from  watch  movements.  It  is  as 
follows: — 

Remove  the  screws  and  other  steel  parts ;  then 
dampen  with  a  solution  of  oxalic  acid  and  water. 
Let  it  remain  a  few  moments,  after  wliich  im- 
merse in  a  solution  made  of  one-fourth  poimd 
cyanuret  potassa  to  one  gallon  rain  water.  Let 
remain  about  five  minutes,  and  then  rinse  well 
with  clean  water,  after  which  you  may  dry  in 
sawdust,  or  with  a  brush  and  prepared  chalk,  as 
suits  your  convenience.  This  gives  the  work 
an  excellent  appearance,  but  I  cannot  say  that  it 
makes  it  any  better  than  does  the  old  process. 

WA  TCH,  Care  of. — Always  have  a  key  with 
a  good  pipe  or  square,  and  one  that  fits  properly 
on  the  square  of  your  watch,  for  if  it  does  not  fit 
good  and  firm  it  will  be  apt  to  slip,  often  break- 
ing either  the  chain,  the  ratchet,  or  the  click. 
If  the  square  of  your  watch  is  too  short,  or  worn 
nearly  round,  get  a  watchmaker  to  repair  it,  or 
make  a  new  one.  Be  particular  to  wind  your 
watch  the  proper  way.  English  watches,  or 
those  with  fuzee  and  chain,  usually  wind  to  the 
left ;  and  almost  all  the  Swiss  ones,  or  those  with 
the  going  barrel,  wind  to  the  right.  While  being 
wound,  th^  watch  should  be  held  steadily  in  one 
hand,  so  as  to  have  no  circular  motion,  which 
always  produces  variation  in  the  vibration  of  the 
balance,  and  sometimes  considerable  derange- 
ment in  the  escapement.  It  is  better  to  keep  a 
watch  continually  going  than  to  lay  it  by  and 
wind  it  occasionally.  The  going  of  the  watch 
keeps  the  oil  in  a  limpid  state,  and  the  watch 
keeps  its  regulation  better.  Many  will  (when 
their  watch  is  first  wound  up,  after  having  lain  by 
for  some  time,)  say,  "I  have  not  wound  or  used 
it  for  so  long."  They  do  not  consider  that  the 
oil  will  thicken  or  evaporate,  and  cannot  be  in 
the  same  state  as  if  the  watch  was  kept  going 
regularly.  Always  wind  steadily  and  slowly, 
holding  on  the  key  to  hold  the  spring  while  the 
click  slips  from  one  tooth  to  the  other,  otherwise 
there  is  danger  of  breaking  of  chains,  clicks, 
ratchets,  etc.  The  click,  chain  or  spring  is  some- 
times broken  by  winding  a  watch  too  fast.  \Mien 
a  watch  stops  in  winding  it,  if  in  one  with  a 
chain,  it  is  frequently  by  the  going  fuzee  works 
not  being  correct.  In  a  watch  without  a  chain, 
it  may  also  be  by  some  defect  in  the  escape- 
ment, or  by  the  stop  works  on  the  barrel  being 
out  of  order;  in  either  case  take  it  to  a  watchmaker. 

Watches  frequently  stop  by  the  springs  break- 
ing, owing  to  the  changes  of  the  atmosphere, 
particularly  in  cold  weather.  This  is  one  of  the 
accidents  which  cannot  possibly  be  avoided  by 
the  best  workmen,  and  in  the  very  best  watches. 
It  is  impossible  to  make  a  main  spring  which 
will  not  be  influenced  by  the  sudden  changes  of 
the  weather.  Therefore,  if  the  spring  of  your 
watch  breaks,  do  not  blame  the  watchmaker,  as 
they  often  break  from  the  same  cause  while  the 
watch  is  in  his  care. 

•  Be  not  afraid  that  your  watch  will  not  go  as 
well  after  a  new  spring  has  been  put  in  as  be- 
fore; if  a  good  new  spring  has  been  properly 
put  in,  your  watch  will  go  as  well  as  ever. 

English,  or  watches  with  chains,  will  usually 
wind  about  four  and  a  half  (4^)  turns  to  every 
twenty-four  hours,  while  those  with  a  going  bar- 
rel about  three  and  a  half  (3^)  turns;  this  will 
partly  serve  as  a  guide  to  ascertain  if  your  watch 
winds  right. 


If  the  springs  or  chains  break  frequently,  be 
sure  there  is  some  defect  in  the  stop  work,  which 
must  be  corrected  by  a  watchmaker. 

Many  persons  say,  "I  have  over-wound  my 
watch; "  it  may  be  possible  to  do  it  in  winding 
very  fast,  and  in  a  hurry.  If  the  stop  works  of 
a  large  and  thick  watch,  or  one  with  a  chain,  are 
in  order,  it  will  take  a  strong  key  to  resist  the 
strain  that  you  can  give  to  over- wind  it.  If  not 
in  order,  the  chain  will  break.  In  a  flat  watch, 
or  one  with  a  going  barrel,  if  the  stop  works  are 
not  in  order,  or  there  is  only  one,  or  perhaps 
none,  and  you  force  it,  you  will  break  the  spring, 
or  some  of  the  teeth  of  the  wheels,  or  pinions, 
and  sometimes  both ;  if,  when  the  spring  is  bro- 
ken, you  keep  winding,  you  are  likely  to  break 
or  injure  some  other  parts  of  the  works. 

Be  particular  never  to  trifle  with  a  good  watch, 
or  use  it  as  a  toy,  but  as  a  piece  of  delicate  and 
complicated  mechanism,  requiring  great  care ; 
by  so  doing,  you  may  preserve  your  watch,  and 
avoid  a  great  deal  of  expense  for  repairs. 

Before  winding  or  setting  your  watch,  it  is 
advisable  to  see  that  the  key  and  the  inside  of 
the  pipe  contains  no  dirt  or  dust  that  may  get 
on  the  winding  or  setting  square,  and  from 
thence  to  the  wheels  or  escapement. 

When  a  watch  is  hung  up,  it  should  be  per- 
fectly at  rest.  If  hung  on  a  round  hook  without 
further  support,  the  motion  of  the  balance  will 
generate  a  pendulous  motion  of  the  watch,  and 
will  cause  much  variation  in  the  time.  Power- 
ful watches  should  never  be  laid  horizontally, 
unless  placed  on  a  soft  substance;  if  placed  on  a 
smooth  flat  surface,  from  the  convexity  of  the 
glass  or  case,  the  watch  only  rests  on  a  point, 
and  the  vibration  of  the  balance  alone  is  suffi- 
cient to  produce  motion  in  the  watch. 

Should  a  watch  stop,  see  if  the  hands  rub  on 
the  dial,  and  are  free  of  each  other ;  if  they  are 
caught  together,  you  may  free  them  yourself  by 
taking  the  point  of  a  small  knife  blade,  and  dis- 
engaging them ;  your  watch,  if  there  is  nothing 
more  the  matter  with  it,  will  then  start  by  giv- 
ing it  a  slight  shake. 

Frequently,  after  a  watch  has  had  a  new  glass 
put  in,  it  will  stop ;  that  is  through  the  glass 
being  too  flat,  and  touching  either  on  the  center 
pinion,  or  by  pressing  on  the  hands ;  in  that 
case,  blame  the  person  who  put  the  glass  in,  and 
let  him  put  another  in ;  if  there  is  not,  as  in  very 
flat  watches,  room  enough  for  the  hands  to  work 
free  of  each  other,  it  will  often  be  advisable  to 
have  the  cover  of  the  case  raised  a  little  ;  in  thin 
watches,  the  case  may  have  been  pressed  flat  in 
the  center  by  wearing. 

If  anything  is  the  matter  with  your  watch, 
which  you  cannot  discover  immediately,  do  not 
try  to  put  it  in  order  yourself,  and  meddle  with 
the  works,  but  show  it  at  once  to  a  good  watch- 
maker. I  have  had  watches  to  repair  in  which 
the  wearer  thought  he  could  detect  the  defect 
himself;  in  opening  it,  he  would  see  the  spiral 
spring,  and  think  that  it  was  some  hair  which 
had  no  business  there,  and  in  trying  to  remove 
it,  would  spoil  or  break  it. 

Many  watches  are  injured  by  the  wearers 
thinking  that  they  can  make  them  go  by  open- 
ing, winding,  and  shaking  them. 

Watches  should  be  opened  as  little  as  possible, 
merely  to  wind,  set,  or  regulate  them.  By 
continually  opening  them,  particularly  in  the  in- 
side cap,  opportunity  is  offered  to  minute  part- 


WORKERS  IN  METALS. 


445 


icles  of  dirt  from  the  case,  or  otherwise,  to  in- 
trude into  the  works. 

Particular  care  should  be  taken  to  keep  the 
works  of  a  watch  clean  ;  even  though  perfectly 
free  from  dust,  they  ought  to  be  taken  to  pieces 
and  cleaned  when  the  oil  has  become  dry,  as, 
without  this  precaution,  the  best  watches  would 
be  spoiled.  It  is  good  watches  that  will  continue 
to  go,  until  friction  and  wear  prevent  their  going 
any  longer ;  they  are  the  most  liable  to  be  ne- 
glected. 

Watches,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  should 
be  cleaned  every  second  or  third  year  at  farthest. 
Those  that  are  small  and  flat,  or  have  complicat- 
ed works,  require  cleaning  more  frequently. 
Neglect  in  this  particular  is  the  reason  why 
many  imported  watches  are  injured  by  not  being 
attended  to  in  time,  and  having  the  oil  changed. 
They  may  have  been  made  some  time  previous 
to  being  sent  out ;  then  the  journey  here,  then 
from  the  importers  to  the  dealers,  where  they 
may  lay  for  a  long  time  before  being  sold ;  so 
that  years  may  possibly  elapse  before  the  wearer 
has  it  in  his  pocket.  Therefore,  is  it  to  be  ex- 
pected that  the  watch  can  perform  correctly? 
If  it  does,  all  the  time  you  keep  it  going,  you 
are  only  causing  it  more  injury. 

No  good  watchmaker  will  allow  a  watch  to  go 
too  long  without  changing  the  oil. 

\VA  TCH,  Care  of  {Another  Code  of  Direc- 
tions). 

1.  Do  not  make  a  toy  of  it  for  yourself  or  the 
children.  Never  open  it  e.\cept  for  necessary 
purposes. 

2.  It  should  be  regulated  to  about  mean  tem- 
perature, and  always  kept  as  near  the  same  tem- 
perature as  possible. 

3.  It  should  not  be  allowed  to  stop.  Better 
that  it  be  kept  running  all  the  time. 

4.  Keep  it  in  as  uniform  a  position  as  pos- 
sible. If  in  the  pocket,  better  that  the  pendant 
ring  be  upright. 

5.  Out  of  the  pocket,  if  it  hangs  on  the  wall, 
let  it  be  upon  some  soft  surface.  Never  allow 
it  to  lie  on  bare  marble  or  other  hard  surface. 
If  it  lie  on  any  surface,  let  it  be  with  face  up  and 
pendant  ring  turned  under,  so  as  to  keep  the 
upper  part  most  elevated. 

6.  Let  your  key  fit  exactly,  and  be  kept  per- 
fectly clean.  By  the  former  you  may  save  break- 
ing chains,  mainsprings,  ratchets,  clicks,  &c. ; 
by  the  latter,  prevent  introducing  much  dust. 

7.  Wind,  if  possible,  at  the  same  hour  each 
dav. 

S.  While  winding,  hold  your  watch  steadily 
in  your  left  hand.  Turn  only  your  key,  and  that 
firmly,  evenly,  avoiding  all  quick  motions  or 
jerks. 

9.  Set  your  watch  with  a  key ;  never  turn  the 
hands  by  any  other  way.  You  may  turn  the 
hands  either  way  without  danger,  if  they  do  not 
move  very  hard, 

10.  The  hand  of  a  pocket-chronometer  or  du- 
plex watch  should  never  be  set  backwards ;  in 
other  watches  this  is  a  matter  of  no  consequence 
whatever. 

11.  The  glass  should  never  be  opened  in 
watches  that  set  and  regulate  at  the  back. 

12.  On  regulating  a  watch,  should  it  be  going 
too  fast,  move  the  regulator  a  trifle  toward  the 
"slow",  and  if  going  slow,  to  the  i^everse  ;  yoii 
cannot  move  the  regulator  too  gently  at  a  time, 
and  the  only  inconvenience  that  can  arise  is. 


that  you  may  have  to  perform  that  duty  more 
than  once. 

13.  Take  notice  that  your  watch,  even  if  a 
good  one,  will  sometimes  be  guilty  of  "irregu- 
larities" in  consequence  of  change  of  tempera- 
ture, from  the  effects  of  which  none  but  a  chro- 
nometer is  exempt;  also  from  the  jerks  and  jars 
of  travel. 

14.  If  you  find  any  difficulty  which  you  do 
not  understand,  go  at  once  to  a  good  watch- 
maker. 

WATCH  WHEELS,  To  Put  Teeth  into.— 
Most  watchmakers  solder  or  dovetail  their  teeth 
in,  but  there  is  a  new  mode  which  I  consider 
far  better,  and  I  know  it  is  easier :  Make  a  hole 
through  the  plate  of  the  wheel  immediately  be- 
low the  point  from  which  the  tooth  has  been 
broken.  Let  its  diameter  be  a  little  greater  than 
the  width  of  a  tooth.  Next,  with  your  tooth- 
saw  cut  down  where  the  tooth  should  stand  till 
you  come  into  the  hole.  You  then  dress  out 
with  a  head  upon  it,  a  piece  of  brass  wire,  till  it 
fits  nicely  into  the  cut  of  the  saw,  with  its  head 
in  the  hole.  With  a  fine  graver  you  then  cut  a 
crease  into  the  wheel-plate  above  and  below,  on 
either  side  of  the  newly-fitted  wire ;  after  which, 
with  your  hammer,  you  cautiously  spread  the 
face  of  the  wire  until  it  fills  the  creases,  and  is 
securely  clinched  or  riveted  into  the  wheel.  This 
makes  a  strong  job,  and  one  that  dresses  up  to 
look  as  well  as  any  other. 

WA  TCH  MO  VEMENTS,  To  Frost.— "SmV. 
that  part  of  the  article  to  be  frosted  for  a  short . 
time  in  a  compound  of  nitric  acid,  muriatic  acid 
and  table  salt — one  ounce  of  each.  On  removing 
from  the  acid,  place  it  in  a  shallow  vessel  con- 
taining enough  sour  beer  to  merely  cover  it,  then 
with  a  fine  scratch  brush  scour  thoroughly,  let- 
ting it  remain  under  the  beer  during  the  opera- 
tion. Next  wash  off",  first  in  pure  water  and 
then  in  alcohol.  Gild  or  silver  in  accordance 
with  any  recipe  in  the  chapter  on  plating. 

WELDING  METALS,  Philosophy  of- 
When  two  pieces  of  metal  of  any  kind  are  to  be 
united  by  welding,  the  surfaces  of  conjunction 
must  be  equally  heated,  and  both  surfaces  must 
be  brought  to  such  a  temperature  that  the  parti- 
cles will  form  a  perfect  continuity  between  the 
pieces  united.  This  embraces  the  entire  theory 
of  welding,  soldering,  or  brazing  metaUic  sub- 
stances ofany  kind.  A  poor  weld,  or  an  imper- 
fect piece  of  brazing  or  soldering  may  always  be 
attributed  to  the  lack  of  skill  on  the  part  of  the 
workman.  In  addition,  however,  to  the  equal 
and  adequate  heating  of  the  surfaces  to  be  united, 
every  particle  of  coal-dust,  cinders,  or  scales  of 
oxide  must  be  removed,  so  as  to  present  two 
perfectly  clean  surfaces  at  the  very  moment 
when  the  union  is  to  be  effected.  Furthermore, 
the  piece  of  metal  that  would  fuse  at  the  lower 
temperature  must  be  the  guide,  when  bringing 
the  surfaces  of  conjunction  up  to  the  proper  heat. 
If,  for  example,  two  pieces  of  wrought-iron  are 
to  be  welded,  the  part  that  will  melt  at  the  lo\yer 
temperature  must  be  brought  just  to  a  welding 
heat,  and  the  surface  of  the  other  piece  must  be 
heated  quite  as  hot,  or  a  trifle  hotter  than  the 
first  piece.  Then,  if  the  surfaces  be  clean  when 
the  parts  are  brought  together,  the  union  will 
be  satisfactorily  complete.  The  degree  of  heat 
aimed  at  must  be — not  to  produce  a  fluid — but 
simply  to  bring  the  metal  into  a  condition  be- 
tween fluidity  and  plasticity. 


446 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY~DAY  WANTS. 


When  a  soldering-iron,  sufficiently  hot  to  melt 
solder  readily,  is  applied  to  a  piece  of  solder  on 
a  sheet  of  clean  tin,  as  the  tin  is  so  thin,  the 
surface  will  be  heated  almost  instantly  as  hot  as 
the  melted  or  half-fluid  solder,  and  the  resulting 
union  will  be  perfect.  But  let  the  same  solder- 
ing-iron and  some  of  the  same  solder  be  em- 
ployed in  attempting  to  make  solder  adhere  to  a 
thick  piece  of  lead  pipe,  and  it  will  be  found  that 
it  will  not  stick  until  the  lead  has  been  heated  as 
hot  as  the  solder.  It  is  no  difficult  task  to  make 
solder  adhere  to  a  steel  knife-blade,  by  simply 
cleaning  the  surface  and  applying  a  black-hot 
iron  to  a  piece  of  solder  laid  on  the  clean  metal, 
provided  a  little  resin  be  sprinkled  over  the  steel 
to  prevent  oxidation.  But  it  is  not  possible  to 
make  solder  stick  to  a  thick  piece  of  steel  until 
the  soldering-iron  has  been  applied  to  the  sur- 
face a  sufficient  length  of  time  to  heat  the  entire 
bar  to  a  proper  temperature.  Solder  will  not 
adhere  to  a  cold  surface ;  neither  can  one  piece 
of  iron  be  welded  to  another  "that  has  not  been 
brought  up  to  such  a  degree  of  temperature  that 
the  particles  of  metal  at  the  surface  will  unite. 

WELDING  by  Pressure.— \X  is  claimed  that 
recent  experiments  by  French  machinists  have 
shown  that  continued,  steady  hydraulic  pressure 
in  welding,  causes  complete  union  of  two  masses 
of  iron,  while  the  junction  is  only  superficial  if 
produced  by  the  hammer.  Among  other  experi- 
ments, two  iron  bars,  one  and  a  half  inches  in 
diameter,  were  heated  to  the  welding  point  and 
•  brought  under  the  hydraulic  press.  The  weld- 
ing was  eflected  with  extraordinary  quickness, 
the  fibres  of  the  iron  being  thoroughly  interca- 
lated with  each  other,  and  the  joined  portion  of 
the  bars  was  quite  as  strong  as  anywhere  else, 
a  microscopic  section  of  the  joint  showing  a  per- 
fectly homogeneous  texture. 

WELDING  {A  New)  /Wvr.— The  follow- 
ing composition,  recently  patented  in  Belgium, 
is  said  to  be  very  useful  for  welding  iron  and 
steel  together.  It  consists  of  one  thousand  parts 
of  iron  filings,  five  hundred  parts  of  borax,  fifty 
parts  of  balsam  of  copaiva  or  other  resinous  oil, 
with  seventy-five  parts  of  sal-ammoniac.  Those 
ingi-edients  are  well  mixed  together,  heated  and 
pulverized.  The  process  of  welding  is  much  the 
same  as  usual.  The  surfaces  to  be  united  are 
powdered  with  the  composition,  and  then  brought 
to  a  cherry-red  heat,  at  which  the  powder  melts, 
when  the  portions  to  be  welded  are  taken  from 
the  fire  and  joined.  If  the  pieces  to  be  welded 
are  too  large  to  be  both  introduced  at  the  same 
time  into  the  forge,  one  can  be  first  heated  with 
the  welding  powder  to  a  cherry-red  heat,  and 
the  other  afterwards  to  a  white  heat,  after  which 
the  welding  may  be  effected.  Another  composi- 
tion for  the  same  object  consists  of  fifteen  parts 
of  borax,  two  parts  of  sal-ammoniac  and  two 
parts  of  cyanide  of  potassium.  These  constitu- 
ents are  dissolved  in  water,  and  the  water  itself 
afterwards  evaporated  at  a  low  temperature. 

WELDING  CAST  STEEL  without  Borax. 
— Copperas  2  oz.;  saltpetre  I  oz.;  common  salt 
6  oz.;  black  oxide  of  manganese  I  oz.;  prussiate 
of  potash  I  oz.;  all  pulverized  and  mixed  with 
nice  welding  sand  3  lbs.;  and  use  it  the  same  as 
you  would  sand. 

WELDING  a  small  piece  of  Iron  upon  a  large 
one. — It  is  often  desirable  to  weld  a  bit  of  iron 
upon  a  large  bar,  when  the  large  piece  must  be 
heated  equally  hot  as  the  small  one.     To  save 


this:  Take  borax  i  lb.;  red  oxide  of  iron  i  to  2 
oz.;  melt  them  together  in  a  crucible;  and  when 
cold,  pulverize  it  and  keep  the  powder  dry  for 
use.  'VVhen  you  want  to  perform  the  operation, 
just  bring  the  large  piece  to  a  white  heat,  having 
a  good  welding  heat  upon  the  small  slip ;  take 
the  large  one  from  the  fire,  and  sprinkle  some  cf 
the  powder  upon  the  place,  and  bring  the  other 
upon  it,  applying  the  hammer  smartly,  and  the 
weld  will  be  as  good  as  could  be  made  with  the 
gi^eater  heat  without  the  powder. 

WELDING  COPPER.— In  order  to  effect 
the  welding  of  copper,  it  is  necessary  to  remove 
the  thin  film  of  oxide  of  copper,  formed  in  heat- 
ing, from  the  surfaces  which  are  intended  to  be 
united.  This  is  done  in  a  way  similar  to  that 
employed  in  welding  iron,  by  putting  on  a  sub- 
stance which  is  capable  of  dissolving  the  oxide 
of  copper,  and  forming  a  thin  fluid  slag  with  it, 
the  whole  of  which  is  squeezed  out  from  be- 
tween the  two  surfaces  to  be  welded  by  the  blows 
of  the  hammer  or  other  pressure.  The  selection 
of  the  proper  welding  material  was  facilitated  by 
the  knowledge,  acquired  from  mineralog)',  that 
libethenite  and  phosphorocalcite,  two  phosphates 
of  copper,  smelt  easily  before  the  blow-pipe. 
It  was  to  be  inferred  from  this,  that  any  salt 
which  contained  free  phosphoric  acid,  or  which 
would  lose  the  same  at  high  temperature,  would 
be  a  proper  medium  for  welding  copper. 

Mr.  Ph.  Rust  made  experiments  several  years 
ago  for  the  ^purpose  of  determining  the  most 
effective  and  economical  method  of  turning  this 
knowledge  to  account.  He  employed  first 
microcosmic  salt,  (phosphate  of  soda  and  ammo- 
nia,) which  is  so  commonly  used  in  blow-pipe 
experiments.  The  welding  succeeded  at  once, 
and  was  very  perfect.  But  as  this  salt  has  rather 
a  high  price,  he  substituted  subsequently  a 
mixture  of  358  parts  of  phosphate  of  soda  and 
124  parts  of  boracic  acid,  which  disengages, 
when  heated,  also  phosphoric  acid.  The  weld- 
ing succeeded  also ;  but  in  order  to  render  the 
formed  slag  sufficiently  fluid,  a  somewhat  higher 
heat  had  to  be  given  than  in  the  first  case. 

The  powder  is  put  on  to  the  surfaces  to  be 
united  after  the  copper  has  been  brought  to  a 
dull  red  heat;  the  metal  is  then  heated  a  little 
more  until  a  cherry-red  is  reached,  and  then  at 
once  brought  under  the  hammer.  As  copper 
becomes  very  soft  in  the  heat  required  for  wel- 
ding, the  blows  must  be  given  very  lightly  and 
the  ends  to  be  welded  must  be  previously  con- 
siderably knocked  up,  in  order  not  to  distort  the 
shape  of  the  article  beyond  mending.  A  wooden 
hammer  is,  for  tliis  reason,  preferable  to  an 
iron  one. 

Mr.  Rust  says,  that  it  is  especially  important 
to  guard  against  any  pieces  of  coal,  even  the 
smallest  spark,  coming  m  contact  with  the  liquid 
slag  enveloping  the  ends  to  be  welded.  If  this 
should  happen,  the  phosphate  of  copper  in  the 
welding  medium  would  at  once  be  reduced'lo 
phosphide  of  copper,  which  would  at  once  en- 
velop the  ends  as  a  steel-gray  film,  and  prevent 
the  welding  effectually.  Only  after  a  long  treat- 
ment in  an  oxidizing  flame,  and  repeated  use  of 
the  welding  medium,  the  union  of  the  ends  can 
be  effected.  For  this  reason  it  is  prefer.ible  to 
use  a  gas-flame  for  the  heating  of  the  copper,  if 
the  pieces  are  not  too  large. 

WIRE  of  SOLDER.— Tak^  a  ladl/-  and  bore 
a  few  holes  in  the  bottom  in  »   line  with  one 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


447 


another,  say  six  holes,  about  the  size  you  want 
your  wire.  When  you  get  ready  to  pour,  have 
a  strip  of  smooth  iron  or  steel  (a  saw  blade  be- 
ing very  good),  have  your  pierced  ladle  in  your 
left  hand,  having  previously  heated  it  in  the 
melted  metal;  then  dip  up  some  metal  with  an 
ordinary  ladle  with  your  right  hand,  and  pour  it 
tlirough  the  pierced  ladle,  at  the  same  time  mov- 
ing the  two  along  the  strip  of  iron,  and  a  few 
inches  above  it.  After  you  get  the  hang  of  it 
you  can  make  very  pretty  wire,  smaller  or  larger 
OS  you  move  fast  or  slow. 


WROUGHT.  I  RON,  To  Case-  Harden.— 
To  case-harden  wrought-iron,  take  the  prussiate 
of  potash,  finely  pulverized,  and  roll  the  article 
in  It,  if  its  shape  admits  of  it,  if  not,  sprinkle 
the  powder  upon  it  freely,  while  the  iron  is  hot. 

This  is  applicable  to  iron  axletrees,  by  heating 
the  axletree  and  rolling  the  bottom  of  it  in  the 
powder,  spread  out  for  that  purpose,  turning  it 
up  quickly  and  pouring  cold  water  upon  it,  get- 
ting it  into  the  tub  of  cold  water  as  quick  as 
possible.  They  will  wear  for  years,  without 
showing  wear. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


AGUE,  To  Avoid. — ^The  first  suggestion,  of 
course,  is  to  leave  those  districts  where  this 
troublesome  complaint  prevails.  Sometimes, 
however,  one's  residence  cannot  well  be  changed. 
To  persons  so  circumstanced,  there  are  preven- 
tions by  the  use  of  which  the  majority  might 
generally  escape  it.  They  are  as  follows : — 
I.  Avoid  exposing  themselves  to  the  malarial 
air  after  sunset  and  before  sunrise.  2.  Occupy 
rooms  at  night  on  the  sunny  side  of  the  house 
and  up  stairs.  3.  Build  a  fire  in  the  house  as 
soon  as  the  dew  begins  to  fall.  The  heat  of  the 
fire  will  do  much  to  kill  the  malaria.  4.  Keep 
the  skin  healthy  and  active  by  a  thorough  bath 
every  day  on  rising,  in  a  warm  room,  with  suffi- 
cient friction  to  produce  a  healthy  reaction. 
5.  Keep  the  bowels  open  by  a  proper  diet.  In 
nine  cases  out  of  ten  the  cause  of  ague  would  be 
easily  overcome  if  the  depurating  organs  were 
not  overtaxed  and  morbid  matters  allowed  to  ac- 
cumulate in  the  svstem  to  oppress  it. 

ALABASTER,  To  Harden  and  Polish.— 
I.  Take  a  strong  solution  of  alum,  strain  it,  and 
put  it  into  a  wooden  trough  sufficiently  large  to 
contain  the  figure,  which  must  be  suspended  in 
it  by  means  of  a  thread  of  silk  ;  let  it  rest  until 
a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  salt  is  crystallized  on 
the  cast,  then  withdraw  it,  and  polish  it  with  a 
clean  cloth  and  water. — 2.  Take  white  wax ; 
melt  it  in  a  convenient  vessel,  and  dip  the  cast  or 
figure  into  it;  withdraw  and  repeat  the  opera- 
tion of  dipping  until  the  liquid  wax  rests  upon 
the  surface  of  the  cast ;  then  let  it  cool  and  dry, 
when  it  must  be  polished  with  a  clean  brush. 

ALASKA  ICEBERGS.— \.  Alaska  ice- 
bergs can  be  produced  by  making  a  saturated 
solution  of  plumbum  nitras,  then  adding  small, 
nice,  white,  and  long  pieces  of  ammonium  chlo- 
ride, and  exposing  undisturbed  to  the  direct  light 
of  the  sun  for  several  days.  Upon  examination 
you  will  find  formed  beautifully  white,  opaque, 
needle-shaped  crystals  of  chloride  of  lead  repre- 
senting the  Alaska  icebergs. — 2.  Over  a  con- 
centrated solution  of  nitrate  of  lead,  contained 
in  a  globe,  is  poured  a  solution  of  chloride  of 
ammonium;  this  must  be  done  carefully,  so  that 
the  two  fluids  do  not  mix,  when  the  formation 
of  the  Alaska  iceberg  w  ill  commence. 

ANILLVE  COLORS,  To  make  Soluble  in 
Water. — The  aniline  colors  insoluble  in  water 
may,  according  to  Dr.  Zinsman,  who  publishes 


the  process,  be  made  to  dissolve  in  that  men- 
struum in  the  following  way  :  A  solution  of  ge- 
latine in  acetic  acid  of  about  the  consistence  of 
syrup  is  first  made,  and  the  aniline  color  in  fine 
powder  is  gradually  added,  stirring  all  the  time 
so  as  to  make  a  homogeneous  paste.  The  mix- 
ture is  then  to  be  heated  over  a  water  bath  to 
the  temperature  of  boiling  water,  and  kept  at 
that  heat  for  some  time.  Colors  in  this  state,  if 
a  very  clear  gelatine  is  employed,  will  be  appli- 
cable to  many  decorative  purposes.  Bookbind- 
ers, paper-stainers,  and  printers  will  find  them 
useful.  They  may  also,  we  read,  be  used  to 
color  confectionery  and  soaps.  Before  they  are 
used  for  confectionery,  however,  it  will  be  well 
to  make  sure  that  no  arsenic  is  present. 

A  TMOSPHERE,  To  Test  the  purity  of.— 
1.  A  simple  method  of  ascertaining  the  presence 
of  impurity  (carbonic  acid)  in  the  atmosphere, 
is  to  nearly  fill  a  glass  tumbler  with  limewater, 
and  to  place  it  in  any  convenient  position,  as  on 
the  mantel -piece  of  a  room.  The  rapidity  with 
which  a  pellicle  forms  on  its  surface,  or  the  water 
becomes  cloudy,  corresponds  to  the  amount  of 
the  carbonic  acid  present  in  the  atmosphere  that 
surrounds  it. — 2.  A  little  ^loist  carbonate  of  lead 
put  on  a  plate  or  saucer,  and  exposed  in  the 
same  way,  will  turn  black,  should  any  sulphu- 
reted  hydrogen  be  contained  in  the  air.  This 
is  a  very  dehcate  test  for  that  destructive  gas. 

AWNINGS,  Mildew  Proof.— As  mildew  is 
a  parasitic  plant,  a  fungus  living  at  the  expense 
of^other  organic  matter,  its  prevention  requires 
something  destructive  to  vegetable  life,  and  a 
kind  of  varnish  to  cl(jse  the  pores  of  the  texture 
of  the  linen  awning,  to  protect  it  against  the 
chemical  influences  of  the  atmosphere  and  the 
penetration  of  the  fine  root  filaments  of  the 
fungus,  which  has  great  vitality.  Different  varn- 
ishes will  answer  the  purpose ;  we  should  prefer 
first  to  moisten  the  linen  with  a  solution  of  ar- 
seniate  of  potash,  which  has  the  special  property 
of  preventing  organic  changes.  After  drying, 
put  on  a  benzine  varnish  ;  perhaps  one  made  of 
India  rubber  and  benzole  would  be  best.  Car- 
bolic acid  is  said  to  have  the  same  effect,  when 
the  cloth  is  steeped  in  it ;  but  it  may  discolor 
the  canvas,  and,  moreover,  it  may  be  washed 
out  by  repeated  rains, 

AXLE-GREASE.— I.  Water,  i  gal.,  soda, 
yi  lb.,  palm  oil,   10  lbs.;  mix  by  heat,  and  stir 


448 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


till  nearly  cold. — 2.  Water,  rape  oil,  of  each  I 
gal.,  soda,  }4.  lb.,  palm  oil,  %  lb. — 3.  Water,  I 
gal.;  tallow,  3  lbs.;  palm  oil,  6  lbs.;  soda,  ^ 
pound.  Heat  to  210°  Fah.,  and  stir  until  cool. 
— 4.  Tallow,  8  lbs.,  palm  oil,  10  lbs,,  plumbago, 
I  lb.,   make  a  good  lubricator  for  watjon  axles, 

BALLOONS  (Toy),  Caj /;n '^  Procure  a 
glass  jar  with  a  tight  fitting  cover  with  a  hole  in 
the  center.  Fill  two-thirds  full  of  strips  of  good 
new  zinc;  put  in  enough  water  to  cover  this; 
then  pour  in  enough  sulphuric  acid  to  make  the 
water  boil.  Fasten  the  balloon  tightly  around 
the  top  of  the  jar  so  the  gas  cannot  escape  while 
gencratinc;. 

BALLOON  VARNISH.— Mt\l  India  rubber 
in  small  pieces,  with  its  weight  of  boiled  linseed 
oil,  and  thin  it  with  oil  of  turpentine. 

BAROMETER,  Home  Made.  —  \.  Take  a 
thin  glass  tube,  12  inches  long  and  ^-inch  in 
diameter,  and  fill  three-fourths  of  it  with  two 
drachms  of  camphor,  a  half  drachm  of  pure  salt- 
petre, a  half  drachm  of  muriate  of  ammonia  and 
two  ounces  of  proof  spirits.  The  tube  may 
be  tied  over  with  bladder  if  required.  As 
a  sign  of  fine  weather,  the  sediment  of  white 
flakes  will  settle  near  to  the  bottom  of  the 
tube,  while  the  liquid  will  be  quite  transparent 
above.  As  a  sign  of  rain,  the  matter  will  rise 
to  the  surface  of  the  solution.  At  the  approach 
of  a  stortn,  the  matter  will  float  on  the  surface  of 
the  solution  in  the  form  of  white  flakes,  and  the 
fluid  will  appear  in  a  state  of  fermentation.  Dur- 
ing frost,  the  solution  will  present  a  starry 
appearance,  and  during  summer  or  hot  weather 
the  matter  will  fall  to  the  bottom  as  a  solid  sub- 
stance.— 2.  Take  a  common  phial,  and  cut  off 
the  rim  and  part  of  the  neck,  by  means  of  a  piece 
of  cord  passed  round  it,  and  moved  rapidly  to 
'  and  fro,  in  a  sawing  direction ;  the  one  end  being 
held  in  the  left  hand  and  the  other  fastened  to 
any  convenient  object,  while  the  right  hand  holds 
and  moves  the  phial;  when  heated  dip  it  sudden- 
ly into  cold  water,  and  the  part  will  crack  off;  or 
separate  it  with  a  file.  Then  nearly  fill  the 
phial  with  clean  water,  place  your  finger  on  the 
mouth  and  invert  it ;  withdraw  your  finger  and 
suspend  it  in  this  position  with  a  piece  of  twine. 
In  dry  weather  the  lyider  surface  of  the  water 
will  be  level  with  the  neck  of  the  bottle,  or  even 
concave ;  in  damp  weather,  on  the  contrary,  a 
drop  will  appear  at  the  mouth  and  continue 
until  it  falls,  and  is  then  followed  by  another  in 
the  same  way. — 3.  Take  a  common  glass  pickle 
bottle,  wide  mouthed,  fill  it  within  three  inches 
of  the  top  with  water;  then  take  a  Florence  oil 
flask,  removing  the  straw  covering  and  cleansing 
the  flask  thoroughly;  plunge  the  neck  of  the 
flask  into  the  other  bottle  as  far  as  it  will  go, 
and  the  barometer  is  complete.  In  fine  weather 
the  water  will  rise  into  the  neck  of  the  flask, 
even  higher  than  the  mouth  of  the  bottle.  Before 
a  heavy  gale  of  wind  the  water  has  been  seen  to 
leave  the  flask  altogether,  at  least  eight  hours 
before  the  gale  came  to  its  height. 

BAROMETER,Animated.—\.  Takean  eight 
ounce  phial,  and  put  in  it  three  gills  of  water, 
and  place  in  it  a  healthy  leech,  changing  the 
water  in  summer  once  a  week,  and  in  winter  once 
in  a  fortnight,  and  it  will  most  accurately  prognos- 
ticate the  weather.  If  the  weather  is  to  be  fine, 
the  leech  lies  motionless  at  the  bottom  of  the 
glass  and  coiled  together  in  a  spiral  form;  if  rain 
may  be  expected,  it  will  creep  up  to  the  top  of  its 


lodgings  and  remain  there  till  the  weather  is  set- 
tled ;  if  we  are  to  have  wind,  it  will  move  through 
its  habitation  with  amazing  swiftness,  and  seldom 
goes  to  rest  till  it  begins  to  blow  hard;  if  a  re- 
markable storm  of  thunder  and  rain  is  to  succeed, 
it  will  lodge  for  some  days  before  almost  contin- 
ually out  of  the  water,  and  discover  great  uneasi- 
ness in  violent  throes  and  convulsive-like  motions; 
in  frost  as  in  clear  summer-like  weather  it  lie^ 
constantly  at  the  bottom;  and  in  snow  as  in  rainy 
weather  it  pitches  its  dwelling  in  the  vfery  mouth 
of  the  phial.  The  top  should  be  covered  over 
with  a  piece  of  muslin. — 2.  There  is  a  frog  in 
Wiscpnsin,  who  may  fairly  take  his  place  among 
the  frogs  of  history.  He  lives  in  a  glass  jar  filled 
with  water.  A  diminutive  ladder  I'uns  from  the 
bottom  of  the  vessel  to  the  top,  and  just  above 
the  waler-line  is  a  platform,  on  which  his  frog- 
ship  is  to  be  seen  in  fine  weather  sitting  per- 
fectly motionless  as  long  as  the  dry  season  lasts. 
On  the  slightest  indication  of  a  change  in  the  at- 
mosphere he  quits  his  perch  and  takes  to  the 
water,  returning  only  at  long  intervals  to  feed 
upon  the  flies  which  are  thrown  to  him.  As 
he  detects  the  approach  of  rain  long  before  the 
most  experienced  human  observer,  his  first  dive 
is  always  the  signal  for  taking  in  the  clothes  from 
the  lines,  and  for  getting  out  the  umbrellas  and 
goloeshoes. 

BASE  BALL,  To  make.—K  good  base  ball 
may  be  made  by  cutting  an  old  boot  or  an  old 
gum  (rubber)  shoe  into  strips  and  wrap  them 
tightly  around  each  other  till  it  is  about  the  size 
of  a  walnut.  Then  wrap  with  yarn  or  any  kind 
of  string  very  tightly,  until  it  is  the  size  you 
want  it;  then  sew  the  loose  end  to  the  ball.  Now 
lay  the  ball  down  on  a  piece  of  leather  and  gath- 
er up  the  sides  and  press  them  close  to  the  ball 
and  with  a  sharp  knife  trim  off  the  corners,  (be 
sure  to  have  them  fit  nicely. )  Now  sew  up  all 
the  sides  except  one;  then  slip  in  the  ball,  and 
sew  up  with  a  double  thread.  Now  put  some 
oil  on  the  seams  and  hammer  them  smooth ;  for 
if  you  are  not  careful  in  catching  a  ball  with 
rough  seams,  it  will  sometimes  lake  the  skin 
from  the  ends  of  the  fingers. 

BASKETS,  To  Crystallize.— Tak^  a  small 
basket,  about  the  size  of  your  hand,  of  iron  wire 
or  split  willow ;  take  some  lamp  cotton,  untwist 
it,  and  wind  it  round  every  portion  of  the  bas- 
ket; then  mix  alum  in  the  proportion  of  one 
pound  to  a  quart  of  water,  and  boil  till  the  alum 
IS  dissolved ;  pour  the  solution  into  a  deep  pan, 
and  in  the  liquor  suspend  the  basket  without 
allowing  any  part  to  touch  the  pan,  or  to  be  ex- 
posed above  the  surface ;  let  the  whole  remain 
properly  at  rest  for  twenty-four  hours,  when,  if 
you  take  out  the  basket,  the  alum  will  be  found 
prettily  crystallized  over  all  parts  of  the  cottoned 
frame.  After  this  first  experiment,  it  will  be 
easy  to  extend  the  crystallizmg  process  to  larger 
objects,  and  to  adorn  flowers  with  alum  crystals 
of  various  colors. 

BATHING,  Sea. — There  are  circumstances 
necessarily  connected  with  a  visit  to  the  sea-side, 
which  greatly  tend  to  increase  its  beneficial  ef- 
fects. In  almost  all  instances  the  used  up  man 
of  business  or  of  pleasure,  the  man  suffering 
from  general  debility,  occasioned  by  his  mental 
or  physical  powers  having  been  overtaxed,  or 
from  continued  residence  in  close,  unhealthy 
towns,  and  persons  suffering  from  general  lan- 
guor and  lassitude,  or  undergoing  difficult  and 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


449 


tedious  convalescence  from  the  effects  of  severe 
illness  or  accident,  are  benefited.  To  these  peo- 
ple it  is  not  the  sea  air  alone,  nor  yet  change  of 
air;  but  it  is  change  of  scene  and  habit,  with 
freedom  from  the  anxieties  and  cares  of  study  or 
business,  the  giddy  rounds  of  pleasure,  the  mo- 
notony of  every  day  life,  or  of  the  sick  room  and 
convalescent  chamber,  which  produce  such  ex- 
traordinary beneficial  effects — a  seemingly  per- 
fect renovation  of  wasted  energies  and  renewal 
of  the  powers  of  life — effects  not  to  be  obtained 
by  means  of  any  purely  medical  treatment. 

With  bathing  in  the  open  sea,  there  is  to  be 
considered,  first,  the  shock  experienced  on  en- 
tering water  at  its  natural  temperature,  when 
shivering,  convulsive  respiration  and  oppression 
of  the  chest  are  always  experienced,  although 
but  for  a  moment,  and  pass  away  on  immersion 
and  free  action  in  the  water;  secondly,  the  stim- 
ulating effects  of  the  saline  substances;  thirdly, 
the  mechanical  action  and  pressure  of  the  large 
moving  mass  of  water  and  the  motion  of  the 
waves  acting  as  douches,  which,  combined,  are 
not  in  all  cases  well  borne  by  delicate  persons 
and  children.  The  direct  effect  of  cold  bathing 
is  sedative  and  benumbing,  and  causing  the 
blood  to  recede  from  the  surface  of  the  body  into 
the  grand  arterial  trunks,  congesting  the  brain 
and  internal  organs,  depressing  the  vital  powers, 
and  as  it  were  bringing  on  death.  It  is  this  di- 
rect effect  we  have  to  guard  against,  and  this  we 
can  only  do  by  encouraging  sufficient  and  healthy 
reaction,  indicated  by  the  genial  glow,  feeling  of 
general  vigor,  and  increased  appearance  of  blood 
to  the  surface  of  the  body,  sometimes  wearing 
the  aspect  of  a  healthy  skin,  but  at  others  ex- 
hibited by  small  red  patches  like  measles,  dif- 
fused redness  as  in  scarlatina,  or  spots  like  flea 
bites.  It  is,  therefore,  how  to  avoid  the  direct 
evil  effect,  and  how  to  encourage  sufficient  and 
healthy  reaction,  that  we  have  to  consider. 

First,  the  duration  of  a  cold  bath  should  not 
be  too  prolonged,  and  it  is  to  be  laid  down  as  an 
unexceptional  rule,  that  a  certain  degree  of  vigor 
and  power  of  reaction  are  essential  in  all  by 
whom  cold  sea  bathing  is  to  be  attempted.  Thus 
it  is  not  advisable  that  old  people,  the  weak  and 
dehcate,  including  children,  or  such  as  are  dis- 
posed to  internal  congestion  or  hemorrhage, 
should  take  a  cold  sea  bath.  General  lassitude, 
with  tendency  to  sleep,  headache,  or  toothache, 
sensitiveness  of  the  breast,  increase  of  appetite, 
and  constipation,  are  frequent  results  of  a  cold  bath 
at  the  commencement  of  a  course  of  sea  bathing. 
For  bathing,  therefore,  in  the  open  sea,  it  is 
desirable  to  prepare  the  delicate  and  unaccus- 
tomed by  giving  them  a  few  preliminary  tepid 
baths,  which  produce  a  gently  stimulating  action 
on  the  skin,  acting  at  the  same  time  as  a  sedative 
to  the  nervous  system ;  and  by  gradually  lower- 
ing the  temperature  of  these  baths,  the  patient 
becomes  strengthened  to  undergo  the  shock  of  a 
cold  bath  without  risk,  the  severity  of  which 
very  rapidly  becomes  diminished  by  the  force  of 
habit  in  bathing.  The  latter  part  of  the  month  of 
July  is  the  most  suitable  time  to  commence  a  course 
of  cold  sea  bathing,  the  delicate  and  invalided 
having  been  previously  inured  by  tepid  baths. 

In  the  morning,  before  ten  o'clock,  the  tem- 
perature of  the  sea  is  at  its  lowest,  and  it  is, 
therefore,  at  this  time  unsuited  to  the  uninured 
and  delicate,  while  it  is  most  bracing  and  invig- 
orating to  the  strong,  and  to  such  as  can  aid  re- 


action of  the  circulation  by  the  exercise  of  swim- 
ming. The  sea  reaches  its  maximum  tempera- 
ture at  twelve  o'clock,  and  continues  the  same 
until  five ;  it  is,  therefore,  during  this  time  the 
delicate  should  bathe,  the  earlier  the  better,  but  in 
this,  of  course,  persons  must  be  guided  by  the  tide. 
BEDROOMS,  Ventilation  ^.— The  impor- 
tance  of  ventilating  bedrooms  is  a  fact  in  which 
everybody  is  vitally  interested,  and  which  few 
properly  appreciate.  If  two  men  are  to  occupy 
a  bedroom  during  a  night,  let  them  step  upon 
weighing  scales  as  they  retire,  and  then  again  in 
the  morning,  and  they  will  find  that  their  actual 
weight  is  at  least  a  pound  less  in  the  morning. 
Frequently  there  will  be  a  loss  of  two  or  more 
pounds,  and  the  average  loss  throughout  the 
year  will  be  more  than  one  pound;  that  is, 
during  the  night  there  is  a  loss  of  a  pound  of 
matter,  which  has  gone  off  from  their  bodies, 
partly  from  the  lungs,  and  partly  through  the 
pores  of  the  skin.  The  escaped  material  is 
carbonic  acid  and  decayed  animal  matter,  or 
poisonous  exhalations. 

BELTS,  To  Oil. — A  good  way  to  oil  belts 
is  to  pour  the  oil  on  to  the  outside  of  the  belt  as 
it  runs,  and  let  the  pulleys  work  it  in.  It  may 
be  put  on  freely  if  the  l)elt  be  running  idle,  but 
if  at  work  it  will  take  but  a  small  quantity  at  a 
time  without  slipping.  Keep  the  leather  just 
oily  enough  to  make  it  pliable. 

BLA  CKBOARDS,  v4r//yfr/a/.— Blackboards 
or  large  writing  slates  are  conveniences  or  ne- 
cessities in  nearly  all  schools.  A  recipe  for 
preparing  these,  or  a  substitute,  cheaply,  is  of 
general  interest,  and  we  are  indebted  for  the 
following  description  to  a  gentleman  of  consider- 
able experience.  He  says:  I  first  have  the  place 
of  the  wall  intended  to  be  covered,  surrounded 
by  a  narrow  wooden  molding,  which  may  be 
covered  by  paint.  Japan  or  varnish  is  necessary 
in  the  paint,  as  wth  benzine  alone  the  lampblack 
rubs  off;  but  as  varnish  makes  the  board  too 
smooth  to  write  on,  I  mix  a  little  fine  emery  in 
it,  to  make  it  slightly  gritty,  like  a  slate ;  too 
much  emery  or  a  quality  of  too  coarse  a  grade 
makes  the  removal  of  the  chalk  marks  difticult. 
For  the  last  purpose  I  take  sheepskin  with  the 
wool  on,  nailed  on  a  small  piece  of  board  and 
always  used  dry;  it  is  much  better  than  anything 
else.  From  time  to  time,  however,  the  whole 
blackboard  is  cleaned  with  a  wet  sponge.  The 
best  substance  for  fixing  the  common  lampblack 
and  emery,  is  shellac  dissolved  in  alcohol;  the 
quantities  are  regulated  by  the  circumstances. 
In  warm  weather  it  requires  more  alcohol.  Too 
much  shellac  makes  the  solution  too  thick;  too 
little  causes  it  to  come  off.  It  is  to  be  put  on 
with  a  flat  brush  as  rapidly  as  possible,  as  it 
dries  at  once.  The  blackboard  may  be  used  in 
less  than  half  an  hour. 

BLACKBOARD  PAINT.— To  make  one 
gallon  of  paint,  take  ten  ounces  pulverized 
pumice-stone,  six  ounces  pulverized  rotten-stone, 
three-quarters  of  a  pound  lampblack,  and  mix 
them  with  alcohol  enough  to  make  a  thick  paste. 
Grind  the  mixture  very  thoroughly  in  a  paint- 
mill;  then  dissolve  about  fourteen  ounces  of 
shellac  in  the  remainder  of  the  gallon  of  alcohol. 
Now  stir  the  whole  together,  and  the  paint  is 
ready  for  use.  The  shellac  prevents  the  paint 
from  rubbing  off.  If  the  shellac  is  of  poor 
quality,  it  will  require  a  little  more.  When 
using,  stir  often  to  prevent  the  pumice-stone  from 
29 


450 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


settling.  In  putting  on  a  second  coat,  be  care- 
ful not  to  rub  off  the  first.  One  gallon  will 
furnish  two  coats  for  sixty  or  seventy  square 
yards  of  black-board,  on  walls  not  previously 
painted. 

The ,  surface  of  a  plaster  wall  that  is  to  be 
painted  for  the  first  time,  may  be  somewhat 
improved  by  first  putting  on  a  coat  of  strong 
glue-sizing,  prepared  by  boiling  one  pound  of 
glue  in  a  gallon  of  rain  water.  Stir  in  three  or 
four  ounces  of  lampblack.     Put  on  hot. 

BLACK  HEALING  SALVE. —Take  of 
olive  oil,  3  quarts;  common  resin,  3  oz.;  bees- 
wax, 3  oz.  Melt  these  articles  together,  and 
raise  the  oil  almost  to  boiling  heat;  then  gradu- 
ally add  of  pulverized  red  lead  two  and  a  half 
pounds,  if  in  the  summer;  if  in  winter,  one- 
quarter  of  a  pound  less.  In  a  short  time  after 
the  lead  is  taken  up  by  the  oil,  and  the  mixture 
becomes  brown  or  a  shining  black;  remove  from 
the  fire,  and  when  nearly  cold  add  of  pulverized 
camphor  half  an  ounce. 

BLACK  LUSTRE  COLOR.  —  Dr.  Kiel- 
meyer  gives  a  recipe  which  is  adapted  for  either 
paper,  cloth,  or  porous  wood.  He  states  that  it 
stands  well,  is  very  supple,  and  has  no  tendency 
to  get  stick)'.  To  prepare  it  he  boils  together 
8  pounds  of  glue,  previously  dissolved  in  16  lbs. 
of  water ;  I  pound  potato  starch,  dissolved  in 
5^  pounds  of  water;  5^  pounds  of  campeachy, 
extract  oid^  Baum<j;  I  pound  2  ounces  of  green, 
vitriol,  and  %%  lbs.  of  brown  glycerine.  When 
thoroughly  mixed,  he  removes  the  pot  from  the 
fire,  and  continues  to  stir  until  the  liquid  is  cold. 
If  the  paint  be  desired  thicker  or  thinner,  the 
amount  of  starch  and  glue  must  be  varied  as 
well  as  the  other  materials,  or  the  lustre  will 
suffer. 

BLADDERS,  To  Prepare.  —  Soak  them  for 
twenty-four  hours  in  water,  to  which  a  little 
chloride  of  lime  or  potass  has  been  added,  then 
remove  the  extraneous  membranes,  Avash  them 
well  in  clean  water  and  dry  them. 

BONES,  To  Whiten.— YvX  a  handful  of  bran 
and  quick-lime  together,  in  a  new  pipkin,  with  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  water,  and  boil  it.  In  this 
put  the  bones,  and  boil  them  also  till  perfectly 
freed  from  greasy  particles. 

BONES,  To  Dye  any  Color. — Boil  the  bones 
first  for  a  good  while;  then  in  a  lye  of  quick- 
lime mixed  with  chamber-lye,  put  either  verdi- 
gris, or  red  or  blue  chalk,  or  any  other  ingredient 
fit  to  procure  the  color  you  want  to  give  to  the 
bones.  Lay  the  bones  in  the  liquor,  and  boil 
them,  they  will  be  perfectly  dyed. 

BOOK -MA KING.—  Title- Page. —HVq  title- 
page,  that  heralds  all  the  inner  pages  of  a  book, 
should  be  printed  in  a  style  of  elegance  severe 
and  unadorned;  no  fancy  type,  except  a  line  of 
Scribe  Text  or  Old  English — no  Italics,  unless 
perchance  a  single  line  motto  in  Pearl  caps, — 
no  bold-face  type,  nor  Antique,  nor  Gothic, — 
but  plain,  clear,  light-faced  letters.  All  experi- 
e.iced  printers  incline  to  this  simple  style.  Avoid 
having  two  lines  of  equrd  length  to  follow  or 
come  in  contact  with  each  other.  Catch- words 
should  be  set  on  a  very  reduced  scale,  and  pro- 
portioned accordi'."^  to  strengili  of  the  preceding 
and  succeeding  lines,  for  bold  catch-words  de- 
tract from  the  general  effect  of  the  title.  Authors 
should  endeavor  to  make  their  title-pages  as 
concise  as  possible,  for  a  crowded  title  can  never 
be  displayed  with  elegance  or  taste. — Preface.-r 


Formerly,  the  preface  was  uniformly  set  in  Ital- 
ic; at  present  Roman  is  used,  one  size  larger  or 
smaller  than  the  body  of  the  work.  If  the  work 
has  been  printed  with  folios  only,  then  the  pre- 
face should  be  paged  in  like  manner. — Contents. 
— ^Tlie  contents  follow  the  preface  or  introduc- 
tion, and  may  be  set  either  in  Roman  or  Italic, 
generally  two  sizes  smaller  than  the  body  of  the 
work.  The  first  line  of  each  summary  full,  and 
the  rest  indented  an  em  quadrat,  with  the  refer- 
ring figures  justified  at  the  ends  of  the  respective 
lines. — Dedication. — The  dedication  generally 
follows  the  title,  and  seldom  exceeds  one  page. 
It  should  be  set  in  capitals  and  small  capitals, 
neatly  displayed.  The  name  of  the  person  to 
whom  the  work  is  dedicated  should  always  be 
in  capitals,  and  the  terms,  Your  very  humble 
and  obedient,  etc.,  should  be  in  smaller  type, 
and  the  signature  or  name  of  the  author  in  capi- 
tals of  a  smaller  size  than  that  in  which  the  name 
of  the  personage  is  printed  to  whom  the  book  is 
dedicated.  —  Index.  —  The  index  is  generally 
placed  at  the  end  of  the  volume,  and  set  in  type  2 
sizes  less  than  that  of  the  work.  It  is  always 
begun  on  an  uneven  page.  In  setting  an  index, 
the  subject  line  should  not  be  indented ;  but,  if 
the  article  make  more  than  one  line,  all  but  the 
first  should  be  indented  an  em. — Errata. — The 
errata  are  put  immediately  before  the  body  of 
the  work,  or  at  the  end  of  it.  They  should  consist 
only  of  such  corrections  as  are  indispensably 
necessary,  without  noticing  any  defects  in  the 
punctuation,  unless  where  the  sense  is  perverted. 

BOOKS  (School),  To  Presoue  the  Binding 
of. — ^The  best  way  to  preserve  the  binding  of 
school  books  is  to  take  the  book  and  open  it  out 
flat,  and  mark  the  size  exactly  on  the  inner  side 
of  a  piece  of  muslin,  then  cut  it  out ;  and  then 
cut  two  pieces  for  the  inner  sides  of  the  book  a 
little  less  than  the  width;  bind  all  three  pieces 
separately  all  round  with  ribbon.  Then  sew  the 
pieces  together  on  three  sides  at  each  end  of  the 
long  piece,  leaving  a  space  in  the  centre;  turn 
the  covers  of  the  book  back,  and  slip  them  into 
the  muslin  cover ;  and,  if  cut  out  well,  it  will  fit 
as  well  as'the  original  binding.  Books  so  cov- 
ered can  be  used  for  some  years,  and  the  binding 
will  be  found  to  be  nearly  perfect.  It  answers 
especially  for  children's  school  books,  and  the 
muslin  is  very  easy  to  work,  and  looks  well  for 
a  considerable  length  of  time. 

BOOK-COVERS  {Leather),  Marble  for. -> 
Wash  the  cover  and  glaire  it,  take  a  sponge 
charged  with  water,  having  the  book  between 
wands,  and  drop  the  water  from  the  sponge  on 
the  different  parts  of  the  cover,  sprinkle  very 
fine  with  vinegar  black,  then  with  brown,  and 
lastly  with  vitriol  water.  Observe  to  sprinkle 
on  the  colors  immediately  after  each  other,  and 
to  wash  the  cover  over  with  a  clean  sponge  and 
water. 

BOOK-COVERS  (Leather),  Chinese  Marble 
for. — Color  the  cover  of  the  book  dark  brown, 
and  when  dry,  put  it  into  the  cutting-press  with 
the  boards  perfectly  flat ;  mix  whiting  and  water 
of  a  thick  consisteix:e  and  throw  it  on,  in  spots 
or  streaks,  some  large  and  some  small,  which 
must  remain  till  dry.  Spot,  or  sprinkle  the  cover 
with  liquid  blue,  and  lastly,  throw  on  large  spots 
of  liquid  red.  The  colors  must  be  dry  before 
washmg  off  the  whiting. 

BOOK-COVERS  {Leather),  Green  Marble 
for, — The  edge  must  be  marbled  with  a  good 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


451 


bright  green  only.  When  the  color  is  prepared 
with  the  ox-gall,  and  ready  for  use,  a  few  drops 
of  sweet  oil  must  be  mixed  therein,  the  color 
thrown  on  with  a  brush,  in  large  spots,  till  the 
gum  is  perfectly  covered.  The  oil  will  make  a 
light  edge  round  each  spot,  and  have  a  good  effect. 

Blue,  green,  and  brown  may  be  also  used  se- 
parately in  like  manner. 

Sheets  of  paper  may  be  done,  having  a  trough 
large  enough,  and  the  sheets  damped  as  for  print- 
ing, before  marbling. 

Spirits  of  turpentine  may  be  sprinkled  on  the 
colors,  which  will  make  white  spots. 

BOOA'-COVERS{Leather),  Japan  Coloring 
for. — After  the  book  is  covered  and  dry,  color 
the  cover  with  potash- water  mixed  with  a  little 
paste,  give  it  two  good  coats  of  Brazil  wash,  and 
glaire  it.  Put  the  book  between  wands,  allow- 
ing the  boards  to  slope  a  little.  Dash  on  copper- 
as-water, then  with  a  sponge  full  of  red  liquid, 
f)ress  out  on  the  back  and  on  different  parts, 
arge  drops,  which  will  run  down  each  board 
and  make  a  fine  shaded  red.  When  the  cover 
is  dry,  wash  it  over  two  or  three  times  with 
Brazil  wash  to  give  it  a  brighter  color. 

BOOK-COyERS{Leather),  Wax  Marble  for. 
— ^This  marbling  must  be  done  on  the  fore-edge, 
before  the  back  of  the  book  is  rounded,  or  be- 
comes round,  when  in  boards,  and  finished  on 
the  head  and  foot.  Take  beeswax  and  dissolve 
it  over  the  fire  in  an  earthen  vessel;  take  quills 
stripped  of  their  feathers,  and  tie  them  together; 
dip  the  quill-tops  in  the  wax,  and  spot  the  edge, 
with  large  and  small  spots;  take  a  sponge 
charged  with  blue,  green,  or  red,  and  smear  over 
the  edge ;  when  done,  dash  off  the  wax,  and  it 
will  be  marbled.  This  will  be  useful  for  station- 
ery work,  or  for  folios  and  quartos. 

BOOKS,  Chinese  Edge  for.—i.  Color  the 
edge  with  light  liquid  blue  and  dry;  then  take  a 
sponge  charged  with  vermilion,  and  dab  on  spots 
according  to  fancy:  next  throw  on  rice,  and 
finish  the  edge  with  dark  liquid  blue. — 2.  Color 
light  blue  on  different  parts  of  the  edge  with  a 
sponge;  do  the  same  where  there  are  vacancies 
with  yellow  and  Brazil  red;  dry  and  dab  on  a 
little  vermilion  in  spots  ;  then  throw  on  rice  and 
finish  with  a  bold  sprinkle  of  dark  blue.  Burnish. 

BOOKS,  To  Marble.— Thxs  is  performed  by 
laying  the  color  on  the  covers  or  edges  with  a 
brush,  or  by  means  of  a  wooden  trough  and  gum 
water  as  follows : — Provide  a  wooden  trough,  2 
inches  deep,  6  inches  wide,  and  the  length  of  a 
super-royal  sheet ;  boil  in  a  brass  or  copper  pan 
any  quantity  of  linseed  and  water  until  a  thick 
mucilage  is  formed;  strain  itinto  the  trough,  and 
let  it  cool;  then  grind  on  a  marble  slab  any  of 
the  following  colors  in  small  beer.  For  blue, 
Prussian  blue  or  indigo; — red,  rose-pink,  ver- 
milion, or  drop  lake; — yellow,  king's  yellow, 
yellow  ochre,  etc.; — white,  flake  white; — black, 
burnt  ivory  or  lampblack; — brown,  umber,  burnt 
do.,  terra  di  sienna,  burnt  do.;  black,  mixed 
with  yellow  or  red,  also  makes  brown ; — green, 
blue  and  yellow  mixed ; — orange,  red  and  yellow 
mixed; — purple,  red  and  blue  mixed.  For  each 
color  you  must  have  two  cups,  one  for  the  color 
after  grinding,  the  other  to  mix  it  with  ox-gall, 
which  must  be  used  to  thin  the  colors  at  dis- 
cretion. If  too  much  gall  is  used,  the  colors 
will  spread;  when  they  keep  their  place  on  the 
surface  of  the  trough,  when  moved  with  a  quill, 
they  are  fit  for  use.     All  things  being  in  readi- 


ness, the  colors  are  successively  sprinkled  on  the 
surface  of  the  mucilage  in  the  trough  with  a 
brush,  and  are  waved  or  drawn  about  with  a 

3uill  or  stick,  according  to  taste.  When  the 
esign  is  thus  formed,  the  book,  tied  tightly 
between  cutting  boards  of  the  same  size,  is  lightly 
pressed  with  its  edge  on  the  surface  of  the  liquid 
pattern,  and  then  withdrawn  and  dried.  The 
covers  may  be  marbled  in  the  same  way,  only 
letting  the  liquid  colors  run  over  them.  The 
film  of  color  in  the  trough  may  ba  as  thin  as 
possible,  and  if  any  remams  after  the  marbling 
it  may  be  taken  off  by  applying  paper  to  it  before 
you  prepare  for  marbling  again.  This  process 
has  been  called  French  Marbling. 

To  diversify  the  effect,  colors  are  often  mixed 
with  a  little  sweet  oil  before  sprinkling  them  on, 
by  which  means  a  light  halo  or  circle  appears 
round  each  spot.  In  like  manner,  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine, sprinkled  on  the  surface  of  the  trough, 
will  make  white  spots.  By  staining  the  book 
covers  with  any  of  the  liquid  dyes,  and  then 
dropping  on  them,  or  running  over  them,  drops 
of  liquid  mordants,  a  very  pleasing  effect  may  be 
produced.  Thus  vinegar  black,  or  a  solution  of 
green  copperas,  let  fall  or  run  over  common 
leather,  produces  black  spots  or  streaks,  and 
gives  a  similar  effect  with  most  of  the  light  dyes. 
A  solution  of  alum  or  tin  in  like  manner  produ- 
ces bright  spots  or  streaks,  and  soda  and  potash 
water  dark  ones.  This  style  has  been  called 
Egyptian  marble. — Soap  marbling  is  done  by 
throwing  on  the  colors,  ground  with  a  little  white 
soap  to  a  pliable  consistence,  by  means  of  a 
brush.  It  is  much  used  for  book  edges,  station- 
ery, sheets  of  paper,  ladies'  fancy  work,  etc. — 
Thread  marble  is  given  by  first  covering  the  edge 
uniformly  of  one  color,  then  laying  pieces  of 
thick  thread  irregularly  on  different  parts  of  it, 
and  giving  it  a  fine  dark  sprinkle.  When  well 
managed  the  effect  is  very  pleasing. — Rice  marble 
is  given  in  a  similar  way  to  the  last  by  using  rice. 
—  Tree  marble  is  done  on  leather,  book  covers, 
etc.,  by  bending  the  board  a  Utile  in  the  centre, 
and  running  the  marbling  liquid  over  it  in  the 
form  of  vegetation.  The  knots  are  given  by  rub- 
bing the  end  of  a  candle  on  those  parts  of  the 
cover. —  Wax  marble  is  given  in  a  similar  way 
to  thread  marble,  but  using  melted  wax,  which 
is  removed  after  the  book  is  sprinkled  and  dried, 
or  a  sponge  charged  with  blue,  green,  or  red, 
may  be  passed  over.  This  is  much  used  for 
stationery  work,  especially  folios  and  quartos. 
The  vinegar  black  of  the  bookbinders  is  merely 
a  solution  of  acetate  of  iron,  made  by  steeping 
rusty  nails  or  iron  filings  in  vinegar.  All  the 
ordinary  liquid  colors  that  do  not  contain  strong 
acids  or  alkalis  may  be  used,  either  alone  or 
thickened  with  a  httle  gum,  for  marbling  or 
sprinkling  books. 

BOOKS,  To  Gild  the  Edges  ^.— The  edges 
of  the  leaves  of  books  and  letter  paper  are  gilded 
whilst  in  a  horizontal  position  in  the  bookbind- 
er's press,  by  first  applying  a  composition  formed 
of  four  parts  of  Armenian  bole,  and  one  of  can- 
died sugar,  ground  together  with  water  to  a  pro- 
per consistence,  and  laid  on  by  a  brush,  v/iih  the 
white  of  an  egg.  This  coating,  when  nearly  dry, 
is  smoothed  by  the  burnisher,  which  is  generally 
a  crooked  piece  of  agate,  very  smooth,  and  fixed 
in  a  handle.  It  is  then  slightly  moistened  by  a 
sponge  dipped  in  clean  water,  and  squeezed  in 
tlie  hand.     The  gold-leaf  is  now  taken  upon  a 


452 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


piece  of  cotton  from  the  leathern  cushion,  &nd 
apphed  on  the  moistened  surface.  When  dry  it 
is  to  be  burnished  by  rubbing  the  agate  over  it 
repeatedly  from  end  to  end,  taking  care  not  to 
■wound  the  surface  by  the  point  of  the  burnisher. 
A  piece  of  silk  or  India-paper  is  usually  inter- 
posed between  the  gold  and  the  burnisher. 

Cotton-wool  is  generally  used  by  bookbinders 
to  take  the  leaf  up  from  the  cushion,  being  the 
best  adapted  for  the  purpose  on  account  of  its 
pliability,  smoothness,  softness,  and  sliglit  moist- 
ness. 

BOOKS,  Gilt  Lettering  cm  the  Backs  of.— 
The  place  on  those  parts  of  the  book  which  is  to 
receive  the  letters  is  moistened  with  a  little  al- 
bumen. The  letters  or  type  are  then  pressed 
on  a  piece  of  gold  leaf,  when  the  adhering  gold 
is  transferred  to  the  back  of  the  book  by  press- 
ing the  type  on  the  moistened  spot.  Superflu- 
ous particles  of  gold  are  removed  by  blowing  or 
by  means  of  a  soft  brush.  After  the  lettering  is 
finished,  the  book  must  dry  for  a  day  before  it 
is  used. 

BOOK-MOTHS. — Literary  people  are  occa- 
sionally annoyed  by  the  depredations  of  minute 
insects,  which  feed  luxuriously  on  their  fine 
books,  manuscripts  and  pamphlets.  They  are 
popularly  known  as  book-moths.  They  appear 
to  be  in  search  of  the  paste,  glue,  and  sizing 
which  are  used  by  the  binders.  However  old 
and  dry  the  books  may  be,  if  the  room  in  which 
they  are  kept,  or  the  cases  in  which  they  are  ar- 
ranged, are  slightly  damp,  it  softens  the  old  glue 
or  size  by  imbibition,  just  the  condition  required 
by  the  invaders.  In  gnawing  it  from  the  paper 
surface  into  which  it  originally  penetrated,  they 
also  destroy  the  texture  of  the  leaves,  so  that 
costly  works  are  quite  ruined.  There  is  no  bet- 
f  ter  remedy  than  placing  the  books  at  once  in  a 
dry  room  where  the  moisture  evaporates;  and  if 
the  sunlight  acts  upon  the  windows  daily,  so 
much  the  better.  The  moths  disappear  when 
the  paste  becomes  too  hard  for  them.  Or  rather 
their  activity  is  suspended,  to  be  revived  on 
again  removing  the  books  into  a  damp  apart- 
ment. Russian  binding  is  so  offensive  to  them 
that  they  cannot  attack  books  in  Russia  leather 
binding.  It  is  not,  perhaps,  so  generally  known 
as  it  deserves  to  be,  that  a  few  drops  of  any  kind 
of  perfumed  oil  will  secure  books  and  manu- 
scripts from  the  deteriorating  effects  of  mould 
and'damp. 

BOOKS,  To  Sprinkle  the  Edges  of.  —The 
brushes  used  for  book-edges  must  be  made  of 
Russia  hogs'  bristles,  of  good  thickness,  tied 
round  with  cord,  glued  at  the  thick  end,  and 
half  covered  wiUi  a  piece  of  leather ;  when  dry 
tie  the  brush  again  with  waxed  cord,  within  half 
an  inch  of  the  soft  part  of  it,  and  cut  it  very 
smooth  and  even.  Brushes  made  after  this 
manner  are  preferable  to  those  with  a  handle. 

Prepare  the  color  in  a  cup ;  dip  in  the  brush 
till  it  is  charged,  and  then  press  it  out  till  it  will 
drop  no  longer.  The  book  must  be  screwed 
tight  in  the  cutting  press ;  hojd  the  brush  in  the 
left  hand,  and,  with  a  folding-stick  in  the  right, 
rub  it  over  the  brush,  which  will  cause  the  color 
to  sprinkle  finely  on  the  edges.  The  brush  must 
be  moved  up  and  down  over  the  edge,  as  you 
sprinkle,  to  have  it  regular  on  every  part.  After 
the  s]irinkling  is  done,  the  brushes  should  be 
carefully  washed  in  water,  particularly  after 
sprinkling  blue,  which  will  otherwise  soon  de- 


stroy the  brush. — Green. — i.  Yellow  the  edge, 
then  sprinkle  with  dark  blue. — 2.  French  ber- 
ries, I  part ;  soft  water,  8  parts.  Boil  and  add 
a  little  powdered  alum ;  then  bring  it  to  the  re- 
quired shade  of  green,  by  adding  liquid  blue. — 
Gold. — Put  into  a  marble  mortar  half  an  ounce 
of  pure  honey  and  one  book  of  gold  leaf,  ruo 
them  well  together  until  they  are  very  fine,  add 
half  a  pint  of  clear  water,  and  mix  them  well  to- 
gether; when  the  water  clears,  pour  it  off,  and 
put  in  more,  till  the  honey  is  all  extracted,  and 
nothing  remains  but  the  gold.  Mix  one  grain 
of  corrosive  sublimate  in  a  teaspoonful  of  spirits 
of  wine,  and  when  dissolved,  put  the  same,  to- 
gether with  a  little  gum-water,  to  the  gold,  and 
bottle  it  close  for  use.  The  edges  of  the  book 
may  be  sprinkled  or  colored  very  dark,  with 
green,  blue,  or  purple,  and  lastly,  with  the  gold 
liquid,  in  small  or  large  spots,  very  regular, 
shaking  the  bottle  before  using.  Burnish  the 
edges  when  dry,  and  cover  them  with  paper  to 
prevent  the  dust  falling  thereon.  This  sprinkle 
will  have  a  most  beautiful  appearance  on  extra 
work;  ladies  may  use  it  for  ornamenting  their 
fancy  work,  by  putting  it  on  with  a  pen  or  cam- 
el's-hair  brush,  and  when  dry  burnish  it  with  a 
dog's  tooth,  —  Purple. —  I.  Logwood  chips,  4 
parts;  powdered  alum,  i  part;  soft  water,  24 
parts.  Boil  until  reduced  to  16  parts,  and  bottle 
for  use. — 2.  Brazil  dust  (fine),  and  mix  it  with 
potash  water  for  use.  —  Red.  —  Brazil-wood 
(ground),  4  parts;  alum,  i  part;  vinegar,  4 
parts;  water,  4  parts.  Boil  until  reduced  to  7 
parts,  then  add  a  small  quantity  of  loaf-sugar 
and  gum.     Bottle  for  use. 

BOOKBINDERS'  VARNISfl.—s  ounces 
of  shellac  are  to  be  dissolved  in  one  quart  of 
rectified  spirits  of  wine;  add  10  oz,  of  burned 
and  recently  heated  animal  charcoal,  boil  a  few 
minutes,  substract  a  little  of  the  liquid,  and  see 
if  it  is  colorless ;  if  not,  add  a  little  more  char- 
coal. When  colorless,  strain  through  silk,  and 
afterward  filter  through  blotting  paper ;  if  want- 
ed perfectly  pure,  strain  when  cold. 

BRASS,  To  Clean. — Take  one  tablespoonful 
of  oxalic  acid,  and  one  half  pint  soft  water,  and 
then  add  a  small  package  of  tripoli  (such  as  you 
buy  for  ten  or  twenty  cents),  or,  say  two  good 
tablespoonfuls.  This  will  bring  a  beautiful  pol- 
ish. Allow  the  mixture  to  remain  on  a  few 
minutes,  and  wipe  off  with  dry  waste  or  woolen 
rag, 

BUILDING,  Fallacies  in. — To  suppose  that 
timber,  growing  in  the  woods  or  floating  in  wa- 
ter to-day,  can  be  placed  in  a  building  next  week, 
and  stay  wheio  it  is  put. 

That  if  such  timber  be  used,  the  walls  will 
not  crack. 

That  the  base,  window  panels,  casings,  etc., 
made  of  such  timber  will  not  part  company  with 
the  floors  from  one-fourth  to  three-fourths  of  an 
inch  in  less  than  a  year,  and  that  the  builder  put 
unseasoned  lumber  in  the  latter. 

That  kiln-dried  lumber  is  as  good  as  lumber 
thoroughly  air-seasoned,  or  that  the  atmosphere 
has  no  influence  upon  it. 

That  a  joint  once  tight  will  always  remain  so. 
That  if  trimmings  be  put  up  before  plaster- 
ing, or  trimmed  on   green  walls,  that  putty  will 
not  be  in  great  demand  when  they  dry. 

That  hot  air  from  a  furnace  will  not  st.art  and 
open  every  piece  of  wood  work  with  which  it 
comes  in  contact,  nine  times  out  of  ten. 


MISCELLANEOUS, 


453 


That  if  partitions  be  not  properly  braced, 
bridged,  and  secured  at  angles,  that  plastering 
will  not  crack. 

That  ceilings  are  less  likely  to  crack  if  cross 
furred. 

That  a  pailful  of  lime  to  a  cartload  of  sand  will 
make  mortar  of  any  practical  use,  either  for 
plastering  or  brick  work. 

That  it  injures  mortar  by  mixing  it  some  time 
before  using  it,  or  that  if  mixed  one  day  and  ap- 
plied the  next,  it  won't  blister  and  crack. 

That  a  cement  roof,  so  soft  that  it  fills  the 
leaders  in  summer,  or  so  hard  it  cracks  in  win- 
ter, will  not  occasion  the  want  of  new  ceilings 
in  a  little  time. 

That  a  "botch"  can  build  as  good  a  building 
as  a  thorough  mechanic. 

That  in  all  cases  money  is  saved  by  contract- 
ing with  the  lowest  bidder. 

That  all  knowledge  in  relation  to  building  is 
embodied  in  every  one  who  signs  "Architect" 
after  his  name. 

That  architects  and  builders  never  "lay  in  to- 
gether", and  owners  never  get  "shorn"  through 
that  little  arrangement. 

That  architects,  as  a  rule,  get  no  other  com- 
missions on  buildings  except  the  traditional 
"five  per  cent,  on  the  cost." 

That  builders  always  carry  out  plans  and  spec- 
ifications to  the  letter. 

That  there  are  no  high  minded,  conscientious, 
competent  architects,  and  no  honest,  reliable 
builders  ;  and  that  either  class  does  not  bear  a 
reputation  equal  to  that  of  any  other  business 
men. 

That  a  builder  does  not  require  an  extended 
theoretical,  nor  an  architect  as  extended  a  prac- 
tical knowledge,  to  be  successful. 

That  no  builder  can  be  a  successful  architect, 
or  that  a  practical  architect  cannot  be  a  success- 
ful builder. 

BUILDING  MATERIAL,  Strength  of.— 
Experiments  are  sometimes  made  in  regard  to 
the  power  of  stones  of  different  kinds  to  resist 
compression,  by  cutting  one  cubic  inch  off  each, 
placing  it  between  two  steel  plates,  and  charging 
it  with  increasing  weight  till  crushed.  For  con- 
venience' sake,  this  weight  is  applied  by  means 
of  a  lever,  so  as  to  obviate  the  necessity  of  actu- 
ally handling  the  hundreds  and  thousands  of 
Eounds — one  or  more  sliding  weights  on  a  strong 
earn  being  sufficient  for  these  experiments. 
The  results  are  indicated  in  the  following  table, 
in  which  the  number  of  pounds  is  that  of  which 
the  substance  could  bear  the  pressure,  while  it 
was  crushed  by  the  addition  of  more : 
Table  of  resistance  of  a  cubic  inch  of  divers  build- 
ins;  stones  against  crushing  pressure 


Name  of  Stone. 


Inferior  pale  brick 

Common  good  brick  . . . 

Hard  briclc   

Pressed  Phila.  brick  . . . 

Sandstone  from  Acquia 
Creek,  strata  laid  ver- 
tical  

Marble,  Baltimore,       ) 
(large  crystal) .....) 

Sandstone,  Acquia  Cr'k, 
(strata  laid  horizontal) 

Marble,  Montgomery 
Co.,  Pa 


Where  used  or 
wherefore. 


For  filling  walls 

"    partition  walls 

"    floors — --. 

"    fronts  of  houses . . . . 

Many  public  buildings, 
Washington 

House  trimmings,  Balti- 
more   

Public  buildings,  Wash- 
ington   

House-fronts,  door-sills, 
etc.,  Philadelphia..., 


Name  of  Stone. 


Marble,  Lyraington, 
(strata  vertical) 

Marble,     same,    (strata 
horizontal) 

Marble,  Stockbridge . . . 

Sandstone,  Seneca 

Marble,  Lymington, 
(large  crystal) 

Granite,   Patapsco 

Marble,  I  talian 

Marble,  Baltimore, 
(small  crystal) 

Marble,  Lymington, 
(small  crystal) 

Marble,  Hastings,  N.Y. 


Gneiss,  Palisades,  near ) 
New- York ) 

Marble,  Lee,  Mass  . . . . 
"         East-Chester.. 


Granite,  Dry  Island, 
Maine 


Where  used  or 
wherefore. 


National  Washington 

Monument , 

National  Washington 

Monument 

CityHall,  NewYorkCity 
f  Smithsonian     Insti- 
(     tute,  Washington 
National  Washington 
Monument 


Statuary. 


Washington  Monument 

{University  Build' g,  1 
New- York J 


Weight 
applied 

in 
Pounds 


9,100 

10,100 
10,400 

10,800 

11,100 
11,200 
12,600 

18,000 
18,200 


Pavements 

Housefronts,  Boston  etc.  22, 700 
Post-Office,  Washington  23,900 
f  New  Post-Office,      "1 

]      N.Y ! 

j  Extension  of  Treas-  f 
(_     ury,  Washington  j 

BURNING  LENS,  Cheap  and  Simple.— 
Take  two  circular  discs  of  plate  glass,  of  the  re- 
quisite dimensions,  and  place  one  at  each  end  of 
a  shallow  tube;  an  inch  long  will  be  quite 
sufficient  for  any  size;  they  are  kept  in  their 
position  very  firmly  by  means  of  screw  clamps, 
in  an  analogous  manner  to  the  two  lenses  for 
showing  Newton's  concentric  colored  rings.  To 
the  tube  is  fitted  a  short  tube  with  a  stop-cock 
attached;  to  the  end  of  this  tube  a  condensing 
syringe  is  fixed,  and  the  cavity  between  the 
glasses  filled  with  turpentine,  varnish,  bleached 
oil,  or  any  other  suitable  substance  of  a  high 
refractive  power.  When  the  glasses  have  at- 
tained the  requisite  degree  of  curvature,  the 
stopcock  may  be  shut,  the  syringe  screwed  off, 
and  the  fluid  lens  (for  such  in  reality  it  is)  mount- 
ed for  use. 

BUTTER,  To  Restore  when  Rancid. — Pack 
the  rancid  butter  in  a  firkin ;  and  then  take  a 
barrel,  put  in  about  one  bushel  of  charcoal,  set 
the  firkin  of  butter  inside  the  barrel,  and  cover 
with  good  brine,  letting  it  stand  three  or  four 
weeks.  This  will  restore  it  unless  it  be  very 
bad.     See  also  page  124. 

BUTTERFLIES,  To  Prepare  for  Collections. 
— The  first  thing  to  be  procured  is  the  butterfly- 
net,  which  is  a  bag  made  out  of  two  pieces  of 
musquito-netting — blue  is  the  best — about  two 
feet  deep,  tapering  towards  the  bottom,  and 
fastened  to  a  piece  of  stout  wire  bent  into  a  circle 
of  about  a  foot  in  diameter,  the  two  ends  of  which 
are  fastened  into  a  light  but  strong  stick  three  or 
four  feet  in  length. 

The  next  requisite  is  something  to  kill  them 
with.  Chloroform  is  best,  but  in  default  of  that 
ether  will  do.  It  should  be  applied  to  the  head 
of  the  butterfly  with  a  small  camel's  hair  brush. 

Then  come  the  pins.  They  should  be  long 
and  slender;  real  butterfly  pins  are  best,  but  very 
fine  common  ones  will  do.  Then  you  must  have 
a  pasteboard  box  to  put  the  butterflies  in  when 
you  catch  them  to  bring  them  home. 

The  cases  are  the  last  thing  to  be  thought  of. 
The  frame  of  the  case  should  be  very  much  like 
a  picture  frame,  deep  enough  for  the  pins  to  go 
in,  with  the  back,  on  which  the  butterflies  are 
fastened,  so  arranged  as  to  come  out,  being  held 
in  place  by  little  cleats,  and  a  plate  of  glass  fixed 


454 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


securely  on  the  front.  It  should  be  made  of  soft 
wood,  so  that  the  pins  can  stick  in  easily.  The 
size  of  the  _case  depends  upon  the  taste  of  the 
collector. 

"Stretching"  a  butterfly  is  the  process  of  keep- 
ing its  wings  in  the  natural  position  when  at 
rest.  You  should  have  a  board  with  grooves  in 
it  wide  enough  to  admit  the  body  of  the  butterfly 
or  moth,  with  little  pieces  of  cork  fastened  on  it 
to  stick  the  pins  into.  Then  take  some  narrow 
strips  of  soft  paper,  press  the  wings  of  the 
butterfly  down  with  them  as  nearly  in  the  natural 
position  as  possible,  and  fasten  them  with  pins. 
In  a  few  days  the  butterfly  will  be  dry  enough 
so  you  can  take  the  papers  off  and  put  it  in  the 
case. 

CANVAS,  To  Make  Water  /'nw/I— White 
lead  4  pounds,  spirits  of  turpentine  i  fourth  part, 
white  vitriol  half  ounce,  sugar  of  lead  half  ounce, 
and  boiled  oil  to  make  it  thin,  apply  with  a  paint 
brush  to  the  canvas  or  linen,  which  must  be 
well  washed  to  take  out  the  stiffening;  well 
dried  and  stretched  tight  on  a  frame  while  being 
painted. 

CA  O  UTCHO  UC for  Printing-ink  Rollers.— 
In  order  to  give  to  vulcanized  caoutchouc  all  that 
softness  which  is  requisite,  for  instance,  for  print- 
ing-ink rollers,  M.  Mouton  reduces  ordinary 
vulcanized  caoutchouc  to  powder,  places  it  in 
suitably  shaped  vessels,  and  submits  it  a  second 
time  to  the  temperature  required  for  vulcaniza- 
tion. By  this  means  it  is  rendered  soft  and 
smooth,  has  entirely  lost  its  usual  harshness, 
and  is  fit  for  various  uses — among  these  the 
making  of  durable  printing-ink  rollers. 

CARBONIC  ACID,  To  Make.—Vo^xx  mu- 
riatic acid  npon  fragments  of  chalk  or  marble. 
The  gas  being  heavy  may  be  collected  without 
the  use  of  water,  by  simply  allowing  the  deliv- 
ery tube  to  pass  to  the  bottom  of  the  receiving 

CASTOR  OIL,  Mechanical  uses  of.— Jt  is 
not  as  universally  known  as  it  deserves  to  be, 
that  castor  oil  is  as  useful  in  the  trades  as  it  is  in 
medicine.  It  is  much  better  to  soften  and  re- 
deem old  leather  than  any  other  oil  known. 
When  boots  and  shoes  are  greased  with  it,  the 
oil  will  not  at  all  interfere  with  the  polishing 
afterwards,  as  in  the  case  with  lard,  olive,  or 
any  other  kind  of  oil.  In  Harrisburg,  the  old 
leather  hose  of  some  of  the  fire  companies  were 
greased  with  it,  and  found  to  become  almost  as 
soft  and  flexible  as  new  leather.  Leather  belts 
for  transmitting  motion  in  machinery  will  usually 
last  three  to  five  years,  according  to  the  wear 
and  tear  they  are  exposed  to;  when  greased  with 
castor  oil  they  will  last  ten  years  or  more,  as 
they  always  remain  flexible  and  do  not  crack. 
Besides  this  advantage,  castor  oil  prevents  slip- 
ping, so  that  a  belt  three  inches  wide,  impreg- 
nated with  it,  will  be  equal  to  a  belt  four  and  a 
half  inches  wide  without  castor  oil.  It  is  neces- 
sary, however,  to  wait  twenty-four  hours  till  the 
oil  has  disappeared  from  the  surface  and  pene- 
trated the  leather,  otherwise  the  freshly  greased 
surface  will  cause  slipping.  Another  advantage 
of  castor  oil  is  that  rats  and  other  vermin  detest 
anything  impregnated  with  castor  oil,  and  will 
not  touch  it. 

CASTING    in  Plaster. — Obtain   some  fine 

})laster  of  good  color,  and  pass  it  through  amus- 
in  sieve,  to  remove  any  coarser  particles  which 
may  be  present.    By  mixing  gum-arabic  with 


the  water  intended  to  be  used  in  the  plaster,  no 
only  will  the  plaster  be  rendered  very  hard  when 
it  sets,  but  a  beautiful  gloss  will  be  given  to  the 
surface.  Care  must  be  taken  to  drop  the  plaster 
powder  gradually  into  the  water,  and  to  permit 
the  bubbles  to  rise  before  the  mixture  is  stirred; 
otherwise  it  will  become  lumpy.  The  plaster 
should  be  of  the  consistence  of  the  yelk  of  an 
egg,  and  of  course  used  immediately.  If  the 
medal  intended  to  be  copied  is  a  valuable  one, 
with  a  smooth  surface,  it  will  be  advisable  not  to 
oil  it,  as,  in  cleaning  the  oil  off,  the  polish  may 
be  injured ;  but  if  the  surface  be  rough,  there 
will  be  no  remedy,  and  the  oil  must  afterwards 
be  removed  by  dabbing  the  surface  of  the  metal 
gently  -with  a  soft  cloth.  A  rim  of  thin  lead, 
brass,  copper,  or  even  oiled  paper,  is  then  tied 
around  the  medal,  and  some  liquid  plaster,  in 
the  first  place,  stippled  over  its  surface  with  a 
soft  brush,  to  prevent  the  formation  of  air-bub- 
bles, as  well  as  to  insure  its  insertion  into  the 
most  minute  crevices  ;  after  which  the  plaster  is 
poured  upon  the  surface  to  the  thickness  of  half 
an  inch,  or  an  inch  if  a  large  medal.  To  cause 
the  separation  of  the  mold  from  the  metal,  all 
we  have  to  do  is  to  immerse  it  in  water,  when  it 
is  readily  removed ;  otherwise  the  mold  is  sure 
to  be  broken.  To  obtain  a  plaster  cast  from  this 
mold,  we  must  oil  it  with  warm  boiled  linseed 
oil,  and  allow  it  several  days  to  dry.  Whenever 
the  mold  is  used,  it  must  be  well  oiled,  other- 
wise the  surface  of  the  castings  v.ill  be  destroyed. 
The  best  olive  oil  must  be  used,  or  the  color  of 
the  plaster  will  be  injured. 

CASTING  in  Wax. — The  mold  is  first  mad« 
in  plaster ;  but  before  being  used  is  placed  in 
warm  water,  of  which  it  is  allowed  to  absorb  as 
much  as  it  will  take — oil  not  being  used  in  this 
process.  The  surface  must  then  be  allowed  to 
dry,  or  the  wax  would  not  adhere  closely.  Pure 
wax  is  too  greasy  for  the  purpose,  and  bladder 
flake-white  is  therefore  mixed  with  it.  The 
quantity  can  not  be  stated,  but  the  addition  of 
too  much  gives  wax  the  appearance  of  plaster, 
by  taking  away  its  richness.  If  the  wax  is  often 
remelted,  its  color  is  injured.  In  order  to  obtain 
a  gray  marble  color,  a  marble  powder,  procura- 
ble of  any  statuary,  is  mixed  with  the  wax,  which 
not  only  gives  a  beautiful  appearance  to  it,  but 
renders  it  more  durable.  The  wax  is  poured 
into  the  mold,  and  allowed  to  flow  over  its  sur- 
face, and  by  moistening  the  plaster  mold  in  wa- 
ter when  the  wax  has  become  hard,  the  cast  is 
easily  removed.  Wax  models  may  be  fastened 
by  means  of  boiled  linseed  oil  and  flake-white, 
and  also  by  a  combination  of  beeswax  and  resin. 

CASTING  in  Sulphur. — This  is  a  very  per- 
manent mode ;  but  as  a  mold  it  can  only  be  used 
for  plaster,  for  hot  wax  or  sulphur  would  injure 
its  surface.  When  sulphur  is  heated  to  the  tem- 
perature suitable  for  forming  casts  it  becomes 
nearly  black,  and  has,  therefore,  to  be  covered 
with  vermilion  in  the  proportion  of  one  ounce  of 
vermilion  to  three  of  sulphur.  The  surface  of 
the  mold,  however,  need  only  be  coated  with  . 
this  expensive  mixture,  and  common  sulphur  ^ 
added  in  any  quantity.  You  must  use  wood  to 
stir  the  sulphur,  as  iron  will  take  away  its  color. 
The  sulphur  will  take  fire  in  melting  unless  it  is 
properly  stirred,  and  at  first  will  become  thick 
and  viscid ;  but  by  continuing  the  application 
of  heat  it  will  again  assume  a  perfectly  liquid 
form. 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


455 


CASTING  in  Glue. — If  a  medal  is  so  much 
sunk  and  engraved  that  you  can  not  get  a  plaster 
cast  off,  a  mold  may  be  obtained  by  pouring  glue 
upon  it.  In  this  manner  a  bunch  of  grapes  can 
be  taken  in  the  natural  state,  and  by  cutting  the 
glue  down  the  center,  the  grapes  can  be  extract-, 
ed,  and  the  molds  used  to  produce  a  representa- 
tion of  the  original  in  plaster.  Isinglass  may  be 
similarly  used,  but  it  is  first  mixed  with  flake- 
white  in  the  state  of  powder. 

CASTING  in  Bread  Paste.— Take  the  inside 
of  a  penny  roll  and  work  it  well  up  with  vermil- 
ion, the  longer  the  better,  until  it  becomes  vis- 
cid and  tough ;  it  is  then  to  be  worked  well  into 
the  mold.  After  having  obtained  the  mold,  it 
must  be  fastened  down  upon  a  piece  of  wood  by 
wetting  it,  so  as  to  prevent  it  from  warping  as 
it  dries.  After  it  has  been  thoroughly  dried, 
you  may  oil  it,  and  then  obtain  as  many  casts  as 
you  please  from  it  in  plaster,  wax,  or  sulphur. 
By  means  of  bread  paste,  a  traveler  may  al- 
ways take  a  mold  of  any  small  object  of  interest 
he  meets  with  on  his  journey,  and  thus  a  proper 
knowledge  of  its  mode  of  use  becomes  invalu- 
able. 

CEMENTS,  Colored.— \  writer  in  Comptes 
Rendus  states  that  colored  cements  which  harden 
rapidly  may  be  made  as  follows :  He  takes  a 
solution  of  silicate  of  soda  (sp.  gr.,  1.298)  and 
adds  to  it,  while  stirring,  first  pulverized  and 
previously  washed,  lixiviated  chalk,  so  as  to 
form  a  thick  mass,  like  butter,  to  which  are  add- 
ed, for  coloring  purposes,  the  following  sub- 
stances: Finely  pulverized  sulphuret  of  antimony 
for  black,  iron  filings  for  gray,  zinc  dust  for 
whitish  gray,  carbonate  of  copper  for  bright 
green,  oxide  of  chromium  for  deep  green,  cobalt 
blue  for  blue,  red  lead  for  orange,  vermilion  for 
bright  red,  and  carmine  for  a  violet  hue.  This 
cement  hardens  within  from  six  to  eight  hours, 
and  may  afterward  be  polished,  becoming  like 
marble. 

CEMENT  far  either  Leather  or  Rubber  Straps. 
— Guttapercha,  16  oz.;  India  rubber,  40Z.;  pitch, 
2oz.;  linseed  oil,  2  oz.  Cut  the  rubberin  shreds 
and  add  the  oil,  which  in  a  few  days  will  have 
softened  the  former.  Melt  carefully  the  gutta 
percha  and  pitch  together,  and  stir  in  the  rubber 
solution,  or  paste,  apply  hot,  and  press  joints. 

CHAIRS. — An  eminent  physician,  speaking 
of  chairs,  remarks  that  they  are  too  high  and  too 
nearly  horizontal.  We  slide  forward,  and  our 
spines  ache.  The  seats  should  be  fifteen  or  six- 
teen inches  high  in  the  front  for  men,  and  from 
eight  to  fourteen  inches  for  children  and  women. 
The  back  part  of  the  seat  should  be  from  one  to 
three  inches  lower  than  the  front  part.  This 
last  is  very  important.  The  depth  of  the  seat 
from  front  to  back  should  be  the  same  as  the 
hight.  The  chair  back  is  likewise  unphilosoph- 
ical.  The  part  which  meets  the  small  of  the 
back  should  project  furthest  forward.  Instead 
of  this,  at  that  point  there  is  generally  a  hollow; 
this  is  the  cause  of  so  much  pain  and  weakness 
in  the  small  of  the  back.  The  present  seats 
j>roduce  discomfort,  round  shoulders  and  other 
distortions. 

CHALK,  Prepared. — Take  a  solution  of  mu- 
riate of  lime,  and  add  a  solution  of  carbonate  of 
soda  as  long  as  it  causes  precipitation ;  wash  the 
sediment,  and  dry  it. 

CHARCOAL  MAKING.— <Z\^2xcot\  made 
from  wood  is  a  form  of  carbon  containing  the 


ashes,  or  incombustible  portions  of  the  wood 
from  which  it  is  prepared,  and  some  of  its  vola- 
tile ingredients.  The  principal  object  of  its  pre- 
paration is  its  superior  heat-making  properties 
as  compared  with  wood.  The  greater  portion 
of  the  charcoal  offered  for  sale  is  burned  in  kilns, 
but  in  thickly  wooded  regions  much  is  made  in 
the  primitive  manner  which  is  known  as  "Char- 
ring in  pits."  The  most  ancient  method  of  pre- 
paring charcoal  was  to  throw  the  wood  in  pits 
dug  in  the  ground,  and  to  keep  it  partially  cov- 
ered with  earth  while  consuming,  and  although 
the  wood  is  now  charred  on  the  surface  and  not 
in  excavations,  the  process  is  still  called  "Pit 
charring."  When  it  is  proposed  to  malie  a 
quantity  of  wood  charcoal,  a  level  place  is  pre- 
pared for  the  foundation  of  the  pit  as  it  is  called, 
although  it  is  in  reality  a  mound.  A  chimney 
is  then  made  by  driving  stakes  of  the  desired 
hight  arranged  in  a  circle  about  eighteen  inches 
in  diameter.  The  wood  for  coaling  is  cut  four 
feet  long  and  hauled  to  the  pit,  the  large  sticks 
being  first  split.  It  is  not  absolutely  necessary  that 
the  wood  be  dry,  though  the  more  complete  the 
seasoning  the  better  the  results  of  the  charring, 
since  the  more  water  there  is  present  the  more 
heat  is  abstracted,  and  more  fuel  is  necessary  to 
expel  it.  The  first  sticks  are  set  up  against  the 
chimney,  the  next  against  these,  then  others  on 
top  of  these,  and  so  on,  all  leaning  a  little  to- 
ward the  center,  until  the  pile  has  attained  the 
required  size,  say  twenty-five  cords  for  a  thou- 
sand-bushel pit. 

When  the  arrangement  of  the  pile  is  finished, 
the  outer  surface  is  filled  in  with  chips  and  sticks, 
and  the  whole  is  covered  with  branches,  twigs, 
leaves,  straw  or  moss,  upon  which  sods  or  moist- 
ened earth  are  laid  together  with  fine  charcoal 
waste  of  previous  burnings,  the  depth  of  the 
covering  varying  from  six  to  eight  inches,  and 
the  whole  l)eing  smoothed  and  firmly  spatted 
down.  Draught  holes  two  or  three  inches  in 
diameter  and  four  feet  apart,  are  made  in  the 
covering  at  the  bottom.  A  fire  is  kindled  in  the 
bottom  of  the  chimney  from  the  top,  and  when 
well  a-burning  the  chimney  is  filled  with  wood 
and  covered  like  the  rest  of  the  pit.  Constant 
watch  must  now  be  kept  that  the  wood  does  not 
burn  too  rapidly.  Evidence  of  its  doing  so  is 
given  by  the  appearance  of  blue  smoke,  as  only 
a  steam-like  vapor  rises  from  the  vents  when  the 
process  of  charring  is  going  on  properly.  When 
this  smoke  is  seen  the  fire  is  smothered  by  pack- 
ing in  green  wood  at  the  threatened  point,  and 
covering  it  again  closely  with  straw  and  earth. 
If  all  goes  well,  a  thousand-bushel  pit  will  be 
burned  in  ten  or  fifteen  days.  As  the  process 
proceeds,  it  is  necessary  to  fill  up  some  of  the 
holes  and  open  others  according  as  the  burning 
progresses  from  one  portion  of  the  pile  to  the 
other,  or  needs  accelerating  or  retarding.  Chan- 
nels are  made  under  the  heap  for  the  tarry  mat- 
ters which  run  out  from  the  wood  towards  the 
close  of  the  process. 

W^hen  the  operation  is  complet«d  the  coal  is 
raked  out  with  long-toothed  iron  rakes.  It  is 
best  to  do  this  work  at  night,  as  then  any  re- 
maining spark  of  fire  can  be  detected  and  prompt- 
ly extinguished  by  throwing  coal  dust  or  moist- 
ened earth  on  it.  After  the  uncharred  brands 
are  removed  the  coal  is  ready  for  market.  The 
coal  is  hauled  away  in  wagons  divided  into  deep, 
wide-topped  boxes  holding  100  bushels  or  more. 


4S6 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


To  dump  the  coal,  the  horses  are  hitched  to  a 
staple  in  the  hinder  part  of  the  wagon  bottom, 
which  is  made  to  shde  out,  the  team  is  started 
and  the  coal  falls  out  underneath.  Log  pits  are 
made  by  arranging  twelve-foot  logs  in  layers. 
The  interstices  between  the  logs  are  packed  with 
poles  and  small  wood,  the  pile  being  boarded 
up  at  the  ends  of  the  logs,  leaving  a  space  of 
several  inches  between  the  boarding  and  the 
logs,  to  be  filled  with  earth,  after  which  the  ends 
and  top  of  the  pile  are  covered  with  straw  and 
earth,  as  in  the  circular  pit.'  The  fire  is  kindled 
in  a  trench  dug  under  one  end,  two  feet  wide 
and  two  feet  deep.  Vent  or  draught  holes  are 
made  under  the  boarding.  These  log  pits  are 
sometimes  ten  rods  long,  and  it  is  not  unusual 
to  draw  coal  from  one  end,  while  the  other  end 
is  yet  burning. 

Oak  and  alder  make  the  best  charcoal,  next  to 
them  birch  of  all  kinds,  pine,  basswood,  poplar, 
and  spruce.  Hemlock  is  the  least  desirable  wood 
for  this  purpose,  as  it  makes  snapping  coal. 

CHIMNEYS,  To  Build.  — \m^  the  bed  be 
laid  of  brick  and  mortar,  iron  or  stone ;  then  the 
workman  should  take  a  brick  in  his  left  hand, 
and  with  the  trowel,  draw  the  mortar  upon  the 
and  of  the  brick,  from  the  under  side,  and  not 
from  the  outside  edge,  as  is  usual.  Then,  by 
pressing  the  brick  against  the  next  one,  the 
whole  space  between  the  two  bricks  will  be  filled 
with  mortar;  and  so  he  should  point  up  the  inside 
as  perfectly  as  the  outside,  as  he  proceeds. 

By  drawing  the  mortar  on  the  edge  of  the 
brick,  the  space  between  the  ends  will  not  always 
be  entirely  filled,  and  will  make  (where  the 
inside  pointing  is  not  attended  to)  a  leaky  and 
unsafe  chimney,  which,  if  not  kept  clear  of  soot, 
will,  in  burning  out,  stand  a  good  chance  of 
setting  the  building  on  fire. 

CHIMNEYS,  Salt  in  Btdlding.— In  hmld- 
ing  a  chimney,  put  a  quantity  of  salt  into  the 
mortar  with  which  the  intercourses  of  brick  are 
laid.  The  effect  will  be  that  there  will  never  be 
any  accumulation  of  soot  in  that  chimney.  The 
philosophy  is  thus  stated :  The  salt  in  the  portion 
of  mortar  which  is  exposed,  absorbs  moisture 
every  damp  day.  The  soot  thus  becoming 
damp  falls  down  into  the  fireplace. 

CHIMNEYS,  To  Cure  when  Smoky.— The: 
common  causes  of  smoky  chimneys  are  either 
that  the  wind  is  too  much  let  in  above  at  the 
mouth  of  the  shaft,  or  else  that  the  smoke  is 
stifled  below.  They  may  also  proceed  from 
there  being  too  little  room  in  the  vent,  particu- 
larly where  several  open  into  the  same  funnel. 
The  situation  of  the  house  may  likewise  affect 
them,  especially  if  backed  by  higher  ground  or 
higher  buildings. 

The  best  method  of  cure  is  to  carry  from  the 
air  a  pipe  under  the  floor  and  opening  under  the 
fire ;  or,  when  higher  objects  are  the  cause,  to 
fix  a  movable  cowl  at  the  top  of  the  chimney. 

In  regard  to  smoky  chimneys,  a  few  facts  and 
cautions  may  be  useful ;  and  a  very  simple  rem- 
edy may  often  render  the  calling  in  of  masons 
and  bricklayers  unnecessary. 

Observe  that  a  northern  aspect  often  produces 
a  smoky  chimney. 

A  single  chimney  is  apter  to  smoke  than  when 
it  forms  part  of  a  stack. 

Straight  funnels  seldom  draw  well. 

Large  fire-places  are  apt  to  smoke,  particularly 
when  the  aperture  of  the  funnel  does  not  corres- 


pond in  size.  For  this  a  temporary  remedy  may 
be  found  in  opening  a  door  or  window — a  per- 
manent cure  by  diminishing  the  lower  aperture. 

When  a  smoky  chimney  is  so  incorrigible  as  to 
require  a  constant  admission  of  fresh  air  into  the 
room,  the  best  mode  is  to  introduce  a  pipe,  one 
of  whose  apertures  shall  be  in  the  open  air  and 
the  other  under  the  grate;  or  openings  may  be 
made  near  the  top  of  the  apartment,  if  lofty,  with- 
out any  inconvenience  even  to  persons  sitting 
close  by  the  fire. 

This  species  of  artificial  ventilation  will  always 
be  found  necessary  for  comfort  where  gas  is  used 
internally,  whether  a  fire  is  lighted  cr  not. 

Where  a  chimney  only  smokes  when  a  fire  is 
first  lighted,  this  may  be  guarded  ngainst  by  al- 
lowing the  fire  to  kindle  gradually;  or  more 
promptly  by  laying  any  inflammable  substance, 
such  as  shavings,  on  the  top  of  llie  grate,  the 
rapid  combustion  of  which  will  warm  the  air  in 
the  chimney,  and  give  it  a  tendency  upwards, 
before  any  smoke  is  produced  from  the  fire  itself. 
If  old  stove-grates  are  apt  to  smoke,  they  may 
be  improved  by  setting  the  stove  further  back. 
If  that  fails,  contract  the  lower  orifice. 

In  cottages,  the  shortness  of  the  funnel  or 
chimney  may  produce  smoke ;  in  which  case  the 
lower  orifice  must  be  contracted  as  small  as  pos- 
sible by  means  of  an  upright  register. 

If  a  kitchen  chimney  overpowers  that  of  the 
parlor,  as  is  often  the  case  in  small  houses,  ap- 
ply to  each  chimney  a  free  admission  of  air,  until 
the  evil  ceases. 

When  a  chimney  is  filled  with  smoke,  not  of 
its  own  formation,  but  from  the  funnel  next  to  it, 
an  easy  remedy  offers,  in  covering  each  funnel 
with  a  conical  top,  or  earthen  crock,  not  cylind- 
rical, but  a  frustum  of  a  cone,  by  means  of  which 
the  two  openings  are  separated  a  few  inches,  and 
the  cold  air  or  the  gust  of  wind  no  longer  forces 
the  smoke  down  with  them. 

If  these  remedies  fail  it  will  be  generally  found 
that  the  chimney  only  smokes  when  the  wind  is 
in  a  particular  quarter,  connected  with  the  posi- 
tion of  some  higher  building,  or  a  hill,  or  a  grove 
of  trees.  In  such  cases  the  common  turncap,  as 
made  by  tinmen  and  ironmongers,  will  generally 
be  found  fully  adequate  to  the  end  proposed.  A 
case  has  occurred  of  curing  a  smoky  chimney  ex- 
posed to  the  northwest  wind,  and  commanded 
by  a  lofty  building  on  the  southeast,  by  the  fol- 
lowing contrivance. 

A  painted  tin  cap,  of  a  conical  form,  was  sus- 
pended by  a  ring  and  swivel,  so  as  to  swing  over 
the  mouth  of  the  chimney-pot  by  means  of  an 
arched  strap  or  bar  of  iron  nailed  on  each  side  of 
the  chimney.  When  a  gust  of  wind  laid  this  cap 
(which,  from  its  resemblance  in  form  and  use  to 
an  umbrella,  is  called  a  paravent  or  wind-guard) 
close  to  the  pot  on  one  side,  it  opened  a  wider 
passage  for  the  escape  of  the  smoke  on  the  op- 
posite side,  whichever  way  the  wind  came,  while 
rain,  hail,  etc.,  were  effectually  prevented  from 
descending  the  flue. 

CHINA  WARE,  To  Make.— The  composi- 
tion of  the  eastern  or  proper  chinaware,  accord- 
ing to  accounts  that  have  great  marks  of  authen- 
ticity, is  from  two  earths ;  one  of  which  is,  as 
was  before  mentioned,  called  petunse;  the  other 
a  refractory  earth,  called  kaolin. 

The  preparation  of  the  petunse,  or  aluminous 
earth,  is  by  pounding  the  stone  till  it  is  reduced 
to  a  very  fine  powder,  and  then  wasliing  it  over 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


4S7 


to  bring  it  to  the  most  impalpable  state,  which 
is  thus  performed :  After  the  stone  is  rendered 
as  fine  as  it  can  be  by  pounding  or  grinding,  the 
powder  must  be  put  into  a  large  tub  full  of  water, 
and,  being  stirred  about,  the  upper  part  of  the 
water  must  be  laded  out  into  another  tub,  by 
which  means  the  finest  particles  of  the  powder 
will  be  carried  into  it.  The  water  in  the  second 
tub  must  be  then  suffered  to  stand  at  rest  till  the 

Eowder  be  subsided,  and  as  much  as  can  be 
ided  off  clear  must  be  put  back  into  the  first  tub 
and  there  being  again  stirred  about,  and  loaded 
with  a  fresh  quantity  of  the  most  subtle  part  of 
the  powder,  must  be  laded  again  into  the  second 
tub  as  before,  and  this  must  be  repeated  till  none 
be  left  in  the  first  tub  but  the  grosser  part  of  the 
stone,  which,  not  being  of  a  due  fineness,  must 
be  again  pounded,  and  treated  as  at  first.  The 
fine  powder  obtained  in  the  second  tub,  must  be 
then  freed  from  the  water,  by  lading  off  the  clear 
part,  and  suffering  what  remains  to  exhale,  till 
the  matter  becomes  of  the  consistence  of  soft 
clay,  when  it  will  be  fit  to  be  commixed  with  the 
kaolin  for  use. 
The  kaolin  is  prepared  in  the  same  manner  by 
.  washing  over  ;  but  some  specimens  are  so  fine, 
that  there  is  no  occasion  for  this  or  any  other 
purification. 

From  these  two  mixed  together,  the  clay  or 
paste  is  formed  ;  but  it  is  said  that  the  propor- 
tion of  the  respective  quantities  is  made  to  vary 
according  to  the  intended  goodness  of  the  ware, 
the  best  being  made  from  equal  quantities,  and 
the  worst  from  two  of  the  kaolin  to  one  of  the 
petunse. 

CHINA  {English),  Composition  of.  —  The 
following  composition  will  produce  wares,  which 
will  possess  the  properties  of  the  true  china,  if 
judiciously  managed. 

Mix  the  best  white  sand,  or  calcined  flints, 
finely  powdered,  20  lbs.;  of  very  white  pearlash, 
5  lbs.;  of  white  calcined  bones,  2  lbs.  Temper 
the  whole  with  the  gum  Arabic  or  Senegal,  dis- 
solved in  water. 

This  requires  a  considerable  force  and  continu- 
ance of  heat  to  bring  it  to  perfection,  but  it  will 
be  very  white  and  good  when  it  is  properly 
treated.  Where  mica  can  be  obtained,  it  is 
preferable  to  calcined  bones,  and  as  it  will  form 
a  kind  of  paste  for  working,  a  weaker  gum-water 
will  answer  the  purpose. 

CHINA  {Saxon  or  Dresden),  To  Make. — The 
Saxon  composition,  of  which  the  chinaware  is 
formed,  is  greatly  similar  to  that  of  the  eastern. 
In  the  place  of  the  petunse,  a  stone  is  used,  which 
is  improperly  called  in  the  German  language, 
bleyspatt,  or  spar  of  lead.  It  is  a  stone  of  a  very 
opposite  nature,  as  spars  are  calcareous,  and  will, 
on  calcining,  become  lime ;  on  the  other  hand, 
this  stone  is  of  a  vitreous  nature.  This  spar  is 
of  a  very  hard  texture,  and  of  a  light  flesh-color, 
or  pale  whitish  red.  It  is  prepared  by  pounding 
and  washing  over,  which  may  be  done  as  above 
directed,  and  it  is  then  ready  for  compounding 
with  the  mica.  The  mica  is  employed  in  the 
Saxon  composition  for  the  other  ingredients; 
and  is  likewise  prepared  by  grinding  and  washing 
over,  when  it  is  not  in  a  perfect  and  pure  state; 
but  when  it  is  entirely  clean,  it  maybe  tempered 
with  the  texture,  thoroughly  broken,  and  it  will 
be  of  the  consistence  of  soft  clay. 

The  two  kinds  of  earth  being  prepared  in  the 
state  of  a  soft  paste,  they  are  to  be  incorporated 


and  blended  into  one  mass,  which  is  done  by 
rolling  and  stirring  them  well  after  they  are  in 
the  same  vessel,  and  then  kneading  them  with 
the  feet  till  they  are  thoroughly  united.  When 
the  compound  mass  is  formed,  it  is  made  into 
cakes,  or  square  pieces,  and  put  by  layers  into 
cases  of  wood  or  stone,  which  must  be  placed  in 
a  moist  situation,  and  left  for  2  or  3  months ; 
during  which  time  a  kind  of  ferment  enters  into 
the  mixture,  by  which  the  parts  of  the  different 
matter  combine  and  form  a  substance  with  new 
qualities,  unknown  while  separate.  This  change 
shows  itself  upon  the  whole  mass  by  a  fetid 
smell,  and  a  greenish  or  bluish  color,  and  a 
tenacity  like  that  of  clay,  or  the  argillaceous 
moistened  earths.  If  the  time  of  keeping  the 
paste  in  this  condition  be  prolonged  to  a  year 
or  more,  it  will  further  improve  its  qualities,  but 
great  care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  its  becoming 
dry ;  to  prevent  which,  there  may  be  occasion 
to  water  it.  When,  however,  the  described 
qualities  are  found  in  the  matter,  it  is  fit  for  use, 
and  vessels,  etc.,  may  be  wrought  of  it  without 
any  other  preparation. 

CHLORINE,  To  Make.—HftaX  gently  a  mix- 
ture  of  muriatic  acid  and  black  oxide  of  manga- 
nese. It  may  be  collected  like  carbonic  acid. 
Care  must  be  taken  not  to  inhale  it. 

CHROMOS,  To  C/ean.— Whan  you  clean 
them  use  a  soft  feather  brush,  or  wipe  them  with 
soft  chamois  skin  (a  drop  of  oil  may  restore 
clearness),  or  with  a  fine  linen  rag  very  slightly 
dampened.     Always  tenderly. 

Next,  whenever  the  original  varnish  coating  is 
dulled,  bruised,  or  rubbed,  revarnish  it  with  thin 
mastic  varnish. 

Chromos,  like  oil  paintings,  should  not  be 
hung  in  a  dark  room,  but  in  one  with  diffused 
light;  and  never  exposed  to  the  direct  rays  of 
the  sun. 

The  chromos  after  water-colors  keep  and  dis- 
play better  when  placed  under  glass,  as  they  lack 
the  protecting  cover  of  the  varnish.     The  larger 
chromos,  after  oil  paintings,  display,  as  a  general 
rule,  best  when  framed  like  original  paintings. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  put  any  of  these   under 
glass;  it  is  a  matter  of  taste, — preserving  them, 
at  the  same  time,  from  dust  and  rough  handling. 
CISTERN,  Filtering.— To  obtain  the  best 
water  at  all  times,  it  is  not  enough  that  the  water 
be  well  filtered.     To  illustrate: — A  cistern  of 
2,000  gallons  is  filled.  After  some  weeks  of  con- 
tinued dry  weather,  the  amount  is  reduced  to, 
say,  1,000  gallons,  at  which  time  the  quality  of 
the  water  will  have  sensibly  improved.  A  shower 
occurs,  pouring  into  the  cistern,   say,  300  gals. 
The   1,000  gallons  is  violently  mixed  with  the 
newly  fallen  rain,  and  the  result  is,   the  quality 
of  the  water  is  injured  for  a  time,  or  until  suffi- 
cient time  has  elapsed  to  allow  it  to  settle  again. 
Again,  the  process  of  filtration  cannot  proper- 
ly be  accomplished  in  the  short  time  allowed  by 
some  devices.     Water  should  be  filtered  very 
slowly. 

Then,  every  filtering  apparatus  should  be 
cleaned  out,  and  all  the  materials  employed 
thoroughly  washed  or  renewed  regularly  and 
somewhat  frequently,  as  required  by  the  charac- 
ter of  the  roof^and  the  situation  of  the  house,  as 
regards  smoke,  cinders,  dust,  etc. 

To  accomplish  the  best  results,  I  would  con- 
struct a  cistern  of  requisite  capacity,  above  the 
bottom  of  the  cellar,  into  which  all  the  water 


4S8 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY.DAY  WANTS. 


from  the  roof  should  be  turned.  Another  cistern 
of  equal  capacity,  of  what  is  known  as  the  "jug" 
pattern,  should  be  built  below  the  cellar  bottom, 
having  a  neck  of  proper  size  extending  slightly 
above,  and  kept  closed  by  a  tight  cover.  Be- 
tween the  two  cisterns,  construct  a  box  of  wood 
or  bricks,  say  six  to  ten  feet  long,  and  twelve  to 
sixteen  inches  square,  with  partitions  alternately 
extending  nearly  to  the  top  and  bottom.  Fill 
this  box  with  the  proper  filtering  materials : 
broken  stone,  well  washed  coarse  and  fine  grav- 
el and  sand,  charcoal,  and,  finally,  at  the  outlet, 
fine  sponge. 

The  stream  of  water  from  the  receiving  cistern 
should  be  very  small,  say  one-quarter  inch  in 
diameter,  which,  entering  the  box  at  one  end, 
would  gently  percolate  through  the  mass  of  fil- 
tering materials,  and  by  a  small  block  tin  pipe, 
be  conveyed  to  the  bottom  of  the  lower  cistern, 
from  which  it  would  be  pumped  as  wanted.  The 
flow  would  be  constant,  or  until  the  upper  cis- 
tern was  emptied.  This  box  should  also  be  kept 
closed  by  a  tight  cover,  which,  when  lifted, 
would  allow  ready  access  to  remove  all  the  fil- 
tering materials,  to  be  washed  and  returned,  or, 
what  is  better,  to  be  replaced  by  clean,  fresh 
materials. 

The  bottom  of  the  upper  cistern  should  be 
concave,  connecting  by  a  pipe  and  stop-cock 
with  the  drain.  Occasionally,  when  nearly  ex- 
hausted, it  could  be  easily  and  thoroughly  cleaned 
and  rinsed  out,  the  sediment  and  dirty  water  es- 
caping by  the  drain.  The  bottom  of  the  lower 
cistern  should  also  be  concave,  and  at  intervals 
the  pipe  between  the  two  cisterns  should  be 
closed,  to  allow  the  lower  one  to  become  ex- 
hausted in  order  to  cleanse  that  also. 

The  upper  cistern  should  be  covered  by  a  brick 
arch,  or  by  matched  pine  plank,  mrade  perfectly 
tight.  Othetwise  the  evaporation  from  such  a 
body  of  water  will  be  injurious  to  both  structure 
and  inmates. 

The  device  of  making  a  filter  by  a  brick  parti- 
tion, or  wall  in  the  cistern,  drawing  the  water 
from  the  side  opposite  the  ingress  pipe,  is  quite 
effectual  for  a  time.  A  little  reflection,  however, 
will  show  that  the  sediment  taken  from  the  wa- 
ter remains ;  either  in  the  pores  of  the  brick,  or 
in  the  form  of  a  coating  on  the  surface ;  and 
that,  after  a  time,  it  will  vitiate  its  purpose, 
and  become  comparatively  inoperative  and  use- 
less. 

The  objection  to  my  filtering  system  is  the  in- 
creased expense ;  and  those  parties  obliged  to 
depend  upon  a  rain  water  supply,  and  who,  from 
necessity  or  choice,  prefer  the  cheapest  article, 
when  first  cost  alone  is  considered,  will  not  adopt 
it;  but  in  many  places  in  the  country,  where 
persons  want  permanently  pure  water,  even  if 
obtained  at  a  greater  expense,  I  think  no  better 
arrangement  has  been  devised. 

The  principal  value  of  a  filter  depends  upon 
keeping  it  clean  ;  and  to  continue  to  use  water, 
month  after  month,  after  the  filtering  materials 
have  become  foul,  is  not  consistent  with  our 
ideas  of  cleanliness,  and  is  positively  injurious. 
The  cistern  from  which  the  water  is  used  be- 
ing at  a  distance  below  the  cellar  bottom,  the 
water  is  kept  sufficiently  cool,  even  in  hot  weath- 
er, to  be  very  palatable. 

Some  persons,  not  using  a  filter,  adopt  the 
expedient  of  having  two  cisterns  on  the  same 


each  alternately  as  the  other  becomes  exhausted. 
This  arrangement  is  a  great  improvement  upon 
a  single  cistern,  but  will  not  compare  with  two, 
arranged  as  described  above. 

The  cost  of  two  first  class  cisterns,  of  2,000 
gallons  capacity  each,  with  filter  constructed  in 
the  most  thorough  manner,  would,  in  most  lo- 
calities, be  less  than  the  cost  of  a  properly  con- 
structed well  forty  feet  in  depth. 

CLARET,  Ta  Distinguish  Genuine  from 
Imitation. —  It  is  well  known  that  by  far  the  ma- 
jority of  claret  consumed  in  this  country  has 
never  seen  France,  but  is  made  artificially  on 
this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  It  is  also  no  secret 
that  many  of  these  imitations  are  highly  delete- 
rious to  health.  Every  lover  of  the  genuine 
article  will  therefore  feel  indebted  to  Messrs. 
Cottini  &  Fantogini  for  their  simple  method  of 
distinguishing  iSe  two.  They  mix  fifty  cubic 
centimeters  of  ther  suspected  claret  with  6  cubic 
centimeters  of  nitric  acid  of  42°  Baumd,  (1.40 
spec,  gravity,)  and  heat  the  mixture,  to  9CH95'' 
Celsius,  or  nearly  the  boihng  point  of  water. 
If  the  claret  is  genuine,  it  will  not  change  its 
appearance  even  if  treated  for  an  hour,  while  the 
imitated  article  loses  its  color  in  about  five  min- 
utes. 

CLOCK,  To  Make  for  25  Cents.— Y\x%\.  you 
get  a  sheet  of  stout  mill-board,  such  as  is  used 
by  bookbinders.  This  will  cost  you  from  six  to 
ten  cents.  Get  size  twenty-seven  by  twenty-two 
inches.  Draw  two  lines  the  longest  way  equally 
distant  from  the  edge  and  each  other.  This  di- 
vides it  into-  three  parts  of  the  same  size.  Now 
from  the  top  measure  off  ten  inches  for  the  face, 
and  then  Avith  your  knife  partly  cut  the  board 
through  the  rest  of  the  lines  below  the  face,  and 
bend  them  back  and  glue  together  by  putting  a 
strip  of  cloth  over  the  edges  where  they  meet. 
Mark  out  the  £ice  of  your  clock,  and  make  a 
hole  for  the  hands.  Go  to  your  tinman,  and  he 
will  make  you  a  funnel-shaped  spout,  which  you 
must  glue  on  the  bottom.  Then  make  a  spool 
like  a  cone — running  to  a  point  on  one  end — 
and  eight  inches  across  on  the  other.  Wind  a 
string  on  this  cone,  commencing  at  the  large 
end,  and  winding  down  just  as  you  would  a  top. 
Tie  to  the  end  a  conical  ink  bottle  filled  with 
sand.  Make  some  wooden  hands,  and  put  them 
on  the  face.  Then  fill  your  box,  now  made,  with 
sand,  and  when  it  is  hung  up  the  sand  will  run 
out  slowly  at  the  bottom,  and  as  the  sand  goes 
out  the  weights  lower,  and  turn  the  wheel, 
which  makes  the  hands  go  around.  It  will  de- 
pend upon  the  size  of  the  hole  at  the  bottom 
as  to  how  fast  it  runs.  You  can  paint  it,  and 
make  it  quite  an  ornament  and  curiosity  in  your 
house. 

CLOTH  {^Black),  To  Clean. — Dissolve  one 
ounce  of  bicarbonate  of  ammonia  in  one  quart  of 
warm  water.  With  this  liquid  rub  the  cloth, 
using  a  piece  of  flannel  or  black  cloth  for  the 
purpose.  After  the  application  of  this  solution, 
clean  the  cloth  well  with  clear  water,  dry  and 
iron  it,  brushing  the  cloth  from  time  to  time  in 
the  direction  of  the  fiber. 

CLOTH  {Enameled),  To  Make.— The  found- 
ation  of  the  article  is  cotton  cloth  of  the  best 
quality,  made  expressly  for  this  manufacture. 
It  varies  in  texture  and  width  according  to  the 
kind  of  goods  for  which  it  is  intended.  The  cloth 
is  taken  from  the  bale  and  wound  upon  a  large 


level,  both  connected  with  the  pump,  using  from  I  iron  cylinder,  and  looks  in  that  position  ver]^ 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


459 


much  like  the  huge  rolls  of  home-made  cloth. 
It  is  now  ready  to  receive  its  first  coat;  so  it  is 
slowly  passed  through  the  machine,  across  and 
between  the  huge  iron  cylinders,  from  the  smaller 
of  which,  at  the  top,  it  receives  its  first  coating 
of  composition — a  black,  disagreeable-looking 
substance,  composed  of  oil,  lamp-black,  resin, 
and  other  ingredients,  boiled  together,  till  about 
the  consistency  of  melted  tar.  From  between 
the  cylinders,  dressed  in  its  black  coat,  the  cloth 
is  carried  to  and  wound  upon  a  huge  wooden- 
frame,  resembling  in  shape  the  old-fashioned 
reel.  By  an  arrangement  of  spokes  upon  the 
arms  of  this  huge  wheel,  each  layer  of  cloth  is 
kept  separate,  so  that  no  two  portions  of  the 
cloth  will  come  in  contact.  The  frame,  with  its 
contents  when  filled,  is  passed  into  what  is 
called  the  heater,  an  apartment  kept  at  a  high 
temperature,  for  the  purpose  of  drying  in  the 
coating  or  composition.  After  remaining  in  the 
heater  a  sufficient  length  of  time  to  complete  the 
drying  process,  it  is  removed  and  passed  through 
the  hands  of  workmen  who  make  all  the  rough 
places  smooth.  It  is  laid  on  long  tables,  and 
the  workmen  alternately  sprinkle  with  water  and 
rub  with  pumice-stone,  till  the  whole  surface  is 
made  perfectly  smooth.  The  cloth  is  then  wound 
upon  the  cylinder  again,  as  at  first,  and  passed 
through  the  machine  to  the  huge  reels,  and  again 
under  the  pumice-stone.  The  cloth  is  passed 
through  the  machine  five  times,  or  till  the  re- 
quired thickness  has  been  laid  on.  After  the 
last  scrubbing  down,  the  fabric  is  taken  to 
another  department,  thoroughly  varnished,  and 
again  passed  through  the  heater.  It  is  now 
represented  as  a  piece  of  cotton-cloth,  with  a 
thick,  shining  coat  of  black,  very  much  resem- 
bling patent  leather.  But  it  has  not  yet  received 
its  leather  finish;  so  in  another  apartment  it  is 
passed  through  the  enamel-machine,  which  con- 
sists of  another  set  of  huge  rollers,  one  of  which 
covers  its  surface  with  regular  indentations  re- 
sembling the  grain  of  a  feather.  The  cloth  is 
now  carefully  measured,  and  rolled  up  in  pack- 
ages of  suitable  size,  put  up  in  boxes,  and  is  ready 
for  the  market. 

CO  A  CHMAKERS,  iTiw/j-/^.— A  correspond- 
ent of  the  Coachmakers' Journal  says:  In  plug- 
ging screw  holes  we  glue  the  edge  of  the 
plug ;  put  no  glue  in  the  hole.  By  this  means, 
the  surplus  glue  is  left  on  the  surface,  and  if  the 
plug  does  not  hit  the  screw  it  will  seldom  show. 
vVe  set  the  heads  of  brads  well  in,  then  pass  a 
sponge  of  hot  water  over  them,  filling  the  holes 
■with  hot  water.  This  brings  the  wood  more  to  its 
natural  position,  and  closes,  by  degrees,  over  the 
head  of  the  brad.  When  dry,  sandpaper  off  and 
paint,  and  the  putty  will  not  hit  the  head  of  the 
brad ;  if  it  does,  it  will  surely  show  bad.  The 
brad  must  have  a  chance  to  expand  when  exposed 
to  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  not  hit  the  putty;  if  it 
does  it  will  force  the  putty  out.  We  have  had 
no  trouble  with  brad  heads  or  plugs  since  we 
adopted  this  practice. 

COAL,  Effect  of  Exposure  on. — Coal  deteri- 
orates rapidly  from  exposure  to  the  weather.  Ac- 
cording to  scientific  experiments,  coal  exposed 
to  the  weather  in  heaps  during  a  period  of  nine 
months  loses  fifty  per  cent,  of  its  value  as  fuel. 
It  undergoes  a  process  of  slow  combustion,  taking 
up  oxygen  and  giving  off  the  volatile  products  of 
oxidation — air  and  moisture  playing  the  principal 
part,  and  warmth  promoting  it;   the  valuable 


combustible  ingredients  are  lost,  and  the  injurious 
ones,  as  sulphur,  oxygen  and  ash,  are  relatively 
increased.  Neither  wood  nor  coal  can  bear  long 
exposure  to  the  elements  without  losing  a  large 
share  of  its  value  for  fuel. 

COAL  FLRE,  To  Maie.— The  art  of  mak- 
ing and  mamtaining  a  coal  fire  properly  is  pos- 
sessed by  but  few.  We  believe  that  there  would 
be  a  sensible  diminution  in  the  number  of  do- 
mestic quarrels  and  soured  tempers,  if  a  knowl- 
edge of  it  were  more  general.  Husbands  would 
not  have  to  growl  and  scold  over  so  many  late 
dinners,  nor  wives  fret  themselves  to  skin  and 
bone  over  obstinate  fires  that  will  neither  bake, 
roast  nor  boil. 

There  are  many  faults  in  the  usual  construction 
of  a  coal  fire.  A  common  fault  is  to  use  too 
coarse  wood  for  kindling,  and  too  much  of  it. 
This,  while  it'  generally  succeeds  in  lighting  the 
coal,  leaves  a  bed  of  ashes  below  the  coal  which 
interferes  with  the  draft,  unless  raked  out.  The 
wood  should  be  of  some  rapidly  burning  variety, 
which  gives  a  quick  and  high  heat,  and  should 
be  split  fine.  It  should  be  so  placed  that  the 
coal  will  remain  on  the  top  of  it,  and  not  fall 
through  to  the  grate,  leaving  the  kindling  on  the 
top  of  any  part  of  the  coal. 

A  common  mistake  is  to  use  too  large  sized 
coal.  A  good  rule,  where  stoves  or  furnaces 
have  a  good  draft,  is  to  use  coal  as  small  as  can 
be  used  without  inconvenience  from  its  sifting 
too  freely  through  the  grate. 

Grates  should  have  their  bars  closely  set,  for 
stoves  that  are  cleaned  out  daily,  and  have  fires 
lighted  in  them  each  morning,  while  those  which 
are  intended  to  have  fire  kept  in  them  continu- ; 
ously  for  days  and  weeks  will  not  admit  of  fine 
grates,  on  account  of  the  accumulation  of  ashes 
and  small  clinkers. 

There  is  much  difference  in  coal  in  regard  to 
the  formation  of  clinkers.  These  are  nothing 
but  vitrified  or  partially  vitrified  earthy  matters, 
and  only  can  form  when  a  high  heat  is  maintain- 
ed ;  they  are  apt  to  be  troublesome  when  there 
is  too  great  draft.  A  coal-stove  or  furnace 
should,  therefore,  be  so  constructed  that  its 
draft  can  be  perfectly  controlled.  The  bottom 
draft  should  admit  of  being  closed  air-tight,  as 
nearly  as  is  possible  to  make  it,  and  there  ought 
always  to  be  provision  made  for  a  top  draft. 

If,  however,  the  draft  of  a  chimney  should  be 
so  strong  that  air  in  too  great  quantities  is  drawn 
in  at  the  bottom  when  the  dampers  are  closed, 
a  damper  in  the  pipe,  which  will  close  it  partially, 
must  be  employed,  though  in  sluggish  chimneys 
such  a  damper  is  apt  to  force  the  gases  of  com- 
bustion into  the  room,  and'  therefore  it  ought  al- 
ways to  be  avoided  when  possible. 

The  practice  of  putting  ashes  on  the  top  of  a 
fire  to  keep  it,  is  very  productive  of  clinkers, 
although  it  answers  very  well  in  other  respects. 
Damp  coal  screenings  are  better,  and  may  be 
economically  burned  in  this  manner.  If  a  coal 
fire  gets  very  low,  the  quickest  way  to  extinguish 
it  is  to  rake  it  at  the  bottom.  To  preserve  a  fire 
under  such  circumstances,  a  little  coal  should  ^ 
be  placed  on  the  fire,  and  when  it  has  caught 
more  may  be  added,  and  the  raking  deferred 
until  it  has  got  well  ignited. 

When  the  fire-bricks  have  become  burdened 
with  clinkers  which  have  fused  and  adhered,  they 
may  be  cleaned  by  throwing  oyster  or  clam 
shells  into  the  fire-box  when  the  fire  is  very  hot. 


460 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


and  allowing  the  fire  to  go  out.  The  clinkers 
will  generally  cleave  off  without  the  use  of  much 
force  the  next  morning.  From  two  quarts  to 
half  a  peck  will  be  sufficient  for  most  stoves,  and 
the  operation  can  be  repeated  if  some  of  the 
clinkers  still  adhere. 

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copyright  is  desired,  must  be  sent  by  mail,  ad- 
dressed 

LIBRARIAN  OF  CONGRESS, 

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LIBRARIAN  OF  CONGRESS, 

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formal  application  is  required. 

CORAL,  Artificial. — Yellow  resin,  4  parts; 
vermilion,  i  part.  Melt.  This  gives  a  very 
pretty  effect  to  glass,  twigs,  cinders,  stones,  etc., 
dipped  into  it.  It  is  also  useful  for  a  cement  for 
ladies'  fancy  work,  such  as  grottoes,  etc. 

CORAL  BASKETS,  To  Itnitate. —  M&Va 
the  basket  of  pasteboard  in  any  shape  you  please; 
dissolve  three  sticks  of  sealing-wax  in  a  pint  of 
alcohol ;  wet  the  basket  with  this  mixture,  and 
sprinkle  on  rice  which  has  been  about  half 
ground ;  let  it  dry,  and  repeat  the  process  until 
the  pasteboard  is  covered,  after  which  paint  it 
with  the  mixture  until  it  is  red  enough.  A  brush 
of  hair  or  feathers  should  be  used. 

COTTON,  To  Detect  in  Linen  Fabrics. — 
A  German  Professor  has  discovered  the  means, 
by  the  aid  of  chemistry,  of  recognizing  the  pres- 
ence of  cotton  in  linen  fabrics.  He  takes  a  piece 
of  the  suspected  cloth,  about  two  inches  by  three- 
fourths  of  an  inch,  and,  after  having  unraveled 
both  weft  and  warp,  plunges  it  in  an  alcoholic 
solution  of  aniline  and  fuchsine.  The  superflu- 
ous coloring  matter  is  removed  by  washing  th** 
cloth  thus  dyed  several  times  in  water.  If,  whiie. 
it  is  still  wet,  it  be  placed  in  a  saucer  containing^ 
ammonia,  the  cotton  fibres  will  immediately  be- 
come discolored,  while  those  of  linen  will  pre- 
serve a  fine  red  color. 


3IISCELLANE0  US. 


461 


COUGH,  Lemon/or. — Roast  the  lemon  very 
carefully  without  burning  it;  when  it  is  thor- 
oughly hot,  cut  and  squeeze  into  a  cup  upon  3 
ounces  of  sugar,  finely  powdered.  Take  a  spoon- 
ful whenever  your  cough  troubles  you.  It  is 
good  and  agreeable  to  the  taste.  Rarely  has  it 
been  known  to  fail  of  giving  relief. 

COUNTERFEIT  MONEY,  Rules  for 
Detecting. — I.  Examine  the  form  and  features 
of  all  human  figures  on  the  notes.  If  the  forms 
are  graceful  and  features  distinct,  examine  the 
drapery — see  if  the  folds  lie  natural;  and  the 
hair  of  the  head  should  be  observed,  and  see  if 
the  fine  strands  can  be  seen, 

2. — Examine  the  lettering,  the  title  of  the 
bank,  or  the  round  handwriting  on  the  face  of 
the  note.  On  all  genuine  bills,  the  work  is  done 
with  great  skill  and  perfectness,  and  there  has 
never  been  a  counterfeit  but  was  defective  in  the 
lettering.  .: 

3. — The  imprint,  or  engraver's  name.  By 
observing  the  great  perfection  of  the  different 
company  names — in  the  evenness  and  shape  of 
the  fine  letters,  counterfeiters  never  get  the  im- 
print perfect.  This  rule  alone,  if  strictly  observ- 
ed, will  detect  every  counterfeit  note  in  exist- 
ence. 

4. — ^The  shading  in  the  back- ground  of  the 
vignette,  or  over  or  around  the  letters  forming 
the  name  of  the  bank,  on  a  good  bill  is  even 
and  perfect,  on  a  counterfeit  is  irregular  and 
imperfect. 

5. — Examine  well  the  figures  on  the  other 
parts  of  the  note,  containing  the  denomination, 
also  the  letters.  Examine  well  the  die  work 
around  the  figufes  which  stand  for  the  denomin- 
ation, to  see  if  it  is  of  the  same  character  as  that 
which  forms  the  ornamental  work  surround- 
ing it. 

6. — Never  take  a  bill  that  is  deficient  in  any 
of  the  above  points,  and  if  your  impression  is 
bad  when  you  first  see  it,  you  had  better  be 
careful  how  you  become  convinced  to  change 
your  mind — whether  your  opinion  is  not  altered 
as  you  become  confused  in  looking  into  the 
texture  of  the  workmanship  of  the  bill. 

7- — Examine  the  name  of  the  State,  name  of 
the  bank,  and  name  of  the  town  where  it  is 
located.  If  it  has  been  altered  from  a  broken 
bank,  the  defects  can  plainly  be  seen,  as  the 
alteration  will  show  that  it  has  been  stamped  on. 

COURT  PLASTER,  Substitute  for.— Take 
half  a  dozen  pigs'  feet,  well  cleaned  for  cooking, 
and  boil  to  a  jelly  of  say  about  half  a  pint  or 
less — then  spread  with  a  brush  on  any  waste 
scraps  of  silk,  and  we  find  it  equal  to  any  ad- 
hesive plaster  we  have  ever  used.  Any  fatty 
substance  in  the  boiling  of  the  feet  rises  to  the 
surface,  and  when  cold  can  easily  be  removed. 
One  of  its  chief  excellencies  is,  that  it  costs 
nothing  but  the  trouble  of  preparing. 

CRAYONS.— I.  Shell  lac,  6  parts;  spirit,  4 
parts;  turpentine,  2  parts;  color,  12  parts; 
pale  clay,  12  parts.  Mix. — 2,  Pipe-clay,  color 
as  required,  water  to  mix.  Form  into  a  stiff 
paste  and  roll  it  into  crayons, 

CRA  YON^S,  Lithographic— 1.  Take  white 
wax,  4  parts;  gum  lac,  2  parts.  Melt  over  a 
gentle  fire,  then  add  dry  tallow  soap  in  shavings, 
2  parts.  Stir  until  dissolved.  Next  add  white 
tallow,  2  parts;  copal  varnish,  I  part;  lamp- 
black, I  part.  Mix  well,  and  continue  the  heat 
and  stirring  until,  on  trial  by  cooling  a  little,  it 


appears  of  a  proper  quality,  which  should  be 
that  it  will  bear  cutting  to  a  fine  point,  and  trace 
delicate  lines  without  breaking. — 2.  Take  dry 
white  tallow  soap,  6  parts;  white  wax,  6 parts; 
lampblack,  I  part.  Fuse  in  a  covered  vessel. — 
3.  Take  lampblack,  l  part;  tallow  soap,  2  parts ; 
shell  lac,  2  parts ;  wax,  4  parts.  Mix,  with  heat, 
and  mold, — ^4.  Take  dried  tallow  soap,  5  parts; 
wax,  4  parts ;  lampblack,  i  part.    Mix  as  before. 

CRA  YON  COLORS,  To  Fix.— Taste  your 
paper  on  canvas,  in  a  frame,  in  the  usual  way, 
then  brush  over  the  back  two  or  three  times 
with  the  following  mixture,  and  when  the  last 
coat  is  dry  give  the  face  of  the  picture  one  or  two 
coats  in  the  same  way.  This  will  make  it  re- 
semble an  oil  painting.  Spirits  of  turpentine, 
10  parts;  boiled  oil,  6  parts.     Mix, 

CRUCIBLES. — The  best  crucibles  are  made 
from  a  pure  fire-clay,  mixed  with  finely  ground 
cement  of  old  crucibles,  and  a  portion  of  black 
lead,  or  graphite  ;  some  pounded  coke  may  be 
mixed  with  the  plumbago.  The  clay  should  be 
prepared  in  a  similar  way  as  for  making  pottery 
ware ;  the  vessels,  after  being  formed,  must  be 
slowly  dried,  and  then  properly  baked  in  the 
kiln.  Black-lead  crucibles  are  made  of  2  parts 
graphite,  and  i  of  fire-clay,  mixed  with  water 
into  a  paste,  pressed  in  molds,  and  well  dried, 
but  not  baked  hard  in  the  kiln.  This  compound 
forms  excellent  small  or  portable  furnaces. 

DARM  PLACE,  To  Illuminate. —  '^y  the 
use  of  a  mirror  to  throw  a  reflection  of  the  sun's 
rays  down  a  deep,  dark  well,  the  bottom  is 
clearly  seen,  and  a  lost  bucket  or  other  object 
hooked  tip.  The  same  means  may  be  applied 
to  light  a  dark  garret,  cellar  or  closet.  If  there 
are  obstacles  preventing  success  with  one  glass, 
fake  two  glasses,  one  to  receive  the  direct  rays 
of  the  sun  and  the  other  the  reflected  rays  from 
the  mirror. 

DEAD  ANIMALS,  To  Preserve  in  Water 
Containing  Creosote. — In  order  to  preserve  dead 
animals,  nothing  is  necessary  but  to  put  them 
in  creosote  water  prepared  by  shaking  coal-tar 
creosote  with  water.  According  to  the  size  of 
the  animal  the  immersion  should  continue  one 
to  several  weeks.  In  very  large  animals  it  is 
better  to  open  the  skin  by  a  cut,  which  is  not 
necessary  in  birds,  fishes,  or  reptiles  ;  they  are 
then  dried  in  the  open  air,  and  a  position  given 
to  them,  such  as  they  are  wanted  to  assume. 
As  the  bodies  remain  elastic  after  drying,  they 
may  be  packed  without  much  precaution.  This 
process  is  especially  applicable  to  the  above 
named  three  classes  of  animals,  as  the  feathers 
of  birds  retain  their  color,  fishes  and  reptiles 
their  shape  and  color  also.  This  is  a  valuable 
hint  to  travelers  and  naturalists,  as  the  creosote 
water  may  be  prepared  when  and  wherever 
wanted,  and  the  animals  after  drying  may  be 
packed  in  boxes  like  minerals, 

DOG  SKIN,  To  Tan  7uith  Hair  ^«.— Pro- 
cure a  cask,  or  barrel,  holding  from  fifteen  to 
eighteen  gallons,  in  which  make  a  liquor  of  six 
gallons  of  water,  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  alum, 
five  pounds  of  salt ;  in  this,  soak  the  skin  about 
ten  hours,  or  until  it  is  in  its  original  condition. 
Then  place  the  skin  on  a  board  and  carefully 
remove  all  the  flesh  and  grease,  finishing  by 
scraping  with  a  dull  knife  and  rubbing  with  sand 
paper,  or  better,  pumice  stone.  Add  to  the 
alum  and  salt  liquor  six  gallons  of  sour  oak  or 
hemlock  liquor,  which  can  be  procured  of  any 


462 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


tanner  (or  leached  from  pulverized  bark),  in 
which  again  place  the  skin.  It  will  tan  in 
about  two  weeks,  becoming  as  soft  and  pliable 
as  cloth. 

DOOR  PLATES  {Silver),    To  Clean.— To 

■  clean  silver  door  plates,  use  a  weak  solution  of 

ammonia  in  water,  applied  with  a  wet  rag.  This 

wash  is  equally  useful  for  silver  plate  and  jewelry. 

DROWNED  PERSON,  To  Raise  the  Body 
of. — In  a  recent  failure  to  recover  a  body  drown- 
ed in  a  river  in  New-Jersey,  a  French  Canadian 
undertook  the  job,  and  is  reported  to  have  pro- 
ceeded after  the  following  scientific  manner. 
Having  supplied  himself  with  some  glass  gallon 
jars  and  a  quantity  of  unslaked  lime,  he  went  in 
a  boat  to  the  place  where  the  man  was  seen  to 
go  down.  One  of  the  jars  was  filled  half  full  of 
lime,  then  filled  up  with  water  and  tightly  corked. 
It  was  then  dropped  into  the  water,  and  soon 
after  exploded  at  the  bottom  of  the  river  with  a 
loud  report.  After  the  third  trial,  each  time  in  a 
different  place,  the  body  arose  to  the  surface 
and  was  secured, 

DWELLINGS,  Damp.— li  is  obvious  that, 
as  all  external  walls  are  exposed  to  more  or  less 
wet  weather,  our  efforts  will  be  most  usefully 
directed  to  preventing  the  moisture  from  entering 
at  the  outer  face  of  the  wall ;  or,  if  we  can  not 
prevent  its  penetrating  the  surface,  then  we  must 
apply  ourselves  to  hindering  its  passage  quite 
through  the  wall. 

The  use  of  materials  which  have  a  very  hard 
face,  such  as  the  best  sorts  of  building- stones 
and  bricks,  especially  machine-made  bricks,  will, 
if  the  joints  of^the  work  are  well  "pointed,"  that 
is,  filled  with  mortar,  keep  out  moisture  effectu- 
ally; but  when  bricks  of  a  porous  quality  are  of 
necessity  used,  it  is  often  the  best  safeguard  to 
"render"  the  walls  with  Portland  cement.  It  is 
important  to  notice  that  not  only  the  face  but  the 
top  of  every  wall  must  be  protected.  It  is  to 
keep  the  wet  from  soaking  into  the  body  of  the 
wall,  that  every  window  has  a  sill  of  hard  stone 
or  some  other  impervious  material,  and  that  all 
parapets  or  other  unprotected  w&lls  require  a 
coping. 

With  materials  that  are  not  naturally  imper- 
vious, many  attempts  have  been  made  to  arrive 
at  some  mode  of  rendering  them  so.  Perhaps  oil, 
when  applied  thoroughly  and  in  dry  weather, 
may  be  said  to  be  as  yet  the  only  application 
which  extensive  experience  has  pronounced  suc- 
cessful, though  a  wash  of  soap  and  alum  has  been 
frequently  found  useful. 

If  the  surface  is  once  passed,  the  thicker  the 
wall,  the  longer  it  is  in  being  thoroughly  soaked, 
and  the  less  wet  will  penetrate  it  from  short 
rains;  but  almost  the  thickest  solid  wall  will 
sooner  or  later  give  passage  to  continuous  moist- 
ure if  its  outer  face  be  once  penetrated;  and 
experience  has  constantly  shown  that  a  hollow 
wall  is  drier  than  a  solid  wall  of  the  same  thick- 
ness. When  building  in  stone,  it  is  especially 
desirable  to  have  an  inner  lining  of  brick,  with 
a  clear  space  of  from  two  to  four  inches  between 
it  and  the  wall,  and  as  few  solid  points  of  contact 
between  the  two  as  possible. 

In  some  cases,  contact  between  the  outer  and 
inner  wall  can  be  almost  entirely  prevented  by 
connecting  them  together  with  iron  cramps. 
WHien  this  is  not  done,  the  greatest  care  must 
be  taken  to  reduce  the  points  of  connection  to 
a  minimum,  to  employ  hard  materials  at  those 


points,  and  even  to  break  the  continuity  of  the 
communication  by  leaving  those  bricks  which 
are  used  as  ties  clear  at  both  ends.  It  is  almost 
needless  to  add  that  the  cavity  must  be  kept 
clear  of  mortar  and  rubbish.  A  less  perfect  mode 
of  preventing  annoyance  from  damp  than  by 
building  hollow  walls,  but  a  favorite  expedient, 
is  to  "batten"  the  inner  face  of  the  wall;  that  is 
to  say,  to  place  strips  of  wood  against  it,  cover 
them  with  laths,  and  plaster  on  the  lathing.  By 
this  means,  the  inner  face  next  the  room  is  usu- 
ally preserved  from  the  actual  appearance  of  moist- 
ure ;  but  as  it  is  possible  that  the  whole  wall 
behind  the  battening,  if  solid,  may  be  moist  all 
the  time,  this  is  an  inferior  method  to  the  hollow 
wall.  For  very  exposed  situations,  or  very  po- 
rous materials,  a  combination  of  the  two,  that  is, 
a  hollow  wall,  battened  in  addition,  is  to  be  re- 
commended. 

Where  moisture  is  at  all  likely  to  enter  from 
the  ground  on  which  a  house  stands,  it  is  most 
desirable  to  cut  off  the  foot  of  the  wall  from  all 
communication  with  the  upper  part  by  a  "damp 
course,"  composed  either  of  slate  laid  in  cement, 
or  of  some  sort  of  asphalt  or  coal-tar,  or  of  vitri- 
fied tiles  made  for  the  purpose ;  and  this  should 
go  quite  through  the  external  walls,  (in  damp 
soils  it  should  be  used  also  in  internal  walls, ) 
below  the  level  of  the  lowest  floor.  Where  earth 
comes  against  the  walls  to  any  extent,  it  is  de- 
sirable to  have  either  an  open  area,  or  what  is 
called  a  "dry  area,"  to  prevent  its  actually 
touching  the  walls ;  and  in  wet  soils  an  inter- 
cepting drain  outside  that  area  will  also  be  of 
service. 

In  good  buildings,  it  is  often  customary  to 
cover  the  whole  surface  of  the  earth  under  all 
floors  with  a  layer  of  concrete  or  asphalt,  or  some 
other  hard  body ;  and  this,  no  doubt,  promotes 
the  dryness  of  the  building  to  a  great  extent. 
Solid  floors,  that  is,  floors  of  stone,  tile,  or  brick, 
should  always  be  laid  on  a  pretty  thick  layer  of 
concrete  or  dry  rubbish,  not  direct  on  the  earth. 

Forming  a  dry  area  around  the  walls  is  fre- 
quently a  serviceable  remedy  where  the  lower 
part  of  a  house  is  damp,  and  draining  the  site  is 
often  of  very  great  service.  So,  in  many  cases, 
is  the  taking  up  the  lowest  floor,  removing  a  foot 
or  two  of  earth,  covering  the  fresh  surface  with 
concrete,  and  relaying  the  floor,  leaving  good 
ventilating  channels  for  the  air  space  so  formed. 

A  very  fertile  source  of  dampness  is  "drip." 
Even  the  small  amount  of  rain-water  falling  on 
a  window,  and  which,  after  draining  down,  final- 
ly drips  from  the  window-sill,  has  a  great  ten- 
dency to  render  the  wall  immediately  below  that 
sill  damp;  for  whenever  the  wind  blo%vs  toward 
the  wall,  every  drop  is  likely  to  be  blown  against 
its  surface.  This,  by  the  by,  shows  the  folly  of 
our  making  the  wall  immediately  under  window- 
sills  thinner  than  elsewhere,  which  it  is  custom- 
ary to  do  for  convenience'  sake. 

The  drip  from  a  roof  not  furnished  with  a  gut- 
ter, or  from  a  veranda  that  is  too  shallow,  or, 
worst  of  all,  from  a  defective  rain-water  pipe,  is, 
however,  larger  in  quantity,  and  more  exposed 
to  wind  than  that  from  a  simple  window-sill ; 
and  this  source  of  dampness  often  remains  for  a 
long  time  undetected,  as  the  place  where  the 
water  falls  against  the  wall  will  often  be  distant 
from  that  where  it  escapes. 

As  a  general  rule,  it  may  be  laid  down  that 
there  is  no  auxiliary  so  powerful  in  diminishing 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


463 


the  amount  of  such  moisture  as  can  not  be  actu- 
ally shut  out  from  any  part  of  a  building,  as  a 
free  circulation  of  air.  Let,  therefore,  openings 
communicating  with  the  cavities  and  vacant  spa- 
ces of  a  house  be  freely  provided.  The  hollow 
space  in  a  roof,  the  space  between  floor  and  ceil- 
ing, and  the  hollow  under  a  floor,  should  all  en- 
joy a  free  circulation  of  air.  It  is  even  desirable, 
in  building  hollow  walls,  to  attempt  to  promote 
a  circulation  of  air  in  the  cavity,  and  in  all  these 
cases  it  should  be  remembered  that  two  openings 
are  requisite  to  each  hollow,  in  order  to  give 
much  hope  of  a  current  or  change  of  air.  Where 
there  is  no  ventilation  under  the  lowest  floor  of 
a  house,  the  joists  and  timbers  will  soon  begin 
to  decay.  This  may  be  accelerated  by  covering 
the  floor  with  oil-cloth,  or  kamptulicon,  or  simi- 
lar non-porous  coverings.  Ivy  or  creepers  against 
external  walls,  and  even  trees  growing  close  to 
them,  tend  to  promote  moisture  by  cutting  off 
the  circulation  of  air. 

The  failure  of  any  portion  of  the  arrangements 
for  water  supply  or  drainage  will  be  pretty  sure 
to  lead  to  damp.  As  general  rules,  no  drain 
should  ever  be  permitted  to  pass  under  any  part 
of  a  dwelling  house ;  and  when  this  can  not  be 
prevented,  the  drain  should  be  so  laid,  without 
being  covered  up  with  earth,  that  every  part  of 
it  which  is  under  the  floor  of  the  house  can  be 
reached  at  once.  The  water  pipes,  on  the  other 
hand,  should  be  kept  well  within  the  house  for 
•warmth's  sake,  and  where  they  leave  it,  should 
be  at  a  level  of  not  less  than  three  feet,  at  the 
least,  below  the  surface,  for  protection  against 
frost.  When  practicable,  water  pipes  should  be 
left  where  they  can  be  seen  and  got  at.  Iron 
is  preferable  to  lead  for  their  material,  and  the 
arrangements  should  always  include  the  means  of 
shutting  off  water  supphes  in  very  frosty  weather. 

It  is  wise  to  try  to  select  a  wet  day  for  looking 
over  a  house,  for  if  the  day  be  fine,  and  the 
weather  dry,  damp  spots  as  well  as  many  other 
defects  may  be  easily  overlooked.  Let  the  in- 
tending tenant  look  for  the  existence  of  damp 
courses,  dry  areas,  and  ventilation  under  floors ; 
let  him  avoid  a  ground  floor  that  is  not  a  little 
raised  above  the  earth  outside,  unless  he  is  sure 
there  is  a  good  cavity  under  it  well  ventilated. 

In  one  word,  in  choosing  a  house  in  which  a 
man  intends  himself  and  his  family  to  live,  and 
particularly  on  first  moving  into  a  new  built 
residence,  he  should  look  out  for  the  indications 
of  damp  as  pointing  out  the  presence  of  one  of 
the  most  serious  enemies  to  the  comfort,  if  not 
to  the  continuance,  of  their  life,  which  he  can 
have  to  encounter. 

EARTH  CLOSET,  77^^.— The  earth  closet 
is  the  invention  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Moule,  of 
Fordington  Vicarage,  Dorsetshire,  England. 

It  is  based  on  the  power  of  clay  and  the  de- 
composed organic  matter  found  in  the  soil  to 
absorb  and  retain  all  offensive  odors  and  all  fer- 
tilizing matters  ;  and  it  consists,  essentially,  of 
a  mechanical  contrivance  (attached  to  the  or- 
dinary seat)  for  measuring  out  and  discharging 
into  the  vault  or  pan  below  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  sifted  dry  earth  to  entirely  cover  the  solid 
ordure  and  to  absorb  the  urine. 

The  discharge  of  earth  is  effected  by  an  or- 
dinary pull-up  similar  to  that  used  in  the  water 
closet,  or  (in  the  self-acting  apparatus)  by  the 
rising  of  the  seat  when  the  weight  of  the  person 
is  removed. 


The  vault  or  pan  under  the  seat  is  so  arranged 
that  the  accumulation  may  be  removed  at  pleas- 
ure. 

From  the  moment  when  the  earth  is  discharged 
and  the  evacuation  is  covered,  all  offensive  ex- 
halation entirely  ceases.  Under  certain  circum- 
stances there  may  be  at  times  a  slight  odor  as  of 
guano  mixed  with  earth ;  but  this  is  so  trifling 
and  so  local  that  a  commode  arranged  on  this 
plan  may,  without  the  least  annoyance,  be  kept 
in  use  in  any  room. 

In  the  making  of  an  earth  closet  all  that  is 
necessary  is  to  have  a  supply  of  coarsely  sifted- • 
sun-dried  earth  with  which  to  cover  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel  to  be  used,  and  after  use  to  cover 
the  deposit.  A  small  box  of  earth  and  a  tin 
scoop  are  sufficient  to  prevent  the  gravest  annoy- 
ance of  the  sick-room.  But,  of  course,  for  con- 
stant use  it  is  desirable  to  have  a  more  convenient 
apparatus, — something  which  requires  less  care, 
and  is  less  troublesome  in  many  ways. 

To  this  end  the  patented  invention  of  Mr. 
Moule  is  applicable.  This  comprises  a  tight 
receptacle  under  the  seat,  a  reservoir  for  storing 
dry  earth,  and  an  apparatus  to  measure  out 
the  requisite  quantity  and  throw  it  upon  the 
deposit. 

Earth  alone  is  proved  to  be  the  best  deodorizer, 
and  far  superior  to  any  disinfectants;  but  where 
it  is  difficult  to  obtain  earth  abundantly,  sifted 
ashes  may  be  mixed  with  it  in  proportion  of  two 
of  earth  to  one  of  ashes. 

As  the  first  requirement  is  dry  earth  sifted,  and 
as  this  is  usually  thought  to  be  a  great  difficulty 
in  the  way  of  the  adoption  of  the  dry  earth  system, 
the  following  remarks  will  at  once  remove  such 
an  impression : — 

The  earth  commode  and  closet,  if  used  by  six 
persons  daily,  will  require  on  an  average  about 
one  hundred-weight  of  earth  per  week.  This 
may  be  dried  for  family  use  in  a  drawer  made  to 
fit  under  the  kitchen  range,  and  which  may  be 
filled  with  earth  one  morning  and  left  until  the 
next.  The  drawer  should  reach  to  within  two 
inches  of  the  bottom  bar  of  the  grate.  A  frame 
with  a  handle,  covered  with  fine  wire  netting, 
forming  a  kind  of  shovel,  should  be  placed  on 
this  drawer ;  the  finer  ashes  will  fall  through, 
mixing  with  the  earth,  whilst  the  cinders  will 
remain  on  the  top,  to  be  from  time  to  time 
thrown  on  the  fire. 

The  earth  used  in  the  earth  closet  must  be  dry 
— as  dry  as  it  is  possible  to  keep  it  by  protection 
from  rain,  dew,  and  mist.  However  dry  it  may 
be  made  by  artificial  means,  it  will  absorb  the 
hygrometric  moisture  of  the  atmosphere,  which 
could  be  excluded  only  by  hermetical  sealing. 
This  amount  of  moisture,  which  is  not  perceptible 
to  the  sight  or  touch,  in  no  way  interferes  with 
its  efficiency.  But  it  must  be  air-dry,  or  it  will 
not  fully  accomplish  its  purpose. 

The  best  and  cheapest  drying  apparatus  is  the 
sun  and  wind  of  a  summer  day.  During  a 
drought  the  parched  surface  of  naked  land  is  in 
precisely  the  condition  needed  for  use,  and  a 
year's  supply  may  then  be  taken  into  a  close 
out-building  or  a  dry  cellar,  and  stored  until 
wanted. 

Those  who  have  not  made,  or  cannot  make, 
this  pro%-ision,  may  store  damp  earth  in  a  well- 
ventilated  place,  from  which  mists  can  be  ex- 
cluded, and  in  a  longer  qf  shorter  time,  according 
to  the  climate,  it  wiU  become  dry— just  as  bread 


464 


DICTIONARY   OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


so  kept  would  do.  The  writer  has  had  a  com- 
mode in  constant  use  for  nine  months,  and  nearly 
all  of  his  winter's  supply  of  earth  has  been  dried 
and  re-dried  in  a  hogshead  lying  on  its  side,  its 
open  end — facing  the  south  —  being  protected 
from  rain  and  mist  by  a  close  screen  of  rough 
boards  leaning  against  it.  The  sun  had  very 
little  chance  at  it,  but  the  wind  had,  and  the 
drying  has  been  sufficiently  rapid  for  such  a  limi- 
ted supply  as  is  needed  for  one  commode. 

At  the  experimental  station  of  the  United 
States  Engineers  (at  Fort  Adams)  there  is  in  use 
a  sort  of  hot-bed,  raised  a  little  from  the  ground 
with  a  board  floor,  and  provided  with  movable 
sashes  battened  at  the  joints.  The  earth  is 
thrown  loosely  in  to  a  depth  of  about  six  inches, 
and  whenever  a  drying  wind  blows,  the  sashes 
are  raised  at  both  ends.  In  damp  weather  they 
are  kept  close,  and  when  the  sun  shines,  without 
there  being  much  wind,  they  are  raised  at  the 
back  only  enough  to  allow  the  escape  of  the 
moisture  evaporated.  This  plan  is  cheap,  simple, 
and  perfectly  effective. 

To  dry  the  earth  in  a  more  systematic  way, 
especially  for  the  supply  of  towns  or  large  fac- 
tories, it  will  be  necessary,  particularly  in  win- 
ter, to  employ  the  aid  of  fire  heat.  The  scale 
on  which  this  is  to  be  done  must  determine  the 
extent  of  the  appliances  for  the  purpose.  Earth 
enough  for  the  use  of  a  family  may  be  dried  in 
a  shallow  box  near  the  furnace,  or  the  kitchen 
stove  or  range.  For  the  supply  of  larger  estab- 
lishments or  for  towns,  when  the  requisite  quan- 
tity of  earth  has  not  been  stored  in  the  summer, 
it  will  be  well  to  use  a  drying  apparatus  similar 
to  one  erected  for  the  supply  of  a  number  of 
closets  in  New  Haven. 

This  is  a  plate  yi  inch  boiler  iron — condemned 
f  for  other  use — set  on  brick  walls  high  enough  to 
'  allow  a  small  stove  to  be  placed  under  it,  the 
pipe  or  flue  running  from  the  stove,  which  is  in 
the  front  of  the  space,  to  an  opening  at  the  rear. 
The  earth  is  spread  upon  the  plate  a  few  inches 
deep,  and  is  very  rapidly  made  ready  for  use. 

In  the  country,  where  earth  is  plenty,  and 
where  there  is  use  on  the  farm  or  in  the  garden 
for  the  manure,  it  will  be  best  to  compost  the 
accumulation  of  the  closet  until  required  for  use, 
and  to  supply  the  closet  with  fresh  earth;  not 
■  because  it  is  more  effective  than  that  which  has 
been  several  times  used,  but  because  it  is  better 
to  have  the  manure  as  bulky  as  possible  for  ease 
of  even  distribution.  But  in  towns,  and  in  all 
cases  in  which  the  manure  has  to  be  transported 
to  a  distance,  making  it  desirable  that  it  be  as 
concentrated  as  possible,  the  same  earth  should 
be  used  over  and  over  again.  It  has  been  dem- 
onstrated that  the  same  earth  may  be  used  six 
or  seven  times  over,  until  it  becomes  equal  to 
Peruvian  guano  in  richness,  w^ithout  losmg  its 
efficiency  as  a  deodorizer. 

Earth  owes  its  deodorizing  power  to  both  its 
clay  and  its  decomposed  organic  matter,  and — 
as  in  the  case  of  the  soil  of  an  old  garden  which 
has  been  heavily  manured  for  many  years — the 
manure  itself,  when  thoroughly  decomposed, 
only  adds  to  the  disinfecting  strength  of  the 
earth,  by  adding  to  its  humus.  In  fact,  instances 
are  cited  in  which  the  same  earth  has  passed  ten 
times  through  the  closet,  receiving  at  each  use 
an  addition  to  its  manurial  value.  Of  course  in 
time  the  limit  will  be  passed,  and  the  prepon- 
derance of  organic  matter  will  tell  on  the  effect, 


so  that  it  is  found  in  most  cases  that  more  than 
six  or  seven  uses  are  enough  to  reduce  the  de- 
odorizing effect. 

When  the  earth  is  removed  from  the  closet  or 
the  commode,  it  should  be  emptied  into  a  barrel, 
a  cask,  or  a  bin,  in  a  sheltered  but  well  venti- 
lated place.  Here  it  will  soon  so  far  decompose 
that  all  traces  of  paper  and  of  solid  fieces  will 
disappear,  and  it  will  be  to  a  considerable  extent 
dried.  It  should  now  be  worked  over  with  a 
shovel  or  a  rake  until  its  parts  are  perfectly 
mixed,  and  it  may  then  be  dried  by  natural  or 
artificial  means,  as  circumstances  suggest,  and 
prep.ired  for  another  use.  Until  the  decomposi- 
tion of  the  foreign  matters  has  become  complete, 
it  is  better  that  the  mass  be  kept  in  a  compact 
body ;  after  that,  the  more  it  can  be  spread  the 
more  rapidly  will  it  dry,  though  it  will  in  time 
become  dry  in  the  barrel  or  bin. 

In  the  case  of  fixed  closets  holding  a  three 
months'  supply,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  resort 
to  any  artificial  means  of  drying,  nor  even  to  any 
manipulation.  The  accumulation  in  the  vault 
or  box  must  be  leveled  off"  with  a  rake  from  time 
to  time,  and  this  will  sufficiently  mix  the  earth 
and  fiaeces. 

In  such  cases  it  would  be  the  best  arrange- 
ment to  have  two  bins,  equal  in  size  to  the  ca- 
pacity of  the  reservoir  and  of  the  vault  of  the 
closet ;  these  may  be  in  a  shed  connected  with 
a  privy.  One  of  the  bins  and  the  reservoir  above 
the  hopper  being  filled  with  sifted  dry  earth, 
and  the  other  bin  with  freshly  collected  earth, 
we  go  on  and  use  out  the  supply  in  the  reser- 
voir. In  three  months  it  has  all  passed  into  the 
vault  and  is  mixed  with  faeces.  We  now  fill  the 
reservoir  with  contents  of  the  first  bin,  and  put  ^ 
the  contents  of  the  vavdt  in  its  place.  When  the 
reservoir  is  again  empty,  the  earth  that  was 
freshly  collected  and  moist  six  months  before  is 
dry  and  fit  to  be  sifted  into  the  reservoir,  the 
bin  from  which  it  is  taken  being  filled  from  the 
vault.  When  the  reservoir  has  been  again  emp- 
tied, the  first  clearing  of  the  vault  will  have  had 
six  months  to  become  dry,  and  may  be  sifted 
and  used.  If  the  same  earth  is  used  six  times 
over,  the  original  supply  will  last  four  years  and 
a  half,  at  the  end  of  which  time  it  will  be  worth 
fully  fifty  dollars  per  ton  as  manure. 

The  quantity  of  earth  that  it  is  necessary  to 
supply  will  depend  on  the  frequency  with  which 
the  closet  is  used,  and  on  the  quantity  of  earth 
that  it  is  made  to  contain.  The  writer  has, 
without  other  facilities  for  drying  than  those 
described  above,  found  four  barrels  to  be  sufficient 
for  a  commode  constantly  used  by  three  persons. 

Under  the  arrangement  discussed  above,  with 
a  reservoir  and  two  bins,  each  holding  a  three 
months'  supply  for  a  family  of  ten  persons, 
each  receptacle  would  require  a  capacity  equal 
to  that  of  a  cube  of  three  and  a  half  feet,  which 
would  give  an  abundant  supply  for  all  emergen- 
cies. These  receptacles  once  being  filled,  no 
more  earth  would  be  needed  for  from  four  to  five 
years.  All  that  would  be  required  would  be 
that  four  times  a  year  the  earth  be  sifted,  and 
that  occasionally  the  contents  of  the  vault  be 
leveled  off. 

By  Professor  S.  W.  Johnson's  estimate  of  the 
value  of  night-soil  as  manure,  this  earth,  after  it 
had  passed  six  times  through  the  closet,  would 
be  worth  from  $200  to  $250.  Other  estimates 
would  give  it  a  much  higher  value. 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


465 


The  earth  for  the  closet  must  not  only  be  dry; 
it  must  be  sifted.  Up  to  a  certain  point,  the 
finer  it  is  the  more  effective  it  is.  That  is,  while 
it  will  answer  the  purpose  if  it  is  passed  through 
a  common  coal  sifter,  it  will  much  better  envelop 
the  deposit,  will  distribute  itself  more  widely, 
and  will  make  more  dust  in  every  part  of  the 
vault  (a  desirable  thing,  on  account  of  the  ex- 
halations from  the  uncovered  fresh  faeces),  if  it 
has  been  passed  through  a  sieve  having  six 
meshes  to  the  inch.  The  finer  the  sieve  the 
more  will  small  pebbles  be  excluded.  These  are 
objectionable,  not  only  on  account  of  the  space 
they  occupy,  but  they  dilute  the  earth  proper 
and  do  no  good. 

The  best  earth  is  that  used  for  making  bricks 
or  earthenware — that  is,  a  strong  clay ;  but  any 
soil  or  subsoil  that  contains  enough  clay  or 
vegetable  matter  to  make  it  arable  will  answer 
a  satisfactory  purpose.  A  very  sterile  gravel 
and  a  nearly  pure  sandy  soil  should  be  rejected. 
The  "mould"  of  an  old  garden  or  field  is  ex- 
cellent, and  the  "yellow  dirt"  below  it  is  still 
better.  Either  of  these  treated  as  above  de- 
scribed will  be  found  to  entirely  absorb  and 
destroy  the  odor  of  the  most  offensive  faeces 
from  the  moment  when  it  envelops  it  until, 
years  afterwards,  if  necessary,  it  is  removed  to 
the  field ;  so  that  the  earth-closet  may  be  in  the 
house  or  out  of  the  house,  as  is  most  convenient, 
without  considering  the  question  of  foul  odors  or 
of  ventilation. 

Wood  ashes  must  under  no  circumstances  be 
used,  as  the  potash  that  they  contain  has  the 
effect  of  driving  off  the  volatile  parts  of  the 
deposit.  Anthracite  coal  ashes  can  be  used  with 
perfect  success  in  winter,  and  probably  in  sum- 
mer as  well,  but  we  cannot  say  this  positively. 
We  can  see  no  reason  why  the  ashes  of  bitumin- 
ous coal  may  not  be  equally  effective,  but  Mr. 
Moule  recommends  that  they  be  mixed  with 
one-half  their  bulk  of  earth. 

All  ashes  are  objectionable  for  use  in  com- 
modes in  the  house,  from  the  dust  that  flies  when 
they  are  put  into  the  hopper ;  but  in  the  case  of 
fixed  closets  this  difficulty  would  not  be  noticed. 
On  shipboard,  especially  on  steam-ships,  where 
water-closets  are  always  a  nuisance,  the  use  of 
ashes  would  be  entirely  successful. 

The  earth-closet,  like  all  other  human  contriv- 
ances, needs  attention.  The  earth  in  the  vault 
will  not  deodorize  the  fouling  of  the  seat;  wet 
earth  will  not  deodorize  the  faeces  that  it  covers ; 
and  if  the  accumulation  is  not  occasionally  leveled, 
the  earth  will  not  be  so  thrown  as  to  entirely 
cover  recent  deposits.  These  things  must  be 
looked  to,  but  they  require  no  more  attention 
than  does  the  care  of  the  water-closet;  and,  if  the 
needed  attention  is  given,  the  depressing  odor 
that  so  often  accompanies  even  the  best-arranged 
water-closets  will  be  entirely  unknown,  while  the 
full  convenience  of  having  accommodations  in  the 
house,  and  even  in  the  sick-room,  may  be  better 
and  much  more  cheaply  attained  by  the  aid  of  the 
earth-closet  than  by  that  of  the  water-closet. 

EBONY,  To  Imitate. — Ebony  can  be  imi- 
tated by  using  a  dye  of  logwood,  galls,  and 
sulphate  or  acetate  of  iron ;  but  it  will  always 
look  dull  and  unnatural  unless  rightly  polished, 
when  it  will  come  out  a  most  brilliant,  shiny 
black.  It  is  done  in  this  way:  Put  the  dyed  or 
finished  article  in  the  lathe,  turn  a  great  speed, 
wid  while  in  revolution,  firmly  and  evenly  press 


the  siliceous  rind  of  bamboo  or  a  hard  wood 
burnisher  against  the  article,  and  continue  the 
operation  till  all  the  grain  is  reduced  into  a 
smooth  glossy  surface.  The  bamboo  is  best,  it 
is  so  unyielding  and  hard  in  texture.  Smooth 
flat  work,  not  adapted  to  a  lathe,  must  be  rubbed 
till  a  polish  is  obtained. 

EGGS,  To  Color. — Eggs  are  colored  variously, 
thus :  A  dark  rosewood  color  by  pouring  half  a 
gallon  of  boiling  water  upon  from  one  quarter  to 
one  eighth  of  a  pound  of  logwood  chips.  This 
makes  the  dye;  put  the  eggs  therein  and  let  them 
boil  for  one  hour.  You  will  have  a  hard  boiled 
egg,  but  the  color  will  be  beautiful.  To  vary  the 
color  or  to  write  a  name  on  the  egg,  drop  melted 
beeswax  on  the  shell  of  the  egg  in  the  pattern 
you  want  it ;  then  put  the  egg  into  the  dye  and 
leave  it  as  above.  When  you  take  it  out  scrape 
off  the  wax  and  beneath  it  the  shell  will  be  all 
white,  the  rest  of  it  will  be  dyed.  For  a  faint 
yellow  color  onion  skins  will  do,  used  like  the 
logwood.  To  increase  the  color  wTap  some  of 
the  onion  skins  around  the  egg  and  leave  it  in 
the  dye.  The  skins  must  be  fastened  of  course. 
By  onion  skins  we  mean  the  dry,  yellow  outside 
skin  of  the  onion.  A  good  effect  is  also  got  by 
taking  a  piece  of  nicely  figured  calico,  putting  it 
neatly  around  the  egg  and  then  allowing  it  to 
remain  either  in  the  onion  skin  or  logwood  dye 
pot.  The  figure  in  the  calico  generally  comes 
out  and  fixes  itself  in  the  egg  shell.  Variations 
of  color  may  be  had  by  using  any  of  the  vegetable 
dyes. 

EGGS  (  White  of).  To  Preserve. — There  are 
several  ways  of  preserving  albumen ;  one  is  by 
drying  it  at  alow  temperature  (otherwise it  coa- 
gulates) and  then  powdering  it,  when  it  is  al- 
ways ready  for  solution.  The  second  is  a  preserv- 
ative Uke  carbolic  acid,  (phenylic  alcohol, )  when 
there  are  no  objections  to  its  odor.  Otherwise, 
5  per  cent,  of  sulphite  of  soda  (not  sulphate)  will 
accomplish  the  same  purpose,  and  give  an  odor- 
less and  almost  tasteless  preparation. 

EGGS  OF  PHARAOH'S  SERPEN'TS,  To 
Make. — Take  mercury  and  dissolve  it  in  moder- 
ately dilute  nitric  acid  by  means  of  heat,  taking 
care,  however,  that  there  be  always  an  excess  of 
metallic  mercury  remaining;  decant  the  solution 
and  pour  it  into  a  solution  of  sulpho-cyanide  of 
ammonium  or  potassium,  which  may  be  bought 
at  a  good  drug  store,  or  of  a  dealer  in  chemicals. 
Equal  weights  of  both  will  answer.  A  precipitate 
will  fall  to  the  bottom  of  the  beaker  or  jar,  which 
is  to  be  collected  on  a  filter  and  washed  two  or 
three  times  witli  water,  when  it  is  put  in  a  warm 
place  to  dry.  Take  for  every  pound  of  this 
material  one  ounce  of  gum  tragacanth  which  has 
been  soaked  in  hot  water.  When  the  gum  is 
completely  softened  it  is  to  be'transferred  to  a 
mortar,  and  the  pulverized  and  dried  precipitate 
gradually  mixed  with  it  by  means  of  a  little  water, 
so  as  to  present  a  somewhat  dry  pill  mass,  from 
which  by  hand  pellets  of  the  desired  size  are 
formed,  put  on  a  piece  of  glass,  and  dried  again; 
they  are  then  ready  for  use. 

EMBALMING,  Frenck  Method.— 'Wvq  fol- 
lowing  is  M.  Gannal's  mixture  for  injecting  the 
carotid  artery,  whereby  all  the  purposes  of  em- 
balming are  attained  : — Take  dry  sulphate  of 
alumine,  i  kilogramme,  (equal  2  lbs.  3  oz.  5  drs. 
avoirdupois,)  dissolved  in  half  a  litre  (a  little  less 
than  a  pint)  of  warm  water,  and  marking  32*  of 
the  aerometer.     Three  or  four  htres  of  this  mix- 

30 


466 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


ture  will  be  sufficient  to  inject  all  the  vessels  of 
the  human  body,  and  •will  preserve  it  in  the 
summer ;  in  the  winter,  from  one  to  two  litres 
will  be  enough.  But  to  keep  away  insects,  there 
should  be  added  to  the  above  chlorure  of  copper, 
at  the  rate  of  lOO  grammes  to  a  kilogramme  of 
the  sulphate  of  alumine  ;  or  else  50  grammes  of 
arsenious  acid.  This  applies  to  all  kinds  of  ani- 
mals, birds,  fishes,  etc.,  as  well  as  to  the  human 
subject.  The  above  process  has  been  introdu- 
ced into  the  great  anatomical  schools  in  Paris  ; 
and  in  nearly  all  the  recent  interments  of  dis- 
tinguished individuals,  the  old  and  revolting 
mode  of  embalming  has  been  superseded  by  this 
new  and  simple  method. 

ENAMELS. — Transparent  or  opaque  sub- 
stances, usually  formed  of  glass  colored  with 
metallic  oxides,  and  applied  in  a  thin  stratum  to 
brightly  polished  metallic  surfaces,  (copper  or 
gold,)  on  which  they  are  fused  by  the  flame  of  a 
lamp  urged  by  the  blow-pipe,  or  by  the  heat  of 
a  small  furnace,  and  in  cooling  form  a  sort  of 
vitreous  varnish.  The  art  of  enameling  acquired 
the  greatest  perfection  in  ancient  times,  and  very 
beautiful  specimens  are  still  preserved,  which 
the  moderns  are  unable  to  equal,  and  with  the 
materials  of  which  they  are  totally  unacquainted. 
At  the  present  day,  this  pleasing  and  useful  ap- 
plication of  human  industry  is  carried  on  with 
the  greatest  success  by  the  Venetians,  and,  after 
them,  by  the  French.  The  limits  of  this  work 
will  not  permit  a  description  of  the  various  ope- 
rations of  enameling,  which  essentially  depend 
on  skillful  manipulation;  a  knowledge  of  which 
can  only  be  obtained  by  long  practice.  The  pre- 
paration of  enamels  being,  however,  entirely  de- 
pendent on  chemistry,  I  deem  it  proper  to  pre- 
sent the  following  formulae  to  the  reader.  It  is 
nevertheless  right  to  remark,  that  almost  every 
artist  has  his  own  receipts. 

The  basis  of  all  enamels  is  a  highly  transpa- 
rent and  fusible  glass,  which  readily  receives  a 
color  on  the  addition  of  metallic  oxides.  As  this 
is  required  in  the  preparation  of  many  of  those 
that  follow,  it  is  placed  first. 

ENAMELS,  Base  or  Flux  for.— i.  Red  lead 
16  parts ;  calcined  borax  3  parts ;  powdered  flint 
glass  12  parts  ;  powdered  flints  4  parts  ;  fuse  in 
a  Hessian  crucible  for  12  hours,  then  pour  it  out 
into  water,  and  reduce  it  to  a  powder  in  a  biscuit- 
ware  mortar. 

2.  Powdered  flints  10  parts  ;  nitre  and  white 
arsenic,  of  each  i  part ;  as  last. 

3.  Flint  glass  3  oz. ;  red  lead  I  oz. ;  as  last. 

4.  Red  lead  18  parts ;  borax  (not  calcined) 
II  parts  ;  flint  glass  16  parts ;  as  last. 

5.  Flint  glass  6  parts;  flux  No.  2  (above)  4 
parts  ;  red  lead  8  parts  ;  as  last. 

6.  Tin  2  to  5  parts  ;  lead  10  parts  ;  calcine  in 
an  iron  pot  at  a  dull  cherry-red  heat,  and  scrape 
off  the  oxide  as  it  forms,  observing  to  obtain  it 
quite  free  from  undecomposed  metal ;  when 
enough  of  the  dross  is  obtamed,  reduce  it  to  fine 
]>owder  by  grinding  and  elutriation,  then  mix  4 
parts  of  this  powder  with  an  equal  weight  of 
pure  sand  or  ]->owdered  flints,  and  I  of  sea  salt, 
or  other  alkaline  matter,  fuse  the  mixture  in  a 
Hessian  crucible,  and  proceed  as  before.  The 
best  proportions  of  the  tin  and  lead,  for  all  or- 
dinary purposes,  are  about  3  of  the  former  to  10 
of  the  latter.  The  calcined  mixed  oxides  are 
commonly  called  "calcine." 

7.  Lead  and  tin,  equal  parts ;  calcine  as  above; 


and  take  of  the  mixed  oxides,  or  calcine  and 
ground  flints,  of  each  I  part ;  pure  subcarbonate 
of  potash  2  parts ;  as  before. 

8.  Lead  30  parts ;  tin  33  parts  ;  calcine  as  be- 
fore, then  mix  50  parts  of  the  calcine  with  an 
equal  weight  of  flints,  in  powder,  and  i  lb.  of 
salts  of  tartar ;  as  before.  A  fine  dead  white 
enamel. 

Remarks.  The  ptecise  qualities  of  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  above  processes  depend  greatly  upon 
the  duration  and  degree  of  heat  employed.  By 
increasing  the  quantity  of  sand,  glass,  or  flux, 
the  enamel  is  rendered  more  fusible,  and  the 
opacity  and  whiteness  is  increased  by  the  addi- 
tion of  oxide  of  tin.  The  use  of  borax  should 
be  avoided,  or  used  very  sparingly,  as  it  is  apt 
to  make  the  enamel  effloresce  and  lose  color. 

ENAMELS,  Black.— I.  Pure  clay  3  parts; 

Erotoxidd  of  iron  I  part ;  mix  and  fuse.    A  fine 
lack. 

2.  Calcined  iron  (protoxide)  12  parts ;  oxide 
of  cobalt  I  part ;  mix  and  add  an  equal  weight 
of  white  flux. 

3.  Peroxide  of  manganese  3  parts ;  zaffre  I 
part;  mix  and  add  it  as  required  to  white  flux. 

ENAMELS,  Blue.— I.  Either  of  the  fluxes 
colored  with  oxide  of  cobalt. 

2.  Sand,  red  lead,  and  nitre,  of  each  10  parts; 
flint  glass  or  ground  flints  20  parts ;  oxide  of 
cobalt  I  part,  more  or  less,  the  quantity  wholly 
depending  on  the  depth  of  color  required. 

ENAMELS,  Brcrwn.—i.  Red  lead  and 
calcined  iron,  of  each  1  part ;  antimony,  litharge, 
and  sand,  of  each  2  parts;  mix  and  add  it  in  any 
required  proportion  to  a  flux,  according  to  the 
color  desired.  A  little  oxide  of  cobalt  or  zaffre  is 
frequently  added,  and  alters  the  shade  of  brown. 

2.  Manganese  5  parts ;  red  lead  16  parts;  flint 
powder  8  parts ;  mix. 

3.  Manganese  9  parts;  red  lead  34  parts;  flint 
powder  16  parts. 

ENAMELS,  Green.— \.  Flux  2  lbs. ;  black 
oxide  of  copper  I  oz. ;  red  oxide  of  iron  yi  dr. ; 
mix. 

2.  As  above,  but  use  the  red  oxide  of  copper. 
Less  decisive. 

3.  Copper  dust  and  litharge,  of  each  2  oz. ; 
nitre  I  oz. ;  sand  4  oz. ;  flux  as  much  as 
required. 

4.  Add  oxide  of  chrome  to  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  flux  to  produce  the  desired  shade ;  when  well 
managed,  the  color  is  superb,  and  will  stand  a 
very  great  heat ;  but  in  common  hands,  it  fre- 
quently turns  on  the  dead-leaf  tinge. 

5.  Transparent  flux  5  oz. ;  black  oxide  of  cop- 

Eer  2  scruples ;  oxide  of  chrome  2  grs.    Resem- 
les  the  emerald. 

6.  Mix  blue  and  yellow  enamel  in  the  requir- 
ed proportions. 

ENAMELS,  Olive. — Good  blue  enamel  2 
parts;  black  and  yellow  do.,  of  each  i  part; 
mix.    (See  also  Brown  Enamels.) 

ENAMELS,  Orange.— 1.  Red  lead  12  parts; 
red  sulphate  of  iron  and  oxide  of  antimony,  of 
each  I  part ;  flint  powder  3  parts ;  calcine,  pow- 
der, and  melt  with  flux,  50  parts. 

2.  Red  lead  12  parts;  oxide  of  antimony  4 
parts ;  flint  powder  3  parts ;  red  sulphate  of  iron 
I  part ;  calcine,  then  add  flux  5  parts  to  every  2 
parts  of  this  mixture. 

ENAMELS,  Purple.— I.  Flux  colored  with 
oxide  of  gold,  purple  precipitate  of  cassius,  or 
peroxide  of  manganese. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


467 


2.  Sulphur,  nitre,  vitriol,  antimony,  and  oxide 
of  tin,  of  each  I  lb. ;  red  lead  60  lbs. ;  mix  and 
fuse,  cool  and  powder;  add  rose  copper  19  oz. ; 
zaffre  l  oz. ;  crocus  martis  l^  oz. ;  borax  3  oz.; 
and  I  lb.  of  a  compound  formed  of  gold,  silver, 
and  mercury;  fuse,  stirring  the  melted  mass 
with  a  copper  rod  all  the  time,  then  place  it  in 
crucibles,  and  submit  them  to  the  action  of  a 
reverberator^  furnace  for  24  hours. 

This  is  said  to  be  the  purple  enamel  used  in 
the  mosaic  pictures  of  St.  Peter's  at  Rome. 

ENAMELS,  Red.— I.  Sulphate  of  iron 
(calcined  dark)  I  part;  a  mixture  of  6  parts  of 
flux  (4)  and  i  of  colcothar,  3  parts ;  dark  red. 

2.  Red  sulphate  of  iron  2  parts;  flux  (No.  l) 
6  parts ;  white  lead  3  parts ;  light  red, 

3.  Paste  or  flux  colored  with  the  red  or  pro- 
toxide of  copper.  Should  the  color,  pass  into 
the  green  or  brown,  from  the  partial  peroxidize- 
ment  of  the  copper,  from  the  heat  being  raised 
too  high,  the  red  color  may  be  restored  by  the 
addition  of  any  carbonaceous  matter,  as  tallow, 
or  charcoal. 

4.  The  most  beautiful  and  costly  red,  inclin- 
ing to  the  purple  tinge,  is  produced  by  tinging 
glass  or  flux  with  the  oxide  or  salts  of  gold,  or 
■with  the  purple  precipitate  of  cassius,  which 
consists  of  gold  and  tin.  In  the  hands  of  the 
skillful  artist,  any  of  these  substances  produce 
shades  of  red  of  the  most  exquisite  hue :  when 
most  perfect,  the  enamel  comes  from  the  fire 
quite  colorless,  and  afterwards  receives  its  rich 
hue  from  the  flame  of  a  candle  or  lamp,  urged 
by  the  blowpipe. 

ENAMELS,  Rose-Colored.— V^w^Q  enamel, 
or  its  elements,  3  parts ;  flux  90  parts ;  mix  and 
add  silver-leaf,  or  oxide  of  silver,  I  part  or  less. 

ENAMELS,  Transparent. — Either  of  the 
fluxes,  except  the  last  three. 

ENAMELS,  Tw/^/.— Saline  or  alkaline  frits 
or  fluxes  colored  with  small  quantities  of  per- 
oxide of  manganese.  As  the  color  depends  on 
the  metal  being  at  the  maximum  of  oxidation,  con- 
tact with  all  substances  that  would  abstract  any 
of  its  oxygen  should  be  avoided.  The  same 
remarks  apply  to  other  metallic  oxides. 

ENAMELS,  White.— \.  Calcine  (from  two 
parts  of  tin  and  i  part  of  lead  calcined  together) 
I  part ;  fine  crystal  or  frit  2  parts ;  a  very  trifling 
quantity  of  manganese;  powder,  mix,  melt,  and 
pour  the  fused  mass  into  clean  water;  dry,  pow- 
der, and  again  fuse,  and  repeat  the  whole  process 
3  or  4  times,  observing  to  avoid  contamination 
with  smoke,  dirt,  or  oxide  of  iron.  A  fine  dead 
white. 

2.  Washed  diaphoretic  antimony  I  part ;  fine 
glass  (perfectly free  from  lead)  3  parts;  mix,  and 
proceed  as  before.     Very  fine. 

For  white  enamel,  the  articles  must  be  per- 
fectly free  from  foreign  admixture,  as  this  would 
impart  a  color.  When  well  managed,  either  of 
the  above  forms  will  produce  a  paste  that  will 
rival  the  opal. 

ENAMELS,  K-Z/cnc;.— RedleadSoz.;  o.xide 
of  antimony  and  tin,  calcined  together,  of  each 
I  oz. ;  mix  and  add  flux  (No.  4)  15  oz. ;  mix 
and  fuse.  By  varying  the  proportion  of  the  in- 
gredients, various  shades  may  be  produced. 


ammoniac,  of  each  I  part ;  pure  carbonate  of 
lead  I  to  3  parts,  as  required;  all  in  powder; 
mix,  and  expose  to  a  heat  sufficiently  high  to 
decompose  the  sal  ammoniac.     Very  bright. 

4.  Flux  fused  with  oxide  of  lead,  and  a  little 
red  oxide  of  iron. 

5.  Pure  oxide  of  silver  added  to  the  metallic 
fluxes.  The  salts  of  silver  are  also  used,  but  are 
difficult  to  manage.  If  a  thin  film  of  oxide  of 
silver  be  spread  over  the  surface  of  the  enamel 
to  be  colored,  exposed  to  a  moderate  heat,  then 
withdrawn,  and  the  film  of  reduced  silver  on  the 
surface  removed,  the  part  under  will  be  found 
tinged  of  a  fine  yellow. 

Superior  yellow  enamels  are  less  easily  pro- 
duced than  most  other  colors ;  they  require  but 
little  flux,  and  that  mostly  of  a  metallic  nature. 

ENAMELING  WOOD  WORK.—^Nq  have 
very  considerable  doubts  as  to  whether  polished 

S)aint  may  be  considered  in  good  taste  when  used 
or  the  interiors  of  drawing  rooms,  or,  in  fact,  of 
any  room.     There  is  a  want  of  repose,  and  a 
garishness  about  gloss  colors,  which  are  scarcely 
compatible  with   that  quietness   and   repose  so 
necessary  to  the  perfect  satisfaction  of  the  edu- 
cated eye.   Polished  glass  is  beautiful,  and  never 
out  of  place ;  the  same  may  be  said  of  marble,  of 
gems,  and  of  all  steel  work  or  instruments.  With 
all  these,  polish  is  the  one  thing  needful  to  de- 
velop their  beauty  and  finish,  and,  in  fact,  is  a 
necessity  of  the  material.     This  is  so  self-evident 
that  we  never  for  a  moment  doubt  its  propriety 
or  imagine  it  would  be  better  otherwise.   Fitness, 
beauty,    and    utility  are  a  consequence  of  the 
polish  in  all  these  cases,  and  therefore  proper  and 
right  from  every  point  of  view ;   but  the  same 
reasoning  will  not  apply  to  polished  paint,   that 
is  to  say,  plain  tints  of  colors.     Of  course,  imita- 
tions of  woods  and  marbles  may  be  polished  with 
propriety  and    without  offense  to  good  taste, 
.simply  because  we  expect  to  see  them  so,  and 
they  would  not  be  finished  if  left  unvarnished 
and  unpolished.     But  it  is  otherwise  with  plain 
colors,  which,  when  glossy,  have  too  much  the 
look  of  the  japanner's  shop  or  the  tea  tray  busi- 
ness.    These  remarks  apply  principally  to  that 
so-called  enamel  work  which  is   produced  by 
merely  painting  the  work  and  finishing  it  with 
varnish,  when,  as  a  matter  of  course,  it  very 
soon  becomes  discolored ;  and  even  when  first 
done  it  is  a  mistake  in  name  and  execution,  and 
a  gross  offense  against  good  taste.      The  best 
enamel  work — of  which  there  is  but  little  done 
in  consequence  of  its  great  cost— is  free,  in  some 
measure,  from  the  objections  urged  against  the 
common  work.      Its  manipulation  requires  so 
much  patience  and  care  that  it  is  a  very  difficult 
matter  to  find  men  who  have  the  qualifications 
requisite  for  preparing  such  fine  work,  and  there- 
fore it  is  very  rare  to  see  a  really  good  job.  _  In 
getting  up  enamel  work,  much  care  is  requisite 
in  the  selection  and  use  of  the  material  required. 
The  filling-up  color,  which  forms  the  body  of  the 
enamel,    is  of  the   greatest  importance   to  the 
ultimate  success  of  the  work.     Of  this  material 
there  are  several  kinds   manufactured  —  black, 
brown,  and  yellow,  for  coach  painters,  japanners, 
and  others ;  but  for  use  in  interior  decoration  we 


2.  Lead,  tin  ashes,  litharge,  antimony,  and  prefer  to  use  the  white  lead  filling,  as  we  can,  by 
sand,  of  each  I  oz. ;  nitre  4  oz. ;  mix,  fuse,  and  adding  the  necessary  staining  colors  (which  do 
powder  ;  and  add  the  product  to  any  quantity  of  1  not  affect  the  properties  of  the  enamel),  form  a 
flux  according  to  the  color  required.  |  solid  body  of  color  of  the  same  tint,  or  nearly  so, 

3.  White  oxide  of  antimony,  alum,  and  sal  '  as  that  with  which  the  work  is  required  to  be 


468 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


finished,   and  thus  do  away  with  the  objections 
which  may  be  urged  against  the  black  or  dark- 
colored  filling.     For  it  will  be  evident  to  the 
plainest  comprehension  that  if  work  which  has 
to  be  finished  white,  or  with  very  light  tints  of 
color,   be  filled  up  with  dark -colored  filling,  that 
the  number  of  coats  of  paint  which  will  be  re- 
quired to  obscure  or  kill  the  dark  color  will  be  so 
many  that  there  will  be  danger  of  the  work  be- 
coming rough  and  uneven  in  parts — at  all  events 
there  can  be  no  question  that  work  which  is  left 
with  a  smooth,  even  surface,  produced  by  rubbing 
alone,  must  be  much  finer  in  texture  than  any 
that  can   possibly  be  left  by  the  brush.     The 
white  lead  should  be   ground    stiff  in   turpen- 
tine, and  about  one  fourth  part  of  the  ordinary 
■white  lead,  ground  in  oil,  added  to  it,  in  order 
to  prevent  the  enamel  cracking,  which  it  has 
a  tendency  to  do,   except  there  be  some  little 
oil    mixed    with  it.      A   sufficient    quantity  of 
polishing  copal  or  best  carriage  varnish  should 
now  be  added  to  bind  it  so  that  it  will  rub  do\vn 
easily,  which  fact  cannot  be  properly  ascertained 
except  by  actual  trial,  inasmuch  as  the  drying 
properties  of  varnishes  vary,  and  other  causes 
influence  the  matter.      If  there  be  too    much 
varnish  in  the  stuff  the  work  will  be  exceedingly 
difificult  to  cut  down,  and  if  too  little,  it  is  apt  to 
break  up  in  rubbing,  so  that  it  is  always  the 
safest  plan  to  try  the  enamel  color  before  com- 
mencing anything  important.     The  color,  being 
properly  mixed,  should  be  laid  on  the  work  in 
the  ordinary  manner,  using  it  rather  freely.     It 
may  be  as  well  to  state  here  that  no  filling  should 
be  put  upon  new  work  without  the  same  having 
had  two  or  three  coats  of  ordinary  oil  paint,  nor 
on  old  work  without  its  having  one  coat.     This 
gives  a  key  for  the  filling  to  bind  to.   Successive 
f  coats  of  the  filling  should  now  be  laid  on  the 
work  until  there  is  a  sufficient  thickness  to  cut 
down  to  a  level  surface,  filling  up  the  whole  of 
the  indentations  and  undulations  of  the  panel. 
One  day  should  intervene  between  each  coat,  in 
order  to  allow  it  to  harden  in   some  degree. 
When  a  sufficient  number  of  coats  is  put  on 
(which  number  will,  of  course,  depend  upon  the 
state  of  the  work  to  be  filled  up),  it  should  stand 
for  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks,  until  it  is  thor- 
oughly hard  ;    it  will  then  be  ready  for  cutting 
down,   which  is  to  be  done  with  felt,  ground 

Eumice-stone,  and  water.  The  felt  used  should 
e  such  as  the  marble  masons  use  for  polishing 
marble,  which  varies  in  thickness  from  one 
eighth  to  half  an  inch,  and  about  three  inches 
square.  This  should  be  fastened  by  the  aid  of 
patent  knotting  or  other  resinous  gum,  to  square 
pieces  of  wood  of  the  same  size,  but  one  inch 
thick,  so  as  to  give  a  good  hold  for  the  hand  in 
using.  These  pieces  of  wood,  covered  with  felt, 
may  be  made  of  any  size  or  shape,  to  fit  molded 
surfaces  or  other  inequalities.  The  pumice-stone 
to  be  used  should  be  of  different  degrees  of  fine- 
ness, and  should  be  carefully  selected,  so  as  to 
be  sure  that  it  is  free  from  any  foreign  substance. 
It  is  sold  ready  ground,  but  in  situations  where 
it  cannot  be  conveniently  got,  it  may  be  pre- 
pared from  the  lump,  by  grinding  or  crushing 
with  a  stone  and  muUer,  and  then  passed  through 
fine  sieves  or  muslin;  by  using  these  of  different 
degrees  of  texture  the  ground  pumice  may  be 
produced  of  different  degrees  of  fineness.  Ex- 
cept great  care  be  exercised  in  this  matter,  it 
•will  l^  found  that  particles  of  grit  will  be  mixed 


with  it,  which  in  using,  get  on  to  the  work,  and 
make  deep  scratches,  thus  causing  endless  trouble 
and  annoyance,  besides  spoiling  the  work.  The 
greatest  care  is  also  required  in  keeping  the  felt 
clean  and  free  from  grit.  Many  workmen  are 
careless  in  this  matter,  and  when  working  set 
down  the  felt  on  the  step-ladder  or  floor,  and 
thus  particles  of  sand  or  grit  get  upon  it,  and  so 
mischief  is  done. 

In  cutting  down,   it  is  best  to  use  a  piece  of 
soft  lump  pumice-stone  to  take  off  the  rough 

Earts.  The  felt  and  ground  pumice  should  now 
e  used  with  water,  the  work  should  be  wet 
with  a  sponge,  and  the  felt  so.iked  in  water,  and 
then  into  the  powdered  pumice,  and  the  work 
rubbed  with  it,  keeping  it  moderately  wet,  and 
rubbing  with  a  circular  motion,  and  not  straight 
up  and  down  and  across,  with  a  light  touch, 
using  only  just  as  much  pressure  as  will  cause 
the  pumice  to  bite,  which  will  be  very  clearly 
felt  while  the  hand  is  in  motion.  Much  care  and 
patience  is  required  to  do  this  properly,  for  if 
the  pressure  be  too  great  it  forces  the  pumice 
into  the  body  of  the  filhng  color,  and  scratches 
it  instead  of  cutting  or  grinding  it  fairly  down. 
No  hurry  will  avail  in  doing  this  work;  it  must 
have  its  time;  hurry  only  defeats  the  end  in 
view,  and  often  causes  much  unnecessary  labor. 
A  scratch,  caused  by  w^ant  of  care  and  too  much 
haste,  will  often  throw  the  work  back  for  days, 
and  involve  the  cost  and  labor  of  refilling.  We 
find  in  practice  that  the  purpose  is  best  answered 
by  using  the  pumice-stone,  the  coarser  kind  first, 
then  the  medium,  and  finishing  with  the  finest 
last.  It  will  be  found  advantageous  to  let  a  day 
elapse  between  the  rubbing,  for  when  the  sur- 
face is  cut  down  the  filling  will  in  all  cases  be 
softer  underneath,  and  if  it  be  allowed  to  stand 
for  a  day,  the  newly  exposed  surface  gets  harder, 
and  of  course  rubs  down  better  in  consequence. 
The  pumice-stone  should  be  well  washed  off  the 
work  occasionally,  in  order  that  we  may  see 
what  progress  is  being  made,  and  if  it  require 
more  rubbing  or  not.  If,  while  in  progress,  it 
be  found  not  to  be  sufficiently  filled  up,  it  may 
have  one  or  more  coats  of  filling  after  it  has 
been  roughly  cut  down,  and  before  much  labor 
has  been  spent  upon  it. 

When  sufficiently  rubbed  down  with  the  pum- 
ice-stone— that  is  to  say,  when  it  has  been  cut 
down  to  a  fine,  level,  and  uniform  surface,  the 
work  should  stand  for  a  day  or  two  to  harden. 
It  will  now  depend  entirely  upon  tjie  work,  as 
to  whether  it  must  be  polished  upon  the  filling, 
or  whether  it  will  have  to  be  varnished  and  pol- 
ished. If  the  filling  be  of  the  right  color,  and 
has  rubbed  down  ofone  uniform  tint,  we  prefer 
it  to  be  finished  in  this  state,  because,  in  the  first 
place,  it  will  have  a  surface  and  texture  which 
cannot  be  got  by  any  other  means.  Finished  in 
this  state,  there  is  an  absence  of  that  glare-polish 
— if  we  may  use  the  term — which  is  inseparable 
from  varnish  polish.  After  it  has  stood  a  day 
or  two,  the  work,  if  it  be  intended  to  be  left  in 
the  state  we  have  been  speaking  about,  must  be 
polished  in  this  wise  :  Take  a  clean  felt  and  rot- 
ten stone,  either  in  oil  or  water,  and  with  this 
rub  the  work  as  before,  until  the  polish  begins 
to  appear;  then  take  a  boss  (»'.  e.  a  ball  of  cotton 
wool  inclosed  in  fine  silk),  put  the  rotten  stone 
upon  this  and  keep  rubbing  with  the  circular 
motion  until  the  polish  is  uniform  and  equal  all 
over.    The  rotten  stone  must  now  be  carefully 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


.469 


cleaned  off;  if  it  be  in  oil,  clean  off  with  fine 
flour ;  if  in  water,  with  sponge  and  wash  leather 
and  water,  taking  care  not  to  scratch.  A  clean 
damp  chamois  or  wash  leather  will  now  be  re- 
quired, which  must  be  held  in  the  left  hand, 
leaving  the  right  perfectly  clear.  Now  use  the 
ballot  the  right  hand,  press  gently  upon  the 
panel,  and  draw  it  forwards  or  towards  you.  If 
this  be  done  properly,  it  will  bring  up  a  dear 
polish  upon  the  work.  The  hand  should  be  kept 
slightly  damp  by  drawing  it  across  the  leather 
almost  every  time  the  hand  is  drawn  forward. 
If  this  be  done  effectually,  a  rustling  sound  will 
he  produced  while  the  hand  is  in  motion ;  if  this 
be  so,  the  polish  will  be  sure  to  follow.  The 
polish  thus  produced  on  the  filling  alone  will  be 
of  the  kind  we  have  spoken  of  above,  and  will 
not  be  at  all  objectionable  to  even  the  most  fasti- 
dious taste ;  but  if  the  w  ork  has  to  be  finished 
with  a  brilHant  luster  and  to  a  high  degree  of 
polish,  it  will,  after  being  cut  down  with  the 
pumice  and  felt,  have  to  be  coated  with  two  or 
more  coats  of  the  best  polishing  copal  varnish, 
ha\nng  a  quantity  of  the  best  flake  white  from  the 
tube ;  this  should  be  mixed  with  the  varnish  in 
sufficient  quantity  to  form  a  creamy  mixture, 
with  which  the  work  must  be  coated — one,  two, 
or  three  coats,  as  may  be  desirable.  This  should 
stand  for  three  or  four  weeks,  until  it  becomes 
hard,  for  the  harder  it  is,  the  better  it  will  polish. 
It  must  then  be  cut  down  with  felt  and  the  finest 
ground  pumice  stone  in  water,  and  poUshed  with 
the  rotten  stone,  as  before  described.  By  this 
means  a  bright  and  brilliant  polish  may  be  ob- 
tained, of  a  very  enduring  nature.  The  same 
process  will  of  course  answer  for  all  varnished 
imitations  of  wood  and  marbles,  and  all  work 
which  will  admit  of  the  application  of  oil  var- 
nishes. 

ENGRA  VINGin  Alto-Relievo.— In  the  com- 
mon operation  of  engraving,  the  desired  effect  is 
produced  by  making  incisions  upon  the  copper- 
plate with  a  steel  instrument  of  an  angular  shape, 
which  incisions  are  filled  with  printing-ink,  and 
transferred  to  the  paper  by  means  of  a  roller, 
which  is  passed  over  its  surface.  There  is  an- 
other mode  of  producing  these  lines  or  incisions, 
by  means  of  diluted  nitrous  acid,  in  which  the 
impression  is  taken  in  the  same  way.  Another 
method  of  engraving  is  done  upon  a  principle 
exactly  the  reverse,  for  instead  of  the  subject  be- 
ing cut  into  the  copper,  it  is  the  interstice  be- 
tween the  lines  which  is  removed  by  diluted  aqua- 
fortis, and  the  lines  are  left  as  the  surface,  from 
which  the  impression  is  taken  by  means  of  a 
common  type-printing  press,  instead  of  a  copper- 
plate press. 

This  is  effected  by  drawing  with  common  turpen- 
tine varnish,  covered  with  lampblack,  whatever 
is  required  upon  the  plate  ;  and  when  the  var- 
nish is  thoroughly  dry,  the  acid  is  poured  upon 
it,  and  the  interstice  of  course  removed  by  its 
Action  upon  the  uncovered  part  of  the  copper. 
If  the  subject  is  very  full  of  dark  shadows,  this 
operation  will  be  performed  with  little  risk  of 
riccident,  and  with  the  removal  of  very  little  of 
the  interstice  between  the  lines  ;  but  if  the  dis- 
tance between  the  lines  is  great,  the  risk  and 
difficulty  is  very  much  increased,  and  it  will  be 
requisite  to  cut  away  the  parts  which  surround 
the  lines  with  a  graver,  in  order  to  prevent  the 
dabber  with  the  printing-ink  from  reaching  the 
bottom,  and  thus  producing  a  blurred  impres- 


sion. It  is  obvious,  therefore,  that  the  more  the 
plate  is  covered  with  work,  the  less  risk  there 
will  be  in  the  preparation  of  it  with  the  acid, 
after  the  subject  is  drawn,  and  the  less  trouble 
will  there  be  in  removing  the  interstice,  if  any, 
from  those  places  where  there  is  little  shading. 

ENGRAVINGS,  To  Clean.  — It  has  l)een 
found  that  ozone  bleaches  paper  without  injuring 
the  fiber  in  theleasL  It  can  be  used  for  removing 
mildew  and  other  stains  from  engravings  that 
have  beeninjuredby  hanging  on  the  wallsofdamp 
rooms.  The  engravings  should  be  carefully 
moistened  and  suspended  in  a  large  vessel  par- 
tially filled  with  ozone.  The  ozone  may  be  gen- 
erated by  putting  pieces  of  clean  phosphorus  in 
the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  partially  filled  with 
water,  or  by  passing  electric  sparks  through  the 
air  in  the  vessel. 

ETHER,  To  Wash.—\.  This  operation  is  for 
the  removal  of  alcohol,  and  may  be  done  by 
agitating  with  twice  the  bulk  of  water,  which  will 
unite  with  the  alcohol,  forming  a  heavier  stratum 
from  which  the  ether  may  be  poured  off.  The 
ether  will  absorb  ten  percent,  of  the  water,  which 
can  be  removed  by  agitation  with  freshly  burnt 
lime  and  subsequent  distillation. — 2.  Turn  the 
ether  and  water  into  a  glass  funnel,  while  you 
hold  a  finger  to  the  end  to  prevent  anything  from 
running  out-  The  ether  rises  to  the  top,  the 
water  and  residue  fall  to  the  bottom.  Take  away 
your  finger  from  the  funnel  and  let  the  water  out; 
then  save  your  ether.  It  is  almost  as  simple  as 
saving  washed  oil. 

EYES  (Sore),  To  Cure. — Take  a  potato,  and 
after  quartering  it,  grate  the  heart  as  fine  as 
possible,  and  place  the  gratings  between  pieces 
of  cambric  muslin.  Place  the  poultice  over  the 
eyes  inflamed,  and  keep  it  there  fifteen  minutes. 
Continue  the  operation  three  successive  nights 
and  a  perfect  cure  ensues. 

TEA  THER  PILLOWS.— U  a  person  sleeps 
on  his  back,  no  pillow  is  needed.  If  one  sleeps 
upon  the  side,  a  pillow  should  be  used  thick 
enough  to  support  the  head  in  a  direct  line  with 
the  body.  No  more.  Curled  hair  is  one  of  the 
best  materials  for  pillows.  Feathers  should 
never  be  allowed  about  a  bed  in  any  form.  For 
pillows  they  are  especially  injurious,  as  they 
partly  surround  the  head  and  keep  it  overheated, 
which  weakens  the  scalp  and  produces  a  tendency 
to  falling  out  of  the  hair,  congestion  of  the  head 
and  headache.  Then  again,  the  effete  emanations 
that  are  always  being  thrown  off  from  the  feathers 
are  taken  direct  into  the  lungs  with  the  inspired 
air. 

FERNS,  To  Raise  from.  A-a/.— Procure  some 
bricks  or  stones — bricks  would  be  best,  as  they 
have  an  even  surface,  and  are  also  porous,  ren- 
dering them  capable  of  holding  water.  These 
would  be  best  if  found  covered  with  moss  which 
has  naturally  grown  on  them.  Knot  thus  covered, 
it  can  be  very  easily  done.  The  moss  must  not 
be  thick ;  it  can  be  clipped  with  a  pair  of  scissors 
if  thick,  and  well  washed  before  using,  to  get  rid 
of  any  seeds  that  may  have  fallen  into  it.  These 
bricks  should  be  placed  into  the  pot  or  pan,  so 
that  their  upper  surface  may  come  level  with  the 
soil  used  to  steady  thera  and  fill  up  the  pot. 
Sow  the  spores  in  the  moss,  and  with  a  pepper 
dredge  dust  over  the  moss  very  lightly  with 
burnt  soil,  and  then  with  a  very  fine  rose  water- 
ing-can, wash  down  the  soil  and  spores  into  the 
moss.    Place  the  pot  into  a  saucer  of  wateri 


470 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


which  must  be  kept  full.  Place  a  bell-glass 
over ;  those  which  have  a  hole  in  them  near  the 
top  I  prefer,  as  they  prevent  damping,  affording 
an  escape  to  the  great  evaporation  which  takes 
place;  they  can  be  left  alone  for  a  week  without 
disturbance.  There  will  be  no  necessity  for 
surface  watering  until  the  seedlings  appear;  even 
then  it  is  not  advisable,  if  soaking  the  pot  up  to 
the  rim  can  be  quickly  done.  I  should  before 
have  said  that  the  bottom  of  the  pot  should  be 
filled  one-third  of  its  depth  with  broken  crocks. 
The  pot  should  not  see  the  sun  until  the  seed- 
lings are  well  up ;  even  then  shade  is  necessary. 
The  soil  used  should  be  previously  burnt,  other- 
wise numberless  seedlings  will  appear,  which  will 
choke  those  wanted,  and  be  a  cause  of  mischief 
in  the  operation  of  weeding.  This  plan  I  have 
proved,  and  can  recommend  it. 

FEVER  and  AGUE,  To  Cure. — A  new  and 
simple  remedy  is  common  salt.  A  teaspoonful 
taken  in  water  and  a  teaspoonful  deposited  in- 
side the  stocking  next  the  foot  as  the  chill  is 
coming  on.  That's  all  there  is  of  it;  but,  know- 
ing that  it  has  been  efficacious  in  "breaking" 
the  chill  and  perfecting  a  cure,  we  here  insert  it. 

FIRE  ANNIHILA  TOR,  (Philips').— This. 
consists  of  a  mixture  of  twenty  parts  charcoal, 
sixty  nitre,  and  five  gypsum,  boiled  together  in 
water,  and  subsequently  moulded  into  a  cylin- 
drical brick.  Down  the  axis  of  this  there  is  a 
cavity  for  the  reception  pf  a  phial  containing  a 
mixture  of  chlorate  of  potash  and  sugar,  sur- 
rounded by  a  globule  of  sulphuric  acid.  By 
pushing  down  a  rod  the  glass  containing  the  acid 
is  broken  and  the  mixture  inflamed.  The  com- 
position is  placed  in  an  iron  perforated  vessel, 
and  gives  out  a  volume  of  gases  wliich  extinguish 
the  fire. 

FIRE  iriNDLERS.—Take  a  quart  of  tar 
and  3  pounds  of  resin,  melt  them,  bring  to  a 
cooling  temperature,  mix  with  as  much  sawdust, 
with  a  little  charcoal  added,  as  can  be  worked 
in;  spread  out  while  hot  upon  a  board,  when 
cold  break  up  into  lumps  of  the  size  of  a  large 
hickory  nut,  and  you  have,  at  a  small  expense, 
kindling  material  enough  for  a  household  for  one 
year.  They  will  easily  ignite  from  a  match  and 
burn  with  a  strong  blaze,  long  enough  to  start 
any  wood  that  is  fit  to  burn. 

FIRES,  Colored.— I.  White  light:  8  parts 
saltpetre,  2  parts  sulphur,  2  parts  antimony. 

2.  Red  light :  20  parts  nitrate  of  strontia,  5 
parts  chlorate  of  potash,  dyi  parts  sulphur,  i 
part  charcoal. 

3.  Blue  light :  9  parts  chlorate  of  potash,  3 
parts  sulphur,  3  parts  carbonate  of  copper. 

4.  Yellow  light :  24  parts  nitrate  of  soda,  8 
parts  antimony,  6  parts  sulphur,  i  part  charcoal. 

5.  Green  light :  26  parts  nitrate  of  baryta,  18 
parts  chlorate  of  potash,  10  parts  sulphur. 

6.  Violet  light :  4  parts  nitrate  of  strontia,  9 
parts  chlorate  of  potash,  5  parts  sulphur,  I  part 
carbonate  of  copper,  i  part  calomel. 

FIREWORKS,  Sulphide  of  Cadmium  in.— 
In  the  following  composition  it  is  said  that  sul- 
phide of  cadmium  gives  a  white  flame,  which  is 
surrounded  by  a  magnificent  blue  margin  :  Salt- 
petre, 20  parts;  sulphur,  5;  sulphide  of  cad- 
mium, 4;  powdered  charcoal,  I. 

FIREWORKS,  Iron  5««c/ <«.— Used  to  give 
corruscations  in  fireworks ;  is  far  better  than  iron 
or  steel-filings.  It  is  made  by  beating  cast  steel 
or  iron  into  small  pieces  ou  an  anviL   These  are 


sifted  into  4  sizes,  the  smallest  for  the  smallest 
pieces ;  and  vice  versa.  The  corruscations  pro- 
duced by  these  are  exceedingly  brilliant.  The 
sand  should  be  kept  in  a  dry  place  in  a  well- 
closed  bottle,  as  any  rust  damages  it.  Fireworks 
containing  it  should  not  be  made  very  long  be- 
fore using. 

FIREWORKS,  To  Represent  Cordage  in.— 
Antimony,  I  part ;  juniper  resin,  I  part ;  nitre, 
2  parts;  sulphur,  16  parts.  Mix,  and  imbue  soft 
ropes  with  the  composition. 

FIREWORKS,  Touch^Paperfor.-^ozV  un- 
gkized  paper  in  a  solution  of  nitre  in  ^^negar  or 
water.  The  stronger  the  solution,  the  faster 
will  it  burn.  A  good  plan  is  to  dip  it  in  a  weak 
solution,  dry  it,  try  it,  and  if  it  bums  too  slowly, 
make  the  solution  stronger  and  dip  it  again. 

FIREWORKS,  Quick  Match  for.— Is  razAfi 
by  immersing  lamp-wick  in  a  solution  of  salt- 
petre with  meal  powder,  winding  it  on  a  frame, 
and  afterwards  dusting  with  meal  powder.     To 

1  lb.  12  oz.  of  cotton,  take  saltpetre,  i  lb.;  alco- 
hol, 2  quarts ;  water,  3  quarts  ;  solution  of  isin- 
glass (i  oz.  to  the  pint),  3  gals.;  mealed  powder, 
10  pounds. 

FIREWORKS.— Port  Fires.— Tske  of  sul- 
phur, 2  parts ;  saltpetre,  6  parts ;  mealed  pow- 
der, I  part.  This  is  rammed  into  cases  of  from 
6  inches  to  2  feet  long,  and  yi  inch  internal  di- 
ameter. They  should  be  lightly  rammed.  To 
give  a  brilliant  flame,  add  i  part  of  iron  sand ; 
for  a  dark  flame,  i  part  of  powdered  charcoal. — 
Stars. — {Common.^ — Saltpetre,  lib.;  sulphur, 
4^  oz.;  antimony,  4  oz.;  isinglass,  ^  oz.;  cam- 
phor, %  oz.;  alcohol,  %  oz. — (  White. ) — Mealed 
powder,  4  oz.;  saltpetre,  12  oz.;  sulphur,  6^ 
oz.;  oil  of  spike,  2  oz.;  camphor,  5  oz.  The 
above  are  to  be  made  into  balls,  rolled  in  grained 
powder  and  dried  in  the  sun.  Used  in  Roman 
candles,  rockets,  etc. — Trailed  .S'/rtrj.-'— Saltpe- 
tre, 4  oz.;  sulphur,  6  oz.;  sulphate  of  aiitimony, 

2  oz.;  rosin,  4  oz. —  (With  Sparks.) — Mealed 
powder,  i  oz.;  saltpetre,  I  oz.;  camphor,  2  02. 
— Colored  Stars. — May  be  made  by  using  any 
of  the  receipts  for  colored  fires,  with  a  solution 
of  isinglass,  ^  oz.;  camphor,  }4  oz.;  alcohol, 
%  oz.  Make  into  balls  of  the  requisite  size, 
roll  in  gunpowder,  dry  in  the  sun. — Roman 
Caftdles. — Meal-powder,  ^  lb.;  saltpetre,  2% 
lbs.;  sulphur,  glass  dust,  each,  }i  lb.  This  is 
rammed  in  cases  as  follows :  Put  at  the  bottom 
of  the  case  a  small  quantity  of  clay,  then  some 
gunpowder,  then  a  wad  of  paper,  then  ]/(,  of  the 
height  of  the  case  of  the  composition,  then  a 
wad  and  powder  and  a  star  or  ball,  then  more 
composition,  and  so  on  till  the  case  is  filled. 
The  wads  must  be  loose  (only  to  prevent  the 
mixing  of  the  composition  and  gunpowder),  and 
the  ramming  should  not  be  begun  until  the  case 
is  Yi  filled,  and  then  should  be  gentle  lest  the 
stars  be  broken. — Chinese  Fire. — {Red.) — Salt- 
petre, I  lb.;  sulphur,  3  oz.;  charcoal,  4  oz.;  iron 
sand,  7  oz. — {White.) — Saltpetre,  I  11).;  mealed 
powder,  12  oz.;  charcoal,  7^  oz.;  iron  sand, 
fine,  II  oz. — Golden  Rain. — Mealed  powder,  4 
oz.;  saltpetre,  I  lb.;  sulphur,  4  oz.;  brass  fil- 
ings, I  oz.;  s.iwdust,  2^  oz.;  glass  powder,  6 
drs. — Silver  Rain. — Mealed  powder,  2  oz.;  salt- 
petre, 4  oz.;  sulphur,  i  oz.;  steel-dust,  ^  oz. 
—  Wheel  Cases. — Mealed  powder,  2  lbs.;  salt- 
petre, 4  oz.;  steel  filings,  6  oz. — For  Rockets. — 
{Four-Ounce.) — Mealed  powder,  i  lb.;  charcoal, 
I  oz.;  saltpetre,  4 oz. — {Eight-Ounce.) — Mealed 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


471 


powder,  i  lb.  i  oz.;  saltpetre,  4  oz.;  sulphur, 
3^  oz.;  charcoal,  I  oz. — {One-Pound.) — Mealed 
powder,  i  lb.;  charcoal,  3  oz.;  sulphur,  I  oz. 

FLOUR,  PATENT,  To  il/a/v.  —  Patent 
Flour  for  bread  making  has  enjoyed  a  certain 
degree  of  popularity  for  obtaining  bread  without 
the  necessary  delay  of  fermentation.  Some  of 
the  many  devices  for  this  purpose,  it  is  alleged, 
produce  very  satisfactory  results  both  in  point 
of  economy  and  for  the  quality  of  the  food  when 
served  up  on  the  table.  In  England  there  is  a 
flour  known  as  Jones'  Patent  Flour,  which  is 
highly  approved  for  the  excellence  of  the  bread 
it  yields,  and  the  readiness  with  which  it  can  be 
employed.  The  directions  for  proceeding  with 
it  are  after  the  following  fashion  : — 

Take  Kiln-dried  Flour   I  cwt. 

Tartaric  acid  10^  ounces. 

Mix  well,  and  after  a  few  days  add  of 

Bicarbonate  of  soda 12  ounces. 

Lump  sugar   %  pound. 

Common  salt i^      " 

Unite  the  whole  by  passing  through  a  sieve.  It 
is  important  that  all  of  the  ingredients  be  per- 
fectly dry,  and  reduced,  separately,  to  a  very 
fine  powder.  Simply  mixing  this  flour  with  cold 
water,  and  baking  at  once,  you  will  have  a  light, 
porous,  and  a  fine-flavored  biscuit  or  loaf.  The 
chief  advantage,  however,  is  the  extemporaneous 
facility  with  which  bread  may  be  prepared  from 
it  without  the  loss  of  time  caused  by  "setting  a 
sponge,"  and  the  final  uncertainty  of  having  it 
free  from  heaviness  or  acidity.  Though  it  may 
be  slightly  irrelevant  to  the  question  about  flour, 
wewillju=t  subjoin  to  the  foregoing  remarks, 
that  in  breid-making  a  pound  of  best  thoroughly 
dried  flour  will  need  about  nine  fluid  ounces  of 
water  to  n  ake  it  into  good  dough  fit  for  baking. 
In  using  fresh  baker's  bread  we  eat  more  water 
than  is  usually  suspected.  The  bread  may  have 
indeed  full  weight,  but  then  too  much  of  it  comes 
from  the  •veil.  A  great  fault  of  the  bread  of  this 
city  is  that  it  never  is  more  than  half  enough 
cooked.  It  is  like  a  sponge  soaked  with  water. 
As  food  it  is  detestable.  There  is  frequently, 
we  are  sure,  in  the  bread  on  the  breakfast  table 
which  has  but  just  been  hurried  from  the  baker's 
oven,  at  east  one-fourth  of  its  weight  of  water. 
It  is  litenlly  water-logged,  and  is  in  such  a  state 
that  it  can  be  quickly  formed  into  a  bolus  in  the 
mouth  vithout  the  aid  of  saliva.  Thus  it  falls 
like  a  stone  into  the  stomach,  and  this  much- 
abused  organ  is  needlessly  worried  for  many 
hours  before  the  food  is  reduced  to  a  fit  condition 
for  the  last  change  into  blood.  All  starchy  food 
should  undergo  preparation  in  the  mouth,  by 
!)eing  mixed  with  saliva  in  the  process  of  masti- 
cation, for  its  ready  and  perfect  transformation 
when  it  shall  come  under  the  influence  of  the 
gastric  fluid.  Water-soaked  bread  or  half-dis- 
solved rice  is  therefore  in  most  unsuitable  condi- 
tion for  making  wholesome  and  easily  digested 
aliment.  The  rule  for  cooking  starchy  food 
should  be  to  have  it  subject  to  the  fire  until  most 
of  the  water  is  driven  away,  so  that  the  fluid  of 
the  mouth  will  be  necessary  to  incorporate  the 
mass  into  a  proper  ball  which  can  be  swallowed 
without  the  danger  of  choking. 

FLOWERS,  To  Obiain  from  Bulbous  Poots 
in  Three  Weeks. — Put  quicklime  into  a  flower- 
pot till  it  is  rather  more  than  half  full ;  fill  up 
■with  good  earth ;  plant  your  bulbs  in  the  usual 


manner;  keep  the  earth  slightly  damp.  The  heat 
given  out  by  the  lime  will  rise  through  the  earth, 
which  will  temper  its  fierceness ;  and  in  this 
manner  beautiful  flowers  may  be  obtained  at  any 
season. 

FLOWERS,  To  Obtain  Fresh- Blown  in 
Winter. — Choose  some  of  the  most  perfect  buds 
of  the  flowers  you  would  preserve,  such  as  are 
latest  in  blowing  and  reacly  to  open;  cut  them 
off  with  a  pair  of  scissors,  leaving  to  each,  if  pos- 
sible, a  piece  of  stem  about  three  inches  long ; 
cover  the  end  of  the  stem  immediately  with  seal- 
ing wax,  and  when  the  buds  are  a  little  shrunk 
and  wrinkled,  wrap  each  of  them  up  separately 
in  a  piece  of  paper,  perfectly  clean  and  dry,  and 
lock  them  up  in  a  dry  box  or  drawer ;  and  they 
will  keep  without  corrupting.  In  winter,  or  at 
any  time  when  you  would  have  the  flowers  blow, 
take  the  buds  at  night  and  cut  off  the  end  of  the 
stem  sealed  with  wax,  and  put  the  buds  into 
water  wherein  a  little  nitre  or  salt  has  been  dif- 
fused, and  the  next  day  you  will  have  the  pleas- 
ure of  seeing  the  buds  open  and  expanding  them- 
selves, and  the  flowers  display  their  most  hvely 
colors  and  breathe  their  agreeable  odors. 

FOSSILS,  To  Preserve  the  Form  of. — Fossils 
are  often  so  friable  that  they  fall  to  pieces  on  the 
slightest  handling.  To  make  such  remains 
coherent  saturate  them  in  a  solution  of  silicate 
of  potash. 

FURNA  CES,  Prevention  of  Smoke  <«.— The 
theory  of  the  prevention  of  smoke  is  very  simple; 
it  is  only  necessary  to  secure  the  burning  of  the 
gases, instead  of  letting  them  escape,  unconsumed, 
up  the  chimney;  and  in  every  invention  which  has 
yet  been  brought  forward,  the  object  sought  to  be 
achieved  is  the  passage  of  the  products  of  the 
newly  supplied  coal  over  that  which  is  already  a 
bright  red.  One  class  of  inventors  has  endeav- 
ored to  accomplish  this  by  turning  the  gases 
back  with  a  deflector  placed  behind  the  fire ;  an- 
other has  employed  two  furnaces,  and  fed  them 
alternately;  and  the  third  has  supplied  additional 
fresh  air  so  as  to  mix  with  the  deleterious  gases, 
and  facilitate  their  burning  to  an  incandescent 
mass.  Now,  all  these  automatic  arrangements 
are  rendered  unnecessary  if  the  stoker  exercises 
ordinary  care.  All  he  has  to  do  is  to  well  push 
back  the  red  hot  coals  in  the  furnace,  and  feed 
the  fresh  coal  near  the  mouth ;  and,  consequently, 
manufacturing  companies  have  found  that  they 
only  had  to  give  the  men  two  shillings  extra  upon 
their  week's  pay  if  they  avoided  making  smoke, 
and  fine  them  one  shilling  if  they  made  smoke, 
to  insure  an  entire  absence  of  the  nuisance,  and 
increased  economy  in  the  use  of  coal — an  import- 
ant consideration,  especially  in  cases  where  large 
quantities  are  used. 

FURNITURE,  Varnished.— Th\s  may  be 
finished  so  as  to  look  equal  to  the  best  French 
polished  wood,  in  the  following  manner :  Take 
two  ounces  of  tripoli,  powdered ;  put  it  into  an 
earthen  pot,  with  just  enough  water  to  cover  it; 
then  take  a  piece  of  white  flannel,  lay  it  over  a 
piece  of  cork  or  rubber,  and  proceed  to  polish 
the  varnish,  always  wetting  it  with  the  tripoli 
water.  It  will  be  known  when  the  process  is 
finished  by  wiping  a  part  of  the  work  with  a 
sponge,  and  observing  whether  there  is  a  fair, 
even  gloss.  When  this  is  the  case,  take  a  bit 
of  mutton  suet  and  fine  flour,  and  clean  the  work. 
The  above  process  is  suitable  to  other  varnished 
surfaces. 


472 


DICTIONARY  OP  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


|00-THOUS4j(,Q       lO.THOUSAfjjj        (.fHOUSAM) 


10.000 


GAS  METER,  r^yP^-^^.— The  figures  on  the 
index  at  the  right  han<i  denote  even  hundreds. 
When  the  hand  completes  the  entire  circle  it 
denotes  ten  hundred,  and  is  registered  by  the 
hand  in  the  centre  circle,  pointing  to  one — each 
figure  in  the  centre  circle  being  a  thousand — this 
entire  circle  being  ten  thousand;  and  is  registered 
on  the  index  of  the  left  hand  circle  by  the  hand, 
there  denoting  by  each  figure,  ten  thousand. 

The  quantity  of  gas  which  passes  through  the 
meter,  is  ascertained  by  reading  from  the  index 
at  the  time  the  amount  is  required  to  be  known, 
and  deducting  therefrom  the  quantity  shown  by 
the  index  at  a  previous  observation. 
If  the  whole  is  registered  by  the  hands  on 

the  three  circles  above,  it  indicates. . .  .49,900 
Amount  at  previous  observation,  as  shown 

by  the  dotted  lines 42,500 


Shows  amount  which  passed  through  since 

last  taken  off 7)40o 

The  register  at  all  times  shows  the  quantity 
that  has  passed  through  since  the  meter  was  first 
set,  by  deducting  from  which  the  amount  that 
has  been  paid  for  (without  any  regard  to  the 
time  when),  shows  that  the  difference  remains 
unpaid. 

GAS-BURNERS.— 1\\&io\\o^fi\ng  are  those 
in  common  use: 

Batswing. — This  has  a  single  slit  at  the  top  of 
the  burner.  It  is  very  steady ;  does  not  change 
its  form  under  any  pressure.  It  is,  therefore, 
used  in  street  lamps.  It  is  not,  however,  econo- 
mical. 

Fish-tail. — This  form  is  generally  used  in 
houses ;  it  has  two  openings  in  the  top,  from 
which  the  jets  of  gas  issue  and  form  a  flat  flame, 
the  plane  of  which  is  at  right  angles  to  that  of 
the  openings.  When  the  pressure  is  too  great 
the  flame  elongates  and  sings,  thus  calling  atten- 
tion to  the  waste.  It  is  an  economical  burner, 
but  flickers.  This  unsteadiness  is  trying  to  the 
eyes,  and  the  fish-tail  should  never  be  used  to 
read  or  write  by. 

Argand. — These  are  the  steadiest  and  most 
economical  burners,  but  require  a  chimney.  The 
gas  is  allowed  to  escape  by  a  ring  of  holes,  and 
me  air  is  admitted  both  inside  and  outside  of 
this  ring.  In  the  patent  Argand  the  outer  ring 
of  air  passes  through  a  series  of  small  openings, 
and  the  inner  ring  is  deflected  into  the  flame  by 
a  button;  it  requires  a  swelled  chimney.  By 
cutting  off  the  button  a  steadier  light  is  obtained, 
and  the  economy  is  nearly  the  same ;  straight 
chimneys  are  more  easily  obtained  than  the 
others.  The  best  flint-glass  chimneys  are  in  the 
end  the  cheapest ;  great  loss  of  light  ensues  if 
they  are  not  kept  clean.  But  putting  a  chimney 
into  hydrant-water,  and  gradually  heating  it,  it 
may  be  cleaned  safely;  paper  gives  the  best 
finish.  The  larger  the  burner  the  greater  the 
relative  economy. 

GAS,  To  Avoid  Waste  ^.— Turn   the  gas 


partly  off  at  the  meter ;  much  gas  is  burned  to 
waste  by  too  great  pressure  in  certain  localities. 
In  buildings  of  any  size  a  good  regulator  will 
soon  pay  for  itself. 

GAS,  Tests  for  Impurities  in. — Sitlphnretcd 
Hydrogen.     Dissolve  a  small  quantity  of  acetate 
of^  lead,  commonly  called  sugar  of  lead,  in  distill- 
ed or  rain  water,  until  the  mixture  is  about  the 
consistency   of   cream ;    dip  into   it  a  piece  of 
writing  paper,  which  hold  a  minute  or  two  over 
a  jet  of  gas    (unlighted);  if  the   pnper   be  not 
discolored,  the  gas  may  be  considered  ])ure;  but 
if  a  brown  stain  be  imparted  to  il,  the  lime  in 
the  purifiers  should  be  renewed.     Tliis  test  will 
detect  the  presence  of  sulphureted  hydrogen  in 
gas,  if  it  contain  one  part  in  20,000.     As  this 
preparation  of  lead  is  an  active  poison,  it  should 
be  used  with  caution,  and  labeled.     A  solution 
of  nitrate  of  silver  and  distilled  wnter  is  a  more 
delicate  test  than  the  above. — Avtiiionia.  Apply 
either   litmus   paper   or  yellow  turmeric  paper 
reddened  by  vinegar,  or  any  other  weak  acid,  to 
a  jet  of  gas,  as  above ;  if  the   blue  color  of  the 
litmus  paper  return,  or  the  color  of  the  turmeric 
paper  deepen  to  a  brown,   the   gas  contains  a 
proportionate   amount  of   ammonia. — Carbonic 
Acid.     This  may  be  detected  by  adding  to  water 
impregnated  with  the  gas  a  lew  drops  of  sul- 
phuric acid,  when  minute  air  bubbles  of  carbonic 
acid  gas  will  be  rapidly  disengaged     Another 
test  is  to  pass  the  gas  through  a  solution  of  pure 
barytes  in  the  blue  tincture  of  litmus,  when,  if 
carbonic  acid  be  present,  carbonate  of  barytes 
will  be  precipitated. — Atmospheric  Air.     The 
presence  of  atmospheric  air  in  gas  can  be  readily 
detected  by  collecting  a  portion  of  t!ie  gas  over 
mercury,  and  then  passing  up,  first  a  few  drops 
of  caustic  potassa,  and  afterwards  a  Aop  or  two 
of  a  solution  of  pyrogallic  acid.     If  the  liquid 
assume  a  blood  red  hue,  oxygen,  indcating  the 
presence  of  atmospheric  air,  is  mixed  with  the 
gas. — Bisulphide  of  Carbon.      By  farcing,    by 
means  of  an  ordinary  blowpipe,   the  flame  of 
coal  gas,  for  about  a  minute,  on  to  distilled  water 
containing  a  little  acid  chloride  of  barium,  sul- 
phate of  baryta  is  formed,  and  the  presence  of 
sulphur  in  the  gas  thus  proved. 

GAS  {Laughing),  To  Make. — Heat  gently 
in  a  flask  or  retort,  nitrate  of  ammonia  (made  by 
adding  carbonate  of  ammonia  to  nitric  acid  until 
no  more  gas  comes  off).  It  should  bs  allowed 
to  stand  some  time  over  water  before  being 
breathed. 

GAS- TAPS,  To  Stop  the  Leakage  of.— 
Many  people  are  annoyed  by  the  slight  leakage 
of  taps,  causing  offensive  odor  deleterious  to 
health  in  the  apartments  where  they  are  placed, 
and  also  increasing  their  bills.  In  many  cases 
they  may  easily  remedy  the  evil  without  sending 
for  a  plumber  or  gas-fitter.  To  do  this  thej 
should  turn  off  the  gas  back  of  the  meter ;  then 
take  out  (a  screw  driver  is  all  the  tool  required} 
the  plug.  Next  light  a  wax,  sperm,  or  paraffine 
candle,  and  drop  the  melted  wax,  sperm,  or  pa- 
rafiine  upon  the  surface  of  the  plug,  till  it  is  co- 
vered with  a  thin  layer.  Next,  screw  in  the  tap, 
and  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  the  leak  will  be  stop- 
ped,  and  remain  stopped.  ' 

GALLEIN,  {A  New  Dye).— Tht  crystals  oi 
gallein  are  first  produced,  and  these  are  convert- 
ed into  galliri  by  means  of  zinc  and  dilute  sul- 
Shuric  acid.  On  subsequently  treating  the  gal- 
n  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  at  200®  C, 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


473 


a  substance  named  corulein  is  obtained.  This 
dissolved  in  aniline  forms  a  rich  indigo  blue,  and 
with  alkalies  it  gives  a  fine  green,  while,  if  mor- 
danted with  iron  compounds,  a  fine  brown  is 
imparted  to  the  goods.  These  colors  are  readily 
imparted  to  cloth,  and  are  of  considerable  per- 
manence, resisting  the  action  of  soap. 

GEARING  and  PULLEYS,  Tq  Compute 
the  Speed  ^.— The  following  siiA  rule  for 
calculating  the  speed  of  gearing  ?R  ^  Meys  is, 
doubtless,  in  familiar  use  by  many  iin^chanics. 
We  give  it,  however,  for  the  convenience  of  those 
of  our  readers  who  may  not  happen  to  be  ac- 
quainted with  it,  and  who  have  found  the  need, 
in  practice,  of  a  uniform  rule,  applying  to  all 
cases.  To  find  the  speed  of  a  driven  wheel,  when 
the  number  of  teeth  of  both  wheels  and  the  num- 
ber of  revolutions  of  the  driving-wheel  are  given: 
Multiply  the  number  of  teeth  of  the  driving- 
wheel  by  the  number  of  its  revolutions ;  divide 
its  product  by  the  number  of  teeth  of  the  driven 
wheel,  and  the  quotient  will  be  the  number  of 
revolutions  of  the  driven  wheel.  For  example : 
an  8o-cog  spur-wheel  on  a  water-wheel  shaft 
making  85  revolutions  per  minute,  and  driving 
a  34-cog  pinion ;  to  find  the  speed  of  the  pinion, 
multiply  80,  the  number  of  cogs  of  the  driving- 
wheel,  by  85,  the  number  of  revolutions,  and  the 
product  is  6800.  Divide  this  product  by  34,  the 
number  of  cogs  in  the  pinion  or  driven  wheel, 
and  the  quotient  is  200,  the  number  of  revolu- 
tions of  the  pinion  per  minute.  To  reverse  the 
rule  :  The  number  of  teeth  and  number  of  revo- 
lutions of  the  driving-wheel  and  the  number  of 
revolutions  of  the  driven  wheel  being  given,  to 
find  the  number  of  teeth  of  the  driven  wheel. 
In  the  case  above  supposed,  multiply  80  (number 
of  cogs  of  spur-wheel)  by  85,  (number  of  its  re- 
volutions) and  divide  the  product,  6800,  by  200, 
the  number  of  revolutions  of  the  pinion  per  min- 
ute ;  the  quotient,  34,  is  the  number  of  teeth  of 
the  pinion  or  driven  wheel.  In  calculating  the 
speed  of  pulleys,  the  same  rule  is  adopted,  ex- 
cept that  the  diameter  of  the  wheel  or  pulley  is 
used  in  place  of  the  number  of  teeth.  The  speed 
of  the  driving-wheel  being  multiplied  by  its  dia- 
meter, the  product  is  divided  by  the  diameter  of 
the  driven  pulley,  and  the  quotient  is  the  num- 
ber of  revolutions  of  the  pulley ;  or  if  the  same 
product  be  divided  by  the  number  of  revolutions 
of  the  pulley,  the  quotient  will  be  the  diameter 
of  the  pulley. 

GERANIUMS,  To  Preserve  During  Win- 
ter.— Take  the  plants  to  be  preserved  out  of 
their  pots,  trim  off  the  leaves  and  outer  branches, 
and  then  take  off  all  the  soil  from  the  roots,  tie 
them  up  in  bunches,  and  hang  them,  roots  up- 
ward, in  a  dark,  dry  cupboard,  loft,  or  cellar, 
where  no  frost  can  touch  them.  In  the  spring 
brin<T  them  out,  and  having  well  cleaned  your 
potslnside  and  out,  re-pot  them  in  some  good 

compost.  ,     ^  ,        ,    . 

GINGER,  Tincture  of.—Tsks  of  ginger,  m 
coarse  powder,  2  ounces  ;  proof  spirits,  2  pints. 
Digest  in  a  gentle  heat  for  7  days,  and  strain. 
This  tincture  is  cordial  and  stimulant,  and  is 
generally  employed  as  a  corrective  to  purgative 

draughts.  „  , ,  .     ,  . 

GILDERS'  GLUE. — Rabbit-skms  are  cut 
into  thin  strips  like  vermicelli,  and  subjected  in 
a  vessel  to  a  bath  of  boiling  water.  They  are 
then  poured  into  a  kind  of  basket,  pierced  at  the 
bottom  like  a  cuUender;  the  skin  remains  at  the 


bottom,  and  the  juice  flows  into  a  reservoir 
placed  underneath.  A  solution  of  sulphate  of 
zinc  with  alum,  in  pure  water  in  ebullition,  is 
then  made  separately,  consisting  of  about  100 
grammes  of  the  sulphate  to  25  of  the  alum.  This 
solution  is  poured  on  the  yet  warm  juice  of  the 
skin  in  the  reservoir,  and  well  mixed  together. 
The  juice  is  then  passed  through  a  strainer,  and 
from  thence  into  a  rectangular  box,  of  the  form 
of  soap-bars.  In  this  box  the  juice  coagulates 
in  about  24  hours  in  winter  and  48  hours  in 
summer.  Then  with  a  sharp  instrument  the 
coagulated  bar  is  detached  from  the  box,  cut 
transversely  in  two  lengths,  and  each  half  bar  is 
placed  in  a  receptacle  where  it  is  submitted  to 
the  action  of  several  cutters,  which  form  it  into 
thin  sheets.  These  sheets  are  extended  on 
strings  to  dry  in  the  open  air,  or  in  an  oven,  ac- 
cording to  the  season.  The  size  of  these  sheets 
of  skin  glue  is  about  two  inches,  and  their  color 
very  light  chestnut,  the  traces  of  the  strings  and 
knots  appearing  lozenge-shaped  upon  them. 

GLASS  or  CHINA,  To  Pack.— ?roc\xre  some 
soft  straw  or  hay  to  pack  them  in,  and  if  they 
are  to  be  sent  a  long  way,  and  are  heavy,  the 
hay  or  straw  should  be  a  little  damp,  which  will 
prevent  them  slipping  about.  Let  the  largest 
and  heaviest  things  be  always  put  undermost, 
in  the  box  or  hamper.  Let  there  be  plenty  of 
straw,  and  pack  the  articles  tight ;  but  never  at- 
tempt to  pack  up  glass  or  china  which  is  of  much 
consequence,  till  it  has  been  seen  done  by  some 
one  used  to  the  job.  The  expense  will  be  but 
trifling  to  have  a  person  to  do  it  who  under- 
stands it,  and  the  loss  may  be  great  if  articles 
of  such  value  are  packed  up  in  an  improper 
manner. 

GLASS  {Ground)  Stopple,  To  Loosen. — Hold 
the  hand  around  the  neck  of  the  bottle,  10  or  15 
seconds,  until  its  warmth  expands  the  glass  of 
the  bottle — when  the  stopple  will  move  easily. 
If  it  does  not,  try  a  higher  heat  by  the  aid  of  a 
rag  dipped  in  hot  water  and  wrapped  around  the 
neck  of  the  bottle  for  a  minute  or  so.  Another 
way  is  to  hold  the  neck  of  the  bottle,  cautiously 
turning  it,  so  as  not  to  expose  any  part  to  much 
or  too  sudden  a  heat,  near  or  over  a  gas  jet  or 
heat  from  a  lamp. 

GLASS,  To  Platinize. — Pour  rosemary  oil 
upon  the  dry  chloride  of  platinum  in  a  porcelain 
dish,  and  knead  it  well  until  all  parts  are  moist- 
ened; then  rub  this  up  with  five  times  its  weight 
of  lavender  oil,  and  leave  the  liquid  a  short  time 
to  clarify.  The  objects  to  be  platinized  are  to 
be  thinly  coated  with  the  above  preparation  and 
afterwards  heated  for  a  few  minutes  in  a  muffle 
or  over  a  Bunsen  burner. 

GLASS,  To  Write  or  Draw  on. — The  process 
of  writing  or  drawing  on  glass  can  be  done  by 
procuring  some  French  chalk ;  place  the  glass 
on  a  table,  and  while  breathing  on  it,  write  with 
the  chalk,  after  that  wipe  it  with  a  damp  cloth ; 
when  dry  the  drawing  will  disappear;  breathe 
on  it  again  and  it  will  return. 

GLA ZING  ( Common),  Eor  Earthenware. — 
Take  of  white  sand,  40  lbs.;  red  lead,  20  lbs.; 
pearlash,  20  lbs.;  common  salt,  12  lbs.  Powder 
this  sand  by  grinding  before  it  be  mixed  w-ith 
the  other  ingredients,  and  then  grind  them 
together,  after  which,  calcine  them  for  some 
time  with  a  moderate  heat,  which  must  be  less 
than  will  make  them  melt  and  run  to  glass ;  and 
when  the  nuxture  is  cold,   grind  it  to  powder 


474 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


again,  and,  when  wanted,  temper  it  with  water 
and  it  will  then  be  fit  for  use. 

The  proportions  of  these  ingredients  may  be 
varied  occasionally,  for,  where  the  glazing  can 
be  fluxed  conveniently  with  a  very  strong  fire, 
the  quantity  of  sand  may  be  increased  to  60  or  70 
lbs.,  which  not  only  renders  the  glazing  stronger, 
but  makes  a  saving  in  the  expense.  The  pro- 
portion of  pearlashes  may  likewise  be  dimimshed, 
or  they  may  be  wholly  omitted  where  the  ware 
is  designed  for  very  coarse  purposes,  and  not 
for  domestic  uses,  where  the  lead  is  very  im- 
proper, being  extremely  apt  to  be  corroded  by 
acids,  and  to  produce  a  very  unwholesome  sub- 
stance. On  this  account,  where  good  manufactories 
are  established,  the  lead  ought  to  be  excluded 
from  the  composition  of  the  glazings,  and  other 
fluxes  used  in  its  stead,  as  in  the  iollowing: 

GLAZING  (  Transparent),  For Earthen'duate. 
— Take  of  white  sand,  40  lbs.;  of  pearlash,  21 
lbs.;  and  of  common  salt,  15  lbs.  Calcine,  and 
proceed  as  above. 

Where  the  expense  is  no  object,  this  glazing 
may  be  improved  by  adding  I  or  2  lbs.  of  borax, 
and  diminishing  the  pearlash  in  the  proportion  of 
6  lbs.  for  I  lb.  of  borax  added,  or  10  lbs.  for  2 ; 
in  the  latter  case,  2  lbs.  of  salt  may  be  also  kept 
out  of  the  composition.  The  reason  for  this 
change  is,  that  if  the  composition  contain  so  large 
a  proportion  of  salt,  and  the  glazing  be  not 
fluxed  for  a  long  time  after  it  is  laid  on  the  ware, 
it  will  be  apt  to  be  dissolved  by  boihng  water, 
and  peel  off,  if  it  be  exposed  to  the  action  of  it 
for  any  long  time. 

Another. — Takeof  sand,  40  lbs.;  of  wood-ashes, 
perfectly  burnt,  50  lbs.;  of  pearlash,  10  lbs.;  of 
common  salt,  12  lbs. 

This  will  make  an  admirable  glazing,  where 
the  ashes  are  pure,  and  a  strong  fire  can  be  given 
to  flux  it  when  laid  on  the  ware.  It  will  be 
perfectly  free  from  the  imperfection  of  the  above, 
and  will  be  very  hard  and  glossy,  and  where  the 
expense  ccn  be  afforded,  it  may  be  made  more 
yielding  to  the  fire  by  the  addition  of  borax,  in 
which  case  no  alteration  need  be  made  in  the 
proportion  of  the  other  ingredients. 

GLAZING,  Fine  B/ue.— Take  of  red  lead,  i 
lb.;  powdered  flints,  2  lbs.;  common  salt,  2  lbs.; 
tartar,  I  lb.  Calcine  till  it  is  almost  white. 
White  flint-glass,  }4  lb.,  and  zaffre,  ^  lb.  Fuse 
the  whole  mixture,  and  quench  the  melted  mass 
in  water.  Repeat  the  same  operation  several 
times.  The  same  proceeding  must  be  adhered 
to  in  all  the  compositions  where  the  tartar  enters, 
otherwise  they  would  be  too  much  charged  with 
salt,  and  the  color  would  not  prove  fine.  It  is 
proper,  moreover,  to  calcine  the  mixture  gently  day 
and  night,  for  48  hours,  in  a  glass-house  furnace. 

Another. — Take  I  lb.  of  tartar,  %  lb.  of  red 
lead,  y^  oz.  of  zaffre,  and  %  lb,  of  powdered 
flints.  Fuse  the  whole,  and  proceed  in  the 
manner  stated  above. 

GLAZING,  Green  {To  be  Laid  on  a  White 
Ground. ) — Take  of  calcined  copper  i  part,  and 
2  parts  of  any  of  the  common  yellow  glazings. 
Fuse  them  twice,  but  when  the  composition  is 
used  it  must  not  be  laid  on  too  thick,  for  that 
would  render  the  color  too  deep. 

GLAZING,  Levton-Colored.—Take  of  red 
lead,  3  parts;  of  powdered  bricks,  very  red,  T^yz 
parts ;  and  of  antimony,  i  part.  Calcine  the 
mixture  day  and  night,  for  the  space  of  4  days, 
in  the  ash-hole  of  a  glass-house  furnace.     Urge 


it  at  last  to  fusion,  and  it  will  produce  a  very 
fine  lemon-colored  glazing. 

The  success  of  this  operation  depends  greatly 
on  the  fineness  of  the  color  of  the  bricks  that  .ire 
powdered.  Those  which  are  of  a  fine  red  and 
very  brittle,  are  the  best ;  but  such  as  are  gray 
will  not  at  all  answer  the  end.  The  same  atten- 
tion should  be  paid  to  this  matter  wherever 
bricks  are  used  in  this  kind  of  preparations. 

GLAZING,  Light  Yellow.— lake  of  red  lead, 
4  parts;  of  antimony,  3  parts;  of  the  mixture  of 
the  calxes  of  lead  and  tin,  before  mentioned  in 
the  masticot  for  white  enamel,  8  parts  j  and  of 
glass,  3  parts. 

When  the  red  lead  and  calx  of  tin  are  used, 
the  proportion  of  the  ingredients  will  be  of  red 
lead,  10  parts ;  of  antimony  and  glass,  each,  3 
parts ;  and  of  calcined  tin,  2  parts. 

GLAZING,  Violet-Blue.— lake  12  parts  of 
tartar  and  an  equal  quantity  of  flints  and  zafifre. 
Proceed  as  with  the  above. — Another. — Take  4 
oz.  of  tartar,  2  oz.  of  red  lead,  5  oz.  of  powdered 
flints,  and  ^  dr.  of  magnesia.  Proceed  as  with 
the  above. 

GOLDBEATERS'  SKIN.—l?,  prepared  by 
extending  the  peritoneal  membranes  of  the  cae- 
cum, and  washing  them,  first  with  plain  water, 
and  then  with  a  solution  of  alum,  and  afterwards 
with  a  solution  of  isinglass  and  spices. 

GRASS,  To  Crystallize.  —  Having  secured 
the  grass  during  the  summer  and  fall  months, 
and  dried  it  in  a  dark  room,  procure  one-half 
pint  of  white  spirit  varnish,  and  I  oz.  of  white 
frosting;  dip  the  blades  of  grass  into  the  varnish 
separately;  and  immediately  sprinkle  on  the 
powdered  frosting;  then  put  it  away  carefully  to 
dry. 

GRASS,  To  Prevent  Growing  in  a  Paved 
Yard.  —  Pour  boiling  water  over  the  stones 
whenever  the  grass  shows  itself. 

GREEN-HOUSE,  or  Conservatory,  To  Make. 
— The  depth  of  green-houses  should  never  be 
greater  than  their  height  in  the  clear;  which,  in 
small  or  middling  houses  may  be  sixteen  or 
eighteen  feet,  but  in  large  ones  from  twenty  to 
twenty-four  feet;  and  the  length  of  the  windows 
should  reach  from  about  one  foot  and  a  half 
above  the  pavement,  and  within  the  same  dis- 
tance of  the  Ceiling. 

The  floor  of  the  green-house,  which  should  be 
laid  either  with  Bremen  squares,  Purbeck  stone, 
or  flat  tiles,  must  be  raised  two  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  adjoining  ground,  or,  if  the  situa- 
tion be  damp,  at  least  three  feet ;  and  if  the 
whole  is  arched  with  low  brick  arches  under  the 
floor,  they  will  be  of  great  service  in  preventing 
damp ;  and  under  the  floor,  about  two  feet  from 
the  front,  it  will  be  very  advisable  to  make  a 
flue  of  ten  inches  wide,  and  two  feet  deep ;  this 
should  be  carried  the  whole  length  of  the  house, 
and  then  returned  back  along  the  hinder  part, 
and  there  be  carried  up  into  funnels  adjoining  to 
the  tool-house,  by  which  the  smoke  may  be 
carried  off.  The  fire-place  may  be  contrived  at 
one  end  of  the  house,  and  the  door  at  which  the 
fuel  is  put  in,  as  also  the  ash-grate,  may  be  con- 
trived to  open  into  the  tool-house. 

Whilst  the  front  of  the  green-house  is  exactly 
south,  one  of  the  wings  may  be  made  to  face  the 
southeast,  and  the  other  the  southwest.  By  this 
disposition  the  heat  of  the  sun  is  reflected  from 
one  part  of  the  building  to  the  other  all  day,  and 
the  front  of  the  main  green-house  is  guarded 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


475 


from  the  cold  winds.     These  two  wings  may  be 
so  contrived  as  to  maintain  plants  of  different  | 
degrees  of  hardiness,  which  may  be  easily  effect- 
ed by  the  situation  and  extent  of  the  fire-place, 
and  the  manner  of  conducting  the  flues. 

The  sloping  glasses  of  these  houses  should  be 
made  to  slide  and  take  off,  so  that  they  may  be 
drawn  down  more  or  less  in  warm  weather  to 
admit  air  to  the  plants;  and  the  upright  glasses 
in  the  front  may  be  so  contrived  as  that  every 
other  may  open  as  a  door  upon  hinges,  and  the 
alternate  glasses  may  be  divided  into  two ;  the 
upper  part  of  each  should  be  so  contrived  as  to 
be  drawn  down  like  a  sash,  so  that  either  of 
them  may  be  used  to  admit  air  in  a  greater  or 
less  quantity,  as  there  may  be  occasion.  As  to 
the  management  of  plants  in  a  green-house, 
open  the  mould  about  them  from  time  to  time, 
and  sprinkle  a  little  fresh  mould  in  them,  and  a 
litde  warm  dung  on  that ;  also  water  them  when 
the  leaves  begin  to  wither  and  curl,  and  not 
cftener,  which  would  make  them  fade  and  be 
sickly ;  and  take  off  such  leaves  as  wither  and 
grow  dry. 

GRINDSTONES,  Arti/ictaL—\\3.shsd.  silice- 
ous sand  3  parts ;  shellac  i  part ;  melt,  and  form 
it  into  the  proper  shape  while  warm.  The  fine- 
ness of  the  sand  must  depend  on  the  work  the 
stone  is  intended  for.  Powdered  emery  may  be 
substituted  for  sand.  The  same  composition  is 
formed  upon  pieces  of  wood,  for  the  purpose  of 
sharpening  knives,  and  cutting  stones,  shells,  etc. 

GRnVDSTONES,  Use  ./.—The  periphery 
of  every  grindstone  on  which  edge-tools  are 
gi'ound  should  run  as  true  as  the  dressed  surface 
of  a  millstone,  as  it  is  impracticable  to  grind  a 
tool  correctly  on  a  stone  that  revolves  with  an 
uneven  motion.  If  the  periphery  of  a  stone  varies 
half  an  inch  in  each  revolution,  the  most  ex- 
peditious way  to  put  it  in  order  is  to  loosen  the 
■wedges  with  which  it  is  keyed  to  the  journal, 
and  rehang  it.  Then  secure  the  bearings  of  the 
journal,  so  that  they  cannot  be  easily  lifted  out 
of  the  boxes,  and  turn  the  periphery  off  true  and 
smooth.  Let  a  firm  rest  be  fixed  close  to  the 
periphery  before  attempting  to  turn  off  the 
prominent  portions.  The  rest  must  be  solid 
with  the  surface  close  to  the  stone,  so  that  when 
the  turning  instrument  comes  in  corttact  with  the 
stone,  it  will  remove  a  thin  chip  without  spring- 
ing away  from  the  stone.  Stone-turners  always 
employ  for  a  turning-tool  the  end  of  a  bar  of 
very  soft  iron,  drawn  out  to  a  point,  and  turned 
up  at  the  end  for  gouging.  A  piece  of  soft  iron 
is  far  more  effective  than  steel. 

It  is  recommended  to  tar  the  center  of  grind- 
stones, in  order  to  compel  those  who  grind  upon 
them,  to  grind  on  the  edges,  forming  a  raised 
center,  which  gives  a  better  opportunity  to  put 
a  good  edge  on  a  tool,  than  a  level  surface  does. 
The  ring  of  tar  should  be  quite  narrow,  ancTall 
who  grind  are  compelled  to  use  the  edges  of  the 
stone,  as  they  cannot  grind  where  the  tar  is. 
.  This  remedy  should  be  tried  where  farm  hands 
will  not  heed  your  request  to  wear  the  stone  off 
the  edges. 

;  GUN  COTTON.— Tslix  three  parts  of  sul- 
phuric acid,  spec,  grav.,  1.85,  with  one  part  of 
nitric  acid,  spec,  grav.,  1.45  to  1.50;  and  when 
the  mixture  cools  down  to  between  50°  and  60" 
Fahr.,  clean  rough  cotton,  in  an  open  state,  is 
dipped  in  it ;  let  soak,  then  pour  off  the  excess 
of  acid,  and  press  the  cotton  tightlv  to  remove 


as  much  as  possible  of  what  remains.  Then 
cover  the  cotton  and  let  stand  for  half  an  hour; 
press  again,  and  thoroughly  wash  in  running 
water.  Partially  dry  it  by  pressure,  then  wash 
in  a  solution  made  by  dissolving  one  ounce  of 
carbonate  of  potash  in  a  gallon  of  water.  Press 
again,  so  that  the  cotton  will  be  nearly  dry; 
then  wash  in  a  solution  of  pure  nitrate  of  potash, 
one  ounce  to  the  gallon  of  water,  and  again 
press,  after  which  dry  at  a  temperature  of  from 
150°  to  lyo**.  Its  projectile  force  is  equal  to 
about  twice  its  weight  of  the  best  gunpowder, 
and  on  account  of  its  quickness  of  action,  can 
hardly  be  used  with  safety. 

GUNROH^DER.  —  GunpovrdeT  is  made  by 
carefully  grinding  and  mixing  75  parts  willow  or 
birch  charcoal,  15  parts  saltpetre  and  10  parts 
brimstone. 

A  cheap  gunpowder  in  which  charcoal  is  re- 
placed by  common  glue  is  thus  prepared :  The 
glue  or  gelatin  is  first  soaked  in  cold  water,  and 
then  heated  in  diluted  nitric  acid  until  it  dis- 
solves. It  is  next  evaporated  to  dryness,  re-dis- 
solved in  water,  and  then  carbonate  of  baryta  is 
added  to  neutralize  the  acid.  The  solution  is 
again  evaporated,  one  part  of  sulphur  and  six 
parts  of  nitrate  of  potash  for  every  two  parts  of 
glue  being  incorporated  as  the  evaporation  pro- 
ceeds. This  gives  a  slow  burning  powder  which 
may  be  rendered  more  energetic  by  replacing 
nitrate  by  chlorate  of  potash. 

GUTTA-PERCHA  {Pure  White),  Prepara- 
tion of. — This  substance  is  now  much  used  in 
dentistry  and  for  other  purposes ;  and  as  differ- 
ent qualities,  some  of  them  very  inferior,  are  in 
the  market,  many  of  our  professional  readers ' 
may  thank  us  for  the  details  of  a  simple  process 
for  manufacturing  it.  Four  ounces  of  the  purest 
gutta-percha  that  can  be  selected  are  to  be  di- 
gested for  several  days  with  five  pounds  methyl 
chloroform  until  a  solution  is  obtained  thin  en- 
ough to  pass  through  filtering  paper,  care  being 
taken  during  the  operation  to  prevent  any  loss 
of  the  chloroform  by  using  the  apparatus  con- 
structed for  that  purpose.  The  solution  is  then 
to  be  filtered  (an  additional  pound  of  chloroform 
will  facilitate  this),  and  should  then  be  clear 
and  nearly  colorless.  Alcohol  is  now  to  be  add- 
ed in  sufficient  quantity  to  precipitate  the  gutta- 
percha in  a  voluminous  white  mass,  which  then 
is  to  be  washed  with  alcohol,  pressed  in  a  cloth, 
and  dried  in  the  air.  It  must  finally  be  boiled 
in  water  in  a  porcelain  vessel  for  half  an  hour, 
and  while  still  hot  rolled  into  sticks.  The 
chloroform  can  be  separated  from  the  alcohol 
by  adding  water,  and  the  alcohol  recovered  by 
distillation. 

GUTTA-PERCHAandRUBBER,ToUtilize 
the  Waste  0/.— The  waste  is  cut  into  small  pieces, 
and  100  pounds  of  the  same  are  placed  in  a  well- 
closed  boiler,  with  10  pounds  of  bisulphide  of 
carbon  and  4  ounces  absolute  alcohol,  well 
stirred;  then  the  boiler  is  closed,  and  left  a  few 
hours  to  soak.  After  this  time  it  is  found  to  be 
changed  into  a  soft,  dough-like  mass,  which, 
after  being  ground  or  kneaded,  is  fit  to  be  formed 
into  any  shape,  when  the  solvent  will  evaporate. 
If  too  much  of  the  latter  has  been  used,  a  thick, 
unmanageable  liquid  is  obtained.  This  process 
was  patented  in  England  some  sixteen  years  ago. 

HARN'ESS,  Varnish  for.  —  Half  a  pound 
India  rubber,  one  gallon  of  spirits  of  turpentine; 
dissolve  by  a  little  heat  to  make  it  into  a  jelly. 


476 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY    WANTS. 


then  take  equal  quantities  of  hot  linseed  oil  and 
above  mixture,  and  incorporate  them  well  on  a 
slow  fire. 

HA  TS  {Panama),  How  Made, — The  process 
of  making  Panama  hats  is  as  follows: — The 
leaves  of  the  pandamus,  or  Seren  pine,  from 
which  these  hats  are  made,  are  gathered  before 
they  unfold,  the  ribs  and  coarser  veins  are  re- 
moved, and  the  rest,  without  being  separated 
from  the  base  of  the  leaf,  is  reduced  to  shreds. 
After  having  been  put  in  the  sun  for  a  day  and 
tied  into  a  knot,  the  straw  is  immersed  in  boiling 
water  until  it  becomes  white.  It  is  then  hung 
up  in  a  shady  place,  and  subsequently  bleached 
for  two  or  three  days,  after  which  the  straw  is 
ready  for  use.  The  plaiting  of  the  straw  com- 
mences at  the  crown  and  finishes  at  the  brim, 
and  is  a  very  troublesome  operation.  The  hats 
are  made  on  a  block  placed  on  the  knees,  and 
require  to  be  constantly  pressed  with  the  breast. 
The  coarser  hat  may  be  finished  in  two  or  three 
days,  but  the  finest  may  require  as  many  months. 

HARP  {yEolian),  To  Make.—Oi  very  thin 
cedar,  pine,  or  other  soft  wood  make  a  box  5  or 
6  inches  deep,  7  or  8  inches  wide,  and  of  a  length 
just  equal  to  the  width  of  the  window  in  which 
it  is  to  be  placed.  Across  the  top,  near  each  end, 
glue  a  strip  of  wood  half  an  inch  high  and  a 
<juarter  of  an  inch  thick,  for  bridges.  Into  the 
ends  of  the  box  insert  wooden  pins,  like  those  of 
a  violin,  to  wind  the  strings  around,  two  pins  in 
each  end.  Make  a  sound-hole  in  the  middle  of 
the  top,  and  string  the  box  with  small  catgut, 
or  blue  first-fiddle  strings.  Fastening  one  end 
of  each  string  to  a  metallic  pin  in  one  end  of 
the  box,  and  carrying  it  over  the  bridges,  wind  it 
around  the  turning-pin  in  the  opposite  end  of  the 
box.  The  ends  of  the  box  should  be  increased  in 
thickness  where  the  wooden  pins  enter,  by  a  piece 
of  wood  glued  upon  the  inside.  Tune  the  strings 
in  unison  and  place  the  box  in  the  window.  It  is 
better  to  have  four  strings,  as  described,  but  a 
harp  with  a  single  string  produces  an  exceedingly 
sweet  melody  of  notes,  which  vary  with  the  force 
of  the  wind. 

HANGING  BASKET,  A^ovel.—  Vvocure  a 
large-sized  turnip  and  scrape  out  the  inside, 
leaving  a  pretty  thick  wall  all  around;  fill  the 
cavity  with  earth,  and  plant  in  it  some  clinging 
vine  or  morning-glory.  Suspend  the  turnip  with 
cords,  and  in  a  little  time  the  vines  will  twine 
around  the  strings,  and  the  turnip  sprouting  from 
below  will  put  forth  leaves  and  stems  that  will 
turn  upwards  and  curl  gracefully  around  the 
base. 

HONEY  {Artificial),  To  Make.—i.  Take 
5  pounds  good  common  sugar,  2  pounds  of  wa- 
ter, gradually  bring  to  a  boil,  skimming  well ; 
when  cool  add  i  pound  bees'  honey  and  4  drops 
of  peppermint.  If  you  desire  a  better  article  use 
W'hite  sugar  and  ^ pound  less  water,  and  one- 
half  pound  more  honey. — 2.  Good  brown  sugar 
ID  lbs.;  water  i  qt.;  old  bee  bread  honey  in  the 
comb  2  lbs.;  cream  of  tartar  i  tea-spoon;  gum 
arabic  I  oz.;  oil  of  peppermint  3  drops;  oil  of 
rose  2  drops.  Mix  and  boil  2  or  3  minutes  and 
have  ready  I  qt.  more  of  water  in  which  an  egg 
is  put  well  beat  up ;  pour  it  in,  and  as  it  l^egins 
to  boil,  skim  well,  remove  from  the  fire,  and 
when  a  little  cool,  add  2  lbs.  of  nice  bees'  honey, 
and  strain. — 3.  Coffee  sugar  10 lbs.;  water  3  lbs.; 
cream  of  tartar  2  oz.;  strong  vinegar  2  table- 
spoons ;  the  white  of  i  egg  well  beaten ;  bees' 


honey  J^  lb.;  Lubin's  extract  of  honeysuckle  10 
drops.  First  put  the  sugar  and  water  into  a 
suitable  kettle  and  place  upon  the  fire;  and  when 
luke-warm  stir  in  the  cream  of  tartar,  and  vine- 
gar ;  then  continue  to  add  the  egg ;  and  when 
the  sugar  is  nearly  melted  put  in  the  honey  and 
stir  until  it  comes  to  a  boil,  take  it  off,  let  it 
stand  a  few  minutes,  then  strain,  adding  the  ex- 
tract of  honeysuckle  last,  let  stand  over  night, 
and  it  is  ready  for  use. — 4.  Take  10  pounds  of 
Havana  sugar,  4  pounds  of  water,  40  grains  of 
cream  tartar,  10  drops  essence  peppermint,  and 
3  pounds  of  honey  ;  first,  dissolve  the  sugar  in 
the  water  over  a  slow  fire,  and  take  off  the  scum 
arising  therefrom.  Then  dissolve  the  cream  tar- 
tar in  a  little  warm  water,  and  add,  with  some 
stirring ;  then  add  the  honey,  heated  to  a  boiling 
point ;  then  add  the  essence  of  peppermint ;  stir 
for  a  few  minutes,  and  let  it  stand  until  cold, 
when  it  will  be  ready  for  use. — 5.  Dissolve  20 
lbs.  of  coarse  sugar  in  3  quarts  of  warm  water ; 
stir  into  it  one-fifth  of  an  ounce  of  cream  of  tar- 
tar dissolved  in  a  little  water,  and  also  five  or 
six  pounds  of  good  honey,  and  half  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  essence  of  peppermint.  Boil  the  whole 
slowly,  twelve  minutes,  stirring  constantly. 

HONEY,  Liquid. — Put  two  pounds  of  the 
purest  white  sugar  in  as  much  hot  water  as  will 
dissolve  it ;  take  one  pound  of  strained  white 
clover  honey — any  honey  of  good  flavor  will  an- 
swer— and  add  it  warm  to  the  syrup,  thoroughly 
stirring  together.  As  refined  loaf  sugar  is  a  pure 
and  inodorous  sweet,  one  pound  of  honey  will 
give  its  flavor  to  two  pounds  of  sugar,  and  the 
compound  will  be  free  from  that  smarting  taste 
that  pure  honey  often  has,  and  will  usually 
agree  with  those  who  cannot  eat  the  latter  with 
impunity.  Any  desired  flavor  can  be  added 
to  it. 

HORN  AND  TORTOISE-SHELL,  Man- 
ufacture  of. — Almost  the  only  kinds  of  horn  that 
are  the  subject  of  manufacture  are  those  of  the 
bull  and  cow,  and  the  hoofs  of  these  animals ; 
the  horns  of  the  bullock  being  thin,  an(j  of  a 
very  coarse  texture,  are  used  only  for  the  most 
ordinary  purposes.  Our  domestic  supply  is  by 
no  means  equal  to  the  demand,  so  that  great 
quantities  are  imported  from  Russia,  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  and  South  America. 

The  first  process  is  the  separation  of  the  true 
horn  from  the  bony  core  on  which  it  is  formed ; 
for  this  purpose  the  entire  horns  are  macerated 
in  water  for  a  month  or  six  weeks,  according  to 
the  temperature ;  during  this  time,  the  mem- 
brane which  lies  between  the  core  and  the  horn 
is  destroyed  by  putrefaction,  so  that  the  core  be- 
comes loose  and  can  easily  be  extracted.  The 
cores  are  not  thrown  away,  but  are  burnt  to 
ashes,  and  in  this  state  form  the  best  material 
for  those  small  tests  or  cupels  employed  by  the 
assayers  of  gold  and  silver. 

The  next  process  is  to  cut  off  with  a  saw  the 
tip  of  the  horn — that  is,  the  whole  «f  its  solid 
part — which  is  used  by  the  cutlers  for  knife- 
handles,  is  turned  into  buttons,  and  applied  to 
sundry  other  purposes.  The  remainder  of  the 
horn  is  left  entire  or  is  sawn  across  into  lengths, 
according  to  the  use  to  which  it  is  destined.,' 
Next,  it  is  immersed  in  boiling  water  for  haif 
an  hour,  by  which  it  is  softened;  and,  while  hot, 
is  held  in  the  flame  of  a  coal  or  wood  fire,  taking 
care  to  bring  the  inside  as  well  as  the  outside 
of  the  horn,  if  from  aa  old  animal,  in  contact 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


477 


•with  the  blaze.  It  is  kept  here  till  it  acquires 
the  temperature  of  melting  lead  or  thereabouts, 
and  in  consequence  becomes  very  soft.  In  this 
state  it  is  slit  lengthwise  by  a  strong  pointed 
knife,  like  a  pruning-knife,  and  by  means  of  two 
pairs  of  pincers,  applied  one  to  each  edge  of  the 
sht,  the  cylinder  is  opened  nearly  flat.  These 
flats  are  now  placed  on  their  edges  between 
alternate  plates  of  iron,  half  an  inch  thick  and 
eight  inches  square,  previously  heated  and  greas- 
ed, in  a  strong  horizontal  iron  trough,  and 
powerfully  compressed  by  means  of  wedges 
driven  in  at  the  ends. 

The  plates  thus  obtained  are  laid  one  by  one 
on  a  board  covered  with  bull's  hide,  are  fastened 
down  by  a  wedge,  and  are  then  scraped  with  a 
draw-knife  having  a  wire  edge  turned  by  means 
of  a  steel  rubber;  when  reduced  to  a  proper 
thickness  and  smoothed,  they  are  polished  by  a 
woolen  rag  dipped  in  charcoal  dust,  adding  a  little 
water  from  time  to  time,  then  rubbed  with  rotten- 
storife,  and  finished  with  horn  shavings.  The 
longest  and  thinnest  of  the  films  cut  off  by  the 
draw-knife,  when  dyed  and  cut  into  various 
figures,  are  sold  imder  the  name  of  sensitive 
Chinese  leaves,  (being  originally  brought  from 
China,)  which,  after  exposure  to  a  damp  air, 
will  curl  up  as  if  they  were  alive  when  laid  on  a 
warm  hand  or  before  the  fire.  • 

For  combs,  the  plates  of  horn  should  be  pres- 
sed as  little  as  possible,  otherwise  the  teeth  of 
the  comb  will  split  at  the  points.  They  are 
shaped  chiefly  by  means  of  rasps  and  scrapers  of 
various  forms,  after  having  been  roughed  out  by 
a  hatchet  or  saw ;  the  teeth  are  cut  by  a  double 
saw  fixed  in  a  back,  the  two  blades  being  set  to 
different  depths,  so  that  the  first  cuts  the  tooth 
only  half  way  down,  and  is  followed  by  the  other 
which  cuts  to  the  full  depth;  the  teeth  are  then 
finished  and  pointed  by  triangular  rasps.  If  a 
comb  or  other  article  is  too  large  to  be  made  out 
of  one  plate  of  horn,  two  or  more  may  be  joined 
together  by  the  dexterous  application  of  a  degree 
of  heat  sufficient  to  melt  but  not  to  decompose 
the  horn,  assisted  by  a  due  degree  of  pressure; 
and  when  well  managed,  the  place  of  juncture 
can  not  be  perceived.  The  Chinese  are  remark- 
ably skillful  in  this  kind  of  work. 

If  a  work  in  horn,  such  as  one  of  the  large 
combs  worn  by  women,  is  required  to  be  of  a 
curved  or  wavy  figure,  it  is  finished  flat,  and  is 
then  put  into  boiling  water  till  it  becomes  soft, 
and  is  immediately  transferred  to  a  die  of  hard 
wood,  in  which  it  i?  cautiously  pressed,  and 
remains  there  till  cold. 

Horn  combs  ornamented  with  open-work  are 
not  made  in  this  country,  because  the  expense  of 
cutting  them  would  be  more  than  the  price  of  the 
article  would  repay ;  but  great  numbers  of  them 
are  imported  from  France.  These,  however,  are 
not  cut,  but  pressed  in  steel  dies  made  in  London 
for  the  French  manufacturers ;  and  from  an  ex- 
amination ■  of  these  combs,  it  is  evident  that  the 
material  must  have  been  in  a  soft  state,  ap- 
proaching to  fusion,  when  put  into  the  die. 

Horn  steeped  for  a  week  in  liquor,  the  active 
ingredient  of  which  is  caustic  fixed  alkali,  be- 
comes so  soft  that  it  may  easily  be  molded  into 
any  required  shape ;  and  shavings  subjected  to 
the  same  process  become  semi-gelatinous,  and 
may  be  pressed  in  a  mold  into  the  form  of  snuff- 
boxes and  other  articles.  Horn,  however,  so 
treated,  becomes  hard  and  very  brittle,  probably 


in  consequence  of  its  laminated  texture  being 
obliterated  by  the  joint  action  of  the  alkaU  and 
strong  pressure. 

Drinking-cups  of  horn  are  thus  made:  The 
horn  being  sawn  to  the  required  length,  is  scald- 
ed and  roasted  over  the  fire,  as  already  described ; 
but  instead  of  being  slit  and  opened,  is  placed 
while  hot  in  a  conical  mold  of  wood ;  a  corre- 
sponding plug  of  wood  is  then  driven  hard  in, 
to  bring  the  horn  to  shape.  Here  it  remains  till 
cold,  and  is  then  taken  out  and  fixed  by  the  large 
end  on  the  mandrel  of  a  lathe,  where  it  is  turned 
and  polished  both  inside  and  outside,  and  a 
groove,  or  chine,  as  the  coopers  call  it,  is  cut  by 
a  gauge  tool  within  the  small  end  for  receiving 
the  bottom.  The  horn  is  then  taken  off  the  lathe 
and  laid  before  the  fire,  where  it  expands  and 
becomes  somewhat  flexible ;  a  round,  flat  piece 
of  horn,  of  the  proper  size,  (cut  out  of  a  plate 
by  means  of  a  kind  of  crown  saw, )  is  dropped  in 
and  forced  down  till  it  reaches  the  chine,  and 
becomes  perfectly  fixed  in  this  situation,  and 
water-tight  by  the  subsequent  contraction  of  the 
horn  as  it  cools. 

Horn  is  easily  dyed  by  boiling  it  in  infusions 
of  various  coloring  ingredients,  as  we  see  in  the 
horn  lanterns,  made  in  China.  In  Europe  it  is 
chiefly  colored  of  a  rich  red-brown,  to  imitate 
tortoise-shell,  for  combs  and  inlaid  work.  The 
usual  mode  of  effecting  this  is  to  mix  together 
pearlash,  quicklime,  and  litharge,  with  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  water  and  a  little  pounded 
dragon  s  blood,  and  boil  them  together  for  half 
an  hour.  The  compound  is  then  to  be  applied 
hot  on  the  parts  that  are  required  to  be  colored, 
and  is  to  remain  on  the  surface  till  the  color  has 
struck ;  on  those  parts  where  a  deeper  tinge  is 
required,  the  composition  is  to  be  applied  a  sec- 
ond time. 

The  Chinese  also  make  bows  partly  of  wood 
and  partly  of  buffalo's  horn ;  but  the  best  Indian 
bows,  those,  namely,  of  Lahore,  are  made  of 
horn  combined  with  wood,  and  strapped  round 
with  sinew. 

Horn  was  also  used  as  we  now  employ  glass 
in  windows,  for  which,  however,  it  is  not  very 
well  adapted,  as  plates  thin  enough  to  be  trans- 
parent would  soon  warp,  and  be  corroded  by 
exposure  to  the  weather. 

Horns  are  also  of  very  ancient  use  as  musical 
instruments ;  the  true  bugle-horn  was  made  of 
the  horns  of  the  urus,  or  wild  bull,  tipped  with 
silver,  and  slung  in  a  chain  of  the  same  mate- 
rial. 

Another  use  to  which  horn  has  been  applied 
is  as  a  material  for  defense,  complete  suits  of 
armor  having  been  made  from  it. 

The  general  mode  of  manufacturing  tortoise- 
shell  is  the  same  as  already  described  when 
treating  of  horn.  It  is  softened  by  boiling  in 
water,  but  mere  water  takes  away  much  of  the 
color ;  an  addition  of  common  salt  prevents  this 
injury;  but  if  too  strong  a  brine  is  used,  the 
shell  will  be  very  brittle.  Two  or  more  pieces 
of  tortoise-shell  may  be  joined  by  laying  their 
scraped  or  thin  edges  together,  and  then  press- 
ing them  between  hot  irons.  If,  however,  the 
heat  is  too  great,  the  colors  are  much  deepened, 
so  as  to  become  almost  black,  as  in  the  case  with 
molded  snuff  boxes;  for  tortoise-shell,  being 
less  fusible  than  horn,  can  not  be  made  soft 
enough  to  be  molded  without  some  injury  to  the 
color.     Accordingly   the  manufacturers   never 


478 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY.DAY  WANTS. 


attempt  to  produce  tortoise-shell  combs  with  or- 
namental open-work  by  means  of  dies,  but  in 
the  following  manner : 

A  paper  being  pasted  over  the  tortoise-shell, 
the  pattern  is  drawn  on  the  paper,  and  is  then 
cut  out  by  means  of  drills  and  fine  saws ;  the 
paper  is  then  removed  by  steeping  in  water, 
and  the  surface  of  the  pattern  is  finished  by  the 
graver. 

In  making  small  side  combs,  it  is  found  worth 
while,  in  order  to  save  a  costly  material,  to  em- 
ploy a  machine  consisting  of  a  cutter  working 
straight  up  and  down,  and  of  a  bed  (on 
which  the  shell  is  laid)  to  which  is  given  a  mo- 
tion advancing  by  alternate  inclination,  first  to 
one  side  and  then  to  the  other.  By  this  means 
the  teeth  of  the  two  combs  are  cut  at  the  same 
time,  those  of  the  one  occupying  the  intervals  of 
the  other.  Such  combs  are  called  parted,  the 
saw  not  being  used  upon  thern,  and  are  often 
made  of  fine  stained  horn  instead  cf  tortoise- 
shell.  Tortoise-shell  is  also  used  for  inlaying 
tables,  cabinets,  and  other  ornamental  articles, 
a  metalUc  foil  being  placed  below  it  to  give 
lustre  and  color. 

For  modern  uses,  thick  tortoise-shell  is  more 
valuable  in  proportion  than  thin ;  but  among  the 
Romans,  where  it  was  used  only  for  inlaying, 
veneers  were  cut  out  of  it. 

HORN',  To  Color  Black. — A  process  recent- 
ly announced  for  imparting  a  black  color  to  horn, 
without  the  aid  of  heat,  consists  in  taking  the 
articles,  finished  and  ready  for  polish,  and  im- 
mersing them  in  a  lye  of  caustic  potash  or  soda, 
until  the  outer  surface  of  the  horn  is  somewhat 
dissolved,  as  shown  by  a  greasy  feel.  With  care, 
fine  tooth  combs  can  be  treated  in  this  way 
without  any  injury.  They  are  then  washed  off 
and  dipped  in  aniline  black,  slowly  dried,  and 
then  again  washed  off.  By  transmitted  light  the 
horn  is  of  a  dark  brown  color,  but  by  reflected 
light  it  is  of  a  deep  black. 

HORN,  in  Imitation  of  Tortoise-Shell. — 
First  steam  and  then  press  the  horn  into  proper 
shapes,  and  afterwards  lay  the  following  mixture 
on  with  a  small  brush,  in  imitation  of  the  mottle 
of  tortoise-shell :  Take  equal  parts  of  quicklime 
and  litharge,  and  mix  with  strong  soap-lees ;  let 
this  remain  until  it  is  thoroughly  dry;  brush  off, 
and  repeat  two  or  three  times  if  necessary. 
Such  parts  as  are  required  to  be  of  a  reddish- 
brown  should  be  covered  with  a  mixture  of  whi- 
ting and  the  stain. 

HORSE,  To  Break  of  Pawing.— '^^\S.  iron 
strips  across  the  horse's  stall — say  strips  one 
inch  wide  and  one-half  inch  thick,  six  inches 
apart,  securely  nailed  crossways  his  stall — and 
they  will  soon  make  him  sick  of  pawing,  when 
he  will  no  doubt  find  some  other  way  of  passing 
away  the  time.  If  he  takes  to  kicking,  fasten 
the  trace  chain  around  his  fetlock ;  if  to  cribbing, 
trade  him  off  and  let  some  one  else  cure  him  of 
that  detestable  habit. 

HORSE-COLLARS,  and  SADDLES,  etc.. 
Wooden. — Galled  shoulders  and  backs  are  to  no 
small  extent  due  to  the  soft  pads  and  cushions 
which  are  pressed  upon  the  tender  skin  under 
which  the  muscles  play,  and  upon  which  great 
weight  or  draught  is  borne.  The  skin  thickens 
and  gets  tough  to  some  extent,  but  the  softer  or 
more  padded  the  collar  or  saddle,  the  more  liable 
is  the  skin  to  blister  and  gall.  This  is  because 
the  perspiration  is  retained,  the  skin  softened 


and  made  to  rub  and  move  more  upon  the  flesh 
and  bone  beneath.  Horses  whose  backs  galled 
under  padded  saddles  would  get  well  when  used 
with  well-fitting  army-saddles,  which  were  sim- 
ply hard  wooden  trees  covered  with  rawhide, 
dry  and  hard,  almost  like  iron.  Why  the  hint 
has  not  been  before  taken  we  cannot  imagine, 
but  only  recently  have  we  seen  wooden  horse- 
collars  introduced.  Th«jr  have  been  used  for 
some  time  at  the  South — more,  we  fancy,  from 
necessity  than  from  choice,  but  with  the  best  re- 
sults. Now,  two  companies  are  manufacturing 
them  in  this  city,  and  other  hard  materials  not 
liable  to  absorb  water  are  being  introduced.  Some 
are  made  to  be  used  with  hames ;  others  have 
hooks  or  other  attachment  places  for  traces  upon 
the  collar  itself.  One  patented  material  called 
"Flaxhorn"  is  very  tough,  capable  of  being 
worked  into  very  light  strong  collars,  saddle- 
trees, harness,  saddles,  and  pads. 

A  wooden  collar  for  ordinary  work  can  be 
made  which  opens  like  ordinary  hames,  at  the 
top,  but  the  two  parts  are  fastened  together  at 
the  bottom  by  a  strong  iron  hinge.  Others 
open  to  go  over  the  head  of  the  horse  at  two 
points  a  little  below  the  trace-hooks  on  each  side; 
others  still  chiefly  in  use  for  mules,  we  believe, 
do  not  open  at  all,  but  are  made  in  one  piece, 
with  two  spots  cut  out  on  each  side,  so  that  the 
collar  will  go  over  the  head,  and  not  hurt  the 
bony  projections  over  the  eyes.  As  we  see  it, 
there  is  a  great  future  for  hard  horse-collars,  etc., 
and  we  fully  believe  they  will  be  not  only  lighter, 
but  far  easier  for  horses  than  the  heavy  costly 
padded  things  they  are  now  tortured  with. 

HOUSES,  To  Keep  Cool  in  Hot  Weather.^ 
In  very  hot  days  a  cool  apartment  is  a  real 
luxury  to  be  had  far  oftener  than  most  people 
suppose  possible.  The  secret  consists,  not  in 
letting  in  cool  air,  for  naturally  all  do  that 
whenever  they  have  the  chance ;  but  in  kcepmg 
out  the  hot  air.  If  the  air  outside  a  room  or 
house  be  cooler  than  the  air  inside,  let  it  in  by 
all  means ;  but  if  it  be  hotter,  carefully  keep  it 
out. 

A  stair-case  window  left  open  during  the  night 
will  often  cool  the  passages  of  a  house,  and  the 
rooms,  too,  if  their  doors  be  not  shut ;  but  it 
must  be  closed  at  8  or  9  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
or,  if  on  the  sunny  side,  at  4  or  5  o'clock,  and  the 
blind  drawn  down.  The  mistake  people  gener- 
ally make  is  to  throw  open  their  windows  at  all 
hours  of  the  day,  no  matter  whether  the  atmos- 
phere outside  be  cool  or  scorching. 

Let  us  have  some  air,  they  say,  and  in  comes 
the  treacherous  breeze — for  even  hot  air  is  pleas- 
ant while  it  is  gently  blowing,  taking  away  per- 
spiration, and  thereby  cooling  the  skin ;  but  the 
apartment  is  made  warmer,  instead  of  cooler, 
and  as  soon  as  they  move  out  of  the  draught  they 
find  their  room  to  be  more  uncomfortable  than 
before. 

Let  in  cool  air — keep  out  hot — that  is  the  only 
formula  to  insure  the  minimum  of  discomfort. 
Sitting-rooms  may  generally  be  kept  cool  during 
the  whole  day  if  the  doors  be  only  opened  for 
ingress  and  egress,  and  the  windows  kept  closed 
and  shielded  from  direct  sunshine  by  a  blind. 
If  the  atmosphere  of  a  room  be  impure  from  any 
cause,  let  it  be  renewed;  hot  air  is  less  injurious 
than  bad  air.  If  a  room  be  small  in  comparison 
with  the  number  of  persons  engaged  in  it,  free 
ventilation  becomes  indispensable. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


479 


In  a  cooking  apartment  the  temperature  will 
probably  be  higher  than  outside,  hence  the  free 
admission  even  of  hot  air  will  be  desirable.  If 
persons  do  not  object  to  sit  in  a  direct  draught 
of  air,  windows  and  doors  may  be  opened,  a 
breeze  being  more  refreshing,  even  though  sev- 
eral degrees  warmer  than  still  air;  but  under 
nearly  all  other  circumstances  rooms  should  be 
kept  closed  as  much  as  possible  until  after  sun- 
down, or  till  the  air  outside  is  cooler  than  that 
inside.     Let  in  cool  air;  keep  out  hot. 

ICE  CHEST,  To  J/a/f^.— Take  two  dry 
goods  boxes,  one  of  which  is  enough  smaller 
than  the  other  to  leave  a  space  of  about  three 
inches  all  around  when  it  is  placed  inside.  Fill 
the  space  between  the  two  with,  sawdust  packed 
closely,  and  cover  with  heavy  lid  made  to  fit 
neatly  inside  the  larger  box.  Insert  a  small 
pipe  in  the  bottom  of  the  chest  to  carry  off  the 
water  from  the  melting  ice.  For  family  use  this 
has  proved  quite  as  serviceable  and  as  econo- 
mical as  more  costly  "refrigerators." 

ICE,  To  Gather. — Ice  should  be  cut  early,  as 
the  first  ice  keeps  best,  and  is  easier  procured. 
Snow  has  to  be  removed  from  the  surface  of  the 
ice  before  cutting,  and  it  also  injures  the  quality. 
It  should  be  gathered  in  December;  select  a 
clear,  cold  day,  and,  with  ice  tools — which  should 
consist  of  a  cross  cut  saw,  an  axe,  a  pike  pole, 
and  an  ice  ladder — go  to  the  scene  of  your 
operations.  Cut  three  feet  wide  with  the  saw, 
and  split  off  with  the  axe,  by  chipping  out  a  V,- 
or  wedge-shAped  hole,  at  each  edge ;  then  strike 
a  few  light  blows  in  each  hole  until  the  block 
separates  from  the  mass.  In  this  manner  you 
can  get  your  blocks  out  nearly  as  true  as  with 
the  saw. 

A  convenient  size  to  handle  and  pack  is  about 
two  by  three  feet.  Twelve  cakes  will  pack  one 
layer  eight  by  nine  feet  square,  which  laid  up 
eight  or  nine  feet  high,  is  sufficient  to  last  a 
large  family. 

The  ice  ladder  is  used  to  draw  the  floating 
cakes  of  ice  upon  the  surface,  and  to  load  them 
upon  the  sled  or  stone-boat,  for  removal  to  the 
ice-house.  The  ladder  is  about  twelve  feet  long 
and  twenty  inches  wide.  The  upright  pins 
must  be  strong,  and  the  round  at  one  end  ex- 
tend through  both  sides,  to  make  handles.  Tlie 
ladder  is  lowered  into  the  water,  and  the  cake 
of  ice  floated  over  it.  Then  draw  out  the  ladder, 
and  at  the  same  time  lower  the  handles.  The 
pins  will  hold  the  cakes  upon  the  ladder ;  when 
upon  the  surface,  it  can  be  quickly  unloaded,  by 
raising  one  side  of  the  ladder.  The  ice  should 
be  taken  to  the  house,  and  packed  at  once.  Use 
a  plank  to  move  the  cakes,  where  needed,  when 
packing. 

Look  to  your  drainage;  also  see  that  your 
house  is  tight  at  the  bottom ;  for  a  current  of  air 
passing  through  the  ice,  causes  it  to  melt  rapidly. 
Leave  a  space  of  six  inches  between  the  ice  and 
walls,  and  fill  in  with  straw,  packed  close,  or 
sawdust,  tanbark  or  swamp  moss.  The  latter  is 
to  be  preferred.  Cover  with  a  thick  layer,  and  fill 
to  the  roof  with  straw.  Use  double  doors,  with 
a  cooling  room. 

ICE-HOUSE,  To  Build.— k  family  ice-house 
need  not  be  an  expensive  structure.  It  may  be 
built  cheaply,  subserve  its  object  excellently, 
and  add  to  the  attractions  of  a  homestead  by 
being  a  sightly  object.  A  building  of  twelve  feet 
square  and  eight  or  nine  feet  high,  is  sufficient 


for  the  wants  of  the  most  exacting  family.  It 
may  be  a  frame  building,  entirely  above  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground,  and  better  if  supported  on 
posts  elevated  a  few  inches,  to  be  certain  of  good 
drainage.  Built  of  joists  two  by  three  inches, 
with  an  outer  boarding,  having  inside  another 
series  of  uprights,  also  boarded,  from  six  to  ten 
inches  removed  from  the  outer  shell,  with  a  solid 
floor  of  plank,  the  space  between  the  two  walls 
filled  with  tan,  sawdust,  straw,  or  chaff,  and  a 
roof  of  good  pitch,  the  ice-house  is  complete. 
A  drain  for  water  should  be  made  from  the  floor, 
and  the  pitch  of  the  roof  filled  with  straw,  hay,  ^ 
or  some  similar  dry,  porous  material.  On  the 
roof  should  be  a  ventilator,  the  top  defended 
from  the  rain  or  snow.  The  ice  should  be  pack- 
ed in  one  solid  mass,  the  sides  not  reaching  the 
inner  walls  of  the  building,  but  allowing  a  space 
of  from  six  to  twelve  inches  all  around.  The 
top  of  the  ice  should  be  covered  with  straw  and 
the  doors  should  be  like  the  sides  of  the  build- 
ing, or  double  doors  should  be  made,  one  in  the 
outer  and  the  other  in  the  inner  wall.  Plant 
morning  glories  or  any  climbing  plant  around 
the  building  and  induce  them  to  creep  up  the 
walls  and  over  the  roof  as  an  additional  defense 
against  the  fervid  sun  of  summer.  Two  work- 
men, if  not  practical  carpenters,  can  put  up  such 
a  building  in  one,  or  at  most,  two  days,  which 
if  taste  and  judgment  is  used,  will  prove  to  be  a 
sightly  addition  to  the  attractions  of  a  country 
home,  and  a  useful  adjunct  to  the  farm,  its  con- 
tents being  invaluable  in  sickness.  Such  an 
ice-house  would  prove  also  convenient  as  a  re- 
frigerator on  a  large  scale,  preserving  food  of 
various  kinds  and  the  products  of  a  dairy. 

It  costs  but  little  to  build  an  ice-house,  that 
will  keep  ice  the  year  round,  where  practical 
utility  only  is  aimed  at,  and  not  elegance  of 
structure.  A  writer  on  this  subject  says:  Last 
January  I  drew  one  large  load  of  sawdust  and 
spread  on  the  ground  on  the  north  side  of  my 
horse  barn,  then  drew  the  ice  (sawed  in  square 
cakes)  and  built  up  a  square  pile  some  eight 
by  ten  feet  and  seven  or  eight  feet  high,  filling 
up  the  spaces  between  the  cakes  with  pounded 
ice.  I  then  set  up  scanthng  and  built  a  board 
house  around  it  two  feet  larger  each  way  than 
the  ice ;  then  filled  in  sawdust  around  and  two 
to  three  feet  on  top,  and  covered  with  boards 
and  slabs.  We  have  used  freely  through  the 
season,  sold  to  pic-nic  parties,  given  away  to 
sick  neighbors,  and  have  plenty  of  ice  yet. 

Another  writer  thus  tells  how  he  constructed 
an  ice-house :  I  set  posts  in  the  ground,  so  as 
to  make  a  house  twelve  feet  square,  (three  posts 
on  each  side,)  then  board  or  plank  it  up  eight 
feet  high,  on  the  inside.  The  surface  earth  is 
now  dug  out  six  inches  deep,  and  sawdust  filled 
in  one  foot  deep,  making  it  six  inches  above  the 
level  of  the  earth.  The  ice  is  carefully  packed, 
nine  feet  square  and  six  feet  high,  leaving  a 
space  of  eighteen  inches  between  ice  and  boards, 
closely  packed  with  sawdust,  and  the  same  thick- 
ness of  sawdust  placed  on  top,  I  have  an  old- 
fashioned  board  roof  over  this  ice-house.  The 
space  above  the  sawdust  is  left  open,  so  that  the 
air  can  circulate  through,  and  the  sun  shine  in. 
The  result  is  that  we  have  used  ice  daily  and 
have  a  plenty  yet.  As  to  the  cost,  four  men 
with  one  team,  cut,  hauled  and  packed  the  ice, 
and  filled  in  the  sawdust  in  less  than  two  days, 
notwithstanding  we  had  to  haul  the  ice  ^  mile. 


48o 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


INDIA  RUBBER,  Artificial.— ?roi.  Son- 
nenschein  has  discovered  that  an  elastic  mass 
resembling  caoutchouc  may  be  obtained  by  com- 
bining tungstate  of  soda  with  certain  organic 
substances.  If  tungstic  acid  or  tungstate  of 
soda  be  added  to  glue,  and  afterward  muriatic 
acid,  a  compound  of  tungstic  acid  glue  is  precip- 
itated which  is  so  elastic  at  85-105°  F.,  that  it 
can  be  drawn  out  into  very  thin  fibres.  On 
cooling,  the  mass  becomes  very  solid  and  brittle. 
It  is  proposed  to  employ  this  substance  in  place 
of  the  costly  albumen  for  mordanting  cotton, 
especially  for  aniline  colors.  The  same  material 
has  been  used  in  tanning  leather ;  but  this  be- 
came hard  as  stone,  and  consequently  unsuitable 
for  ordinary  purposes.  By  adding  tungstate  of 
soda  and  muriatic  acid  to  a  solution  of  gelatine, 
and  heating  the  ;precipitate,  a  substance  is  ob- 
tained which  may  be  used  as  a  putty  or  cement 
in  many  cases. 

INK,  Black.— The  fault  with  most  black  ink 
is  too  much  iron,  turning  the  writing  brown 
from  oxidation.  To  remedy  this,  acid  (generally 
vinegar  or  an  acid  salt,  as  alum)  is  added,  which 
corrodes  the  pens.  The  iron  should  only  be  in 
sufficient  quantity  to  strike  a  black  color.  The 
following  will  be  found  a  convenient  and  ex- 
cellent formula : — Boil  I  part  of  granular  pow- 
dered galls  with  20  parts  of  distilled  water  in  a 
glass  flask  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes ;  then 
add  I  part  sulphate  of  iron,  dissolved  in  2  parts 
of  distilled  water,  and  i  part  of  mucilage  of 
acacia ;  shake  all  together.  It  is  ready  for  im- 
mediate use,  but  improves  by  keeping.  It  is 
better  not  strained,  but  poured  off  as  wanted. 
A  few  drops  of  carbolic  acid  may  be  added  to 
preserve  it,  if  required  to  be  kept  long. 

INK  {Copying),  that  does  not  Reqtiire  Damp- 
fing. — Use  the  same  ingredients  as  for  ordinary 
copying  ink,  except  that  the  quantity  of  water 
used  be  decreased  by  from  twenty  to  thirty  per 
cent.,  and  the  same  quantity  of  glycerine  be 
added.  This  ink  will,  when  written  on,  set  off 
upon  any  dry  sheet  of  paper  by  simply  rub- 
bmg  it. 

INK,  Solid. — Set  250  grammes  of  powdered 
nutgalls  in  half  a  litre  of  alcohol  of  eighty-two 
degrees,  and  warm  by  gentle  heat  for  twenty- 
four  hours;  then  mix  ninety-eight  gr,  of  sul- 
phate of  iron  in  a  litre  and  a  half  of  pure  water; 
strain  the  two  liquids  through  a  cloth  separately, 
then  mix  them,  let  them  stand  for  eight  days, 
and  strain  them  again.  This  ink  leaves  no  de- 
posit, nor  does  it  get  mouldy,  and  is  more  solid 
than  any  employed. 

INK  {India),  To  Remwe  the  Mark  of  on  the 
Flesh. — Blister  the  part  with  a  plaster  a  little 
larger  than  the  mark ;  then  keep  the  place  open 
with  an  ointment  for  a  week;  finally,  dress  it 
to  get  well.  As  the  new  skin  grows,  the  tattoo 
will  disappear. 

INK,  Indelible  Printing. — This  is  made  by 
mixing  l  pound  varnish  (such  as  is  used  for 
ordinary  printing  ink),  i  pound  black  sulphuret 
of  mercury,  I  ounce  nitrate  of  silver,  i  ounce 
'  sulphate  of  iron,  2  tablespoonfuls  lampblack. 
Thoroughly  grind  together,  adding  enough  tur- 
pentine to  reduce  to  the  requisite  consistency. 

INTEREST,  Nnu  Rule  for  Computing.— 
This  rule  is  so  simple  and  so  correct,  that  every 
banker,  merchant  or  clerk  should  post  it  up  for 
reference : 

Six  per  Cent. — Multiply  any  given  number  of 


dollars  by  the  number  of  days  of  interest  desired, 
separate  the  right  hand  figure  and  divide  by  six ; 
the  result  is  the  true  interest  on  such  number  of 
days  at  six  per  cent. 

Eight  per  Cent. — Multiply  any  given  amount 
by  the  number  of  days  upon  which  it  is  desired 
to  ascertain  the  interest,  and  divide  by  45,  and 
the  result  will  be  the  true  interest  for  the  time 
required. 

Ten  per  Cent. — Multiply  the  same  as  above, 
and  divide  by  36,  and  the  result  will  show  the 
interest  at  ten  per  cent. 

IRON  and  COFFER,  Delicate  7estfor.—T\y& 
alcoholic  tincture  of  logwood  will  produce  a  blue 
or  bluish-black  tint  in  water  which  has  been  run 
through  iron  or  copper  pipes,  when  neither  tinc- 
ture of  galls,  sulphocyanide,  nor  the  ferrid  and 
ferrocyanides  of  potassium  show  any  reaction. 

ISINGLASS  GLUE,  To  Make.— This  is 
made  by  dissolving  beaten  isinglass  in  water  by 
boiling,  and  having  strained  it  through  a  coarse 
linen  cloth,  evaporating  it  again  to  such  a  con- 
sistence, that,  being  cold,  the  glue  will  be  per- 
fectly hard  and  dry. 

A  great  improvement  is  made  in  this  glue  by 
adding  spirit  of  wine  or  brandy  after  it  is  strained, 
and  then  renewing  the  evaporation  till  it  gains 
the  due  consistence. 

IVORY,  Artificial.— The  inventor,  Mr.  Mar- 
quardt,  dissolves  two  pounds  of  pure  rubber  in 
thirty-two  pounds  of  chloroform,  and  hereupon 
saturates  the  solution  with  a  current  of  ammonia 
gas.  When  the  rubber  has  been  completely 
bleached,  the  admission  of  the  gas  is  interrupted, 
and  the  mass  is  transferred  into  a  vessel,  pro- 
vided with  a  stirrer,  in  which  it  is  washed  with 
hot  water  until  the  bleaching  agent  has  been 
entirely  removed.  During  this  operation,  the 
temperature  may  be  increased  to  185"  Fahr,,  in 
order  to  evaporate  the  chloroform,  which,  by 
conducting  it  into  an  apparatus  of  condensation, 
may  again  be  made  use  of.  The  remaining 
product  forms  a  kind  of  froth,  which,  being 
pressed  out,  dried,  and  again  treated  with  a 
small  quantity  of  chloroform,  is  finally  obtained 
as  a  consistent  paste.  The  paste  is  now  mixed 
with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  finely  pulverized 
phosphate  of  lime,  or  carbonate  of  zinc,  until  it 
assumes  the  appearance  of  moist  flour.  In  this 
condition  it  is  pressed  in  hot  moulds,  which  it 
leaves  sufficiently  hard  to  be  turned,  planed, 
filed,  and  bored.  In  order  to  imitate  corals, 
pearls,  enamels,  hard  woods,  etc.,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  mix  the  paste  with  the  desirei 
colors  previously  to  its  being  compressed. 

IVORY,  To  Bleach. — A  new  process  for 
bleaching  ivory  when  it  has  assumed  a  dirty 
yellow  color,  consists  in  first  soaking  the  pieces 
for  two  days  in  a  solution  of  one-half  pound 
carbonate  of^soda  and  two  pounds  of  water ;  then, 
after  rinsing  in  cold  water,  transferring  the 
pieces  to  a  solution  of  three-quarters  of  a  pound 
sulphate  of  soda  in  two  pounds  of  water,  and 
leaving  them  for  five  or  six  hours.  While  soak- 
ing in  this  solution,  one  ounce  of  hydrochloric 
acid  in  four  ounces  of  water  is  added  and  tho- 
roughly mixed,  the  pieces  usually,  two  days 
after,  resuming  their  whiteness ;  repetition  of  the 
process  being  sometimes,  however,  necessary. 

IVORY,  Dyes  for.— Black.— Immerse  the 
ivory  in  a  boiling  solution  of  logwood,  take  it 
out  and  wash  it  in  a  solution  of  copperas. — Blue. 
— Immerse  the  ivory  in  a  mixture  of  sulphate  of 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


481 


indigo  Jind  water,  partly  neutralized  with  potash. 
— Green. — Steep  blued  ivory  in  a  solution  of 
nitromuriate  of  tin,  and  then  in  a  decoction  of 
fustic;  or  it  may  be  at  once  dyed  green  by  steep- 
ing it  in  a  solution  of  acetate  of  copper. —  Yelloxu. 
— Steep  the  ivory  in  a  bath  of  neutral  chromate 
of  potash,  and  afterwards  in  a  boiling  solution  of 
acetate  of  lead. — lied. — Steep  the  ivory  for  a 
short  time  in  a  solution  of  tin,  then  in  a  decoction 
of  Brazil  or  cochineal." — Violet. — Moisten  the 
ivory  with  a  solution  of  tin,  as  before,  then  im- 
merse it  in  a  decoction  of  log\vood. 

IVORY,  BONE  and  HORN,  To  Impart 
'  a  Beautiful  Red  Color  to. — Take  four  parts  of 
picric  acid  and  dissolve  in  two  hundred  and  fifty 
parts  of  boiling  water ;  when  cold  add  eight  parts 
of  liq.  ammonise.  Dissolve  also  two  parts  of 
magenta  (crystals)  in  forty-five  parts  of  alcohol, 
dilute  with  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  parts 
of  hot  water,  and  add  fifty  parts  of  ammoni.i. 
As  soon  as  the  red  color  of  the  magenta  solution 
has  disappeared,  the  two  solutions  are  mixed 
together,  making  a  bulk  of  liquid  amounting  to 
about  half  a  litre.  Ivory  and  bone  should  be 
placed  in  very  weak  nitric  or  hydrochloric  acid 
first,  before  being  immersed  in  the  ammoniacal 
liquid;  wood  cannot  be  dyed  in  this  liquid  unless 
it  has  been  previously  painted  over  with  paste 
made  from  flour.  If  to  the  ammoniacal  liquid 
some  gelatine  solution  is  added,  it  may  serre  as 
a  red  ink  which  does  not  attack  steel  pens.  By 
varying  the  proportions  of  the  magenta  and  pic- 
ric acid,  the  tints  obtained  may  be  varied  from  a 
bluish  red  to-a  bright  orange  red.  The  desired 
colors  do  not  appear  till  the  ammonia  is  evapor- 
ated. 

IVORY,  To  Soften. — In  three  ounces  of  spir- 
its of  nitre,  and  15  of  spring-water,  mixed  to- 
gether, put  your  ivory  a  soaking.  And  in  3  or 
4  days  it  will  be  soft  so  as  to  obey  your  fingers. 

IVORY,  To  Silver. — Immerse  a  small  slip  of 
ivory  in  a  weak  solution  of  nitrate  of  silver,  and 
let  it  remain  till  the  solution  has  given  it  a  deep 
yellow  color;  then  take  it  out  and  immerse  it  in 
a  tumbler  of  clear  water,  and  expose  it  in  the 
water  to  the  rays  of  the  sun.  In  about  3  hours 
the  ivory  acquires  a  black  color;  but  the  black 
surface  on  being  rubbed  soon  becomes  changed 
to  a  brilliant  silver. 

IVOR  Y,  Transparent. — The  process  for  mak- 
ing ivory  transparent  and  flexible  is  simply  im- 
mersion in  liquid  phosphoric  acid,  and  the  change 
which  it  undergoes  is  owing  to  a  partial  neu- 
tralization of  the  basic  phosphate  of  lime,  of 
which  it  principally  consists.  The  ivory  is  cut 
in  pieces  not  thicker  than  the  twentieth  part  of 
an  inch,  and  placed  in  phosphoric  acid  of  a  spe- 
cific gra\'ity  of  1. 131,  until  it  has  become  trans- 
parent, when  it  is  taken  from  the  bath,  washed 
m  water,  and  dried  with  a  clean  linen  cloth.  It 
becomes  dry  in  the  air  without  the  application 
of  heat,  and  softens  again  under  warm  water. 

IVORY,  To  ^f7//?;-«.— Slake  some  lime  in 
water ;  put  your  ivory  in  that  water,  after  being 
decanted  from  the  grounds,  and  boil  it  till  it 
looks  quite  white.  To  polish  it  afterwards,  set 
it  in  the  turner's  wheel ;  and,  after  having  work- 
ed, take  rushes  and  pumice-stones,  subtile  pow- 
der, with  water,  and  rub  it  till  it  looks  perfectly 
smooth.  Next  to  that,  heat  it  by  turning  it 
against  a  piece  of  linen  or  sheepskin  leather;  and, 
when  hot,  rub  it  over  with  a  little  whitening  di- 
luted in  oil  of  olive;   then,  with  a  little  dry 


whitening  alone;  finally  with  a  piece  of  soft  white 
rag.  When  all  this  is  performed  as  directed,  the 
ivory  will  look  very  white. 

Dr.  Artus  has  recently  published  a  process  for 
whitening  ivory,  which  he  specially  recommends 
for  the  finger  pieces  of  pianos ;  but  it  is  also  ap- 
plicable t6  all  articles  made  of  this  material, 
which  is  so  apt  to  change  its  color.  After  lying 
some  days  in  a  solution  of  carbonate  of  soda,  the 
pieces  must  be  thoroughly  washed  in  clear  water 
and  again  placed  in  a  bath  composed  of  three- 
quarters  of  a  pound  of  sulphite  of  soda  dissolved 
in  two  gallons  of  water,  in  which  they  must  re- 
main five  or  six  hours.  Then,  without  taking 
them  from  the  bath,  a  mixture  of  one  ounce  of 
chlorhydric  acid  and  four  ounces  of  water  must 
be  added  to  it.  In  this,  after  shaking  it  well  and 
recovering  the  vessel,  they  must  remain  thirty- 
six  hours.  The  solution  is  then  thrown  off  and 
the  ivory  washed  as  before  in  clean  water.  If 
not  as  white  as  desired  the  operation  must  be 
repeated.  The  quantity  of  the  solution  that  has 
been  indicated  is  sufficient  to  whiten  a  pound  of 
ivory. 

JET,  To  Clean. — Use  the  softest  brush  that 
can  be  procured,  to  remove  the  dust  in  the  most 
gentle  manner  from  the  carving,  and  then  touch 
the  jet  with  a  little  good  oil  on  a  bit  of  cotton 
wool,  and  polish  with  wash-leather.  The  pro- 
cess requires  the  ^eatest  care,  as  the  carving 
makes  the  jet  so  brittle. 

KITE,  Ho^v  to  Make. — Among  the  various 
kinds  the  "three-stick  kite"  is  probably  the  sur- 
est for  the  beginner.  Get  three  light,  thin, 
straight  sticks,  of  cedar,  pine,  or  similar  wood  ; 
smooth  them,  and  let  them  be  about  half  an  inch 
wide  by  an  eighth  thick;  perhaps  a  little  more. 
Make  two  of  them  30  inches  long,  and  the  third 
20  inches.  Mark  a  point  10  inches  from  the  end 
of  each  of  the  long  sticks,  and  in  the  middle  of 
the  short  one ;  cross  the  three  sticks  at  these 
points,  and  tie  them  firmly  with  twine.  Cut 
notches  lengthwise  across  the  ends  of  the  sticks, 
and  tie  a  strong  twine  from  end  to  end,  making 
the  outline  of  an  irregular  six-sided  figure,  of 
which  the  bottom  may  be  16  inches  long;  the 
sides  about  18^;  the  shoulders  II,  and  the  top 
8  inches.  These  numbers  may  vary ;  it  is  nec- 
essary only  that  the  corresponding  sides  should 
be  exactly  alike  or  the  kite  will  not  be  well  bal- 
anced.    This  finishes  the  frame. 

Now  lay  down  a  sheet  of  strong,  light  paper, 
place  the  frame  upon  it,  and  cut  the  paper  about 
two  inches  larger  than  the  frame,  all  round. 
Fold  the  outside  over  the  strings,  and  paste 
down  with  good  boiled  flour  paste,  cutting  out 
the  corners  where  they  overlap. 

The  next  thi»g  is  to  hang  the  kite.  Measure 
from  each  lower  corner  five  inches  along  the 
sticks ;  make  a  small  hole  on  each  side  of  the 
stick  through  the  paper,  and  tie  in  the  ends  of  a 
string,  which  shall  measure,  when  tied,  about 
14  inches  from  stick  to  stick.  This  is  the  lower 
loop.  In  like  manner  tie  an  upper  loop,  about 
8  inches  long,  to  points  about  3  inches  from  the 
upper  end  of  the  same  stick.  Remember  to  have 
the  loops  on  the  face  side  of  the  kite  ;  that  is, 
the  side  on  which  the  sticks  are  not  seen.  Join 
the  middles  of  the  two  loops  by  a  string  about 
20  inches  long ;  this  is  the  belly-band.  Hang 
the  kite  by  the  belly-band  over  your  finger,  and 
hold  it  so  that  when  one  end  of  the  kite  touches 
the  floor,  the  other  may  be  about  a  foot  above 

31 


4S2 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


it ;  there  is  the  place  to  tie  the  line,  making  it 
fast  so  that  it  will  not  slip.  When  the  kite  floats 
in  the  air,  it  should  lie  at  an  angle  of  about  45 
degrees;  if  it  stands  too  straight,  the  string  is 
fastened  too  low  on  the  belly-band;  if  too  flat, 
the  string  is  not  low  enough. 

The  kite  must  have  a  tail  to  balance  it.  If  the 
tail  is  too  heavy,  the  kite  will  not  raise  it ;  if  too 
light,  or  if  too  short,  the  kite  will  not  "stand" 
steadily,  but  will  dive  from  side  to  side.  When- 
ever it  does  that,  it  should  be  taken  in,  and  more 
weight  added  to  the  tail.  Cut  pieces  of  writing 
pajier,  4  inches  wide  and  6  or  8  long;  fold  back 
and  forth  fan-like,  and  tie  3  inches  apart  on  a 
string,  until  you  have  made  3  or  4  yards.  Then 
cut  a  quantity  of  strips  half  an  inch  wide,  and  12 
or  14  inches  long ;  tie  the  bunch  of  them  by  the 
middle,  fold  the  ends  together  and  tie  again, 
making  a  tassel,  which  you  may  tie  to  the  end 
of  the  tail.  If  the  strips  are  of  colored  tissue 
paper,  all  the  gayer.  Tie  a  string  about  twenty 
inches  long  to  the  two  lower  corners  of  the  kite, 
and  fasten  the  tail  to  the  middle  of  it.  Choose 
a  smooth,  close,  well  spun  string,  linen  is  best 
— and  costs  most — not  too  large,  or  its  weight 
will  make  it  "sag,"  nor  too  small,  or  the  kite 
will  fly  away  with  it.  Finally,  don't  try  to  fly 
a  kite  when  the  wind  don't  blow. 

Now,  just  as  each  of  your  good  mothers  thinks 
she  has  a  recipe  for  making  cookies  which  she 
thinks  is  a  little  better  than  any  other,  so  every 
boy  who  has  experience  in  kite-making  thinks 
his  way  is  rather  the  best,  and  quite  likely  he 
may  find  fault  with  some  of  our  proportions. 
If  so,  he  has  perfect  liberty  to  change  them  to 
his  liking.  The  important  items  are:  the  kite 
must  be  truly  made,  so  that  one  side  may  just 
balance  the  other;  it  must  hang  at  the  proper 
angle  to  the  wind;  and  the  tail  must  be  rightly 
proportioned  in  weight  and  length  to  the  size  of 
the  kite. 

If  the  kite  don't  behave  well  at  first,  think 
which  of  these  items  has  not  been  carefully 
attended  to,  and  correct.  Don't  give  up  at  the 
first  trial. 

LAMP  WICKS,  Home-Made.—h.  lamp  wick, 
equally  good  with  those  we  buy,  may  be  made 
out  of  canton  flannel.  Take  a  strip  three  times 
as  wide  as  you  wish  the  wick  to  be,  and  as  long 
as  you  like.  Fold  it  with  the  fleecy  side  in,  so 
that  it  will  have  three  thicknesses,  and  baste  or 
overcast  it  up  the  side.  Almost  every  house- 
keeper has  bits  of  canton  flannel  which  would  be 
used  for  nothing  else,  and  it  saves  quite  a  little 
item  of  expense,  to  say  nothing  of  the  convenience 
of  being  able  to  make  a  new  lamp  wick,  when- 
ever it  is  needed. 

LAAD,  To  Drain. — A  strong  metal  pipe, 
about  20  feet  in  length  and  6  inches  in  diameter, 
is  adjusted  in  a  slanting  position  over  the  lot  to 
be  drained.  To  an  opening  in  the  bottom  of  this 
pipe,  another  is  firmly  jointed,  inchning  back- 
wards at  an  angle  sufficient  to  allow  of  its  end 
resting  on  the  ground  lot.  Connected  with  the 
principal  pipe,  is  a  strong  canvas  hose,  down 
which  a  current  of  water  descends,  and  issues  at 
the  mouth  of  the  pipe.  In  its  course,  it  forms  a 
vacuum  in  the  second  pipe,  and  the  water  is  thus 
sucked  up  and  discliarged  with  the  current  flow- 
ing through  the  principal  pipe.  This  device  is 
in  use,  for  the  purpose  described,  in  Australia, 
but  is  known  to  most  men  practically  acquainted 
with  hydraulics. 


LEAD  {White'),  To  Test. — ^Take  a  pine  sliver, 
put  some  of  the  lead  on  the  end  of  it,  set  it  on 
fire;  if  pure,  you  will  see  the  small  shots  of  lead 
drop  from  it;  if  a  white  incrustation,  you  may 
know  it  is  not  pure.  Rub  this  on  a  clean  white 
paper;  if  any  lead  is  present  it  will  black  the 
paper ;  if  no  lead  is  present  it  will  be  a  pale, 
sulphur  color. 

LEA  VES  (^Aututnn),  ToPreseri'e. — The  beau- 
tiful colors  of  the  leaves  at  this  season  are  indi- 
cative of  the  first  stage  of  decay.  If  rapidly  dried, 
the  process  may  be  arrested  and  the  fine  colors 
preserved.  Dry  as  quickly  as  possible,  by  putting 
the  leaves  between  folds  of  any  very  absorbent 
paper,  and  change  frequently — as  often  as  once 
a  day.  A  warm  flat-iron  judiciously  used  will 
help  the  drying,  but  overheating  will  spoil  all. 
When  the  leaves  are  quickly  and  thoroughly 
dried,  they  will  retain  their  colors  for  some  months. 
In  making  up  ornamental  work,  the  leaves 
should  have  a  light  coat  of  boiled  linseed  oil. 
This  brings  out  the  color  and  gives  a  more  natural 
appearance  than  varnish  of  any  kind.  For  fast- 
ening them  to  card-board  or  any  other  support, 
glue  is  best.  Do  not  oil  the  under  sides  of  the 
leaves,  as  this  will  prevent  the  glue  from  adhering. 

LEA  THER,  Bronzing  for. — A  small  amount 
of  so-called  insoluble  (in  water)  aniline  violet  is 
dissolved  in  a  little  water,  and  the  solution  is 
brushed  over  the  articles ;  it  will  dry  quickly, 
and  perhaps  may  have  to  be  repeated. 

LEA  THER,  To  Gild. — In  order  to  impress 
gilt  figures,  letters,  and  other  marks  upon  leath- 
er, as  on  the  covers  of  books,  edgings  for  doors, 
etc.,< the  leather  must  first  be  dusted  over  with 
very  finely  powdered  yellow  resin  or  mastic  gum. 
The  iron  tools  or  stamps  are  now  arranged  on  a 
rack  before  a  clear  fire,  so  as  to  be  well  heated, 
without  becoming  red  hot.  If  the  tools  are  let- 
ters, they  have  an  alphabetical  arrangement  on 
the  rack.  Each  letter  or  stamp  must  be  tried, 
as  to  its  heat,  by  imprinting  its  mark  on  the  raw 
side  of  a  piece  of  waste  leather.  A  little  practice 
will  enable  the  workman  to  judge  of  the  heat. 
The  tool  is  now  to  be  pressed  downwards  on  the 
gold-leaf,  which  will  of  course  be  indented,  and 
show  the  figure  imprinted  on  it.  The  next  letter 
or  stamp  is  now  to  be  taken  and  stamped  in  like 
manner,  and  so  on  with  the  others,  taking  care 
to  keep  the  letters  in  an  even  line  with  each 
other,  like  those  in  a  book.  By  this  operation 
the  resin  is  melted,  consequently  the  gold  ad- 
heres to  the  leather.  The  superfluous  gold  may 
then  be  rubbed  off"  by  a  cloth,  the  gilded  impres- 
sions remaining  on  the  leather.  In  this,  as  in 
every  other  operation,  adroitness  is  acquired  by 
practice. 

The  cloth  alluded  to  should  be  slightly  greasy, 
to  retain  the  gold  wiped  off"  (otherwise  there  will 
be  great  waste  in  a  few  months);  the  cloth  will 
thus  be  soon  completely  saturated  or  loaded  with 
the  gold.  When  this  is  the  case,  these  cloths  are 
generally  sold  to  the  refiners,  who  burn  them  and 
recover  the  gold.  Some  of  these  afford  so  much 
gold  by  burning  as  to  be  worth  from  seven  to  ten 
dollars. 

LEATHER  (PATENT)  GOODS,  Polish 
for. — Take  half  a  pound  of  molasses  or  sugar, 
one  ounce  of  gum-arabic,  and  two  pounds  of  ivo- 
ry black;  boil  them  well  together,  then  let  the 
vessel  stand  until  quite  cooled,  and  the  contents 
are  settled;  after  which  bottle  off".  Tliis  is  an  ex- 
cellent reviver,  and  may  be  used  as  a  blacking  in 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


483 


the  ordinary  way,  no  brushes  for  polishing  being 
required. 

LIGHTS,  Bengal.— Tske  of  nitrate  of  pot- 
assa  (sahpetre),  8  parts;  sublimed  sulphur  4 
parts,  and  antimony  i  part,  and  let  them  be  well 
mixed  in  powder  and  beat  firmly  into  a  stout 
iron  cup,  and  set  on  fire;  and  if  a  little  camphor 
be  added  it  is  still  more  brilliant.  Such  lights 
are  made  use  of  for  communicating  at  a  great 
distance  bv  sea  at  night. 

LIGHt PHIAL.— Dry  phosphorus,  i  part; 
olive  oil,  6  parts.  Put  them  into  a  phial,  cork 
it,  and  place  it  in  warm  water  for  two  or  three 
hours.  For  use,  pull  out  the  cork,  and  sufficient 
light  will  be  emitted  to  enable  you  to  see  the 
time  by  a  watch.  One  bottle  will  last  for  years 
if  well  corked  as  soon  as  used.  Ether  may  be 
employed  instead  of  olive  oil. 

LOGS  and  PLANKS,  T^  Prevent  the  Split- 
ting of  . — Logs  and  planks  split  at  the  ends  be- 
cause the  exposed  surface  dries  faster  than  the 
inside.  Saturate  muriatic  acid  with  lime,  and 
apply  like  whitewash  to  the  ends.  The  chloride 
of  calcium  formed  attracts  moisture  from  the  air, 
and  prevents  the  splitting. 

LOVAGE. — Lovage  root  (fresh),  I  pound; 
valerian,  %  pound;  celery,  ^  pound;  sweet 
fennel,  %  pound;  caraway  seeds,  i  ounce; 
cassia,  I  ounce;  proof-spirit,  12  gallons.  Ma- 
cerate for  a  week,  then  add  loaf-sugar,  20  pounds, 
dissolved  in  water,  10  gallons.     Mix  and  fine. 

L  UMBER,  Pacts  about. — That  drying  lumber 
does  not  season  it,  and  seasoning  lumber  is  not 
drying  it.  That  any  amount  of  common  air 
drying  does  not  necessarily  (if  ever)  produce  a 
thorough  shrinkage,  even  though  the  time  be  a 
hundred  years.  That  time  has  nothing  to  do 
with  either  seasoning,  shrinking  or  drying,  but 
is  alone  the  result  of  condition  and  heat.  That 
lumber  may  be  thoroughly  seasoned  without  be- 
ing either  dried  or  shrunk. 

That  lumber  may  be  made  as  dry  as  desired, 
and  yet  not  be  seasoned  at  all,  and  with  only  a 
partial  or  very  slight  shrinkage.  That  common 
air  never  seasons  lumber  (though  it  dries  it), 
and  can  never  more  than  partially  shrink  the 
wood.  That  seasoning,  shrinking  and  drying 
are  each  separate  and  distinct  operations,  and  in 
most  cases  do  not  depend  at  all  upon  each  other. 
That  they  are  all  necessary,  though  not  in  the 
same  degree.  That  the  order  of  their  value  to 
the  wood  is  in  the  order  named ;  the  seasoning 
being  of  the  greatest,  and  the  drying  of  the  least 
value. 

MAGIC  COPYING  PAPER.— To  make 
black  paper,  lampblack  mixed  with  cold  lard; 
Red  paper,  Venetian  Red  mixed  with  lard; 
Green  paper.  Chrome  Green  mixed  with  lard ; 
Blue  paper,  Prussian  Blue  mixed  with  lard.  The 
above  ingredients  to  be  mixed  to  the  consistency 
of  thick  paste,  and  to  be  applied  to  the  paper 
with  a  rag.  Then  take  a  flannel  rag  and  rub  till 
all  color  ceases  coming  off.  Cut  your  sheets 
four  inches  wide,  and  six  inches  long,  put  four 
sheets  together,  one  of  each  color,  and  sell  for 
twenty-five  cents  per  package.  The  first  cost 
will  not  be  over  three  cents.  Directions  for 
writing: — Lay  down  your  paper  upon  which  you 
wish  to  write ;  then  lay  on  the  copying  paper,  and 
over  this  lay  any  scrap  of  paper  you  choose; 
then'  take  any  hard  pointed  substance  ^nd  write 
as  vou  would  with  pen. 

MANUSCRIPT,  Preparation  of.  —  i.    See 


thafthe  manuscript  is  perfect  before  it  is  placed 
in  the  hands  of  the  compositor.  Time  is  charged- 
on  all  corrections,  alterations,  and  additions 
made  in  the  proof,  which  are  not  in  the  original 
copy.  A  very  little  change  takes  up  more  time 
than  is  generally  supposed.  The  insertion  or 
removal  of  a  word  or  two  may  require  the  over- 
running of  every  line  in  a  long  paragraph ;  the 
adding  or  taking  out  of  a  sentence,  the  overrun- 
ning of  every  page  set  up,  which  follows  it.  All 
this  can  be  avoided  by  having  the  manuscript 
carefully  prepared. 

2.  It  is  desirable  that  the  manuscript  should 
be  written  in  a  plain  distinct  hand,  in  order  to 
insure  correctness  and  avoid  delay.  The  time 
work  charged  on  a  badly-prepared  manuscript 
will  often  exceed  the  cost  of  having  it  fairly 
copied  by  a  clerk. 

3.  Write  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only,  and 
page  the  whole.  Leave  a  wide  margin,  on  which 
can  be  ^v^itten  directions  for  the  compositor  and 
minor  corrections.      Marginal   corrections   are 

f)referable  to  interhneations.  When  they  are  too 
ong  to  go  in  the  margin,  write  them  on  a  sepa- 
rate piece  of  paper,  marking  it  with  the  page, 
and  indicating  on  the  page  the  place  where  it  is 
to  be  inserted.  Write  on  the  margin  the  amount 
of  space,  if  any,  desired  between  paragraphs  or 
divisions,  for  the  insertion  of  additional  authori- 
ties, etc. 

4.  Attend  to  your  own  punctuation,  marking 
each  point  distinctly.  Remember  the  old  craft 
pun,  that  "compositors  are  setters,  not  pointers" 
— their  duty  is  to  "follow  copy."  The  whole 
force  of  a  paragraph  may  be  destroyed  by  care- 
less punctuation. 

5.  Write  on  a  separate  page  exactly  what  you 
want  on  the  cover,  the  number  of  copies  wanted, 
and  the  style  selected. 

6.  Make  a  final  careful  revision  of  the  manu- 
script before  handing  it  in. 

7.  Authors  should  always  make  the  beginning 
of  a  new  paragraph  conspicuous  to  the  composi- 
tor, by  indenting  the  first  line  of  it  far  enough 
to  distinguish  it  from  the  preceding  line  in  case 
it  should  be  quite  full. 

8.  When  copy  is  put  into  the  hands  of  the 
compositor  he  should  receive  directions  respect- 
ing the  width  and  length  of  the  page ;  whether 
it  is  to  be  leaded,  and  with  white  lines  between 
the.  breaks  ;  and  whether  any  particular  method 
is  to  be  followed  in  the  punctuation  and  in  the 
adoption  of  capitals. 

MANUSCRIPT,  Estimate  of.—K  tolerably 
close  estimate  of  the  words  contained  in  even 
bad  manuscript  may  be  made  by  counting  the 
lines  of  say  twelve  of  its  varying  pages,  then 
getting  an  average  per  line  of  the  words  in  sev- 
eral lines  taken  from  each  page,  and  multiplying 
the  number  of  the  former  by  that  of  the  latter. 
Next  add  the  average  allowance  for  chapter  lines, 
sub-heads,  and  other  than  break  lines,  counting 
them  as  full  lines.  Reduce  the  break  lines  to 
full  lines,  adding  them  to  the  whole,  and  you 
have  the  contents  of  twelve  pages.  Divide  by 
twelve  to  find  the  contents  of  a  single  (average) 
page. 

Example. — A  work  of  400  pages  in  manuscript 
is  submitted.  Twelve  averaged  pages,  taken  at 
intervals,  give  an  average  of  30  lines  to  a  folio. 
Three  lines  taken  at  various  places  from  each  of 
these  twelve  pages  indicate  an  average  of  eleven 
words  to  a  line.    This  will  give  about  330  words 


484 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    WANTS. 


to  a  page,  exclusive  of  breaks,  chapter,  and*  oth- 
-  er  lines,  for  which  an  allowance  is  made  of  four 
lines,  or  44  words,  for  each  page  of  manuscript, 
which,  added  to  330,  makes  374.  Multiply  the 
374  words  per  page  by  the  400  pages  in  the  ma- 
nuscript, and  you  have  a  result  of  149,600  words 
in  all. 

To  know  how  many  pages  of  printed  matter 
this  will  make,  it  is  now  necessary  to  have  the 
size  of  type  and  page  to  be  used.  An  exact 
printed  page,  containing  the  one  and  representing 
the  other,  is  always  a  good  guide  in  completing 
the  calculation,  which  is  done  by  dividing  the 
number  of  words  contained  in  the  manuscript, 
by  that  of  the  printed  page.  This  will  give  the 
desired  cast-off  for  the  work  in  printed  pages. 

Thus,  the  estimate  of  the  manuscript  gives 
149,600  words;  that  of  the  printed  page,  of  the 
size  required, — set  ixp  in  leaded  long-primer,  we 
will  say,  for  example, — gives  480  words;  conse- 
quently 149,600  divided  by  480  gives  312  pages, 
or  20  signatures,  if  printed  in  octavo. 

When  extra,  or  more  than  single,  "leading" 
of  matter  is  required,  count  the  extra  leads  (six- 
to-pica  being  the  size  most  used  in  book  compo- 
sition) in  the  following  proportions :  three  for  a 
nonpareil  line ;  four  for  brevier  and  bourgeois ; 
five  for  long-primer  and  small-pica;  six  for  pica; 
and  so  on,  increasing  or  diminishing  in  the 
necessary  ratio  for  larger  or  lesser  sizes. 

For  works  under  144  pages,  the  cast-off  of 
Avhich  does  not  reach  a  number  of  folios  divisible 
by  4,  there  should  be  added  the  number  that  will 
make  it  so.  Thus,  1 10  will  be  counted  as  112; 
133  as  136;  and  so  on.  A  sufficient  allowance 
of  pages,  added  in  the  same  way,  should  be  macje 
in  cast-offs  for  larger  works,  adopting  8  or  12  as 
the  even  dividing  number.  This  rule  applies 
f  more  particularly  to  works  where  the  copy  is 
very  irregular  or  much  crowded  with  abbre- 
viations and  closely  written  notes,  alterations, 
interlines,  etc. 

MAP  COLORS.— Blue.  A  weak  mixture  of 
sulphate  of  indigo  and  water,  to  which  add  a 
little  gum. — Green.  \.  Dissolve  crystals  of  ver- 
digris in  water,  and  add  a  little  gum. — 2.  Dis- 
solve sap  green  in  water  and  add  gum. — Red.  I. 
Make  a  decoction  of  Brazil  dust  in  vinegar,  and 
add  a  little  gum  and  alum, — 2.  Make  an  infusion 
of  cochineal  and  add  a  little  gum. —  Yellow,  i. 
Dissolve  gamboge  in  water. — 2.  Make  a  decoc- 
tion of  French  berries,  strain,  and  add  a  little 
gum  arable. 

MAP  VARNISHES.— K  very  good  varnish 
for  covering  over  architectural  drawings,  maps, 
etc.,  can  be  made  by  dissolving  one  pound  of 
white  shellac,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  camphor 
and  two  ounces  of  Canada  balsam  in  one  gallon 
of  alcohol. 

The  following  method  affords  also  a  good, 
quick-drying  varnish.  Thin  down  Canada  balsam 
with  turpentine,  and  add  one-fourth  of  the  bulk 
of  quick-drying,  pale  copal  varnish;  lay  on 
smoothly  with  a  flat  camel's  hair  brush,  and  let 
the  map  lie  flat  for  a  few  hours. 

MARBLE  AND  GLASS,  To  Polish.— 
Marble  of  any  kind,  alabaster,  and  hard  stone, 
or  glass,  may  be  repolished  by  rubbing  it  with  a 
linen  cloih  dressed  with  oxide  of  tin  (sold  under 
the  name  of  putty  powder).  For  this  purpose,  a 
couple  or  more  folds  of  linen  should  be  fastened 
tight  over  a  piece  of  wood,  flat  or  otherwise, 
according  to  the  form  of  the  stone.    To  repolish 


a  mantelpiece,  it  should  be  first  perfectly  cleaned. 
This  is  best  done  by  making  a  paste  of  lime, 
soda,  and  water,  wetting  well  the  marble,  and 
applying  the  paste.  Then  let  it  remain  for  a  day 
or  so,  keeping  it  moist  during  the  interval. 
When  this  paste  has  been  removed,  the  polishing 
may  begin.  Chips  in  the  marble  should  be 
inibbed  out  first  with  emery  and  water.  At  every 
stage  of  polishing,  the  linen  and  putty  powder 
must  be  kept  constantly  wet.  Glass,  such  as 
jewelers'  show  counter-cases,  which  becomes 
scratched,  may  be  polished  in  the  same  way. 

MARBLE,  To  Clean.— i.  Brush  the  dust 
off  the  piece  to  be  cleaned,  then  apply  with  a 
brush  a  good  coat  of  gum  arabic,  about  the  con- 
sistency of  a  thick  office  mucilage,  expose  it  to 
the  sun  or  dry  wind,  or  both.  In  a  snort  time 
it  will  crack  and  peel  off.  If  all  the  gum  should 
not  peel  off,  wash  it  with  clean  water  and  a  clean 
cloth.  Of  course,  if  the  first  application  does 
not  have  the  desired  effect,  it  should  be  applied 
again. — 2.  Make  a  paste  with  soft  soap  and  whi- 
ting. Wash  the  marble  first  with  it,  and  then 
leave  a  coat  of  the  paste  upon  it  for  two  or  three 
days.  Afterwards  wash  off  with  warm  (not  hot) 
water  and  soap. — 3.  Chalk  (in  fine  powder),  i 
part ;  pumice,  I  part ;  common  soda,  2  parts. 
Mix.  Wash  the  spots  with  this  powder,  mixed 
with  a  little  water,  then  clean  the  whole  of  the 
stone,  and  wash  off  with  soap  and  water. 

MARBLE  (Artificial),  for  Paper  Weights.- 
Soak  plaster  of  Paris  in  a  solution  of  alum ;  bake 
it  in  an  oven,  and  then  grind  it  to  a  powder. 
In  using,  mix  it  with  water,  and  to  produce  the 
clouds  and  veins,  stir  in  any  dry  color  you  wish; 
this  will  become  very  hard  and  is  susceptible  of 
a  very  high  polish. 

MARBLE,  To  Cut  and  Polish. — The  marble 
saw  is  a  thin  plate  of  soft  iron,  continually  sup- 
plied, during  its  sawing  motion,  with  water  and 
the  sharpest  sand.  The  sawing  of  moderate 
pieces  is  performed  by  hand ;  but  that  of  large 
slabs  is  most  economically  done  by  a  proper 
mill.  The  first  substance  used  in  the  polishing 
process  is  the  sharpest  sand,  which  must  be 
worked  with  till  the  surface  becomes  perfectly 
flat.  Then  a  second,  and  even  a  third  sand,  of 
increasing  fineness,  is  to  be  applied.  The  next 
substance  is  emery,  of  progressive  degrees  of 
fineness;  after  which,  tripoli  is  employed:  and 
the  last  polish  is  given  with  tin  putty.  The  body 
with  which  the  sand  is  rubbed  upon  the  marble 
is  usually  a  plate  of  iron ;  but,  for  the  subsequent 
process,  a  plate  of  lead  is  used,  with  fine  sand 
and  emery.  The  polishing-rubbers  are  coarse 
linen  cloths,  or  bagging,  wedged  tight  into  an 
iron  planing-tool.  In  every  step  of  the  opera- 
tion, a  constant  trickling  supply  of  water  is  re- 
quired. 

MARBLE,  Colors  for  Staining. — It  is  neces- 
sary to  heat  the  marble  hot,  but  not  so  hot  as  to 
injure  it,  the  ])roper  heat  being  that  at  which  the 
colors  nearly  boil.  Blue;  alkaline  indigo  dye, 
or  turnsole  with  alkali.  Red;  dragon's  blood" 
in  spirits  of  wine.  Yellow  ;  g.imboge  in  spirits 
of  wine.  Cold  Color;  sal-ammoniac,  sulphate 
of  zinc,  and  verdigris,  equal  parts.  Green  ;  sap 
green,  in  spirits  of  potash.  Brown  ;  tincture  of 
logwood.  Crimson;  alkanet  root  in  turpentine. 
Marble  may  be  veined  according  to  taste.  To 
stain  marble  well  is  a  difficult  operation. 

MATCHES,  To  Make.— \.  Chlorate  of  pot- 
ash and  flowers  of  sulphur,  each  10  parts  j  ver- 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


485 


tnilion,  2  parts.  Oil  of  turpentine  to  mix.  Dip 
the  ends  of  the  matches  previously  sulphured 
and  steeped  in  turpentine  into  this  paste  and 
dry. — 2.  Chlorate  of  potash,  10  parts;  sugar  and 
sulphur,  each  3  parts;  wheat  flour  and  vermilion, 
each  I  part.  Spirit  to  mix.  For  use,  dip  them 
into  the  instantaneous  light  bottles. — 3.  Dip  the 
end  of  the  wood  in  hot  melted  sulphur  and  let  it 
dry.  To  4  parts  of  melted  glue,  add  while  hot 
I  part  of  phosphorus  and  stir  in  whiting  to  the 
desired  thickness,  color  with  lampblack ;  dipping 
in  this  mixture,  which  is  to  be  kept  hot  by  being 
suspended  over  a  fire  or  lamp. — 4.  About  the 
best  known  preparation  for  friction  matches  con- 
sists of  gum  arable,  16  parts  by  weight ;  phos- 
phorus, 9  parts ;  nitre,  14  parts ;  peroxide  of 
manganese,  in  powder,  16  parts.  The  gum  is 
first  made  into  a  mucilage  with  water,  then  the 
manganese,  then  the  phosphorus,  and  the  whole 
is  heated  to  about  130  deg.  Fab.  When  the 
phosphorus  is  melted  the  nitre  is  added,  and  the 
whole  is  thoroughly  stirred. 

MA  TTING  and  OILCLOTH,  To  Brighten. 
— Wash  it  twice  during  the  summer  with  salt 
and  water,  say  about  a  pint  of  salt,  dissolved  in 
half  a  pailful  of  warm,  soft  water,  drying  the 
matting  quickly  with  a  soft  cloth.  The  salt  will 
prevent  it  from  turning  yellow.  Another  plan 
is,  after  the  oilcloth  is  scrubbed  and  dried,  to 
rub  it  all  over  with  a  cloth  dipped  in  milk.  This 
will  bring  the  colors  out  very  bright. 

MEASURES,  Table  o/.—A.  barrel  contains 
40  gallons,  of  231  cubic  inches  each,  or  9240 
cubic  inches. 

The  United  States  standard  bushel  is  the 
Winchester ;  its  regular  dimensions  are  a  cylin- 
der of  18.5  inches,  interior  diameter,  and  8 
inches  deep ;  its  cubic  contents  are,  therefore, 
9.25  X  9-25  X  3.1416x8,  or  nearly  2150.5  cubic 
inches. 

The  United  States  standard  gallon  measures 
231  cubic  inches;  consequently  a  box,  24  inches 
by  24  inches  square,  and  16  inches  deep,  will 
contain  9232  cubic  inches,  or  nearly  a  barrel. 

A  box,  173^  by  15  inches,  and  8  inches  deep, 
will  contain  2130  cubic  inches,  or  nearly  a  busheL 

A  box,  14^  by  10  inches,  and  7^  inches 
deep,  will  contain  1075  cubic  inches,  or  half  a 
bushel. 

A  box,  8  by  8  inches  square,  and  8*/i2  inches 
deep,  will  contain  538  cubic  inches,  or  a  peck, 
very  near. 

A  box,  7  by  8  inches,  and  4^  inches  deep, 
will  contain  231  cubic  inches,  or  a  gallon  exactly. 

A  box,  6  by  6  inches  square,  and  t,%  inches 
deep,  will  contain  117  cubic  inches,  or  nearly 
half  a  gallon,  (of  115^  cubic  inches.) 

A  box,  4  by  4  inches  square,  and  3^  inches 
deep,  will  contain  56  cubic  inches,  or  nearly  a 
pint,  (of  57^  cubic  inches.) 

MICE,  To  Get  Rid  o/.—To  get  rid  of  mice, 
use  tartar  emetic,  mingled  with  any  favorite  food; 
thev  take  it,  get  sick,  and  take  their  leave. 

MICROSCOPE,  Home-Made.—X  simple  mi- 
croscope may  be  made  out  of  a  common  pill- 
box for  a  few  cents.  Take  out  the  bottom  and 
put  in  a  piece  of  window-glass;  then  paint  the 
inside  black,  and  make  a  small  eye-hole  in  the 
lid.  In  this  hole  place  a  single  drop  of  Ca- 
nadian balsam,  and  allow  it  to  cool.  This  drop 
of  the  transparent  resin  assumes,  when  cooling, 
the  proper  form  of  the  glass  lens,  with  consider- 
able magnifying  power. 


MICROSCOPICAL  OBJECTS,  Mounting 
Fluid  for. — Best  gelatine,  l  oz.,  honey,  5  oz., 
distilled  water,  5  oz.,  rectified  spirit,  j|  oz., 
creosote,  6  drops.  Dissolve  the  gelatine  in  the 
water  by  heat,  and  add  to  it  the  honey,  previously 
made  boiling  hot.  When  cooled  a  little,  add  the 
creosote  dissolved  in  the  spirit,  and,  while  still 
hot,  filter  through  coarse  filtering  paper,  or  fine 
flannel.  For  use,  the  bottle  in  which  it  is  con- 
tained may  be  set  in  a  vessel  of  hot  water. 

MILK  (Good),  Composition  of. — Milk  is  a 
fluid  of  white,  yellowish-white,  or  -bluish-white 
color,  consisting  largely  of  water,  and  holding 
in  solution  or  suspension  butter,  sugar  of  milk, 
caseine,  and  certain  salts.  These  substances 
are  found  generally  in  all  unadulterated  milk  in 
constant  proportions,  except  in  cases  of  milk  of 
cows  diseased.  The  sum  of  the  solid  con- 
stituents, however,  varies  with  the  feed,  stock, 
and  condition  of  the  animal:  it  should  never 
fall  below  12  per  cent,  ranging  generally  be- 
tween 12  and  15  per  cent.,  the  rest  being  water. 
The  composition  may  be  assumed  as  follows  :— 

Butter 3.60  to    4.8  per  cent. 

Caseine 3.80   "    4.2         " 

Sugar  of  milk. .  .4.2      "    4.5         " 
Salts 0.6     "    0.8        " 

12.2  14.3 
There  are  cases,  as  in  the  Alderney  breed,  where 
the  solids  will  rise  as  high  as  16  and  17  per  cent. ; 
the  butter  as  high  as  9  per  cent. ;  but  such  milk 
is  never  found  in  the  market,  being  consumed 
altogether  by  the  owners  of  the  animals.  On 
the  other  hand,  there  may  be  found  milk,  as  in 
fresh  milch  cows,  where  the  solids  will  go  down 
to  10  per  cent.,  the  butter  to  3;  these  are  the 
Extreme  minimum  limits,  below  which  we  should 
pronounce  milk  adulterated. 

MILK,  To  Detect  when  Adulterated. — The 
cheapest  and  easiest  method  of  adulterating  milk 
is  by  adding  water,  and  we  may  readily  ascertain 
the  exact  extent  of  adulteration  bjf  the  following 
plan.  If  a  glass  tube,  divide<l  mto  100  parts, 
be  filled  with  milk  and  left  standing  for  24  hours, 
the  cream  will  rise  to  the  upper  part  of  the  tube, 
and  occupy  from  n  to  13  divisions,  if  the  milk 
is  genuine. 

MILDEW. — ^This  term  is  generally  applied 
to  a  particular  moldy  appearance  on  the  leaves 
of  plants,  which  is  produced  by  innumerable 
minute  fungi,  which,  if  not  checked  in  their 
growth,  will  occasion  the  decay  and  death  of 
the  parts  on  which  they  grow,  and  sometimes 
of  the  entire  plant.  In  agriculture  this  appear- 
ance is  frequently  termed  rust,  and  sometimes 
blight  It  is  common  on  wheat  and  on  the  hops; 
and  in  gardens  on  the  leaves  of  the  peach,  the 
nectarine,  and  other  fruit  trees.  The  causes 
favorable  to  the  production  of  mildew,  are  a  rich 
soil  and  a  moist  atmosphere,  without  a  free  cir- 
culation of  air  or  sunshine.  In  agriculture  this 
parasitical  disease  is  generally  considered  with- 
out remedy;  but  in  gardening  it  may  be  checked 
by  the  application  of  powdered  sulphur  to  the 
leaves  covered  by  the  fungi,  which  is  found  to 
destroy  them  without  greatly  injuring  the  leaf. 
Dry  rot  is  only  mildew  of  a  more  formidable 
kind. 

MIRRORS,  Platinized.— ^Mc\\  interest  has 
been  excited  by  the  new  method  of  constructing 
mirrors,  invented  by  Dod»5,  of  France,  in  which 
the  chloride  of  platinum  is  used  as  a  basis.    For 


486 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


this  purpose  the  glass  plate,  after  being  cleaned, 
is  set  upright,  and  the  metallizing  liquid  applied 
with  a  brush,  first  from  above  downward,  then 
from  right  to  left,  and  so  on  alternately  until  a 
perfectly  uniform  coating  is  laid  on.  The  pla- 
tinizing liquid  is  prepared  by  dissolving  1550 
grains  of  very  thin  rolled  platinum  in  aqua  regia, 
and  carefully  evaporating  the  solution  obtained 
in  a  sand-bath,  and  drying,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
chloride  of  platinum  from  becoming  decomposed. 
It  is  then  spread  out  upon  a  glass  muUer,  and 
rectified  oil  of  lavender  added,  little  by  little, 
•with  continued  rubbing.  Care  must  be  taken 
not  to  add  the  oil  too  quickly,  as  otherwise  loo 
great  an  increase  of  temperature  may  result,  and 
thus  destroy  the  preparation.  After  the  addition 
of  about  fourteen  times  as  much  oil  of  lavender 
as  of  the  platinum  used,  the  mixture  is  to  be 
placed  in  a  porcelain  dish,  and  allowed  to  remain 
perfectly  quiet  for  14  days,  after  which  the  liquid 
is  to  be  poured  off  and  filtered.  After  six  days 
more  of  rest  the  liquid  is  to  be  decanted,  and 
should  then  show  five  degrees  upon  the  acid 
gauge  of  Baum^.  To  the  quantity  of  platinum 
just  mentioned  about  400  grains  of  litharge  and 
as  much  of  borate  of  lead  are  to  be  added,  the 
two  substances  being  first  rubbed  up  with  120 
to  150  grains  of  oil  of  lavender,  and  then  united 
as  speedily  as  possible  with  the  platinum  liquid, 
after  which  it  is  ready  for  use,  as  mentioned. 
The  coating  of  oil  mixture  thus  applied  is  allow- 
ed to  dry  gradually,  and  the  glass  plate  thus 
prepared  is  then  to  be  introduced  into  a  muffle 
of  peculiar  construction,  in  which  the  resinous 
substances  are  decomposed  and  converted  into 
carbon,  without  melting  or  developing  any  bub- 
bles, the  remainder  constituting  a  perfect  plati- 
num surface.  Mirrors  thus  prepared  have  a  high 
degree  of  lustre ;  and  as  the  reflection  is  from 
the  anterior  face,  it  is  immaterial  what  the  char- 
acter of  the  glass  is,  provided  the  surface  be 
perfectly  smooth  and  free  from  striae,  or,  indeed, 
whether  it  be  transparent  at  all.  This  constitutes 
a  great  advantage  over  the  ordinary  method, 
where  the  transparency  of  the  glass  is  an  object 
of  prime  importance.  Glass  mirrors  of  this  kind 
are  translucent  when  held  against  the  light,  and 
may  consequently  be  used  to  advantage  in  form- 
ing screens  for  windows  of  rooms,  and  inclosed 
spaces  in  offices  and  stores  w^here  it  is  desirable 
to  be  able  to  look  out  without  difficulty,  while 
at  the  same  time  concealed  from  the  view  of 
those  on  the  other  side.  For  this,  however,  it 
will  be  necessary  that  there  be  no  window  or 
other  free  opening  opposite  the  plate-glass  in 
question.  It  is  said  that  the  cost  of  platinum 
sufficient  to  prepare  ten  square  feet  of  glass  does 
not  exceed  twenty  cents. 

MOLDY  SUBSTANCES  in  Roams.  — It 
has  long  been  known  that  the  presence  of  molds 
in  rooms  is  highly  injurious  to  human  health; 
under  certain  conditions  of  dampness  and  bad 
ventilation,  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  see 
mildew  run  all  over  a  large  expanse  of  white- 
washed wall  or  ceiling.  If  this  mold  occur  in  a 
living  room,  and  it  be  not  destroyed,  it  frequently 
brings  on  a  complication  of  painful  symptoms  in 
the  human  patient,  or,  in  other  words,  the  mem- 
branes and  tissues  of  the  body  are  known  to  offer 
a  fitting  habitat  for  the  plant,  and  it  is  transferred 
from  the  original  objects  to  the  human  frame. 
A  weak  solution  of  hypo-chlorite  of  lime  (bleach- 
ing powder)  has  recently  been  recommended  as 


a  destroyer  of  molds  in  rooms,  and  as  their 
growth  is  both  common  and  rapid  in  this  country 
in  damp  and  ill-ventilated  situations,  the  remedy 
is  worth  a  trial. 

MOLDING  Figures  in  Paste.— 'Yzke:  the 
crumbs  of  a  new-drawn  white  loaf,  mold  it  until 
it  becomes  as  close  as  wax,  and  very  pliable ; 
then  beat  it  and  roll  it  with  a  rolling-pin,  as  fine 
and  as  far  as  it  wUl  go;  then  point  it  on  molds,  and, 
when  it  has  taken  the  suitable  figure  you  desire, 
dry  it  in  a  stove,  and  it  will  be  very  hard;  and 
to  preserve  it  from  vermin,  you  may  mix  a  little 
powder  of  aloes  with  it. 

MOLDING  Small  Figures  in  "jfasfer  Color. 
— Oil  your  molds  with  a  fine  pencil,  and  diver- 
sify them  with  such  colors  as  you  please  with 
gum  tragacanth ;  if  they  spread  or  run,  put  a  little 
of  the  gall  of  an  ox,  for  the  thicker  it  is  the 
harder  it  will  be;  then  mold  your  paste  of  the 
color  of  jasper,  or  the  like,  put  it  in  to  fill  the 
mold,  tie  it  with  a  wire,  bake  it,  or  take  it  out, 
repair  and  varnish  it,  and  set  it  by  to  harden. 

MOLDING  Figures  of  Clay  or  Wax.—T\.\tXG 
is  no  need  of  many  tools  in  this  sort  of  work ;  the 
clay  is  placed  upon  an  easel  or  table,  and  you 
begin  and  finish  the  v.'ork  with  your  hands. 
Those  who  are  used  to  it  never  make  use  of 
anything  but  their  fingers,  except  three  or  four 
pieces  of  wood,  which  are  roundish  at  one  end, 
at  the  other  flat,  with  a  sort  of  claws  and  teeth, 
called  by  the  French,  ebauchoir — that  is,  a  sort 
of  hatchet;  they  are  about  seven  or  eight  inches 
in  length;  those  with  claws  are  to  smooth  the 
stuff;  the  others,  which  have  teeth,  to  scratch  it. 

They  are  made  of  wax  thus :  Take  a  pound  of 
wax,  half  a  pound  of  ocher,  some  add  turpentine, 
and  melt  it  together  with  oil  of  olives;  put  more 
or  less,  according  as  you  would  have  the  matter 
harder  or  softer;  a  little  vermilion  also  should  be 
mixed  with  it  to  give  it  a  softer  color.  When 
you  have  made  the  composition,  the  figure  is 
worked  up  with  the  hand,  and  those  ebauchoirs 
made  use  of  in  making  up  the  earthen  figures. 
Practice  is  the  principal  mistress  in  this  sort  of 
work,  which,  at  first,  is  not  so  easy  as  that  in 
clay. 

MOLDING  the  Face  of  a  Person  in  Wax.— 
Take  a  pound  of  new  wax,  a  third  of  colophony, 
melt  them  at  a  slow  fire,  let  them  cool  so  long 
as  that  you  may  endure  some  of  it  on  your  hand 
without  burning  it;  then  having  oiled  the  face 
with  olive  oil,  cover  the  hair  of  the  eye-lids  and 
eyebrows  with  paste;  then  with  a  brush  nimbly 
cover  the  face  about  the  thickness  of  a  quarter 
of  a  dollar,  being  careful  not  to  stop  the  nos- 
trils, and  that  the  person  squeeze  not  his  eyes 
together,  because  that  will  render  the  face  de- 
formed. 

Thus,  having  the  face  of  wax,  take  it  off  gently 
and  strengthen  it  with  clay  on  the  back  side, 
that  it  may  not  give  way.  After  this  manner 
you  may  cast  all  sorts  of  faces;  laughing,  weeping, 
grimaces,  or  wry  faces ;  also  fruits  or  anything 
else,  dividing  the  mold  into  two  pieces  with  a 
warm  knife ;  then  fortify  them  with  day  and  join 
them  together. 

There  is  no  way  of  casting  neater  than  this 
with  wax,  and  after  a  very  little  practice  you 
can  become  very  expert  at  the  business, 

MOLD  in  SAFES,  To  Prevent.— V>y  the  pla- 
cing of  a  small  lump  of  camphor  in  the  safe,  the 
accumulation  of  mold  upon  money,  papers, 
books,  etc.,  will  be  prevented. 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


487 


MUCILAGE  for  Labels,  Damp  Proof.  — 
Macerate  five  parts  of  good  glue  in  eighteen  to 
twenty  parts  of  water  for  a  day,  and  to  the  liquid 
add  nine  parts  of  rock  candy  and  three  parts  of 
gum  arabic.  Che  mixture  can  be  brushed  upon 
paper  while  lukewarm  ;  it  keeps  well,  does  not 
stick  together,  and  when  moistened,  adheres 
firmly  to  bottles.  For  the  labels  of  soda  or  selt- 
zer water  bottles,  it  is  well  to  prepare  a  paste  of 
good  rye  flour  and  glue,  to  which  linseed  oil, 
varnish  and  turpentine  have  been  added,  in  the 

£roportion  of  half  an  ounce  each  to  the  pound, 
.abels  prepared  in  the  latter  way  do  not  fall  off 
in  damp  cellars. 

MUCILAGE,  Mold  in, — Solutions  of  gum 
arabic  are  very  liable  to  become  moldy;  and 
while  the  introduction  of  creosote,  corrosive  sub- 
limate, etc.,  frequently  used  to  remedy  this  evil, 
is  objectionable  on  account  of  the  danger  of  pois- 
oning, according  to  the  Industrie  Blatter  sul- 
phate of  quinine  is  a  complete  protection  against 
mold,  a  very  small  quantity  of  it  being  sufficient 
to  prevent  gum  mucilage  from  sjwiling.  It  is 
quite  possible  that  writing  ink  might  be  protect- 
ed by  the  same  application  from  a  like  difficulty. 
The  use  of  ammonia  for  the  same  purpose  is  also 
recommended. 

MUSTARD,  Aromatic, — I.  To  l  quart  pure 
cider  vinegar,  add  2  tablespoonfuls  each  of  ground 
allspice  and  cinnamon,  i  do.  of  cloves,  3  do. 
brown  sugar,  4  do.  salt,  and  3  large  onions  cut 
fine.  Boil  until  the  strength  is  well  extracted, 
say  %,  or  3^  of  an  hour;  then  strain  the  vinegar, 
boiling,  on  to  i  lb.  best  English  mustard,  and 
stir  until  it  is  perfectly  smooth.  If  not  thin 
enough,  put  more  vinegar  to  the  same  spices, 
boil  and  mix.  This  keeps  well  in  a  fruit  jar, 
and  improves  by  age.  Boiling  the  vinegar  for 
the  length  of  time  directed  above  would  weaken 
it  very  much.  The  flavor  of  the  spices  would 
be  extracted  equally  well  by  keeping  the  mixture 
nearly  boiling  not  in  a  covered  vessel. — 2.  Take 
4  tablespoonfuls  of  ground  mustard,  I  do.  flour, 
I  do.  sugar,  i  teaspoonful  salt,   I  do.  black  pep- 

f)er,  I  do.  cinnamon,  I  do.  cloves.  Mix  smooth- 
y  with  boiling  vinegar  and  let  stand  several 
hours  before  using.  It  may  be  thinned  with 
cold  vinegar.     Will  keep  any  length  of  time. 

MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,  To  Stain.— 
Crimson, — Boil  I  lb.  of  ground  Brazil-wood  in 
3  quarts  of  water  for  an  hour;  strain  it,  and  add 
half  an  ounce  of  cochineal ;  boil  it  again  for  half 
an  hour  gently,  and  it  will  be  fit  for  use.— /•«;•- 
pit- — Boil  a  pound  of  chip  logwood  in  3  quarts 
of  water  for  an  hour;  then  add  four  ounces  of  alum. 

NAMES,  Signification  of— 
Aaron,  Hebrew,  a  mountain. 
Abel,  Hebrew,  vanity. 
Abraham,  Hebrew,  the  father  of  many. 
Adam,  Hebrru),  red  earth. 
Adolphus,  Saxon,  happiness  and  help. 
Albert,  Saxon,  all  bright. 
Alexander,  Greek,  a  helper  of  men. 
Alfred,  Saxon,  all  peace. 
Ambrose,  Greek,  immortal. 
Amos,  Hebrew,  a  burden. 
Andrew,  Greek,  courageous. 
Anthony,  Latin,  flourishing. 
Archibald,  German,  a  bold  observer. 
Arnold,  German,  a  maintainer  of  honor. 
Arthur,  British,  a  strong  man. 

ASIuJtTn,'  \  ^'"''  venerable,  grand. 


Baldwin,  Gertnan,  a  bold  winner. 

Bardulph,  German,  a  famous  helper. 

Barnaby,  Hebrnu,  a  prophet's  son. 

Bartholomew,  Hebrew,  the  son  of  him  wTio  made 
the  waters  to  rise. 

Beaumont,  French,  a  pretty  mount. 

Bede,  Saxon,  prayer. 

Benjamin,  Hebrew,  the  son  of  a  right  hand. 

Bennet,  Latin,  blessed. 

Bernard,  German,  bear's  heart. 

Bertram,  Gerrnan,  fair,  illustrious. 

Boniface,  Latin,  a  well-doer. 

Brian,  French,  having  a  thundering  voice. 

Cadwallader,  British,  valiant  in  war. 

Caesar,  Latin,  adorned  with  hair. 

Caleb,  Hebrew,  a  dog. 

Cecil,  Latin,  dim-sighted. 

Charles,  German,  noble-spirited. 

Christopher,  Greek,  bearing  Christ. 

Clement,  Latin,  mild-tempered. 

Conrad,  German,  able  counsel. 

Constantine,  Latin,  resolution. 

Crispin,  Latin,  having  curled  locks, 

Cuthbert,  Saxon,  known  famously. 

Daniel,  Hebrew,  God  is  judge. 

David,  Hebre7u,  well-beloved. 

Denis,  Greek,  belonging  to  the  god  of  wine. 

Dunstan,  Saxon,  most  high. 

Edgar,  Saxon,  happy  honor. 

Edmund,  Saxon,  happy  peace. 

Edward,  Saxon,  happy  keeper. 

Edwin,  Saxon,  happy  conqueror. 

Egbert,  Saxon,  ever  bright. 

Elij.ih,  Hebrew,  God,  the  Lord. 

Elisha,  Hebrew,  the  salvation  of  God. 

Ephraim,  Hebrew,  fruitful. 

Erasmus,  Greek,  lovely,  worthy  to  be  loved. 

Ernest,  Greek,  earnest,  serious. 

Evan  or  Ivon,  British,  the  same  as  John. 

Everard,  German,  well  reported. 

Eugene,  Greek,  nobly  descended. 

Eustace,  Greek,  standing  firm. 

Ezekiel,  Hebrro),  the  strength  of  God. 

Felix,  Latin,  happy. 

Ferdinand,  German,  pure  peace. 

Francis,  German,  free. 

Frederic,  German,  rich  peace. 

Gabriel,  Hebrew,  the  strength  of  God. 

Geoffery,  Get  man,  joyful. 

George,  Greek,  a  husbandman. 

Gerard,  Saxon,  all  towardliness. 

Gideon,  Hebrew,  a  breaker. 

Gilbert,  Saxon,  bright  as  gold. 

Giles,  Greek,  a  little  goat. 

Godard,  German,  a  godly  disposition. 

Godfrey,  German,  God's  peace. 

Godwin,  German,  victorious  in  God. 

Griffith,  British,  having  great  faith. 

Guy,  French,  the  mistletoe  shrub. 

Hannibal,  Puttie,  a  gracious  lord. 

Harold,  Saxon,  a  champion. 

Hector,  Greek,  a  stout  defender. 

Henry,  German,  a  rich  lord. 

Herbert,  German,  a  bright  lord. 

Hercules,  Greek,  the  glory  of  Hera  or  Junow 

Hezekiah,  Hebrew,  cleaving  to  the  Lord. 

Horatio,  Italian,  worthy  to  be  beheld. 

Howel,  British,  sound  or  whole. 

Hubert,  German,  a  bright  color. 

Hugh,  Dutch,  high,  lofty. 

Humphrey,  German,  domestic  peace. 

Jacob,  Hebrew,  a  supplanter. 

James  or  Jacques,  beguihng.  v 


488 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


Ingram,  German,  of  angelic  purity. 
Joab,  Hebrew,  fatherhood. 
Job,  Hebrew,  sorrowing. 
Joel,  Hebrew,  acquiescing. 
John,  Hebrew,  the  grace  of  the  Lord. 
Jonah,  Hebrew,  a  dove. 
Jonathan,  Hebrew,  the  gift  of  the  Lord. 
Joscelin,  German,  just. 
Joseph,  Hebrrd),  addition. 
Josias,  Hebrew,  the  fire  of  the  Lord. 
Joshua,  Hebrew,  a  Saviour. 
Isaac,  Hebrew,  laughter. 
Lambert,  Saxon,  a  fair  lamb. 
Lancelot,  Spanish,  a  little  lance. 
Laurence,  Latin,  crowned  with  laurels. 
Lazarus,  Hebrew,  destitute  of  help. 
Leonard,  German,  like  a  lion. 
Leopold,  German,  defending  the  people. 
Lewellin,  British,  like  a  lion- 
Lewis,  French,  the  defender  of  the  people. 
Lionel,  Latin,  a  little  lion. 
Lucius,  Latin,  shining. 
Luke,  Greek,  a  wood  or  grove. 
Mark,  Latin,  a  hammer. 
Martin,  Latin,  martial. 
Mathew,  Hebrew,  a  gift  or  present. 
Maurice,  Latin,  sprung  of  a  Moor. 
Meredith,  British,  the  roaring  of  the  sea. 
Michael,  Hebrew,  who  is  like  God  ? 
Morgan,  British,  a  mariner. 
Moses,  HebrrjD,  drawn  out. 
Nathaniel,  Hebrew,  the  gift  of  God. 
Neal,  French,  somewhat  black. 
Nicolas,  Greek,  victorious  over  the  people. 
Noel,  French,  belonging  to  one's  nativity. 
Norman,  French,  one  born  in  Normandy. 
Obadiah,  Hebrew,  the  servant  of  the  Lord. 
Oliver,  Latin,  an  olive. 
Orlando,  Italian,  counsel  for  the  land. 
Osmund,  Saxon,  house  peace. 
Oswald,  Saxon,  ruler  of  a  house. 
Owen,  British,  well  descended. 
Patrick,  Latin,  a  nobleman. 
Paul,  Latin,  small,  little. 
Percival,  French,  a  place  in  France. 
Peregrine,  Latin,  outlandish. 
Peter,  Greek,  a  rock  or  stone. 
Philip,  Greek,  a  lover  of  horses. 
Phineas,  Hebrew,  of  bold  countenance. 
Ralph,  contracted  from  Radolph,  or  Randal,  or 

Ranulph,  Saxon,  pure  help. 
Raymund,  German,  quiet  peace. 
Reuben,  Hebrew,  the  son  of  vision. 
Reynold,  German,  a  lover  of  purity. 
Richard,  Saxon,  powerful. 
Robert,  German,  famous  in  counsel. 
Roger,  German,  strong  counsel. 
Rowland,  German,  counsel  for  the  land. 
Rufus,  iMtin,  reddish.  ^ 

Solomon,  Hebrew,  peaceable. 
Samson,  Hebrew,  a  little  son. 
Samuel,  Hebrew,  heard  by  God. 
Saul,  Hebrew,  desired. 
Sebastian,  Greek,  to  be  reverenced. 
Simeon,  Hebrew,  hearing. 
Simon,  Hebrew,  obedient. 
Stephen,  G^r^^/^,  a  crown  or  garland. 
Theobald,  Saxon,  bold  over  the  people. 
Theodore,  Greek,  the  gift  of  God. 
Theodosius,  Greek,  given  of  God. 
Theophilus,  Greek,  a  lover  of  God. 
Thomas,  Hebrew,  a  twin. 
Timothy,  Greek,  a  fearer  of  God. 


Toby  or  Tobias,  Hebrew,  the  .goodness  of  the 

Lord. 
Valentine,  Latin,  powerful. 
Vincent,  iMtin,  conquering. 
Vivian,  Latin,  living.  ♦ 

Walter,  German,  a  wood  master. 
VValwin,  German,  a  conqueror. 
William,  German,  defending  many. 
Zaccheus,  Syriac,  innocent. 
Zachary,  Hebrew,  remembering  the  Lord. 
Zebedee,  Syriac,  having  an  inheritance. 
Zedekiah,  Hebrew,  the  justice  of  the  Lord. 

Adeline,  German,  a  princess. 

Agatha,  Greek,  good. 

Agnes,  German,  chaste. 

Alethea,  Greek,  the  truth. 

Althea,  Greek,  hunting. 

Alice,  Alicia,  German,  noble. 

Amy,  Amelia,  French,  a  beloved. 

Anna,  Anne,  or  Hailnah,  Hebrew,  gracious. 

Arabella,  Latin,  a  fair  altar.  ' 

Aureola,  Latin,  like  gold. 

Barbara,  Latin,  foreign  or  strange. 

Beatrice,  Latin,  making  happy. 

Benedicta,  Latin,  blessed. 

Bernice,  Greek,  bringing  victory. 

Bertha,  Greek,  bright  or  famous. 

Blanche,  French,  lair. 

Bona,  Latin,  good. 

Bridget,  Irish,  shining  bright. 

Cassandra,  Greek,  a  reformer  of  men. 

Catharine,  Greek,  pure  or  clean. 

Charity,  Greek,  love,  bounty. 

Charlotte,  French,  all  noble. 

Caroline,  feminine  of  Carolus,    the  Latin  of 

Charles,  noble-spirited. 
Chloe,  Greek,  a  green  herb. 
Christiana,  Greek,  belonging  to  Christ. 
Cecilia,  Latin,  from  Cecil. 
Cicely,  a  corruption  of  Cecilia. 
Clara,  Latin,  clear  or  bright. 
Constance,  Latin,  constant. 
Deborah,  Hebrew,  a  bee. 
Diana,  Greek,  Jupiter's  daughter. 
Dorcas,  Greek,  a  wild  roe. 
Dorothy,  Greek,  the  gift  of  God. 
Edith,  Saxon,  happiness. 
Eleanor,  Saxon,  all  fruitful. 
Eliza,  Elizabeth,  Hebrew,  the  oath  of  God. 
Emily,  corrupted  from  Amelia. 
Emma,  German,  a  nurse. 
Esther,  Hester,  Hebrrw,  secret. 
Eve,  Hebrew,  causing  life. 
Eunice,  Greek,  fair  victory. 
Eudoia,  Greek,  prospering  in  the  way, 
Frances,  German,  free. 
Gertrude,  German,  all  truth. 
Grace,  Latin,  favor. 
Hagar,  Hebrew,  a  stranger. 
Helena,  Greek,  alluring. 
Jane,  softened  from  Joan;  or, 
Janne,  the  feminine  of  John. 
Janet,  Jeannette,  little  Jane. 
Joyce,  French,  pleasant, 
Isabella,  Spanish,  fair  Eliza. 
Judith,  Hebrew,  praising. 
Julia,  Juliana,  feminine  of  Julius, 
Letitia,  Latin,  joy  or  gladness. 
Lois,  Greek,  better. 
Lucretia,  Latin,  a  chaste  Roman  lady. 
Lucy,  Latin,  feminine  of  Lucius, 
Lydia,  Greek,  descended  from  Lud. 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


489 


Mabel,  Latin,  lovely. 

Magdalene,  Maudlin,  Syriac,  magnificent. 

Margaret,  German,  a  pearl. 

Martha,  Hebrroj,  bitterness. 

Mary,  Hebrew,  bitter. 

Maud,  Matilda,  Greek,  a  lady  of  honor. 

Mercy,  English,  compassion. 

Mildred,  Saxon,  speaking  mild. 

Nest,  British,  the  same  as  Agnes. 

Nicola,  Greek,  feminine  of  Nicolas, 

Olympia,  Greek,  heavenly. 

Orabilis,  Latin,  to  be  entreated. 

Parnell,  or  Petronilla,  little  Peter. 

Patience,  Latin,  bearing  patiently. 

Paulina,  Latin,  feminine  of  Paulinus, 

Penelope,  Greek,  a  turkey. 

Persis,  Greek,  destroying. 

Philadelphia,  Greek,  brotherly  love. 

Philippa,  Greek,  feminine  of  Philip. 

Phcebe,  Greek,  the  light  of  life. 

Phyllis,  Greek,  a  green  bough. 

Priscilla,  Latin,  somewhat  old. 

Prudence,  Latin,  discretion. 

Psyche,  Greek,  the  soul. 

Rachel,  Hebrro),  a  lamb. 

Rebecca,  Hebrew,  fat  or  plump. , 

Rhoda,  Greek,  a  rose. 

Rosamund,  Saxon,  a  rose  of  peace. 

Rosa,  Latin,  a  rose.  . 

Rosecleer,  English,  a  fair  rose. 

Rosabella,  Italian,  a  fair  rose. 

Ruth,  Hebrew,  trembling. 

Sabina,  Latin,  sprung  from  the  Sabine. 

Salome,  Hebrew,  perfect. 

Sapphira,  Greek,  like  a  sapphire  stoue. 

Sarah,  Hebrew,  a  princess. 

Sibylla,  Greek,  the  counsel  of  God. 

Sophia,  Greek,  wisdom. 

Sophronia,  Greek,  of  a  sound  mind. 

Susan,  Susanna,  Hebi'ew,  a  lily. 

Tabitha,  Syriac,  a  roe. 

Temperance,  Latin,  moderation. 

Theodosia,  Greek,  given  by  God. 

Tryphosa,  Greek,  delicious. 

Tryphena,  Greek,  delicate. 

Vida,  Erse,  feminine  of  David, 

Ursula,  Latin,  a  female  bear. 

Winifred,  Saxon,  wanning  peace. 

Zenobia,  Greek,  the  life  of  Jupiter. 

NITRO-GLYC ERIN.— When  glycerin  is 
allowed  slowly  to  trickle  into  a  mixture  of  equal 
measures  of  nitric  acid  and  oil  of  vitriol,  at  a 
'low  temperature,  two  atoms  of  its  hydrogen  are 
replaced  by  two  atoms  of  protoxide  of  nitrogen, 
and  there  results  a  heavy  oily  liquid  known  as 
nitro-glycerin,  a  body  which  has  more  than  ten 
times  the  explosive  power  of  gunpowder.  It 
has  come  into  extensive  use  for  blasting,  and 
the  number  of  terrible  accidents  that  have  hap- 
pened from  it,  by  explosion  from  mere  friction, 
illustrates  not  only  the  tremendous  forces  that 
can  be  stored  up  in  the  shape  of  atomic  tensions, 
but  how  exquisite  is  the  balance  by  which  such 
terrible  agencies  are  kept  in  equilibrium. 

This  terrible  explosive  seems  little  to  respect 
its  company  and  surroundings.  Dr.  Gorup 
Besamez  reports  the  account  of  an  explosion  of 
ten  drops  of  the  substance  in  his  laboratory, 
and  the  astonishing  effects  he  records  as  result- 
ing from  this  explosion  are  well  calculated  to 
give  a  most  respectable  and  respectful  notion  of 
the  properties  of  nitro-glycerin.  One  of  the 
doctor's  pupils,  in  the  course  of  an  investigation, 


placed  the  above  mentioned  quantity  of  the 
substance  in  question  in  a  small  cast  iron  dish 
heater  over  the  small  Bunsen  gas  burner  in 
common  use  in  laboratories.  Result:  forty-six 
panes  of  glass  in  the  windows  of  the  laboratory 
demolished,  the  iron  dish  hurled  through  a  brick 
wall,  the  iron  stand  upon  which  it  was  supported 
partly  split  and  "partly  twisted  out  of  shape,  and 
the  tube  of  the  Bunsen  burner  split  and  flattened. 
Those  in  the  laboratory,  fortunately,  escaped 
without  injury.  This  circumstance  confirms  the 
results  of  Dr.  E.  Kopp's  observations  upon  the 
conditions  upon  which  nitro-glycerin  explodes 
or  quietly  burns.  When  caused  to  fall  drop  by 
drop  on  an  iron  plate  at  a  full  red  heat,  it  burns 
off  like  gunpowder ;  but  should  the  iron  plate 
not  be  thoroughly  red,  but  still  sufficiently  heat- 
ed to  make  the  nitro-glycerin  boil  suddenly,  an 
explosion  invariably  occurs.  The  latter  must 
have  been  the  conditions  under  which  the  nitro- 
glycerin was  heated  in  the  case  above  cited. 
Nobel  claims  that  nitro-glycerin  can  be  rendered 
perfectly  harmless  and  safe  for  transportation  by 
mixing  it  with  ten  per  cent,  of  wood  spirit  or 
methylic  alcohol.  When  required  for  use  this 
added  substance  must  be  removed,  its  removal 
bringing  the  explosive  back  to  its  original  dan- 
gerous state.  An  admixture  with  twenty-five 
per  cent,  of  its  weight  of  sand  will,  it  is  said, 
allow  it  to  bum  quietly  without  explosion,  but  if 
struck  with  a  sudden  and  violent  blow,  it  takes 
fire,  but  only  the  portion  struck  burns.  Such  a 
mixture,  now  known  as  dynamite,  may  be  ex- 
ploded by  means  of  fulminate  of  mercury,  itself 
fired  by  the  electric  spark  or  by  a  slow  match. 

OIL  {Lamp"),  To  Purify. — Take  chloride  of 
lime,  I  lb.;  water,  12  lbs.  Triturate  the  chloride 
of  lime  in  a  large  mortar,  gradually  adding  the 
water  so  as  to  form  a  smooth  and  soap  paste, 
and  then  add  the  remainder  of  the  water,  which 
will  give  the  whole  the  consistence  of  cream. 
Now  mix  this  thoroughly  with  the  oil  by  fre- 
quent and  careful  stirring,  in  the  proportion  of 
I  quart  of  the  paste  for  loo  lbs.  of  oil,  or  a  little 
more,  if  the  oil  be  very  putrid.  Let  it  remain  a 
few  hours,  when  add  I  lb.  of  sulphuric  acid, 
previously  diluted  with  20  or  30  parts  of  water, 
and  boil,  with  a  gentle  heat,  constantly  stirring 
during  the  process,  until  the  oil  drops  clear 
from  the  end  of  a  piece  to  be  dipped  into  it. 
After  the  boiling  has  been  finished,  allow  the  oil 
to  settle  for  a  few  hours ;  then  draw  it  off  from 
the  acidulated  water.  The  boiler  should  be  lined 
with  lead,  and  the  mortar  for  the  trituration  of 
the  chloride  of  lime  should  neither  be  iron  nor 
copper. 

OIL,  Neafs-Foot. — In  the  manufacture  of  this 
oil  the  bones  of  the  foot  only  are  used  after  re- 
jecting the  hoofs.  In  the  hind  feet  of  the  animals 
the  foot  goes  up  to  the  first  point,  which  bends 
inside,  presenting  a  very  large  bone.  These 
bones,  as  fresh  and  as  clean  as  possible,  are 
boiled  for  half  an  hour  in  a  suitable  vessel,  and 
the  oil  after  cooling  is  poured  or  syphoned  ofT. 
It  is  then  filtered  through  a  piece  of  flannel  and 
is  ready  for  use.  If  the  bones  are  not  fresh  the 
oil  may  have  a  disagreeable  odor,  and  it  has 
then  to  he  purified,  which  can  be  done  by  shak- 
ing it  with  a  weak  solution  of  bleaching  powder, 
to  which  a  little  hydrochloric  acid  has  been  added, 
washing  it  with  water  and  filtering.  The  solid 
fats  are  removed,  melted  again,  poured  through 
muslin,  and  constitute  when  odorless  an  excel- 


490 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


lent  material  for  pomatums.     If  they  are  rancid 
they  may  be  sold  to  the  soap  makers. 

OILS  of  Orange  and  Lemon,  To  Preserve. — 
To  every  pound  of  oil  I  oz.  of  alcohol  is  to  be 
added,  and  well  mixed ;  then  i  oz.  of  water  is 
put  with  it,  which  again  withdraws  the  alcohol 
from  the  oil,  and  collects  at  the  bottom  of  the 
bottle  as  dilute  alcohol. 

OIL-PARCHMENT— KccorAmg  to  Dr.  J. 
C.  Hofmann's  directions  for  the  preparation  of 
what  he  calls  oil- parchment,  the  basis  may  be 
either  linen  or  cotton-cloth,  or  even  strong  pa- 
per. The  material,  whichever  is  chosen,  is  to 
ne  stretched  out,  and  then  covered  with  the  fol- 
lowing preparation :  One  part  of  fine  white  lead, 
two-thirds  of  a  part  of  well  burnt  ground  and 
sifted  plaster  of  Paris,  and  one-fourth  of  a  part 
of  fine  slaked  lime  are  intimately  mixed  and 
ground  with  water  until  a  perfectly  smooth, 
doughy  mass  is  obtained.  Then  two-thirds  of  a 
part  of  best  clear  glue,  dissolved  in  sufficient 
water,  is  gradually  added  until  the  mass  is  of 
such  a  consistence  that  it  can  be  easily  spread 
with  a  brush.  Three  or  four  layers  of  this  are 
to  be  put  upon  the  cloth,  one  being  allowed  to 
get  thoroughly  dry  before  another  is  put  on. 
The  last,  when  dry,  is  to  be  rubbed  down  smooth 
with  pumice  stone.  The  ground  is  now  ready 
for  the  surface  of  oil  or  paint.  If  a  white  surface 
is  desired,  a  mixture  of  one  part  of  best  linseed 
oil  and  one-third  of  well-bleached  lead-varnish 
alone  is  used;  but  this  mixture,  if  wished,  may 
be  colored  yellow  with  ochre,  red  with  cinnabar, 
blue  with  Prussian  blue,  or  black  with  Frankfort 
black.  Three  or  four  thin  layers  of  the  paint 
may  be  applied,  care  being  again  taken  that  each 
coat  is  well  dried  before  another  is  laid  on.  The 
oil,  we  are  told,  unites  to  the  other  surface  so 
as  to  form  a  solid  material,   which  is  quite  im- 

?ervious  to  water,  and  cannot  be  rubbed  off. 
'he  material  so  prepared  may  be  written  upon 
with  a  lead  or  colored  pencil,  and  the  writing  or 
drawing  can  be  washed  off  again  any  number  of 
times.  It  might  be  expected  that  the  mixture 
with  plaster  of  Paris,  which  forms  the  ground- 
work, would  set  into  a  solid  mass  too  quickly 
to  allow  of  three  or  four  coats  of  the  same  mix- 
ture being  applied,  but  the  author  gives  no  inti- 
mation of  such  a  danger. 

OIL,  for  Raihvay  Cars  and  Machinery. — 
Soda,  56  lbs.,  thoroughly  dissolved  in  3  gals, 
water  in  a  small  boiler ;  then  to  be  poured  into 
a  large  cooler  containing  30  to  36  gals,  water, 
and  well  mixed :  melt  i  cwt.  2  qrs.  of  tallow  in 
a  large  boiler,  then  add  i  cwt.  3  qrs.  of  palm- 
oil;  boil  together;  as  soon  as  it  boils,  the  mix- 
ture is  to  b*  gradually  cooled  down  to  blood  heat, 
stirring  all  the  time.  It  is  then  to  be  run  off 
through  a  sieve  into  the  cooler  containing  the 
soda  and  water  ;  and  must  be  stirred  all  the  time 
it  is  running  off,  in  order  to  mix  properly. 

OIL  {Rape),  To  Purify. — Rape  oil,  100  gal- 
lons; strong  oil  of  vitriol,  2  gallons.  Put  them 
into  a  cask  and  agitate  for  one  hour,  decant  the 
clear  oil  in  three  days,  and  then  divide  the  oil 
into  two  portions  and  put  each  into  separate 
casks,  add  forty  or  fifty  gallons  of  hot  water  to 
each,  and  agitate  for  one  hour  more ;  in  three 
days  or  more,  decant  the  clear  for  use. 

OLEOGRAPHS:  Marbled  Paper.— A.  so- 
called  novelty  has  been  advertised  in  England 
lately,  under  this  name.  It  is  simply  paper,  on 
which  peculiar  accidental  figures  are  formed  by 


the  following  process  :  Oil  is  dropped  on  water ; 
paper  is  laid  on  the  surface ;  this  is  allowed  to 
float  an  instant,  and  then  drawn  through  ink, 
and  washed  with  water.  It  appears  to  us  that 
the  main  principle  of  this  so-called  novel  method 
is  identical  with  the  manner  in  which  thus  far 
all  marbled  papers  have  been  manufactured, 
namely,  a  shallow  bath  of  water  mixed  with 
some  ox-gall  is  prepared  and  sprinkled  with 
water- colors  mixed  with  gum,  etc.,  on  the  sur- 
face, so  that  they  float  and  form  all  kinds  of  ac- 
cidental figures.  Then  a  sheet  of  white  paper 
is  laid  on  the  water  for  an  instant,  and  taken  up 
directly ;  after  which  it  is  dried. 

PACKING,  Hints  on. — In  packing  iip  a 
parcel  of  books,  be  careful,  in  order  to  preserve 
them  from  rubbing,  to  place  a  sheet  of  white 
paper  over  the  cover  of  each,  and  pack  the  books 
together  in  such  a  way  that  one  will  bind  the 
other,  and  thus  form  a  secure  parcel.  Use  abun- 
dance of  wrapping-paper  and  strong  cord.  If 
the  parcel  exceeds  twelve  inches  in  breadth, 
draw  a  cord  tightly,  but  not  too  much  so,  round 
the  sides,  which  will  materially  aid  in  keeping  it 
secure  and  compact.  As  a  rule,  furniture  and 
earthenware  should  be  packed  by  those  who  are 
accustomed  to  it.  The  packing  of  flowers  and 
fruit  may  be  left  in  the  hands  of  the  gardener. 
Every  packer  should  be  very  careful  in  driving 
nails  into  packed  boxes ;  screws  are  much  to  be 
preferred.  In  packing  articles  which  are  liable 
to  break,  place  the  heaviest  articles  at  the  bottom, 
and  see  that  plenty  of  straw,  soft  paper,  and 
paper  shavings  are  provided,  wherewith  to  wrap 
up  and  separate  each  particular  article.  Pack- 
ages of  glass  and  other  fragile  materials  ought 
to  be  marked  "Brittle  (or  fragile),  with  care," 
in  plain  and  conspicuous  letters  on  the  parcel, 
or  packing  case. 

PAINT,  To  Remove  from  Stone. — A  writer 
having  to  clean  a  pulpit  and  sedilia  in  which  the 
carving  and  tracery  were  almost  filled  up  with 
successive  coats  of  paint,  was  informed  that 
common  washing-soda,  dissolved  in  boiling  wa- 
ter, and  applied  hot,  would  remove  it.  He  says, 
"I  found  that  3  lbs.  of  soda,  (cost  2^d.)  to  a 
gallon  of  water,  laid  on  with  a  common  paint- 
brush, answered  the  purpose  admirably,  soften- 
ing the  paint  in  a  short  time,  so  that  it  was  easily 
removed  with  a  stiff  scrubbing-brush ;  afterward, 
on  adding  a  few  ounces  of  potasb  to  the  solution, 
it  softened  more  readily  than  with  soda  only. 
The  stone  in  both  cases  wa&  a  fine  &eestone." 

PAPER,  Copying. — Mix.  lard  and  lampblack 
to  a  paste,  rub  this  over  paper,  wipe  off  the  waste 
with  a  rag,  aaid  dry  the  paper.  A  clean  sheet 
placed  undeiT  this  white  written  on  with  a  lead 
pencil,  etc.,.  receives  a  copy, 

PAPER,  Leather. — One  of  the  most  interest- 
ing and  peculiar  productions  of  paper  is  that 
which  is  made  to  imitate  leather.  The  surface 
has  every  appearance  of  a  finished  skin,  with 
extraordinary  firmness  and  elasticity,  and  it  can 
be  subjected  to  washing  without  any  injury  from 
the  water.  These  peculiarities  are  not  so  much- 
due  to  the  superior  quality  of  the  material  as  to 
the  mode  of  manufacture,  the  surfaces  remaining 
intact  even  when  the  paper  is  very  thick,  while 
with  us  paper  of  this  kind  soon  loses  its  firmness, 
and  the  grain  is  impaired. 

Japanese  "leather"  paper  is  made  extensively 
at  Flangawa,  near  Yeddo.  It  is  made  in  sheets 
of;  60  centimetres  in  length  and  42  centimetres  in 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


491 


width.  The  paper  out  of  which  it  is  prepared  is 
not  dissimilar  to  our  packing-paper,  and  is  made 
in  Southern  Japan,  near  Nagasaki,  and  thence 
taken  toother  provinces,  where  it  is  manufactured 
into  the  different  forms,  for  various  uses.  The 
leather  paper  is  made  in  the  following  manner: — 
It  is  dampened  and  laid  in  pairs  between  two 
peculiarly  prepared  forms,  made  of  paper  also, 
only  more  highly  varnished  than  ordinary  leather 

Eaper ;  they  have  a  very  strong  surface  coating, 
ut  running  only  in  one  direction. 

Before  putting  the  paper  in  these  forms,  the 
sheets  are  stretched  a  little  in  the  direction  of 
their  width.  If  there  are  several  sheets  they  are 
rolled  on  a  cylindrical  piece  of  wood,  the  grain 
of  the  paper  running  in  an  opposite  direction 
from  that  of  the  wood ;  they  are  then  unrolled 
from  this  on  a  cloth  to  keep  them  in  shape,  and 
put  into  a'  form,  with  a  hole  in  the  top  large 
enough  to  admit  the  end  of  the  wooden  cylinder. 
The  roll  of  the  paper  is  then  subjected  to  a  pres- 
sure of  200  or  300  pounds.  After  the  roll  has 
been  reduced  to  three-quarters  of  its  original 
length  by  this  pressure,  it  is  taken  out  of  the 
press  and  turned,  the  folds  flattened  out,  and 
again  pressed  to  remove  the  deep  marks. 

After  passing  the  paper  through  rollers  several 
times,  the  upper  surface  acquires  the  appearance 
of  leather ;  it  is  then  colored,  oiled  with  a  kind 
of  rape-seed  oil,  varnished,  put  once  more  in  the 
press,  which  completes  it,  with  the  exception  of 
drying.  By  means  of  parallel  or  cross  lines  on 
the  rollers,  the  upper  surface  of  the  paper  is  made 
to  resemble  leather  exactly  in  all  its  varieties. 
The  paper  being  pressed  to  one-third,  or  even 
to  one-half,  its  original  thickness,  and  the  passage 
through  the  rollers  giving  it  a  fine-grained  ap- 
pearance, makes  it  valuable  to  picture-printers, 
as  the  surface  has  the  appearance  of  crepe  silk. 

There  is  another  variety  of  leather  paper  which 
is  smooth  and  transparent,  resembling  hog-skin 
very  much.  This  is  manufactured  by  a  process  of 
hammering,  and  is  the  highest  priced,  costing  27 
cents  per  sheet,while  the  other  ranges  from  8  to  14 
cents,  some  very  fine  selling  at  8  cents  per  sheet. 

PAPER  from  Oat  Refuse. — Paper  is  manu- 
factured from  oat  refuse  by  first  immersing  the 
oat  husks  in  water  in  a  tank  in  order  to  float  off" 
mustard  and  other  seeds,  with  which  they  are 
frequently  more  or  less  mixed,  and  which,  if  not 
separated,  materially  deteriorate  the  quality  of 
the  paper.  It  is  of  advantage  to  have  the  water 
■well  stirred,  as  it  facilitates  the  separation  of  the 
foreign  seeds,  and  allows  them  to  float  to  the 
surface.  The  oat  husks  are  then  allowed  to 
settle,  and  the  surface  scum  and  floating  seeds 
are  drawn  off  by  an  overflow  pipe  at  the  top  of 
the  tank,  or  skimmed  off  by  a  rake  or  other  tool, 
or  otherwise  removed ;  after  which  the  water  is 
drained  from  the  oat  husks  by  a  waste-water  pipe 
at  the  bottom  of  the  tank,  and  beneath  a  perfor- 
ated false  bottom,  or  fitted  with  a  strainer  which 
retains  the  oat  husks.  The  oat  husks  may  be 
left  to  steep  in  the  water  for  from  five  to  ten 
hours  after  or  during  the  removal  of  the  scum, 
as  this  steeping,  by  softening  them  and  helping 
to  loosen  the  silica  from  the  fibre,  facilitates  the 
subsequent  boiling  process. 

PAPER,  Oiled, — Brush  sheets  of  paper  over 
with  boiled  oil,  and  suspend  them  on  a  line  until 
dry.  This  paper  is  water-proof,  and  is  employed 
to  tie  over  preserve  pots  and  jars,  and  to  wrap 
up  paste  blacking,  etc. 


PAPER,  Parchment. — To  coavert  paper  into 
vegetable  parchment,  immerse  it  for  a  few  sec- 
onds in  a  cold  mixture  of  one  volume  water  and 
two  volumes  sulphuric  acid.  Wash  out  rapidly 
by  plunging  into  a  large  quantity  of  cold  water ; 
and  finally  remove  all  traces  of  the  acid  by  fur 
ther  immersion  in  water,  to  which  a  small  quan- 
tity of  ammonia  has  been  added.  On  drying, 
the  parchment  has  a  tendency  to  contract  un- 
equally. This  can  be  prevented  by  attaching  it 
to  a  frame  while  still  wet,  or  by  allowing  it  to 
dry  under  a  press. 

Paper  prepared  in  this  way  is  very  transpa- 
rent, and  can  be  used  for  copying  by  tracing. 
It  is  also  extensively  employed  as  a  substitute 
for  parchment  made  from  sheepskin  in  diplomas, 
certificates,  patents,  and  for  letter  envelopes. 

The  precautions  to  be  observed  in  its  manu- 
facture are,  not  to  keep  it  too  long  in  the  bath, 
and  afterward  to  be  sure  to  remove  every  trace 
of  the  acid. 

The  applications  of  parchment  paper  are  daily 
extending.  A  recent  number  of  a  Breslau  paper 
gives  an  account  of  some  specimens  prepared  by 
Albert  Eckstein,  of  Vienna,  which  are  capable 
of  a  great  variety  of  uses.  One  variety  can  be 
employed  as  a  substitute  for  cloth  in  binding, 
and  a  thicker  variety  for  imitation  of  half-calf 
bindings.  One  of  the  most  important  applica- 
tions is  to  prepare  ice-sacks  for  medical  use. 
These  bags  are  a  great  improvement  on  the  In- 
dia rubber  or  beef-bladder  bags  usually  employ- 
ed for  this  purpose.  The  parchment  bag,  in 
consequence  of  the  slow  escape  of  the  water 
through  the  membrane,  is  kept  constantly  cold, 
and  no  change  of  its  contents  becomes  neces- 
sary. The  evaporation  of  the  water  from  the 
surface  keeps  down  the  temperature  of  the  con- 
tents of  the  bag.  Parchment  paper  is  also  re- 
commended for  wrappers  for  goods  which  may 
be  injured  by  dust  or  moisture,  and  is  prepared 
for  this  purpose. 

The  principal  use,  however,  of  the  parchment 
paper  at  present  is  as  a  porous  membrane  in  the 
refining  of  sugar.  This  paper  will  separate  dif- 
ferent impurities,  and  finally  the  crystallizable 
sugar  from  molasses,  if  placed  between  the  latter 
substance  and  water.  This  peculiar  action  of  the 
pores  of  the  paper  is  called  osmose,  and  the 
whole  operation  diffusion,  Dubrunfaut  some 
three  or  four  years  ago  introduced  this  system 
for  the  refining  of  sugar  into  Germany  and 
France.  Extensive  pieces  of  apparatus  have 
been  constructed  for  this  purpose,  called  osmo- 
meters and  osmogenes. 

PAPER,  or  Parchment,  To  Stain.— Yellow. 
— Paper  may  be  stained  a  beautiful  yellow  by  the 
tincture  of  turmeric  formed  by  infusing  an  oz.  or 
more  of  the  root,  powdered,  in  a  pint  of  spirit  of 
wine.  This  may  be  made  to  give  any  tint  of 
yellow,  from  the  lightest  straw  to  the  full  color, 
called  French  yellow,  and  will  be  equal  in  bright- 
ness even  to  the  best  dyed  silks.  If  yellow  be 
wanted  of  a  warmer  or  redder  cast,  annotto  or 
dragon's  blood  must  be  added.  The  best  man- 
ner of  using  these,  and  the  following  tinctures,  ' 
is  to  spread  them  even  on  the  paper  or  parch- 
ment, by  means  of  a  broad  brush,  in  the  manner 
of  varnish.  Crimson, — A  very  fine  crimson  stain 
may  be  given  to  paper  by  a  tmcture  of  the  Indi- 
an lake,  which  may  be  made  by  infusing  the  lake 
some  days  in  spirit  of  wine,  and  then  pouring 
off  the  tincture  from  the  dregs.  It  may  be  stained 


492 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


red  by  red  ink.  It  may  also  be  stained  of  a  scar- 
let hue  by  the  tincture  of  dragon's  blood  in  spirit 
of  wine,  but  this  will  not  be  bright.  Green. — 
Paper  or  parchment  may  be  stained  green  by  the 
solution  of  verdigris  in  vinegar,  or  by  the  crys- 
tals of  verdigris  dissolved  in  water.  Orange. — 
Stain  the  paper  or  parchment  first  of  a  full  yel- 
low by  means  of  the  tincture  of  turmeric,  then 
brush  it  over  with  a  solution  of  fixed  alkaline 
salt,  made  by  dissolving  %  an  oz.  of  pearlash, 
or  salt  of  tartar,  in  a  quart  of  water,  and  filter- 
ing the  solution.  Purple. — Paper  or  parchment 
may  be  stained  purple  by  archil,  or  by  the  tinc- 
ture of  logwood.  The  juice  of  ripe  privet-berries 
expressed  will  also  give  a  purple  dye. 

The  coal-tar  colors  are  especially  adapted  to 
coloring  paper. 

PAPER,  Tracing. — In  order  to  prepare  a 
beautiful  transparent,  colorless  paper,  it  is  best 
to  employ  the  varnish  formed  with  Deraarara 
resin  in  the  following  way :  The  sheets  intended 
for  this  purpose  are  laid  flat  on  each  other,  and 
the  varnish  spread  over  the  uppermost  sheet  by 
means  of  a  brush,  until  the  paper  appears  per- 
fectly colorless,  without,  however,  the  liquid 
therein  being  visible.  The  first  sheet  is  then  re- 
moved, hung  up  for  drying,  and  the  second 
treated  in  the  same  manner.  After  being  dried, 
this  paper  is  capable  of  being  written  on,  either 
with  chalk,  or  pencil,  or  steel  pens.  It  preserves 
its  colorless  transparency  without  becoming  yel- 
low, as  is  frequently  the  case  with  that  prepared 
in  any  other  way. 

PAPER,  To  Make  Transparent. — Any  paper 
is  capable  of  the  transfer  of  a  drawing  in  ordin- 
ary ink,  pencil,  or  water  color,  and  even  a 
stout  drawing  paper  can  be  made  as  transparent 
as  the  thin  yellowish  paper  at  present  used  for 
tracing  purposes.  The  liquid  used  is  benzine. 
If  the  paper  is  dampened  with  pure  and  fresh 
distilled  benzine,  it  at  once  assumes  transparen- 
cy, and  permits  of  tracing  being  made,  and  of 
ink  or  water  colors  being  used  on  its  surface 
without  any  "running."  The  paper  resumes  its 
opacity  as  the  benzine  evaporates,  and  if  the 
drawing  is  not  then  completed,  the  requisite  por- 
tion of  the  paper  must  again  be  dampened  with 
the  benzine.  This  new  discovery  of  the  proper- 
ties of  benzine  will  prove  of  service  to  the  art 
profession,  in  allowing  the  use  of  stiff  paper 
where  formerly  only  a  slight  tissue  could  be  used. 

PAPER,  Test  for  Wood  in, — A  weak  solution 
of  sulphate  of  anihne  is  now  used  for  detecting 
the  presence  of  wood  fiber  in  paper.  One  drop 
of  the  liquid  on  a  pointed  glass  rod  applied  to 
paper  containing  such  fiber,  even  in  minute 
quantities,  if  prepared  in  a  mechanical  way,  will 
produce  an  intense  yellow  color.  This  reaction 
does  not  take  place  when  the  wood  fiber  has 
been  chemically  prepared. 

PAPER,  Waxed. — Place  a  sheet  of  stout  pa- 
per on  a  heated  iron  plate,  and  over  this  place 
the  sheets  of  tissue  paper  to  be  waxed.  Inclose 
wax  or  stearine  in  a  piece  of  muslin,  and  as  it 
melts  spread  over  the  tissue  paper  equally ;  pro- 
ceed with  others  similarly  until  enough  are  pre- 
pared.    Used  to  cover  gallipots,  ointments,  etc. 

PASTE,  Resembling  the  Diamond. — Take 
white  sand,  1800  parts  ;  red  lead,  1200  parts  ; 
pearlash,  900  parts  ;  nitre,  600  parts  ;  arsenic, 
100  parts ;  manganese,  I  part.  To  render  this 
paste  still  harder,  use  less  lead,  and  if  it  should 
incline  to  yellow,  add  a  little  more  manganese. 


PASTE  {Improved),  for  Walls. — A  new 
form  of  paste  for  attaching  paper  hangings  to  . 
walls,  and  one  which,  besides  possessing  the 
merit  of  cheapness,  has  the  advantage  of  pre- 
venting the  paper  from  separating  or  peeling  off, 
is  prepared  by  first  softening  18  lbs.  of  finely 
powdered  bole  (fatty  clay)  in  water,  and  then 
draining  off  the  surplus  water  from  the  mass'. 
One  and  a  quarter  pounds  of  glue  are  next  to  be 
boiled  into  glue  water,  and  the  bole  and  2  lbs. 
of  gypsum  are  then  stirred  in,  and  the  whole 
mass  forced  through  a  sieve  by  means  of  a  brush. 
This  is  afterward  diluted  with  water  to  the  con- 
dition of  a  thin  paste  or  dressing,  when  it  is 
ready  for  use.  The  paste  is  not  only  much 
cheaper  than  the  ordinary  flour  paste,  but  it  has 
the  advantage  of  adhering  better  to  whitewashed 
surfaces,  especially  to  walls  that  have  been  coat- 
ed over  several  times,  and  from  which  the  coat- 
ing has  not  been  carefully  removed.  In  some 
cases  it  is  advisable,  when  putting  fine  paper  on 
old  walls,  to  coat  them  by  means  of  this  paste 
with  a  ground  paper,  and  to  apply  the  paper 
hanging  itself  to  this  with  the  ordinary  paste. 

PASTE,  for  Labeling  on  Tin. — Any  paste, 
such  as  you  buy  in  commerce,  or  make  yourself 
from  gum-arabic  or  gum-tragacanth,  with  the 
addition  of  a  little  -wintergreen  oil,  will  do  for 
this  purpose.  It  is  only  necessary  to  remove 
from  the  tin  a  thin  film  of  grease  which  prevents 
perfect  adhesion,  causing  it  to  blister  off  on 
drying.  This  is  accomplished  by  dipping  a  rag 
in  a  dilute  solution  of  caustic  soda  or  potash — 
ten  of  water  to  one  of  potash — rubbing  the  spot 
on  which  to  fix  the  label,  and  drying  it  with 
another  rag.  No  label  put  on  in  this  way  will 
come  off  again. 

PASTILLES,  Fflw/V/a.— Pastilles  which  give 
out  the  scent  of  vanilla  may  be  thus  prepared: 
Galbanum,  twenty-four  parts;  cloves,  sixteen 
parts;  vanilla,  thirty-two  parts ;  essence  of  cloves, 
one  part;  and  essence  of  vanilla,  sixteen  parts; 
all  the  ingredients  being  well  powdered  and 
mixed  into  a  mass  of  mucilage  of  gum  arable. 
Liquid  compositions  of  a  similar  nature  may  also 
be  prepared,  and  of  which  a  small  quantity  may 
be  poured  into  a  saucer  and  ignited,  A  fluid  of 
this  kind  may  be  formed  of  gum  benzoin,  thirty- 
two  parts;  gum  galbanum,  twenty-four  parts; 
and  Druised  cloves,  seventeen  parts.  The  ma- 
terials are  to  be  well  broken  up  into  fragments 
and  put  into  a  stoppered  bottle,  with  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  rectified  spirits  of  wine  to  dissolve 
the  gums.  The  vessel  must  be  kept  in  a  warm 
place  for  some  time,  until  the  benzoin  and  gal- 
banum are  dissolved,  and  then  the  clear  liquor 
should  be  decanted  into  another  bottle,  and  pre- 
served for  use. 

PA  TENT  MEDICINES,  Composition  of— 
Coca  Pills,  by  Sampson,  New  York.  According 
to  Hagar  and  Jacobsen,  composed  of  powdered 
coca  and  extract  of  coca  in  about  equal  quantities; 
value  about  one-fourth  of  price. 

Eazi  de  Cythtre,  a  hair  color  restorer,  consists 
of  4  chloride  of  lead,  8  hyposulphite  of  soda, 
88  water.  A  similar  composition  was  Eau  de 
fees,  which,  a  couple  of  years  ago,  was  introduced 
here.  The  writer  found  in  a  sample  also  som^' 
alkalies,  earths,  and  traces  of  nitric  acid,  origi- 
nating probably  in  the  spring  or  pump  water 
used.  Hagar  and  Jacobsen  give  the  following 
formula:  Hyposulphite  of  lead  \%,  hyposulphite 
of  soda  3,  glycerine  7,  water  88  parts. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


493 


Granular  Effervescent  Citrate  of  Magnesia, 
by  Bishop,  of  London,  consists  merely  of  bicar- 
bonate of  soda,  and  tartaric  acid. 

Pommade  des  Chatelaines,  a  hair  invigorator, 
consists  of  benzoinated  lard  and  some  volatile  oils. 

Hamburg  Tea,  by  Frese  &  Co.,  of  Hamburg: 
Senna  8,  manna  3,  coriander  i. 

Magnesian  Aperient,  by  Moxon,  of  England, 
is,  according  to  Siller,  anhydrous  sulphate  of 
magnesia  31,  carbonate  of  magnesia  14,  bicar- 
bonate of  soda  30,  tartaric  acid  25  parts. 

Lait  de  Perles,  according  to  Dragendorff,  i 
white  lead,  7  rose  water. 

Swedish  Essence  of  Life  is  made  also  in  this 
country,  under  various  names.  As  usually  made 
by  apothecaries,  it  is  a  tincture  prepared  from  4 
aloes,  I  agaric,  I  rhubarb,  I  zedoary,  i  gentian, 
I  myrrh,  I  theriac,  with  1 00  to  120  dilute  alco- 
hol. The  secret  medicine  manufacturers  usually 
substitute  cheaper  articles  for  the  high-priced 
saffron  and  rhubarb. 

Syrup  of  Horseradish,  by  Grimault.  Hagar 
gives  the  following  directions:  50  p.  each  of 
fresh  scurvygrass,  buckbean,  and  watercress,  60 
of  horseradish,  40  of  fresh  orange  berries,  are 
infused  with  3  cinnamon  in  50  p.  white  wine, 
and  after  a  day  expressed;  250  p.  sugar  are  dis- 
solved in  the  filtrate. 

lodinized  Syrup  of  Horseradish,  by  Grimault, 
contains  10  iodine  and  5  potassium  iodide  in 
8,000  of  the  former. 

Syrup  de  Lait  lodique,  by  Bouyer,  of  Paris. 
200 cow's  milk,  60 cane  sugar,  alittle  soda,  and  1-6 
of  potassium  iodide,  are  evaporated  to  100  parts. 

Myrrhine,  by  J.  B.  George,  of  Paris,  for  the 
preservation  of'^the  teeth :  Glycerine  38,  myrrh 
7,  arrowroots,  chalk  54,  oil  of  cinnamon  i  part. 

Ne-iV  York  Pills,  by  Sampson,  of  New  York. 
The  i^  grain  pills  consist  of  powdered  coca  25, 
extract  of  coca  30,  powdered  iron  35  parts. 

Opiate  pour  les  Dents,  by  Pinaud.  Syrup  70, 
chalk  21,  gypsum  7^,  magnesia  ij/z,  colored 
with  aniline  red,  containing  arsenic,  and  flavor- 
ed with  oil  of  cloves,  and  of  spearmint. 

Prandreih's  Pills  contain  resin  of  podophyl- 
lum, inspissated  juice  of  poke  berries,  saffron, 
cloves,  oil  of  peppermint. 

Holloway^s  Pills  are  composed  of  aloe,  myrrh, 
and  saffron. 

Morrison's  Pills,  2}^  grains  each,  consist  of 
aloe,  cream  of  tartar  and  colocynth ;  another 
kind  contains  the  same  ingredients,  besides  gam- 
boge. 

Radwafs  Ready  Relief  according  to  Peckolt, 
is  an  ethereal  tincture  of  capsicum,  with  alco- 
hol and  camphor. 

Radioay's  Renovating  Resolvent,  a  vinous  tinc- 
ture of  ginger  and  cardamom  sweetened  with 
sugar.     (Hagar  and  Jacobsen. ) 

Poudre  Htmostatique  Vigetal,  by  Bonnatour, 
consists  of  4  resin,  I  gum  arabic,  i  wood  charcoal. 

Poudre  Unique,  by  Godernaux,  of  Paris, 
lauded  as  a  specific  against  epilepsy,  is  impure 
calomel,  leaving  when  heated  a  slight  reddish 
residue. 

Oil  of  Horse  Chestnuts,  by  E.  Genevoix,  of 
Paris,  is  not  the  oil  of  the  horse  chestnuts,  but 
another  non-drying  oil,  altered  by  heat  so  that 
it  has  acquired  a  darker  color,  a  pungent  odor 
and  acrid  taste. 

PA  VEMENT,  Street.— \  new  mode  of  lay- 
ing granite  pavement  has  been  tried  in  London, 
in  a  part  of  the  city  in  which  it  will  be  subjected 


to  the  severest  test  of  heavy  traffic.  The  plan 
consists  of  laying  down  granite  blocks  of  6  by  4 
inches  on  a  simple  bed  and  filling  in  the  inter- 
stices with  a  very  coarse  gravel,  and  then  pour- 
ing on  a  very  hot  coal  tar.  This  liquid  runs 
down  between  the  blocks  to  the  bottom,  and 
firmly  cements  the  whole  pavement  into  one 
mass,  which  is  thus  rendered  impervious  to 
water  from  above  or  from  below,  consequently 
the  rain  at  once  runs  off,  and  the  bed  always 
remaining  dry,  no  pumping  up  of  mud  can  occur 
from  between  the  blocks  of  granite,  so  that  the 
pavement  always  remains  clean,  and  neither  mud 
in  wet  weather,  nor  dust  in  dry  weather,  can 
arise  where  this  mode  is  adopted.  This  pave- 
ment has  already  proved  a  success  in  Manchester, 
and  great  hopes  are  entertained  of  the  experi- 
mental section  laid  down  in  London.  As  much 
intei'est  is  aroused  in  several  of  our  own  cities, 
and  many  experiments  made  to  find  a  good  pave- 
ment, perhaps  the  above  may  prove  useful. 
Thus  far  none  of  the  pavements  laid  down  in 
this  country  seem  entirely  satisfactory.  The 
wood,  of  which  high  expectations  were  enter- 
tained, is  too  expensive,  inconvenient  to  repair, 
besides  having  disadvantages.  Stone  in  some 
form  seems  destined  to  maintain  its  ground. 

PEARL  INLA  KM^(7.— Mother  of  pearl  is 
the  inner  coat  or  layer  of  several  kinds  of  oyster- 
shells.  Its  beautiful  tints  are  dependent  upon 
its  structure,  the  surface  being  covered  with 
minute  grooves  so  small  that  upward  of  three 
thousand  are  contained  in  an  inch,  which  decom- 
pose and  reflect  the  light. 

The  kinds  of  pearl  used  are  three :  mother  of 
pearl  or  the  pearl  oyster,  or  white  pearl,  as  it  is 
called  by  the  artist,  and  is  known  by  its  clear 
white  surface;  aurora  shell,  which  can  readily 
be  told  by  its  wrinkled  appearance  and  its  various 
prismatic  colors,  made  from  the  shell  of  the 
genus  of  mollusca  known  as  the  sea-ear  or  ear- 
shell,  and  known  to  the  conchologist  as  haliotis; 
the  green  snail  shell,  which  can  be  told  by  its 
glistening  colors  of  light  and  dark  green,  a  soft 
yellow,  and  a  bright  and  beautiful  pink,  blended 
together. 

The  lamellar  structure  of  the  pearl  shell  readily 
admits  of  its  being  split  into  lamina;;  but  as 
splitting  is  liable  to  spoil  the  shell,  the  pieces 
are  generally  made  to  take  the  required  shape  by 
the  use  of  the  saw,  file,  or  grindstone.  In  pre- 
paring the  rough  shell,  if  square  or  angular 
pieces  are  required,  the  circular  saw  or  the 
ordinary  back-saw  is  used;  while  if  a  circular 
form  is  wanted,  it  is  cut  by  an  annular  or  crown- 
saw  fixed  on  a  mandrel. 

After  being  cut  out,  the  pieses  are  ground  to 
the  necessary  thinness  on  a  grindstone,  plenty 
of  water  being  used  to  avoid  the  great  friction 
wiiich  always  ensues;  after  which,  they  are 
ready  for  operation  in  the  lathe  for  inlaying,  etc. 

After  the  shell  is  ground  or  turned  to  the 
proper  form,  it  is  rubbed  with  pumice-stone  and 
water,  following  by  an  application  of  ground 
pumice-stone,  which  has  been  carefully  sifted  to 
extract  all  except  the  minutely  powdered  portion, 
and  applied  with  a  piece  of  cork  or  damp  cloth. 
The  polishing  is  accomplished  with  rotten-stone 
moistened  with  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  the  latter 
tending  to  develop  the  striated  structure  of  the 
shell.  In  some  cases  emery  paper  may  be  used, 
followed  with  rotten-stone  moistened  with  acid 
or  some  limpid  oil  instead. 


'494 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


The  pearl  handles  used  for  razors  or  knives 
are  first  roughed  out,  then  drilled  where  the 
rivets  are  to  l)e  inserted,  and  then  lightly  riveted 
together  in  pairs.  They  are  then  ground  to  the 
proper  size  and  thickness,  and  finished  by  the 
means  mentioned. 

One  process  of  working  pearl  is  similar  to  that 
of  engraving  in  metals  in  relief,  by  the  aid  of 
corrosive  acids  and  the  etching  point.  The  shell 
is  first  divided  as  may  be  necessary,  and  the 
design  or  patterns  drawn  upon  it  with  an  opaque 
varnish;  strong  nitric  acid  is  then  brushed  over 
the  plates  repeatedly,  until  the  parts  untouched 
or  undefended  by  the  varnish  are  sufficiently 
corroded  or  eaten  away  by  the  acid.  The  varnish 
now  being  washed  off,  the  device,  which  the 
acid  has  not  touched,  is  found  to  be  nicely  exe- 
cuted. If  the  design  is  to  be  after  the  manner  of 
common  etching  on  copper,  the  process  upon  the 
shell  is  precisely  the  same  as  that  process  upon 
metal. 

When  a  considerable  number  of  pieces  of  thin 
shell  are  required  to  be  of  the  same  size  and 
pattern,  the  requisite  number  of  plates  are  ce- 
mented together  with  glue,  and  the  device  or 
figure  drawn  upon  the  outer  plate.  They  may 
then  be  held  in  a  vise  or  clamp,  and  cut  out  as 
one  plate  with  a  fine  saw,  or  wrought  into  the 
desired  form  with  files;  drilling  tools  may  be 
employed  to  assist  in  the  operation.  To  sepa- 
rate the  pieces,  the  cemented  shells  are  thrown 
into  warm  water,  Avhich  softens  the  glue  and 
separates  the  pieces. 

Cast  and  sheet-iron  and  papier-mach^  are  the 
materials  upon  which  pearl  is  generally  inlaid. 
The  process  is  as  follows :  If  the  article  be  of 
cast-iron,  it  is  well  cleaned  from  the  sand  which 
usually  adheres  to  the  casting,  and  is  blackened 
with  a  coat  of  varnish  and  lamp-black.  When 
this  is  thoroughly  dried,  a  coat  of  japan  or  black 
varnish  is  spread  evenly  upon  it.  Before  the 
varnish  becomes  too  dry,  pieces  of  pearl  cut  in 
the  form  of  leaves,  roses,  or  such  flowers  as  the 
fancy  of  the  artist  may  dictate,  or  the  character 
of  the  article  may  require,  are  laid  upon  it,  and 
pressed  down  with  the  finger,  and  they  imme- 
diately adhere  to  the  varnished  surface.  The 
work  is  then  placed  in  a  heated  oven  and  kept 
there  for  several  hours,  or  until  the  varnish  is 
perfectly  dried.  It  is  then  taken  from  the  oven 
and  another  coat  of  varnish  applied  indiscrimin- 
ately on  the  surface  of  the  pearl  and  the  previous 
coating,  and  again  placed  in  the  oven  till  dry. 
This  process  is  repeated  several  times.  The 
varnish  is  then  scraped  off  the  pearl  with  a  knife, 
and  the  surface  of  pearl  and  the  varnish  around 
it  is  found  to  be  quite  even.  The  pearl  is  then 
polished  with  a  piece  of  pumice-stone  and  water, 
and  the  surface  of  the  varnish  is  rubbed  smooth 
with  powdered  pumice-stone,  moistened  with 
water. 

It  is  in  this  unfinished  state  that  the  pearl  has 
the  appearance  of  being  inlaid,  and  from  which 
it  derives  its  name.  Its  final  beauty  and  finish 
depend  altogether  on  the  skill  of  the  artist  who 
now  receives  it. 

The  artist  traces  the  stems  and  leaves  of  the 
flowers  with  a  camel's-hair  pencil,  dipped  in  a 
size  made  of  varnish  and  turpentine ;  upon  this 
he  lays  gold  leaf,  which  adheres  where  there  is 
size,  and  the  superfluous  gold  is  carefully  brush- 
ed off  with  a  piece  of  silk.  The  flowers  and 
leaves  are  then  painted  in  colors,  and  when  dry, 


the  picture  and  surface  of  the  article  is  covered 
with  a  coat  of  refined  white  varnish.  For  inlay- 
ing, the  thin  pieces  of  pearl  are  cut  by  the  artist 
into  the  required  shapes  by  ordinary  scissors,  or 
by  means  of  punches  or  dies  worked  by  the  foot 
of  the  operator* 

A  varnished  surface  can  be  ornamented  by 
transferring  drawings  or  engravings  to  it,  and 
the  process  is  quite  simple.  A  thin  coat  of  copal 
varnish  is  spread  upon  the  surface  of  the  article, 
and  when  nearly  dry,  the  engraving  is  applied 
with  its  face  downward  and  carefully  pressed  to 
exclude  all  air-bubbles.  When  the  varnish  is 
sufficiently  dry,  the  paper  is  thoroughly  moist- 
ened with  a  sponge  dipped  in  warm  water,  and 
can  be  rubbed  off,  leaving  all  the  lines  of  the 
print  upon  the  varnished  surface. 

PEA'CILS,  Black  Lead. — The  easiest  way 
of  producing,  not  only  black  lead,  but  all  sorts 
of  pencils,  is  by  the  following  process,  which  at 
once  combines  simplicity,  cheapness,  and  the 
finest  quality : 

Take  white  or  pipe  clay;  put  it  into  a  tub  of 
clean  water,  to  soak  for  12  hours,  then  agitate 
the  whole,  imtil  it  resembles  milk,  let  it  rest  two 
or  three  minutes  and  pour  off  the  supernatant 
milky  liquor  into  a  second  vessel,  allow  it  to 
settle,  pour  off  the  clear  and  dry  the  residue  on 
a  filter.  Then  add  black  lead,  any  quantity. 
Powder  it  and  calcine  it  at  a  white  heat  in  a 
loosely  covered  crucible,  cool  and  carefully  re- 
pulverize,  then  add  prepared  clay,  prepared 
plumbago,  equal  parts.  Water  to  mix.  Make 
them  into  a  paste  and  put  it  into  oiled  molds  of 
the  size  required,  dry  very  gradually,  and  apply 
sufficient  heat  to  give  the  required  degree  of 
hardness;  lastly,  the  pieces  should  be  taken 
carefully  from  the  molds  and  placed  in  the  grooves 
of  the  cedar.  The  more  clay  and  heat  employed, 
the  harder  the  crayon;  less  clay  and  heat  oi 
course  produce  a  contrary  effect.  The  shade  of 
black  may  also  be  varied  in  the  same  way.  Each 
mold  must  be  made  of  four  pieces  of  wood  nice- 
ly fitted  together. 

PENCIL  WRITING,  Tb/^/x.— Pencil  writ- 
ing may  be  fixed  almost  as  indelibly  as  ink,  by 
passing  the  moistened  tongue  over  it.  Even 
breathing  slowly  over  the  lines,  after  writing, 
renders  them  much  less  liable  to  erasure  than 
when  not  subjected  to  that  process.  This  fact 
may  be  of  importance  to  persons  who  may  wish 
to  carry  a  memorandum  book  for  a  long  time. 
In  ordinary  use  the  pages  of  such  a  book  often 
become  very  much  defaced  by  the  erasure  and 
diffusion  of  the  pencil  marks  over  the  entire  sur- 
face of  the  paper.  A  trial  of  the  experiment  will 
readily  satisfy  any  person  of  the  utility  of  the  idea. 
PENCILS,  Indelible.  —  An  agriculturist 
writes :  In  relation  to  indelible  pencils  for  mark- 
ing wood  labels  for  garden  and  out  door  use,  I 
will  give  my  plan,  which  I  think  is  a  good  one. 
I  buy  a  genuine  Faber  No.  i,  which  usually 
costs  ten  cents ;  then  I  prepare  my  labels  (cedar 
is  the  best  material),  and  where  I  wish  to  write 
I  rub  on  a  little  common  linseed  oil  and  write 
before  it  gets  dry.  I  then  have  a  writing  that 
will  remain  indelible  for  many  years,  at  a  much 
less  cost  than  a  fifty  cent  pencil.  If  a  little 
Japan  varnish  or  dryer  is  added  to  the  oil,  it  is 
better.  A  little  white  lead  might  be  used  in  the 
oil,  but  it  is  not  absolutely  necessary.  It  is  best 
to  have  a  soft  black  pencil. 
PERCUSSION  CAPS,  Priming  Pmuder  for. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


495 


— ^Take  gunpowder,  40  parts.  Reduce  it  to  a 
fine  powder,  then  mix  it  to  a  thin  paste  with 
water,  next  add  chlorate  of  potass,  21  parts,  pre- 
viously reduced  to  a  very  tine  powder.  Make 
the  paste  rather  thin,  and  deposit  a  small  drop 
at  the  bottom  of  the  cap.  Care  must  be  taken 
not  to  handle  the  mixture  in  quantity,  when  dry, 
lest  it  should  explode. 

PETROLEUM  (Refined),  To  Decolorize.— 
Any  of  the  Bleaching  Agents  known  may  be 
employed  for  this  purpose ;  it  is  simply  a  question 
of  dollars  and  cents  and  manipulation.  Bleach- 
ing powder,  the  cheapest  material,  is  to  be 
stirred  into  the  oil  in  sufficient  quantity,  which 
depends,  of  course,  on  the  amount  of  color  to  be 
destroyed,  and  a  little  hydrochloric  acid  mixed 
W'ith  it  afterwards.  With  occasional  stirring  the 
mixture  is  allowed  to  rest  for  twenty-four  hours, 
when  the  clear  liquid  is  drawn  into  another  tank, 
washed  with  water  until  no  longer  acid,  and 
distilled.     This  will  yield  a  colorless,  limpid  oil. 

PETROLEUM,  Improved  Method  of  Treat- 
ing.— In  London  petroleum  is  used  in  the  pro- 
cess of  vulcanizing  rubber.  The  petroleum 
serves  simply  as  a  solvent  for  chloride  of  sulphur. 
The  commercial  petroleum  has  for  this  purpose 
to  be  freed  of  all  traces  of  water;  for  which 
purpose  10  per  cent,  of  concentrated  sulphuric 
acid  is  added,  and  the  mixture  actively  and  con- 
tinually stirred.  Then  the  acid,  which  now  is 
very  black,  is  allowed  to  settle,  and  the  super- 
natant petroleum  drawn  off  into  a  dry  receiving 
vessel.  To  every  barrel  of  petroleum  one  pound 
of  quicklime  is  added,  with  some  black  oxide  of 
manganese,  and  then  the  mass  is  distilled.  Pe- 
troleum treated  in  this  way  is  cheaper,  and  less 
injurious  to  the  health  of  the  laborer,  than  the 
bi-sulphide  of  carbon,  which  in  some  places  is 
used  for  dissolving  the  chloride  of  sulphur  and 
the  rubber. 

PICTURE  FRAMES.— -In  the  framing  of 
prints  or  water-color  drawings,  with  a  margin 
between  the  subject  and  the  frame,  we  have  seen 
the  most  unsymmetrical  widths  taken  by  caprice 
both  for  margin  and  frame.  You  can  frame 
prints  with  harmonic  proportions  by  the  following 
rule:  i.  Find  a  harmonic  third  to  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  print,  and  take  it  for  the 
collective  widths  of  the  margin  and  frame.  2. 
Divide  this  space  harmonically,  so  that  the  whole 
space,  and  the  greater  and  smaller  part  of  it,  are 
three  successive  harmonic  terms,  and  you  have 
then  taken  the  less  part  for  the  margin,  and  the 
greater  part  for  the  frame.  A  practical  rule  for 
dividing  the  collective  width  of  the  margin  and 
frame  into  two  harmonic  parts  is  to  multiply  the 
whole  width  by  the  decimal  .5858  and  the  product 
will  be  the  width  of  the  frame,  and  the  rest  the 
width  of  the  margin,  or  vice  versa.  In  case, 
however,  one  will  insist  on  a  very  wide  margin, 
he  may  take  twice  instead  of  once  the  harmonic 
third  for  the  width  of  the  margin  nnd  frame. 

PICTURES  for  Magic  Lanterns. — {New 
Style. ) — A  sheet  of  gelatine,  he  says,  such  as  is 
used  for  tracing,  is  securely  fixed  over  an  en- 
graNdng,  and  with  a  sharp  steel  point  (made  by 
grinding  down  the  end  of  a  small  round  file)  the 
Unes  of  the  original  are  traced  pretty  deeply  on 
the  transparent  substance.  Lead-pencil  or  cray- 
on-dust is  then  lightly  rubbed  in  with  the  finger, 
and  the  picture  is  at  once  ready  for  use.  The 
effect  of  these  drawings  in  the  lantern  is  said  to 
be  excellent. 


PIGMENTS  for  Stained  Glass.— Red  lead, 
I  oz.;  red  enamel  (Venetian  glass  enamel,  from 
alum  and  copperas  calcined  together) ;  grind 
them  to  a  fine  powder,  and  work  this  up  with 
alcohol  upon  a  hard  stone.  When  slightly  baked, 
this  produces  a  fine  flesh-color.  No.  2.  BUick 
color. — Take  14^^  oz.  of  smithy  scales  of  iron  ; 
mix  them  with  2  oz.  of  white  glass ;  antimony, 
I  oz.;  manganese,  %  oz.;  pound  and  grind  these 
ingredients  together,  with  strong  vinegar.  No.  3. 
Brown  color. — White  glass  or  enamel,  l  oz.; 
good  manganese,  ^  oz.;  grind  together.  No.  4. 
Red,  Rose,  and  Brown  colors  are  made  from  •* 
peroxide  of  iron,  prepared  by  nitric  acid.  The 
flux  consists  of  borax,  sand,  and  minium,  in 
small  quantities.  Red  color  may  likewise  be  ob- 
tained from  I  oz.  of  red  chalk,  pounded,  mixed 
with  2  oz.  of  white,  hard  enamel,  and  a  little 
peroxide  of  copper.  A  Red  may  also  be  com- 
posed of  rust  of  iron,  glass  of  antimony,  yellow 
glass  of  lead,  such  as  is  used  by  potters  (or  lith- 
arge), each  in  equal  quantities;  to  which  a  little 
sulphuret  of  silver  is  added.  This  composition, 
well  ground,  produces  a  very  fine  red  color  on 
glass.  No  5.  Green. — 2  o^  of  brass,  calcined 
into  an  oxide ;  2  oz.  of  minium,  and  8  oz.  of 
white  sand ;  reduce  them  to  a  fine  powder,  which 
is  to  be  inclosed  in  a  well  luted  crucible,  and 
heated  strongly  in  an  air  furnace  for  an  hour. 
When  the  mixture  is  cold,  grind  it  in  a  brass 
mortar.  Green  may,  however,  be  advantageously 
produced,  by  a  yellow  on  one  side,  and  a  blue 
on  the  other.  Oxide  of  chrome  has  been  also 
employed  to  stain  glass  green.  No.  6.  A  fine 
Vellazv  stain. — Take  fine  silver,  laminated  thin, 
dissolve  in  nitric  acid,  dilute  with  abundance  of 
water,  and  precipitate  with  solution  of  sea-salt ; 
mix  this  chloride  of  silver  in  a  dry  powder,  with 
three  times  its  weight  of  pipe-clay,  well  burnt 
.ind  pounded.  The  back  of  the  glass  pane  is  to 
be  painted  with  this  powder;  for,  when  painted  on 
the  face,  it  is  apt  to  run  into  the  other  colors. 
A  pale  yellow  can  be  made  by  mixing  sulphuret 
of  silver  with  glass  of  antimony  and  yellow  ochre, 
previously  calcined  to  a  red-brown  tint.  Work 
all  these  powders  together,  and  paint  on  the  back 
of  the  glass.  Or  silver  lamince,  melted  with 
sulphur,  and  glass  of  antimony,  thrown  into  cold 
water,  and  afterwards  ground  to  powder,  afford 
a  yellow.  A  pale  yellow  may  be  made  with  the 
powder  resulting  from  brass,  sulphur,  and  glass 
of  antimony,  calcined  together  in  a  crucible  till 
they  cease  to  smoke,  and  then  mixed  with  a  little 
burnt  yellow  ochre.  The  fine  yellow  of  M. 
Meraudis  prepared  from  chloride  of  silver,  oxide 
of  zinc,  and  rust  of  iron.  This  mixture,  simply 
ground,  is  applied  on  the  glass.  Orange  color. 
Take  l  part  of  silver-powder,  as  precipitated 
from  the  nitrate  of  that  metal,  by  plates  of  cop- 
per, and  washed ;  mix  with  I  part  of  red  ochre, 
and  I  of  yellow,  by  careful  trituration ;  grind 
into  a  thin  pap,  with  oil  of  turpentine  or  laven- 
der ;  apply  this  with  a  brush,  and  burn  in. 

PHO  TO  -  LITHOGRA  PHIC  PROCESS, 
Improved. — In  the  first  place,  a  solution  is  pre- 
pared of  bichromate  of  potash  (chemicillypure), 
one  part,  watei,  twenty  parts;  and  upon  this  a 
carbon  tissue  is  allowed  to  swim  for  a  couple  of 
minutes.  It  is  dried  in  an  airtight  box,  contain- 
ing fused  chloride  of  calcium,  within  the  space 
of  twenty-four  hours,  and  may  be  preserved 
many  weeks  without  losing  its  sensitiveness. 

The  negative  should  be  absolutely  clear  and 


496 


DICTIONARY   OF  E VERY-DAY    n^ANTS. 


transparent  in  the  lines,  and  otherwise  as  opaque 
as  possible.  The  development  is  conducted, 
after  brief  exposure,  with  an  ordinary  iron  deve- 
loper, and  the  negative  subsequently  intensified 
with  bichloride  of  mercury  and  sulphide  of  am- 
monium in  the  usual  manner.  The  margin  of 
the  negative  is  covered  with  Indian  ink,  or  with 
a  paper  mask  fastened  upon  the  reverse  side  of 
the  plate.  In  this  way  the  development  of  the 
picture  is  much  improved,  the  pigment  paper 
extending  well  beyond  the  unsolarized  margin. 
The  exposure  varies  from  three  quarters  to  one 
minute  in  the  sun,  and  from  four  to  ten  minutes 
in  diffused  light. 

For  the  development  of  the  picture,  an  exceed- 
ingly smooth  lithographic  stone  is  employed, 
together  with  a  sheet  of  fine  filter  paper,  a 
squeegee,  a  dish  of  rain  water,  and  a  supply  of 
hot  water. 

The  print  is  first  dipped  into  cold  water,  the 
air  bubbles  dissipated,  and  then  placed  face 
downwards  on  the  stone.  Without  losing  time, 
the  filter  paper  is  at  once  placed  upon  the  tissue, 
and  rubbed  over  well  with  the  squeegee,  a  new 
supply  of  paper  being  subsequently  applied  in 
the  same  way,  until  the  tissue  is  half  dry.  After 
waiting  two  or  three  minutes,  the  stone  is  put  in 
a  sloping  position  into  a  dish,  and  warm  water 
allowed  to  flow  over  the  whole  surface;  and 
under  this  treatment  the  unsolarized  portions  of 
the  pigment  paper  begin  to  swell  visibly  under 
the  paper  in  a  very  short  time.  The  application 
of  warm  water  is  continued  until  the  paper  back- 
ing begins  to  leave  the  stone,  and  as  soon  as 
there  is  not  much  resistance  to  the  operation  one 
may  proceed  to  draw  it  off.  Upon  the  stone  is 
seen  a  dark  mass  of  gelatine,  which  disappears 
as  the  washing  goes  on,  until  a  sharply  defined 
''  image  is  the  result.  Upon  the  picture  itself  the 
water  must  never  be  poured,  but  only  allowed 
to  stream  over  the  surface,  as  the  lines  are  easily 
injured,  and  for  this  reason  the  warm  water  is 
applied  from  the  edge  of  the  stone. 

When  the  image  stands  out  clear  and  free,  the 
stone  is  immersed  in  cold  water  until  it  has 
become  cool,  which  necessitates  an  interval  of 
some  minutes.  It  is  then  leaned  against  a  wall, 
and  allowed  to  dry  spontaneously,  when  lines 
which,  in  a  moist  state,  were  soft  and  hazy, 
become  sharp  and  defined. " 

The  dry  picture  is  now  covered  with  a  solution 
of  gum,  as  in  the  case  of  an  ordinary  hthographic 
impression,  and,  after  drying,  again  moistened, 
and  the  lithographic  ink  repeatedly  applied.  The 
stone  may  then  be  rolled  up  and  printed  from  in 
the  ordinary  press. 

PLASTER,  Adhesive. — Take  of  common,  or 
litharge  plaster,  5  parts,  white  resin,  I  part. 
Melt  them  together,  and  spread  the  liquid  com- 
pound thin  on  strips  of  linen  by  means  of  a  spa- 
tula or  table  knife.  This  plaster  is  very  adhe- 
sive, and  is  used  for  keeping  on  other  dressings, 
etc. 

PLASTER  of  PARIS.— Vlaster  of  Paris  is 
composed  of  anhydrous  (without  water)  sulphate 
of  lime ;  it  is  chiefly  used  for  taking  models  and 
casts,  uniting  slabs  of  marble  and  alabaster.  It 
should  be  mixed  with  water  to  the  consistence 
of  thick  cream,  and  then  applied;  it  hardens 
rapidly.  Piaster  of  Paris  may  be  considerably 
strengthened  by  being  mixed  with  thin  glue,  or 
a  solution  of  size  and  gum  instead  of  water. 
When  mixed  with  iron  filings  to  the  proportion 


of  one-fifth  the  whole  weight,  plaster  of  Paris 
may  be  used  in  uniting  iron. 

PLASTER  cf  PARIS,  Workittg  ^/.— When 
two  to  four  per  cent,  of  finely  pulverized  althea 
root  (marsh  mallow)  is  mixed  with  plaster  of 
Paris,  it  retards  the  hardening,  which  begins 
only  after  an  hour's  time.  When  dry,  it  may  be 
filed,  cut,  or  turned,  and  thus  becomes  of  use  in 
making  domino-stones,  dies,  brooches,  snuff- 
boxes, etc.  Eight  per  cent,  retards  the  harden- 
ing  for  a  longer  time,  but  increases  the  tenacity 
of  the  mass.  The  latter  may  be  rolled  out  on 
window  glass  into  thin  sheets,  which  never  crack 
in  drying,  may  be  easily  detached  from  the  glass, 
and  take  on  a  polish  readily  by  rubbing  them. 
This  material,  if  incorporated  with  mineral  or 
other  paints,  and  properly  kneaded,  gives  very 
fine  imitations  of  marble,  and  can  be  colored 
when  dry,  and  can  be  made  waterproof  by  po- 
hshing  and  varnishing.  The  chemist  and  che- 
mical manufacturer  vf\\\  find  it  an  excellent  luting 
for  vessels  ofevery  kind. 

PLASTER  CASTS,  To  7>//&a— The  mate- 
rial  employed  is  the  "plaster  of  Paris"  of  com- 
merce, which  is  bought  and  sold  by  the  barrel, 
in  the  form  of  a  white  impalpable  powder. 
When  a  quantity  of  this  dry  powder  is  rendered 
half  fluid  by  thorough  mixing  with  water  until 
the  whole  mass  is  about  the  consistency  of  thick 
batter,  the  plastic  material  will  become  solid  in 
a  few  minutes;  and,  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours, 
every  part  will  be  nearly  as  hard  as  white  chalk. 
This  peculiar  quality  of  plaster  of  Paris,  of  so- 
lidifying so  quickly  after  it  has  been  mingled 
with  water,  enables  artists  to  take  impressions  of 
forms,  with  admirable  precision,  which  could  not 
be  taken  in  any  other  way.  Previous  to  taking 
a  cast,  a  mold  must  be  made,  having  the  exact 
form  and  shape  of  the  original  delicately  im- 
pressed on  the  interior  surface.  Then  the  mold 
IS  filled  with  plaster  in  a  semi-fluid  state.  After 
it  has  become  hard,  the  mold  is  taken  apart,  and 
the  cast  removed. 

If,  for  example,  it  is  desired  to  take  a  plaster 
cast  of  a  pear,  the  first  step  is  to  put  about  a 
pint  of  the  dry  plaster  into  a  bowl,  after  having 
oiled  the  bowl  with  lard  oil  on  the  inside,  to 
prevent  the  material  from  adhering  to  it.  Water 
IS  then  mixed  with  the  plaster  until  it  is  so  soft 
that  it  might  be  poured  out.  Now  oil  the  sur- 
face of  the  pear  thoroughly,  and  press  the  calyx 
end  down  into  the  plaster,  until  the  largest  part 
of  the  fruit  is  on  a  plane  with  the  surface  of  the 
plaster.  Hold  the  fruit  quite  still,  until  the 
plaster  has  become  hard.  Let  it  dry  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  then  gently  lift  the  pear  from  its 
place.  In  case  the  plaster  has  been  allowed  to 
rise  above  the  bulge  of  the  fruit,  the  surface 
must  be  shaved  away  down  to  the  largest  diame- 
ter of  the  pear,  before  the  latter  can  be  extract- 
ed. Replace  the  pear,  and  dress  the  surface  of 
the  mold  with  a  sharp  knife  to  a  perfect  level; 
make  four  counter-sinks,  half  an  inch  deep,  and 
as  large  as  the  end  of  a  man's  thumb,  in  the 
surface  of  the  mold,  while  it  remains  in  the 
bowl.  Then  oil  the  stem  end  of  the  fruit  and 
the  upper  surface  of  the  mold,  and  with  a  case- 
knife  lay  on  a  coat  of  plaster  of  Paris  all  around 
the  fruit,  until  it  is  covered  to  the  thickness  of 
an  inch.  The  stem  of  the  fruit  must  be  first  re- 
moved, as  it  can  not  be  drawn  out  of  the  mold. 
Tlie  plastic  material  must  be  applied  gradually, 
as  fast  as  it  will  solidify.     Continue  to  lay  on 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


497 


the  semi-fluid  material  until  the  outside  has  been 
brought  up  to  the  desired  form,  nearly  square, 
and  Hat  on  the  top.  After  this  part  of  the  mold 
has  become  hard,  lift  it  carefully  from  the  lower 
portion,  and  take  out  the  pear.  If  the  inside  of 
the  mold  is  not  sufficiently  smooth,  let  the  rough 
places  be  dressed  off,  and  the  depressions  filled 
with  plaster.  Then  oil  the  interior  surface  with 
linseed  oil,  and  allow  it  to  dry.  The  mold  is 
now  ready  for  use.  To  take  a  cast  from  it,  bind 
the  two  parts  together,  cut  out  a  small  hole  on 
one  side,  say  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  fill  the 
mold  through  this  hole  with  the  prepared  plas- 
ter. After  it  has  had  sufficient  time  to  become 
hard,  take  the  mold  apart,  and  remove  the  cast, 
which  will  appear,  in  every  respect,  like  the 
original,  except  in  color.  A  small  hole  may  be 
bored  for  the  stem,  and  a  genuine  stem  may  be 
inserted,  and  fastened  with  a  little  plaster ;  or 
an  artificial  stem  may  be  made,  and  introduced 
to  a  sufficient  depth  to  enable  it  to  sustain  the 
weight  of  the  cast. 

When  a  cast  of  a  person's  face,  either  alive  or 
after  death,  is  desired,  let  the  hair  and  whiskers 
be  modeled  with  potter's  clay,  brushed  back 
smoothly,  and  oiled.  Then  prepare  a  quantity 
of  plaster  in  a  shallow  dish,  and  lay  the  head 
back  in  it,  to  the  desired  depth,  until  it  has  be- 
come hard.  After  the  plaster  has  set,  dress  off 
the  edge  of  the  mold  and  oil  it.  Now  proceed 
to  make  another  section  of  the  mold  over  the 
face,  by  oiling  the  surface,  and  applying  the 
plaster,  as  described  above  with  reference  to  the 
cast  of  a  pear.  During  the  operation  upon  a 
living  person,  he  must  breathe  through  his  nos- 
trils. As  soon  as  the  material  has  hardened, 
lift  it  carefully,  and  remove  the  remaining  sec- 
tion of  the  mold.  Depressions  must  be  counter- 
sunk always,  in  the  edges  of  every  section,  to 
receive  the  dowel-points  of  the  corresponding 
part  of  the  mold.  If  the  eyes  are  to  be  repre- 
sented as  open,  depressions  must  be  carved  in 
the  mold  corresponding  to  the  eyelids  and  brows. 
Now  smooth  and  oil  the  inner  surface  of  the 
mold  with  linseed  oil;  let  it  become  dry ;  turn 
in  plaster  through  the  orifice  left  by  the  neck, 
roll  the  mold  over  and  over,  until  every  depres- 
sion has  been  filled.  After  the  material  has  be- 
come dry,  remove  the  sections  of  the  mold.  If 
there  be  wrinkles  or  depressions  with  overhang- 
ing edges,  which  will  hold  the  mold,  they  must 
be  first  filled,  so  that  every  section  of  the  mold 
may  be  lifted  off,  without  fracturing  the  corners. 
The  depressions  around  and  in  the  ears,  for  in- 
stance, must  be  first  filled  out,  and  smoothed 
off,  before  the  mold  is  made.  Otherwise  the 
sections  could  not  be  lifted  off.  A  beginner  may 
exercise  his  skill  in  taking  casts  of  a  hand,  or  of 
any  otlier  simple  object  which  will  require  a 
mold  of  only  two  parts. 

PLASTER  CASTS  of  Natural  Objects,  To 
Take. — The  material  of  the  mold  is  artists' 
mobeling-wax,  which  is  a  composition  akin  to 
that  used  by  dentists ;  and,  as  it  becomes  soft 
and  plastic  by  the  application  of  heat,  though  in 
a  cold  state  it  is  perfectly  rigid,  it  maybe  applied 
to  the  most  delicate  object  without  injury.  As 
it  takes  the  most  minute  markings  and  striations 
of  the  original  to  which  it  is  applied,  the  micro- 
scopic structure  of  the  surface  of  the  original  is 
faithfully  reproduced  in  the  cast.  This  method  is 
briefly  this:  i.  Cover  the  object  to  be  cast  with 
a  thin  powder  of  steatite  or  French  chalk,  which 


prevents  the  adhesion  of  the  wax.  2.  After  the 
wax  has  become  soft,  either  from  immersion  ia 
warm  water,  or  from  exposure  to  the  direct  heat 
of  the  fire,  apply  it  to  the  original,  being  careful 
to  press  it  into  the  little  cavities.  Then  carefully 
cut  off  the  edges  of  the  wax  all  round,  if  the 
undercutting  of  the  object  necessitates  the  mold 
being  in  two  or  more  pieces,  and  let  the  wax 
cool  with  the  object  in  it,  until  it  is  sufficiently 
hard  to  bear  the  repetition  of  the  operation  on  the 
uncovered  portion  of  the  object.  The  steatite 
prevents  the  one  piece  of  the  mold  sticking  to 
the  other.  The  original  ought  to  be  taken  out 
of  the  mold  before  the  latter  becomes  perfectly 
cold  and  rigid,  as  in  that  case  it  is  very  difficult 
to  extract.  3.  Then  pour  in  plaster  of  Paris, 
after  having  wetted  the  moulds  to  prevent  bub- 
bles of  air  lurking  in  the  small  interstices;  and, 
if  the  mold  be  in  two  pieces,  it  is  generally 
convenient  to  fill  them  with  plaster  separately 
before  putting  them  together.  4.  Then  dry  the 
plastercasts  either  wholly  or  partially.  5.  Paintthe 
casts  in  water-colors,  which  must  be  fainter  than 
those  of  the  original,  because  the  next  process 
adds  to  their  intensity.  The  delicate  shades  of 
color  in  the  original  will  be  marked  in  the  cast 
by  the  different  quantity  of  the  same  color,  which 
is  taken  up  by  the  different  textures  of  the  cast. 

6.  After  drying  the  cast,  steep  it  in  hard  paraffme. 
The  ordinary  paraffine  candles,  which  can  be 
obtained  from  any  grocer,  will  serve  the  purpose. 

7.  Cool,  and  polish  the  cast  by  hand  with  stea- 
tite. The  result  of  this  process  is  said  to  be  far 
better  than  that  obtained  by  any  other. 

PLA  STEP  CA  STS,from  UnburnedGypsum, 
— This  is  simply  to  use  in  place  of  water  a  solution 
of  potash  or  soda;  or  to  mix  the  dry  pulverized 
gypsum  (sulphate  of  lime)  with  about  an  equal 
amount  of  sulphate  of  potash,  and  then  add  the 
water.  As  the  relative  quantities  of  gypsum, 
potash,  or  soda  and  water  to  be  used  depend 
greatly  on  the  quality  of  the  gypsum  and  alkalies, 
it  is  best  to  experiment  in  order  to  find  what 
proportions  will  give  the  desired  hardness. 

PLASTER  CASTS,  To  Give  an  Alabaster 
Effect  to. — Plaster  of  Paris  figures  may  be  made 
to  look  like  alabaster  by  dipping  them  in  a  strong 
solution  of  alum  water. 

PLASTER  CASTS,  To  Harden.— Taks  two 
parts  of  stearine,  two  parts  of  Venetian  soap, 
one  part  of  pearlash,  and  twenty-four  to  thirty 
parts  of  a  solution  of  caustic  potash.  The  stearine 
and  soap  are  cut  into  slices,  mixed  with  the  cold 
lye,  and  boiled  for  about  half  an  hour,  being  con- 
stantly stirred.  Whenever  the  mass  rises,  a  httle 
cold  lye  is  added.  The  pearlash,  previously 
moistened  with  a  little  rain  water,  is  then  added, 
and  the  whole  boiled  for  a  few  minutes.  The 
mass  is  then  stirred  until  cold,  when  it  is  mixed 
with  so  much  lye  that  it  becomes  perfectly  liquid, 
and  runs  off  the  spoon  without  coagulating  and 
contracting.  Before  using  this  composition,  it 
should  be  kept  for  several  days  well  covered.  It 
may  be  preserved  for  years.  Before  applying  it 
to  the  objects,  they  should  be  well  dusted,  the 
stains  scraped  away,  and  then  coated,  by  means 
of  a  thick  brush,  with  the  wash,  as  long  as  the 
plaster  of  Paris  absorbs  it,  and  left  to  dry.  The 
coating  is  then  dusted  with  leather,  or  a  soft 
brush.  If  the  surface  has  not  become  shining, 
the  operation  must  be  repeated. 

PLASTER  CASTS,   To  Toughen.— A  New 
England  chemist  says  that  he  has  succeeded  in 
32 


498 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


making  plaster  casts  so  tough  that  they  will  bear 
the  driving  of  a  nail  into  them  without  cracking, 
by  immersing  them  for  a  sufficient  time  in  a  hot 
solution  of  glue,  to  permit  its  permeating  the 
entire  mass. 

PLASTER  FIGURES,  Amalgam  for  Far- 
nishing. — Take  tin,  mercury,  and  bismuth,  equal 
parts ;  fuse  and  cool,  then  make  the  amalgam  into 
a  varnish  with  white  of  egg. 

PLUMB  RULE,  To  i^/aZv.— Plane  the  face 
straight  and  out  of  wind.  Plane  one  edge 
straight  and  square  with  the  face.  Run  a  gage 
mark  to  the  proper  width;  plane  to  the  mark  ex- 
actly ;  gage  to  a  thickness  on  each  edge ;  plane 
to  the  marks.  Run  a  gage  mark  through  the 
center  for  the  plumb  or  cord  line.  Saw  a  hole 
in  the  bottom  for  the  bob.  Cut  a  saw  cut  in  the 
top  of  the  line  for  the  cord ;  and  a  slanting  saw 
cut  each  side  of  the  center  one,  to  fasten  the 
cord  into.  Geometrically  it  is  correct  to  "strike 
a  circle  at  each  end,  and  to  plane  so  as  to  touch 
the  sides  of  the  circle;"  practically,  it  is  next  to 
impossible  to  touch  the  circle  exactly  and  have 
the  rule  exactly  straight  between  them. 

PLUMBAGO,  To  71-j/.— The  value  of  plum- 
bago  or  graphite  depends  on  its  amount  of  car- 
bon. In  order  to  ascertain  this,  the  latest, 
simplest,  and  best  method  is  to  dry  the  pulver- 
ized graphite  at  a  temperature  of  some  350" 
Fahr.,  and  then  place  it  in  a  tube,  four  or  five 
inches  long  and  half  an  inch  wide,  made  of  hard 
glass,  and  closed  at  one  end.  To  this  is  added 
about  twenty  times  as  much  well-dried  oxide  of 
lead,  and  the  whole  is  well  mixed.  The  tube  is 
then  first  weighed,  and  afterwards  heated  before 
the  blow-pipe  till  the  contents  are  completely 
fused  and  no  longer  evolve  gases.  After  this 
operation,  which  does  not  last  longer  than  ten 
minutes  (if  the  quantity  is  not  too  large),  the 
tube  is  allowed  to  cool,  and  its  weight  is  then 
ascertained.  The  loss  in  weight  is  carbonic  acid, 
the  oxygen  of  which  has  been  taken  from  the 
lead  oxide ;  while  the  carbon  is  al  that  there  was 
in  the  plumbago.  For  every  twenty-eight  parts 
of  loss  there  must  have  been  twelve  of  carbon. 
In  general,  it  is  sufficient  to  take  from  one  to  two 
grammes  of  plumbago  and  from  twenty  to  forty 
of  oxide  of  lead. 

POLISH  (French),  For  Boots,  Shoes  and 
Harness. — ^Take  two  pints  of  the  best  vinegar 
and  one  pint  of  soft  water ;  stir  into  the  mixture 
a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  glue  broken  fine,  half  a 
pound  of  logwood  chips,  a  quarter  of  an  ounce 
of  finely-powdered  indigo,  a  quarter  of  an  ounce 
of  the  best  soft  soap,  and  a  quarter  of  an  ounce 
of  isinglass.  Boil  for  ten  minutes  or  longer; 
then  strain  the  liquid,  bottle,  and  cork.  When 
cold,  it  is  fit  for  use. 

Remove  the  dirt  from  the  boots,  etc.,  with  a 
sponge  and  water.  Then  lay  on  the  polish  with 
a  clean  sponge.  Should  it  prove  too  thick,  hold 
it  near  the  fire  to  warm  a  little,  and  the  heat  will 
liquefy  it  sufficiently. 

POTTERY,  Earth  and  Alkalies  Used  in. ~ 
Terra  di  sienna  :  deep  brown  or  coffee  color, 
fine,  compact,  very  light,  very  smooth  and  glossy, 
does  not  color  the  hands ;  when  wetted,  marks 
a  fine  yellow  upcn  paper ;  burns  to  a  pale 
brownish  red  color,  but  does  not  harden ;  comes 
from  Italy,  and  an  inferior  sort  from  Wycombe. 
Burnt  terra  di  sienna  is  used  as  a  paint. 
London  blue  clay :  dark  bluish ;  used  for 
luting  Tessels  in  distilling  acids,  but   requires 


another  luting  over  it  to  keep  it  moist  and  to 
prevent  its  cracking ;  it  is  also  used  for  pottery, 
for  lining  ponds,  and  for  modeling. 

Devonshire  blue  clay  is  fat,  tough,  makes 
white  solid  pottery,  but  is  expensive. 

Devonshire  black  clay  makes  cream  ware. 
Devonshire  cracking  clay  is  gray,  burns  to  a 
beautiful  white,  but  is  apt  to  crack  in  the  firing. 
Common  clay,  used  for  artificial  stones,  as  bricks, 
etc.,  and  common  pottery. 

Fuller's  earth  is  grayish  brown,  but  varies 
greatly ;  hard,  very  compact,  rough,  but  scrap- 
ing glossy,  does  not  color,  burns  hard  and  yel- 
lowish brown,  being  very  fine,  and  absorbs 
grease  very  readily ;  used  to  full  woolens. 

Rotten  stone  is  ash  brown,  very  light,  mode- 
rately hard,  dry,  coloring,  burns  to  a  deep  ash 
color,  but  not  harder ;  used  as  a  color,  and  to 
give  a  polishing  powder  for  metals;  is  to  be 
found  in  Derbyshire. 

Umber  is  fine,  pale  brown,  close,  very  light, 
dry,  coloring,  burns  deep  reddish  brown,  but 
no  harder ;  used  as  a  color,  and  to  give  porce- 
lain the  shining  ground  called  ^caille;  comes 
from  Turkey. 

Burnt  umber  is  used  for  paint,  makes  a  good 
shade  for  gold  ;  both  these  umbers  are  excellent 
shades  or  dead  colors,  having  a  good  body. 

Windsor  loam,  Hedgerly  loam,  is  yellowish 
brown,  very  hard,  heavy,  harsh,  coloring  slight- 
ly, burns  very  hard,  and  to  a  fine  deep  red ; 
used  for  setting  bricks  of  wind  furnaces,  glass- 
house furnaces,  also  for  luting,  and  coating 
glass  and  earthen  vessels  to  be  exposed  to  a 
strong  fire. 

Bath  bricks  from  Windsor  loam  made  into 
bricks  ;  used  for  a  coarse  polishing  powder. 

Founder's  clay  or  penny  earth  is  dusky  brown, 
very  hard,  heavy,  harsh,  not  coloring ;  found  at 
Woolwich  and  in  Northamptonshire ;  used  for 
molds  in  large  foundries. 

Cheam  clay  is  of  light  ash  color,nearly  white  and 
very  hard;  used  for  the  body  of  glazed  gallipots. 
Bohemian  tripoli  is  of  light  ash  qolor,  heavy, 
moderately  hard,  open,  harsh,  dusty,  but  not 
coloring,  not  altered  by  burning ;  used  for  pol- 
ishing and  plate  powder. 

Terre  verte  is  deep  bluish  green,  very  heavy, 
hard,  smooth,  glossy,  not  coloring,  but  marking 
a  green  line,  taste  coppery,  bums  very  hard  and 
to  a  dusky  brown  ;  found  near  Rome,  also  near 
Woolwich;  used  as  a  lasting,  but  not  bright, 
green  paint. 

Argile  de  Saveigneis  blue,  very  tough,  sandy; 
used  to  make  the  French  pottery  degrts  or  stone- 
ware. 

Argile  des  Forges-les-eaux  is  blue;  used  to 
make  glass-house  pots  and  stoneware. 

Welsh  clay  :  used  to  make  Welsh  fire  clumps 
for  building  fire  rooms  of  steam  engine  furnaces. 
French  chalk  is  greenish,  semi-transparent, 
compact,  smooth,  unctuous,  glossy,  not  color- 
ing, scrapes  white,  marks  an  unctuous  silvery 
line,  burns  very  hard  and  white ;  used  to  mark 
cloth,  to  take  out  grease,  and  cause  boots  to  slip 
on  easily ;  it  is  frequently  confounded  with 
Spanish  chalk. 

Myrsen  meerschaum  is  pale  grayish  green,  re- 
sembling tallow  dropped  upon  brass,  close, 
heavy,  smooth,  unctuous,  glossy,  not  colorings 
burning  extremely  hard  and  pale  white ;  used 
as  soap,  and  to  make  the  large  German  tobacco 
pipes,  or  rather  the  bowls  of  them. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


499 


White  American  bolus  is  bright,  white,  com- 
pact, very  smooth  and  soft,  not  coloring,  burns 
very  hard,  and  at  last  forms  a  whitish  glass. 

Pearl  white :  light,  smooth,  not  unctuous 
nor  coloring;  burns  to  a  very  pale  yellowish 
white. 

Tobacco-pipe  clay :  smooth,  unctuous,  slight- 
ly coloring,  but  is  rather  hard  and  very  white ; 
used  principally  to  make  tobacco  pipes  and  white 
stonewares. 

White  lumber  stone  is  used  to  take  stains  of 
grease  out  of  woolen  cloth. 

Soap  rock  or  Spanish  chalk  is  white,  firm, 
compact,  weighty,  hard,  smooth,  unctuous,  not 
coloring ;  writes  upon  glass,  and,  if  rubbed  off, 
the  marks  become  again  visible  by  breathing 
upon  the  place,  and,  therefore,  very  useful  in 
painting  on  glass,  the  engraving  being  after- 
wards harde«ed  by  fire,  and,  therefore,  prefer- 
able for  staining  by  fluoric  acid. 

Kaolin  or  porcelain  clay  is  dry,  friable,  un  fu- 
sible ;  that  of  Cornwall  is  used  to  make  English 
china  and  fine  pottery;  that  of  Limoges,  to  make 
Sevres  china,  and  is  exported  to  most  all  coun- 
tries of  the  globe.  In  earlier  and  the  present 
times,  similarly  famous  for  their  beautiful  gild- 
ing and  paintings,  these  articles  are  made  in  the 
manufactures  of  Meissen,  and  at  Berlin  and 
Passau,  to  make  china  for  Saxony,  Prussia,  and 
Austria. 

WTiite  chalk  is  white,  soft,  will  mark  linen 
when  newly  burned;  it  grows  hot  with  water, 
and  falls  into  powder,  and  is  then  made  into 
crayons  for  painters. 

Terra  cimolia  is  white,  compact,  smooth,  co- 
loring, burning  rather  harder,  found  in  the  island 
Argentiere ;  it  is  used  to  wash  clothes. 

Hard  chalk  is  coarse, 

Spanish  white,  blanc  d''espagne.  Mane  da  troyes, 
are  made  from  soft  chalks  by  washing  and  making 
into  large  balls  for  cheap  W'hite  painting,  and 
covering  papers,  cards,  etc 

Prepared  chalk  is  made  by  precipitation  from 
a  solution  of  muriate  of  lime,  by  a  solution  of 
sub-carbonate  of  soda  in  water,  and  washing  the 
sediment. 

Magnesia  is  white,  and  is  obtained  by  preci- 
pitating the  bittern  or  liquor  left  in  the  boiling 
of  sea  water,  after  the  common  salt  has  been 
separated,  by  a  lye  of  wood  ashes  or  sub-carbonate 
of  potash. 

Sub-carbonate  of  magnesia  is  made  up  while 
drying  into  large  cubes,  the  edges  beveled;  is 
powdered  by  being  rubbed  through  a  sieve. 

Gelatinous  alumine,  hydrate  of  aluraine,  or 
pure  alumine,  not  dried,  but  in  a  moist  state,  is 
used  to  mix  cobalt  in  an  oxidized  condition,  and 
other  oxides,  as  a  basis  for  the  color. 

Baum's  white  of  alum:  Roman  alum,  one 
pound,  honey,  one  half  pound,  calcined  in  a 
shallow  dish  to  whiteness. 

Blanc  de  Bougiva I  or  gera  earth  is  silvery, 
silky,  white,  very  fine  and  glossy  if  rolled  with  a 
glass  roller ;  used  to  make  enamel  surfaces  on 
paper  or  cardboard ;  is  effervescent  with  acids, 
and  used  as  well  as  fine  whiting. 

PORCELAIN  OR  CHINA,  To  Make.— 
Porcelain,  or  china,  is  a  semi-vitrified  earthen- 
ware of  an  intermediate  nature  between  common- 
ware  and  glass.  Chinese  porcelain  is  composed 
of  two  ingredients,  one  of  which  is  hard-stone, 
called  petunse.which  is  carefully  ground  to  a  very 
fine  powder,  and  the  other,  called  kaolin,  is  a  white 


earthy  substance,  which  is  intimately  mixed  with 
the  ground  stone. 

Several  compositions  of  mingled  earth  may 
yield  a  true  porcelain  by  being  burnt,  and  the 
porcelains  of  various  countries  differ  in  their  mix- 
tures. But  the  principal  basis  of  any  true  porce- 
lain is  that  kind  of  clay  which  becomes  white  by 
baking,  and  which,  either  by  intermingled  hete- 
rogeneous earth,or  by  particular  additions,  under- 
goes in  the  fire  an  incipient  vitrification,  in  which 
the  true  nature  of  porcelain  consists.  Feldspar 
and  gypsum,  if  added,  may  give  that  property  to 
infusible  clay. 

When  porcelain  is  to  be  made,  the  clay  is 
properly  selected,  carefully  washed  from  impuri- 
ties, and  again  dried.  It  is  then  finely  sifted,  and 
most  accurately  mingled  with  quartz,  ground  very 
fine,  to  which  then  is  added  some  burnt  and 
finely  pulverized  gypsum.  This  mass  is  worked 
with  water  to  a  paste  and  duly  kneaded ;  it  is 
usually  suffered  to  lie  in  this  state  for  years.  The 
vessels  and  other  goods  formed  of  this  mass  are 
first  moderately  burnt  in  earthen  pots,  to  receive 
a  certain  degree  of  compactness  and  to  be  ready 
for  glazing.  The  glazing  consists  of  an  easily- 
melted  mixture  of  some  species  of  earths,  as  the 
petrosilex  or  chert,  fragments  of  porcelain  and 
gypsum,  which,  when  fused  together,  produce  a 
crystalline  or  vitreous  mass,  which,  after  cooling, 
is  very  finely  ground,  and  suspended  in  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  water.  Into  this  fluid  the  rough  ware 
is  dipped,  by  which  the  glazing  matter  is  depo- 
sited uniformlyon  every  part  of  its  surface.  After 
drying,  each  article  is  thoroughly  baked  or  burned 
in  the  violent  heat  of  the  porcelain  furnace.  .It 
is  usual  to  decorate  porcelain  by  paintings,  for 
which  purpose  enamels  or  pastes,  colored  by 
metallic  oxides,  are  used,  so  easy  of  fusion  as  to 
run  in  a  heat  less  intense  than  that  in  which  the 
glazing  of  the  ware  melts. 

PORCELAIN  {English),  To  Make.— The 
iron-stone,  which  contains  a  portion  of  argil  and 
silex,  is  first  roasted  in  a  common  biscuit-kiln, 
to  facilitate  its  trituration,  and  to  expel  sulphur 
and  other  volatile  ingredients  which  it  may  con- 
tain. A  large  earthen  crucible  is  constructed 
after  the  exact  model  of  an  iron  forge,  a  part  of 
the  bottom  of  which  is  filled  with  charcoal  or 
cokes ;  these  having  been  previously  strewed  with 
ore  and  about  ^  part  of  lime,  are  raised  to  an 
intense  heat  by  a  strong  blast  of  air,  introduced 
under  the  cokes  at  the  bottom.  By  this  heat 
the  ore  is  fused,  and  the  fluid  iron  drops  through 
the  fuel  to  the  bottom;  then  follows  the  scoria, 
which  flpats  upon  the  top  of  the  fluid  iron. 
This  latter  scoria,  or,  as  the  workmen  call  it, 
slag,  is  the  material  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
china,  and  is  much  impregnated  with  iron,  and 
of  a  compact  and  dense  structure.  The  slag  is 
next  let  off,  by  a  hole  through  the  forge,  into  a 
clean  earthen  vessel,  where  it  cools.  This  last 
vessel  is  tlien  broken,  in  order  to  detach  the 
slag  from  it,  with  hammers.  The  scoria  is  next 
pounded  into  small  pieces  and  ground  in  water 
to  the  consistence  of  a  fine  paste,  at  the  flint- 
mills  of  the  country.  This  paste  is  then  evapor- 
ated to  dryness  on  a  slip-kiln,  well  known 
amongst  potters.  Thus  evaporated  to  dryness, 
it  is  used  with  the  other  ingredients  in  the  follow- 
ing proportions,  viz.: 

Prepared  iron-stone,  3  cwt.;  ground  flint,  4 
cwt.;  ground  Cornwall  stone,  4  cwt.;  Cornwall 
clay,  4  cwt.;  blue  oxide  of  cobalt,  I  lb.    . 


50O 


DICTIONARY  OP  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


These  having  been  mixed  together  with  water 
by  the  sHp-maker,  are  again  evaporated  on  the 
sh'p-kiln  to  the  proper  consistency  for  use.  The 
clay,  thus  prepared,  is  of  course  used  in  the  usual 
manner  in  the  fabrication  of  the  several  kinds  of 
vessels. 

POTASSIUM,  Sidphocyanide  ^/— Mix  to- 
gether 46  parts  of  anhydrous  ferrocyanide  of 
potassium,  17  parts  of  carbonate  of  potassa,  and 
32  parts  of  sulphur ;  introduce  the  mixture  into 
an  iron  pan  provided  with  a  lid,  and  fuse  at  a 
gentle  heat;  maintain  the  same  temperature  un- 
til the  swelling  of  the  mass  which  ensues  at  first 
has  completely  subsided  and  given  place  to  a 
state  of  tranquil  and  clear  fusion  ;  increase  the 
temperature  now,  towards  the  end  of  the  opera- 
tion to  dull  redness,  in  order  to  decompose  the 
hyposulphite  of  potassa  which  has  been  formed 
in  this  process.  Remove  the  half  refrigerated 
and  still  soft  mass  from  the  pan,  pulverize  it, 
and  boil  with  alcohol.  Let  the  alcoholic  solution 
cool,  when  part  of  the  sulphocyanide  of  potas- 
sium will  separate  in  colorless  crystals ;  to  ob- 
tain the  remainder,  distill  the  alcohol  from  the 
mother  liquor.  Dissolve  I  part  of  the  salt  in  10 
parts  of  water  for  use. 

PRINTS  and  PRINTED  BOOKS,  To 
Bleach. — Simple  immersion  in  chlorine  gas,  let- 
ting the  article  remain  in  it  a  longer  or  shorter 
.space  of  time,  according  to  the  strength  of  the 
liquor,  will  be  sufficient  to  whiten  an  engraving. 
If  it  is  required  to  whiten  the  paper  of  a  bound 
book,  as  it  is  neceSsary  that  all  the  leaves  should 
be  ftcted  on  by  the  gas,  care  must  be  taken  to 
open  the  book  well,  and  to  make  the  boards  rest 
on  the  edge  of  the  vessel,  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  paper  alone  shall  be  dipped  in  the  gas.  The 
leaves  must  be  separated  from  each  other,  in 
f  order  that  they  may  be  equally  acted  on  on  both 
sides.  Chlorine  water,  freshly  made,  will  an- 
swer instead  of  the  gas. 

PRINTED  SHEETS,  To  Clean.— h  me- 
■  thod  recommended  by  a  foreign  contemporary 
for  cleaning  printed  matter  and  engravings  con- 
sists in  fastening  the  sheet  to  a  board  by  broad- 
headed  tacks,  and  washing  it  with  clean  water, 
to  which  a  slight  percentage  of  carbonate  of  am- 
monia has  been  added.  This  process  must  be 
conducted  very  carefully  with  a  soft  brush.  The 
paper  is  then  to  be  rinsed  off  with  water,  and 
the  operation  repeated  on  the  back  side  as  soon 
as  it  is  dried.  It  is  then  to  be  moistened  with 
water  acidulated  with  pure  wine  vinegar,  and 
again  washed  with  water,  to  which  a  little  chlor- 
ide of  lime  has  been  added.  Finally,  it  js  washed 
off  again  and  dried  in  the  air  by  sunlight.  In 
this  way  it  becomes  extremely  white  without  any 
injury  to  the  impression.  Some  valuable  engrav- 
ings have,  it  is  said,  been  completely  restored 
by  this  method. 

PRINTING.  ROLLERS.— Tht^e  are  made 
of  treacle  and  glue,  with  sometimes  a  little  Paris 
white,  etc.  The  proportions  are  about  ^  lb.  of 
glue  to  1)4  lb.  of  treacle ;  the  glue  is  broken  to 
pieces,  soaked  for  24  hours  in  sufficient  water, 
then  melted  with  the  treacle,  and  cast  into  a 
mold  previously  oiled.  On  removing  the  com- 
position it  forms  a  cylinder  without  a  seam,  elas- 
tic, like  India  rubber,  yet  sufficiently  soft  to  ink 
the  type  without  injunng  them.  When  it  gets 
hard,  \\  hich  happens  in  2  to  4  months,  accord- 
ing to  the  weather,  etc.,  it  is  necessary  to  re-melt 
it,  adding  a  little  more  treacle.     Used  to  ink  the 


type  for  letter  press.  If  the  composition  is  too 
hard,  the  ink  does  not  spread  evenly;  if  too  soft, 
pieces  are  torn  away  from  the  roller.  When  the 
printing  is  finished,  the  roller  is  rubbed  over  a 
sink  stone  with  cold  water,  which  dissolves  a 
little  of  the  external  coat,  and  so  leaves  it  clear 
of  ink. 

PUMP  {NatiticaT),  Self-Acting.  —  Qz.^X.'xm. 
Leslie,  in  a  voyage  from  North  America  to 
Stockholm,  adopted  an  excellent  mode  of  emp- 
tying water  from  his  ship's  hold,  when  the  crew 
were  insufficient  to  perform  that  duty.  About 
ten  or  twelve  feet  above  the  pump  he  rigged  out 
a  spar,  one  end  of  which  projected  overboard, 
while  the  other  was  fastened  as  a  lever  to  the 
machinery  of  the  pump.  To  the  end  which  pro- 
jected overboard  was  suspended  a  water-butt, 
half  full,  but  corked  down,  so  that  when  the 
coming  wave  raised  the  butt-end,  the  other  end 
depressed  the  piston  of  the  pump ;  but  at  the 
retiring  of  the  wave,  this  was  reversed,  for,  by 
the  weight  of  the  butt,  the  piston  came  up  again, 
and  with  it  the  water.  Thus,  without  the  aid  of 
the  crew,  the  ship's  hold  was  cleared  of  the  wa- 
ter in  a  few  hours. 

A  very  useful  hint  may  be  taken  from  this 
plan ;  when  a  vessel  has  much  water,  and  there 
are  not  hands  enough  to  work  the  pumps,  one 
pump  might  be  arranged  on  this  plan,  and  the 
other  fully  manned  in  the  usual  way. 

QUEENSWARE,  To  Make.—TV\%  is  made 
of  the  same  materials  as  the  ilintware,  but  the 
proportion  in  which  the  materials  are  mixed  is 
not  the  same,  nor  is  the  ware  glazed  in  the  same 
way.  The  flintware  is  generally  made  of  four 
measures  of  liquid  flint,  and  18  of  liquid  clay; 
the  yellow  ware  has  a  greater  proportion  of  clay 
in  it.  In  some  manufactories  they  mix  20,  and 
in  others  24  measures  of  clay  with  4  of  flint. 
The  proportion  for  both  sorts  of  ware  depends 
very  much  upon  the  nature  of  the  clay,  which  is 
very  variable  even  in  the  same  pit.  Hence  a 
previous  trial  must  be  made  of  the  quality  of  the 
clay,  by  burning  a  kiln  of  the  ware.  If  there 
be  too  much  flint  mixed  with  the  clay,  the  ware, 
when  exposed  to  the  air  after  burning,  is  apt  to 
crack,  and  if  there  be  too  little,  the  ware  will 
not  receive  the  proper  glaze  from  the  circulation 
of  the  salt  vapor. 

QUILLS,  German  Method  of  Preparing. — 
Suspend  the  quills  in  a  copper  over  water,  suffi- 
ciently high  to  touch  the  nibs ;  then  close  it 
steam-tight,  and  apply  four  hours'  hard  boiling; 
next  withdraw  and  dry  them,  and  in  24  hours 
cut  the  nibs  and  draw  out  the  pith  ;  lastly,  rub 
them  with  a  piece  of  cloth  and  expose  them  to  a 
moderate  heat.  The  quills  prepared  in  this  way 
are  as  hard  as  bone,  without  being  brittle,  and 
as  transparent  as  glass. 

RAG  CARPETS.— These  indispensable  ar- 
ticles of  the  house  are  made  and  highly  prized, 
in  nearly  all  families  in  the  country.  The  sug- 
gestions of  the  experienced  may  lessen  the  labor 
of  making  them  to  the  inexperienced,  besides 
making  a  better  looking  carpet. 

First,  the  rags  or  old  garments  ought  to  be 
washed  clean;  then  rip  them  to  pieces,  rejecting 
the  parts  too  worn  to  be  used ;  if  not  ready  to 
color  them,  tie  in  bundles  all  that  are  to 
be  colored  each  color,  and  any  that  do  not 
need  coloring  may  be  cut  and  sewed,  or  tied 
up  by  themselves,  if  not  ready  to  commence 
the   work.      All   woolen   ones    ought   to    be 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


50J 


kept  in  linen  sacks,  to  exclude  the  moths  from 
them. 

Any  light,  mixed,  or  plaided  woolens  may  be 
improved  in  color  by  dipping  in  a  good  red  dye. 
Clean  white  rags  can  be  colored  yellow,  orange, 
blue,  or  green.  Dingy  white  rags  will  look  well, 
colored  hemlock  color  and  set  with  lime.  This 
is  a  cheap,  pretty  and  durable  color  for  some  of 
the  rags  and  the  warp.  Bits  of  bark  may  be 
gathered  around  saw  mills,  when  one  cannot  get 
it  elsewhere;  boil  enough  bark  to  make  a  strong 
dye,  and  add  to  it  a  little  clear  lime  water,  after 
removing  all  bits  of  bark  or  straining  the  dye. 
If  dregs  remain  in  any  dye,  it  will  spot  the  cloth 
or  yarn. 

If  a  smooth  parlor  carpet  is  wanted,  the  rags 
must  be  cotton,  and  other  rags  that  are  made  of 
fine  yarn.  Coarse-threaded  woolen  rags  make 
•  a  carpet  look  rough,  and  though  it  may  do  well 
enough  for  a  kitchen,  it  is  not  so  nice  for  a 
parlor. 

Unless  the  rags  are  light,  it  will  take  a  pound 
and  a  half,  and  sometimes  more,  for  each  yard 
of  carpet.  To  know  when  sufficient  rags  are 
prepared  for  the  number  of  yards  wanted,  the 
prepared  rags  must  be  weighed.  If  the  rags  are 
light,  it  will  not  take  quite  a  pound  and  a  half; 
but  if  they  are  coarse-threaded  or  woolen  rags, 
it  will  take  some  more  than  a  pound  and  a  half, 
if  the  carpet  is  well  beaten  up. 

If  a  striped  carpet  is  wanted,  tear  each  color 
separately,  and  mix  together  the  different  shades 
of  the  same  color  when  sewing;  this  will  make 
the  carpet  more  uniform  in  color  and  prettier 
than  if  some  stripes  contained  ail  the  brightest 
colors,  and  others  paler  ones,  which  they  will, 
if  the  shades  of  the  same  color  are  not  mixed  in 
sewing.  A  carpet  always  looks  much  better  if 
all  tlie  breadths  are  uniform  in  color,  and  by 
mixing  the  shades  of  the  same  color  in  sewing 
them  it  will  be  so. 

For  a  hap-hazard  carpet,  all  difi'erent  colors 
may  be  mixed  in  sewing.  This  will  use  up  all 
short  rags,  of  any  color  or  shade,  and  often 
makes  a  very  pretty  carpet,  which  may  be  woven 
easier  and  cheaper  than  a  striped  carpet.  Short 
pieces,  or  those  not  more  than  three  or  four  yards 
long,  alternated  with  shorter  ones,  look  the  best 
in  this  kind  of  carpet. 

For  warp,  good  strong  prepared  yarn  is  the 
best,  and  saves  much  labor.  It  may  be  reeled 
into  skeins  of  five  knots  before  coloring,  allowing 
one  skein  to  a  yard,  and  about  three  knots  over 
to  be  woven  in  at  the  end  of  each  breadth,  for 
binding. 

Measure  the  inside  of  the  room,  and  let  the 
weaver  know  how  long  to  make  each  breadth. 
Carpets  will  shrink  a  little  in  length  from  the 
weaver's  measure  after  they  come  out  of  the  loom, 
but  will  often  stretch  a  littie  in  width.  The 
stripes  will  match  the  best,  if  the  edges  on  the 
same  side  of  the  loom  are  sewed  together,  as  the 
different  sides  of  the  loom  sometimes  vary  a  little. 

RAILROAD  SIG.VALS.—ThQ  varieties  of 
the  "toot"  of  the  locomotive,  and  gjTations  of 
the  arms  of  the  conductors  by  d.ay,  or  lanterns 
by  night,  are  about  as  intelligent  to  most  people 
as  first-class  Choctaw.  The  following  will  give 
the  reader  a  correct  idea  of  their  signification : 

One  whistle — "Down  brakes." 

Two  whistles— "Off  brakes." 

Three  whistles — "Backup." 

Continuous  whistles — "Danger." 


A  rapid  succession  of  short  whistles  is  the 
cattle  alarm,  at  which  the  brakes  will  always  be 
put  down. 

A  sweeping  parting  of  hands  on  level  of  eyes, 
is  a  signal  to  "go  ahead." 

A  downward  motion  of  the  hand,  with  extended 
arms,  "to  stop." 

A  beckoning  motion  of  one  hand,  "to  back." 

A  lantern  raised  and  lowered  vertically,  is  a 
signal  for  "starting;"  swung  at  right  angles  or 
crossways  the  track,  "tostop;"  swung  in  a  circle, 
"to  back  the  train." 

A  red  flag  waved  upon  the  track  must  be  re- 
garded as  a  signal  of  danger.  So  of  other  signals , 
given  with  energy. 

Hoisted  at  a  station  is  a-signal  for  a  train  "to 
stop." 

Stuck  up  by  the  roadside,  it  is  a  sign.1l  of 
danger  on  the  train  ahead. 

Carried  unfurled  upon  an  engine,  is  a  warning 
that  another  engine  or  train  is  on  its  way. 

RAZOR,  To  Hone  and  Strop. — Let  the  hone 
be  seldom  and  but  sparingly  resorted  to,  and 
never,  unless  by  frequent  and  repeated  stropping 
the  edge  of  the  razor  is  entirely  destroyed;  use 
the  best  oil,  and  be  careful  to  preserve  the  hone 
clean  and  free  from  dust.  Previously  to  the 
operation  of  shaving,  it  will  be  found  of  service, 
particularly  to  those  who  have  a  strong  beard 
and  a  tender  skin,  to  wash  the  face  well  with 
soap  and  water,  and  the  more  time  is  spent  in 
lathering  and  moistening  the  beard,  the  easier 
will  the  process  of  shaving  become.  Dip  the 
razor  in  hot  water  before  applying  it  to  the  face ; 
use  the  blade  nearly  flat,  always  taking  care  to 
give  it  a  cutting  instead  of  a  scraping '  direction. 
Strop  the  razor  immediately  after  using  it,  for 
the  purpose  of  effectually  removing  any  moisture 
that  may  remain  upon  the  edge,  and  be  careful 
not  to  employ  a  common  strop,  as  the  composition 
with  which  they  are  covered  is  invariably  of  a 
very  inferior  quality,  and  injurious  to  a  razor. 
The  strop  should  always  be  of  the  best  manufac- 
ture, and  when  the  composition  is  worn  oflf«it 
will  be  found  particularly  useful  to  rub  it  over, 
lightly,  with  a  little  clean  tallow,  and  then  put 
upon  it  the  top  part  of  the  snuff  of  a  candle, 
which  being  a  fine  powder,  will  admirably  supply 
the  place  of  the  best  composition  ever  used  for 
the  purpose.  Another  excellent  mode  of  reno\'a- 
ting  a  razor-strop  is  by  rubbing  it  well  with 
pewter,  and  impregnating  the  leather  with  the 
finest  metallic  particles. 

RAZOR-STROP  PASTE.— \.  Levigated 
oxide  of  tin  (prepared  putty  powder)  i  oz.; 
powdered  oxalic  acid  %  oz.;  powdered  gum  20 
grs.;  make  it  into  a  stiff  paste  with  water,  and 
evenly  and  thinly  spread  it  over  the  strop. 
With  very  litde  friction  this  paste  gives  a  fine 
edge  to  the  razor,  and  its  efficiency  is  still  fur- 
ther increased  by  moistening  it. — 2.  Emery  re- 
duced to  an  impalpable  powder  2  parts ;  sper- 
maceti ointment  I  part ;  mix  together,  and  rub 
it  over  the  strop. — 3.  Jewelers'  rouge,  black 
lead,  and  suet,  equal  parts ;  mix. 

RAZOR  PAPER.— This  article  supersedes 
the  use  of  the  ordinary  strop;  by  merely  wiping 
the  razor  on  the  paper,  to  remove  the  lather 
after  shaving,  a  keen  edge  is  always  maintained 
without  further  trouble  ;  only  one  caution  is  ne- 
cessary— that  is,  to  begin  with  a  sharp  razor, 
and  then  "the  paper"  will  keep  it  in  that  state 
for  years.     It  may  be  prepared  thus :   First, 


502 


DICTIONARY  OF  E VERY-DAY  WANTS. 


procure  oxide  of  iron  (by  the  addition  of  carbon- 
ate of  soda  to  a  solution  of  persulphate  of  iron), 
well  wash  the  precipitate,  and  finally  leave  it  of 
the  consistency  of  cream.  Secondly,  procure  a 
good  paper,  soft  and  thin,  then  with  a  soft  brush 
spread  over  the  paper  (on  one  side  only)  very 
thinly  the  moist  oxide  of  iron — dry,  and  cut  into 
two  inch  square  pieces.     It  is  then  fit  for  use. 

RAZOR  STROP,  To  Renovate.— \.  Rub  a 
little  clean  tallow  over  the  surface,  and  then  put 
on  it  the  light  top  part  of  the  snufTof  a  candle ; 
rub  it  smooth.  Excellent. — 2.  Rub  the  strop 
well  with  a  piece  of  soft  pewter  or  lead. 

REFRIGERATOR,  Home  Made.  — Set 
"Ice    Chest." 

RELATIVE  HEIGHT  and  WEIGHT.— 
The  late  Dr.  John  Hutchinson,  after  obtaining 
the  height  and  weight  of  over  five  thousand 
persons,  prepared  the  following  tabular  state- 
ment, showing  the  relative  height  and  weight 
of  persons  in  health: 

5  feet     I  inch,  1 20  pounds. 

5  feet    2  inches,  125  pounds. 

5  feet    3  inches,  133  pounds. 

5  feet    4  inches,  139  pounds. 

5  feet    5  inches,  142  pounds. 

5  feet     6  inches,  145  pounds. 

5  feet    7  inches,  148  pounds. 

5  feet    8  inches,  155  pounds. 

5  feet    9  inches,  162  pounds. 

5  feet  10  inches,  169  pounds. 

5  feet  1 1  inches,  1 74  pounds. 

6  feet,  178  pounds. 
The  above  is  the  average ;  of  course  tliere  are 

many  cases  of  variation. 

RHEUMATISM  {Inflammatory),  Pump, 
kins  for. — At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  New  York 
Farmers'  Club,  a  correspondent  wrote  of  the 
virtues  of  the  pumpkin,  giving  the  following  in- 
stance of  its  value  for  inflammatory  rheumatism: 
A  woman's  arm  was  swelled  to  an  enormous  size 
and  painfully  inflamed.  A  poultice  was  made 
of  stewed  pumpkins,  which  was  renewed  every 
fifteen  minutes,  and  in  a  short  time  produced  a 
perfect  cure.  The  fever  drawn  out  by  the  poul- 
tices made  them  extremely  offensive,  as  they 
were  taken  off.  I  knew  a  man  cured  of  severe 
inflammation  of  the  bowels  by  the  same  kind  of 
application. 

RHEUMATISM  in  HORSES,  To  Cure.— 
Crude  coal  oil,  l  pint ;  strong  vinegar,  ^  pint ; 
turpentine,  ^  pmt,  mixed,  and  well  shaken. 
To  be  rubbed  on  mornings  and  nights. 

RHUBARB,  Compound  Tincture  of.— T^kt 
of  rhubarb,  sliced,  2  ounces;  liquorice  root, 
bruised,  ^  ounce ;  ginger,  powdered,  saffron, 
each  2  drachms;  distilled  water,  i  pint;  proof 
spirits  of  wine,  I2  ounces  by  measure.  Digest 
for  14  days,  and  strain.  Dose,  yi  ounce  as  an 
aperient,  or  i  ounce  in  violent  diarrhoea. 

RHUBARB,  Sweet  Tincture  o/.—TakQ  of 
rhubarb,  bruised,  2  ounces ;  liquorice  root, 
bruised,  2  ounces  ;  aniseed,  bruised,  i  ounce ; 
sugar,  1  ounce;  diluted  alcohol,  2  pints.  Ma- 
cerate for  fourteen  days,  express  and  filter. 

ROADS,  Repairing. — This  is  an  operation 
which  is  or  should  be  performed  immediately 
after  the  settling  of  the  ground  in  the  spring. 
In  agricultural  districts  it  is  often  deferred  till 
later  in  the  season.     In  this  case  the  labor  of 

futting  a  road  in  good  condition  is  often  doubled. 
t  is  as  true  of  roads  as  of  raiment  that  "a  stitch 
in  time  saves  nine,"  and  if  for  the  word  stitch 


we  substitute  ditch,  the  old  saw  will  be  even 
more  forcible  in  its  meaning. 

Winter  makes  sad  havoc  in  the  earth  roads 
which  intersect  the  country  in  all  directions. 
His  frosts  upheave,  and  the  springs  wash  out 
deep  guUeys  and  ruts,  and  when  at  last  the  reign 
of  frost  is  over,  that  which  was  straight  is  all 
crooked ;  level  places  are  changed  into  alternate 
rises  and  depressions,  stones  are  left  on  the  top, 
and,  in  short,  these  roads  become  sloughs  of 
despond  in  which  loaded  teams  wallow  in  de- 
spair, and  where  wagons  are  left  standing  for 
weeks  up  to  the  hubs  in  mud,  simply  because 
it  is  beyond  the  power  of  horse  ilesh  to  extricate 
them. 

If,  when  the  mud  has  dried,  the  ruts  were 
filled  at  once,  and  the  ditches  at  the  wayside 
opened,  much  would  be  gained,  but  as  this  is 
generally  neglected,  the  June  thunderstorms  have 
things  all  their  own  way.  Sluices  are  filled, 
bridges  undermined  and  washed  away,  and,  fin- 
ally, when  the  "road  master"  summons  the  in- 
habitants to  turn  out  and  work  on  the  road,  they 
find  plenty  to  do.  The  road  is  at  last  put  info 
passable  condition,  and  remains  so  till  the  fall 
rains  and  the  marketing  wagons  again  cut  them 
all  up,  and  the  snow  following  hides  them  from 
view  till  the  ensuing  spring. 

An  old  farmer  once  remarked  to  us  that  there 
is  no  other  work  done  by  farmers  that  pays  so 
well  as  road  making  ;  but  there  are  few  of  them 
that  are  far  sighted  enough  to  see  that  the  sav- 
ing effected  by  good  roads  in  the  current  ex- 
penses of  repairs  in  wagons  and  harnesses,  and 
the  increase  of  loads  which  can  be  carried,  pay 
liberally  for  the  work,  which  they  do  grudgingly, 
when  at  last  it  is  performed. 

ROCA' BIAS  TING. —Sawdust  of  soft  wood, 
mixed  with  gunpowder  in  equal  parts,  is  said  to 
have  thrice  the  strength  of  gunpowder  alone, 
when  used  in  blasting. 

ROCKWORK,  Artificial  Coral  for.— Toks 
four  parts  of  yellow  resin  and  one  part  of  ver- 
milion, and  melt  them  together ;  dip  twigs, 
cinders  or  stones  in  this  mixture,  and  it  will  give 
them  the  appearance  of  coral;  and  is  applicable 
to  rockwork,  grotto,  or  any  fancy  work,  as  a 
substitute  for  tnat  costly  article. 

ROPES,  Rules  for  Computing  the  Strength 
of. — To  find  what  size  rope  you  require,  when 
roven  as  a  tackle,  to  lift  a  given  weight.  Divide 
the  weight  to  be  raised  by  the  number  of  parts 
at  the  movable  block,  to  obtain  the  strain  on  a 
single  part ;  add  one  third  of  this  for  the  in- 
creased strain  brought  by  friction,  and  reeve  the 
rope  of  corresponding  strength. 

One  sixth  of  40  tons  is  6%  tons,  which,  with 
one  third  added,  is  9  tons  nearly,  for  which  you 
should  reeve  a  six  inch  or  six  and  a  half  inch 
rope. 

Conversely : — To  find  what  weight  a  given 
rope  will  lift  when  rove  as  a  tackle  :  Multiply 
the  weight  that  the  rope  is  capable  of  suspend- 
ing by  the  number  of  parts  at  the  movable 
block,  and  subtract  one  fourth  of  this  for  re- 
sistance. 

Thus:  8.9  tons,  the  strength  of  the  rope,  mul- 
tiplied by  6,  the  number  of  parts  at  the  movable 
block,  minus  13.3  or  one  fourth,  gives  40.1  tons 
as  the  weight  required. 

Wire  rope  is  more  than  twice  the  strength 
of  hemp  rope  of  the  same  circumference;  splicing 
a  rope  is  supposed  to  weaken  it  one  eighth. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


503 


The  strongest  description  of  hemp  rope  is  un- 
tarred,  white,  three  stranded  rope ;  and  the  next 
in  the  scale  of  strength  is  the  common  three 
strand,  hawser  laid  rope,  tarred. 

ROPE,  To  Make  Flexible— ^t\v,  stiflF  rope 
may  be  made  flexible  by  simply  boiling  it  two 
hours  in  water,  and  then  hanging  it  in  a  warm 
room  to  dry  thoroughly. 

ROOFS,  Fireproof  iVash  y&n— Slake  lime  in 
a  close  box  to  prevent  the  escape  of  steam,  and 
when  slaked  pass  it  through  a  sieve.  To  every 
six  quarts  of  this  lime  add  one  quart  of  rock  salt 
and  one  gallon  of  water.  After  this  boil  and 
skim  clean.  To  every  five  gallons  of  this  add, 
by  slow  degrees,  three  quarters  of  a  pound  of 
potash  and  four  quarts  of  fine  sand.  Coloring 
matter  may  be  added  if  desired.  Apply  with  a 
paint  or  whitewash  brush.  This  wash  looks  as 
well  as  paint  and  is  almost  as  durable  as  slate. 
It  will  stop  small  leaks  in  a  roof,  prevent  the 
moss  from  growing  over  it,  and  render  it  incom- 
bustible from  sparks  falling  on  it.  When  applied 
to  brick  work,  it  renders  the  bsick  utterly  im- 
pervious to  rain ;  it  endures  as  long  as  paint,  and 
the  expense  is  a  mere  trifle. 

ROOFS,  Moss  on. — Don't  let  the  moss  gather 
on  the  roofs  of  your  buildings.  It  may  be  orna- 
mental to  some  eyes,  but  not  very  beneficial  to 
the  shingles.  They  will  rot  fast  enough  by  the 
moisture  it  retains;  so  sprinkle  some  fine  lime 
upon  them  just  before  a  rain,  and  you  will  be 
surprised  to  see  how  clean  it  will  be  taken  off". 

RUBBER  HOSE,  To  Mend.— Cnt  the  hose 
apart  where  it  is  defective;  obtain,  from  any  gas- 
fitter,  a  piece  of  iron  pipe  two  or  three  inches 
long ;  twist  the  hose  over  it  until  the  ends  meet, 
■wrap  with  strong  twine,  well  waxed,  and  it  will 
last  a  long  time. 

SALT  0/  LEMOIVS.—i:ake  of  cream  of 
tartar,  2  ounces ;  salt  of  sorrel  (quadroxalate 
of  potassa),  4  ounces.  Reduce  both  to  fine 
powder  and  mix.  To  remove  fruit  stains  and 
such  like  fiom  linen,  by  rubbing  a  little  of  it  on 
tlie  part,  moistened  with  warm  water. 

SANDAL  WOOD,  Spirit  of.— lake  of  oil  of 
sandal  wood  l  oz.,  alcohol  2  oz.,  oil  of  cinnamon 
25  minims.  Mix.  Dose  one  or  two  drachms 
three  times  a  day. 

SANDPAPER  {Superior),  To  Make.-ltlkQ 
a  quantity  of  broken  window  glass,  (that  which 
has  rather  a  green  appearance  on  the  edge  is 
best;)  pound  it  in  an  iron  mortar;  then  have  two 
or  three  sieves,  of  different  degrees  of  fineness, 
ready  for  use  when  wanted.  Take  any  good 
tough  paper,  (fine  cartridge  is  the  best,)  level 
the  knobs  and  lumps  on  both  sides  with  pumice- 
stone  ,  tack  it  at  each  corner  on  a  board,  and, 
with  good  clear  glue,  diluted  with  about  one  third 
more  water  than  is  used  generally  for  wood-work, 
go  quickly  over  the  paper,  taking  care  to  spread 
it  even  with  your  brush ;  then,  having  your  sieve 
ready,  sift  the  pounded  glass  over  it  lightly,  yet 
so  as  to  cover  it  in  every  f>art ;  let  it  remain  till 
the  glue  is  set,  take  it  from  the  board,  shake  off 
the  superfluous  glass  into  the  sieve,  and  hang  it 
in  the  shade  to  dry.  In  two  or  three  days,  it 
will  be  fit  for  use. 

The  paper  will  be  much  better  than  any  you 
can  buy,  sand  being  frequently  mixed  with  the 
glass  and  colored  to  deceive  the  purchaser. 

SCRE  WS and  NUTS,  To  Loosen.— -^Xxtn  you 
find  screws  and  nuts  have  become  fast  from  rust, 
pour  on  them  a  little  kerosene  or  coal  oil,  and 


wait  a  few  moments  till  they  become  soaked  with 
the  liquid.  When  this  is  done,  they  can  be  easily 
started,  and  the  bolt  saved. 

SEED,  Quantity  Required  for  a  Given  Num- 
ber 0/  Hills,  or  Length  of  Drill, — Asparagus,  I 
oz.  to  60  ft.  drill;  beet,  I  oz.  to  50  ft,  drill; 
carrot,  I  oz.  to  180  ft.  drill;  endive,  i  oz.  to  150 
ft.  drill ;  onion,  i  oz.  to  100  ft.  drill ;  parsley, 
I  oz.  to  150  ft.  drill;  pafsnip,  i  oz.  to  200  ft. 
drill ;  radish,  I  oz.  to  100  ft.  drill ;  spinach,  i 
oz.  to  100  ft.  drill;  turnip,  I  oz.  to  150  ft.  drill; 
peas,  I  qt.  to  100  ft.  drill;  dwarf  beans,  i  qt.  to 
150  hills  ;  corn,  i  qt.  to  200  hills ;  cucumber,  i 
oz.  to  50  hills ;  watermelon,  i  oz.  to  30  hills ; 
muskmelon,  I  oz.  to  60  hills;  pumpkin,  i  oz.  to 
40  hills;  early  squash,  I  oz.  to  50  hills;  marrow 
squash,  i  oz,  to  i6  hills ;  cabbage,  I  oz.  to  3000 
plants ;  cauliflower,'  I  oz.  to  3000  plants ;  celery, 
I  oz.  to  4000  plants ;  egg  plant,  i  oz.  to  2000 
plants  ;  lettuce,  i  oz.  to  4000  plants ;  pepper,  i 
oz.  to  2000  plants;  tomato,  I  oz.  to  2000  plants. 

SEED,  Quantity  Required  for  the  Acre,  and 
Actual  Weight  of  Each  to  the  Bushel. — 

To  the        Lbs. 
acre.       to  bush. 
Wheat,  broadcast bushels...  i^  tos      60 

"      drilled "      ...   ij^  60 

Rye,  broadcast "      ...   i?.<  56 

"      drilled "      ...i%"i%i(> 

Oats,  broadcast "      . , ,  2  33 

Timothy,    "         gallons...  3  45 

Red  Clover,  broadcast "      ...  3       "4      60 

White  Clover,     •'  pounds...  8  50 

Lucerne,  broadcast "      ...10  54 

Herd  or  Red  Top,  broadcast. bushels...  i       "  \%  14 

Blue  Grass,  broadcast "      .,.1       "  ij^  14 

Millet,  "        "      ...     ?i  "  I      45 

Hungarian,        "        "      ...     J^   "  i      50 

Com  in  hills gallons...   i       "  i^  56 

Turnip  and  Ruta-baga pounds...  x  50 

Onion  Sets "...  28 

SEWING  MACHINES,  Hints  on  Using. 
— It  is  a  fact  known  to  all  who  use  sewing  ma- 
chines that  the  prevailing  difficulty  is"  the  break- 
mg  of  the  thread.  Nearly  all  other  disarrange- 
ments that  occur,  can  usually  be  overcome  by 
any  person  of  ordinary  ingenuity  ;  even  though 
they  have  had  but  a  few  weeks,  or  perhaps,  days 
experience  in  the  use  of  a  sewing  machine. 

This  breaking,  which  is  mostly  with  the  upper 
thread,  may  occur  from  an  imperfect  adjustment 
of  the  tension.  With  new  machines  this  is  in- 
variably the  cause;  but  with  those  that  have 
been  in  use  several  months,  the  breaking  (when 
the  tension  is  right)  is  produced  by  the  threads 
wearing  into  the  guides,  so  that  when  a  swelled 
place  in  the  thread  reaches  the  narrow  groove 
which  is  worn  to  the  exact  width  of  the  regular 
size  of  the  thread,  not  being  allowed  to  pass 
through,  the  thread  breaks. 

Of  course  this  break  may  take  place  anywhere 
from  the  point  of  the  needle  back  to  the  grooved 
guide  which  caught  it.  As  it  is  usually  at  or 
near  the  end  of  the  needle,  the  real  cause  is  very 
generally  overlooked.  Many  have  been  so 
troubled  with  this  continual  breaking  that  it  has 
been  necessary  for  them  to  lay  aside  their  ma- 
chines, when  if  this  cause  had  been  known  to 
them,  by  simply  smoothing  the  guide  holes  with 
a  small  round  file,  their  trouble  would  have 
ended. 

S HA. MPOC^ LIQUID.— Tht  simplest  shan- 
pooing  liquid  is  the  Vst — .md  this  is  made  by 
dropping  borax,  lump  or  powdered — into  water 
until  no  more  borax  will  dissolve.  There  is  no 
danger  of  its  getting  too  strong.  This  being 
applied  to  the  hair  makes  a  very  good  lather; 


504 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


wash  out  with  clean  water,  and  when  the  hair  has 
dried — if  harsh,  use  a  very  little  oil  or  sweet  oil 
and  cologne  water  mixed.  A  more  elaborate 
wash  or  shampooing  liquid  is  used  by  barbers. 
It  is  as  follows:  carbonate  of  ammonia  ^  oz,, 
carbonate  of  potash  I  oz.,  water  i  pint.  Dissolve. 
Then  add  tincture  of  cantharides  5  fluid  ounces, 
best  alcohol  i  pint,  rum  three  quarts,  shake  up 
well  and  let  it  stand  a  week  before  using;  make 
a  good  lather  and  stimulate  the  skin;  healthy 
skinned  persons  should  not  use  it — their  skin 
does  not  want  stimulating — they  only  want 
cleansing. 

SHAVING  LIQUID.— \.  White  soap,  3 
ounces;  proof  spirit,  8  ounces;  distilled  water, 
4  ounces ;  carbonate  of  potash,  i  drachm;  scented 
with  essence  of  lemon.  Dissolve  the  soap  with- 
out heat,  and  add  the  potash  and  essence. — 2. 
White  soft  soap,  16  ounces;  oil  of  olives,  ^  oz.; 
gum  benzoin,  i  drachm;  rectified  spirit,  24  oz.; 
digest.  Rub  a  few  drops  on  the  beard,  followed 
by  warm  water. 

SHAVING  TASTE— Me\t  together  one 
drachm  each  of  spermaceti,  white  wax,  and  al- 
mond oil ;  beat  it  up  with  2  ounces  of  the  best 
white  soap,  and  add  a  little  lavender  or  cologne 
water. 

SATA  TING,  Hints  o«.— Thi?  delightful  art 
affords  the  most  appropriate  outdoor  exercise  and 
amusement  that  can  well  be  conceived  for  a  winter 
day;  like  some  other  practical  arts,  however — 
swimming,  for  example — no  amount  of  mere 
theoretical  instruction  will  enable  a  person  who 
knows  nothing  about  jt,  so  much  as  to  stand  with 
skates  on  upon  the  ice,  much  less  to  glide  along 
its  surface  with  the  ease  and  grace  of  a  skillful 
performer.  What  is  required  is  really  very 
simple,  and  is  entirely  of  a  practical  kind.  See 
that  your  skates  are  neither  too  large  nor  too 
small,  that  they  fit  your  boot  so  tightfy  as  to  be 
immovable,  and  that  the  blades  are  sharp.  Put 
them  on  and  endeavor  to  stand  on  them  on  the 
ice.  It  is  wonderful  how  speedily,  and,  as  it 
were,  instinctively,  you  will  acquire  the  power  of 
balancing  yourself,  and  moving  on  the  slippery 
surface.  A  fall  or  two  may  be  unavoidable,  but, 
like  some  of  the  evils  of  human  life,  they  will  be 
but  a  temporary  inconvenience,  bringing  with 
them  greater  security  as  experience  increases. 

We  have  no  intention  of  presenting  our  read- 
ers with  an  elaborate  essay  on  the  art  of  skating, 
but  shall  confine  ourselves  to  a  few  useful  hmts. 
Without  any  minute  descriptions  of  the  instru- 
ment, a  remark  or  two  as  to  the  "iron"  or  blade 
on  which  the  skater  stands  may  be  made.  Some- 
times it  is  made  plane  at  the  bottom,  and  some- 
times it  is  fluted.  In  our  opinion  the  plane 
surface  is  the  better  form.  The  height  of  this 
"iron"  ought  to  be  an  inch  at  the  back  and  three- 
fourths  of  an  inch  in  front,  and  the  curve  in  th« 
front  should  not  project  too  far,  but  merely  so 
as  to  clear  the  toe  well.  As  already  hinted,  the 
skate  ought  to  fit  tightly  and  accurately,  and  to 
this  end  it  ought  to  be  furnished  with  a  screw, 
to  be  screwed  into  the  heel  of  the  boot ;  these 
will  go  far  to  render  the  skate  perfectly  steady 
when  properly  strapped  to  the  boot. 

Presuming  the  skate  securely  fixed,  and  the 
boot  also  tightly  laced,  the  learner's  first  attempt 
must  be  to  place  himself  in  a  perpendicular 
attitude  on  the  ice.  It  may  be  said  that  his  first 
step  is  to  stand.  The  back  of  a  chair  placed  be- 
fore him,  a  stick  shod  with  an  iron  spike,  or  the 


friendly  hand  of  an  experienced  acquaintance,  wil 
be  found  in  this  primary  effort  of  great  use.  When 
some  tolerable  degree  of  steadiness  is  acquired, 
some  attempt  at  locomotion  may  be  made,  and 
in  so  adventurous  an  effort,  especially  if  made  by 
any  of  our  fair  readers,  a  vigorous  arm  to  lean 
upon  on  each  side,  will  be  found  a  great  comfort, 
till  some  degree  of  confidence  is  acquired,  and 
will  act  the  part  which  cork  floats  or  bladders  do 
toward  the  timid  swimmer  who  suddenly  finds 
himself  "out  of  his  depth." 

If  the  learner  intend'  to  begin  with  his  right 
foot,  he  ought  to  keep  the  left  knee  straight  and 
firm,  bending  it  only  a  little  at  the  instant  of 
striking  out,  and  vice  versa  so  acting  with  the 
left  foot  and  right  knee.  The  body  ought  to  be 
slightly  inclined  forwards,  of  course,  so  as — in 
scientific  language — to  "keep  the  centre  of  grav- 
ity over  the  base,"  the  learner  taking  advantage 
of  the  friendly  support  on  each  side  as  he  strikes 
out,  and  if  such  support  is  unattauiable,  making 
the  best  use  he  can  of  his  stick,  and  submitting 
with  his-best  grace  to  the  inevitable  necessity  of 
a  sudden  obedience  to  the  law  of  gravitation  in 
the  shape  of  a  fall.  The  skater  ought  never  to 
look  at  his  feet,  nor  at  the  ice  near  him,  as  by 
doing  so,  he  is  very  apt  to  increase  the  number 
of  his  exploits  in  the  way  of  tumbling,  for  it  is 
unquestionable  that  he  can  keep  his  balance 
better  by  looking  straight  forwards  than  by 
fixing  his  attention  on  the  movement  of  his  feet; 
this,  however,  he  will  soon  find  by  experience. 
It  is  remarkable  that  this  rule  is  exemplified  in 
intellectual  and  moral  affairs;  we  are  more  likely 
to  attain  a  successful  result  by  giving  our  atten- 
tion rather  to  the  ultimate  object  in  view,  although 
it  be  remote,  than  by  connaing  our  prospect  to 
each  minute  and,  perhaps,  difficult  step  which 
leads  to  it.  The  learner,  while  keeping  his  head 
up,  ought  to  advance  his  body  a  little  forwards. 
By  this  means  he  will  avoid  a  backward  fall, 
which  is  often  a  serious  mischance.  The  learner's 
face  ought  always  to  be  turned  in  the  direction 
to  be  followed.  All  movements  in  skating  ought 
to  be  smooth  and  graceful,  and  quite  free  from 
jerking  and  awkward  gestures.  The  act  of  stop- 
ping is  performed  by  slightly  bending  the  knees, 
bringing  the  heels  together  and  bearing  upon 
them ;  it  may  also  be  accomplished  by  turning 
short  to  the  right  or  left. 

It  is  only  requisite  further  to  add  that  the 
method  of  skating  in  certain  figures  is  not  difficult 
to  acquire  when  proficiency  in  the  art  is  attained; 
to  furnish  learners  with  precepts  for  those  per- 
formances on  the  ice,  which  imply  a  large  amount 
of  experience,  is  hardly  requisite,  for  the  art  of 
moving  over  the  ice  in  figures  is  itself  learnt  in 
the  act  of  learning  to  skate. 

SIZING  for  BOOTS  and  SHOES  in  Tree 
ing  out. — Take  water  I  qt.,  and  dissolve  in  it, 
by  heat,  isinglass  I  oz.;  adding  more  water  Xq 
make  up  for  evaporation  ;  when  dissolved,  add 
starch  6  oz.;  extract  of  logwood,  beeswax,  and 
tallow,  of -each  2  oz.;  and  continue  the  heat  until 
all  is  melted  and  well  mixed.  Rub  the  starch 
up  first,  by  pouring  on  sufficient  boiling  water 
for  that  purpose. 

SILK,  Gilding  en. — Silks,  satins,  woolens, 
ivory,  bone,  etc.,  may  be  readily  gilded  by  im- 
mersing them  in  a  solution  of  nitro-muriate  (ter- 
chloride)  of  gold,  (l  of  the  salt  to  3  or  4  of  wa- 
ter,) and  then  exposing  them  to  the  action  of 
hydrogen  gas.     The  latter  part  of  the  process 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


50s 


may  readily  be  performed  by  pouring  some  di- 
luted sulphuric  acid  on  zinc  or  iron  hlings,  in  a 
bottle,  and  placing  it  under  a  jar  or  similar  ves- 
sel, inverted,  at  the  top  of  which  the  articles  to 
be  gilded  are  to  be  suspended. 

The  foregoing  experiment  may  be  very  prettily 
and  advantageously  varied  as  follows : — Paint 
flowers  or  other  ornaments  with  a  very  fine  camel- 
hair  pencil,  dipped  in  the  above  mentioned  solu- 
tion of  gold,  on  pieces  of  silk,  satin,  etc.,  and 
hold  them  over  a  Florence  flask,  from  which 
hydrogen  gas  is  evolved,  during  the  decomposi- 
tion of  the  water  by  sulphuric  acid  and  iron  fil- 
ings. The  ]3ainted  flowers,  etc.,  in  a  few  min- 
utes will  shine  with  all  the  splendor  of  the 
purest  gold.  A  coating  of  this  kind  will  not 
tarnish  on  exposure  to  the  air,  or  in  washing. 

SILK  (^Varnished),  To  Prepare. — Varnished 
silk,  for  making  umbrellas,  capots,  coverings 
for  hats,  etc.,  is  prepared  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  varnished  and  polished  cloths  already  de- 
scribed, but  with  some  variation  in  the  liquid 
paste  or  varnish.  If  the  surface  of  the  silk  be 
pretty  large,  it  is  made  fast  to  a  wooden  frame 
furnished  with  hooks  and  movable  pegs,  such 
as  that  used  in  the  manufacture  of  common  var- 
nished cloths.  A  soft  paste,  composed  of  linseed- 
oil  boiled  with  a  fourth  part  of  litharge;  tobacco- 
pipe  clay,  dried  and  sifted  through  a  silk  sieve, 
16  parts;  litharge,  ground  on  porphyry  with 
water,  dried  and  sifted  in  the  same  manner,  3 
parts,  and  lampblack,  i  part.  This  paste  is  then 
spread  in  a  uniform  manner  over  the  surface  of 
the  silk  by  means  of  a  long  knife,  having  a 
handle  at  each  extremity.  In  summer,  24  hours 
are  sufficient  for  its  desiccation.  When  dry,  the 
knots  produced  by  the  inequalities  of  the  silk 
are  smoothed  with  pumice-stone.  This  opera- 
tion is  performed  with  water,  and,  when  finished, 
the  surface  of  the  silk  is  washed.  It  is  then 
suffered  to  dry,  and  fat  copal  varnish  is  applied. 
If  it  be  intended  to  polish  this  varnish,  apply  a 
second  stratum,  after  which  polish  it  with  a  ball 
of  cloth  and  very  fine  tripoli.  The  varnished 
«ilk  thus  made  is  very  black,  exceedingly  pli- 
able, and  has  a  fine  polish.  It  may  be  rumpled 
a  thousand  ways  without  retaining  any  fold,  or 
even  the  mark  of  one.  It  is  light,  and  therefore 
proper  for  coverings  to  hats,  and  for  making 
cloaks  and  caps  so  useful  to  travelers  in  wet 
weather. 

SIGNATURES,  To  take  Facsimiles  of.— 
Write  your  name  on  a  piece  of  paper,  and  while 
the  ink  is  wet  sprinkle  over  it  some  finely-pow- 
dered gum  arable,  then  make  a  rim  round  it  and 
?our  on  it  some  fusible  alloy,  in  a  liquid  state, 
mpressions  may  be  taken  from  the  plates  formed 
in  this  way,  by  mea.ns  of  printing-ink  and  the 
copperplate-press. 

SHIPS,  To  Ventilate. — ^^Air-pipes  are  used 
for  drawing  foul  air  out  of  ships,  or  other  close 
places,  by  means  of  fire.  One  extremity  is 
placed  in  a  hole  in  the  side  of  a  furnace,  (closed 
in  every  part  excepting  the  outlet  for  the  smoke ; ) 
the  other  in  the  place  which  it  is  designed  to 
purify.  The  rarefaction  produced  by  the  fire 
causes  a  curr  mt  of  air  to  be  determined  to  it, 
and  the  only  li^eans  by  which  the  air  can  arrive 
at  the  fire  ?  .ting  through  the  pipe,  a  quick  cir- 
culation, in  the  place  where  the  extremity  of 
the  pipe  may  be  situated,  is  consequently  pro- 
duced. ' 
SHELLAC,    7I>  ^/^d:<:/5.— The  bleaching  ofi 


shellac  is  generally  effected  on-  a  large  scale  by 
chlorine  or  some  of  its  compounds,  or  by  sul- 
phuric acid;  the  bleached  article  costs  more  than 
twice  as  much  as  the  unbleached.  The  bleached 
shellac  is  frequently  dissolved  in  spirits  of  wine 
for  use  as  a  varnish  by  cabinet  makers.  This 
varnish  is  apt  to  stain  any  inlaid  metallic  orna- 
ment upon  the  furniture,  or  any  metal  attached 
to  it,  in  consequence  of  the  varnish  retaining  a 
small  proportion  of  the  bleaching  compound  in 
solution.  Another  process  of  bleaching  may  be 
adopted  which  renders  the  varnish  free  from  this 
objection,  and  very  much  reduces  the  cost  of  the 
bleached  shellac  or  seed  lac.  This  process  con- 
sists in  the  use  of  animal  charcoal  as  a  bleaching 
powder.  It  is  prepared  in  the  following  man- 
ner:— Any  quantity  of  yellow  shellac,  previously 
broken  in  small  pieces,  is  conveyed  into  a  flask, 
alcohol  of  0.83  sp.  gr.  poured  upon  it,  and  the 
whole  heated  on  the  hob,  or,  in  the  summer,  in 
the  sun,  until  the  shellac  is  dissolved;  upon  this 
so  rnuch  coarsely  powdered  animal  charcoal  is 
added  to  the  solution  that  the  whole  forms  a  thin 
paste ;  the  flask  is  closed,  not  quite  air  tight,  and 
left  so  for  some  time,  exposed  to  the  sun ;  and 
in  eight  to  fourteen  days  a  small  sample  is  filter- 
ed, sufficient  to  ascertain  whether  it  has  acquired 
a  light  yellowish  brown  color,  and  whether  it 
yields  a  clear,  pure  polish  on  light  colored 
woods.  If  this  be  the  case,  it  is  filtered  through 
coarse  blotting  paper,  for  which  purpose  it  is 
best  to  employ  a  tin  funnel  with  double  sides, 
similar  to  those  employed  in  filtering  spirituous 
solutions  of  soaps,  opodeldoc,  etc.  The  portion 
which  first  passes  through  the  filter  may  be  pre- 
served separately,  and  used  as  a  ground  or  first 
polish.  Then  some  more  spirit  is  poured  over 
the  charcoal  upon  the  filter,  and  the  solution 
used  as  a  last  coating.  The  solution  of  shellac 
purified  by  animal  charcoal  has  a  brown  yellow 
color,  but  it  is  perfectly  clear  and  transparent ; 
when  diluted  with  alcohol,  the  color  is  so  slight 
that  it  may  be  used  in  this  state  for  polishing 
perfectly  white  wood,  such  as  maple,  pine,  etc., 
without  the  wood  acquiring  the  least  tint  of 
yellow. 

SLA  TES,  Artificial.  —  Elastic  slates  have 
come  to  be  almost  an  article  of  necessity  on  ac- 
count of  being  light,  and  as  easily  carried  in  the 
pocket  as  a  memorandum  book,  having  the  ad- 
vantage over  the  other  kind  in  the  fact  that  the 
notes  and  writing  can  be  easily  effaced,  leaving 
the  surface  clean  and  ready  for  further  use.  The 
following  is  the  composition  from  which  they 
are  made :  Sand  in  very  fine  powder,  82  parts  ; 
lampblack,  8  parts  ;  boiled  linseed  or  cottonseed 
oil,  10  parts.  This  mixture  is  to  be  thoroughly 
mixed  together  and  spirits  of  turpentine  added 
in  order  that  the  kind  of  paint  thus  obtained 
may  be  applied  on  a  thin  sheet  of  pasteboard. 
As  soon  as  the  first  coat  is  dry  another  coat  is 
applied,  and  even  a  third  application  is  some- 
times required.  The  last  coat  is  smoothed  by 
being  rubbed  with  a  piece  of  cotton  waste,  satu- 
rated with  spirits  of  turpentine. 

The  artificial  slates  thus  obtained  are  light, 
easily  transported,  not  liable  to  be  broken,  and 
a  slate  pencil  is  used  to  write  upon  them. 

SMALL-POX,  Darkness  in  Treating.— It  is 
stated  that  if  a  patient,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
attack,  be  put  in  a  room  from  which  absolutely 
all  light  is  excluded  save  that  of  a  candle,  the 
effect  is  to  arrest  the  disease  in  the  papular  or 


5o6 


DICTION AR  Y  OF  E  VER  Y  DA  Y-  WANTS. 


vesicular  stage ;  it  never  becomes  purulent,  and 
the  skin  between  the  vesicles  is  never  inflamed 
or  swollen ;  the  liquor  sanguinis  is  prevented 
from  becoming  pus ;  the  large  scabs  of  matter 
never  form  over  the  face ;  there  is  no  intense 
pain,  and  only  trifling  itching,  and  the  smell  is 
either  very  slight  or  altogether  wanting. 

SOAP-BUBBLES,  Large  and  Lottg-Last- 
ing.  —  For  the  production  of  unusually  large 
soap-bubbles  that  will  last  for  hours,  and  exhibit 
splendidly  the  beautiful  colors  of  the  rainbow,  a 
fluid  may  be  employed  that  can  easily  be  pre- 
pared in  the  following  way :  Fine  shavings  of 
palm-oil  soap  are  shaken  in  a  large  bottle  with 
distilled  water,  until  a  concentrated  solution  of 
the  soap  is  obtained;  this  is  filtered  through 
gray  filtering  paper,  and  mixed  then  with  about 
one-third  of  pure  glycerine.  The  fluid  is  to  be 
shaken  up  before  use.  By  means  of  a  small 
glass  funnel,  of  two  inches  diameter,  connected 
with  a  tube  of  India  rubber,  soap-bubbles  may 
be  prepared  with  this  fluid  that  will  vie  in  the 
beauty  of  the  display  of  color  with  the  rainbow 
itself,  and  which  may  be  kept  for  a  long  while 
by  putting  them  carefully  upon  an  iron  ring 
which  is  slightly  rusty  and  thoroughly  wet  with 
the  soap  solution.  Bubbles  of  one  foot  and  more 
in  diameter  will  keep  from  five  to  ten  minutes ; 
those  of  two  to  three  inches  in  diameter,  for 
hours — often  for  ten  to  twelve. 

SOUP  TABLETS,  Prussian.— Tak^  eleven 
parts  by  weight  of  good  suet,  melt  it  in  an  iron 
pan,  and  make  it  very  hot,  so  as  to  become 
brown;  add,  while  keeping  the  fat  stirred,  eight- 
een parts  of  rye  meal,  and  continue  heating  and 
stirring  so  as  to  make  the  mass  brown;  add 
then  four  parts  of  dried  salt  and  two  parts  of 
coarsely  pulverized  caraway  seed.  The  mixture 
is  then  poured  into  tin  pans  somewhat  like  those 
used  for  making  chocolate  into  cakes.  The  cakes 
have  the  appearance  of  chocolate,  and  are  chiefly 
intended  for  the  use  of  soldiers  while  in  the  field. 
A  quantity  of  about  one  ounce  of  this  prepara- 
tion is  sufficient  to  yield,  when  boiled  with  some 
water,  a  ration  of  good  soup,  and  in  case  of  need 
the  cakes,  being  agreeable  to  the  taste,  may  be 
eaten  raw. 

SPONGE  PAPER.— For  the  fabrication  of 
an  article  called  sponge  paper,  lately  patented 
in  France,  evenly  and  finely  divided  sponge  is 
added  to  ordinary  paper  pulp,  and  this  is  worked 
as  in  the  common  paper  making  apparatus,  into 
sheets  of  different  thicknesses.  It  is  said  to  have 
all  the  peculiarities  of  sponge,  absorbing  water 
readily,  and  remaining  moist  a  long  time.  It 
has  been  used  as  dressing  for  wounds  with  con- 
siderable advantage  and  is  capable  of  several 
important  technical  applications. 

STAMMERING,  To  Cnre.—'So  stammer- 
ing person  ever  found  any  difficulty  in  sinking. 
The  reason  of  this  is  that  by  observing  the 
measure  of  the  music — by  keeping  time — the  or- 
gans of  speech  are  kept  in  such  position  that 
enunciation  is  easy.  Apply  the  same  rule  to 
reading  or  speech,  and  the  same  result  will  fol- 
low. Let  the  stammerer  take  a  sentence,  say 
this  one — 'Leander  swam  the  Hellespont' — and 
pronounce  it  by  syllables,  scan  it,  keeping  time 
with  his  finger  if  necessary,  letting  each  syllable 
occupy  the  same  time,  thus,  Le — an — der — swam 
— the — Hel — les — pont,  and  he  will  not  stam- 
mer. Let  him  pronounce  slowly  at  first,  then 
faster,  but  still  keeping  time,  keeping  time  with 


words  instead  of  syllables,  and  he  will  be  sur- 
prised to  find  that,  by  very  little  practice,  he  will 
read  without  stammering,  and  nearly  as  rapidly 
as  persons  ordinarily  talk  or  read.  Then  prac- 
tice this  in  reading  and  conversation  until  the 
habit  is  broken  up.  Perseverance  and  atten- 
tion is  all  that  is  necessary  to  perform  a  perfect 
cure. 

STARCH  from  Frosted  Potatoes. — Potatoes 
much  frosted  will  make  very  good  starch,  though 
it  is  a  shade  darker  in  color.  All  coarse  clothes 
requiring  to  be  stiffened,  where  whiteness  is  no 
object,  may  be  done  with  starch  made  from  po- 
tatoes greatly  penetrated  with  frost.  The  best 
method  of  making  potatoes  into  starch  is  to  grate 
them  down  into  water,  then  to  take  out  all  the 
refuse  with  the  hand,  and  next  to  strain  the 
whole  of  the  water  in  which  the  potatoes  have 
been  grated  through  a  thin  cloth,  rather  coarse, 
or  fine  sieve,  and  afterwards  frequently  putting 
on  and  pouring  off  water  until  it  comes  clear 
from  the  starch,  which  is  always  allowed  to  set- 
tle or  fall  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel  in  which 
the  operation  is  performed.  An  experiment  was 
tried  with  a  few  potatoes  that  were  put  out  to 
frost.  They  were  grated  down  and  made  into 
starch  powder.  The  produce  of  the  fresh  potato 
weighed  876  grains,  while  that  of  the  frosted 
was  only  412,  being  less  than  half  the  quantity. 
The  refuse  of  the  potato,  when  taken  from  the 
sieve,  possesses  the  property  of  cleansing  woolen 
cloths  without  hurting  their  colors,  and  the  wa- 
ter decanted  from  the  starch  powder  is  excellent 
for  cleansing  silks  without  the  smallest  injury  to 
their  color.  In  making  hair-powder  it  has  long 
been  used,  and  is  therefore  well  known. 

STEAM-ENGINES,  To  Take  Care  of  when 
Ne-ioly-set. — After  a  newly-set  steam-boiler  has 
been  fitted  out  with  all  the  requisite  parts,  it  is 
to  be  filled  with  water  one  or  two  inches  above 
the  normal  level.  There  being  no  pressure  of 
steam,  the  fact  that  the  boiler  is  filled  to  the 
desired  height,  can  only  be  ascertained  by  blow- 
ing air  through  the  open  gauge-cocks.  From  the 
bubbling  of  the  air,  ascending  through  the  water, 
it  is  easily  ascertained  whether  there  is  sufficient 
water  or  not.  The  float  on  the  glass  gauge  in- 
dicates the  water-level  directly,  but  the  former  is 
often  less  accurate  on  account  of  the  coldness  of 
the  stuffing-box.  If  the  man-hole  is  still  open, 
the  level  may  more  readily  be  ascertained  by 
means  of  a  rod.  The  charging  generally  takes 
place  by  means  of  an  efficient  hand-pump,  since 
the  cases  are  exceptional  where  there  is  a  higher 
situated  reservoir,  from  which  the  boiler  may  be 
fed.  This  convenience  is  only  met  with  where 
steam-engines  are  situated  near  water-wheels, 
(whether  for  the  increase  of  force,  or  for  the 
substitution  of  water-power  during  repairs,  etc.,) 
or  where  there  is  an  upper  pond,  or  the  estab- 
lishments are  near  a  steep  mountain,  abounding 
in  rivulets;  or  in  iron-works,  which,  for  the 
hoisting  of  the  furnace-charges,  require  high 
reservoirs  and  hydraulic  lifts.  In  order  to  fill 
the  boiler,  a  canvas  hose  is  attached  to  the  dis- 
charging-mouth  of  a  hand-pump  or  to  the  con- 
duction-pipes, and  introduced  into  the  man-hole. 
If  there  are  several  boilers  for  only  one  machine, 
and  in  case  oneof  them  has  been  cleaned  as  reserve 
boiler,  which  it  is  desired  shall  now  be  rapidly 
filled,  it  is  necessary  to  fasten  a  mouthpiece  to 
the  delivery-pipeof  the  cold  pump,  so  that  a  hos© 
can  be  attached.    It    is  less  expensive  to  use 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


507 


ho5e  than  solid  pipes;  they  are  more  simple  and 
less  easily  damaged.  After  being  used,  they 
must  be  well  dried,  and  not  kept  in  moist  places. 
In  many  establishments,  as  in  cotton-mills,  iron- 
works, and  calico  printing-works,  the  pumps  aie 
so  constructed  that  they  can  also  be  employed  as 
fire-engines. 

After  the  charging  of  the  boiler,  the  fire  is 
made,  for  which  purpose  brushwood  and  shav- 
ings are  best.  The  fire  is  regulated  by  means  of 
a  damper  or  the  fire-door,  in  such  a  manner  that 
during  the  first  day  the  temperature  of  the  water 
•will  not  attain  the  boiling-point.  It  is  advisable 
to  keep  the  door  open,  smce  the  drying  of  the 
masonry  will  be  accelerated  by  the  current  of 
entering  air.  But,  as  the  drying  proceeds,  the 
opening  must  be  more  and  more  closed,  and 
finally  it  ought  to  be  kept  shut,  except  during 
the  poking  of  the  fire. 

If  the  walling  is  very  moist,  steam-clouds  are 
seen  issuing  from  the  chimney.  The  author  of 
this  was  once  compelled  to  put  up  a  boiler  in 
very  cold  weather,  and  with  frozen  stones.  Yet, 
by  constructing  proper  flues  in  the  brick-work, 
and  by  firing  with  care,  steam  could  be  produced 
on  the  evening  of  the  second  day.  The  brick- 
work was  dry,  without  having  been  injured  in 
the  least. 

On  the  second  day  the  fire  was  increased,  the 
door  was  kept  nearly  closed,  the  damper  open  a 
little  more.  With  new  boilers  and  chimneys,  it 
often  happens  that  at  first  there  is  no  draught, 
especially  where  it  is  carried  long  distances 
around  the  boiler.  This  is  expbined  by  the  fact 
that  the  hot  air  meets  too  great  a  resistance  from 
the  dense,  cold  air  in  the  draught-holes  and 
chimney.  This  evil  can  be  remedied  by  kindling 
a  straw  fire  at  the  foot  of  the  chimney.  In  set- 
ting a  new  boiler,  the  cleaning-hole  of  the 
chimney  should,  therefore,  be  left  open.  But  if 
once  the  walling  is  warmed  through,  the  firing 
may  be  interrupted  for  several  days,  and  even 
for  a  longer  time,  without  any  appreciable  evil 
effects,  since  bricks  retain  their  heat  for  a  long 
while.  As  soon  as  the  least  current  is  created, 
the  fire  at  once  becomes  active,  the  flame 
attains  <iirection,  and  having  once  reached  the 
chimney,  its  activity  is  still  more  increased. 

Although  the  greatest  attention  must  be  paid 
to  the  firing,  all  the  parts  connected  with  the 
generation  of  steam  ought  not  on  that  account  to 
be  neglected.  It  is,  for  instance,  well  to  examine 
whether  the  float  plays  well  after  the  box  has 
become  hot,  and  the  engineer  should  satisfy 
himself  of  the  right  position  and  the  reliability  of 
its  movements.  If  the  beam  on  the  side  of  the 
float-stone  is  pressed  down,  the  latter  should 
immediately  sink  into  the  water;  but  if  relieved 
by  the  pressure,  it  should  be  lifted  by  the  counter- 
weight into  the  position  corresponding  to  the 
existent  water-level.  The  points  to  which  most 
attention  must  be  paid  are  the  steel  edges  upon 
which  the  beam  turns,  and  the  stuffing-box.  ITie 
edges  ought  not  to  be  pressed  too  much  into  the 
nut  of  the  lever.  When  steam  is  generating,  the 
efficiency  and  mobility  of  the  gauge-cocks  are  to 
be  tried.  In  high-pressure  boilers,  the  cock  of 
the  manometer  must  be  opened,  while  in  low- 

?ressure  boilers,  the  air-valve  is  to  be  inspected, 
'he  safety-valves  must  also  be  examined,  opened, 
and  lifted  from  their  seats  and  turned,  in  order 
to  prevent  their  sticking  by  the  adhesion  of  the 
oil.    The  author  has  seen  valves  thus  stuck 


suddenly  thrown  up  by  the  steam,  causing  de- 
rangements and  fractures.  The  valves  with  a 
directly  applied  weight  play  less  readily;  if  one 
corresponds,  for  instance,  to  a  pressure  of  four 
atmospheres,  by  waiting  until  the  steam  has 
reached  a  tension  of  two  or  three  atmospheres, 
it  may  easily  be  lifted. 

Moreover,  in  low-pressure  boilers,  inspection 
should  be  made  of  the  induction-pipe  before  the 
tension  has  attained  the  desired  height;  the  fire- 
man must  examine  whether  the  float  is  movable, 
and  whether  the  feeding-pipe  is  in  order;  he 
must  inspect  the  manometer,  withdrawing  the 
float  from  the  mercury,  and  letting  it  slide  again 
into  it.  It  will  now  be  seen  where  there  are 
untight  joints  and  screws.  Although  the  former 
may  have  been  drawn  on  very  tight,  they  gene- 
rally get  loose  again  by  getting  warm,  so  that 
they  have  to  be  screwed  on  anew.  If  the  leaks  are 
so  great  that  they  can  not  be  done  away  with  in 
this  manner,  and  by  driving  in  small  wooden 
wedges  which  have  been  put  in  putty,  the  spots 
must  be  well  marked,  so  that  the  evil  may  be 
remedied  at  the  first  stand-still.  Steam  should 
be  turned  on  slowly;  for  if  allowed  to  pass 
suddenly  into  the  pipes,  the  thereby  condensing 
water  has  a  tendency  to  open  the  joints,  the 
water  often  running  from  them. 

The  fire  must  be  regulated  according  to  the 
generation  of  steam,  the  tension  of  which,  de- 
pendent on  the  speed  of  the  machine,  is  indicated 
by  the  manometer.  To  use  as  little  fuel  as 
possible  is  here  the  first  principle.  Whether 
wood,  peat,  coal,  coke,  or  brown  coal  are  to  be 
burned  should  be  decided  upon  beforehand,  so 
that  the  boiler  as  well  as  the  walling  maybe  con- 
structed accordingly.  It  remains  then  only  to 
decide  upon  the  different  varieties  of  these  com- 
bustibles, as  with  regard  to  hard  coal  between 
baking  coal,  open  and  close  burning  coal  and 
anthracite.  In  order  to  try  a  kind  of  fuel,  it 
ought  to  be  used  for  at  least  four  or  six  days ; 
other  kinds  must  be  employed  for  the  same 
quantity  of  steam  under  like  conditions,  (cleaned 
flues,  etc. )  When  different  kinds  of  fuel  admit 
of  being  used  together,  the  mixtures  should  be 
tried  in  various  proportions.  From  the  mechan- 
ical effect  produced,  it  may  at  once  be  determined 
which  kind  of  fuel  is  best  adapted  for  permanent 
use. 

W'hen  several  sorts  of  hard  coals  are  to  be  had, 
those  mixtures  are  to  be  tried,  which  in  most 
cases  range  cheaper  than  the  pure  coals.  In 
running  a  steam-engine  of  twenty-two  horse- 
power, we  have  daily  saved  one  thaler,  (nearly 
70  cents  gold,)  when,  instead  of  using  either 
baking  or  cherry  coal  alone,  we  burned  a  mixture 
of  equal  parts  of  each. 

STONE,  Artificial.— WhiU.—WvLm,  I  lb.; 
water,- 1  gal.  Dissolve,  then  steep  in  this  liquor 
calcined  gypsum,  ^  cwt.  Next  dry  for  eight 
days  in  the  open  air,  and  cilcine  at  a  dull,  red 
heat;  grind  and  sift  and  form  into  a  paste  with 
water;  when  hard  apply  a  thin  layer  of  the  above 
paste  over  the  surface  with  a  brush  ;  when  quite 
hard,  polish  with  pumice,  etc.,  in  the  usual  way. 
— Crea7H  Color. — Alum,  I  pound  ;  copperas,  % 
pound ;  water,  9  pints.  Dissolve,  and  proceed 
as  before. 

STONE  FACADES,  To  Clean. —  It  hz% 
been  ascertained  that  the  jet  of  water  thrown 
from  a  steam  fire-engine  has  the  power  of  re- 
moving the  discoloration  produced  by  the  smoke. 


5o8 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS, 


without  injuring  the  face  of  the  stone.  The  work 
is  done  from  the  ground,  the  force  of  the  stream 
thrown  by  the  steam  fire-engine  being  sufficient 
to  effect  the  necessary  cleansing. 

STONE  WARE  {English),  To  Manufacture. 
— Tobacco-pipe  clay  from  Dorsetshire  is  beaten 
much  in  water ;  by  this  process  the  finer  parts 
of  the  clay  remain  suspended  in  the  water,  while 
the  coarser  sand  and  other  impurities  fall  to  the 
bottom.  The  thick  liquid,  consisting  of  water 
and  the  finer  parts  of  clay,  is  further  purified  by 
passing  it  through  hair  and  lawn  sieves  of  differ- 
ent degrees  of  fineness.  After  this  the  liquor  is 
mixed  (in  various  proportions  for  various  ware) 
with  another  liquid  of  the  same  density,  and 
consisting  of  flints  calcined,  ground  and  sus- 
pended in  water.  The  mixture  is  then  dried  in 
a  kiln,  and  being  afterwards  beaten  to  a  proper 
temper,  it  becomes  fit  for  being  formed  at  the 
wheel  into  dishes,  plates,  bowls,  etc.  When 
this  ware  is  to  be  put  into  the  furnace  to  be 
baked,  the  several  pieces  of  it  are  placed  in  the 
cases  made  of  clay,  called  seggars,  which  are 
piled  one  upon  another,  in  the  dome  of  the  fur- 
nace ;  a  fire  is  then  lighted,  when  the  ware  is 
brought  to  a  proper  temper,  which  happens  in 
about  48  hours,  it  is  glazed  by  common  salt. 
The  salt  is  thrown  into  the  furnace  through  holes 
in  the  upper  part  of  it,  by  the  heat  of  which  it  is 
instantly  converted  into  a  thick  vapor,  which, 
circulating  through  Jhe  furnace,  enters  the  seg- 
gar  through  holes  made  in  its  side  (the  top  being 
covered  to  prevent  the  salt  from  falling  on  the 
ware),  and  attaching  itself  to  the  surface  of  the 
ware,  it  forms  that  vitreous  coat  upon  the  surface 
which  is  called  its  glaze. 

SUGAR  REFINING.— K  German  paper 
mentions  a  new  process  of  refining  sugar  in 
which  the  saccharine  juice,  after  being  clarified 
in  the  usual  way  by  means  of  lime  and  carbonic 
acid,  is  precipitated  at  boiling  temperature  with 
caustic  baryta  (60  parts  of  the  latter  for  every 
100  of  sugar),  the  precipitate  suspended  in  water 
and  decomposed  with  carbonic  acid.  A  pure 
solution  of  sugar  is  obtained,  which  only  requires 
to  be  evaporated. 

STOVES,  To  Mend  Cracks  in. — Take  equal 
parts  of  wood  ashes  and  common  salt,  and  mix 
them  to  a  proper  consistence  with  water ;  with 
this  fill  the  cracks. 

STOVES,  To  Keep  from  Rust. —  Kerosene 
applied  with  a  cloth  to  stoves  will  keep  them 
from  rusting  during  the  summer.  It  is  also  an 
excellent  material  to  apply  to  all  iron  utensils 
used  about  a  farm. 

SULPHUR,  Flexible.— "By  adding  to  pure 
sulphur  a  four  hundredth  part  of  chlorine  or 
iodine  it  becomes  very  soft,  so  that  it  may  be 
spread  in  thin  leaves  as  flexible  as  leaves  of  wax, 
■  SULPHUROUS  ACID,  To  Make.— To  12 
oz.  of  sulphuric  acid,  m  a  glass  retort,  add  2  oz. 
of  sulphur  and  apply  a  gentle  heat.  This  is  a 
cheap  and  easy  process. 

SULPHURETED  HYDROGEN— Tour 
dilute  sulphuric  acid  on  sulphuret  of  n-on.  This 
is  made  by  applying  a  roll  of  sulphur  to  a  bar  of 
iron  heated  white  hot,  or  by  heating  in  a  crucible 
a  mixture  of  2  parts,  by  weight,  of  iron  filings 
and  I  of  flowers  of  sulphur. 

SWIMMIA'G,  Art  of .—IthAs  been  observed 
that  men  are  drowned  by  raising  their  arms 
above  water,  the  unbuoyed  weight  of  which  de- 
presses the  head ;  all  other  animals  have  neither 


motion  nor  ability  to  act  in  a  similar  manner, 
and  therefore  swim  naturally.  When  a  man 
therefore  falls  into  deep  water,  he  will  rise  to 
the  surface  and  continue  there  if  he  does  not 
elevate  his  hands.  If  he  move  his  hands  under 
the  water  in  any  manner  he  pleases  his  head  will 
rise  so  high  as  to  allow  him  liberty  to  breathe,* 
and  if  he  move  his  legs  as  in  the  act  of  walking 
(or  rather  of  walking  upstairs),  his  shoulders 
will  rise  above  the  water,  so  that  he  may  use 
less  exertion  with  his  hands,  or  apply  them  to 
other  purposes.  These  plain  directions  are  re- 
commended to  the  attention  of  those  who  have 
not, learned  to  swim  in  their  youth,  and  they  will^, 
if  attended  to,  be  found  highly  advantageous  in 
preserving  life. 

If  a  person  falls  into  the  water  or  gets  out  of 
his  depth  and  cannot  swim,  and  if  he  wishes  to 
drown  himself,  let  him  kick  and  splash  as  vio- 
lently as  possible,  and  he  will  soon  sink.  On 
the  contrary,  if  impressed  with  the  idea  that  he 
is  lighter  than  the  water,  he  avoids  all  violent 
action  and  calmly  but  steadily  strives  to  refrain 
from  drawing  his  breath  while  under  the  water, 
and  keeps  his  head  raised  as  much  as  possible, 
and  gently  but  constantly  moves  his  hands  and 
feet  in  a  proper  direction,  there  will  be  a  great 
probability  of  his  keeping  afloat  until  some  aid 
arrives. 

SYRUP  of  the  Phosphate  of  Iron  .—Taks:  of 
phosphate  of  iron  96  grs.;  water  9  fl.  drs.;  sy- 
rupy phosphoric  acid  (Sp.  gr.  1.5)  7  fl.  drs.; 
syrup  10  fl,  oz.  Rub  the  phosphate  of  iron  with 
the  water  in  a  glass  mortar,  add  the  phosphoric 
acid,  and  filter  the  mixture  into  the  syrup. 

SYRUP  of  Phosphate  of  Iron  and  Lime. — 
Take  of  phosphate  of  iron  96  grs,;  phosphate  of 
lime  192  grs.;  water  8  fl.  drs.;  syrupy  phos- 
phoric acid  8  fl,  drs.;  syrup  10  fl.  oz.  Mi.x 
the  powders  with  the  water  in  a  glass  mortar, 
add  the  acid,  and  filter  into  the  syrup.  Each 
fluid  drachm  contains  I  grain  iron,  2  gr.  lime, 
and  equivalent  to  30  minims  dilute  phosphoric 
acid. 

The  phosphate  of  lime  is  made  by  precipita- 
tion from  solutions  of  chloride  of  calcium  and 
phosphate  of  soda,  dried  at  lOo"  F.,  and  used 
whilst  fresh.  That  made  from  bone-ash  is  much 
less  soluble.  ^ 

SYRUP  of  Phosphate  of  Iron  and  Quinine. — 
Take  of  phosphate  of  iron  192  grs.;  phosphate 
of  quinia  96  grs. ;  water  7  fl.  drs. ;  syrupy 
phosphoric  acid  9  fl.  drs.;  syrup  10  fl.  oz. 
Rub  the  powders  with  water,  add  the  acid,  and 
filter  into  syrup.  Each  fluid  drachm  contains 
2  gr,  iron  and  i  gr,  quinine. 

SYRUP  of  Phosphate  of  Manganese.— Take 
of  phosphate  of  manganese  96  grs.;  water  9  fl. 
drs.;  syrupy  phosphoric  acid  7fl,  drs,;  syrup 
ID  fl.  oz.  To  be  made  as  last.  Strength,  i  gr. 
manganese  salt  and  25  minims  of  acid  to  fluid 
drachm. 

TANNING  in  VACUO.— This  invention 
consists  in  an  improved  mode  of  operation  by 
means  of  an  oscillating  rack  m  an  air  tight  tan- 
ning box  having  a  pump  for  withdrawing  the 
air,  a  vat  for  supplying  the  liquid  on  the  top  by 
opening  a  valve,  and  a  liquid  distributing  ap« 
paratus  inside.  Tlie  box  is  also  provided  with 
openings,  closed  air  tight  by  glass,  for  watching 
the  progress,  and  a  vacuum  gauge  for  indicating 
the  vacuum. 

The.  air  being  pumped  out  of  the  box  opens 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


509 


the  pores  of  the  skins,  whereby  they  are  pre- 

f)ared  to  be  most  thoroughly  saturated  with  the 
iquid,  which,  being  let  in  upon  the  hides  in  this 
condition  in  a  distributed  M-ay,  is,  together  with 
the  agitation  of  the  hides  in  the  liquid  by  the 
oscillating  frame,  calculated  to  greatly  accelerate 
the  work.  This  the  inventor  claims  to  have  de- 
monstrated by  practical  tests,  in  which  sheep 
skins  were  completely  tanned  in  six  hours  ;  calf 
skins  in  twenty-four  hours ;  cow  hides  in  thirty- 
six,  and  ox  hides  in  sixty  hours.  Moreover,  the 
quick  saturation  of  the  hides  with  the  liquid,  is 
claimed  to  make  the  Itather  more  even  in  quality 
inside  and  out.  The  quality  is  also  improved ; 
for  the  fibers  on  the  outside  are  not  damaged  by 
the  too  great  action  of  the  tanning  liquid,  as  in 
the  old  and  slow  process,  in  which  it  is  neces- 
sary to  expose  the  outside  too  long  in  order  that 
the  liquid  may  penetrate  to  the  interior. 

TAR,  Syrtip  of. — Tar  (strained)  I  ounce 
(troy);  pulverized  sugar  (refined)  12  ounces 
(troy)  ;  carbonate  of  magnesia  3  ounces  (troy) ; 
rubbed  to  powder  on  a  sieve.  Alcohol  2  fl, 
ounces;  water  a  sufficient  quantity.  Mix  the 
alcohol  with  six  fl.  ounces  of  water,  rub  the  tar 
in  a  mortar  of  sufficient  capacity  with  one  ounce 
of  the  sugar,  and  then  with  the  carbonate  of 
magnesia,  gradually  added,  until  the  whole  is 
reduced  to  a  uniform,  puh^rulent  mixture.  To 
this  gradually  add  with  constant  trituration, 
which  should  be  continued  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes,  four  fl.  ounces  of  the  mixture  of  alcohol 
and  water  ;  then  strain  with  strong  expression. 
Return  the  residue  to  the  mortar,  and  again  tritu- 
rate, first  with  one  ounce  of  the  sugar,  and  then 
with  the  remaining  four  fl.  ounces  of  the  mixture 
of  alcohol  and  water,  gradually  added,  as  before; 
finally  strain  and  strongly  express,  and  then  re- 
duce the  dregs  by  trituration  to  a  smooth  and 
uniform  condition,  and  pack  firmly  in  a  glass 
funnel  prepared  for  percolation,  and  adjusted  to 
the  neck  of  a  graduated  bottle  containing  the  re- 
mainder of  the  sugar,  and  pour  upon  this  the  ex- 
pressed liquid ;  and  when  it  has  all  disappeared 
from  the  surface,  continue  the  percolation  with 
water  until  the  whole  measures  one  pint.  Agi- 
tate occasionally,  until  tlie  sugar  is  dissolved, 
and  strain  if  necessary.  Dose  from  a  dessert  to 
a  tablespoonful. 

The  strained  tar,  such  as  is  usually  sold  in 
gallon  cans,  answers  well  for  this  purpose,  but 
when  it  is  not  at  hand  the  crude  tar  may  be  dis- 
solved in  a  small  quantity  of  ether  and  strained, 
and  the  ether  allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously. 
TEST  PAPER,  A'^rt'.— Professor  Bottger 
announces  the  discovery  of  a  new  re-agent,  which, 
he  asserts,  is  highly  sensitive  to  the  alkalies.  It 
is  a  coloring  extract  of  the  colens  vershaffelti,  and  is 
produced  by  digestion,  for  24  hours,  in  pure 
alcohol,  to  which  a  few  drops  of  sulphuric  acid 
have  been  added.  The  hue  is  a  brilliant  red, 
which  turns  green  on  contact  with  any  alkali.  It 
is  not  affected  by  carbonic  acid,  and  will  detect 
the  slightest  trace  of  ammonia  in  illuminating 
gas,  if  moistened  and  placed  against  an  open  jet. 
The  presence  of  the  minutest  quantity  of  a  car- 
bonate of  any  of  the  alkalies  is  detected  by  it. 

TEETH,  Cements  for. — i.  Mix  12  parts  of 
dry  phosphoric  acid  with  13  parts  of  pure  and 
pulverized  quicklime.  It  becomes  moist  in  mix- 
ing, in  which  state  it  is  introduced  into  the 
cavity  of  the  tooth,  where  it  quickly  becomes 
hard. — 2.  Digest  9  parts   of  powdered  mastic 


with  4  parts  of  ether,  and  add  enough  powdered 
alum  to  form  a  stiff  paste. — 3.  Gutta-percha, 
softened  by  heat,  is  recommended.  Dr.  Rollfs 
advises  melting  a  piece  of  caoutchouc  at  the  end 
of  a  wire,  and  introducing  it  while  warm. — 4. 
{Metallic.) — Amalgams  for  the  teeth  are  made 
with  gold  or  silver,  and  quicksilver,  the  excess 
of  the  latter  being  squeezed  out,  and  the  stiff 
amalgam  used  warm.  Inferior  kinds  are  made 
with  quicksilver  and  tin,  or  zinc.  A  popular 
nostrum  of  this  kind  consists  of  40  grains  of 
quicksilver  and  20  of  fine  zinc  filings,  mixed  at 
the  time  of  using.  The  following  is  said  to  be 
the  most  lasting  and  least  objectionable  amalgam: 
Melt  2  parts  of  tin  with  I  of  cadmium,  run  it  into 
an  ingot,  and  reduce  it  to  filings.  Form  these 
into  a  fluid  amalgam  with  mercury,  and  squeeze 
out  the  excess  of  mercury  through  leather. 
Work  up  the  solid  residue  in  the  hand,  and  press 
it  into  the  tooth.  Another  cement  consists  of 
about  73  parts  of  silver,  21  of  tin,  and  6  of  zinc, 
amalgamated  with  quicksilver. 

TOBACCO,  To  Flavor. — ^This  is  done  by 
means  of  a  mixture  of  one  part  each  of  lemon 
peel,  orange  peel,  figs,  coriander  seed,  and  sassa- 
fras; one  half  part  each  of  elderflowers,  elder- 
berries, and  cinnamon;  two  parts  of  saltpeter, 
three  of  salt,  and  four  of  sugar.  This  mixture 
must  be  digested  in  fifty  parts  of  water,  and, 
before  applying  it,  flavored  with  an  alcoholic 
solution  of  gum  benzoes,  mastic,  and  myrrh. 
It  is  said  that  this  decoction  gives  a  flavor  to 
common  leaves  resembling  closely  the  Porto  Rico; 
but  to  this  end  the  leaves  must  be  well  dried, 
about  a  year  old,  well  permeated  with  the  pre- 
paration, kept  in  a  pile  for  eight  days,  turned 
daily,  and  finally  dried. 

TORTOISE  SHELL,  To  Imitate.— In  order 
to  do  this  well,  your  foundation  or  ground  work 
must  be  perfectly  smooth  and  white,  or  nearly 
so;  you  then  gild  it  with  silver  leaf  with  slow 
size,  so  as  to  have  it  perfectly  smooth,  with  no 
ragged  edges,  cleaning  the  loose  leaf  off.  Then 
grmd  Cologne  eaith  very  fine,  and  mix  it  with 
gum  water  and  common  size;  and  with  this, 
having  added  more  gum  water  than  it  was 
ground  with,  spot  or  cloud  the  ground  work, 
ha\'ing  a  fine  shell  to  imitate ;  and  when  this  is 
done,  you  will  perceive  several  reds,  lighter  and 
darker,  appear  on  the  edges  of  the  black,  and 
many  time^  lie  in  streaks  on  the  transparent 
part  of  the  shell.  To  imitate  this  finely,  grind 
sanguis  draconis  with  gum  water,  and  with  a 
fine  pencil  draw  those  warm  reds,  flushing  it  in 
about  the  dark  places  more  thickly;  but  fainter 
and  fainter  and  thinner,  with  less  color  towards 
the  lighter  parts,  so  sweetening  it  that  it  may  in 
a  manner  lose  the  red,  being  sunk  in  the  silver 
or  more  transparent  parts.  WTien  it  is  dry,  give 
it  a  coat  of  varnish,  let  it  stand  a  few  days,  then 
rub  it  down  with  pumice  stone  and  water.  Then 
grind  gamboge  very  fine,  and  mix  with  varnish, 
giving  of  this  as  many  coats  as  will  cause  the 
silver  to  have  a  golden  color,  then  finish  with  a 
clean  coat  of  varnish. 

TOYS,  Varnish  for. — Copal,  7  parts;  mastic, 
I  part;  Venice  turpentine,  %  part;  strongest 
alcohol,  II  parts.  Dissolve  the  copal  first,  with 
the  aid  of  a  little  camphor,  then  add  the  mastic, 
etc.,  and  thin  with  alcohol  as  required. 

TRA  CINGS,  To  Photograph  without  a  Cam- 
era.— Lay  out  several  thicknesses  of  cloth,  on  a 
smooth  drawing  board,  on  top  of  which  place  a 


510 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


sheet  of  sensitized  paper,  superimpose  the  same 
with  the  drawing,  right  side  up,  and  press  the 
whole  down  perfectly  smooth  with  a  piece  of 
glass  which  is  to  be  kept  in  place  by  clothes  pins 
and  weights,  and  expose  it  under  the  skylight 
until  the  edges  of  the  paper  show  a  sufficiently 
dark  impression,  when  it  is  to  be  removed,  toned, 
and  fixed.  In  this  manner  an  exact  copy  of  a 
drawing  can  be  made,  the  only  difference,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  will  be,  the  lines  will  be  white 
and  the  body  of  the  paper  dark,  which  is  of  no 
disadvantage  whatever. 

TREES,  Average  Growth  of. — Three  or  four 
years  ago  the  Illinois  Horticultural  Society 
appointed  a  committee  to  prepare  a  report  on  the 
cultivation  and  growth  of  forest  trees.  The 
committee  concluded  an  able  report  by  saying : 
As  the  results  of  our  observations  and  from  the 
testimony  of  reliable  men,  we  regard  the  following 
as  about  the  average  growth  in  twelve  years,  of 
the  leading  desirable  varieties,  when  planted  in 
belts  or  groves  and  cultivated  as  directed : — White 
Maple,  I  foot  in  diameter  and  30  feet  high. 
Ash-leaf  Maple,  l  foot  in  diameter  and  20  feet 
high.  White  Willow,  I  %  feet  in  diameter  and 
40  feet  high.  Yellow  Willow,  \%  feet  in  dia- 
meter and  35  feet  high.  Lombardy  Poplar,  10 
inches  in  diameter  and  40  feet  high.  Blue  and 
White  Ash,  10  inches  in  diameter  and  20  feet 
high.  Chestnut,  10  inches  in  diameter  and  20  feet 
high.  Black  Walnut  and  Butternut,  10  inches 
in  diameter  and  20  feet  high.  Elm,  10  inches 
in  diameter  and  20  feet  high.  Birch,  (varieties), 
10  inches  in  diameter  and  25  feet  high.  Larch, 
8  inches  in  diameter  and  24  feet  high.  As  before 
intimated,  the  different  varieties  of  evergreens 
will  make  an  average  growth  of  eighteen  to 
twenty  inches  in  hight  annually. 

From  these  and  other  data  which  the  intelli- 
gent farmer  can  collect,  he  may  readily  approxi- 
mate estimate  of  the  cost  of  fence  posts,  rails, 
fire-wood,  hewing  timber,  lumber,  etc. 

TUBA  ROOT.—TYie  roots  of  a  plant  known 
in  Borneo  by  the  name  tuba  or  tooba  are  much 
valued  in  that  country  for  destroying  vermin  on 
plants  and  animals.  They  are  thrown  into 
water  and  allowed  to  stand  a  short  time,  after 
which  the  animals  or  plants  are  washed  with  the 
water.  It  is  said  that  the  infusion  is  very  deadly 
to  the  vermin,  but  innocuous  to  the  plant  and 
animals.  The  roots  are  used  whilst  fresh,  and 
are  believed  to  lose  their  properties  in  drying. 
They  are  also  used  constantly  for  poisoning  fish 
and  pools.   The  plant  is  one  of  the  Leguminosae. 

URINE,  Incontinence  of. — The  continued 
use  of  tincture  of  iodine  (one  to  six  drops  a  day) 
is  said  to  be  a  permanent  cure. 

VARNISH,  Green. — ^There  is  a  most  beauti- 
ful transparent  green  varnish  employed  to  give 
a  fine  glittering  color  to  gilt  or  other  decorated 
works.  As  the  preparation  of  this  varnish  is 
very  little  known,  an  account  of  it  may  in  all 
probability  prove  of  interest  to  many  of  our 
readers.  Tlie  process  is  as  follows:  Grind  a 
small  quantity  of  a  peculiar  pigment,  called 
•'Chinese  blue,"  along  with  about  double  the 
quantity  of  finely  powdered  chromate  of  potash, 
and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  copal  varnish  thinned 
with  turpentine.  The  mixture  requires  the  most 
elaborate  grinding  or  incorporating  of  its  ingre- 
dients, otherwise  it  will  not  be  transparent,  and 
therefore  useless  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  is 
intended.    The  "tone"  of^the  color  may  be  vari- 


ed by  an  alteration  in  the  proportion  of  the  in- 
gredients; a  preponderance  of  chromate  of  pot- 
ash causes  a  yellowish  shade  in  the  green,  as 
might  have  been  expected,  and  vice  versa  with 
the  blue  under  the  same  circumstances.  This 
colored  varnish  will  produce  a  very  striking  ef- 
fect in  japanned  goods,  paper-hangings,  etc., 
and  can  be  made  at  a  very  cheap  rate. 

VARNISHING  0/ Paper.— Co\oxeA  designs 
would  be  more  simply  and  satisfactorily  var- 
nished by  first  giving  a  coat  of  good  gum-arabic 
and  then  of  varnish  of  about  equal  parts  of  tur- 
pentine and  Canada  balsam.  Colors  mixed  with 
gum  may  be  used  over  Indian  ink,  even  on  tra- 
cing-cloth, without  smearing.  I  may  add  that 
for  maps  or  lithographs  I  found  that  good  white 
starch  (two  coats  or  more)  answered  better, ""at 
less  cost  than  the  common  isinglass  recommen- 
ded in  receipt-books,  followed  by  the  above  var- 
nish. A  lithographed  picture  well  done  with 
thick  varnish  looks  almost  as  if  glazed,  or,  in 
other  cases  (with  borders  cut  off),  like  an  oil- 
painting. 

VARNISH  for  Prints,  etc.— This  is  made 
by  eight  parts  of  gelatine  glue  being  mixed  with 
one  part  alum,  and  half  part  Marseilles  soap,  in 
boiling  water.  The  glue  being  first  well  dissolved, 
the  alum  and  soap  are  added ;  all  is  then  well 
boiled,  and  afterwards  strained  and  filtered. 
This  varnish  will  protect  the  objects  from  damp, 
and  is  perfectly  water-proof. 

VARNISH  for  Violins,  etc. — Rectified  spirits 
of  wine,  ^  gal.;  add  6  oz.  gum  sandarac,  3  oz. 
gum  mastic,  and  %  pt.  turpentine-varnish ;  put 
the  above  in  a  tin  can  by  the  stove,  frequently 
shaking  till  well  dissolved;  strain,  and  keep  for 
use.  If  you  find  it  harder  than  you  wish,  thin 
with  more  turpentine-varnish. 

VARNISH  for  Shoes.— li  is  a  bad  plan  to 
grease  the  upper  leather  of  shoes  for  the  purpose 
of  keeping  them  soft ;  it  rots  the  leather,  and 
admits  dampness  more  readily.  It  is  better  to 
make  a  varnish  thus  :  Put  half  a  pound  of  gum 
shellac  broken  up  in  small  pieces,  in  a  quart 
bottle  or  jug;  cover  it  with  alcohol,  cork  it  tight, 
and  put  it  on  a  shelf  in  a  warm  place ;  shake  it 
well  several  times  a  day,  then  add  a  piece  of 
gum  camphor  as  large  as  a  hen's  egg;  shake  it 
well,  and  in  a  few  hours  shake  it  again,  and  add 
one  ounce  of  lamp-black ;  if  the  alcohol  is  good, 
it  will  be  dissolved  in  three  days  ;  then  shake 
and  use.  If  it  gets  too  thick,  add  alcohol — pour 
out  two  or  three  teaspoonfuls  in  a  saucer,  and 
apply  it  with  a  small  paint  brush.  If  the  mate- 
rials are  all  good,  it  will  dry  in  about  five  min- 
utes, and  will  be  removed  only  by  wearing  it  off, 
giving  a  gloss  almost  equal  to  patent  leather. 
The  advantage  of  this  preparation  above  others 
is,  it  does  not  strike  into  the  leather  and  make 
it  hard,  but  remains  on  the  surface,  and  yet  ex- 
cludes the  water  almost  perfectly.  This  same 
preparation  is  admirable  for  harness,  and  this 
does  not  soil  when  touched,  as  lamp-black  pro- 
portions do. 

VARNISHING  WALNUTFURNITURE. 
— In  dressing  over  old  furniture,  the  first  thing 
to  be  done  is  to  wash  it  over  with  lime  or  soda 
water,  to  remove  all  effects  of  grease  from  sweaty 
hands  which  will  prevent  varnish  from  flowing 
freely  or  hardening  well.  If  the  work  requires 
refilling,  rye  flour,  wheat  flour,  corn  starch,  or 
Paris  white,  ground  fine  in  oil  and  turpentine, 
will  do ;  but  one  or  two  coats  of  shellac  should 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


5x« 


be  laid  on  and  rubbed  smooth  before  applying 
the  varnish.  Work  finished  in  oil,  without  var- 
nish, should  be  filled  with  a  harder  substance 
than  starch.  Some  use  white  wax  reduced  in 
turpentine  ;  but  what  is  better  is  a  compound  of 
equal  parts,  by  weight,  of  whiting,  plaster  of 
Paris,  pumice-stone,  and  litharge,  to  which  may 
be  added  a  little  French  yellow,  asphaltum, 
Vandyke  brown,  and  tetra  di  sienna.  Alix  with 
one  part  japan,  two  of  boiled  oil,  and  four  of 
turpentine.  Grind  fine  in  a  mill.  Lay  the  filling 
on  with  a  brush,  rub  it  in  well,  let  it  set  twenty 
minutes,  then  rub  oflf  clean.  Let  it  harden  two 
or  three  days,  then  rub  smooth,  and,  if  required, 
repeat  the  process.  When  the  filling  is  satis- 
factory, finish  with  linseed  oil,  put  on  with  a 
brush ;  wipe  off,  and  rub  to  a  polish  with  fine 
cotton  ;  finish  with  a  silk  handkerchief,  or  any 
fine  fabric. 

VEiVEERING.— The  softest  woods  should 
he  chosen  for  veneering  upon — such  as  common 
cedar  or  yellow  pine ;  perhaps  the  best  of  all 
for  the  purpose  is  "arrow  board,"  twelve  foot 
lengths  of  which  can  be  had  of  perfectly  straight 
grain,  and  without  a  knot;  of  course  no  one 
ever  veneers  over  a  knot.  Hard  wood  can  be 
veneered,  boxwood  with  ivory,  for  instance ;  but 
wood  that  will  warp  and  twist,  such  as  nasty 
cross  grained  mahogany,  must  be  avoided. 

The  veneer,  and  the  wood  on  which  it  is  to  be 
laid,  must  both  be  carefully  prepared,  the  former 
by  taking  out  all  marks  of  the  saw  on  both  sides 
with  a  fine  toothing  plane,  the  latter  with  a 
coarser  toothing  plane.  If  the  veneer  happen 
to  be  broken  in  doing  this,  it  may  be  repaired 
at  once  with  a  bit  of  stiff  paper  glued  upon  it  on 
the  upper  side.  The  veneer  should  be  cut  rather 
larger  than  the  surface  to  be  covered ;  if  much 
twisted,  it  may  be  damped  and  placed  under  a 
board  and  weight  over  night.  This  saves  much 
trouble ;  but  veneers  are  so  cheap,  about  id.  a 
foot,  that  it  is  not  worth  while  taking  much 
trouble  about  refractory  pieces.  The  wood  to 
be  veneered  must  now  be  sized  with  thin  glue  ; 
the  ordinary  glue  pot  will  supply  this  by  dipping 
the  brush  first  into  the  glue,  then  into  the  boil- 
ing water  in  the  outer  vessel.  The  size  must  be 
allowed  to  dry  before  the  veneer  is  laid. 

We  will  suppose  now  that  the  veneering  pro- 
cess is  about  to  commence.  The  glue  in  good 
condition,  and  boiling  hot,  the  bench  cleared,  a 
basin  of  hot  water  with  the  veneering  hammer 
and  a  sponge  in  it,  a  cloth  or  two,  and  every- 
thing in  such  position  that  one  will  not  interfere 
with,  or  be  in  the  way  of  another. 

First,  damp  with  hot  water  that  side  of  the 
veneer  which  is  not  to  be  glued,  then  glue  the 
other  side.  Second,  glue  over  as  quick  as  pos- 
sible the  wood  itself,  previously  toothed  and 
sized.  Third,  bring  the  veneer  rapidly  to  it, 
pressing  it  down  with  the  outspread  hands,  and 
taking  care  that  the  edges  of  the  veneer  overlap 
a  little  all  round.  Fourth,  grasp  the  veneering 
hammer  close  to  the  pane  (shaking  off  the  hot 
water  from  it)  and  the  handle  pointing  away 
from  you ;  wriggle  it  about,  pressing  down  stout- 
ly, and  squeezing  the  glue  from  the  center  out 
at  the  edges.  If  it  is  a  large  piece  of  stuff  which 
is  to  be  veneered,  the  assistance  of  a  hot  flat 
iron  from  the  kitchen  will  be  wanted  to  make 
the  glue  liquid  again  after  it  has  set ;  but  don't 
let  it  dry  the  wood  underneath  it,  or  it  will  burn 
the  glue  and  scorch  the  veneer,  and  ruin  the 


work.  Fifth,  having  got  out  all  the  glue  possi- 
ble, search  the  surface  for  blisters,  which  will 
at  once  be  betrayed  by  the  sound  they  give  when 
tapped  with  the  handle  of  the  hammer ;  tlie  hot 
iron,  (or  the  inner  vessel  of  the  glue  pot  itself, 
which  often  answers  the  purpose)  must  be  ap- 
plied, and  the  process  with  the  hammer  re- 
peated. 

When  the  hammer  is  not  in  the  hand,  it  should 
be  in  the  hot  water. 

The  whole  may  now  be  sponged  over  with  hot 
water,  and  wiped  as  dry  as  can  be.  And  observe 
throughout  the  above  process,  never  have  any.< 
slop  and  wet  about  the  work  that  you  can  avoid. 
Whenever  you  use  the  sponge,  squeeze  it  well 
first.  Damp  and  heat  are  wanted,  not  wet  and 
heat.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  have  the  sponge  in 
the  left  hand  nearly  all  the  time,  ready  to  take 
up  any  moisture  or  squeezed  out  glue  from  the 
front  of  the  hammer. 

So  much  for  laying  veneers  with  the  hammer, 
which  though  a  valuable  tool  for  the  amateur,  is 
not  much  used  in  the  best  cabinet  maker's  shops; 
cauls  are  adopted  instead.  They  are  made  of 
wood  the  shape  and  size  of  the  surface  to  be 
veneered,  or,  better  still,  of  rolled  zinc  plate,  and 
being  made  very  hot  before  a  good  blaze  of 
shavings,  they  are  clamped  down  on  the  work 
when  the  veneer  is  got  into  its  place;  they  must 
be  previously  soaped,  to  prevent  them  sticking 
to  the  veneer.  The  whole  is  then  left  to  dry 
together.  The  hammer  is  quite  sufficient  for 
most  amateurs,  I  have  laid  veneers  with  it  5ft. 
long  by  i8in.  wide,  without  assistance,  and  with- 
out leaving  a  blister.  Cauls,  however,  are  very 
necessary  if  a  double  curve  has  to  be  veneered, 
or  a  concave  surface;  they  need  not  be  used  for 
a  simple  convex  surface.  By  wetting  well  one 
side  of  the  veneer  it  will  curl  up,  and  can  easily 
be  laid  on  such  a  surface;  but  it  will  be  well  to 
bind  the  whole  round  with  some  soft  string  to 
assist  it  in  keeping  down  while  drying, 

VENEERED  WORK,  To  /'<7//j//.— No  at- 
tempt at  scraping,  sandpapering,  or  poHshing 
veneered  work  must  be  made  till  the  glue  is 
perfectly  dry  and  hard.  It  should  be  left  twenty- 
four  hours  at  least,  in  a  warm  room,  and  is  better 
still  if  left  two  or  three  times  as  long. 

The  processes  for  French  polishing  vary  some- 
what, according  to  the  nature  of  the  wood.  For 
common  work  in  deal,  the  wood  may  be  well 
sized  first,  then  papered  with  fine  glass  paper, 
and  polished. 

For  mahogany,  walnut,  and  similar  porous 
woods,  the  pores  must  be  filled  by  rubbing  in,  on 
a  roller  of  old  carpet,  a  mixture  of  Russian  tallow 
(that  is,  tallow  free  from  salt)  and  plaster  of 
Paris,  well  amalgamated,  before  the  fire  in  cold 
weather.  Russian  tallow  may  be  had,  at  most 
oil  shops,  generally  pure  enough ;  but  if  the 
presence  of  salt  be  suspected,  refine  it  by  boiling 
It  in  plenty  of  water,  stirring  it  well  and  skim- 
ming it.  Set  it  by  to  cool,  and  use  the  cake  of 
tallow  which  will  be  at  the  top. 

The  more  this  filling  up  process  is  persevered 
in,  the  less  will  be  the  subsequent  labor  in  pol-  • 
ishing;  quite  a  bright  surface  should  be  got  up 
by  this  alone.  The  mixture  of  tallow  and  plaster 
maybe  darkened  with  red  lead  for  mahogany,  or 
with  other  coloring  matter  according  to  fancy. 

This  filling  is  not  necessary  for  boxwood, 
ebony,  or  other  of  the  hard  woods. 

To  polish  a  surface  thus  prepared,  not  being 


512 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


hard  wood,  and  not  in  the  lathe,  take  a  ball  of 
cotton  wool  saturated  with  methylated  French 

f)olish;  cover  it  with  a  fold  of  linen  cloth;  on  the 
inen  cover  put,  with  the  tip  of  the  finger,  a  drop 
or  two  of  raw  refined  linseed  oil  (not  "boiled 
oil");  get  on  a  good  body  of  varnish  by  rubbing 
always  one  way  with  circular  strokes;  be  very 
careful  to  go  over  all  the  ground  each  time  you 
work  round  the  surface;  and  do  not  go  over  the 
same  spot  twice  before  you  have  gone'over  all. 
The  longer  this  is  done  the  better.  Never  mind 
the  smears,  which,  though  they  look  queer,  are 
the  very  appearance  you  want  at  this  stage. 
Having  got  on  a  good  body,  leave  your  work 
and  take  to  another  piece.  It  is  good  to  leave 
it,  if  convenient,  even  for  a  day  or  two.  By  the 
way,  shut  all  doors  and  windows  before  you 
begin.  You  can't  do  French  polishing  in  a  draft 
or  in  a  very  cold  room. 

When  you  resume  work,  use  a  mixture  of  half 
methylated  French  polish  and  half  methylated 
spirit,  or  less  than  half  of  the  spirit  when  you 
commence,  and  put  now  as  little  as  possible  on 
the  wool,  covering  with  more  than  one  fold  of 
fine  linen  or  cambric.  Very  little  oil  as  before 
— only  just  enough  to  prevent  the  rubber  from 
sticking  to  the  work ;  go  over  it  lightly,  with  an 
easy  gentle  touch,  in  circular  strokes,  all  one 
way.  Never  mind  the  smears.  When  it  comes 
to  look  something  like  a  good  result,  which  it 
soon  will,  you  may  take  out  the  smears  by  rub- 
bing up  and  down  with  a  mere  trace  of  spirit  on 
wool  well  covered  with  the  linen,  but  avoid 
going  over  the  same  place  twice,  and  be  very 
light  and  gentle,  or  you  will  remove  your  polish. 
Finally  rub  it  well  with  a  clean  wash  leather 
(carefully  folded,  so  as  to  leave  no  hard  crease 
which  will  scratch),  or  an  old  silk  handkerchief, 
f|  breathing  on  the  work  occasionally. 
'  Boxwood,  ebony,  cocus,  etc.,  may  be  rapidly 
polished  in  the  lathe.  At  first  get  a  body  of 
polish  on,  and  this  can  be  done  without  using 
any  oil.  The  work  must  not  be  turned  around 
rapidly,  but  the  pulley  of  the  lathe  moved  slowly 
by  hand ;  then  use  your  rubber  with  a  drop  of 
oil,  and  finally,  the  polish  thinned  with  spirit. 

If  either  on  flat  or  turned  work  you  require  a 
very  superior  polish,  you  may  remove  nearly  all 
the  first  coat  with  fine  glass  paper,  and  put  it  on 
again  which  will  not  take  long,  the  pores  being 
all  filled.  Remember  that  throughout  the  oil  is 
only  used  to  prevent  the  rubber  from  sticking, 
and  it  has  to  be  got  out  afterwards  with  the 
spirit ;  so  never  use  more  than  necessary. 

In  the  lathe,  when  you  come  to  the  wash 
leathers,  the  work  may  be  driven  rapidly.  A  bit 
of  ebony  can  be  polished  in  5  or  o  minutes  to 
such  a  surface  that  small  print  can  be  easily  read 
in  it  as  in  a  mirror.  Don't  use  your  rubbers 
when  they  get  hard  and  dry,  but,  nevertheless, 
stick  to  an  old  one  as  long  as  you  can,  and,  if 
you  have  to  put  them  by,  keep  them  in  a  tin  box 
tightly  covered. 

VENTILA  riON,  Simpie  Means  of.  —  A 
piece  of  wood  an  inch  or  more  in  thickness, 
three  inches  wide,  and  exactly  as  long  as  the- 
breadth  of  the  window  through  which  ventilation 
is  to  be  established,  is  to  be  prepared.  Let  the 
sash  be  now  raised,  and  let  the  slip  of  wood  be 
placed  upon  the  side  of  the  window ;  the  sash  is 
then  to  be  drawn  down  closely  upon  the  slip  of 
wood.  If  the  slip  has  been  well  fitted — and  the 
fitting  may  be  made  more  complete  by  adapting 


it  to  the  grooves  in  the  sash  and  its  frame,  if  any 
exist — no  draught  will  be  experienced  in  conse- 
quence of  the  displacement  of  the  sash  at  this 
part.  The  effect  of  such  an  arrangement  is, 
however,  to  cause  a  separation  between  the  bars 
of  the  sashes  at  the  center.  By  this  means  a 
perpendicular  current  of  air  will  be  projected  in- 
to the  room  between  the  glass  in  the  upper  and 
lower  sashes  and  their  respective  bars,  or  else 
the  current  will  pass  outwards  in  the  reverse 
direction,  in  a  manner  by  which  all  inconvenience 
from  draught  will  be  avoided. 

Supposing  that  two  or  more  windows  at  oppo- 
site sides  of  a  room  are  fitted  in  this  manner,  a 
very  satisfactory  ventilation  will  be  secured. 
Owing  to  a  difference  in  its  equilibrium,  the  air 
will  rush  in  on  one  side,  and  rush  out  on  the 
other  side  of  the  apartment.  If  the  slips  of  wood 
are  painted  of  the  same  color  as  the  windows 
themselves,  they  will  attract  little  notice. 

VENTRILOQUISM.— P^  common  mistake 
is  to  suppose  ventriloquism  to  be  "throwing  the 
voice"  into  some  place.  This  is  of  course  im- 
possible. Others,  misled  by  the  derivation  of 
the  word,  which  comes  from  two  Latin  ones, 
venter,  the  belly,  and  loquor,  to  speak,  think  it 
means  speaking  from  the  stomach  or  with  the 
muscles  in  that  region.  Now  the  whole  art  of 
ventriloquism  consists  in  making  sounds  that 
shall  imitate  those  naturally  and  usually  proceed- 
ing from  a  designated  place.  The  ventriloquist 
speaks  without  moving  his  lips  for  the  purpose 
of  deceiving  the  spectator,  as  the  eye  has  always 
much  to  do  in  leading  the  imagination.  To  speak 
without  moving  the  lips  makes  it  necessary  to 
do  it  with  the  muscles  of  the  throat,  and  hence 
the  whole  mystery  is  thus  to  cultivate  the  ear  so 
as  to  know  exactly  what  sound  would  proceed 
from  a  certain  locality,  and  then  to  train  the 
throat  so  that  you  can  make  them  without  mov- 
ing the  lips.  There  are  many  persons  ventrilo- 
quists without  knowing  it,  and  there  are  many 
who  find  great  difficulty  in  acquiring  it  because 
they  imagine  it  an  intricate  or  mysterious  art. 
To  become  skillful  of  course  requires  practice, 
and  there  are  many  sounds  which  cannot  be  imi- 
tated by  voice  merely,  such  as  the  singing  of 
birds,  the  strident  noise  of  a  saw,  the  whistling 
of  a  plane,  etc.  Such  and  similar  unmusical 
sounds  are  imitated  by  means  of  the  teeth,  the 
lips  or  the  soft  parts  of  the  mouth.  Thus  the 
noise  of  a  saw  is  like  that  produced  by  hawk- 
ing, only  much  prolonged,  and  modified  by  the 
cheeks ;  singing  of  birds  may  be  imitated  by 
whistling  through  the  teeth.  The  foaming  of 
soda  water  by  breathing  with  open  lips  into  a 
tumbler,  etc. 

WAGONS,  To  Grease.— Tevr  people  fully 
appreciate  the  importance  of  thoroughly  lubri- 
cating the  axles,  etc.,  of  wagons  and  carriages, 
and  still  fewer  know  what  are  the  best  materials 
and  the  best  methods  of  applying  them.  A  well 
made  wheel  will  endure  common  wear  from  ten 
to  twenty-five  years,  if  care  is  taken  to  use  the 
right  kind  and  proper  amount  of  grease ;  but  if 
this  matter  is  not  attended  to,  they  will  be  used 
up  in  five  or  six  years.  Lard  should  never  be 
used  on  a  wagon,  for  it  will  penetrate  the  hub, 
and  work  its  way  out  around  the  tenons  of  the 
spokes,  and  spoil  the  wheel.  Tallow  is  the  best 
lubricator  for  wooden  axle-trees,  and  castor-oil 
for  iron.  Just  grease  enough  should  be  applied 
to  the  spindle  of  a  wagon  to  give  it  a  light  coat- 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


513 


ing ;  this  is  better  than  more,  for  the  surplus 
put  on  will  work  out  at  the  ends,  and  be  forced 
by  the  shoulder-bands  and  nut-washers  into  the 
hub  around  the  outside  of  the  boxes.  To  oil  an 
axle-tree,  first  wipe  the  spindle  clean  with  a 
cloth  wet  with  spirits  of  turpentine,  and  then 
apply  a  few  drops  of  castor  oil  near  the  shoulders 
and  end.  One  teaspoonful  is  sufficient  for  the 
whole. 

WAGON  HUBS,  To  Prevent  the  Cracking 
of  in  Seasoning. — Take  a  common  "try  pot," 
such  as  is  used  by  whalers,  or  a  farmer's  large 
boiling  kettle ;  fit  to  it  a  wooden  cover,  to  fasten 
with  small  screw  bolts  or  clamps  to  the  rim  to 
be  vapor  tight.  A  piece  of  one  inch  gas  pipe 
screwed  into  the  cover  serves  to  convey  the  va- 
por of  the  coal  tar  from  this  extemporized  still 
to  a  large  cask,  which  may  be  set  upon  one  head, 
as  a  receptacle  for  the  hubs.  The  still  pipe  is 
led  to  the  bottom  of  the  cask,  which  is  then  filled 
with  hubs,  and  a  cover  fitted  over  all,  to  be  va- 
por tight,  with  a  small  safety  valve  arrangement 
to  regulate  the  pressure.  The  kettle  is  then 
filled  with  refuse  matter  from  the  gas  works  or 
crude  coal  tar,  the  cover  secured,  a  fire  lighted 
under  the  kettle,  and  shortly  the  lighter  vapors 
penetrate  the  mass  of  hubs  at  a  temperature  of 
about  two  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  twenty 
degrees  Fah.  The  hubs  are  effectually  and  grad- 
ually heated,  so  that  all  the  watery  particles  are 
expelled  from  the  wood  in  steam  and  replaced 
by  the  light  vapors  of  the  hydrocarbon  oil. 
Subsequently  the  heavier  oils  are  distilled  over 
and  fill  the  pores  of  the  wood.  The  process  is 
finished  in  about  twelve  hours,  and  you  have  a 
hub  that  will  stand  anywhere  short  of  a  fire.  A 
few  experiments  will  satisfy  any  one  of  the  effi- 
cacy of  this  treatment.  One  of  the  products  of 
this  distillation  is  carbolic  acid — the  best  known 
antiseptic — and  the  hubs  will  be  found  strongly 
impregnated  with  the  peculiar  smell  of  this  well 
known  agent. 

WAGON  TIRES,  To  Keep  on  the  Wheel.— 
A  practical  mechanic  suggests  a  method  of  so 

fmtting  tires  on  wagons  that  they  will  not  get 
oose  and  require  resetting.  He  says  he  ironed 
a  wagon  some  years  ago  for  his  own  use ;  and, 
before  putting  on  the  tires,  he  filled  the  felloes 
with  linseed  oil,  and  the  tires  have  worn  out 
and  were  never  loose.  His  method  is  as  fol- 
lows :  He  used  a  long  cast  iron  heater  made  for 
the  purpose;  the  oil  is  brought  to  a  boiling  heat, 
the  wheel  is  placed  on  a  stick,  so  as  to  hang  in 
the  oil,  each  felloe  an  hour.  The  timber  should 
be  dry,  as  green  timber  will  not  take  oil.  Care 
should  be  taken  that  the  oil  is  not  made  hotter 
than  a  boiling  heat,  or  the  timber  will  be  burned. 
Timber  filled  with  oil  is  not  susceptible  of  injury 
by  water,  and  is  rendered  much  more  durable 
by  this  process. 

WALKS  (Gravel),  To  Make.— The  bottom 
should  be  laid  with  lime-rubbish,  large  flint 
stones,  or  any  other  hard  matter,  for  eight  or  ten 
inches,  to  keep  weeds  from  growing  through, 
and  over  this  the  gravel  is  to  be  laid  six  or  eight 
inches  thick.  This  should  be  lain  rounding  up 
in  the  middle,  by  which  means  the  larger  stones 
will  run  off  to  the  sides,  and  may  be  raked  away; 
for  the  gravel  should  never  be  screened  before  it 
is  laid  on.  It  is  a  common  mistake  to  lay  these 
walks  too  round,  which  not  only  makes  them 
uneasy  to  walk  upon,  but  takes  ofiF  from  their 
apparent  breadth.     One  inch  in  five  feet  is  a 


sufficient  proportion  for  the  rise  in  the  middle; 
so  that  a  walk  twenty  feet  wide  should  be  four 
inches  higher  at  the  middle,  than  at  the  edges, 
and  so  in  proportion.  As  soon  as  the  gravel  is 
laid,  it  should  be  raked,  and  the  large  stones 
thrown  back  again;  then  the  whole  should  be 
rolled  both  lengthwise  and  crosswise ;  and  the 
person  who  draws  the  roller  should  wear  shoes 
with  flat  heels  that  he  may  make  no  holes,  be- 
cause holes  made  in  a  new  walk  are  not  easily 
remedied.  The  walks  should  always  be  rolled 
three  or  four  times  after  very  hard  showers,  from 
which  they  will  bind  more  firmly  than  otherwise 
they  could  ever  be  made  to. 

WALKS,  To  Keep  Weeds  under  on. — Weeds 
on  walks  may  be  kept  under  by  watering  the 
gravel  with  the  following  solution :  Dissolve  two 
pounds  of  blue  vitriol  in  an  old  pan,  and  then 
dilute  it  with  six  or  seven  gallons  of  water ;  apply 
this  through  the  fine  nose  of  a  watering  pot,  and 
it  will  destroy  every  sign  of  vegetation. 

WASHING  (Chemical)  Preparation.— TskQ 
a  X  of  a  pound  of  soap,  a  ^  of  a  pound  of  soda, 
and  a  ^  of  a  pound  of  quickhme.  Cut  up  the 
soap,  and  dissolve  it  in  l  quart  of  boiling  water ; 
pour  I  quart  of  boiling  water  over  the  soda,  and 
3  quarts  of  boiling  water  upon  the  quicklime. 
The  lime  must  be  quick  and  fresh;  if  it  is  good, 
it  will  bubble  up  on  pouring  the  hot  water  upon 
it.  Each  must  be  prepared  in  separate  vessels. 
The  lime  must  settle  so  as  to  leave  the  water  on 
the  top  perfectly  clear;  then  strain  it  carefully 
(not  disturbing  the  settlings)  into  the  washboiler 
with  the  soda  and  soap ;  let  it  scald  long  enough 
to  dissolve  the  soap ;  then  add  6  gallons  of  soap 
water.  The  clothes  must  be  put  in  soak  over 
night,  after  rubbing  soap  upon  the  dirtiest  parts 
of  them.  After  having  the  above  in  readiness, 
wring  out  the  clothes  which  have  been  put  in 
soak,  put  them  on  to  boil,  and  let  each  lot  boil 
half  an  hour;  the  same  water  will  answer  for  the 
whole  washing.  After  boiling  each  lot  half  an 
hour,  drain  them  from  the  boiUng  water,  put 
them  in  a  tub,  and  pour  upon  them  two  or  three 
pailfuls  of  clear,  hot  water ;  after  this  they  will 
want  but  very  little  rubbing;  then  rinse  through 
two  waters,  bluing  the  last.  When  dried,  they 
will  be  a  beautiful  white.  After  washing  the 
cleanest  part  of  the  white  clothes,  take  2  pails  of 
the  suds  in  which  they  have  been  washed,  put  it 
over  the  fire  and  scald,  and  this  will  wash  all 
the  flannels  and  colored  clothes,  without  any 
extra  soap.  The  white  flannels,  after  being  well 
washed  in  the  suds,  will  require  to  be  scalded  by 
turning  on  a  teakettle  of  boiling  water. 

WA  TER,  To  Find.— la.  the  early  part  of 
the  year,  if  the  grass  assumes  a  brighter  color 
in  one  particular  part  of  a  field  than  in  the  re- 
mainder,  or,  when  the  latter  is  ploughed,  if  a 
part  be  darker  than  the  rest,  it  may  be  suspected 
that  water  will  be  found  beneath  it. 

In  summer,  the  gnats  hover  in  a  column,  and 
remain  always  at  a  certain  hight  above  the 
ground,  over  the  spots  where  springs  are  con- 
cealed. 

In  all  seasons  of  the  year,  more  dense  vapors 
arise  from  those  portions  of  the  surface  from 
which,  owing  to  the  existence  of  subterranean 
springs,  a  greater  degree  of  humidity  gives  rise 
to  more  copious  exhalations,  especially  in  the 
morning  or  the  evening.  It  is  for  this  reason 
that  the  well-sinkers  of  northern  Italy  go  in  the 
morning  to  the  places  near  which  it  is  desired 

33 


5^4 


DICTIOh^ARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


to  sink  a  well ;  they  lie  down  upon  the  ground 
and  look  toward  the  sun  to  endeavor  to  dis- 
cover the  places  in  the  neighborhood  from  which 
denser  vapors  may  arise  than  from  the  rest  of 
the  field. 

The  springs  to  which  these  rules  apply  are 
such  only  as  are  near  the  surface ;  when  the 
source  is  lower  they  are  rarely  sufficient,  and  the 
only  safe  guide  is  a  boring;  but  to  execute  such 
operations  with  any  chance  of  success,  a  certain 
knowledge  of  elementary  geology  is  absolutely 
necessary.  Provided  the  sources  do  not  descend 
to  any  very  great  depth,  the  principle  that  sub- 
terranean waters  follow  precisely  similar  laws 
to  those  upon  the  surface  holds  good;  but  when 
they  are  deep-seated,  many  disturbing  causes, 
to  be  noticed  hereafter,  modify  their  action.  If, 
in  a  valley  formed  in  a  diluvial  or  alluvial  de- 
posit lying  upon  a  more  retentive  stratum,  the 
two  sides  are  of  the  same  hight,  the  water  must 
be  sought  in  the  middle ;  and  if  on  the  contrary, 
one  side  be  steeper  than  the  other,  the  stream 
would  pass  nearer  the  steeper  side ;  in  both  cases 
supposing  that  the  materials  of  the  upper  stra- 
tum are  equally  permeable  throughout,  and  that 
the  depression  of  the  lower  stratum  presents  a 
tolerably  regular  basin-like  depression.  Springs 
are  often  not  to  be  met  with  at  the  head  of  val- 
leys, but  they  are  much  more  frequently  to  be 
found  at  the  intersection  of  the  secondary  valleys 
with  the  principal  one ;  and  the  most  favorable 
point  for  finding  water  is  usually  that  which  is 
furthest  from  the  intersection  of  these  valleys, 
and  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  plain  succeeding 
them,  at  precisely  those  positions  where  there  is 
the  least  water  upon  the  surface. 

When  the  transverse  valleys,  giving  forth 
streams  to  a  river  in  the  bottom  of  a  longitudinal 
valley,  are  nearly  at  right  angles  to  the  direction 
of  the  latter,  the  quantity  of  water  they  yield  is 
less  than  when  they  form  an  angle  with  it.  This 
law  holds  equally  good  with  subterranean  and 
with  surface  waters,  and  it  may  therefore  be  laid 
down  as  a  maxim  that  the  most  favorable  point 
for  seeking  a  supply  by  a  well  would  be  at  the 
mouth  of  long  transverse  valleys  inclined  to  the 
principal  one. 

If  the  structure  of  the  earth  consists  of  stone 
with  many  veins,  such  as  red  shale,  water  is 
found  almost  anywhere  except  on  the  tops  or 
near  the  tops  of  hills.  Boring,  of  course,  is  a 
perfect  test,  and  where  there  is  great  doubt  and 
wells  must  be  dug  very  deep  (judging  by  others 
in  the  neighborhood),  this  ought  to  be  resorted 
to.  Much  can  be  guessed  at  in  this  way.  In  a 
neighborhood  lying  between  a  tolerably  regular 
series  ^f  elevations,  the  subterranean  water  will 
probably  be  at  a  regular  level.  If  there  are  any 
wells  already  in  existence  with  a  steady  supply 
of  water,  you  have  only  to  ascertain  how  much 
higher  or  lower  the  surface  at  the  selected  spot 
is  than  at  the  well  already  made.  If  you  are  ten 
feet  higher,  your  well  must  be  ten  feet  deeper 
than  the  one  made,  and  vice  versa.  This  differ- 
ence in  level  can  be  ascertained  wit^  a  leveling 
instrument,  or  with  a  shrewd  man  by  guess. 

WATER,  To  Deteiitiine  whether  it  be  Hard 
or  Soft. — To  ascer'iin  whether  or  not  water  be 
fit  for  domestic  purposes,  to  a  glassful  of  the 
water  add  a  few  drops  of  the  solution  of  soap  in 
alcohol.  If  the  water  be  pure,  it  will  continue 
limpid;  if  hard,  white  flakes  will  be  formed. 
WATER  [Hard),  To  Improve.— U noihxng 


but  lime  is  the  trouble,  this  can  be  easily  dimin- 
ished to  one  fifth  or  one  sixth  by  means  of  quick- 
lime.    Notwithstanding  it  appears   paradoxical 
how  an  addition  of  lime  can  improve  water  hav- 
ing already  an  excess  of  lime,  it  is  nevertheless 
a  fact.     The  lime  dissolved  in  water  is  always 
the  carbonate  of  lime,  which  is  the  chemical  name 
for   the   different   kinds   of  so-called  limestone, 
marble,  chalk,  Iceland  spar,  etc.;  this  carbonate 
of  lime  is  almost  insoluble  in  pure  water.   When, 
however,    the   water   contains   carbonic  acid  it 
dissolves  large  quantities  of  the  same,  as  may 
be  seen  at  druggists  who  from  fountains  draw 
carbonic  acid  water  (so-called  soda-water)  over 
marble  counters,  these  counters  becoming  even- 
tually almost  honey-combed  at  their  surface  by 
its  action.     All  that  is  necessary  in  your  case  is 
to  dispose  of  this  free  carbonic  acid,  which  is  the 
cause  of  the  solvent  power  of  the  water  for  lime- 
stone.  If,  now,  quicklime  is  mixed  with  a  small 
quantity  of  water,  and  left  to  settle  until  clear,  a 
solution  of  lime  in  water  will  be  obtained.     As 
quicklime  is  soluble  in  the  same,  you  must  cover 
up  your  vessel,  as  otherwise  this  lime-water  will 
attract  carbonic  acid  from  the  air  and  become 
turgid.    This  clarified  lime-water  poured  in  your 
hard   spring-water,  will  at  once  cause  its  free 
carbonic  acid  to  combine  with  the  lime,  and  form 
chalk,  which  will  precipitate  with  it  the  chalk  or 
limestone  naturally  in  solution  in  the  water,  as 
the  cause  of  the  solubility,  the  free  carbonic  acid, 
is  removed.     The  quantity  of  hme-water  to  be 
used  depends,  of  course,  on  the  amount  of  lime- 
stone in  solution  in  your  spring-water,  and  has 
to  be  determined  by  experiment,   in  order  to 
avoid  an  excess   of  lime-water.     Take,  for  in- 
stance, a  gallon  of  spring-water,  pour  in  a  few 
ounces  of  clear  lime-water,  it  will  become  milky; 
let  it  settle,  then  pour  in  more  lime-water ;  if  it 
again  becomes  milky,  it  wants  still  more ;  there- 
fore repeat  the  addition  of  lime-water  till  you 
find  what  quantity  produces  milkiness,  while  a 
further  addition  has  no  effect;  this  is  then  the 
quantity  needed.     Say,    for  instance,    that  you 
find  it  to  be  eight  ounces,  then  you  know  that 
your  water  requires  eight  ounces  of  lime-water 
to  the  gallon  to  remove  most  of  the  dissolved 
limestone  in  the  same,  which  will  separate  by 
settling  while  you  draw  off  the  clear  water  over 
it;  the  sediment  is  very  fine  chalk;  and  if  obtained 
in  sufficient  quantity,  may  be  used  for  whitening. 
It  is  evident  that  you  will  have  to  construct  a 
cistern  or  reservoir  to  conduct  this  operation  in. 
If  you  are  able  to  obtain  very  pure  quicklime, 
you  may,  to  simplify  operations,  make  a  milk  of 
lime,  using,  for  instance,   for  every  ton  of  hard 
spring-water  to  be  treated,  one  pound  of  quick- 
lime mixed  with  half  a  gallon  of  water.     Pour  it 
in  the  cistern,   stir  it  up  for  a  few  minutes  and 
let  it  settle.     The  use  of  quicklime  to  purify 
lime-water  has  quite  recently  been  successfully 
introduced  in  the  chalk  districts  of  England  by 
Professor  Tyndall,   who  has  found  that  by  care- 
ful treatment  as  much  as  eighty-two  per  cent,  of 
the  lime  has  been  removed  from  hard  waters. 

WATER,  To  Prevent  Becoming  Putrid.— 
This  is  founded  on  the  principle  that  iron  be- 
comes rusty  only  in  water  that  contains  air.  It  is 
the  oxygen  of  the  air,  contained  in  the  water,  that 
unites  with  the  iron  and  produces  rust. 

So,  also,  the  rusting  of  iron  in  water  removes 
the  oxygen  of  the  air  from  the  water.  Eut  water 
in  which  there  is  no  oxygen  or  atmospheric  air 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


5«S 


can  not  become  putrid.  To  prevent  water  from 
becoming  putrid,  we  have,  therefore,  only  to  put 
in  it  some  bits  of  iron.  Some  pieces  of  sheet- 
iron  (not  rusty)  or  iron  turnings  are  the  best. 
Cast-iron  is  not  so  good. 

The  practical  applications  of  this  are  numerous. 
Drinking-water  on  ships  may  be  kept  sweet  by 
putting  it  in  sheet-iron  tanks,  or  by  putting  bits 
of  iron  into  the  water-casks.  Water  in  which 
leeches  are  kept  will  remain  sweet  without 
changing  it,  by  putting  a  few  scraps  of  iron  in 
the  vessel.  The  offensive  smell  from  the  water 
in  the  vases  of  flowers  will  be  prevented  by  a 
few  small  nails,  or  bits  of  sheet-iron  in  the  bottom 
of  the  vases.  The  putrefaction  of  water,  so 
common  in  the  bottom  of  rain-water  cisterns, 
would  be  prevented  by  scraps  of  iron  or  iron- 
turnings.  In  this  case,  it  would  be  well  to  put 
the  iron  where  it  would  not  be  disturbed.  Per- 
haps if  inclosed  in  a  loose  bag  or  net,  it  would 
be  well. 

WATER,  To  Purify  when  Putrid.— I.  Wa- 
ter, I  lb.;  sulphuric  acid,  8  drops.  Mix,  and 
filter  through  charcoal. — 2.  Water,  8  gallons; 
powdered  alum,  I  ounce.  Dissolve  with  agita- 
tion, then  allow  it  to  rest  for  24  hours,  decant 
into  another  vessel,  and  add  a  solution  of  car- 
bonate of  soda,  until  it  ceases  to  produce  a  pre- 
cipitate.— 3.  Instead  of  alum  add  seven  or  eight 
grains  of  red  sulphate  of  iron,  then  proceed  as 
before. — 4.  Add  a  little  aqueous  chlorine  to  the 
foul  water. — 5.  Arrange  a  suitable  pipe  to  the 
end  of  a  pair  of  bellows,  (double  bellows  are 
best,)  and  continue  driving  the  atmospheric  air 
through  the  water  for  some  time,  then  allow  it 
to  settle  for  use. 

WA  TERf  To  Clear  when  Muddy, —  It  is  a 
peculiar  property  of  alum  that,  when  in  solution. 
It  will  combine  with  the  most  foreign  particles 
in  suspension,  or  even  in  solution.  In  fact,  on 
this  property  is  founded  the  manufacture  of  the 
lakes  used  in  painting,  the  dissolved  coloring 
matter  being  precipitated  by  alum.  In  the  same 
manner,  all  dirty  coloring  matter  in  a  pailful  of 
water  may  be  precipitated  by  dissolving  in  it  a 
piece  of  alum  as  small  as  a  hickory  nut,  or  even 
smaller,  according  to  the  degree  of  impurity  of 
the  water.  Simply  dissolve  the  alum,  stir  up, 
and  let  it  settle.  Along  the  Missouri  and  Mis- 
sissippi rivers  this  method  is  frequently  em- 
ployed. When  no  excess  of  alum  is  used,  this 
also  is  mostly  carried  down  in  the  deposits. 

WA  TER,  To  Keep  Cool  without  Re. — Water 
can  be  kept  cool  for  drinking  in  warm  weather 
by  the  following  method  :  Get  fresh  water,  let 
it  be  kept  in  an  unglazed  earthen  ware  pitcher, 
wrapt  around  with  two  or  three  folds  of  coarse 
cotton  cloth  kept  constantly  wet.  The  theory 
of  cooling  water  in  this  manner  is  the  absorption 
of  heat  from  it  by  the  evaporation  of  the  moist- 
ure in  the  cotton  cloth  —  expansion  produces 
cold,  compression  heat. 

WA  TER  FIL  Ti^i?.— Vcelcker  calls  attention 
to  the  use  of  spongy  iron  as  a  deodorizing  ma- 
terial of  greater  potency  than  animal  charcoal. 
Sewage  water  passed  through  a  filter  of  spongy 
iron  is  completely  purified,  and  this  water,  after 
ha\'ingbeen  kept  six'months  protected  from  the 
air,  was  perfectly  sweet  and  free  from  fungus 
growth.  The  spongy  iron  was  obtained  by  cal- 
cining a  finely  divided  iron  ore  and  charcoal. 

WA  TER  TA.YKS.  —  Wooden  tanks  and 
barrels  are  totally  unfit  to  keep  water  in;  the 


wood  continually  gives  organic  extractive  matter 
to  the  water,  which  in  warm  weather  originates 
microscopic  fungoid  growth,  which  in  its  turn 
hastens  the  decay  of  the  wood.  All  who  have 
ever  made  a  long  sea- voyage  on  board  of  a  ves- 
sel where  water  was  kept  in  wooden  barrels, 
will  never  forget  the  nauseous  taste,  lasting  un- 
til the  settling  of  the  particles,  or  the  exhaustion 
of  the  organic  action  producing  the  fungoid 
growth.  In  regard  to  zinc  in  comparison  with 
lead,  it  is  also  poisonous ;  but  lead  is  by  far  the 
worst.  Workmen  in  zinc-white  factories  and 
painters  using  zinc  white  are  apt  to  get  the  zinc 
colic,  which  is  similar  to  the  lead  colic,  but  more 
mild  in  its  forms,  and  yields  more  easily  to  the 
same  remedies.  Galvanized  iron  being  iron 
covered  with  a  zinc  coating,  is  in  this  respect 
identical  with  zinc,  and  we  should  prefer  either 
to  lead,  which,  for  some  kinds  of  water — rain 
water,  for  instance — is  decidedly  dangerous,  as 
it  dissolves  the  lead  easier  than  the  zinc.  The 
best  method,  however,  is  to  employ  plain  iron 
tanks,  as  used  on  ship-board.  Oxidation  of  the 
iron  goes  on,  it  is  true ;  but  this  is  exceedingly 
slow — slower  than  is  the  case  with  any  steam-, 
boiler ;  and  if  any  of  the  iron  oxide  dissolves  in 
the  water,  it  will  in  any  case  be  very  little,  and 
even  if  considerable,  it  would  give  the  water 
tonic  properties,  as  iron  is  healthy.  It  gives  the 
red  color  to  our  blood,  and  is,  in  fact,  needed  in 
the  system ;  therefore,  we  are  taking  it  all  the 
time  in  minute  doses  with  our  food.  All  fertile 
soils  contain  iron.  Its  healthy  properties  have 
caused  the  justly-earned  reputation  of  chalybeate 
springs ;  and  ip  preserving  our  water  in  iron 
tanks  the  loss  of  iron  by  oxidation  is  fully  com- 
pensated by  the  improved  healthfulness  of  the 
water.  Therefore  we  say,  away  with  zinc  or 
galvanized  tanks  and  tubes,  and  above  all,  away 
with  lead-lined  tanks  and  tubes,  and  substitute 
tanks  of  boiler-iron  and  iron  tubes ;  let  them 
rust;  and  if  they  give  out  in  30  years  or  there- 
about, your  children  may  substitute  new  ones, 
and  in  the  mean  time  you  will  prolong  your  own 
life  many  years,  or  at  least  spare  yourself  sick- 
ness and  suffering. 

WA  TER  PIPES,  To  Manage  in  Winter.— 
When  the  frost  begins  to  set  in,  cover  the  water 
pipes  with  hay  or  straw  bands,  twisted  tight 
round  them.  Let  the  cisterns  and  water-butts 
be  washed  out  occasionally ;  this  will  keep  the 
water  pure  and  fresh. 

In  pumping  up  water  into  the  cistern  for  the 
water-closet,  be  very  particular,  in  winter  time. 
Let  all  the  water  be  let  out  of  the  pipe  when 
done ;  but  if  this  is  forgotten,  and  it  should  be 
frozen,  take  a  small  gimblet  and  bore  a  hole  in 
the  pipe,  a  little  distance  from  the  place  where 
it  is  let  off,  which  will  prevent  its  bursting. 
Put  a  peg  into  the  hole  when  the  water  is  let 
off.       ^^ 

WATER  PIPES,  To  Mend.—\  British 
scientific  publication  gives  the  following  letter : 
"Many  of  your  readers  have  doubtless  had  more 
or  less  trouble,  at  some  period  of  their  lives,  in 
repairing  water  pipes  where  the  water  could  not 
be  shut  off  conveniently  at  the  fountain  head  or 
some  intermediate  point.  In  going  to  my  office, 
a  few  days  since,  my  way  led  past  a  place  where 
a  man  was  repairing  a  lead  pipe,  which  had 
been  cut  off  accidentally  in  maknig  an  excava- 
tion. There  was  a  pressure  of  water  of  more 
than  fifty  feet  head»    His  plan  seemed  to  me  to 


5i6 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


be  novel  and  ingenious.     The  two  ends  of  the 

Eipe  were  plugged,  and  then  a  small  pile  of 
roken  ice  and  salt  was  placed  around  them ;  in 
five  minutes  the  water  in  the  pipe  was  frozen, 
the  plugs  removed,  a  short  piece  of  pipe  inserted 
and  ])erfectly  soldered,  and  in  five  minutes  the 
ice  in  the  pipes  was  thawed  and  the  water  flow- 
ing freely  through."  • 

IVA  TER  PIPES,  To  Unite.— An  excellent 
material  for  uniting  water  pipes  is  prepared  by 
combining  four  parts  of  good  Portland  cement 
and  one  part  of  unslaked  lime  mixed  together 
in  small  portions  in  a  stout  mortar,  adding 
enough  water  to  permit  it  to  be  reduced  to  a  soft 
paste. 

WATERING  STREETS,  Chemical  Solu- 
tion for. — For  several  years  experiments  with 
chemical  solutions  for  watering  streets  have  been 
employed  in  various  English  cities  with  consid- 
erable success.  A  mixed  solution  of  common 
salt  and  chloride  of  lime  has  been  used  to  a 
large  extent.  These  salts  attract  moisture  suf- 
ficient to  keep  the  street  dust  from  becoming 
absolutely  dry  unless  neglected.  A  very  small 
quantity  is  said  to  answer  the  purpose,  and  not 
only  to  keep  the  dust  well  -laid,  but  also  to  act 
as  an  antiseptic,  cleaning  the  streets  of  foul 
odors. 

WATER-TIGHT  CELLAR  FLOORS.— 
When  floors  are  not  subjected  to  a  great  pres- 
sure of  water,  a  good  hydraulic  cement  or  water 
lime  will  form  a  tight  cellar  bottom  and  sides ; 
but  when  the  whole  soil  is  full,  and  the  cellar  is 
like  a  basin  in  it,  the  pressure  of  the  water  up- 
ward will  surely  find  crevices  where  it  will  ooze 
up.  The  cure  for  this  state  of  things  is  to  get 
drainage,  if  possible,  and  if  this  cannot  be  had 
and  repeated  patching  will  not  stop«  the  leaks, 
in  a  very  dry  time  take  up  the  top  of  the  floor, 
and  after  covering  the  whole  with  a  layer  of 
gravel,  pour  into  it  melted  asphaltum,  which 
should  be  rolled  and  pounded  down  while  warm, 
and  one  or  two  more  layers  applied,  topping 
%vith  sand.  If  the  gravel  can  be  hot  also,  it  will 
make  a  much  better  floor ;  but  if  it  can  not  be, 
some  coal  tar  may  be  mingled  with  the  asphalt- 
um, and  the  gravel  coated  slightly  with  it  before 
the  hot  asphaltum  is  applied. 

WA  TER-PROOF  PAPER.— The  solution 
of  oxide  of  copper  in  ammonia  acts,  as  is  well 
known,  as  an  energetic  solvent  upon  cellulose: 
This  property  is  made  use  of  to  water-proof  paper 
in  the  following  manner :  A  tank  is  made  to  con- 
tain the  solution  just  alluded  to,  and  the  paper 
is  rapidly  passed  just  over  and  in  contact  witfi 
the  surface  of  the  liquid,  by  means  of  properly 
placed  rollers  moving  with  speed.  The  paper, 
on  leaving,  is  pressed  between  two  cylinders, 
and  next  dried  by  means  of  so-called  drying 
cylinders  similar  to  those  in  use  in  our  paper 
mills.  The  short  contact  of  the  felty  Jiaper 
tissue  with  the  liquid  gives  rjse  to  just  sufficient 
solution  of  cellulose  to  form  an  impermeable 
varnish. 

WATER-PROOF  PACKING-PAPER.— 
Water-proof  packing-paper  is  thus  made  by  some 
manufacturers :  The  paper  is  covered  with  a 
resinous  liquid,  then  painted  over  with  a  solution 
of  glue  and  soot,  as  without  this  the  paper  will 
later  show  blotches.  After  this  is  dried,  the 
actual  water-proof  coat  is  applied.  This  is  pre- 
pared with  two  and  a  half  ounces  of  powdered 
shellac,  dissolved  in  two  pints  of  water,  which 


is  gradually  brought  to  boil,  and  stirred  until  the 
substance  is  perfectly  dissolved  and  softened, 
when  gradually  one  third  ounce  of  powdered 
borax  is  added,  until  an  intimate  union  of  the 
substances  takes  place.  The  liquid  is  then  left 
to  cool,  and  while  still  hot  any  mineral  color  may 
be  added,  such  as  lampblack,  yellow  ochre,  red 
ochre,  iron  blue,  or  burnt  umber,  whereupon  it 
is  left  to  get  entirely  cold.  It  is  then  ready  for 
use.  The  operation  can  be  so  quickly  performed 
with  a  brush  that  two  women  can  prepare  three 
thousand  feet  in  ten  hours. 

WATER.PROOF  for  Porous  Cloth.— Dh- 
solve  2^  lbs.  alum  in  4  gal.  water;  dissolve  also, 
in  a  separate  vessel,  the  same  weight  of  acetate 
of  lead  in  the  same  quantity  of  water.  When 
both  are  well  dissolved,  mix  the  solutions  to- 
gether; and,  when  the  sulphate  of  lead  resulting 
from  this  mixture  has  been  precipitated  to  the 
bottom  of  the  vessel  in  the  form  of  a  powder, 
pour  off  the  solution,  and  plunge  into  it  the 
fabric  to  be  rendered  water-proof.  Wash  and 
rub  it  well  during  a  few  minutes,  and  hang  it  in 
the  air  to  dry. 

WATER.PROOF  for  Tweeds.— Take  two 
pounds  four  ounces  of  alum  and  dissolve  it  in 
ten  gallons  of  water.  In  like  manner  dissolve 
the  same  quantity  of  sugar  of  lead  in  a  similar 
quantity  of  water,  and  mix  the  two  together. 
They  form  a  precipitate  of  the  sulphate  of  lead. 
The  clear  liquor  is  now  withdrawn,  and  the  cloth 
immersed  for  one  hour  in  the  solution,  when  it 
is  taken  out,  dried  in  the  shade,  washed  in  clean 
water,  and  dried  again.  This  preparation  enables 
the  cloth  to  repel  water  like  the  feathers  of  a 
duck's  back,  and  yet  allows  the  perspiration  to 
pass  freely  through  it. 

WA  TER-PROOF  Composition  for  Wood.— 
Dr.  Scherzer,  an  Austrian  official  at  Pekin,  has 
just  sent  to  his  government  some  specimens  of 
aQiinese  composition  called  "Schioicao,"  which 
has  the  property  of  making  wood  and  other  sub- 
stances perfectly  water-tight.  He  says  that  he 
has  seen  in  Pekin  wooden  chests  which  had 
been  to  St.  Petersburg,  and  had  come  back 
uninjured,  and  that  the  Chinese  use  the  compo- 
sition also  for  covering  straw  baskets,  which  are 
afterwards  employed  in  carrying  oil  for  long 
distances.  Cardboard,  when  covered  with  the 
composition,  becomes  as  hard  as  wood;  and 
most  wooden  buildings  in  Pekin  have  a  coating 
of  it.  It  consists  of  three  parts  of  blood  de- 
prived of  its  fibrine,  four  of  lime,  and  a  little 
alum. 

WE  A  THER  SIGNS.— kmm^itd.  bodies  re- 
ceive peculiar  impressions  that  precede  and  an- 
nounce change  of  weather.  Thus  we  hear  dis- 
tant sounds  better  when  there  is  going  to  be 
rain ;  we  also  then  see  remote  objects  more  dis- 
tinctly, and  bad  odors  are  more  offensive  than 
usual. 

Swallows  skim  the  ground  in  their  flight ;  is 
it  that  they  may  feed  on  the  worms  that  then 
come  out  on  the  surface?  Lizards  hide,  cats 
make  their  toilet,  birds  oil  their  feathers,  flies 
bite  more  sharply,  chickens  scratch  themselves 
and  roll  in  the  dust,  fish  leap  out  of  the  water, 
and  aquatic  birds  flap  their  wings  and  dabble  in 
the  ponds  and  brooks. 

Nearly  all  the  signs  indicated  announce  damp- 
ness in  the  air,  rather  than  the  approach  of  rain, 
for  they  are  not  seen  when  a  storm  occurs  in 
dry  weather.    Thus  the  swelling  of  wood-work. 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


5*7 


which  renders  it  difficult  to  close  doors  made  of 
soft  timber,  and  the  contraction  and  tension  of 
cordage  made  of  vegetable  fibres,  are  counted 
among  the  signs  of  atmospheric  humidity.  Rude 
hygrometers  have  even  been  constructed  of  these 
fibres. 

Certain  flowers  do  not  open  at  all  in  rainy 
weather ;  others,  the  Siberian  thistle  particular- 
ly, remain  open  or  shut  according  as  tlie  weather 
is  going  to  be  rainy  or  dry. 

Pallor  of  the  sun  announces  rain;  it  is  seen, 
at  such  times  only,  through  an  atmosphere  la- 
den with  vapors.  If  the  heat  be  stifling,  that 
too  is  a  sign  of  rain;  for  one  is  then  surrounded 
by  an  atmosphere  saturated  with  vapor,  and 
more  readily  heated,  owing  to  its  lack  of  trans- 
parency. If  the  vapors  be  collected  in  clouds, 
the  sun's  rays  that  pass  through  the  latter  height- 
en the  temperature  more  than  they  would  have 
done  in  perfectly  clear  weather.  If  the  sun  be 
clear  and  brilliant,  it  foretells  a  fine  day;  but 
when  the  sun  is  at  its  rising  preceded  by  red- 
ness, and  this  redness  passes  off  the  moment  it 
does  appear,  the  sign  is  of  rain. 

Two  winds  of  opposite  qualities  succeeding 
each  other  often  bring  rain.  Thus  a  cold  wind, 
entering  an  atmosphere  impregnated  with  moist- 
ure by  the  warm  wind  that  preceded  it,  will 
bring  about  a  precipitation  of  water ;  and  the 
same  will  be  the  case  where  a  damp,  warm  wind 
enters  air  that  had  been  chilled  by  the  wind  that 
had  preceded  it. 

Generally,  an  approaching  rain  can  be  better 
foreseen  when  the  sky  presents  several  banks  or 
layers  of  clouds  resting  one  above  the  other. 
The  winds  that  carry  with  them  detached  masses 
of  clouds  yield  but  light  rains. 

Motionless  clouds,  lying  in  the  quarter  whence 
the  wind  blows,  bring  only  a  continuance  of  that 
wind ;  but  if  they  appear  in  the  opposite  quarter, 
they  announce  its  termination. 

Clouds  coming  up  simultaneously,  yet  impelled 
by  different  winds,  announce  an  early  storm. 

Clouds  accumulating  on  the  sides  of  mountains 
foretell  rain- 

The  following  are  the  signs  most  familiar  to 
navigators  and  farmers : 

A  rosy  sky  at  sunset,  fine  weather.  A  red 
sky  in  the  morning,  bad  weather,  or  a  great  deal 
of  wind. 

A  gray  sky  in  the  morning,  fine  weather.  If 
the  first  light  of  dawn  appears  over  a  bed  of 
clouds,  wind  may  be  looked  for.  If  on  the  hori- 
zon, fine  weather. 

Light  clouds  with  imperfectly  defined  edges 
announce  fine  weather  and  moderate  breezes. 
Thick  clouds  with  well-marked  edges,  wind.  A 
deep,  dark  blue  sky  of  sombre  tinge  indicates 
wind.  A  clear  and  brilliant  -blue  sky  indicates 
fine  weather.  The  lighter  the  clouds  look,  the 
less  reason  is  there  to  anticipate  wind.  The 
more  dense,  the  more  rolled  together,  twisted, 
and  tattered  they  are,  the  stronger  the  wind  will 
be.  A  brilliant  yellow  sky  at  sunset  announces 
wind;  a  pale  yellow  one,  rain.  According  to  the 
predominance  of  red,  yellow,  or  grayish  tints, 
we  can  foretell  the  condition  of  the  weather  with 
a  very  close  approximation  to  accuracy. 

Small  clouds  of  an  inky  color  portend  rain. 
Light  clouds  moving  rapidly  in  the  direction 
opposite  to  dense  masses,  announce  wind  and 
rain. 

High  clouds  passing  before  the  sun,  the  moon, 


or  the  stars,  in  a  direction  opposite  to  that  pur- 
sued by  the  lower  beds  of  clouds,  or  of  the  wind 
felt  at  the  surface  of  the  soil,  indicate  a  change 
of  wind- 
After  fine  weather,  the  first  signs  of  a  change 
are  ordinarily  high  white  clouds  in  belts,  or  in 
light  dappled  tufts  or  locks,  which  grow  larger 
and  soon  form  dense  and  sombre  masses.  Gen- 
erally, the  more  remote  and  higher  up  these 
clouds  appear,  the  less  abrupt  the  change  of 
weather  will  be,  but  it  will  be  considerable. 

Soft,  light,  delicate  tints,  with  clouds  of  de- 
cided shade,  indicate  or  accompany  fine  weather. 
Extraordinary  tints  and  dense  clouds,  with  hard 
outlines,  indicate  rain,  and  probably  a  gale  of 
wind. 

Remark  the  clouds  that  form  on  hills  and 
other  elevated  places,  and  cling  there.  If  they 
continue  there,  augment,  or  descend,  they  indi- 
cate rain.  If  they,  however,  ascend  and  disperse, 
they  portend  good  weather.  When  sea-birds  fly 
out  away  from  land  in  the  morning,  there  will 
be  fine  weather. 

WEATHER  TABLE,  Dr.  Adam  Clark's. 
— The  table  and  the  accompanying  remarks  are 
the  result  of  many  years'  actual  observation,  the 
whole  being  constructed  on  a  due  consideration 
of  the  attraction  of  the  sun  and  moon,  in  the 
several  positions  respecting  the  earth,  and  will 
by  a  simple  inspection  show  the  observer  what 
kind  of  weather  will  most  probably  follow  the 
entrance  of  the  moon  into  any  of  its  quarters, 
and  that  so  near  the  truth  as  to  be  seldom  or 
never  found  to  faiL 


MOON. 

TIME  OF  CHANGE. 

IN  SU.MMER. 

If,  S? 

Between  midnight  and  2 

in  the  morning. 

Fair. 

f-'cS 

Between  2  and  4,  morning. 

Cold,  with  showers. 

.c  o  a 

"        4and6,       " 

Rain. 

"Sg* 

"        6  and  8,       " 

Wind  and  rain. 

§  =  -^ 

"        8  and  10,    " 

Changeable. 

O   3   C 

"      10  and  12,     " 

Frequtnt  showers. 

At   12    o'clock,   at  noon. 

t£^ 

and  2  p.  M. 

Very  rainy. 

^  "^ 

Bet.  2  and  4,  afternoon. 

Changeable. 

V  '^lA 

"    4  and  6,          " 

Fair. 

"    6  and  8,          " 

Fair,  if  wind  N.  W. 

"    8  and  10,        " 

Rainy,  if  wind  S.  W. 

&-B 

"  10  and  midnight 

"            "          '■ 

"       12  and  2  A.M. 

Fair. 

Obsetvations. — I.  The  nearer  the  time  of  the 
moon's  change.  First  Quarter,  Full,  and  Last 
Quarter,  are  to  midnight,  the  fairer  will  the 
weather  be  during  the  seven  days  following. 
2.  The  space  for  this  calculation  occupies  from 
10  at  night  till  2  next  morning.  3.  The  nearer 
to  midday  or  noon  the  phases  of  the  moon  hap- 
pen, the  more  foul  or  wet  weather  may  be  ex- 
pected during  the  next  seven  days.  4.  The 
space  for  this  calculation  occupies  from  10  in  the 
forenoon  to  2  in  the  afternoon.  These  obser- 
vations refer  principally  to  the  summer,  though 
they  affect  spring  and  autumn  nearly  in  the 
same  ratio.  5.  The  moon's  change.  First 
Quarter,  Full,  and  Last  Quarter,  happening 
during  six  of  the  afternoon  hours,  i.  e.  from  4 
to  10,  may  be  followed  by  fair  weather ;  but  this 
is  mostly  dependent  on  the  wind,  as  noted  in 
the  table.  6.  Though  the  weather,  from  a  va- 
riety of  irregular  causes,  is  more  uncertain  in 
the  latter  part  of  autumn,  the  whole  winter,  and 
the  beginning  of  spring,   yet  in  the  main,  the 


5i8 


DICTIONARY  OF EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


above  observations  will  apply  to  those  periods 
also.  7.  To  prognosticate  correctly,  especially 
in  those  cases  where  the  wind  is  concerned,  the 
observer  should  be  within  sight  of  a  good  vane, 
where  the  four  cardinal  points  of  the  heavens 
are  correctly  placed.  Within  this  precaution,  he 
will  scarcely  ever  be  deceived  in  depending  on 
the  table. 

WEA  THER  TABLE,  Dr.  HerschelVs.  — 
The  following  table  was  constructed  by  the  cele- 
brated Dr.  Herschell,  upon  a  philosophic  con- 
sideration of  the  attraction  of  the  sun  and  moon. 
It  is  confirmed  by  the  experience  of  many  years' 
observation,  and  will  suggest  to  the  observer 
what  kind  of  weather  will  probably  follow  the 
moon's  entrance  into  any  of  her  quarters. 
Though  calculated  for  England  it  will  be  found 
applicable  to  other  localities. 

If  the  moon  changes  at  12  o'clock  noon,  the 
weather  immediately  afterward  will  be  very 
rainy,  if  in  summer,  and  there  will  be  snow  and 
rain  in  winter. 

If  between  2  and  4  o'clock  P.  M.;  changeable 
in  summer — fair  and  mild  in  winter. 

Between  4  and  6  o'clock  P.  M.;  fair  in  both 
summer  and  winter. 

Between  6  and  10  o'clock  P.  M.;  in  summer, 
fair,  if  the  wind  is  northwest ;  rainy,  if  south  or 
southwest.  In  winter,  fair  and  frosty,  if  the 
wind  is  north  or  northwest ;  rainy,  if  south  or 
southwest. 

Between  10  and  12  o'clock  P.  M.j  fair  in  sum- 
mer and  frosty  in  winter. 

Between  12  at  night  and  2  o'clock  A.  M.;  fair 
in  summer  and  frosty  in  winter,  unless  the  wind 
is  from  the  south  or  southwesL 

Between  2  and  4  o'clock  A.  M. ;  cold  and 
showery  in  the  summer  and  snow  and  storm  in 
the  winter. 

Between  4  and  6  o'clock  A.  M.;  rainy  both  in 
winter  and  summer. 

Between  6  and  8  o'clock  A.  M.;  wind  and 
rain  in  the  summer  and  stormy  in  the  winter. 

Between  8  and  10  o'clock  A.  M.;  changeable 
in  summer,  rain  with  a  westerly  and  snow  with 
an  easterly  wind  in  winter. 

Between  10  and  12  o'clock  A.  M.;  showery  in 
summer,  and  cold  and  windy  in  winter. 

WELLS,  To  Remove  Foul  Air  from, — It  is 
well  known  that  many  accidents  occur  to  per- 
sons going  down  into  wells  to  clean  them,  owing 
to  the  noxious  gas  in  such  places.  To  remove 
the  gas  before  descent  is  made  into  any  well,  a 
quantity  of  burned  but  unslaked  lime  should  be 
thrown  down.  This,  when  it  comes  in  contact 
with  whatever  water  is  below,  sets  free  a  great 
quantity  of  heat  in  the  water  and  lime,  which 
rushes  upward,  carrying  all  the  deleterious  gas 
with  it ;  after  which,  the  descent  may  be  made 
with  perfect  safety.  The  lime  also  absorbs  car- 
bonic acid  in  the  well.  Always  lower  a  light 
before  descending;  if  it  is  extinguished,  there  is 
still  danger  of  suffocation. 

Another  simple  method  is  to  let  an  umbrella 
down  and  rapidly  hauled  up  a  number  of  times 
in  succession.  The  effect  is  to  remove  the 
gas  in  a  few  minutes  from  a  well  so  foul  as  to 
instantly  extinguish  a  candle  previous  to  the  use 
of  the  umbrella. 

WINDOW  BLINDS,  AVw.— This  consists 
in  a  number  of  glass  rods  arranged  either  verti- 
cally or  horizontally,  and  secured  together  by 
appropriate  frames,  forming  a  series  of  cylin- 


drical lenses  which  break  up  the  light  and  throw 
it  into  every  part  of  the  room,  thus  producing  a 
soft  and  diffused  glow  which  is  very  beautiful 
and  pleasant.  The  glass  rods  may  be  of  any 
color,  and  by  an  arrangement  of  the  colors  very 
beautiful  effects  can  be  produced. 

WINE  OF  WILD  CHERRY  BARK.— PA- 
coholic  extract  (from  24  ounces)  of  wild  cherry 
bark,  5J!^  ounces;  sweet  almonds,  3  ounces; 
water,  i  pint ;  sherry  wine,  2  pints.  Beat  the 
almonds  with  the  water  to  a  paste,  rub  down  the 
extract  with  half  a  pint  of  the  wine,  and  mix  the 
two  liquids  in  a  bottle  of  the  capacity  of  three 
pints,  stop  it  closely,  and  permit  it  to  stand  for 
three  days,  with  occasional  agitation;  then  add 
the  remainder  of  the  wine,  allow  it  to  stand  a 
week  and  filter.  By  this  mode  of  proceeding, 
opportunity  is  afforded  for  the  development  of 
the  hydrocyanic  acid  before  the  menstruum  is 
made  so  alcoholic  as  to  retard  the  reaction  which 
favors  its  formation.  Thus  made,  wine  of  wild 
cherry  bark  is  a  transparent,  wine-red  liquid, 
having  an  astringent  bitter-almond  taste  and 
odor,  much  less  agreeable  than  the  syrup,  and 
of  about  the  same  strength.  The  dose  of  this 
preparation  as  a  tonic  and  sedative  is  a  teaspoon- 
ful. 

WOOD,  To  Prevent  Decay  in. — A  process 
has  been  discovered  for  the  prevention  of  the 
decay  of  wood.  As  the  result  of  a  five  years' 
experience,  a  paint  is  recommended,  which  at 
the  same  time  possesses  the  advantages  of  being 
impervious  to  water.  It  is  composed  of  fifty 
parts  of  tar,  five  hundred  parts  of  fine  white  sand, 
four  parts  of  linseed  oil,  one  part  of  the  red 
oxide  of  copper  in  its  native  state,  and  finally, 
one  part  of  sulphuric  acid.  In  order  to  manu- 
facture the  paint  from  this  multiplicity  of  materi- 
als, the  tar,  sand,  and  oil,  are  first  heated  in 
an  iron  kettle;  the  oxide  and  acid  are  then 
added  with  a  great  deal  of  caution.  The  mass  is 
very  carefully  mixed  and  applied  while  hot. 
When  thoroughly  dry,  this  paint  is  as  hard  as 
stone. 

WOOD,  Presetvntion  of. — ^The  use  of  creosote, 
or  sulphate  of  copper  or  iron,  for  preserving 
wood,  is  open  to  objections  which  unfit  their 
employment  for  floorings  or  ornamental  wood 
work,  the  first-named  leaving  a  permanent, 
disagreeable  smell,  the  latter  discoloring  the 
wood.  Borax  is  now  found  to  be  admirably 
adapted  for  keeping  such  from  decay.  The  pre- 
paration is  simple,  and  consists  in  immersing  the 
wood  in  a  saturated  solution  of  borax,  which  is 
then  heated  to  two  hundred  and  twelve  degrees 
Fahrenheit.  The  wood  is  left  for  ten  or  twelve 
hours,  the  time  depending  upon  the  density  and 
size  of  the  planks.  When  taken  out,  the  boards 
are  stacked  until  dry,  then  re-immersed  in  a 
weaker  solution  of  the  salt  for  a  brief  time,  dried 
again,  and  are  then  ready  for  use.  Boards  thus 
prepared  are  practically  indestructible  from  rot, 
and  are  nearly  incombustible.  Another  pre- 
servative is  said  to  be  a  compound  of  one  part 
silicate  of  potassa  and  three  of  pure  water — the 
wood  to  remain  in  the  solution  twenty-four 
hours,  then  dried  for  several  days,  then  soaked 
and  dried  a  second  time,  and  subsequently  painted 
twice  over  with  a  mixture  of  one  part  water-ce- 
ment and  four  of  the  first-mentioned  mixture. 
Thus  prepared,  it  will  not  decay  in  the  ground, 
and  will  be  incombustible  out  of  it. 

WOOD,  To  Feirify.— Gem  salt,  rock  alum. 


MISCELLANEO  US. 


519 


white  vinegar,  chalk  and  peebles  powder,  of 
each  an  equal  quantity.  Mix  well  together.  If, 
after  the  ebullition  is  over,  you  throw  into  this 
any  wood  or  porous  substance,  it  will  petrify  it. 

WOOD,  To  Season. — Small  pieces  of  non-re- 
sinous wood  can  be  seasoned  perfectly  by  boiling 
four  or  five  hours — the  process  taking  the  sap 
out  of  the  wood,  which  shrinks  nearly  one-tenth 
in  the  operation.  The  same  writer  states  that 
trees  felled  in  full  leaf  in  June  or  July,  and  allowed 
to  lie  until  every  leaf  has  fallen,  will  then  be 
nearly  dry,  as  the  leaves  will  not  drop  of  them- 
selves until  they  have  drawn  up  and  exhausted 
all  the  sa'p  of  the  tree.  The  time  required  is 
from  a  month  to  six  weeks,  according  to  the 
dryness  or  wetness  of  the  weather.  The  floor 
of  a  mill  laid  with  poplar  so  treated,  and  cut  up 
and  put  in  place  in  less  than  a  month  after  the 
leaves  fell,  has  never  shown  any  shrinkage. 

WOOD,  To  Split. — In  splitting  the  saw  pieces 
it  is  much  easier  to  split  by  slabs  than  to  try  and 
cleave  them  through  the  centre.  This  means  to 
spht  off  pieces  at  a  time,  but  a  little  from  the 
edge;  and  we  may  add,  that  wood  splits  much 
more  readily  in  the  direction  up  from  the  root  of 
the  tree,  than  when  the  blow  of  the  axe  is  down- 
ward. In  other  words,  to  split  a  chunk  place 
it  upside  down — contrary  to  the  direction  in 
which  it  grew — before  striking  at  it. 

WOOD  PULP,  To  Bleach.— \.  process  of 
bleaching  wood  puip  has  been  made  known  by 
M.  Orioli.  He  has  recognized  that  chloride  of 
lime,  however  little  in  excess,  has  a  tendency  to 
produce  a  yellow  tint;  that  all  the  strong  acids 
turn  the  paste  red  under  the  action  of  the  sun, 
or  in  some  time  without  sunlight,  in  the  presence 
of  moisture;  that  the  slightest  trace  of  iron  is 
sufficient  to  blacken  the  paste  in  a  very  short 
time.  These  objectionable  results  are  obviated 
by  the  following  mixture:  For  100  kilogrammes 
(200  lbs. )  of  wood  pulp  800  grammes  of  oxalic 
acid  are  employed,  this  serving  the  double  pur- 
pose of  bleaching  the  coloring  matter  already 
oxidized  and  of  neutralizing  the  alkaline  princi- 

f)les  favorable  to  oxidation ;  2  kilogrammes  (2^ 
bs. )  of  sulphate  of  alumina,  perfectly  free  from 
iron,  are  added.  The  principal  agent  in  this 
new  process  is  the  oxalic  acid,  the  energetic 
action  of  which  on  vegetable  matters  is  well 
known.  The  sulphate  of  alumina  added  does 
not  bleach  of  itself,  but  it  forms  with  the  coloring 
matter  of  the  wood  a  nearly  colorless  lake, 
which  hightens  the  brilliancy  of  the  product. 

WRITING,  To  Prevent  Alterations  in.— If 
you  should  desire  at  any  time  to  write  a  document 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  render  attempts  at  altering 
or  falsifying  your  manuscript  impossible,  bear  in 
mind  a  hint  given  in  a  French  paper-makers' 
journal,  that  by  steeping  paper  in  a  very  weak 
solution  of  gallic  acid,  you  obtain  a  writing  sur- 
face upon  which  ordinary  ink  makes  a  mark  that 
defies  deceitful  erasure  or  alteration,  by  rendering 
any  attempt  at  such  easily  detectable. 

WRITINGS,  To  Restore  when  Decayed.— 
Cover  the  letters  with  solution  of  ferrocyanide 
of  potassium,  with  the  addition  of  a  diluted  min- 
eral acid;  upon  the  application  of  which,  the 
letters  change  very  speedily  to  a  deep  blue  color, 
of  great  beauty  and  intensity.  To  prevent  the 
spreading  of  the  color,  which,  by  blotting  the  ' 
parchment,  detracts  greatly  from  the  legibility, 
the  ferrocyanide  should  be  put  on  first,  and  the 
diluted  acid  added  upon  it.     The  method  found 


to  answer  best  has  been  to  spread  the  ferrocya- 
nide thin  with  a  feather  or  a  bit  of  stick  cut  to  a 
blunt  point.  Though  the  ferrocyanide  should 
occasion  no  sensible  change  of  color,  yet  the 
moment  the  acid  comes  upon  it,  every  trace  of  a 
letter  turns  at  once  to  a  fine  blue,  winch  soon 
acquires  its  full  intensity,  and  is  beyond  compar- 
ison stronger  than  the  color  of  the  original  trace. 
If,  then,  the  corner  of  a  bit  of  blotting-paper  be 
carefully  and  dexterously  applied  near  the  letters, 
so  as  to  imbibe  the  superfluous  liquor,  the  stain- 
ing of  the  parchment  may  be  in  a  great  measure 
avoided ;  ior  it  is  this  superfluous  liquor  which, 
absorbing  part  of  the  coloring  matters  from  the 
letters,  becomes  a  dye  to  whatever  it  touches. 
Care  must  be  taken  not  to  bring  the  blotting- 
paper  in  contact  with  the  letters,  because  the 
coloring  matter  is  soft  whilst  wet,  and  may 
easily  be  rubbed  off.  The  acid  chiefly  employed 
is  the  muriatic ;  but  both  the  sulphuric  and  nit- 
ric succeed  very  well.  They  should  be  so  far 
diluted  as  not  to  be  liable  to  corrode  the  parch- 
ment, after  which  the  degree  of  strength  does 
not  seem  to  be  a  matter  of  much  nicety. 

WRITING,  To  Make  Indelible.— T\iQ  fol- 
lowing simple  process  will  make  lead-pencil 
writing  or  drawing  as  indelible  as  if  done  with 
ink.  Lay  the  writing  in  a  shallow  dish,  and 
pour  skimmed  milk  upon  it.  Any  spots  not  wet 
at  first  may  have  the  milk  placed  upon  them 
lightly  with  a  feather.  When  the  paper  is  all 
wet  over  with  the  milk  take  it  up  and  let  the 
milk  drain  off,  and  whip  off  with  the  feather  the 
drops  which  collect  on  the  lower  edge.  Dry  it 
carefully,  and  it  will  be  found  to  be  perfectly 
indelible.  It  cannot  be  removed  even  with 
India  rubber.  It  is  an  old  and  a  good  recipe. 
WRITE  {How  to)  Busi7iess  Letters. — Use 
the  fewest  words  which  will  clearly  convey  your 
meaning ;  superfluous  words  waste  time  and  are 
apt  to  confuse. 

Write  plainly.  Elegant  writing  is  often  un- 
readable, and  it  is  better  to  write  legibly  even  if 
you  think  plain  letters  not  so  handsome.  Be  par- 
ticular to  make  all  proper  names  and  figures  es- 
pecially plain.  Flourishes  are  out  of  place  in  a 
business  letter. 

When  ordering  goods  state  carefully  what  you 
want  and  the  amount  you  inclose. 

In  replying  to  a  letter  it  is  well  to  begin  by 
stating  in  brief  the  substance  of  that  letter's 
contents,  so  your  correspondent  will  see  that 
you  have  got  his  meaning,  as  well  as  to  refresh 
his  memory  about  the  matter  you  are  writing  on. 
Always  sign  your  name  and  address  in  full  to 
each  letter  you  write,  even  though  you  have  writ- 
ten to  the  same  person  before.  Be  careful  to 
give  post  office,  county  and  state  very  plainly,  as 
different  names  are  often  very  similar.  It  is  well 
to  spell  the  name  of  your  state  in  full. 

Always  read  your  letter  over  before  inclosing 
in  the  envelope,  to  make  sure  you  have  not  for- 
gotten anything.  If  money  is  to  be  inclosed,  be 
sure  it  is.     Seal  securely  and  direct  plainly. 

It  is  well  to  make  a  little  memorandum,  at  the 
time  of  wridng,  of  what  you  have  written,  time, 
etc.  This  is  handy  to  refer  to  in  case  of  mistake. 
If  a  dealer  does  not  in  due  time  respond  to 
an  order  intrusted  to  him,  in  justice  to  yourself 
and  him  you  should  write  for  an  explanation. 
State  when  you  wrote  to  him,  what  you  wrote 
for,  amount,  if  any,  inclosed,  how  you  directed 
the  goods  to  be  sent,  and  any  other  information 


520 


DICTIONARY  OF  EVERY-DAY  WANTS. 


you  think  important.  If  you  do  not  remember 
the  exact  date,  give  the  nearest  guess  you  can 
to  it.  If  you  merely  write, — "  I  sent  you  an 
order  some  time  ago,  and  you  havn't  filled  it," 
it  is  almost  impossible  to  investigate  the  matter 
in  an  establishment  of  any  size.  It  is  unneces- 
sary to  call  people  swindlers,  when  you  write 
to  them,  even  if  you  think  so.  If  they  are  honest, 
they  will  not  be  inclined  to  do  more  than  they 
are  bound  to;  if  dishonest,  they  expect  that  kind 
of  thing,  and  take  it  as  a  matter  of  course. 
When  you  know  a  person  to  be  a  cheat,  don't 
waste  your  time  and  postage,  telling  him  you 
will  expose  him,  but  go  to  work  and  do  it. 

WRITING,  (New),  To  Make  Look  Old.— 
Take  I  dr.  of  saffron,  and  infuse  it  in  y^  pt. 
of  ink,  and  warm  it  over  a  gentle  fire,  and  it 
will  cause  Avhatever  is  written  with  it  to  turn 
yellow,  and  appear  as  if  of  many  years'  standing. 

WRITING  {Old),To  Copy.—\.  Press  copies 
of  old  letters  or  manuscript  can  be  taken,  it  is 
said,  by  pressing  the  pages  on  the  dampened 
paper  in  the  usual  way,  and  then  applying  the 
vapor  of  ammonia.  Although  no  result  may 
appear  to  follow  the  first  operation,  we  are  as- 
sured that  after  the  second  the  letters  will  appear 
distinctly  on  the  dampened  blotting-paper.  An- 
other method  consists  in  dampening  the  manu- 
script with  a  solution  of  sugar,  honey,  or  muci- 
laginous  matter,  and  then  applying  as  heretofore. 
In  this  case  the  sugar  is  put  on  the  paper, 
instead  of  being  mixed  previously  in  the  ink,  as 
is  done  in  one  form  or  other  with  ordinary 
copying  inks. — 2.    (^Carri's  Method.)    This   is 


To  give  to  friends  who  prize  it  for  the  giver's 
sake.  2.  It  makes  passable  kindlings.  3.  It 
will  bring  about  three  cents  a  pound  at  the  paper 
mill,  to  work  up  with  old  rags.  Write  prose; — 
poetic  prose  is  far  better  than  prosaic  poetry. 

3.  Do  not  write  long  articles,  or  long  sentences. 
Write  as  you  would  a  telegram,  where  each  word 
costs  a  dime,  or  an  advertisement,  which  costs  a 
dollar  a  line. 

4.  Do  not  ask  an  editor  to  return  your  manu- 
script. Keep  a  copy.  With  a  hundred  letters 
a  day  to  read,  he  has  something  to  do  besides 
hunting  up  last  year's  manuscripts,  received, 
rejected,  and  buried,  or  burned,  long  ago. 

5.  Do  not  get  angry  because  your  first  article 
is  rejected.  Quite  likely  if  it  is  printed,  you  will 
live  to  wish  it  had  been  burned,  or  sent  to  the 
paper  mill.  The  first  pair  of  shoes  a  cobbler 
makes  are  not  likely  to  sell  very  readily;  and 
it  takes  more  skill  and  longer  practice  to  write 
good  articles  than  to  make  good  shoes. 

6.  Keep  trying  and  sending  on;  the  practice 
will  do  you  good ;  and  if  writing  is  in  you  it  will 
come  out.  But  if  you  cannot  stand  criticism,  and 
rejection,  and  fault  finding,  you  will  makeapoor 
author,  and  may  as  well  know  it  at  once.  The 
writer's  first  article  was  rejected;  he  kept  it 
awhile,  sent  it  to  the  same  paper  again,  and  it 
was  printed. 

7.  Remember  an  editor  may  have  a  peck  of 
better  articles  than  yours  is,  which  he  wrote 
himself,  and  yet  does  not  think  them  worth 
publishing.  He  will  do  the  best  he  can,  consist- 
ently, by  you.    He  is  more  anxious  to  encourage 


accomplished  by  wetting  unsized  copying  paper  I  good  writers  than  you  are  to  write, 

with  a  solution  of  one  part  of  hydrochloric,  or        °    ^~  ""'■  '■  ' "'"" 

muriatic  acid,  and  twelve  of  water,  instead  of 
plain  water;  and,  after  laying  this  on  the  manu- 
script, subjecting  the  whole  to  pressure  with  the 
ordinary  copying  press.  This  method  has  also 
lately  been  used  to  test  the  antiquity  of  certain 
writing,  since,  when  the  manuscript  is  thirty 
years  old,  only  an  illegible  copy  can  be  made. 
On  the  other  hand,  writing  less  than  ten  years 
old  disappears  entirely  after  immersion  of  some 
hours  or  days  in  the  same  solution,  while  that 
thirty  years  old  and  more  continues  legible  after 
fifteen  days'  maceration.  In  taking  a  press  copy 
of  writing  by  Carr<;'s  method  any  acid  absorbed 
by  the  paper  can  be  neutralized  by  exposing  it 
for  a  few  seconds  above  a  dish  containing  aqua 
ammonia. 

WRITING,  To  Take  out.— Vfashhy  mt&ns 
of  camel's  hair  pencils  dipped  alternately  in 
solutions  of  cyanide  of  potassium  and  oxalic  acid. 

WRITING forihe  Press.— 1.  Do  not  say, 
"I  write  in  a  hurry,  please  correct  all  mistakes." 
You  have  ten  times  the  opportunity  to  do  this 
that  the  editor  has.  His  time  is  worth  from  fifty 
cents  to  ten  dollars  an  hour,  and  he  will  be  likely 
to  correct  your  errors  by  fire,  and  then  they  will 
never  trouble  any  one  any  more.  You  must  do 
your  own  work  if  you  want  it  done.  It  is  said 
that  Newton  wrote  his  chronology  over  fifteen 
times  before  he  was  satisfied  with  it,  and  Gibbon 
wrote  out  his  memoir  nine  times  before  sending 
it  to  the  press.  No  beginners  can  expect  better 
success  or  less  labor  than  such  learned  men. 
Do  not  write  poetry.     Most  who  try,  do 


not  know  what  poetry  is,  and  they  cannot  be 
told  till  they  have  learned  a  great  deal  more  than 
they  know  now.  Ninety-nine  one  hundredths 
of  Uie  rhyme  written  is  good  for  three  things:  i. 


Do  not  expect  a  poor  editor  to  set  up  a 
reading  school,  spelling  school,  grammar  school 
and  writing  school  for  the  benefit  of  those  who 
have  not  improved  their  opportunities  at  home. 
You  can  study  these  matters  anywhere;  do  not 
impose  your  ignorance  on  an  editor,  and  then 
wonder  that  he  has  not  time  to  fool  over  such 
nonsense.  Some  poor  printer  has  to  set  up  the 
type  for  your  article.  Every  cent  you  save  by 
using  pale  ink,  poor  paper,  and  writing  care- 
lessly because  you  are  in  a  hurry,or  writing  finely, 
or  crosswise,  to  save  three  cents  postage,  will 
cost  the  printer  in  toil,  delay,  and  eye-sight,  at 
least  fifty  times  as  much  money  as  you  will  save, 
besides  causing  him  to  commit  blunders  for  you 
to  scold  about.  Do  you  wonder  such  articles  are 
rejected? 

9.  Do  not  get  angry.  Do  not  write  slang,  or 
personalities,  or  abuse,  or  slander. 

10.  Finally.  I.  Write  with  black  ink,  on 
white  paper,  wide  ruled.  2.  Make  the  pages 
small,  one-fourth  that  of  a  foolscap  sheet.  3. 
Leave  the  second  page  of  each  leaf  blank.  4. 
Give  to  the  written  page  an  ample  margin  all 
round.  5.  Number  the  pages  in  the  order  of 
their  succession.  6.  Write  in  a  plain  bold  hand, 
with  less  respect  to  beauty.  7.  Use  no  abbre- 
viations which  are  not  to  appear  in  print.  8. 
Punctuate  the  manuscript  as  it  should  be  printed. 
9.  For  Italics  underscore  one  line;  for  small 
capitals,  two;  capitals,  three.  10.  Never  inter- 
line without  the  caret  to  show  its  place.  II. 
Take  special  pains  with  every  letter  in  proper 
names.  12.  Review  every  word,  to  be  sure  that 
none  is  illegible.  13.  Put  directions  to  the 
printer,  at  the  head  of  the  first  page.  14.  Never 
write  a  private  letter  to  the  editor  on  the  printer's 
copy,  but  always  on  a  separate  sheet. 


INDEX. 


Abortion,  207 
— —  in  cows,  8p 
Accidents,  to  avoid,  ir 
-^— —  to  prevent,  11 

■  (lamp),  to  prevent,  158 
Accounts,  keeping,  118 
Acetic  ether,  71 

Acid,  citric,  63 

soap,  312 

stomach,  238 

-^-^—  strawberry,  362 
Acquafortis,  antidote  for,  15 
Acquariam  cement,  32 
Adhesive  cloth,  63 
Adulterated  bread,  45 
Adulteration  of  soap,  312 

■     ■  ■■'  of  wines  and  liquors,  362 
Age  of  cattle,  87 
'      of  dogs,  170 

■  of  horses,  103 
Ague,  207,  222,  470 
to  avoid,  447 

■'-  bitters,  65 

■  pills,  78 

■  ■  powder,  81 
Alabaster,  to  clean,  151 

-  cement,  32 

■  to  harden,  447 

■  to  polish,  447 
Alaska  icebergs,  447 
Albertjrpe  process,  272 
Albumen,  substitute  for,  27a 
Alcohol,  362 

Alcoholic  poison,  antidote  for,  15 
Ale,  to  brew,  363 

-  burton,  363 

— — —  for  private  families,  363 
Alkanet  root,  82 
Alloy,  incorrosive,  397 

I  for  journal  boxes,  397 

for  soldering  iron  to  steel,  397 

Almond  bloom,  66 

cakes,  46 

meal,  312 

paste,  312 

^— —  paste  for  birds,  168 

soap,  312 

Almonds,  milk  of,  75 
Aloes,  pills  of,  78 

with  myrrh  pill,  78 

with  soap  pill,  78 

Alterative,  64 

rheumatic,  64 

Aluminum,  397 

bronze,  404 

Amalgam  for  electrical  machines,  398 
of  gold,  398 

for  mirrors,  398 

Amandine,  312 
Amber  varnish,  267 
Ammonia,  antidotes  for,  15 
AnsBsthesia,  to  prolong,  67 
Anchovy  butter,  40 
Anchovies,  English,  293 
Anglo-Japanese  work,  242 

Aniline  colors,  to  make  soluble  in  wa- 
ter, 447 

blue  dye,  339 

Animals  (dead),   to  convert  into  ma- 
nure, 137 
■    ■  (dead),  to  preserve,  461 
-  preserving,  190 

jumping  fences,  94 

— — —  effect  of  kindness  on,  87 
Anisette,  cordial,  373 
Ankle,  sprained,  208 
Annealing  steel,  398 
Annotto,  choice  of,  120 
^——  dyes,  338 
Anodyne,  Hofi&nan's,  64 


Anti-bilious  pills,  78  "     ■ 

Antidotes  for  every  poi<on,  15  to  18 
Antimoniod,  39S 
Antique  painting,  243 
Ants,  to  destroy,  173 

in  greenhouses,  120 


Aphorisms  for  bathers,  208 
Aperient,   magnesian  effervescing,  64 
Apiary,  20 

to  establish,  21 


Apoplexy,  208 
Appetite,  loss  of,  208 
Apple  bread,  41,  45 

butter,  293 

cake,  41 

cream,  41 

custard,  41 

floating  island  of,  41 

fritters,  41 

jani,  293,  294 

jelly,  54,  293,  303 

marmalade,  294 

puddings,  41 

sauce,  41 

slum,  41 

short  cake,  46 

snow,  41 

souffle,  41 

tree  borer,  118 

trees,  lice  on,  ji8 

to  plant,  119 

to  keep  rabbits  from  bark- 
ing, 1 1-8 

to  renovate,  118 

suckers,  119 

treatment  o^  118 


trifle,  41 
wine,  383 


Apples,  to  color  while  growing,  118 

to  dry,  293 

preserving,  294 

(pine),  to  preserve,  294 


Applying  manure,  137 
Apricot,  dried,  294 

jam,  294,  303 

jelly,  294 

marmalade,  304 

wine,  383 

Aquarium,  principles  of,  165 

home  made,  165 


fresh  water,  165 

marine,  i66 

management  of,  166 


Architectural  cement,  32 
Argand  gas-burner,  473 
Arnica  liniment,  74 
Arrack  punch,  363 
Batavia,  363 


Arrowroot,  blanc-mange,  41 

jelly,  54 

pudding,  59 


Arsenic,  antidotes  for,  15 

;  test  for,  63 

Arsenical  soap,  193,  313 
Artichokes,  41 

boihd,  41 

Jerusalem,  119 

Artificial  skin,  63 

stone,  30 


Ashberrium,  398 
Asiatic  inks,  200 
Asparagus,  42 

to  cultivate,  inj 

•soup,  42 


Asthma,  208,  223 

in  birds,  166 


Assay  ^f  soap,  312 
Athol  brosc,  46 
Atmosphere,  purity  of,  447 
Atrophy,  208 


Atrophy  in  birds,  167 
Automatic  blacking,  198 
Awnings,  mildew  proof,  447 
Axle-grease,  447 
Ayer's  cherry  pectoral,  67 


Babies,  food  for,  225 
Back,  weak,  208 
Backs  of  horses,  galled,  106 
Bacon,  295 
Baiting  traps,  197 
Baits  for  fishing,  182 
Baking  powder,  42 
Bakers'  itch,  228 
Baldness,  treatment  of,  323 
remedies  for,  323 


Ball,  cough,  96 

diuretic,  96 

physic,  96 

purgative,  96 


worm,  96 

Balls,  heel,  199 
camphor,  65 

for  scouring  cloth,  333 

for  removing  grease  and 

paint,  64 
Balloon  varnish,  448 
Balloons,  gas  for,  448  . 
Balm  of  beauty,  64 

of  Gilead,  64 

imitation,  64 

salve,  82 


of  a  thousand  flowers,  64 

Balsam,  glycerine,  64 

of  honey,  64 

Indian,  64 

Mitchell's,  64 


of  Tolu,  64 

Balmony  herb,  65 
Banbury  cakes,  46 
Bandoline,  65 
rose,  65 


Banks  (steep),  to  cover  with  g):ass,  120 
Barberry  hedge,  134 
Barbers'  itch,  228 
Bark,  American  poplar,  65 
wild  cherry,  65 


Barking  apple  trees,  118 
Barks,  to  preserve,  65 
Barley,  to  cultivate,  120 

to  harvest,  120 

seed,  145 


Barns,  paint  for,  260 
Barrels,  to  sweeten,  363 
Bairomeler,  home  made,  448 
animated,  448 


Baseball,  to  make,  448 
Basement  floors,  27 
Baskets,  to  crj'stallize,  448 
hanging,  476 


Bath,  cold,  208 

fixing,  273 

hot,  209 

negative,  273 

to  restore,  273 

Russian,  209 

sensitizing,  273 

shower,  209 

tepid,  209 

toning,  273 

Turkish,  209 

vapor,  209 

warm,  209 

Bathers,  aphorisms  for,  208 
Bathing,  sea,  448 
Eatswing  gas  burner,  472 
Battery,  copper  solution  for,  408 

electrical,  398 

galvanic,  398 

521 


522 


INDEX. 


Battery,  mercurial,  398 
to  plate  with,  398 

liquid  for,  400 

Baulky  horses,  96 
Bay  rum,  65 
Bayberry  soap,  313 
Beach  nuts,  use  of,  121 
Bead  for  liquors,  363 
Beans,  to  cook,  42 

castor-oil,  121 

to  cultivate,  120 

to  keep  fresh  for  winter,  295 

green,  42 

Lima,  121 

Bears  grease,  65 
Beauty,  to  acquire,  323 
Beaver  skins,  to  dress,  176 
Bed-bugs,  to  exterminate,  173 
Bed  for  dogs,  170 

Beds,  care  of,  151 
Bed-rooms,  ventilation  of,  449 
Bee  feeder,  22 

hive,  to  make,  21 

position  of,  21 

———  queen,  20 

— —  stings,  19 

Bees,  drone,  20 

•  going  to  the  woods,  21 

history  of,  20 

enemies  of,  23 

Italian,  23 

pasturage  for,  22 

(queen),  to  rear,  23 

sunshine  and  shadow  for,  33 

water  for,  23 

working,  20 

wintering,  23 

wax,  to  bleach,  23 

Beef  broth,  43 

to  cure,  29s 

coUops,  42 

(corned),  to  boil,  43 

curried,  43 

cutlets,  43 

dry,  295 

hash,  43 

fillet  oi,  42 

to  judge  of  its  quality,  42 

(leg  of),  to  bake,  42 

pickled,  29s 

potted,  43 

rissoles,  43 

— '■ to  roast,  42 

(rump  of),  to  bake,  42 

with  mushrooms,  43 

stewed  with  onions,  43 

tea,  43,  61 

Beefsteak,  to  cook,  43 

and  onions,  43 

rolls,  44 

Beer,  to  give  the  appearance  of  age 
to,  364 

bouquet,  364 

cheap,  364 

— ^  cup,  364 

to  enliven  and  restore  when 

dead,  364 

fining,  364 

ginger,  364 

(ginger),  powders,  364 

hop,  365 

to  improve  flavor  of,  364 

lemon,  365 

maple,  365 

molasses,  365 

musty,  365 

Philadelphia,  365 

root,  365 

ropy,  36s 

sassafras,  365 

solid,  365 

sour,  366 

spruce,  366 

strong,  365 

tomatoe,  366 

Beets,  boiled,  96 
Beetles,  to  destroy,  174" 
Belladonna  ointment,  77 
Bell  metal,  400 

Belts,  to  oil,  449 
Bengal  chutney,  297 
Bichiomatism,  273,  ^ 


Big  leg  in  horses,  96 

head  in  horses,  96 

shoulder  in  horses,  96 


Bilious  colic,  214 
fever,  223 


Biliousness,  209 
Bird  lime,  176 
Birds,  asthma  in,  166 

atrophy' or  wasting  in,  167 

almond  paste  for,  168 

bloody  flux  in,  167 

catchmg,  176 

consumption  in,  167 

costiveness  in,  167 

decline  in,  167 

diarrhoea  in,  167 

disorders  of,  166 

German  paste  for,  168 

moulting  of,  167 

to  mount,  176 

paste  for,  168 

the  pip  in,  i66' 

to  preserve,  176 

rheum  in,  166 

rump  gland  obstruction  in,  167 

(singing),  food  for,  167 

to  skin,  176 

to  stuff,  176 

Birds-nest  pudding,  59 
Biscuit,  ginger,  53 

— milk,  55 

seed,  46 

wine,  46 


Bites  of  the  cobra,  12 

harvest  bug,  iz 

insect,  ii 

mad  dog,  11 

snake,  12 


Biting  the  nails;  330 
Bitters,  ague,  65 
blackberry,  65 

brandy,  336 

cathartic,  65 

stomach,  336 

tonic,  65 


Blackberry  brandy,  367 
bitters,  65 


cordial,  373 

jam,  295 

syrup,  295,  377 

wine,  389 

to  cultivate,  121 

Blackbird,  the,  168 
Blackboard,  artificial,  449 
paint,  449 

Black  cloth,  to  clean,  458,  349 

enamel,  466 

eye,  221 

healing  salve,  450 


Blacking,  to  make,  197 

German,  199 

harness,  199 


—  India  rubber  liquid,  199 
paste,  199 

—  for  leather  seats,  200 

—  liquid,  200 

—  for  Morrocco  shoes,  199 

—  paste,  200 

—  stove,  163 
water  proof,  200 


Black  dye,  338 

for  cotton,  339 


for  chip  bonnets,  339 

for  straw  bonnets,  339 

for  wool,  339 


copal  varnish,  266 

ivory,  250 

Japan  varnish,  266 

-  lamp,  250 

-  leg  m  cattle,  88 

lead,  to  remove,  151 

luster  color,  450 

paint,  250 

silk,  to  choose,  338 

-  silk,  to  do  up,  338 

-  soap,  313 

stain,  263 

varnish,  266 

walnut  graining,  255 


Bladders,  to  prepare,  65,  450 
Blanc-mange,  arrowroot,  41 
chocolate,  49 


Blanc-mange,  corn  starch,  50 
Blankets,  to  clean,  151 
Blanketting  horses,  105 
Bleaching  cotton,  342 

linen,  342 

silk,  342 

soap,  313 

wool,  342 

wool  on  tanned  pelts,  179 


Bleeding,  cotton  for  staunching,  68 

from  the  lungs,  12 

at  the  nose,  12 

of  wounds,  12 


Blight  in  fruit  trees,  121 
Blind  staggers  in  pigs,  93 
Blistered  feet,  222 
Blistering  tissue,  65 
Blister  for  horses,  96 
Bloat  in  cattle,  89 
Blond,  to  wash,  351 
Blood,  alterative  for,  64 

fulness  of  in  horses,  97 

spitting  of,  209 

tests  for,  65 

transfusion  of,  209 


Bloody  milk  in  cows,  90 
Bloom,  almond,  66 
of  roses,  65 


Blotched  face,  324 
Blue  black  ink,  201 
for  ceilings,  239 

chrome,  339 

dye,  339,  340 

enamel,  466 

flag,  66 

ink,  201 

liquid,  74,  340 

paint,  250 

Prussian,  250,  340,  341 

(purple),  dye,  341 

(Saxon),  dye,  341 

(sky),  dye,  342 

stain,  263 

for  steel  ploughs,  404 

ultramarine,  250 

vitriol,  antidote  for,  16 

writing  fluid,  202 


Bluing  steel  articles,  404 
Boards,  to  take  ink  out  of,  151 " 
to  take  oil  out  of,  151  . 


Boiled  goose,  57 

onions,  53 

Boiler  explosions,  400 

incrustations,  400 

lime  deposits  in,  401 


Boils,  210 

Bones,  to  dye  and  color,  450 

to  convert  into  manure,  137 

to  pulverize  for  fowls,  113 

to  whiten,  450 


Bonnets,  to  prevent  injuring  the  hair, 

151 
(straw),  to  clean,  359 

(straw),  to  dj'C,  359 


Book-binders'  varnish,  452 

covers,  marbling  for,  4SO  to  452 

making,  450 


Books,  Chinese  edge  for,  451 
to  gild  edge  of,  451 

to  gild  leather  backs  of,  4S3 

ink  stains  on,  158 

mould  in,  158 

to  remove  stains  from,  15X 


Boot  leather,  pres'^r\'ation  of,  152 
Boots  and  shoes,  care  of,  151 

to  restore  color  of,  152 

(rubber),tomend,  152 

to  soften,  152 

(soles  of),   to  make 

water-proof,  152 
squeaking,  to  pre- 
vent,  152 
(summer),  to  pre- 
serve through  the 
winter,  152 
water  -  proof  compo- 
sition for,  152 
Boots  (kid),  to  clean,  112 
India  rubber  water  proof  for, 

(patent  leather),  care  of,  152 


(pogged),topreventripping,i3» 


Boots  (white  jean),  to  clean,  iia 
Borax  for  the  blow-pipe,  401 

■  substitute  for,  401 

virtues  of,  343 

Boring  holes  in  glass,  389 
Borer,  apple  tree,  ir6 

■  peach,  14a 

Botanical  specimens,  to  dry,  24J 
Bottles  (musty),  to  sweeten,  360 
— ^—  sealing,  366 

■  wax  for,  40,  366  i 
Bottling,  corks  for,  367 

malt  liquors,  367 

Botts,  97 

Bouquets  of  colored  grass,  543 

^— -  to  keep  bright  and  fresh,  396 

Boulders,  to  remove,  122 

Bowels,  accute  inflammation  of,  210 

-^—  chronic  inflammation  of,  210 

(loose),  in  horses,  97 

Boxes  for  starting  plants,  143 
Boys,  to  attach  to  farm  life,  i2x 
Brain,  inflammation  of,  210 

enlargement  of,  210 

——  softening  of,  2H 
Brande's  ink,  201 
Brandreth's  pills,  78 
Brandy,  367 

British,  367 

blackberry,  367 

cherry,  367 

cognac,  367 

to  decolorize,  367 

— —  French,  367 

pale,  367 

Brass,  401,  402 

^^^—  to  bronze,  402 

■  ■  burnishing,  402 
^— —  to  clean,   151,  402,  404,  409, 
-    <52. 

coating,  402 

to  coat  with  tin,  402,  409 

■  to  coat  with  zinc,  409 

— ^—  to  deposit  on  zinc  or  other 
metals,  402 
■  dipping,  401 

inlaid  work,  to  polish,  403 

to  lacquer,  403 

ornaments,  to  clean,  151 

to  preserve,  404 

■  to  temper,  404 
— ^—  to  tin,  408,  409 

for  wire,  404 

Bread,  adulterated,  43 

apple.  41,  45 

brown,  45 

cake,  47 

com,  45 

•  French,  44 

graham,  44 

to  keep  moist,  45 

to  make  without  flour,  44 

oxygenated,  44 

panada,  58 

potatoe,  4S 

pudding,  46 

rice,  45 

rye,  45 

sago,  45 

to  serve  at  table,  45 

unfermented,  44 

willow,  45 

yeast  for,  44 


Breachy  catde,   87 
Breakfast  cake,  47 
Breaking  down  in  horses,  97 
Breasts,  caked,  211 

(sore),  in  horses,  07 

Breath  (bad),  see  charcoal,  67 

foetid,  211 

offensive,  324 

pastilles  for  perfuming,  77 

Breeding  trout,  197 
Breweries,  367 

Brewing,  368 

Brick  buildings,  to  paint,  as 

— —  making,  24 

ovens,  to  make,  25 

■  walls,  coating  for,  25 

— —  to  wet,  25 
Bright's  disease,  2ir 
Britannia  metal,  404 


INDEX. 

Britannia  metal,  to  clean,  153 

British  oil,  76 

Broadcloth,  stains  on,  343 

Brocoli,  to  boil,  46 

Bromide  of  potassium,  66 

Bronchial  troches,  66 

Bronchitis,  211 

Bronchocele,  211 

Broom  corn,  128 

Broome's  ink,  201 

Brooms,  use  and  management  of,  153 

Brose,  athol,  46 

Scotch,  46 

Broth,  beef,  43 

calves  foot,  48 

chicken,  49 


523 


of  fragments,  46 

mutton,  56 

veal,  62 


Bronze,  aluminum,  404 

for  brass,  405 

for  cutting  instruments,  404 

gold,  404 

green,  405 

(to),  plaster  figures,  433 

for  mortars,  405 

powder,  405 

for  statuary,  405 

Bronzing  gun  barrels,  404 

fluid,  405 

for  iron  or  wood,  405 

leather,  482 

of  ornaments,  405 

size,  263 

surface,  405 

Brown  bread,  45 

dye,  342,  343 

enamel,  466 

freestone,  to  imitate,  250 

ink,  201 


Brown's  bronchial  troches,  66 
Bruises,  balsam  for,  64 

in  furniture,  156 

Brushes,  care  of,  250 

hair,  327 

varnish,  266 


Brushing  the  hair,  327 
cloths,  333 


JBuchu,  extract,  of,  71 

infusion  of,  73 

Buckskin,  to  dye,  180 
Buff  dye,  343 
Buffalo  skin,  to  tan,  179 
Bugs,  to  destroy,  122 
Building  cement,  32 

chimneys,  26 

house,  hints  on,  24 

material,  strength  of,  453 


Buildings,  composition  for  covering,  26 

Bull  rings,  to  insert,  93 

Bunion,  211 

Buns,  46 

Burdock,  66 

Burning  lens,  453 

Bums  and  bruises,  artificial  skin  for,  63 

and  scalds,  12 

Bursting  of  guns,  185 
Burj-ing  alive,  212 
Butcher  knives,  405 
Butter,  apple,  293 

churning  cream  for,  123 

to  clarify,  46 

coloring,  123 

to  keep  in  summer,  296 

to  keep  sweet,  296 

improved  coloring  for,  123 

to  make,  122 

marketing,  124 

packing,  J24 

to  preserve  fresh,  124 

rancid,  46 

to  restore  when  rancid,  124, 453 

salting  and  working,  123 

winter  treatment  of,  123 

Butterflies,  to  prepare,  433 


Cabbage,  the  cut- worm  on,  124 

to  grow,  124 

to  pickle,  296 

plants,  salting,  124 

to  preserve  in  winter,  296 


Cabbage  salad,  46 
to  stew,  46 


Cabinet  makers'  varnish,  266 
Cadaver,  preservation  of,  66 
Cages  for  parrots,  17a 
Caked  breasts,  211 
Cake,  almond,  46 
apple,  41 

apple  short  cake,  46 

banbury,  46 

bath,  47 

breakfast,  47 

bread,  47 

chocolate  paste,  47 

cinnamon,  47 

com,  47 

fruit,  52 

green  com,  53 

ginger,  47 

gnddle,  47 

icing  for,  47 

Johnny,  47 

Indian  meal,  54 

lemon,  47,  55 

sandwich,  47 

soda,  60 

sponge,  60 

weddmg,  47 

yeast,  48 

Calico,  153 

quilt,  to  wash,  346 


Calicoes,  to  wash,  343 
Calisaya  bark  and  iron,  70 
Calf  s  foot  broth,  481 

feet  jelly,  54,  296,  303 


Calves,  care  of,  92 

chalk  for,  91 

lice  on,  92 

— ^  vermin  on,  92 

scours  in,  92 

Cameo-medallion,  carte-de-visit,  273 
Camera,  to  adjust,  273 
Camphorated  dentrifice,  69 
soap,  315 

Camphor  balls,  65 

cerate,  67 

ice,  66,  73* 

liniment,  74 

to  pulverize,  74 

varnish,  266 , 


Canada  thistle,  147 
Canaries,  care  of,  i63 

to  distinguish  sex  of,  t68 

hints  on  choosing,  168 

insects  on,  169 

(young),  to  tame,  169 

Cancer,  212 

Candied  citron,  297 

orange,  306 

Candles,  313  to  315 

to  make  bum  all  night,  153 

Candle  stick,  to  clean,  153 
Candies,  chocolate  cream,  48 

to  clarify  sugar  for,  48 

Everton  taffee  candy,  48 

fmit,  48 


ginger,  48 

Candy,  cough,  63 

common  twist,  48 

fig,  48 

lemon,  48 

molasses,  48 

Scotch  butter,  48 

Candying  fruit,  301 

Cane  bottom  chairs,  to  clean,  154 
Canker,  212 

in  fowls,  113 

Canned  grapes,  302 

peaches,  303 


Canning  fruit,  296 
Cantharadies,  antidote  for,  16 
cerate  of,  67 

tincture  of,  85 

Canvas,  to  prepare  for  oil  painting,  374 

water-proof,  454 

Caoutchouc  blacking,  199 

for  printers'  rollers,  454 

varnish,  266 

Capons,  113 

Caramel,  chocolate,  49 
Carat,  406 
Caraway,  cordial,  373 


524 

Carbolic  acid,  i6 

'       for  laundrying,  337 

soap,  31  s 

Carbonic  acid,  454 
Carbonate  of  magnesia,  66 
Carbonated  drink,  370 
Carbon  ink,  201 
Carbuncle,  212 
Carlsbad  water,  86  ' 

Carmine,  66,  250 

ink,  201 

Carminative,  Dalby's,  66 
Carnation  lip  salve,  74 
Carpeting,  cheap,  113 
Carpets,  to  choose,  153 
to  clean,  154 

to  lay,  153 

moths  in,  17s 

to  prevent  moths  in,  154 

to  remove  grease  from,  154 

(stair),  to  make  last,  153 

to  sweep,  153 

Carpet  warp,  coloring  for,  343 
Carrots,  to  cook,  48 

to  cultivate,  125 

Cart  horse,  to  select,  103 
Case  hardening,  407 

Case  springs  for  watches,  407 
Cashmere    shawls,  to  clean  the  white 

middle  of,  356 
Casks  (water),  to  clean,  154 
Cassia,  oil  of,  76 
Cast-iron  cement,  36 

.      to  softea  for  drilling,  407 

to  weld,  407 

Casting  delicate  objects,  406 

.  -  metals,  406 

■  in  bread  paste,  435 

in  glue,  4S5 

■      in  plaster,  454 
— ^  in  sulphur,  454 
—~—  in  wax,  455 
Castings,  soldering,  407 
Castration,  98 

Castor  oil  bean,  to  grow,  121 
— —  mechanical  uses  oi^  454 

■  pomade,  80 
Cast-steel,  burnt,  407 
——  English,  407 

II       to  harden,  424 
— —  and  iron,  edge  tools  from,  407 
Cat,  care  of,  167 

Cats  catching  chickens,  to  cure,  124 
Cataplasm,   Pradier's,  66 
Cataract  in  horses,  97 
Catarrh,  213 

in  cattle,  87 

in  fowls,  113 

— —  in  horses,  97 

in  sheep,  94 

snuff,  83 

Caterpillars,  to  destroy,  174 
Cathartic  bitters,  6s 

pill,  78 

syrup,  66 

Catsup,  currant,  298 

mushroom,  56 

oyster,  306 

—^  tomatoe,  61,  311 
Cattle,  age  of,  87 

— —  breachy,  87 

black  leg  in,  88 

catarrh  in,  87 

care  of,  88 

choked,  88 

feeding,  88 

film  on  eyes  of,  88 

foot  and  mouth  disease  in,  88 

hoof  rot  in,  89 

hoven  or  bloat  in,  89 

lice  on,  89 

mange  in,  89 

plague,  89 

snake  bitten,  89 

sore  mouth  in,  89 

warts  on,  89 

wens  on,  89 

Cattle's  horns,  sawing  off,  89 
Cauliflower,  to  boil,  49 

in  milk,  49 

Cauliflowers,  to  keep,  297 

■  to  grow,  124 


INDEX. 

(Caustic  for  corns,  325 

mode  of  using,  213 

paste,  66 

Velpeau's  black,  67 


Cedar  hedge,  135 
Celery,  to  cultivate,  125 
to  keep,  297 


Cellar  floors,  27 

vegetable,  126 


Cellars,  to  keep  from  freezing,  26,  125 
Cement  for  acquaria,  32 

alabaster,  32 

applying,  32 

architectural,  32 

for  attaching  metal  to  glass,  33 

for  attaching  brass  work  to 

lamps,  ^3 

for  brick  walls,  33 

for  broken  marble,  33 

Botany  Bay,  32 

building,  32 

cast-iron,  36 

for  chimneys,  35 

Chinese,  36 

for  china  and  gla;s,  33 

for  chemical  glasses,  33 

for  cisterns,  34 

colored,  36,  455 

for  covering  the  fronts  of 

houses,  33 

copper  smiths,  34 

for  cloth  or  belting,  34 

for  crockery,  metals  and  wood, 

33 

cutlers,  34 

curd,  36 

diamond,  36 

egg,  37     ,     . 

elastic  collodion,  36 

electrical  and  chemicali  37 

engineers,  34 

English  Roman,  36 

entomologists,  36 

forfastening  chamois  and  other 

leather  to  iron  or  steel,  34 

for  fastening  to  metals,  34 

for  fastening  rubber  to  wood 

and  metals,  34 

fire-proof,  38 

for  floors,  34 

French,  37 

for  gas  fitters,  34 

for  gas  retorts,  34 

German,  37 

glass  grinders,  37 

glycerine,  37 

for  gutters  and  leaky  places,  34 

hard,  37 

hydraulic,  37 

Hamelin's,  37 

India  rubber,  37 

iron,  34,  37 

iron  rust,  37 

Japanese,  37 

Kourie,  38 

for  leather,  35 

for  leather  lielting,  35 

for  leather  and  cloth,  35 

for  leather  straps,  455 

liquid,  38 

microscopic,  38 

for  mother  of  pearl,  35 

opticians,  38 

parabolic,  38 

for  patent  fuel,  35 

plumbers,  38 

preventing  leaks  about  chim- 
neys, 35 

red,  38 

rice  flour,  38 

Roman,  38 

rubber,  455 

schroicao,  38 

seal  engravers,  38 

for  steam  pipes,  35 

for  stone,  36 

for  stoves,  36 

for  stopping  cracks  in  jars,  35 


—  for  tile  roofs,  36 

water,  32.  38 

water-proof,  38 


Cephalic  snuff,  68,  83 


Cerate  of  acetate  of  lead,  67 

camphor,  67 

of  cantharidies,  67 

of  lead,  67 

Chaffinches,  177 
Chafing,  remedy  for,  213 
Chairs,  455 

(cane  bottom),  to  clean.  154 

Chalk,  prepared,  455 

for  calves,  91 


Chamomile,  67,  79 
Champagne,  American,  370 

British,  370 

Burgandy,  370 

cider,  370 

.  cup,  370 

sham,  370 

Chapped  hands,  330 
lips,  330 


Charcoal  dentrifice,  69 
in  the  dairy,  129 

making,  45s 

in  milk  room,  140 

prepared,  67 

poultice,  81 

for  turkeys,  X17 

of  wood,  67 

Charlotte  de  Russe,  49 
Charms,  fish,  183 
Cheese,  Dutch,  127 

French,  126 

to  make,  126 

Neufchatel,  127 

plum,  309 


Chemical  soap,  315 
Chemistry  of  tanning,  194. 
Cherry  brandy,  367 

bounce,  371 

cheese,  297 

jam,  297 

marmalade,  297 

pectoral,  Ayer's,  6j 


—  stain,  263 


Cherries,  to  cultivate,  127, 
to  preserve,  297 


Chestnut  color,  250 
Chicken,  boneless,  49 

broth,  49 

cholera,  113 


to  fricassee,  49 

to  fry,  49 

jelly,  .';4 

panada,  58 

pot  pie,  49 

pox,  233 

scratching,  113 

Chickens,  management  of,  113 

cat  catching,  125 


Chilblains,  213 

liniment,  74 

lotion  for,  75 


Children,  care  of,  213 

to  protect  from  burning,  15! 

Children's  diseases,  218 
Chimneys,  to  build,  26,  456 

cement  to  prevent  leaks,  35 

on  fire,  14 

(glass),  cracking,  156 


leaks  around,  154 

salt  in,  456 

■  smoking,  26 


— —  (lamp),  to  clean,  159 

(lamp),    to  prevent  breaking, 

159 
China  cement,  33 

composition  of,  457 

to  mend,  154 

to  pack,  473 


Chinaware,  to  make,  456,  499 
Chinese  cement,  36 

depilatory,  69 

gongs,  423 

ink,  2or 

jam,  150 

Chintz,  to  wash,  343 
Chloral,  hydrate  of,  67 
Chlorine,  457 
Chloroform,  67 

death  from,  214 


Chlorodyne,  1".  Coll  is  Brown's,  tf 
Chlorinated  soap,  316 
Chocolate  blanc-mange,  49 


Chocolate  caramels,  49 

cream  candy,  48 

creams,  49 

paste  cake,  47 

Choked  cattle,  to  relieve,  83 
Cholagogue,  Indian,  67 
Cholera,  214 

chicken,  11 J 

morbus,  214 

tincture,  85 

Chowder,  fish,  52 

Websters',  49 

Chrome  orange  dye,  343 
Chromos,  to  clean,  457 
Chutney,  Bengal,  397 

sauce,  60 

Cider,  boiling,  371  j 

to  can,  372 

champagne,  373 

cherry,  372 

———  to  clear,  371 

Devonshire,  372 

French,  372 

— ^—  to  make,  371 

to  preserve  and  keep  sweet,  37a 

(sour),  to  sweeten,  373 

vinegar,  380 

Western,  373 

wine,  385 

Cmnamon  brown  dye,  344 
cake,  47 

cordial,  373 

soap,  316 

Circassian  cream,  68 
Cistern,  filtering,  457 
Cisterns,  cement  for,  34 
Citric  acid,  63 
Citron,  candied,  297 

cordial,  374 

-^—^  to  preserve,  297 

soap,  316 

Claret,  British,  373 

cup,  373 

to  judge  of,  458 

Clap,  225 

Clay,  modelling  in,  247  i 
Cleaning  floors,  155 

guns,  186 

horses,  104,  156 

Clicking  in  horses,  98 
Clinkers,  154 
Clocks,  to  clean,  407 

'    to  repair,  417 

for  254,  458 

Cloth,  to  clean  and  scour,  345 

•  Fuller's  purifier  for,  345 

to  raise  the  nap  on,  345 

Clothes  (black),  to  clean,  345,  458 

(black),  to  renovate  when  fad- 
ed, 345 

to  brush,  333 

grease  in,  346 

to  renovate,  333 

to  make  water-proof,  333 

Clothing,  15 

hints  about,  333 

moth  in,  175 

water-tight,  334 

Clove,  cordial,  374 
Clover,  to  cure,  127 

management  of,  134 

Coachmakers,  hints  to,  459 

varnish,  267 

Coal,  effect  of  exposure  on,  459 

fire,  to  make,  459 

gas,  sulphur  in,  67 

oil  for  baldness,  324 

Coat,  to  clean,  346 

collars,  to  clean,  346 

Coating  for  brick  walls,  25 
Cobalt,  antidote  for,  16 
Coca  pills,  492 
Cockroaches,  to  destroy,  174 
Cocoa,  to  make,  49 

shells,  49 

Cocoanut  pie,  49 

Codfish  balls,  50 

picked  up,  50 

Codling  moths,  to  trap,  140 
Cognac  brandy,  367 
Coffee,  essence  of,  298 

— —  to  make,  50 


INDEX. 

Coffee,  substitutes  for,  50 
brown  dye,  344 


525 


Coins,  to  take  impression  from,  408 
Cold,  to  avoid  catching,  214 

bath,  208 

cream,  324 

to  cure,  214 

feet,  222 

in  fowls,  113 

in  the  head,  215 

to  put  back,  214 

slaw,  46 

soap,  ;ii6 

Colds,  216 
Colic,  bilious,  214 

in  horses,  97 

lead,  215 

wind,  215 


Collar,  to  fit,  93 
Collodion  cement,  36 

to  iodize,  275 

— : photographic,  275 

process,  274 


Collodlo-albuinen  process,  375 
Collops,  minced,  50 
Cologne  water,  86 
Coloring  butter,  123 

furs,  1192 

for  liquors,  373 

for  metals,  430 

photographs,  286 

skins,  192 

for  soup,  60 


Colorless  varnish,  267 
Color,  to  restore,  154 
Colors,  druggists',  63 

to  mix,  251 

for  painting  on  glass,  389' 

for  staining  glass,  396 

to  use,  251 


Colts,  callus  on,  99 

care  and  management  of,  98 

to  prevent  jumping,  99 


Comfrey,  68 

Complexion  and  colors,  324 

kalydor  for,  73 

to  improve,  324 

to  preserve,  324 


wash  for,  324 

Composition  for  roofs,  29 
Concrete  for  door  steps,  26 

(gravel)  for  houses,  27 


Condensed  milk,  303 
Condimental  food,  92 
Condition  powders,  81,  107 
Cone  work,  243 
Congestive  fever,  223  | 
Congress  water,  86 
Conservatory,  to  make,  474  '' 
Constipation,  215 

see  charcoal  of  wood,  67 


Consumption,  215 

in  birds,  167 

syrup  for,  84 


Cookies,  50 

Cooking,  average  loss  by,  50 

food  for  stock,  92 

utensils,  50 


Cooling  drinks,  373 
Copaiba  mixture,  75. 
Copal,  to  dissolve,  251,  252 

lacquer,  252 

varnish,  267 


Copper,  to  clean,  409 

to  coat  with  zinc,  409 

to  deposit  upon  cast-iron,  408 

in  pickles,  307 

plate  printers'  ink,  2or 

powder,  408 


to  silver,  408 

solution  for  battery,  408 

test  for,  480 

■  to  tin,  408,  409 

to  weld,  446 

to  whiten,  408 

Coppersmiths'  cement,  34 
Copying  ink,  201 

paper,  490 


Copyright,   law  of,  460 
Coral,  artificial,  460 

baskets,  460 

Cordial,  anisette,  373 


Cordial,  blackberry,  373 

caraway,  373 

cinnamon,  373 

citron,  374 

clove,  374 

coriander,  374 

curacoa,  374 

ginger,  374 

Godfrey'^s,  63 

gout,  68 

strawberry,  374 


Corks  for  bottling,  367 
Com  bread,  45 

broom,  laS 

cake,  47 

cobs  as  fuel,  128 

cribs,  rat-proof,  128 

to  cultivate,  127 

(green),  to  dry,  298 

— — —  to  have  green  die  year  round, 
298 

new  planted,  128 

to  pickle,  298 

plaster,  79,  325 

^—^—  seed,  145 

stacks,  mice  in,  128 

starch  blanc-tnange,  50 

■  solvent,  325 
Corns,  to  cure,  215,  324,  325  ' 
——^  in  horses,  98  ' 

soft,  215 


Corned  beef,  43 

Coriander  seed,  374 

Corrosive  sublimate,  antidote  for,  16 

Court  plaster,  68,  79 

substitute  for,  461 

Cosmetic  soap,  316 
Costiveness,  215 

in  birds,  167 


Cotton,  to  bleach,  34I 
^——  to  cultivate,  128 

in  linen,  4613 

-^—  to  remove  mildew  from,  346 
——^—'  seed  for  stock,  92 

for  staunching  nemorage,  68 

Cough  ball  for  horses,  96 
candy,  68 

compound,  68 

— —  in  horses,  99 

lemon  for,  461 

lozenge,  75 

mixture,  73  . 

— ; pills,  79 

— '- syrup,  84 

Coughs,  216 

and  colds,  see  horehound,  73 


Counterfeit  money,  to  detect,  461 
Counterpains,  to  wash,  346 
Cow  pox,  233 
Cows,  abortion  in,  89 

bloody  milk  in,  90 

care  of,  89 

(dairy),  to  select,  90 

farrow,  go/.« 

garget  in,  90 


hard  milking,  go 

to  increase  nulk  in,  gi^ 

kicking,  90 

(old),  when  to  kill,  91 

rheumatism  in,  90 

milking,  91 

milk  fever  in,  91 

self-sucking,  91 

swelled  bags  m,  gt 

teats,  warts  on,  91 

Cowslip  vinegar,  380 
Cracked  hoof-quarter,  102 
Crackers,  wheat  flour,  50 
Cracking  in  wood,  31 
Cramp,  13 

Cranberry  sauce,  50 
Cranberries,  to  cultivate,  129 
Crape,  stain  on,  346 

to  renew  when  old,  346 

Crayon  colors,  to  fix,  461 
drawing,  276 


Crayons,  to  make,  274,  461 
Creaking  doors,  115 
Cream,  apple,  41 

churning,  123 

chocolate,  49 

Circassian,  63 


526 


INDEX. 


Cream,  clotted,  127 
cold,  68,  324 

crystalline,  68 

furniture,  254 

ice,  50 

Italian,  54 

nectar,  374 

pie,  s8 

pomade,  80 

raspberry  ice,  54 

of  roses,  68 

shaving,  68 

soda,  374 

strawberry  ice,  54 

Cribbing,  99 

Crickets,  to  destroy,  174 
Crimson  dye,  346 
Crockery  cement,  33 

ware,  to  mend,  154 

Croup  in  fowls,  113 
Crown  window  glass,  389 
Crucibles,  461 
Crullers,  51 
Crystal  varnish,  267 
Cucumber  salad,  51 
Cucumbers,  to  gre^n,  298 
to  grow,  .129,  139 

to  pickle,  298,  307 

Curacoa,  cordial,  374 
Curculio,  129 

Curd  cement,  36 
Curing  green  hides,  186 

skins,  193 

Curling  the  hair,  327 
Curls,  £alse,  325 
Currant  catchup,  298 

to  dry  with  sugar,  298 

—^—  ice  water,  374 
jam,  303 

jelly,  208 

■  marmalade,  304 
———  syrup,  298 

— — —  vinegar,  380 

■  wine,  385 

worm,  150 

Currants,  to  preserve,  298 
Curried  beef,  43 
Curriers  size,  195 

paste,  195 

skirting,  195 

Curtains,  to  clean,  346 

window,  155 

Custard,  apple,  41 

baked,  51 

boiled,  51 

fritters,  51 

Cutlers  cement,  34 

Cuts,  13 

Cutting  glass,  390 

timber,  147 

Cuttle  fish  dentifrice,  69 
Cut- worm,  to  destroy,  150 


Dairy,  charcoal  in,  69 

cows,  to  select,  69 

Damp  walls,  163 
Damson  wine,  385 
Dandelion,  68 
Dandruff,  325 

Dark  place,  to  illuminate,  461 

woods,  to  imitate,  253 

Dead  animals,  to  convert  into  manure, 

animals,  to  preserve,  461 

fall  trap,  107 

Deadly  night  shade,  antidote  for,  x6 
Deafness,  216 

temporary,  217 

Death,  signs  of,  217 
Debility,  see  poplar  bark,  65 
Decalcomanie,  243 

Decay  in  wood,  31 
Decline  in  birds,  167 
Deer  skins,  to  dress,  179 

oil  dressing,  179 

to  prepare  for  gloves,  180 


Delerium  tremens,  217 
Depilatorj',  Chinese,  69 

paste,  60 

Kaynor  s,  69 

Depilatories,  69 


Dentifrice,  68 

camphorated,  69 

Cartwright's,  69 

charcoal,  69 

myrrh,  69 


Developers,  275 

concentrated  iron,  276 

pyrogallic  acid,  276 


Diabetes,  217 
Diamond  cement,  36 

paste  resembling,  492 

imitation,  409 


Diaphanie,  244 
Diarrhea,  217 

in  birds,  167 

tincture,  85 

Digestive  pills,  79 
Dinner  pill,  79 
Dm  of  shops,  409 
Dirt  in  eye,  14 
Diseases  of  children,  218 
Dishes,  how  to  wash,  155 
Dish  for  dishwashing,  155 
Disinfectant,  217 
Distemper,  99  <« 

in  dogs,  171 


Diptheria,  218 
Diuretic  balls  for  horses,  f6 
drops,  69 


Dizziness,  219 
Docks,  to  eradicate,  130 
Dog  skins,  to  tan,  461 
Dogs,  best  bed  for,  170 

distemper  in,  171 

eating  eggs,  170 

feeding,  169 

fleas  on,  171 

hydrophobia  in,  170 

to  keep  healthy,  169 

killing  sheep,  94 

management  of,  169 

mange  in,  171 

pointer,  iSo 

(puppy),  to  choose,  170 

(teaching),  to  go  errands,  170 

to  tell  the  age  of,  170 

to  wash,  170 

worms  in,  171 

Drab  dye,  347 
Draining,   130 

land,  482 


Drawing,  crayon,  276 

on  glass,  390,  473 

ink,  201 

monochromatic,  247 

(pencil),  to  preserve,  276 


Drawings,  to  copy,  277 

Dress  goods,   to  remove  ink  from,  158 

Dresses,  to  preserve  color  of,  346 

to  restore  when  faded,  346 

uninflammable,  334 


Dressing  beaver  skins,  176 

deer  skins,  179 

furs,  192 

the  hair,  327 

leather,  187 

for  photographs,  286 


skins,  192 

Drinking  in  summer,  219 
Drooping  wings  of  chickens,  114 
Drops,  diuretic,  69 

Dutch,  69 

imperial,  69 

of  life,  Welford's,  69 

pectoral,  69 

Drowned  persons,  to  raise,  462 
Drowning  (the),  to  afford  help  to,  14 

(the),  to  restore,  13 


Druggists  window  colors,  83 
Drunkards,  to  reform,  219 
Drunkenness,  219 
apparent  death  from,  14 

remedy  for,  £2 

Dryer,  Japan,  252 

for  painting,  252 

Drying  fruit,  301 

herbs,  302 

oil,  252,  258 

(quick),  paint.  253 


Ducks,  to  fatten,  114 

(wild),  to  roast,  63 


Dumx^Iings,  suet,  61 


Dutch  cheese,  127 
Dwellings,  damp,  463 
Dj-eing,  art  of,  347 

buckskin,  180 

furs,  192 

Morrocco,  180 

sheep  leather,  180 

skins,  192 


Dyes,  all  colors,  338  to  362 

for  the  hair,  72,  328 

fixing,  347 

for  ivory,  480 

Dysentery,  219 

see  comfrey,  63 

specific  for,  83 

see  wild  cherry  barks,  65 


Dyspepsia,  220 

see  golden  seal  root,  82 


Ear-ache,  220 

insects  in,  220 

foreign  bodies  in,  220 


Elarth  closet,  463 
Earthenware,  to  temper,  155 
Earthing  up  potatoes,  143 
Eau  de  botot,  6q 

de  bouquet,  69 

de  cypre,  69 

de  cythere,  492 


--  pour  le  dent,  69 

—  de  millfleur,  69 

—  de  rosiers,  69 
de  violette,  70 


Ebony,  to  imitate,  465 
stain,  263 


Edge  varnish,  200 
Effervescing  fruit  drinks,  374 
Egg  cement,  37 

eating  dogs,  170 

eating  hens,  114 

^—  mulled,  56 

omelette,  51 

^—~  producers,  best,  114 
EggSi  broiled,  51 

to  color,  465 

to  dry,  299 

hard  boiled,  51 

'  of  Pharaoh's  serpents.  ■<6i 
— —  pickling,  299 

to  poach,  51 

portable,  299 

to  preserve,  299,  4£C 

sex  of,  114 

soft  boiled,  51 

to  test,  51 


Elaine,  409 
Elder,  70 

wine,  385 


Elderberry  ink,  201 
wine,  385 


Elderflowers,  extract  of,  71 
Electrical  cement,  37 
battery,  398 


Electro-gilding,  409 

magnetic  liniment,  74 

silvering,  409 

plating,  411 

gold  solution  for,  412 

silver  solution  for,  412 


plated  goods,  tarnish  on,  413 


Electrotyping,  412,  413 

baths  for,  414 

moulds  for,  414,  415 

plaster  casts,  416 

solders  for,  416 


Electrotype  plates,  tj  coat  with  iron, 

416 
Elixer  for  the  teeth;  70 

odontaligic,  70 

of  roses,  70 

of  pyrophosphate  </ iron  anu 

bark,  70 

Embalming,  465 
Embroidery,  248 

to  clean,  347 


Emery  wheels,  416 
Emetic,  see  chamomile,  67 
Emissions,  involuntary,  22c 
Emmenagogue  pills,  79 
Emulsin  au  jasmin,  316 
a  la  violette,  316 


Enameling  photographs,  sS6 

wood  work,  467 

Enameled  doth,  45S 

writing  surl'aces,  418 

Enamels,  416  to  418,  466,  467 
English  bar  soap,  316 
Engineers  cement,  3^ 
Engraving  in  alto-rehevo,  469 

by  photography,  277 

Engravings,  to  clean,  277,  469 
^—^—  to  preserve,  277 
—^—  to  transfer  on  glass,  390 
Enlargement  of  brain,  210 
Entomologists'  cement,  36 
Epilepsy,  220 

Erasive  soap,  316 
Ergot,  73 

to  preserve,  70 

tincture  of,  70 

Eruptions  on  the  face,  325 
Erysipelas,  220 

Esprit  de  bouquet,  71 
Essence  of  bitter  almonds,  70 

lavender,  70 

musk,  70 

neroli,  70 

peppermint,  70 

■  rondelette,  70 

roses,  70 

•    ■■'       for  smelling  bottles,  71 

violets,  70 

-^-^—  verbena,  71 
Etchmg,  278,  419 

on  glass,  390 

on  ivory,  419 

shells,  248 

varnish,  292 

Ether,  acetic,  71 

amylo-acetic,  375 

amlitic,  374 

butric,  374 

pelagonic,  375 

to  wash,  469 

Everton  tafee,  48 
Exchequer  ink,  201 
Excoriation,  221 
Explosion,  boiler,  400 
Extract  of  buchu,  71 

elderflowers,  71 

opium,  71 

poppy,  71 

sarsaparilla,  71 

senna,  71 

vanilla,  71 

Extracts,  to  make,  71 
Eye  (black  >,  to  treat,  221 

cinders  in,  14 

dirt  in,  14 

of  horse,  inflammation  of,  99 

(moon),  in  horses,  106 

sight,  to  preserve,  22; 

stye  in,  221 

water,  86 

weak  or  sore,'22i 

Eyes  of  horses,  to  test,  103 

(sore),  to  cure,  469 

Eyelashes,  to  blacken,  326 

to  lengthen,  325 


Face,  blotched,  324 

eruptions  on,  325 

Faded  ink,  to  restore,  202 

photographs,  278 

Fading  of  calicoes,  153 
Fainting,  14,  222 
Farcy,  99 

Farmers,  sl-.ep  for,  130 

trap,  197 

Farm  impliments,  care  of,  135 

life,  to  attach  boys  to,  I2X 

to  make  attractive,  130 

Farming,  rules  for  success  in,  J30 
Farrow  cows,  go 

Fat  for  soap  making,  316 
Fattening  poor  horses,  los 

poultry,  114 

Feathers,  to  clean,  155,  348 

to  dye,  347 

pillows,  469 

Febrifuge  for  fevers,  71 

tea,  71 


INDEX. 

Febrifuge,  wine,  71 

Feeding  and  care  of  cattle,  &8 

dogs,  169 

horses  on  the  road,  104 


527 


Feet,  blistered,  222 

care  of,  222 

cold,  222 

at  bed  time,  222 

frosted,  222 

tender,  222 

(horses),  brittle,  100 

care  of,  100 

contracted,  100 

to  prevent  snow  balling. 


100 
Felon,  cures  for,  222 

salve  for,  83 

Fence  posts,  preservation  ofi  131 
Ferns,  to  raise  from  seed,  469 
Fever  and  ague,  222,  470 

balls  for  horses,  96 

bilious  remittent,  223 

congestive,  223 

febrifuge  for,  71 

hay,  223 

scarlet,  224 

typhoid,  224 

yellow,  224 

Fig  candy,  48 
Figure  four  trap,  197 
Files,  419 

to  clean,  420 

to  recut,  419 

Film  on  eyes  of  cattle,  88 
Filter,  water.  164 
Filtering  powder,  8i 

cistern,  457 

Fining  powder,  375 

Fireboard  of  paj>er  flowers,  155 

Fire  annihilator,  470 

in  a  chimney,  14 


clothing  on,  15 

to  escape  from,  15 

kindlings,  158,  470 

proof  linen,  160 

wash  for  shingles,  30 

paint,  253 


Fireworks,  470 
Fires,  colored,  470 

of  kerosine,  to  extinguish,  155 


Fish,  to  boil,  52 

to  choose,  52 

chowder,  52 

charms,  183 

culture,  180 

(gold),  to  breed,  171 

care  of,  171 

(»alt),  to  freshen,  52 

sauce,  52 

skinning  and  mounting,  183 

tail  gas  burner,  472 

Fishing  with  artificial  fly,  185 

baits  for,  182 

Chinese  art  of,  182 

floats  for,  iSi 

hooks  for,  181 

lines  for,  181 


with  natural  fly,  185 

without  nets,  lines,  spears,  etc. 

183 

reels  for,  182 

rods  for,i8i. 


Fistula    loi 

ill  horses,  107 


Fitts,  225 
Fixing  bath,  273 

Flannel,  to  whiten  when  yellow,  348 
(new),  to  wash,  348 


Flatulancy,  see  carminative  lozenges, 

75 
Fleas,  to  get  rid  of,  174 
Fleshworms,  326 
Flexible  varnish,  267 
Flies  on  horses,  loi 
for  fishing,  183 

injuring  picture  fhimes,  161 


Flint  glass,  390 
Floating  soap,  316 
Floats  for  fishing,  181 
Floors,  basement,  27 

cellar,  27 

— ^—  cement  for,  34 


Floors,  mopping  and  cleaning,  155 

to  oil,  26 

to  remove  stains  from,  155 

to  scour,   155 

soluble  glass  for,  27 

stain  for,  264 


Florida  water,  86 

Flour  (musty),  to  restore,  52 

patent,  471 

to  test,  52 


Flowers  from  bulbous  roots,  471 

essential  oil  of,  75 

odor  of,  75,  78 

painting,  284 

paper,  247 

to  preserve,  299,  300 

to  restore,  299 

in  winter,  471 


Fluid,  blue  writing,  202 

Bogle's  hyperion,  72 

extract  of  vanilla,  71 

German  rheumatic,  71 

writing,  202 


Flux  for  enamels,  466 

Fly  (house),  to  destroy,  174 

nature  and  habits  of,  174 

paper,  174 

on  turnips,  131 


Foetid  breath,  211 
Food  for  babies,  225 

for  horses,  104 

for  mocking  birds,  171 

(or  parrots,  172 

for  stock,  91 


Fool's  parsley,  antidote  for,  16 
Foot  disease  in  cattle,  88 

(horses),  canker  of,  loi 

pumice,  loi 

;•  sand  crack  in,  lox  . 

rot  in  sheep,  94 

Fossils,  to  preserve,  471 
Founder,  loi 

Fowls,  to  boil,  52 

choice  of,  52 

to  cook  when  old,  52 

old,  J 15 

to  roast,  52 

sauce  for,  53 

stewed  with  onions,  53 

Foxes,  to  trap,  184 
Foxglove,  antidote  for,  16 
Fracture  in  horses,  loi 
Frames  (gilt),  to    enovate,  156 

to  prevent  flies  soiling,  156 

Frangipannie  soap,  326 

Freckle  lotion,  74 
Freckles,  236,  326 
Freezing  in  celFars,  26,  125 

preparation,  372 

French  cement,  37 

polish,  261 

white,  71 


Fresco  painting,  253 
Fresh  water  acquarium,  166 
Frit,  to  make,  390 
Fritters,  apple,  41 
tomatoe,  61 


Frost-bite,  14 
Frost  in  fruit,  52 

m  vegetables,  52 


Frosted  feet,  222 
Frosting  glass,  253 
Fruit,  candying,  301 

candy,  48 

cake,  52 

drj-ing,  301 

(dried),  to  keep  from  worms, 

301 

keeping,  300,  301 

sun  printing  on,  131 

to  take  frost  out  of^  52 

trees,  blight  in,  121 

overbearing,  131 

to  protect  Irom  rabbits,i3Z 


Frying,  52 
Fuller's  earth  soap,  316 
Fumigating  paper,  77 
Fungi,  to  preserve,  243 
Furnaces,  smoke  in,  471 
Furnishing  a  house,  157 
Furniture,  care  of,  156 
cream,  254 


528 


INDEX. 


Furniture,  to  take  bruises  out  of,  156 
-^—  oil,  254 

paste,  254 

varnish,  471 

Furs,  to  clean,  184 

coloring  and  dyeing,  192 

dressing,  192 

home  made,  185 

moths  in,  175 

to  preserve  from  moths,  185 

to  select,  184 

— —  to  tan,  iga 


Gad  fly  on  sheep,  94 
Galled  back,  loi 
Gallein,  472 
Gall  soap,  317 
Galvanic  battery,  399 
Galvanizing  iron,  420,  436 
Gapei  in  chickens,  115 
Gardening,  window,  13a 
Garden  refuse  as  manure,  138 

spiders,  to  destroy,  13a 

Garget  in  cows,  90 

Gargle  for  domestic  use,  72 

mucilaginous,  72 

to  promote  supperation,  72 

for  throat,  72' 

Garlic,  132 

Garments,  to  cut  and  make,  334 

to  renew,  336 

Gas  burners,  472 
fitters'  cement,  34 

(hydrogen),  \.o  produce,  73 

laughing,  472 

light  pictures,  244 

meter,  to  read,  472 

-^— —  retorts,  cement  for,  34 
——  taps,  leakage  of,  472 
— ^—  tests  for  impurities,  472 

waste  of,  472 


Gearing,  speed  of,  473 
Geese,  to  choose,  53 

to  manage,  115 

Geizzler's  black  ink,  302 
Gems,  53 

Geraniums  in  winter,  473 
German  cement,  37 

■  blacking,  199 

paste,  77 

'  for  birds,  168 

Gherkins,  pickled,  303 
Gilding,  234,  420 

"  burnished,  254 
— ^—  Grecian,  420 

glass,  254,  390 

■  to  improve,  254 

■  leather,  187,  48a 

liquid,  254 

out  doors,  234 

picture  frames,  420 

polished  metals,  420 

porcelain,  390 

sizing  for,  254 

to  test,  420 

without  a  battery,  432 

Gilders'  glue,  254,  473 
Gilt  frames,  to  revive,  136 

ornaments,  to  clean,  420 

Gin.  375       .  . 

cordial,  375 

English,  37S 

Holland,  375 

Ginger  bread,  53 

biscuit,  53 

——  beer,  364  , 

cake,  47 

candy,  48 

cordial,  374 

lozenge,  48,  75 

pop,  375 

snaps,  S3  ' 

spice,  53 

tincture  of,  473 

wine,  385 

Glanders,  102 

Glass,  boreing  holes  in,  389 

to  break  in  any  required  way, 

389 
I        cement,  33 
chimneys,  156 


Glass  or  china,  to  pack,  393,  473 

cleaning,  156 

for  photographs,  278 

colors  for  painting  upon,  3S9 

to  cut,  390 

drawing  on,  390 

etching  on,  278,  390 

to  frost,  253 

gilding  on,  254 

globes,  to  clean,  156 

to  marble,  392 

to  silver,  420 

green  phial,  391 

to  grind,  393 

■  grinders'  cement,  37 

for  looking-glass  platesj  391 

manufacture  of,  391 

to  platinize,  473 

pigments  for  staining,  495 

to  polish,  484 

or  porcelain,  to  paint,  393 

to  stain,  393 

silvering,  394 

soluble,  304,  396 

^—^  for  floors,  27 

to  stain,  396 

stopple,  to  loosen,  163,  473 

window,  391,  397 

to  write  or  draw  on,  473 


Glassware,  to  mend,  154 

(new),  to  season,  156 


Glaze  varnish,  267 
Glazing,  254 

for  earthenware,  473,  474 


Gleet,  223 

Gloves,  to  color,  337 

to  dye,  348 

(kid),  to  clean,  348 

(leather),  to  clean,  349 


perfume  for,  78 

Glue  cement,  38 

flexible,  38 

gilders,  254,  473 

now  to  use  it,  38 

isinglass,  480 

liquid,  39 

to  manufacture,  38 

marine,  39 

mouth,  39 

parchment,  39 

portable,  39 

Spaulding's,  39 

water-proof,  39 


Glycerine  balsam,  64 

cement,  37 

nature  and  use  of,  72 

ointment,  76 


Glyconine  for  broken  surfaces,  72 
Godfrey's  cordial,  68 
Gold  amalgam,  421 

articles,  polishing  powder  for, 

421 

bronze,  40^ 

beaters'  skin,  474 

4  carats,  421 

12     "       421 

16     "       421 

18     "       421 

■  to  clean,  421 

■'  coin,  to  make,  421 

coloring,  421 

counterfeit,  421 

Dutch,  422 

to  enamel,  422 

fish,  to  breed,  171 

care  of,  171 

— —  French,  422 

to  gild  upon  silver,  433 

— —  green,  422 

——  to  heighten  color  of,  423 

— —  imitation,  423 

ink,  202 

— ^  lacq'Jer,  422 
for  tin.  442 

leaf,   to  prevent  adhesion  of, 

25s    . 

——  mosaic,  422 

oreide,  422 

plating  solution,  423 

powder,  422 

for  bronzing,  439 


to  refine,  433 


Gold,  to  separate  from  gjk  copper  or 
silver,  422 

and  silver,  to  separate,  423 

size,  263 

solder,  423 

thread  root,  82 

test  for,  423 

varnish,  267,  443 

Golden  hair,  328 

seal  root,  82 


Gongs,  Chinese,  433 
Gonorrhoea,  225 
Goose,  boiled,  53 
roast,  53 


Goosberry  bushes,  mildew  on.  134 
jam,  303 

marmalade,  304 

vinegar,  381 

wine,  385 


Gopher  trap,  185 
Gophers,  to  trap,  185 
Goulard  water,  86 
Goulards  poultice,  81 
Gout,  225 

cordial,  68 

mixture,  73 

remedy  for,  83 

tincture,  85 


Guinea  fowl,  116 
Gun  cotton,  475 

powder,  475 


Guttapercha,  475 
Grafting,  133 

grapes,  133 

India  rubber  133 

(root),  apple  trees,  133  : 

wax,  132 


Graham  bread,  44 
Graining,  253 

black  walnut,  233 

mahogany,  255 

maple,  255 

oak,  255 

rose  wood,  236 

to  wash,  156 

Grain  side  blacking,  199 
Grape  catsup,  302 
jelly,  302 

wine,  383 


Grapes,  canned,  302 

to  cultivate,  133 

(green),  to  preserve,  301 

to  keep,  301 


Grasses,  to  crystallize,  244 
Grass  in  paved  yards,  474 
on  steep  banks,  120 


Gravel,  223 

in  horses,  io3 

pills  for,  ^^ 

see  imperial  drops,  69 


Gravers,  to  temper,  409, 
Gravy,  brown,  53 
Gray  hair,  328 
Grease  on  Sooks,  131 

in  horses,  103 

———  killing,  257 
in  marble,  160 

to  preserve,  317 

to  remove,  349 

from  carpets,  134 

from  stone,  156 


spots,  balls  for,  64 

on  linen,  337 

to  remove,  163 

in  silk,  163 


Greasing  wagons,  149 
Grecian  painting,  245 
Gregory's  ink,  302 
Green  bottle  glass,  391 

bronze,  403 

chrome,  256 

com  cakes,  53 

dye,  349 

enamel,  466 

houses,  ants  in,  120 

to  make,  475 


ink,  302 
ointment,  76 
peas,  to  stew,  33 
phial  glass,  391 
Paris,  256 
paints,  336 


Green  pudding,  53 

Schcele's,  356 

for  walls,  257 

window  glass,  391 

Griddle  cakes,  47 
Grinding  tools,  31 

— : glass,  393 

Grindstones,  artificial,  475 

use  of,  475 

Ground  moles,  to  destroy,  189 
Grub,  remedy  for,  134 
Gruel  water,  53 
Guinea  pig,  171 
Gumbo  soup,  60 
Gum,  chewing,  ji 

elastic  varnish,  367 

Gums,  wash  for,  326,  33a 
Gun  barrels,  browning  for,  43 

bursting,  185 

to  choose,  186 

to  clean,   1S6 

to  use  effectively,  186 

metal,  424 

scattering,  186 


Haddock,  to  fry,  53 
Hair,  art  of  brushing,  327 

bandoline  for,  327 

brushes,  to  clean,  327 

— ^—  of  children,  327 

to  clean,  327 

to  curl,  327 

dressing  for,  328 

dye  pomade,  80 

dyes,  72,  328 

lead  in,  72 

gray,  328,  329 

■  golden,  328 

on  horses,  loss  of,  io3 

injuring  bonnets,  151 

invigorator,  72 

katharion  for,  73 

•  loss  of,  329 

■  to  manage,  326 

to  restore,  329 

— —  restorative,  72 

saponaceous  wash  for,  73 

— — —  spring,  of  watches,  424 

■  to  stiffen,  65 
^—^  superfluous,  329 

.  wash,  rosemary,  73 

washes,  329 

Halter  pulling,  102 
Haraelin's  cement,  37 
Hams,  to  cure,  30a 
— — —  to  keep,  302 

mutton,  302 

Handles  (knife),  to  fasten,  158 
Hands,  to  beautify,  330 

— ^—  blistering  of,  329 
-—^—  care  of,  329 

■  ■   chapped,  65,  330 
— —  redness  of,  330 

to  remove  stains  from,  330 

to  soften,  330 

^—^—  to  whiten,  330 
Hinging  baskets,  476 
Hard  soap,  317 

■  .  water,  to  soften,  63 
Hardening  cast-steel,  424 
Harlem  oil,  76 
Harness  blacking,  199 
—^—'  care  of,  102 
——  varnish,  475 
Harps,  eolian,  476 
Harrowing,  144 
Hartshorn  jelly,  303 
Harvesting  barley,  120 
Hats,  care  of,  337 

to  dye,  349 

Panama,  476 

Hawk  trap,  186 

Hay  (clover),  to  manage,  134 
-—^—  to  cook  for  stock,  92 

cutting  and  curing,  134 

—~^  fever,  225 

racks  for  sheep,  94 

stacks,  to  ventilate,  134 

Headache,  226 

pills,  79 

Head,  scurf  in,  330 


INDEX. 

Heart-bum,  226 

see  carminative  lozenges, 

75    . 
Heart,  palpitation  of,  226 
Health,  rules  for  preserving,  225 
Heaves,  13 
Hedges,  barbary,  134 
cedar,  135 

to  plant,  134 


Heighth,  relative,  503 
Hellebore,  antidote  for,  16 
Hemlock,  antidote  for,  16 
poultice,  81 


Hemorrhage,  see  cotton  for  staunch- 
ing, 68 

uterine,  227 

Henbane,  antidote  for,  16 
Herbs,  to  dry,  302 

Hen  manure,  138 

roosts,  to  destroy  vermin  on, 

116 

Hens,  to  make  lay,  n6 

to  prevent  setting,  u6 

to  set,  116 


Hiccough,  227 
Hide-bound  horses.  T02 
Hides  (green),  to  cure,  i86 
to  take  off,  186 


Hive  for  bees,  to  make,  ai 

syrup,  84 

Hives,  changing,  23 

position  of,  23 

Hoarseness,  216,  227 
Hoffman's  anodyne,  64 
Holes  in  iron,  to  mend,  425 
HoUoway's  ointment,  76 

pills,  79 

Hollow  horn,  92 
Honey,  artificial,  476 

balsam,  64 

liquid,  476 

preservation  of,  303 

soap,  317 

vinegar,  380 

water,  "' 


Hoof-bound  horses,  102 

of  horses,  to  dress,  99 

ointment,  107 

quarter,  cracked,  102 

rot  in  cattle,  89 

Hooks,  fishing,  182 
Hop  beer,  365 

Hops,  to  choose,  54,  375 
Horehound,  73 
Horn,  to  color,  478 

in  imitation  of  tortoise  shell,  478 

manufacture  of,  476 

ail  in  cattle,  92 

Horns  of  cattle,  89 
Horse,  big  head  in,  96 

big  leg  in,  96 

big  shoulder  in,  96 

botts  in,  97 

breaking  down,  97 

to  break  of  pawing,  478 

castration  of,  98 

cataract  in,  97 

catarrh  in,  97 

colic  in,  98 

corns  in,  98 

cough  in,  96,  99 

collars,  to  fit,  98 

wooden,  478 


dealers,  tricks  of,  iis 
feeding  on  road,  104 
fever  in,  q6 
fulness  of^blood  in,  97 
(good),  points  of,  103 
(good  cart),  points  of,  103 
how  to  ride,  108 
inflammation  of  eye,  99 
loose  bowels  in,  97 
power,  to  ascertain,  425 
radish,  73 

to  grow,  135 

to  keep,  303 

vinegar. 


sore  breasts  in,  97 

stables,  to  purify,  X05 

worms  in,  96 

Horses,  age  of  by  the  teeth»  103 
— —  baulky,  gd 

34 


529 

Horses,  blanketing,  105 

care  of,  103 

cleaning,  104 

eyes,  to  test,  103 

feet,  brittleness  of,  100 

-^-^—  care  of,  100 

contracted,  100 

^^  to  prevent  snow  balling, 

100 

flies  on,  101 

food  for,  104 

foot,  canker  of,  101 

sand  crack  in,  lot 

founder  in,  loi 

— — ^—  fracture  in,  loi 

galled  back  in,  TOi 

to  judge  and  select,  103 

(poor),  to  fatten,  105 

pumice  foot  in,  101 

runaway,  io3 

to  shoe,  108 

stables  for,  los 

in  stables  on  fire,  15 

to  tame  and  train,  no 

water  for,  104 

when  unsound,  104 

Hose  (woolen),  to  wash,  349 
Hot-bed,  135,  209 
Hotch-potch,  S3 

Household  weights  and  measures,  164 
House,  to  choose  in  purchasing,  157 

renting,  15/ 

cleaning,  156 

(ice),  extemporaneous,  157 

plants,  143 

to  keep  without  fire,  157 


Houses,   cements  for  covering  fronts 

,      of.  33, 
fjr  roofs  of,  35 


choice  of  color  for,  27 

gravel  concrete  for,  27 

hints  on  building,  24 

to  keep  cool  in  hot  weather,  478 

when  to  paint,  27 

Hungary  water,  86 

Hyacinth  culture,  135 
Hydrate  of  chloral,  67 
Hydraulic  cement,  37  ' 
Hydrogen  gas,  to  produce,  73 
Hydrophobia,  see  bites,  16 
in  dogs,  170 


Ice,  camphor,  73 

chest,  479 

cream,  50 

raspberry,  54 

strawberry,  54 


house,  to  build,  479 

extemporaneous,  157 

to  gather,  479 
lemon  water,  54 
to  preserve,  479 


Iceing  for  cake,  47 
Impliments,  care  of,  135 
Impermeable  varnish,  267 
Incense,  73 
Incorrodible  ink,  203 
Indelible  ink,  203 

for  type,  S03 

pencils,  494 


Indestructible  ink,  203 
India  chologogue,  67 

ink,  203 

to  select,  203 

substitute  for,  203 


for  ordinary  writing,  203 

rubber,  artificial,  4S0 

cement,  37 

grafting,  133 

liquid  blacking,  199 

paste  blacking,  300 

varnish,  367 

water-proof  for  boots  and 

shoes,  152 
Indian  balsam,  64 

meal  cakes,  S4 

pudding,  54 


poke,  antidote  for,  16 

1 —  pone,  54 

Indigestion,  227 
Indigo,  extract  of,  349. 


530 


INDEX. 


Inflammation'of  bowels,  210 

■  of  brain,  210 
^-^—  of  legs  of  horses,  106 
Influenza,  227 

Infusion  of  buchu,  73 

Ink,  black,  480 

^— —  copjring,  480 

^—  (India),  to  remove  from  the 

flesh,  480 
———  indelible  printing,  480 
— —  (marking),  to  remove,  158 
——  mould  in,  160 
— —  to  restore  when  faded,  202 
— —  rollers  for  printers,  454 
— — ^  solid,  480 
— — ^  stains  on  boards,  151 

books,  158 

dreis  goods,  158 

^—^ linen,  158 

■ mahogany,  158 

Inks,  all  kinds,  200  to  207 
Insect  bites,  it 
Insects  on  canaries,  169 

■  to  exterminate,  136 

to  preserve,  186 

Interests,  rules  for  computing,  480 
Interfering  in  horses,  105 
Intoxication,  228 
Invigorator,  hair,  72 
Involuntary  emissions,  220 
Iodine,  stains  for,  73 

soap,  317 

Iron  and  bark,  pyrophosphate  of,  70 

bitter  wine  of,  73 

boiler,  cement  for,  35 

and  calisaya  bark,  70 

castings,  to  ornament,  427 

cement  for,  34 

— —  cement,  37 

to  color  copper,  427 

developer,  276 

— — —  to  galvanize,  426 
———  to  improve,  427 

mould,  to  remove,  158 

oxydization  of,  427 

pills  of,  79 

——  to  plate,  432 

pots,  to  mend,  162 

to  prevent  welding,  428 

railings,  decay  of,  427 

rust  cement,  37 

— ^-^  rust,  to  remove,  158 

Russian  sheet,  432 

to  silver,  435 

—~—  slag  cement,  428 

and  steel,  to  distinguish,  439 

— —  -  to  tin,  409,  428 

test  for,  480 

— —  to  test  quality  of,  42S 

•  varnish  for,  442 

—^  ware  (new),  to  temper,  161 

work,  to  paint,  427 

Ironing,  350 

Isinglass  glue,  480 

size,  257 

Italian  cream,  54 

varnish,  268 

Itch,  228 

bakers,  228 

-^—  barbers,  228 

in  horses,  105 

ointment,  76 

——  yellow  dock  root  for,  82 
Itching  chilblains,  lotion  for,  75 
Ivory,  artificial,  480 
— —  to  bleach,  480 

dyes  for,  480,  481 

knife  handles,  to  prevent  being 

cracked,  158 

to  silver,  481,  428 

to  soften,  481 

to  take  stains  out  of,  158 

transparent,  481 

——  to  whiten,  158,  481 


Jamaica  rum,  376 
Jam,  apple,  293 
apncot,  294,  303 

blackberry,  295 

cherry,  297 

— —  currant,  303 


Jam,  gooseberry,  303 
peach,  303 

plum,  303 

raspberry,  303 

strawberry,  303 

Jahn's  black  ink,  204 
Japan  black  ink,  204 

dryer,  252 

varnish,  268 


Japanese  cement,  37 
Japanning  on  metal,  428 

on  paper,  428 

on  wood,  428 

Jars,  cement  for  cracks  in,  35 
Jaundice,  228 

see  wild  cherry  bark,  65 

see  dandelion,  68 


Jelly,  apple,  54,  293,  303 

apricot,  294 

arrowroot,  54 

calves  feet,  54,  296,  303 

chicken,  54 

^— —  hartshorn,  303 

sago,  54,  303 

shank,  60 


Jerusalem  artichoke,  119 
Jet,  to  clean,  481 
Jewelers'  cement,  37 
rouge,  429 


Jewelry,  to  clean,  429 
Johnny  cake,  47 
Juniper  tar  soap,  317 


Kalsomining,  257 
Kalydor  for  the  complexion,  73 
Kath.irion  for  the  hair,  73 
Keeping  accounts,  118 

lawns,  136 

Kerosene  fires,  to  extinguish,  153 
lamp  wicks,  159 


Ketchup,  camp,  303 

mushroom,  303 

walnut,  303 


Kicking  cows,  90 

(horse)  in  stable,  105 

Kid  boots,  to  clean,  152 

to  restore  color  of,  152 

to  soften,  152 


gloves,  to  clean,  348 

to  color,  337 

Kidney  complaint,  see  imperial  drops, 
69 

inflammation  of,  228 

(of  horses),  inflammation  of,  105 

Killing  and  dressing  poultry,  116 

grease,  257 

knots,  257 

Kindlings,  fire,  158 
Kissingen  water,  86 
Kite,  to  make,  481 

Knee-pan  displaced  in  horses,  103 
sprung  horses,  105 


Knife-handle  (loose),  to  fasten,  158 
Knives,  to  clean,  158 

to  preserve  from  rust,  138 

Knots,  killing.  257 
Kourie  cement,  38 


Labels  for  plants,  143 

for  poisonous  drugs,  18 


Lace  (black),  to  clean,  351 

(gold),  to  clean,  347,  331 

to  renovate,  351 

(silver),  to  clean,  351 

to  wash  and  iron,  350 

(white  silk),  to  wash,  351 

Lac  red  dye,  350 

Lacquers,  257 

colored,  257 

Lacquered  articles,  to  clean,  158 
Lac  varnish,  268 

Lama  dress,  to  wash,  351 
Lamb,  to  keep  fresh,  304 

to  judge  its  quality,  54 

(leg  of),  to  boil,  55 


to  roast,  54 

Lambs,  care  of,  93 

Lamb-skins,  to  prepare  for  ladies  over- 
coats, 186 
Lampas  in  horses,  106 


Lamp  accidents,  to  prevent,  158 

chimneys,  to  clean,  159 

to  prevent  breaking,  159 


black,  267 

oil,  to  purify,  489 

wicks,  home  made,  159,  482 


Lamp>s,  to  clean,  159 

(kerosene),  turning  down  the 

wicks  of,  159 

to  prevent  smoking,  159 


Land,  to  drain,  482 
Lard,  candles  from,  314 

to  keep  from  moulding,  304 

to  prepare  pure,  73 


Larks,  trolling  for,  176 
Laudanum,  73 
Laughing  gas,  472 
Laundrying,  337 
Lavender,  essence  of,  70 

water,  86 

Law  of  copyright,  460 
Lawns,  keeping,  136 

to  wash,  351 

Laxitive  (female),  pills,  79 
Laying  soft  shelled  eggs,  136 
Lead,  cerate  of,  67 

colic,  215 

poisoning,  229 

white,  269 

to  test,  482 


Leaf  in  copper,  245,  279 

printing,  278 

to  take  impressions  of,  278 


Leak,  to  stop,  159 

Leaks  around  chimneys,  154 

Leather  belting,  cement  for,  33 

bronzing  for,  482 

cement  for,  35 

and  cloth,  cement  for,  35 

dressing  for,  187 

French  patent,  187 

polish  for,  1S7 


to  gild  or  silver,  187,  482 

of  old  furniture,  to  restore,  159 


oiling,  187 

paper,  490 

(patent),  p>olish  for,  482 

scraps,  187 

seats,  blacking  for,  200 

to  tan,  187 

work,  246 

Leaves  as  manure,  138 

to  preserve,  482 

skeleton,  245 

to  take  impressions  of,  245 


Leeches,  73 

to  apply,  229 


Legs  of  horses,  broken,  106 

inflammation  of,  io4 

swelling  of,  106 


Lemonade,  375 

effervescing,  376 

milk,  37S 

portable,  375 

powder,  81 


Lemon  acid,  304 

beer,  365 

cake,  47,  55 

candy,  48 

for  cough,  46  r 

pie.  55.  58 

sauce,  55 

sherbet,  377 

s>Tup,  377 

water,  55 

ice,  34 

wine,  387 


Lens,  burning,  453 
Lettuce,  to  grow,  124 

in  winter,  136 

Lcucorrhea,  229 

pills  for,  79 


Lice  on  apple  trees,  118 

calves,  92 

cattle,  89 

fowl,  116 

house  plants,  143 

pigs.  93 

Light  phial,  483 

Lighten  (to),  dark  rooms,  26 
Lightening  rods,  429 
to  erect,  38 


lights,  bengal,  4S3 
Lilac  dye,  352 
Lima  beans,  i2t 
Lime,  antidote  for,  17 

to  bum,  28 

deposit  in  boilers,  ,401 

juice  and  glycerine,   74 

water,  86 

for  painters,  257 

Linen,  to  bleach,  342 
care  of,  159 

to  detect  cotton  in,  460 

grease  spots  on,  337 

mk  stains  on,  158 

to  remove  fruit  stains  from,  159 

—  mould  from,  159 

stains  from,  159, 351 

to  make  fire-proof,  160 

sizing  of,  352 

(scorched),  to  restore,  160 

to  take  ink  out  of,  159 

(table),  to  wash,  351 

whitening,  35a 

Lines,  fishing,  181 
Liniment,  arnica,  74 

(blistering),  for  horses,  106 

for  bruises  in  horses,  106 

camphor,  74 

electro-magnetic,  74 

good  Samaritan,  74 

nerve  and  bone,  106 

rheumatic,  74 

■    ■         sore  throat,  74 

for  sprains  in  horses,  106 

Liniments,  74 

Linnets,  171 

Linseed  oil,  to  bleach,  25S 
Lips,  chapped,  330 
Lip  salve,  83 

carnation,  74 

red,  74 

— —  white,  74 
Liquid  blacking,  200 

blue,  to  prepare,  74 

cement,  39 

dye  colors,  35a 

glue,  39 

soap,  317 

Liquors,  colonng  for,  373 
Lithographers  ink,  200,  204 
Lithographic  paper,  279 
Lithography,  279 

Liver,  inflammation  of,  229 

- — —  pills,  79 

Lock-jaw,  19,  229 

Logs,  to  prevent  splitting,  483 

Looking-glasses,  to  clean,  160 

Lotion  of  chlorinated  soda,  75 

for  corns,  325 

freckle,  74 

Gonlaud's,  74 

for  itching  chilblains,  75 

Lovage,  483 

Lozenge,  carminative,  75 
cough,  75 

ginger,  75 

Keating' s,  75 

santonine,  75 

steel,  75 

Lumber,  facts  about,  483 
Luminous  ink,  204 

Lunar  caustic,  antidote  for,  17 
Lungs,  bleeding  from,  12 

inflammation  of,  230 

state  of,  230 

to  strengthen,  230 

of  sheep,  inflammation  of,  95 

Lye,  to  make,  317 

Macaroni,  bailed,  55 
Macassar  oil,  76 
Machinery  oil,  490 
Mackerel^to  fry,  55 
Madder  lake,  258 

red  dye,  352 

Maderia  wine,  387 
Magic  copying  paper,  4S3 

lantern,  pictures  for,  495 

— —  photographs,  279 
Magnesia,  carbonate  of,  66 
Magnesium,  429 


INDEX, 

Magnesian,  effervescing  aperient,  64 
Mahogany,  cement  for,  35 

furniture,  to  give  a  good  color 

to,  160 

graining,  225 

to  imitate,  258 

ink  stains,  158 

varnish,  268 

Malt-liquors,  to  bottle,  367 
Mandrake  or  may  apple,  75 
Mange  in  cattle,  89 

in  dogs,  171 


531 


Manure,  converting  bones  into,  137 
dead  animals  into, 


137 

garden  refuse  as,  138 

heap,  management  of,  137 

hen,  138 

leaves  as,  138 

liquid,  138 

night-soil,  138 

sawdust  and  chips  as,  13S 

stable,  136 


Manuscript,  estimate  of,  483 

preparation  of,  483 

Map  colors,  484 

varnish,  484 

Maple  beer,  365 

graining,  235 

^—  sugar  making,  138 
trees,  to  tap,  138 


Marble,  artificial,  484 

to  clean,  160,  484 

to  cut  and  polish,  484 

to  remove  grease  or  oil  from, 

160 
— —  smoke  stains  frxjm,  160 

staining^,  484 

Marbled  soap  balls,  318 
Marbling  for  books,  451 

glass  globes,  392 

Marbles,  gray  and  white,  258 

to  imitate,  258 

Italian,  258 


Marking  ink,  204 

— to  take  out,  158,  204 

for  parcels,  204 


Marketing,  hints  on,  160 
Marine  glue,  39 
Marmalade,  apple,  294 

apricot,  304 

cherry,  297 

gooseberry,  304 

mixed,  304  ' 

orange,  304 

red  currant,  304 

^— -^  tomatoe,  61 

transparent,  304 

Marrow  pomade,  80 
Marshmallow  ointment,  77 
Mastic  varnish,  268 
Matches,  to  make,  484 
Mats,  sheepskins  for,  igi 
Matting,  to  brighten,  485 
Mead,  376 

■  sarsaparilla,  376 
Meadow  saffron,  antidote  for,  17 
Meadows,  worn  out,  139 
Measels,  230 

false,  230 

Measures,  table  of,  483 
Meat  (fresh),  to  keep,  305 

(frozen),  to  keep.  305 

to  cure,  305 

panada,  55 

to  preserve,  305 

stewed,  53 

Strasbourg  potted,  SS 

test  for  bad,  55 

Medals,  molds  for,  429 
Medicine,  table  for  administering, 
Melon  mangoes,  305 

Melons,  to  grow,  139 

barrel  culture  for,  139 

Menses,  pills  to  promote,  79 
Menstruation,  230 

(obstructed),  pills  for,  79 

painful,  231 

retained,  231 

Merinos,  to  wash,  352 
Mercurial  battery,  399 
Metal,  bell,  400 


Metal,  to  clean,  439 

sheathing  lor  ships,  430 

for  telescopes,  430 

for  type,  430 

white,  430 

Metals,  cement  for,  33 
fancy  coloring  for,  430 

inks  for  writing  on,  204 

paste  for  deaauig,  430 

welding,  445 

writing  on,  430 

Metheglin,  376 

Mice  girded  trees,  to  save,  140 
to  drive  away,  175,  485 


Microscope,  home  made,  485 
Microscopic  cement,  38 

photography,  280 

Microscopical  objects,  485 
Mildew,  485 

on  cotton  cloth,  346 

to  remove,  160,  35a 

on  roses,  140 

sulphur  for,  140  . 

in  wheat,  150 , 

Milk  of  almonds,  75 

(bloody),  in  cows,  go 

biscuit,  55 

composition  of,  485 

condensed,  305 

— — —  of  cows,  to  increase,  91 
^— ^  to  deodorize,  140 

to  detect  when  adulterated,  485 

fever  in  cows,  91 

management  of,  122 

of  roses.  75 

room,  charcoal  in,  140 

sickness,  231 

to  test  richness  o^  140 

to  preserve,  305 

punch,  376 

of  wax,  73 


whey,  55 

Milking  cows,  91 

(hard),  cows,  go 

in  silence.  140 


Mill  picks,  to  harden,  424 
Mince  pie,  58 
Mineral  candles,  314 

water  syrups,  84 


Mink  breeding,  187,  18S 
to  trap,  18 


Mirrors,  amalgam  for,  389 

to  platinize,  485 

Mistura  spiritus  vini  gallici,  75 
Mitchel's  balsam,  64 
Mixing  paints,  259 
Mixture,  cough,  75 

copaiba,  73 

gout,  75 

Mocking  birds,  food  for,  171 

to  trap,  171 

Modeling  in  clay,  247, 
Moiree  metallique,  43a 
Molasses,  56,  365 

candy,  48 

Moles,  236 

(ground),  to  destroy,  189 


Money,  counterfeit,  461 
Monk  s  hood,  antidote  for,  17 
Monochromatic  drawing,  247 
Moon-eye  in  horses,  106 
Mopping  floors,  155 
Morrocco,  to  dye,  180 
Mortar,  28 

hydraulic,  28 


Mosquitoes,  to  banish,  175 
bites,  solution  for,  175 

to  prevent  biting,  173 

Moss  work,  247 

on  roofs,  303 

Mother  of  pearl,  cement  for,  33 
Moth  patches,  330 
Hoths  in  carpets,  73,  154 

in  clothing,  175 

(codling),  to  trap,  140 

in  furs,  173 

to  keep  from  fur,  175 


Mould  in  books,  to  prevent,  160 

ink,  to  prevent,.  i6o»  304 


Moulding  figures  in  clay,  486 

jasper  color,  486 

^— —  —  paste,  486 


532 


INDEX. 


Moulding  figures  in  wax,  486 

the  face  of  a  person,  486 

Mould  in  mucilage,  487 

in  safes,  to  prevent,  486 

Mouldy  substance  m  rooms,  486 
Moulting  of  birds,  167,  178 
Mountain  laurel,  antidote  for,  17 
Mourning  dresses,  346 
Mouth  disease  in  catde,  88 

glue,  39 

pastilles,  77 

(sore),  in  norses,  106 

unceleration  of,  231 

Mucilage,  jg 

for  labels,  487 

salep,  39 

mould  in,  487 

Muddy  water,  to  dear,  163 
MufSns,  56 

Mulberry  wine,  387 
Mule,  the,  106 

splint  on,  106 

Mulled  egg,  56 
Mumps,  231 

Muriate  of  barytes,  antidote  for,  17 

of  tin,  antidote  for,  17 

of  tin,  442 

Muriatic  acid,  antidote  for,  17 
Mush  for  stock,  92 
Mushroom  catsup,  56 

beds,  artificial,  141 

jelly,  303 

Mushrooms,  boiled,  56 

to  distinguish  from  poisonous 

fungi,  56 

(poisonous),  antidote  for,  16 

— —  to  pickle,  305 

to  preserve,  306 

— —  to  stew,  56 

Musical  instruments,  to  stain,  487 
Musk,  essence  of,  70 
— — ^  soap,  318 

tincture  o^  85 

Muskrat,  to  skin,  189 

skin,  to  tan  with  fur  on,  189 

■^— —  to  trap,  i8p 

Muslin,  to  make  fire-proof,  160 

to  wash  and  iron,  350,  353 

Mustard,  aromatic,  487 

French,  56 

plaster,  80 

^— ^  table,  56 
Mutton  broth,  56 

to  judge  its  quality,  56  . 

to  roast,  56 

to  stew,  56 

Myrrh  dentifrice,  69 
Myrtle  soap,  313 


Nails,  biting  the,  330 

(finger),  care  of,  330 

to  whiten,  331 

Names,  signification  of,  487 
Nankeen  dye,  352 

Nasal  gleet  in  horses,  106 
Nature  printing,  281 
Navicular  disease,  106 
Neat's  foot  oil,  489 
Neck,  enlarged,  211 
Nectar,  cream,  376 
Negative,  an  auxiliary,  sSx 
■•^—  bath,  273 
preservation  of,  s8l 

fixing,  281 

■  preservers,  282 

Neroli,  essence  of,  70 
Nerve  and  bone  liniment,  xo6 
Nervous  pill,  79 
Nervousness,  231 
Neufchatel  cheese,  127 
Neuralgia,  231 

see  Dr.  Peabody's  cure,  69 

Nickel  plating,  430 
Night-mare,  232 

soil  manure,  38 

Nipple;,  sore,  232 
Nitre,  antidote  for,  17 
Nitrate  of  silver,  75 

— — antidote  for,  17 

— — stains,  163 

Nitric  acid,  antidote  for,  15 


Nitro-glycerine,  489 

Nose-bleed,  12,  232 

Noses  (large),  to  make  small,  331 

Nursing  sick  children,  232 

Nutmegs,  to  select,  57 

Nux  vomica,  antidote  for,  17 


Oak  graining,  255 
^—^—  trees,  148 

varnish,  268 


Oat  cakes,  Scotch,  57 
Oats,  to  cultivate,  141 
———  seed,  14s 
Odor  of  flowers,  to  obtain,  75 

of  paint,  to  remove,  161 

Oil,  British,  76 

of  cassia,  76 

of  cedar,  antidote  for,  17 

cloth,  to  brighten,  485 

in  cloth,  161 

cream,  cod  liver,  76 

drying,  252,  258 

(essential),  to  extract  from 

flowers,  76 

to  extract  from  boards,  151 

furniture,  254,  258 

hair,  76 

Harlam,  76 

(kerosene),  to  test,  x6i 

king  of,  76 

(lamp),  to  purify,  489 

^^—  of  lemons,  to  preserve,  490 

linseed,  258 

for  machinery,  490 

in  marble,  i6o 

neat's  foot,  489 

of  orange  flowers,  76 

of  orange,  to  preserve,  490 

painting,    to  prepare  canvass 

for,  274 

parchment,  490 

prepared,  258 

(rape),  to  purify,  490 

of  rhodium,  76 

of  roses,  76 

Rowland's  macasser,  76 

rue,  antidote  for,  17 

of  savin,  antidote  for,  17 

for  sewiril;  machines,  431 

of  spike,  76 

oftansey,  antidote  for,  17 

of  tar,  antidote  for,  17 

turpentine,  76 

varnish,  268 

of  vitrol,  antidote  for,  17 

for  watches,  431 


Oiled  floors,  26 


paper,  491 


Oiliness  in  ink,  204 
Oiling  leather,  187 
Ointment  of  belladonna,  77 

cream,  76 

green,  76 

— glycerine,  76 

Holloway's,  76 

■       hoof,  107 

itch,  76 

marshmallow,  77 

pile,  77 

Sisson  s,  77 

Sloan's,  107 

stramonium,  77 

Oleographs,  490 
Olive  enamels,  466 
Omelette,  57 
Onions,  boiled,  57 
— —  to  cultivate,  57 
to  keep,  306 

to  pickle,  306 


—  roasted,  57 

Opium,  antidote  for,  17 

culture,  142 

extract  of,  71 

Powell's,  77 

of,  8s 


Opodeldoc,  liquid,  77 
Opticans'  cement,  38 
Orange  dye,  353 

enamels,  466 

flowers,  oil  of,  76 

■       flower  soap,  318 


Orange  Jelly,  S4 

marmalade,  304 


peel,  candied,  306 

pie,  58 

sherbet,  377 


Orangeade,  376 
Orchards,  to  manage,  143 
Orgeat,   376 
Oriental  painting,  247 
rusma,  69 


Ornaments  (brass),  to  clean,  151 
Ostrich  feathers,  to  clean,  348 
Otters,  to  skin,  190 
to  trap,  189 


Otto  of  roses,  77 

Ovens  (new),  to  temper,  161 

Over-reaching,  107 

Owl  trap,  186,  j^ 

Oxalic  acid,  antidote  for,  18 

Oxygen,  to  prepare,  77 

Oysters,  are  they  healthy,  57 

artificial,  57 

to  bake,  57 

catsup,  306 

to  fry,  57 

patties,  57 

pickled,  306 

to  roast,  57 

soup,  57 

stew,  57 

vegetable,  63 


Packing  china  or  glass,  373,  393 
hints  on,  490 


Paint,  black,  250 

blue,  250 

brown,  250 

cheap,  259 

chestnut,  250 

to  clean,  161 

fire-proof,  253 

flexible,  259 

green,  256 

milk,  260 

(oil),  to  reduce  with  water,  260 

petrolium,  26 

Prussian  blue,  262 

quick  drying,  253 

red,  262 

to  remove  odor  of,  161 

from  stone,  490 


skins,  260 

spots,  balls  for,  64 

watet -proof,  269 

white,  269 

yellow,  271 

zinc,  271 

Painting,  258 

antique,  243 

brick  buildings,  25 

fresco,  253 

flower,  284 

Grecian,  245 

glass  or  porcelain,  393 

houses,  25 

iron  work,  427 

oil,  282 

Oriental,  247 

outside  houses,  259 

rules  for,  259 

; theorem,  248 

white  washed  walls,  270 

water  color,  283 

Paintings,  to  preserve,  283 
to  restore,  283 


Painters,  rules  for,  263 
Paints,  to  mix,  259 
Pain  extractor,  77 

killer.  Perry  Davis',  77 


Palm  soap,  318 
Palpitation  of  the  heart,  226 
Palsey  in  horses,  107 
Panada,  bread,  58 
chicken,  58 


Panama  hats,  476 

Paper,  copying,  490  s^ 

flowers,  247 

—  from  oat  refuse,  49X 

fumigating,  77 

hangmg,  260 

hangings,  to  clean.  x6x 


Paper,  paste  for,  a6i 

(poisonous)  test  for,  i6i 

leather,  490 

lithographic,  279 

mache,  to  clean,  161 

oiled,  491 

parchment,  491 

to  prepare  for  photographs,  285 

to  remove  stains  from,  i6i 

sensitising,  284 

to  stain,  491 

to  take  writing  out  of,  161 

— —  test  for  wood  in,  492 

tracing,  284,  492 

transfer,  284,  492, 

transparent,  492 

waxed,  492 

Papulous  seal!,  232 
Parabolic  cement,  38 
Parchment  glue,  39 
to  make,  190 

paper,  491 

to  stain,  491 

Paregoric,  77 

Parrots,  cages  for,  172 

food  for,  172 

plucking  its  feathers,  172 

to  teach,  172 

Parsley,  to  dry,  306 
Parsnips,  to  boil,  58 

preserving,  306 

to  raise,  142 

Parsnip  wine,  387 
Partitions,  28 
Partridges,  to  boil,  57 

pie,  57 

to  roast,  57 

Paste  for  birds,  168 

blacking,  200 

— —  German,  77 

to  keep  a  year,  59 

for  labeling  on  tm,  492 

for  paper  hanging,  261 

phosphorous,  77 

for  pies,  57 

potatoe,  58 

resembling  the  diamond,  492 

rich  and  light,  58 

for  scrap  books,  40 

for  walls,  492 

Pastiles,  fumigating,  77 

mouth,  77 

vanilla,  492 

Patent  medicines,  composition  of,  492 
Pavement,  street,  493 
Peach,  borer,  142 
jam,  303 

pie,  58 

trees,  142 

potash  for,  142 

worm,  150 

Peaches,  to  can,  306 
to  dry,  306 

to  peal,  58 

to  preserve,  307 

to  stew,  58 

Peanut  culture,  143 
Pearls,  to  hold,  431 
Pearl  inlaying,  493 

• work,  imitation,  493 

Pears,  to  bake,  58 

to  grow,  142!  ""~"" 

Peas,  (green)  to  preserve,  30- 
Peasley  cement,  38 

Peau  D'Espagne,  78 

Pectoral  drops,  69 

Pegged  boots,  to  prevent  ripping,  152 

Pencil  drawings,  276 

writing,  to  fix,  494 

Pencils,  black  lead,  494 

indelible,  404 

Peppermint  cordial,  374 

essence  of,  70 

Percussion  caps,  priming  powder  for, 

494 
Perfume  of  flowers,  to  extract,  78 
■     for  gloves,  78 

powder,  78 

for  sachets,  78 

Permanent  ink,  204 
Perpetual  ink,  204 
Petroleum  paint,  260 


INDEX. 

Petroleum,  (refined)  to  decolorize,  495 

improved    method   of  threat- 

ment,  495 

Pew's  composition  for  covering  build- 
ings, 26 

Pewter,  431 

to  clean,  161 


Phalon's  hair  oil,  76 

Phenyl  paper  for  preserving  meat,  305 

Phial  glass,  393 

Philocome,  80 

Phosphorous  paste,  77 

Photograph  coloring,  286 

Photographic  collodion,  275,  286, 

light,  287 

printing,  287,  289 

process,  288 

seals,  290 

Photographing  on  wood,  290 

tracings  without  a  camera,  509 


Photographs,  to  clean  glass  for,  278 

to  dress  for,  286 

enameling,  286 

magic,  279 

to  reproduce  when  faded,  278 

to  tint,  292 


533 

Pills,  for  gravel,  79 

Holloway's,  79 

of  iron,  79 

liver,  79 

for  obstructed  menstruation,  79 

— —  to  promote  menstrual  secretion, 

79 
—  nervous,  79 

rhubarb,  79 

for  sick  headache,  75 

to  sugar  coat,  79 


Pimples,  to  cure,  331 

dry,  232 

Pinchbeck,  431 
Pine  apple  rum,  376  , 
Pink  saucers,  79 
dye.  353 


Pip  in  birds,  166 
Pistachio  nut  meal,  318 
Pitch  plaster,  80 

to  remove,  163 


Photographers,  new  light  for,  287 
Photography,  microscopic,  280 
Photo-galvanography,  287 
Photo-lithography,  272 
Photo-lithographic  process,  288,  495 
Physic  Balls  for  horses,  96,  107 
Piccalilli,  307 
Pickled  beef,  29s 

tomatoes,  311 

tripe,  311 

walnuts,  311 


Pickling  cabbage,  296 

corn,  298 

cucumbers,  298 

Eggs,  299 

hints  on,  357 

mushrooms,  305 


onions,  306 

oysters,  jo6 

Pickles,  copper  in,  307 

cucumber,  307 

— ^—  French,  307 

India,  308 

mixed,  308 

of  sweet  citron,  307, 


Picture  frames,  495 

— — to  gild,  420 

to  prevent  flies  from  in- 
juring, 161 

to  print  from  the  print  itself, 

28s 
Pictures  to  hang,  i6t 

for  magic  lanterns,  495 

on  porcelain,  285 

steroscopic,  291 


Pigeons,  to  test  freshness  of,  58 

to  stew,  59 

Pigments  for  stained  glass,  495 
Pigs,  blind  staggers  in,  93 

lice  on,  93 

mangy,  93 

to  select,  93  \ 


Pie,  cocoanut,  49 

cream,  58 

lemon,  55,  58 

mince,  58 

orange,  58 

partridge,  57 

peach,  58 


pumpkin,  58 

Pile  ointment,  77 
Piles,  232 

Pillows,  feather,  469 
Pills,  ague,  78 
of  aloes,  78 

anti-bilious,  78 

Brandreths  78 

carbonate  of  iron,  78 

cathartic,  78 

chalybeate,  79 

chamomile,  79 

cough,  79 

digestive,  79 

dinner,  79 

emmenagogue,  79 

female  laxitive,  79 


Pitting  in  small.pox,  234 

Piques  to  wash,  352 

Plague,  cattle,  89 

Planks,  to  prevent  spliting,  483 

Plants,  boxes  for  starting,  143 

house,  143 

lice  on,  143 


labels  for,  143 


to  take  impressions  of,  245 

Plant  specimens,  preservation  of,  308, 

Plaster,  adhesive,  496J 

casting  in,  454 

casts  to  take,  496,  497 

alabaster  effect  on,  497 

to  harden,  497 

to  toughen,  497 


corn,  79 

court,  68,  79 

figures,   to  give  a  bronze  ap- 
pearance to,  432 

varnishing,  498 

irritating,  79 

mustard,  80 

ornaments,  29 

of  Paris,  496 

poor  mans,  80} 

rheumatic,  80 

strengthening,  80 

stytic,  80 

Plastering,  29 

Plate,  to  clean,  162 
Plated  metal  to  test,  432 
Plates,  hot  cast  criolite,  285 
Plating  without  a  battery,  433 

on  iron,  432 

on  steel,  432 


Platinizing  glass,  473 

Pleurisy  233 

Plowing,  144 

Plows  (rusty)  to  clean,  144 

Plumbago,  to  test,  498 

Plumbers  cement,  38 

Plum  cheese,  309 

to  grow,  143 

jam,  303 

to  preserve,  309 

pudding,  59 


Pheumonia  in  horses,  107 
Pointer  dog,  180 
Poison  dogwood,  antidote  for,  18 
ivy,  antidote  for,  18 


Poisoning,  lead,  229 
Poisonous  drugs,  labels  for,  18 
paper  hangings,  161 


Poisons,  antidote  for,  18 
Polish,  French,  261,  498 
Polishing  glass,  393 

iron,  to  keep  from  rust,  43a 

leather,  187 

powder,  432 

wood  carving,  262 

Poll  evil,  107 

and  fistula,  107 


Pomade,  castor  oil,  80 

cream,  80 

dye  for  the  hair,  80 

marrow,  80 

transparent,  80 

Pomatum,  black  stick,  80 

East  India,  80 


534 


INDEX. 


Pomatum,  marrow,  8b 

philocome,  80 

rose,  80 

Ponceon,  353 
Poplar  bark,  65 
Poppy,  extract  of,  71 
Porcelain,  to  make,  409 

pictures  on,  2S5 

Pork  as  food,  59 
Portable  eggs,  295 

glue,  39 

Porter,  376 

bottling,  376 

Portwine,  387 

Positives  (direct),  on  glass,  286 
Posological  table,  80 
Potash,  antidote  for,  18 

yield  of,  318 

Potassium,  bromide  of,  66 

suphocyanide  of,  500 

Potatoe  paste,  58 

bread,  45 

Potatoes,  to  boU,  59 

bug,  to  destroy,  144 

^— —  earthing  up,  1 13 

(frosted),  starch  from,  506 

to  fry,  59 

mashed,  59 

pudding,  59 

raising  under  straw,  143 

scones,  59 

seed,  145 

snow,  59 

sprouting,  309 

storing,  309 

'  sweet.  143,  309 

rot,  prevention  of,  143 

Potchimoni,  248 

Pot-pie,  chicken,  49 
Pots  (iron),  to  mend.  163 
Potted  beef,  43 

meat,  55 

Pottery,  498 

Poudre  subtle,  Delcroix's,  69 

Poultice,  charcoal,  8x 

Goulard's,  81 

hemlock,  81 

yeast,  81 

Poultry,  to  fatten,  114 

to  kill  and  dress,  n6 

; —  for  market,  116 

Powder,  ague,  81 

'———  baking,  42 
——  composition,  81 

condition,  81 

— — ^  Dover's,  81 

filtering,  81 

— —  ink,  205 
——  lemonade,  81 

I  pearl,  81 

rose  face,  81 

— —  seidlitz,  81 

■  tooth,  81 
Powders,  cleansing,  107 
— —  condition,  107 
Pox,  chicken,  233 

— —  cow,  233 

— ^^—  small,  233 

^—^  (small),  pitting  in,  234 

Precipitate,  red,  77 

Preserving  animals,  190 

——'  apples,  294 

■  birds,  176 

eggs,  299 

— —  fresh  meat,  305 

green  grapes,  30X 

-^— ^  insects,  186 
— —  milk,  305 
—^—  mushrooms,  306 
Primrose  vinegar,  381 
Prince  Rupert  s  drops,  393 
Printed  books,  to  bleach,  500 

— I sheets,  to  clean,  500 

Printers'  type,  430 
Printing  ink,  204 

rollers,  500 

Prints,  to  bleach,  500 

to  transfer  to  ^lass,  286 

— —  to  prevent  fadmg,  353 
Propogation  of  salmoB,  190 
Proud  flesh,  233 

Pruoing,  143 


Prusic  acid,  antidote  for,  18 
Prussian  blue,  262 

dye,  341 

Puddmg,  apple,  41 

arrowroot,  59 

birds  nest,  59 

bread.  46 

green  com,  53 

half  pay,  59 

Indian  meal,  54 

plum,  59 

I>otatoe,  59 

rice,  59 

rice  and  apple,  59 


tapioca,  6i 

tomatoe,  62 

Pulleys,  speed  of,  473 
Pulmonic  wafers,  86 
Pumpkins  amongst  com,  144 

drying,  309 

for  rheumatism,  502 


Pumpkin  pie,  58 
Pumice  stone,  262 
Pump,  self-acting,  500 
Punch,  376 

milk,  376 


Puppy,  to  choose,  170 
Purchasing  a  house,  157 
Purgative  calls  for  horses,  96 
Purification  of  water,  163 
Purple  dye,  352 

enamels,  466 

ink,  205 

stain,  263 


Putty,  glaziers',  40 

jxjlisher,  432 

to  remove,  162 

to  soften,  140,  262 


Pyrogallic  add  developer,  276 


Quail  trap,  197 
Queen  bees,  to  rear,  23 
Queens-ware,  to  make,  500 
Quince,  to  cultivate,  144 

marmalade,  304 

to  preserve,  309 

wine,  387 


Quinine,  substitute  for,  81 
Quinsey,  234 
Quills,  to  prepare,  500 
Quilts,  to  wash,  346 
Quittor  in  horses,  108 


Rabbits,  to  cook,  S9 
to  feed,  173 

habits  of,  173 

to  keep  from  apple  trees,  118 

to  rear,  173 

to  test,  59 

to  trap,  190 


Rabies  in  dogs,  170 
Raccoon,  to  catch,  190 

skins,  to  prepare,  190 


Radishes,  to  grow,  144 
Rag  carpet,  500 
Railroad  signals,  50Z 
Rain,  to  produce,  144 
Raisin  wine,  387 
Rancid  butter,  453 
Rape  oil,  490 
Raspberry  ice  cream,  54 

cordial,  374 

jam,  303 

syrup,  378 

vinegar,  381 

wine,  387 


Raspberries,  to  grow,  144 
Rasps,  419 

to  recut,  419 


Ratafia,  376 
Rat-proof  com  cribs,  12S 
Rats,  to  destroy,  175 
Raynor's  depilatory,  69 
Razor,  to  hone  and  strap,  501 

paper,  501 

strap  paste,  501 

to  renew,  162,  soa 


Red  cement,  38 
dyes.  354 


Red  enamels,  467 

hypernic,  354 

ink,  205 

lead,  262 

madder,  354 

paints,  262 

precipitate,  8a 

raspberry,  83 

stain,  263 

water  in  sheep,  95 

Reels,  fishing,  182 
Refrigerator,  home  made,  50* 
Relative  height  and  weight,  502 
Remedy  for  drunkeness,  82 
gout,  82 

rheumatism,  82 


Rennet,  144 

to  use,  144 

Renting  a  house,  157 
Resin-oil  ink,  205 
Restorative,  hair,  72 
Revalentia  Arabica,  83 
Rhubarb,  to  dry,  310 

pill,  79 

to  preserve,  310 

root,  82 

tincture  of,  85,  S^» 

transplanting,  144 

vinegar,  381 

wine,  387 

Rheum  in  birds,  166 
Rheumatic  alterative,  64 

fluid,  71 

-^^^  liniment,  74 

plaster,  80 


Rheumatism,  remedy  for,  82,  86,  234  ' 

see  Dr.  Kittredge's  remedy,  69 

inflammatory,  502 

in  cows,  90 

in  horses,  503 

in  sheep,  95 


Rhodum,  oil  of,  76 
Ribbons,  to  keep,  163 

to  iron,  337 

to  wash,  355 


Rice  and  apple  pudding,  59 

bread,  45 

flour  cement,  38 

pudding,  59 


Riding  a  horse,  108 
Ringbone,  108 
Rings  (bull),  to  insert,  93 
Ring  (tight),  to  remove,  23s 
Ringworm,  235 

in  horses,  loS 


Roaring  in  horses,  loS 
Roasted  onions,  57 
snipe,  60 


Roast  patndges,  57 

veal,  62 

venison,  63 


Roads,  repairing,  502 
Robin,  to  tame  and  feed,  173 
Rock  blasting,  502 

work,  artificial  coral  for,  503 


Rocks,  to  remove,  122,  145 
Rods,  fishing,  181 
Rolls,  beefsteak,  44 
Roman  cement,  36,  38 
Roofing,  cheap,  29 
Roofs,  composition  for,  29 
fire-proof  wash  for,  503 

moss  on,  503 

(tile),  cement  for,  36 

of  thatch,  30 

of  tin,  29 

Room,  to  cool,  23s 

walls,  cement  for,  35 


Rooms  (dark),  to  lighten,  26 
Root,  alkanet,  82 

beer,  365 

gold  thread,  82 

golden  seal,  82 

grafting,  133 

rhubarb,  82 

yellow  dock,  82 

Roots,  to  dry,  310 

to  preserve,  310 


Rope,  to  make  flexible,  503 
Ropes,  to  compute  strength  of,  50a 
Rose  buds,  to  preserve,  310 
colored  enamels,  467 


INDEX. 


535 


Rose,  pink,  83 

rash,  230 

•^—  water,  86 

wood  graining,  256 

to  imitate,  263 

— —  stain,  263 

Roses,  essence  of,  70 

milk  of,  75 

■  mildew  on,  140 

oil  of,  76 

otto  of,  77 

pomatum  of,  80 

Rosemary  hair  wash,  73 

hair  oil,  76 

Rosin  soap,  318 
Rouge,  82 

Roup  in  fowels,  117 

Rubber  boots  and  shoes,  to  mend,  152 

hose,  to  mend,  162 

Rug,  to  make,  162 

(sheepskin),  to  clean,  162 

Ruling  ink,  205 

Rump  gland  obstruction  in  birds,  167 
Rum,  Jamaica,  376 

pine  apple,  376 

Santa  Cruz,  376 

St.  Croix,  376 

shrub,  376 

Runaway  horses,  108 
Runnet,  144 
Rupture  in  horses,  109 
Russian  bath,  209 

sheet  iron,  432 

Rust,  to  keep  from  tools,  31 
steel,  163,  432 

(iron),  to  remove,  158 

to  remove,  163,  432 

— —  to  prevent  in  tea  kettles,  51 

in  wheat,  150 

Rusty  plows,  to  clean,  144 
Rye  bread,  45 

to  cultivate,  143 


Sachet  a  la  Frangipanne,  82 

helitrope,  82 

perfume,  78 

rose,  82 

Saddles,  wooden,  478 
Safes,  mould  in,  486 
Sago  bread,  45 

to  cultivate,  145 

jelly.  54.  303 

Salad,  cucumber,  51 
Saline  draught,  377 
Salmon,  propogation  of,  190 
Salt  in  builOing  chimneys,  453 

fish,  to  freshen,  52 

■  of  lemons,  503 

in  soap  making,  31S 

water  soap,  319 

Salting  butter,  123 

cabbage  plants,  124 

Salts  for  smelling  bottles,  83 
Salve,  balm  of  Gilead,  82 

black,  82 

healing,  450 

brown,  82 

— — ^—  Conklin's,  83 

felon,  83 

green  mountain,  83 

——^—  Kitridge's,  83 

lip,  83 

Russian,  83 

Sand  paper,  to  make,  503 
Sandwich  cake,  47 
Santa  Cruz  mm,  376 
Santal  wood  soap,  319 

spirit  of,  S03 

Santonine  lozenges,  75 
Saponaceous  cream  of  almonds,  319 
Sarsapariila,  83 

extract  of,  71 

mead,  376 

syrup,  378 

Sassafras,  83 

beer,  365 

Sauce,  apple,  41 
——^  chutney,  60 

cranberry,  50 

fish,  51 

— —  for  fowls,  53 


Sauce,  lemon,  55 
shirlej',  60 


Worcestershire,  60,  311 

Sauerkraut,  to  make,  310 
Saws,  to  mend,  433 

tempering,  433 

Saw  teeth,  shape  of,  433 

to  put  in  order,  433 

teeth  to  sharpen,  434 


Scab  in  sheep,  95 
Scald  heads,  226 
Scalds,  19 

and  bums,  12 

Scarfs,  to  clean,  356 

(cashmere),  to  dean  the  white 

middle  of,  356 

to  wash,  356 

Scarlet  dye,  355,  356 

fever,  224 

ink,  205 

Scenting  soaps,  319 
Schiedam  schnapps,  377 
Schioicao  ocment,  38 
Scones,  potatoe,  59 
Scorched  linen,  to  restore,  160 
Scotch  brose,  46 

butter  candy,  48 


Scouring  floors,  155 
Scours  in  calves,  92 
Scratches,  235 

in  horses,  109 


Screws  and  nuts,  to  loosen,  503 
in  soft  wood,  30 


Scrofula,  235 

Scurf  in  the  head,  330 

Scurv'cy,  235 

Sea  bathing,  448 

Seal  engravers  cement,  38 

Sealing  wax  (all  colors),  40 

Sea  sickness,  235 

Season  for  trapping,  195 

Seasoning  new  glassware,  136 

Seed,  barley,  145 

corn,  145 

to  improve,  145 

oats,  145 

Seed,  potatoes,  145 

to  select,  145 

to  test  vitality  of,  14S 

wheat,  145 

quantity  required  in  planting, 

503    .- 
Seedlac  varnish,  268 
Seidlitz  powders,  81 
Seive  trap,  197 
Senna,  extract  of,  71 
Sensitizing  baths,  273 
Self-sucking  cows,  91 
Setting  hens,  116 

traps,  19s 


Sewing  machine  oil,  431 

hints  on  using,  503 

Sex  of  canaries,  168 
eggs,  114 


Shade  trees,  to  plant,  148 
Shampoo  liquid,  503 
Shank  jelly,  60 
Shaving  cream,  68 

liquid,  504 

paste,  319,  504 

soap,  319 


Shawls,  to  clean,  356 
Shearing  sheep,  95 
Sheathing  for  ships,  430 
Sheep,  age  of,  93 

catarrh  in,  94 

to  fatten,  94 

foot  rot  in,  94 

hayracks  for,  94 

inflammation  of  lungs  in,  94 

jumping  fences,  94 

killing  dogs,  94 

and  lambs,  care  of,  93 

leather,  to  dye,  180 

to  protect  from  gad  fly,  94 

rheumatism  in,  94 

red  water  in,  94 

scab  in,  94 

to  shear,  94 

* skins,  to  prepare  for  mats,  191 

to  tan,  191 

stretches  in,  94 


Sheepskin  rugs,  to  clean,  162 
Shellac,  to  bleach,  505 

varnish,  268 

Shells,  etching,  248 
Shell  work,  248 
Sherbet,  377 

' lemon,  377 

orange,  377 

Persian,  377 

Sherry  wine,  388 

Shingles,  to  prevent  decay  of,  30 

fire-proof  wash  for,  30 

Ships,  to  ventilate,  505 
Shirley  sauce,  60 

Shirt  bosoms,  to  polish,  356 
to  starch,  337 


collars,  to  dress,  357 
to  starch,  337 


Shoeing  horses,  109 

Shoes,  care  of,  151 

Shoe  soles,  to  save,  337  * 

Shops,  din  in,  409 

Shortness  of  breath,  79 

Show  colors  for  druggists'  windows,  83 

Shower  bath,  209 

Sick,  food  for,  236 

room,  pure  air  in,  236 

visiting,  236 


Signals,  railroad,  501 

Signatures,  to  take  fac-similies  of,  505 

Silk  (black),  to  choose,  338 

to  clean,   357 

(colored),  to  clean,  357 

gilding  on,  504 

grease  on,  358 

to  keep,  337 

reviver,  357 

stockings,  to  wash,  358 

(varnished),  to  prepare,  505 

to  do  up,  338 


washing,  358 
(white),  to  bleach,  357 
wrinkled,  358 


Silver,  to  alloy,  434 
to  clean,  435 

to  clean  when  tarnished  in  sol- 
dering, 437 

counterfeit,  435 

to  enamel,  422 

frosted,  435 

German,  435 

to  give  luster  to,  162 

imitarlon,  435 

ink,  205 

to  keep  bright,  435 

leaf,  to  varnish  like  gold,  438 

to  make  transparent,  437 

ornaments,  to  clean,  162 

plate,  to  take  stains  of,  162 

plated  candlesticks,  to  clean, 

^53. 

plating  fluid,  437 

solution,  435 


to  refine,  437 

to  restore  dead  white  in,  435 

stains,  to  remove,  291 

'■ —  waste,  to  recover,  291 

to  write  on,  438 

Silvering,  435 

glass,  394 

iron,  435 

ivorj',  428 

leather,  187 

powder,  437 

to  test,  470 

Size,  bronzing,  263 

gold,  263 

inside,  2(53 

isinglass,  257 


Sizing  for  boots  and  shoes  in  treeing 

out,  504 

for  gilding,  234 

for  gold  on  glass,  394 

of  linen,  352 


Skating,  hints  on,  504 
Skeleton  leaves,  254 
Skeletons,  preparation  of,  191 
Skin,  discolored,  236 

grafting,  236 

to  soften,  331 

to  whiten,  331 


Skinning  birds,  1 76 


536 

Skinning  muskrats,  189 

otter,  190 

Skins  of  animals,  composition  of,  192 

coloring  and  dyeing,  192 

curing,  193 

dressing  and  tanning,  192 

preservatives  for,  193 

stretching,  193 

Skunks,  to  trap,  193 

Skunk  skins,  to  deoidorize,  193 
Slate  dye,  358 
Slates,  artificial,  505 
Sleep  for  farmers,  130 

for  infants,  237 

position  in,  237 

Sleeping  together,  237 
Sleeplessness,  236 
Sloan's  ointment,  107 
Slugs  and  snails,  145 

upon  wheat,  150 

Small  pox,  233 

darkness  in  treating,  503 

pitting  in,  234 

Smoke  in  furnaces,  471 

stains  in  marble,  160 

Smoked  hams,  302 

Smoking  chimneys,  to  remedy,  26 
Smut  in  wheat,  145 
Snake  bites,  12 

; —  bitten  cattle,  89 

Snails,  145 

Snares  for  trapping,  193 

Snipes,  roasted,  60 

to  shoot,  193 

Snow,  apple,  41 
Snuff,  catarrh,  83 

cephalic,  68,  83 

Soap,  arsenical,  193 

home  made,  319 

■  making,  312  to  323 
Soapsuds  bubbles,  506 

clearing,  358 

Soda  cakes,  60 
Softening  of  the  brain,  211 
Soft  corns,  215 

■  soap,  321 

Solder  for  brass  or  copper,  438 
•  common,  438 

hard,  438 

^—^—  silver,  438 

■  soft,  438 

wire  of,  446 

Soldering  castings,  407 

ferrules,  438 

Soluble  glass,  394  to  396 

-^—  in  paintmg,  263 

Solutions,  fixing,  291 

of  silk,  291 

Soothing  syrup,  84 

Sore  mouth  in  cattle,  89 

— ^— —  nipples,  232 

Sores  (old),  red  precipitate  for,  77 

Sorghum  culture,  145 

vinegar,  382 

Sorrel,  to  remove,  146 
Soundness  of  timber,  147 
Soup,  asparagus,  42 

Boyd's,  60 

— — —  coloring  for,  60 

■  gumbo,  70 

oyster,  57 

stock  for,  60 

tablets,  506 

tomatoe,  62 

vegetable,  60 

Sour  beer,  366 
Spasms,  remedy  for,  237 
Spaulding's  glue,  39 
Spavin,  109 

cure  for,  no 

Spawn  of  fish,  to  handle,  180 
Specific  for  dyscntry,  83 
Specula,  polishing  powder  for,  438 
Spermaceti  candles,  314 

■  soap,  321 
Spiders  in  gardens,  132 

Spinal  affections,  linament  for,  74 
Spiritus  vini  gallici,  75 
Spitting  of  blood,  209 
Spleen,  inflammation  of,  237 
Splinters,  to  extract,  237 
Splint  ia  horses,  no 


INDEX. 

Splint  in  mule,  no 
Sponge,  to  bleach,  83 

cake,  47,  to 

paper,  506 

tent,  to  prepare,  83 


Spots  (grease),  to  remove,  163 
on  silk,  163 


Sprain,  237 
Sprained  ankle,  208 
Sprain  in  horses,  no 
Springs  of  iron  wire,  438 

(trap),  to  temper,  43S 

Squash,  to  cook,  61 
culture,  146 


Squeaking  boots,  152 
Squinting,  238 
Squirrels,  to  manage,  173 

skins,  to  tan,  194 

to  trap,  193 


Stable  on  fire,  horses  in,  15 
manure,  136 


Stables  for  horses,  105 
Stacks  (hay),  to  ventilate,  134 
Staggers  in  horses,  no 
Stain  (black),  for  wood,  263 

blue,  263 

cherry,  263 

ebony,  263 


for  floors,  264 

purple,  263 

red,  263 

rosewood,  263 

yellow,  264 


Stains  on  floors,  155 

(ink),  on  books,  151,  158 


— — —  on  ivory,  ij8 

of  iodine,  to  remove,  73 

of  nitrate  of  silver,  163 

on  paper,  161 


Staining  glass,  393,  396 

pigments  for,  495 


Stair  carpets,  153 
Stammering,  to  cure,  506 
Starch,  alum  in,  358 

flour,  358 

from  frosted  potatoes,  506 

glue,  359 


gum  Arabic,  358 

to  improve,  359 

lustre,  359 

polish,  359 


Starching,  clear,  358 
St.  Croix  rum,  376 
Steam  boilers,  441 

engines,  care  of,  506 

pipes,  cement  for,  35 

Stearine  candles,  314 

Steel  articles,  bluing,  404 
to  preserve  from  rust,  163 

Bessemer's  process  of  making, 

to  color  blue,  440 

to  distinguish  from  iron,  439 

dye,  359 

goods,  to  preserve,  441 

Heaton's  process  of  making,439 

lozenges,  75 

to  plate,  432 

to  remove  bluing  from,  440 

to  remove  rust  from,  163 

to  restore  when  burnt,  440 

scaling,  440 

Siemen's,  440 

tempering,  440 

^—^--  to  toughen,  440 
Steers,  to  break,  96 

jumping  fences,  94 

Stereoscopic  pictures,  291 

transparencies,  291 


Stewed  meats,  55 

oysters,  57 

pigeon,  59 

veal,  62 

Stiffjoints,  see  Dr.  Kitredge's  reme- 
dy, 69 
Stifle  stepping,  no 
Stings  of  bees  and  wasps,  19 
Stomach  acid,  238 

bitters,  366 

inflammation  of,  238 

putrid  belching  of  wind  from, 

»ee  charcoal  of  wood,  67 


Stone,  artificial,  30,  507 

coating  for  wood,  31 

cement  for,  36 

facades,  to  clean,  507 

preserving  surface  of,  30 

varnish,  268 

ware,  to  manufacture,  508 


Stones,  to  remove  paint  from,  490 
Stopper  (glass),  to  remove,  163 
Stoves,  blacking,  163 

cement  for,  36 

to  keep  from  rust,  508 

to  mend  cracks  in,  508 


Stramonium,  antidote  for,  18 

ointment,  77 

Strangles  in  horses,  no 
Strawberry,  cordial,  374 

culture,  146 

ice  cream,  53 

jam,  303 

plants,  146 

vinegar,  381 

wine,  388 

Straw  bonnets,  to  bleach,  359 

to  clean,  359 

to  dye,  359 

to  varnish,  359 


color,  359 

hats,  to  whiten,  360 


Street  pavements,  493 
Strictures,  238 
Strengthening  plaster,  80 
Stretches  in  sheep,  96 
citrychina,  antidote  for,  17 
Stucco  white  wash,  270 
Stuffiing  birds,  176 

for  turkeys,  62 


Stump  machine,  to  make,  146 
Stumps,  to  remove,  146 
St.  Vitus  dance,  238 
Stye  in  eye,  221 
Styptic  plaster,  80 
Subsoiling,  146 
Suet  dumplings,  60 
to  keep,  310 


Suffocation  from  noxious  gasses,  19 
Sugar,  to  clarify,  60 

-  for  candies,  68 


of  lead,  antidote  for,  18 

to  make,  147 

(majile),  to  make,  138 

refining,  508 

vinegar,  382 

Suit  (working),  for  farmers,  338 
Sulphate  of  zinc,  antidote  for,  18 
Sulphur,  to  detect  in  coal  gas,  69 

flexible,  508 

casting  in,  434 

for  mildew,  140 


Sulphurated  hydrogen,  308 

soap,  321 

Sulphurous  acid,  to  make,  508 
Summer  drinks,  377 

squash,  to  cook,  60 

suits,  to  wash,  360 


Sunburn,  236,  332 
Sunflower,  its  value,  147 
Sunprinting  on  fruits,  131 
Sunstroke,  ip,  238 
Superfluous  hair,  329 
Supperation,  gargle  to  promote,  7a 
Surgeons  adhesive  cloth,  63 
Swarming  of  bees,  20 
^— ^  artificial,  20 
to  prevent,  21 


Swarms  going  to  the  woods,  21 
Sweating,  profuse,  239 


to  produce,  239 
seebu 


mrdock,  66 
Sweeney,  no 
Sweet  fern,  83 

— ^—  potatoes,  to  raise,  143 
to  store,  309 


Swelling  of  legs  of  horses,  106 


white,  239 
:  of,  . 


Swimming,  art  of,  308 
Sympathetic  inks,  203 
Syrup,  blackberry,  295,  377 

cathartic,  66 

cough,  84 

currant,  298 

to  color,  377 


INDEX. 


537 


S>Tup  for  consumptives,  84 

hive,  84 

■       lemon,  377 
— —  of  phosphate  of  iron,  508 

— —  of  iron  and  lime,  508 

— — ——  of  iron  and  quinine, 

508 
—— — —  of  magnesia,  508 

■    '    -    raspberry,  378 

'  sarsaparilla,  378 

— —  soda,  .178 

soothing,  84 

•  stillingia  compound,  84 

—  —  of  lar,  84,  509 
vanilla,  378 


Syrups  for  mineral  waters,  84 


Tables,  to  remove  marks  from,  163 

Taifee,  61 

Tallow  candles,  314 

to  clarify,  321 

to  harden,  321 

Taming  horses,  preparation  for,  no 
I  and  training  horses,  no 

young  canaries,  169 

Tan  bark,  194 

to  remove,  332 

Tannin,  purification  of,  85 
Tanning  bufiklo  skins,  179 
———  chemistry  of,  194 
——^  curriers  size  for,  195 

■ paste  for,  195 

skirting  for,  195 

furs,  192 

leather,  187 

muskrat  skins,  191 

operatioa  of,  194 

sheep  skins,  191 

skins,  192 

I   without  bark  or  mirteral  as- 
tringents, 194 

without  the  wool  Or  hair,  194 

squirrel  skins,  194 

in  vacuo,  508 

Tapeworm,  232 

see  sweet  fern,  85 

Tapioca  paper,  291 

pudding,  6i 

Tapping  maple  trees,  138 
Tartar  emetic,  antidote  for,  18 
Tar,  to  remove,  163 

-  SJTUp  of,   84,  509 

varnish,  268 

Taste  of  new  wood,  164 
Tea,  beef,  43,  61 
how  to  make,  61 

febrifuge,  71 

kettles,  to  clean,  163 

to  prevent  rust  in,  61 

substitute  for,  61 

Tears  of  the  widow  of  malabar,  378 
Teeth,  to  beautify,  332 

care  of,  332 

cements  for,  509 

elixers  for,  70 

and  gums,  wash  for,  332 

Telescope  metal,  430 
Tempcnng  brass,  404 

earthenware,  155 

liquid,  441 

new  iron  ware,  161 

new  ovens,  161 

'■         steel,  440 

trap  springs,  197 


Tender  feet,  222 

Tendons  in  horses,  contracted,  xii 

Tepid  bath,  209 

Test  for  pure  water,  163 

-^— —  for  soap,  321 

paper,  new,  509 

Testing  by  blowpipe,  441 
Tetter,  239 

crusted,  240 

humid,  239 

Thatch  roofs,  30 
Theorem  painting,  248 
Thistle,  Canada,  147 
Thoriey's  food  for  cattle,  91 
Thomapple,  antidote  for,  18 
Throat,  loreign  bodies  in,  19 
——  (inflamed),  gargle  for,  72 


Throat,  sore,  240 

liniment  for,  74 

Thrushes,  173 

Thrush  in  horses,  in 

Thunder  storm,  safety  during,  18 

Tic-dolorcux,  240 

Tickrting  ink,  206 

Tiers  argent,  441 

Tight  ring,  to  remove,  23s 

Timber,  to  test  soundness  o^  147 

when  to  cut,  147 

why  it  should  be  painted,  264 

Tincture  of  cantharidies,  85 

colcra,  85 

of  ginger,  473 

gout,  85 

of  rhubarb,  85 

of  musk,  85 

of  opium,  85 

of  pearls,  85 

for  the  teeth,  85 


Tin  cans,  size  of  sheet  from  i  to  100 

gals.,  442 
to  clean,   163 

to  crystallize,  441 

gold  lacquer  for,  442 

muriate  of,  442 

pans,  to  mend,  163 

paste  for  labeling  on,  492 

plate,  crj-stallized,  441 

roofs,  29 

ware,  to  mend,  442 

Tinning,  441 

cast-iron,  442 

cold,  442 

iron,  428 


Tinting  photographs,  292 
Tints,  mixing,  264 
Toads,  148 
Toast  water,  i6r 
Tobacco,  antidote  for,  18 

to  flavor,  509 

Toe  nails,  ingrowing,  240 
Toilet,  the,  332 

vinegar,  332 


Tomatoc  beer,  336 

catsup,  61,  311 

figs,  311 

fritters,  61 

marmalade,  61 

pickles,  311 

plants,  to  raise,  148 


preserved,  311 

pudding,  62 

sauce,  311 

soup,  62 

wine,  388 


Tomatoes,  browned, '6x 

canning,  310 

to  cultivate,  148 


Tombac,  red,  442 
white,  442 


Tonic  bitters,  65 

see  chamomile,  67 


Toning  bath,  273 
Tonquin  musk  soap,  321 
Tootliache,  240 
Tooth  powders,  332 
Tools,  art  of  grinding,  81 

to  preser\e  from  rust,  31 

varnish  for,  443 


Tortoise  shell,  to  imitate,  509 

manufacture  of,  476 

Toys,  varnish  for,  509 

Tracing  paper,  284.  492 

Tracings,  to  photograph  without  a 

camera,  509 
Transfer  ink,  206 

paper,  284 


Transferring  to  glass,  249 

to  wood,  249 

Transfusion  of  blood,  209 
Transparencies,  to  make,  249 

sterescopic,  291 

Transparent  enamels,  467 

paper,  492 


soaps,  321 


Transplanting,  147 

rhubarb,  144 

Transportation  of  vegetables,  148 
Trap,  dead  fall,  196 

farmers,  196 


Trap,  figure  four,  197 

quail,  X97 

sieve,  197 

springs,  to  temper,  196 

wild  turkey,  197 

Trappers,  hints  to.  195 
Trapping  foxes,  184 

gophers,   185 

hawks,  186 

mink,  180 

mockingbirds,  171 

muskrats,  i8g 

otter,  189 

owls,  186,  190 

rabbits,  190 

raccoons,  190 

— — —  season  for,  195 
skunks,  193 

squirrels,  193 

Traps,  baiting,  196 

setting,  195 

Trays  of  paper  mache,  202 
Trees,  average  growth  of,  510 

oak,  148 

(shade),  best  to  plant,  148 

^—^—  wounds  in,  150 

Tricks  of  horse  dealers,  113 

Trinchina,  240 

Tripe,  to  pickle,  311 

Trout  breeding,  197 

Tuba  root,  510  ^ 

Turkey,  to  bake,  62 

■  to  choose,  62 

charcoal  for,  117 

■        to  rear,  117 

red  dye,  355 

stuffing  for,  62 

(wild),  trap,  197 

Turkish  baths,  209 
Turnip,  to  cook,  62 
culture,  149 

wine,  388 

Turpentine  for  purifying  purposes,  76 
to  remove,  163 

varnish,  268 

Typhoid  fever,  224 


Ulceration  of  the  mouth,  231 
Ultramarine,  264 

artificial,  264 

adulterated,  265 


Umbrellas,  162 
Unfermented  bread,  44 
wine,  388 


Uninflammable  dresses,  334 
Ure's  cement,  36 

ink,  2o6 

Urine,  inability  to  hold,  241 

incontinence  of,  510 

(scanty),  see  burdock,  66 

stoppage  of  in  horses,  II3 

suppression  of,  241 


Uterine  hemorrhage,  227 


Vaccine  virus,  to  keep,  85 
Vanilla,  extract  of,  71 

pastilles,  492 

syrup,  378 


Vapor  baths,  209 
Varnish,  amber,  266 

anti-rust,  443 

black,  266 

for  coal  buckAs,  443 

copal,  266 

Japan,  266 


blacking,  200 
brushes,  266 
cabinet  makers',  266 
camphor,  266 
caoutchouc,  266 


care  of,  266 

cheap,  266 

coach  makers',  267 

-  colorless,  267 

copal,  267 

crj'stal,  267 

etching,  392 

flexible,  267 

for  colored  drxwiags,  aja 

for  edge,  200 


538 


INDEX. 


Varnish  for  glass,  267 

for  harness,  475 

for  iron,  443 

for  paintings,  292 

for  prints,  510 

for  steel,  443 

for  shoes,  510 

for  tin,  442 

(or  tools,  443 

for  toys,  509 

S'^ZC;  267 

gold,  267,  443 

green,  510 

gum  clastic,  267 

impermeable,  267 

India  rubber,  267 

Italian,  268 

Japan,  268 

lac,  268 

mastic,  268 

oak,  263 

oil,  268 

seedlac,  268 

-  shellac,  268, 

stone,  268 

tar,  268 

to  make,  265 

to  polish,  269 

turpentine,  268 

water-proof,  268 

white  copal,  268 

china,  268 

hard,  269 

Varnished  furniture,  471 
Varnishing,   265 
of  paper,  510 

walnut  furniture,  510 

Veal  broth,  62 

chops,  breaded,  62 

cutlets,  broiled,  62 

to  roast,  62 

sherbet,  62 

stewed,  62 

Vegetable  cellar,  126 
oysters,  63 

soup,  60 

Vegetables,  to  boil,  62 

to  cook  for  stock,  92 

to  free  from  insects,  62 

to  keep,  311 

to  take  frost  out  of,  S* 

to  transport,  148 

pickle  for,  311 

Veils,  to  clean,  360 
Vellum,  to  make,  197 
Velpeau's  black  caustic,  67 
Velvet  ribbon,  to  iron,  337 

to  restore,  360 

to  take  grease  out  of,  360 

Veneering,  511 

Veneered  work,  to  polish,  jit 
Venereal  complaints,  see  blue  flag,  66 
Venison,  to  roast,  63 

steaks,  broiled,  63 

Ventilating  hay  stacks,  134 
Ventilation,  512 

of  bedroom,  449 

how  to  secure,  162 

Ventriloquism,  512 
Verbena,  essence  of,  71 
Vermifuge,  Fahnestock's,  85 

Swain's,  85 

Vermin  on  calves,  92 

on  hen  roosts,  116 

Vichy  water,  86 

Vinegar,  aromatic  toilet,  85 

black  currant,  380 

camp,  380 

cider,  380 

cold  water,  380 

cowslip,  380 

■  dry  portable,  ,381 

gooseberry,  381 

honey,  380 

horseradish,  380 

perry,  381 

.  plant,  382 

primrose,  381 

raspbeiry,  38* 

rhubarb,  381 

-^^—  sharpness  and  strength  of,  382 
'  sorghum,  382 


Vinegar,  strawberry,  381 

sugar,  382 

to  make,  378 


white  wine,  382 

Violet  color,  to  make,  269 

dye,  360 

enamel,  467 

ink,  206 


Violets,  essence  of,  70 
Visiting  sick  rooms,  236 
Vitality  of  seed,  to  test,  145 
Vomiting,  241 


Wafers,  Bryan's  pulmonic,  86 
Wagon  hubs,  to  prevent  the  cracking 

of  in  seasoning,  513 

tires,  to  keep  on  the  wheel,  513 

Wagons,  to  grease,  149,  512 
Walks  (gravel),  to  make,  513 

to  keep  weeds  under  on,  513 


Wall  paper,  to  extract  grease  from,  163 
Walls  (damp),  remedy  for,  163 
Walnut  catchup,  303,  311 

to  pickle,  311 

to  polish,  269 

tree,  149 

Warm  baths,  209 
Warts,  241 

on  cattle,  89 


on  cows  teats,  91 

on  horses,  112 

noses,  113 


Washing  (chemical),  preparation,  513 

dogs,  170 

dishes,  155 

fluids,  322,  360 

graining,  156 

hints  on,  360 


Wash  ball,  perfumed,  86,  322 
for  the  hair,  73 


Wasp  stings,  19 
Wasting  in  birds,  167 
Waste  silver,  to  recover,  agi. 
Watch,  care  of,  444,  445       -• 

movements,  to  frost,  445 


wheels,  to  put  teeth  into,  445 

Watches,  to  clean,  443 
Watchmakers'  oil,  431 
Water  and  fire-proof  cement,  39 
■  brash,  241 

Carlsbad,  86 

cement,  32,  38 

Cologne,  86 

congress,  86 

eye,  86 

farcin  in  horses,  112 

filter,  515 

home  made,  164 

Florida,  86 

for  horses,  104 

Goulard,  86 

gruel.  S3 

(hard),  to  soften,  63 

to  improve,  514 

honey,  86 

Hungary,  86 

Kissmgen,  86 

lavender,  86 

lime,  86 

muddy,  to  clear,  163 

pipes,  to  manage  in  winter  515 

to  mend,  515 

to  unite,  516 


proof  blacking,  199,  200 

canvass.  454 

composition  for  wood,  516 

cloths,  333 

for  boots  and  shoes,  152 

for  porous  cloth,  516 

for  soles  of  boots,  ija 

for  tweeds,  516 

glue,  39 

paint,  269 

paper,  516 

packing  paper,  516 

varnish,  268 


purification  of,  163 

rose,  86 

supply  for  bees,  23 

tanks,  515 

testing,  i6i 


Water-tight  clothing,  334 
cellar  floors,  516 

to  clear  when  muddy,  513 

to  determine  whether  it  be 

hard  or  soft,  514 

to  find,  513 

to  keep  cool  without  ice,  515 

to  make  cold,  63 

to  prevent  becoming  putrid, 

514     . 

to  purify,  63 

to  purify  when  putrid,  513 

Vichy,  86 

Watering  streets,  chemical  solution 

for,  516 
Wax,  bottle,  40- 

candles,  315 

casting  in,  454 

grafting,  135 

putty,  382 

sealing.  40 


Waxed  paper,  492 
Weather  signs,  516 

table.  Dr.  Adam  Clark's,  517 

Dr.  Hershell's,  518 

Weak  back,  208 
Wedding  cake,  47 
Weeds,  to  destroy,  149 

in  walks,  149,  313 


Weight,  relative,  502 
Weights  and  measures,  164 
Welding  by  pressure,  446 

cast-iron,  407 

^— ^—  steel,  446 

copper,  446 

metals,  445 

powder,  446 


Wells,  to  remove  foul  air  from,  518 
Wens,  to  cure,  242 

on  horses,  112 

Whale  oil  soap,  322 
Wheat,  mildew  in,  150 
■  rust  in,  150 

■  seed,  145 

slugs  upon,  150 

smut  in,  143 


Whiskey,  Bourbon,  382 
Irish,  382 

Monongahela,  382 

to  neutralize,  383 

Scotch,  302 


Whitening  ivory,  138 
linen,  352 


White  china  varnish,  268 
copal  varnish,  268 

dye  for  silk,  361 

for  wool,  361 

enamels,  467 

hard  varnish,  289 


lead,  antidote  for,  18 

to  make,  269 

to  test,  482 


paint,  269,  270 
swelling,  239 
wash,  270 

stucco,  270 

wa  ihed  walls,  to  paint,  270 


Whites,  229 
Whitlow,  242 
Whooping  cough,  216 
Wicks  for  candles,  315 

of  kerosene  lamps,  159 


Wild  cherry  bark,  63 

ducks,  to  roast,  63 

turkey  trap,  197 


Willow  bread,  40 
Wind  colic,  215 
galls,  112 


in  horses,  to  improve,  113 

Window  blinds,  318 

curtains,  155 

g.irdening,  132 

glass,  397 

— ^ and  sun  light,  164 

sashes  ratteling,  36,  164 


Windows,  to  clean,  164 
Windsor  soap,  322 
Wine,  apple,  383 

apricot,  383 

blackberry   384 

buscuit,  46 

cherry,  385 


Wine,  cider,  385 

coloring  for,  385 

currant,  385- 

damson,  385 

elder,  386 

elderberry,  385 

febrifuge,  71 

ginger,  386 

gooseberry,  386 

grape,  386 

home  made,  386 

lemon,  387 

madeira,  387 

making,  382 

morella,  387 

mulberry,  387 

of  iron,  73 

of  wild  cherry  bark,  518 

parsnip,  387 

port,  387 

quince,  387 

raisin,  387 

raspberry,  387 

rhubarb,  388 

ropiness  in,  388 

sherry,  388 

sour  or  sharp,  388 

— —  strawberry,  388 

taste  of  cask  in,  388 

to  cool,  385 

to  flavor,  388 

to  restore  when  flat,  386 

to  settle,  388 

tomatoes,  388 

to  mellow,  388 

turnip,  388 

unfermented,  388 

vinegar,  382 

— ; (white),  to  convert  into  red,  388 

Wintergreen,  86 
Wintering  bees,  23 


INDEX. 

Wire,  brass,  404 

of  solder,  446 

Witch,  hazel,  86 

Wood  carving,  to  polish,  »62 

cement,  ^53 

composition  for  coating,  271 

decay  in,  31 

to  dye  red,  271 

(new),  to  remove  taste  from,  164 

in  paper,  492 

to  petrify,  518 

to  polish,  271 

preservation  of,  518 

to  prevent  crackmg,  31 

to  prevent  decay  in,  518 

pulp,  to  bleach,  519 

to  render  incombustible,  31 

Samuel's  method  of  preserv- 
ing, 31 

to  season,  519 

stone  coating  for,  31 

to  split,  519 


539 


Wooden  taps  and  faucets,  388 
Wool,  to  bleach,  342 

to  clean,  361 

on  tanned  pelts,  to  bleach,  179 


Woolen  articles,  to  clean,  361 
hose,  to  wash,  349 


Worcestershire  sauce,  60,  311 
Working  butter,  123 

suit  for  farmers,  338 


Worm  balls  for  horses,  96 
currant,  150 


(cut),  on  cabbages,  124 

to  destroy,  150 

peach,  150 

seed,  87 

tape,  239 


Worms,  242 

see  j)opIar  and  wild  cherry 

bark,  63 


Worms,  see  santonine  lozenges,  73 

in  dogs,  171 

in  horses,  112 


Wounds  in  hordes,  112 

: balsam  for,  96 

in  trees,  150 

to  treat  by  ventilation,  242 


Writing  business  letters,  519 

on  glass,  473 

fluids,  202 

for  the  press,  520 

to  make  indelible,  519 

^——~  (new),  to  make  look  old,  3*0 

(old),  to  copy,  520 

to  prevent  alteration  in,  319 

to  restore,  519 

to  take  out,  161,  520 


Wrought  iron,  to  case  harden,  447 


Yam.  Chinese,  150 
Yeast  for  bread,  44 

cake,  48 

cakes,  63 

to  make,  63 

poultice,  81 

to  preserve,  31a 


Yellow  dock  root,  8a 

dye,  361,  362 

enamels,  467 

fever,  224 

ink,  207 

paints,  271 

stain,  364 


Zinc  paint,  drying  oil  for,  252 

preparation  of,  271 

painting,  271 

water  paint,  271 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


7       "      ''Im^^JiL 


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THE  SCIENCE  OF  A  NEW  LIFE. 

4  By  JOHN  COWAN,  M.  D. 

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The  ancients  were  ever  longing  and  searching  for  an  Elixir  Vita;,  the  Water  of  Life,  a 
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a  woman  among  women. 


THE     SCIENCE     OF    A    NEW    LIFE, 

By  JOHN  COWAN,  M.  D. 

HINKING  and  reflecting  persons  must  allow  that  we 
as  men  and  women  are  just  as  our  parents  made  us. 
That  all  our  irregularities  of  mind  .and  disposition, 
our  infirmities  of  soul  and  body,  have  been  trans- 
mitted and  bequeathed  to  us  by  those  who  gave  us 
birth;  and  that  one  of  the  objects  in  living  on  thig 
earth  is — in  those  who  live  rightly — to  overcome  th« 
crooked  and  bad  that  we  were  endowed  witli. 
This  being  so,  any  information  that  throws  light  oa 
this  immensely  important  subject  should  be  wel- 
comed with  unbounded  delight.  This  "The  Sci- 
ence of  a  New  Life"  professes  to  do — in  a  plain, 
understandable  manner — with  great  earnestness  of 
purpose,  with  undoubted  purity  of  motive,  with  a 
spirit  that  breathes  a  reverence  for  God's  greatest 
handiwork — man,  indicating  how,  by  and  through 
the  observance  of  given  laws,  a  clean,  sweet,  healthy 
and  talented  reproduction  may  result,  and  perfectioa 
on  this  earth  therefore  be  possible  of  attainment. 
It  also  gives  all  necessary  suggestions  in  the  right 
choosing  of  husbands  and  wives,  so  that  harmony 
and  happiness  will  result,  and  discord  and  divorces 
be  avoided. 

Especially  does  it  advocate  and  encourage  in  man 
and  woman  continence,  purity  of  thought  and  asso- 
ciation, and  all  that  socially  ennobles  and  elevates — ^leading  the  soul  out  of  the  filth  and 
slough  of  sensuality  up  into  the  charmed  and  lovable  atmosphere  that  encircles  those  who 
are  chaste  and  pure  in  thought,  word,  and  deed. 

Altogether  it  aims  in  a  systematic  manner  to  cover  the  whole  ground  of  human  social  life 
bounded  by  the  entrance  into  the  marriage  state  and  the  birth  of  a  new  life — with  the  inter- 
mediate results  of  wrong-doing,  and  their  indications,  causes,  and  remedies. 

Some  people  look  with  distrust  on  all  that  concerns  the  intimate  social  relations  of  the 
sexes,  as  knowledge  that  is  dangerous  and  contaminating,  that  should  be  hid  away  in  dark 
corners,  or  entirely  excommunicated,  abolished,  or  destroyed.  Such  thoughts  and  desires 
spring  altogether  from  a  wrong  and  misdirected  education,  instilling  in  the  mind  of  the  indi- 
vidual views  and  opinions  that  are  narrow,  contracted  and  unfair.  That  a  knowledge  of  the 
whole  of  that  part  of  human  physiology  that  treats  of  the  intimate  social  relations  of  the 
sexes  can  injure  or  in  any  way  degrade  the  thought,  the  mind,  the  body,  or  the  soul  of  the 
individual,  would  be  a  sad  reflection  on  God's  loving  justice  and  mercy. 

This  book  has  most  approvingly  been  noticed  by  divines  of  all  denominations,  physi- 
cians, and  by  over  three  hundred  of  the  most  prominent  and  influential  papers  of  the  coun- 
try. Some— only  a  very  few^-of  these  notices,  or  rather  short  extracts  from  them  will  be 
found  on  the  pages  following  the  Table  of  Contents,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred.  These 
notices  do  not  include  the  scores  of  letters  received  from  the  PEOPLE,  whose  great  sympa- 
thetic hearts  beat  in  response  to  the  high  aims  and  noble  purposes  inculcated  in  the  book. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  I. — Marriage  and  its  Advantages. 

Men  who  are  unmarried— Reasons  advanced  for  remaining  single Marriage  a  natural  condition  of  adult 

life— ^The  great  desires  and  aims  of  life,  how  only  toT>e  secured  through  marriage Objects  in  Mar- 
rying  False  objects How  mistakes  are  made  in  choosing Should  those  afflicted  with  consump- 
tion and  pther  diseases  marry  ? The  great  wrong  done  in  this  direction The  true  and  only  objects 

in  marrying,  ...........  25—29 

CHAPTER  11. — Age  at  which  to  Marrv. 
How  determined Puberty,  how  accelerated,  how  retarded The  error  in  fixing  the  popular  age  for  mar- 
riage  The  true  age  at  which   to   marry  as   determined   by  physiology Why  children   bom  of  early 

marriages  are  undesirable The  effect  of  early  marriage  on  the  woman On  the  man The  result  of 

unions  between  persons  of  disproportionate  ages Between  old  men  and  young  women,    .     .        30—35 

CHAPTER  III.— The  Law  of  Choice. 

Its  great  importance It  is  as  easily  understood  and  as  applicable  as  any  other  law  that   governs  mind  and 

matter Mode  of  formmg  matrimonial  alliances  among  the  Assyrians Chinese Moors Turki 

Tartan— —Siberians The  custom  of  purchasing  wives Modern  jnaniages  analyzed Th«  re- 


COWAN  &  COMPANY S  CATALOGUE  OF  NEW  BOOKS, 

THE  SCIENCE  OF  A  NEW  LIFE— Contknts  Continued. 

ery-day  result The  choosing  a  wiie  and  purchasing  a  farm  compared -Wherein  consists  the  difTer- 

ence The  great  error  made  m  choosing The  only  true  mode Resulting  in  a  harmonious  and  per- 
fect love-imion Phrenology  as  a  guide  in  choosing,      ......  3^—44 

CHAPTER   IV.— Love  Anai-yzed. 

Is  love,  as  popularly  used,~a  requirement  in  choosing  a  wife  or  husband  7 — —Poets  and  novelists  on  love 

The  mistmess  surrounding  the  true  meaning  of  the  word The  mistakes  made  in  its  application.. 

Characteristics  of  mock  love Rationale  of  true  love The  definition  of  perfect  sexual  love Pa- 
rental love Brotherly  and  sisterly  love Love  of  God Reciprocity  of  thought  and  feeling  as  a  re- 
quirement in  love Love  at  first  sight Can  perfect  love  exist  ?- Health  and  purity  of  body  as  a  re- 
quirement to  its  existence Sickness  aad  filthy  habits  as  a  bar  to  its  existence,          .            ,  ■          45 — 50 

CHAPTER  v.— QuAUTiES  the  Man  Should  Avoid  in  Choosing. 

Transmitted  disease Hysterical  women Small  waists Why  their  possessors  are  incapable  of  making 

good  wives Natural  waists,  or  no  wives Why  large  men  should  not  marry  small  women Igno- 
rant and  wrongly  educated Strong-minded  women Modern^  accomplishments,  their  utter  usclessnes* 

in  married  life Knowledge  of  household  affairs  a  requisite  in  all  women  who  marry Skin-deep 

'beauty  and  true  beauty  compared Extravagance  of  dress  and  ornament False  hair,  false   "  forms, 

etc. Women  who  are  indolent  and  lazy Marriage  of  cousins,  right  or  wrong  T Extracts  from  the 

•works  of  Drs.  Carpenter  and  Voisin The  author's^  opinion  and  advice  on  the  subject Tempera- 
ments  Widows Divorced  women Difference  in  religious  faith Women  who  have  a  greater 

ibndness  for  balls,  parties  and  gossip,  than  for  home  associations Other  qualities  that  are  to  be  avoided 

■—How  and  when  to  see  women  to  learn  their  characteristics Phrenology  as  a  help— What  should 

te  done  on  choosing  and  being  accepted Advertising  for  a  wife Argiunents  favoring  its  use Mode 

to  proceed Objections  considered,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  ^        51—63 

CHAPTER  VI. — QuAUTiES  the  Woman  Snoinj)  Avoid  in  Choosing. 

The  feverish  desire  of  women  to  get  married Indications  of  the  result Who  responsible— —Perfect  wom- 
anhood should  be  reached  before  the  thought  of  marriage  is  entertained Sickness  and  ill  health  in  the 

man Men  possessing  the  disgusting  habit  of  using  tobacco,  and  the  degrading  one  of  using  alcoholic 

liquors,  should  be  avoided Why  ? An  unsolved  mystery Lustful  and  licentious  men Are  mod-' 

erate  drinkers  desirable  as  husbands  ? The  "fast"  man  and  "rake,"  and  woman's  shame  in  recognizing 

such Fallen  women,  and  woman's  duty  to  such Effemitiate  men Men  having  no  visible  means  of 

support Blood-relations Widowers Divorced  men Irreligious  and  profane  men Gamblers 

Mean  men Lazjr  men Marrying  strangers  on  short  acquaintance Marrying  for  money  or  a 

liome Woman,  in  being  sought  after,  should  appear  only  in  her  every-day  character The  importance 

cf  this  as  affecting  her  future  welfare Should  women  be  allowed  to  advertise  for  husbands  ? Doubts 

on  the  subject If  attempted,  how  to  avoid  evil  results -Failing  an  offer  of  marriage,  what  then  ?-^— 

"  Old"  maids Words  of  consolation  and  cheer  to  unmarried  women,  .  .  .  64—73 

CHAPTER  VII. — The  Anatomy  and  Physiology  ok  Generation  in  Woman. 

The  importance  of  a  knowledge  of  reproductive  physiology  in  all  who  think  of  marrying The  uterus 

Ligaments Cavity  of  the  uterus Structure Fallopian   tubes Ovaries Their  structure 

Craffian  follicles Ovum,  or  egg-^— Size  and  formation  of  human  egg How  it  ripens  and  is  thrown 

off The  corpus  luteum The  febrile  excitement  produced  by  the  ripening  of  the  Graffian  vesicle  and 

escape  of  the  egg The  vagina Labia Hymen Menstruation When  it  first  appears  and 

■when  it  ceases ^^Its  origin  and  nature Ovarian  pregnancy Tubal  pregnancy^— The  mammary 

glands Nipples The  secretion  of  milk Colestrium,        .....  74 — 86 

.,**r' CHAPTER  VIII. — The  Anatomy  and  Physiology  of  Generation  in  Man. 

Prostate  gland Cowper  glands Testes Scrotum Structure  of  the  testes Vasa  recta Vasa 

deferens Spermatic  cord Vesiculse  seminales Ejactilatory  ducts Semen Its  nature,  how  it 

originates,  and  how  perfected Spermatozoa Effect  of  first  appearance  of  semen  on  boy Effect  of 

its  re-absorption  in  the  continent  man The  Law  of  Sex Is  there  a  law  governing  the  production  of 

children  of  different  sexes  at  will ! Different  theories  on  the  subject The  latest  theory  probably  the 

right  one— Mode  of  procedure,  as  given  by  the  discoverer,  for  parents  to  generate  male  or  female  childrea 
at  will,  ............  87 — 104 

CHAPTER  IX.— Amativeness — its  Use  and  \buse. 

The  cerebellum— —Its  two-fold  nature Amativeness Its  siie  in  proportion  to  rest  of  brain Its  locatiom 

The  higher  the  organ  of  the  brain,  the  greater  the  pleasure  derived  from  its  exercise The  nervous 

fluid Where  originated The  effect  when  largely  drawn  on  by  amativeness Sensuality Its  uni- 

▼ersallty  among  all  classes  and  all  ages The  effect  on  amative  desires  by  the  observance  of  right  and 

■wrong  dietetic  nabits Causes  of  abnomtal  amative  desires  in  women The  results  of  the  abuse  of  am- 
ativeness  The  effect  on  the  nervous  system The  semen,  capable  of  giving  life,  is,  when  reabsorbed, 

capable  of  renewing  life Promiscuous  indulgence Risks  incurred A  sad  case Hospital  sights 

Excessive  indulgence  between  the  married; The  stave-life  of  the  wife  in  this  direction The  re- 
sults  Amative  excesses  in  those  newly  married No  pure  love  where  there  is  sexual  excess Dis- 
gust, not  love,  bom  of  thb  great  wrong Easily  read  signs  of  sexual  excess  in  the  man  and  woman 

The  great  necessity  for  a  reformation  in  this  direction,  .....  105 — 120 

CHAPTER  X.— The  Prevention  of  Conception. 

The  true  reason  of  the  desire  for  knowledge  on  this  subject Mode  adopted  by  the  "  Perfectionists" Its 

difficulty  of  observance Its  harmfulness The  method  advocated  by  latter-day  physiologists,  founded 

on  the  theory  of  the  monthly  arrival  at  and  departure  from  the  womb  of  the  ovum Wherein  it  fails 

Intercourse  during  lactation>.^Uow  it  results  in  conception — —Other  methods   of  conception,  and  the 


'COJVAN  &  COMPANY S  CATALOGUE  OF  NEW  BOOKS, 

THE  SCIENCE  OF  A  KEW  LIFE— Contents  Continved. 

harm  they  do The  only  true  method  of  prevention  as  ordained  by  God The  observance  of  whic)! 

carries  with  it  no  bad  after-effects,  ........  Jai — laS 

CHAPTER  XI.— The  Law  of  Continence. 

Its  great  importance The  prevailing  ignorance  on  the  subject Definition  of  the  word  continence How 

often  is  the  sexual  act  permissible  between  a  man  and  wife  living  a  pure  and  chaste  life The  only  tru« 

solution  being  God's  divine  law  in  this  direction The  only  natural  time  for  intercourse Anything  dif- 
fering from  this  carries  with  it  sin  and  sickness Some  objections  to  a  conunent  i  fe  considered Locke, 

Is'ewton  and  Pitt,  men  who  never  married,  and  who  were  known  to  live  conunent  lives The  elementary 

differences  between  a  life  of  licentiousness  and  a  life  of  strict  continence The  true  use  of  the  reproduc- 
tive element The  difficulty  in  adopting  and  living  a  continent  life Rules  for  guidance The  reac- 
tion produced  by  a  sudden  arrest  of  sexual  excess  and  the  use  of  alcoholic  liquors  compared  and  explained 

Health  not  compatible  with  seminal  emissions Plan  of  Life Tobacco Alcoholic  liquors 

Gluttony Food  to  be  used  and  avoided Bread Dress Exercise Beds  and   sleeping   rooms 

Hours  for  rest  and  exercise Habits Employment Choice  of  companions Training  of  the 

will-power Drugs  and  patent  medicines— Quack  doctors Cultivation  of  the  religious  senti- 
ments,         .             .             .             .             .            .            .             .  .  .  ^.  .  139 — IJO 

CHAPTER  XII. — Children,  their  Desirabiuty. 
An  essential  requisite  in  a  perfect  union  that  parental  love  be  present The  command  to  "  increase  and  mul- 
tiply"  Why  children  are  troublesome  to  rear 'ITie  remedy Small  families  and  no  families   among 

the  married  on  the  increase Large  families  a  thing  of  the  past The  cause  lor  the  growing  antipalhy 

to  have  children Beauty  and  youth  retained,  if   not  acquired,  by  having  children   under  right  condv- 

tions The  loneliness  and  desolation  of  life  -without  children Ihe   bearing  and   rearing  of  children  a 

glorious  privilege The  perfection  of  love  and  happiness  that  comes   of  generating   bright  and  beautiful 

children Abdon,  Judge  of  Israel,  with  his  forty  sons  and  thirty  grandchildren Increase  of  offspring 

and  overcrowded  populations,      .  .  .  .  .  .  ,  .  .  131 — 154. 

CHAPTER  XIII  — Thb  Law  of  Genius. 
Plainness  and  mediocrity  among  mankind  the  rule,  and  beauty  and  genius  the  exception The  cause Ed- 
ucational and  benevolent  institutions,  in  the  elevation  of  humanity,  of  very  small   moment  in   comparison 

■with  the  pre-natal  influence  of  the  mother All  the  workings  of  this  universe,  from  the  smallest  to   the 

greatest,  governed  by  law In  the  production  of  offspring  there  too  must  be  a  law The  law  of  chance 

or  accident  the  law  observed  by  the  mass  of  mankind Ihe   great  wrong  done  by  the  non-observance  of 

the  law  of  reproduction The  deformed,  homely,  and  diseased The  mediocre The  world's  great, 

their  appearance  explained The  immense  importance  of  a  right  birthright  on  the  future  welfare  of  man- 
kind  Extending  into  etemitj* An  imbecile  or  idiot  here  cannot  bloom  into  a  Shakespeare  or  Milton 

in  the  next  world A  nature  endowed  by  the  parents  with  a  licentious,  gluttonous,  wicked   nature,  will 

not,  on  leaving  this  earth,  take  on  the  garments  of  purity,  innocence  and  holiness The  fundamental 

principles  of  genius  in  reproduction Some  obstacles  to  its  observance Their  remedies The  re- 
quirements in  women  whose  desire  it  is  to  observe  the  law  of  genius  in  the  production  of  bright  and  beau- 
tiful children The  requirements  in  men Three  periods  of  transmitted  influence Period  of  intro- 
ductory preparation Period  of  gestatory  influence Period  of  nursing  influence The  mother's  in- 
fluence durin»  these  periods The  father's  influence The  time  at  which  the  ovum,  or  egg,  is  in  its 

iireshest  and  npest  state,  at  which  time  it  should  be  impregnated Husband  and  wife's  duty  during  the 

period  of  introductory  preparation The  principal  requisites  required  to  transmit  desirable   qualities  to 

the  oflspring The  quality  of  genius,  or  beauty,  not  necessary  in  the  parents  to  enable  them  to  transmit 

these  qualities  to  their  offspring Definition  of  genius  as  given  by  Webster Talent  always  in  demand, 

jnediocrity  always  at  a  discount The  pursuit  of  life  for  the  child  to  be  determined  on  before  ccnceptioa 

Farmers Farming  the  most  desirable  occupation  in  life Where   they  fail  and   how   they  fail 

What  they  are  and  what  they  should  be Other  occupations Adam  Smith  on  vegetarianism First 

thing  to  be  done  in  the  observance  of  the  season  of  introductory  preparation The  importance  of  a  life 

fcee  from  injurious  and  filthy  habits  during  this  period Order Truthfulness Reverence  for  God 

Unity  of  plans  and  desires The  introductory  period  one  of  intensity  of  thought  and  action Sup- 
pose a  plan  of  life  be  adopted  for  a  male  child,  and  a  female  appear What  then  ? Instruction  by  ex- 
amples—-— The  expense  for  educating  the  future  child  should  commence   with  the   introductory  period  of 

■preparation This  law  of  genius  can  be  adopted  by  the  poorest  as  well  as  the  richest- Is  a  necessity  as 

much  to  the  laborer  as  to  the  diplomatist In  transmission  of  genius,  the  parents  do  not  require  to  know 

so  much  as  to  trj-,  to  experiment The  transrfiission  of  accessory  qualities  as  guides  and  aids  to  the  pie- 
dominant  faculty Religious  sentiments Transmitted  beauty  of  face  and  form Parents  can  as  eas- 
ily have  beautiful  children  as  they  can  homely  ones Rules  to  be  observed Examples Parents  can 

generate  children  of  a  cheerful,  healthy,  laughine  nature  as  easily  as  they  can  the  reverse The  plan  to 

te  followed  easy  of  observance Importance  of  a  life   of  strict  chastity  during  these  different  periods  of 

pre-natal  influence Feverish  pursuit  of  money  as  a  barrier  to  the  observance  of  this   law A   father's 

du-ect  influence  om  the  new  life  ends  with  the  period  of  introductory  preparation Importance  of  a  close 

«bseryaace  by  him Result  of  a  imited  observance  of  this  law,        ,  .  .  .  155— 17s 

Part  Second — ^The  Consummation. 

CHAPTER  XIV.— The  Conception  of  a  New  Life. 

The   proper   season Best  months Best  time  of  day Light  and  darkness Light  the  source  of  life 

Darkness  the  synonym  of  death The  new  life  should  be  generated  when  the  husband  and  wife  are 

at  their  perfection  of  physical  and  mental  strength— The  time  of  day  this  occurs— —The  sleeping  room 


COIVAN  6-  COMPANY'S  CATALOGUE  OF  NEW  BOOKS. 

THE  SCIEN'CE  OF  A  NEW  LIFE— Contents  Continued. 

The  morning  exercise  of  the  devotional  sentiments Out-door  exercise Purity  of  thoughts—— 

The  consummation,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  176—180 

CHAPTER  XV. — The  Physiology  of  Intra-Uterine  Growth. 

Growth  of  the  egg  after  fecundation The  remarkable  change  that  takes  place Segmentation  of  the  vi- 

tellusa— Blastodermic  membrane External  layer Internal  layer Chorion Ovum  at  end  of  first 

month  Relation  of  the  cord,  placenta,  membrane,  etc Embryo,  how  nourished Placenta Foe- 
tal circttlation Description  of  growth  of  ovum  from  tenth  day  to  ninth  month —  Growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  face,    ...........           xSi 191 

CHAPTER  XVI. — ^Period  of  Gestative  Infutence. 

The  fecundated  egg— When  the  physical  life  commences When  the  soul  life  commences ^The  medium 

of  communication  between  the  soul  and  the  body The  medium  of  communication  between  the  mother 

and  foetus 7'lhe  first  great  requirement  to  be  observed  by  the  mother  during  this  period The  food   to 

be  used  at  this  time The  only  allowable  drink Dyspepsia,  how  transmitted The   importance  ol 

air  and  light Baths- — Sleep Habits  of  thought  and  action  to  be  observed Period  of  gestative 

influence  to  be  divided  into  two  sections The  first  four  months^  the  physical  in  the  mother  predomina- 
ting  The  last  five,  the  mental  predominating Indisputable  reasons  why  sexual  congress  should  nol 

take  place  between  the  husband  and  wife  during  this  period Illustrations  of  the  wonderful  power  of  pre- 
natal mfluence A  young  prodigy An  engineer Woman's  right  to  choose  new  paths  of  labor 

Woman's  mediocrity  m  her  present  alloted  paths  of  labor How  to  be  remedied Napoleon  I The 

poet  Bums Why  Scotland  produces  such  a  number  of  literary  and  scientific  men Other  illustrations 

The  result,  when  this  law  is  slighted  and  disregarded Children  with  bad  tempers Untruthful, 

sickly,  scrofulous,  consumptive,  homely,  desire   for   tobacco Fondness  for    alcoholic  liquors,  licentious, 

imbecile,  idiotic,  dishonest,  revengeful Cases  illustrating  these  facts The  great  responsibility  parents 

accept  in  generating  new  beings  for  eternity,      ....  .  ,  193—234 

CHAPTER  XVII.— Pregnanct,  its  Signs  and  Duration. 

How  originating  a  new  life  affects  the  nature  of  the  mother Signs   indicating  that  pregnancy  has  taken 

place Failure  in  recurrence  of  the   menses Morning   sickness Salivation Mammary  changes 

Secretion  of  milk Enlargement  of  the   abdomen Quickening Pregnancy  may  exist   without 

any  of  these  signs Duration  of  pregnancy Viability  of  the  child Plan  to  adopt  to  save  life   in   a 

birth  at  the  seventh  mopth,  .........  335—246 

CHAPTER  XVIIL— Disorders  of  Pregnancy. 

Bearing  of  cMdren  a  natural  process Why  some  women  have  easy,  and  others  difHcult  births'^— Underly- 
ing cause  of  ill  health  during  pregnancy Nausea  and  vomiting Longings Fainting Sleep- 
lessness  Costiveness Diarrhoea Piles PrurilUs Heartburn Toothache Headache 

Palpitation  of  the  heart Swelling  of  the  feet  and  legs Pain  in   the   breast Hysteria Irritation  ' 

of  the  bladder Jaundice Vomiting  of  blood Vaccination Salivation Abortion,  or  Mis- 
carriage  What  it  indicates Its  frequency,  how  caused Effects  oa  the  woman  serious  and  lasting 

-^Symptoms— -How  to  arrest How  to  prevent,  ....  •  247— 25s 

CHAPTER  XIX.— Confinement. 

Mode  of  life  to  be  adopted  to  insure  an  easy  birth Clothing Food  that  will  premattirely  harden  the  bones 

Food  that  will  keep  them  in  a  cartilaginous  state Prevention  from  suffering  in  parturition The 

time  when  this  particular  kind  of  food  should  be  used Baths  a  great  help  to  easy  child-birth^— Injec- 
tions  Pure  air  and  sunlight Exercise Preparations  for  Confinement ^I'he  presence  of  gos- 
siping friends  and  neighbors  undesirable Who  should  be  present Commencement  of  labor First 

indications How  to  proceed  in  case  the  accoucher  fails  to  attend,  .  .  .  256—263 

CHAPTER  XX. — Management  of  Mother  and  Child  After  Delivery. 

Bemoval  of  soiled  clothes Bathing How  the  abdominal  bandage  is  useless What  to  substitute   in  its 

place Visitors Ventilation  of  the  lying-in  chamber Mistakes   in    regard   to   diet  at  this  time 

The  breasts Milk-fever Care  of  Nipples Management  of  child  after  birth Baths Dress 

Exercise Nursing  room Food Soothing  syrups How  often  should  a  child  be  nursed When 

should  it  be  weaned,         .......•••  264 — 373 

CHAPTER  XX. — ^Period  of  Nursing  iKFLimNCE. 

How  the  character  of  the  chiJd  is  influenced  by  the  mother  during  this  period The  great  wrong  done  the 

child  when  not  nursed  by  the  mother Maternal  influence  at  this  period  greatly  under-estimated Ef- 
fect of  the  use  of  wrong  food  and  drink  by  the  mother  on  the  health  and  character  of  the  child Effect 

of  mental  effort  on  the  nursing  child The  mother  can  transmit  desirable  mental  and  physical   qualities 

to  the  child  during  this  period— Full  directions  to  this  end,  ....  379 288 

Part  Third — ^Wrongs  Righted. 

CHAPTER  XXIL— F(ETiaDE. 

Its  extent A  nation  of  murderers As  prevalent  in  the  country  as  in  the  ci»y— ^Proofs ^The  crune  a 

murder,  no  more ;  no  less Arguments  the  perpetrators  advance  to  shield  their  iniquity When  life  ^ 

present  in  the  embryo When  the  soul  is  present Classes  of  society  in  which   the   women  are  '°""<1 

who  practice  ante-natal  child-murder Church-members  and  professing  Christians  not  exempt Ino 

crime  against  the  wife  and  child  of  an  undcsired  maternity— Who  responsible ^Letters  from  women 


COWAN  &  COMPANTS  CATALOGUE  OF  NEW  BOOK^> 

■who  have  suffered,  exposing  the  cause  and  its  results  in  all  their  hideous  deformity Results  of  forced 

abortions  on  the  body  and  soul  of  the  mother Proportion  who  die The  local  effects Effects  on  the 

children  bom  after Sterility  a  frequent  result Beauty  destroyed Old  age  hastened Remorse  of 

conscience The  ever-present  phantom  of  a  great  crime These  undeveloped  souls  as  witnesses  in  the 

next  world Advice  offered,  the  observance  pf  which  will  result  in  less  danger  and  harm  to   the   mother 

Effect  on  the  child  should  the  woman  fail  in  accomplishing  her  desire Suggestions  as   to  how  tho 

great  crime  is  to  be  treated  and  prevented No  forced  abortions  practiced  by  Roman  Catholics Tho 

duty  of  ministers  and  teachers Parting  words  to  unmarried  women,         .  .  .  289 — 31s 

CHAPTER  XXIII.— Diseases  PECin,iAR  to  Women, 
Their  cause  and  symptoms Directions  for  home-treatment  and  cure Why  women  are  so  universally  com- 
plaining  A  rich   field  for  quacks  and  patent-medicine  venders Absent  menstruation Retained 

menstruation Suppressed  menstruation — —Chronic  suppression Irregular  menstruation Painful- 
menstruation Profuse  menstruation Vicarious  menstruation Cessation  of  menstruation Chlo- 

icsis Inflammation  of  the  ovaries Inflammation  of  the  uterus Chronic  inflammation Ulcer- 
ation of  the  uterus Tumor  in  the  uterus Cancer  of  the  uterus Corroding  ulcer Cauliflower  ex 

crescence Displacement  of  the  uterus Prolapsus  uteri,  or  falling  of  the  womb Retroversion  of 

the  uterus— —Retroflexion Ante-version Leucorrhoca  or  "  whites,"     .  .  .  311— J29 

CHAPTER  XXIV.— Diseases  Peojuar  to  Men. 

Their  catse  and  symptoms,  with  directions  for  home-treatment  and  cure— ^Gonorrhoea  and  cure Gleet 

Phymosis Paraphymosls Stricture  of  the  urethra Swelled  testicle Inflammation  of  the  pros- 
tate gland Inflammation  of  the  bladder Vegetations The  chancroid  and  chancre Buboes 

Syphilis Diagnostic  difference  between  the  chancroid  and  chancre Involuntary  nocturnal  emissions 

—    Spermatozoa— —Miscellaneous  disorders  aflecting  emission,  erection  and  the  semen,    .  330^364 

CHAPTER  XXV.— Masturbation. 

Its  cause,  results  smd  cure Its  extent Its  effects  on  the  character  and  future  prospects  of  the  individual 

Evidence  from  the  superintendent  of  a  lunatic  asylum  as  to  its  prevalence Exciting  and  transmitted 

causes Signs  in  the  boy,  girl  or  man,  that  he  who  runs  may  read Home-method  of  cure  and  restora- 
tion to  perfect  manhood Requirements  necessary  to  its  prevention,  ,  .  365 — 37s 

CHAPTER  XXVI.— Sterility  and  Impotence. 

Cause,  treatment  and  cure One  of  the  first  laws  promulgated  by  the  Almighty,   "  Increase  and  multiply" 

^— The  incapacity  to  observe  this  law  a  source  of  life-long  misery  and  unhappiness Sterility,  in  most 

cases,  susceptible  of  removal Two  classes Violated  physiological  laws  as  causes How  excess  in 

the  newly  married  results  in  sterility Why  a  large  proportion  of  the  newly  married  have  no  desire  for 

children How  sterility  occurs  after  the  birth  of  one  or  two  children Inflammation   of  the  uterus  as  a 

cause General  debility Prolapsus  and  obliquity  of  the  womb  as  causes Imperforate  hj'men 

Stricture  of  the  vagina Tumors Stricture  of  the  neck  of  the  uterus Obliteration  of  Fallopian 

tubes Inflammation  of  ovaries Absence  of  uterus — -Congenital  shortness  of  vagina- — Undevel- 
oped ovaries Impotency  in  Man Lowering  of  the  vital  force  by  excess Masturbation Want 

of  sexual  feeling Non-descent  of  the  testicles Hernia Varicocele Stricture  of  the  urethra 

Obesity Abnormal  condition  of  the  erectile  tissue A  na.ura]  phymosis     '   Temperament,     376 — 384 

CHAPTER  XXVII.— Subjects  of  which  More  Might  de  Said,         ....  385—398 

CHAPTER  XXVIII.— A  Happy  Married  Life— How  Secured,         .  .       ,  .  .'         397— 4»o 


Personal  and  newspaper  notices. 

\_From  the  IFomah's  Advocate."] 
The  title  cf  this  work  suggests  the  idea  of  another  life  on  this  earth«plane  of  existence- 
higher,  holier,  and  purer  in  its  aims,  aspirations,  and  desires,  and  yet  it  does  not  suggest, 
or  even  intimate,  to  the  prospective  reader  the  true  character  and  nature  of  the  volume  ia 
its  mission  before  the  world.  To  the  actual  reader  the  title  is  truly  significant  and  appropri- 
ate— as  the  writer  so  beautifully  unfolds  the  Laws  of  Reproduction,  by  and  through  the  ob- 
servance of  which  the  highest  and  purest  type  of  humanity  may  be  and  is  produced.  The 
regeneration  of  the  race,  through  the  laws  of  physiological  and  psychologiwl  reproduction, 
is  the  leading  and  perhaps  the  grandest  thought  of  Dr,  Cowan's  work, 


COWAN  &■  COMPANY'S  CATALOGUE  OF  NEW  BOOKS. 


PERSONAL  AND  NEWSPAPER  NOTICES. 

[From  Dr.  Dio  Lewis,  of  Boston,  the  well-known  Author  and  Lecturer.'^ 

Dr.  Cowan — Dear  Sir :  I  have  read  your  work,  "The  Science  of  a  New  Life."  I  have 
more  than  read  it — 1  have  studied,  I  have  feasted  upon  it. 

During  the  las  t  twenty  years  I  have  eagerly  sought  everything  upon  this  most  vital  sub- 
ject, but  I  have  found  nothing  which  approaches  in  simphcity,  delicacy,  earnestness  and 
power  this  work.  On  my  OAvn  account,  and  in  behalf  of  the  myriads  to  whom  your  incom- 
parable book  will  carry  hope  and  life,  I  thank  you. 

For  years  I  have  been  gathering  material  for  such  a  work.  Constantly  I  have  applica- 
tions for  the  book,  which  years  ago  I  promised  the  public.  Now  I  shall  most  conscientiously 
and  joyfully  send  them  to  you.  I  am  most  respectfully  yours,  DIO  LEWIS. 

[Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Robert  Dale  Owen  to  the  Author.  ] 

I  thank  you  much  for  the  brave  book  you  were  so  kind  as  to  send  me.  The  subjects 
upon  which  it  touches  are  among  the  most  important  of  any  connected  with  Social  Science, 
and  the  world  is  your  debtor  for  the  bold  stand  you  have  taken. 

Yours  smcerely,  ROBERT  DALE  OWEN. 

[From  Rev.  Octavius  B.  Frothingham,  of  New  York.  ] 

I  have  read  with  care  "The  Science  of  a  New  Life."  If  a  million  of  the  married  and 
unmarried  Avould  do  the  same,  they  would  learn  many  things  of  deepest  import  to  their 
welfare. 

Not  that  I  am  prep)ared  to  give  it  my  unqualified  praise  ;  but  the  substance  of  the  book 
is  excellent,  its  purpose  high,  its  counsel  noble,  its  spirit  earnest,  humane,  and  pure.  I 
trust  it  will  have  a  very  wide  circulation.       Sincerely  yours,      O.  B.  FROTHINGHAM. 

[From  W.  Waite  Warner,  Editor  of  the  Michigan  State  Register.'^ 

I  can  hardly  thank  you  sufficiently  for  your  great  goodness  in  sending  me  this  magnificent 
work,  and  I  shall  do  my  best  to  procure  for  you  an  active  Agent  in  this  State.  I  regard 
"  The  Science  of  a  New  Life"  as  the  ablest  and  best  work  of  the  kind  "yet  published,  and 
feel  assured  that  it  will  do  incalculable  good  in  the  world.  Such  a  work  has  long  been 
needed,  and  I  trust  it  will  find  earnest,  thoughtful  readers  in  every  household  in  the  land. 
It  deserocs  a  generous  reception.  Yours  respectfully,  W.  WAITE  WARNER. 

[From  Francis  E.  Abbott,  Editor  Index,  Toledo.'^ 

Dr.  John  Cowan's  "  Science  of  a  New  Life"  is  a  work  devoted  to  all  that  relates  to  mar- 
riage and  written  in  a  style  and  spirit  that  command  our  unquahfied  approbation.  It  is 
plain,  direct,  and  practical — ^yet  permeated  with  so  deep  a  reverence  for  the  marriage  rela- 
tion, and  so  utter  an  abhorrence  of  what  we  are  ashamed  to  call  fashionable  abominations, 
that  pruriency  will  be  rebuked,  and  the  love  of  purity  heightened  by  its  perusal.  There 
can  be  no  question  that  physiological  knowledge  of  this  character  is  sorely  needed  by  thou- 
sands and  thousands  of  people,  whose  innocent  offspring  must  pay  the  penalty  of  their  pa- 
rents* ignorance  or  vice.  To  those  who  would  put  a  really  unexceptionable  book  on  these 
subjects  in  the  hands  of  young  persons  approaching  maturity,  we  can  conscientiously  recom- 
mend this  as  one  that  will  enhghten  without  debasing. 

[From  Rev.  N  f.  Burton,  of  Hartford,  Conn.  ] 

I  have  read  Dr.  Cowan's  "  Science  of  a  New  Life,"  dedicated  by  him  to  "all  the  mar- 
ried, but  particularly  to  those  who  contemplate  marriage,"  and  I  think  it  is  a  decidedly 
good  book  to  circulate.  The  Doctor  writes  with  the  most  downright  plainness  on  the  most 
delicate  matters,  but  with  the  most  perfect  purity,  and  with  an  evident  intention  to  do  good. 
He  inclines  to  be  an  extremist  at  points — as,  for  example,  where  he  lays  it  down  that  no 
woman  should  marry  a  man  who  uses  tobacco ;  but  his  exaggerations  are  always  in  the  di- 
rection of  good  morals  and  the  noblest  life,  and  I  wish  him  any  amount  of  success  in  circu- 
lating his  book«  Truly  yours,  N.  J.  BURTON. 

8 


COWAN  a  COMPANY'S  CATALOGUE   OF  NEW  BOOKS. 

[From  Rev.  E.  O.  Ward,  Presbyterian  Minister,  of  Bethany,  Pa.  ] 

"  The  Science  of  a  New  Life,"  by  John  Cowan,  M.D.,  I  consider  well  worthy  of  patron- 
age, and  cheerfully  commend  it  to  the  confidence  of  my  people,  and  hope  it  shall  have  a 
very  extensive  circulation.  Rev.  E.  O.  WARD. 

.   \From  Moore'' s  Rural  New-  Yorker.  ] 

*'If  ever  the  reformation  of  the  world  is  to  be  accomplished — if  ever  the  millennium  of 
purity,  chastity,  and  intense  happiness  reaches  this  earth,  it  can  only  do  so  through  rightly- 
directed  pre-natal  laws."  Such  is  the  sentiment  upon  which  this  book  is  built  up — a  senti- 
ment not  admirably  expressed,  but  admirable  in  its  meaning.  To  a  correct  understanding 
of  the  laws  pre-natal  and  post-natal,  as  also  to  a  more  thorough  comprehension  of  what 
marriage  should  be,  and  what  it  should  accomplish  for  mutual  happiness,  these  four  hun- 
dred and  five  octavo  pages  by  Dr.  Cowan  must  greatly  conduce.  They  are  devoted  to  top- 
ics concerning  which  no  person  arrived  at  years  of  thoughtfulness  should  be  ignorant.  They 
treat  of  these  topics  in  a  plain,  sensible  manner,  in  language  that  none  but  a  prude  can  ob- 
ject to,  and  are  apparently^vritten  in  no  spirit  of  quackery,  but  for  a  worthy  purpose. 
Could  the  book  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  every  young  person  contemplating  matrimony  it 
would  assuredly  do  much  good. 

[From  the  Christian  Advocate,  New  York.'\ 

It  IS  a  difficult  as  well  as  a  delicate  task  to  discuss  in  a  proper  manner  the  subject  of  re- 
production of  a  new  human  life.  This  the  author  of  this  work  has  undertaken,  going  into 
details  of  facts  and  philosophy,  with  constantly  applied  suggestions  of  a  physiological,  san- 
itary and  moral  character.  The  method  and  execution  of  the  work  are  quite  unexception- 
able, and  many  of  its  practical  suggestions  are  certainly  valuable. 

\From  the  Round  Table,  New  York.  ] 

The  dedication  of  Dr.  Cowan's  book — "  To  all  the  Married,  but  particularly  to  those  who 
contemplate  Marriage"  sufficiently  indicates  its  scope  and  purpose.  It  is  an  earnest  plea  for 
temperance  in  all  things,  for  the  subjection  of  the  senses  to  the  spirit,  for  the  rule  of  purity 
and  continence,  especially  in  the  relation  of  life  which  most  people  seem  to  enter  only  to 
find  a  pretext  for  discarding  both.  *  *  *  *  if  only  for  the  earnestness  with  which  it 
denounces  and  condemns  the  atrocious  practice  of  ante-natal  infanticide,  or  the  scarcely  less 
revolting  indecencies  of  prevention,  the  legal  prostitution  of  all  sorts  for  which  modern  mar- 
riage is  made  the  flimsy  veil,  this  book  would  be  worthy  of  the  praise  of  every  pure-minded 
man  and  woman ;  but  it  calls  for  even  higTier  approbation  by  its  recognition  and  emphatic 
assertion  of  what  to-day  is  so  rarely  recognized  or  admitted — the  essential  nobleness,  purity 
and  holiness  of  the  marital  state. 

\_From  the  Methodist  Home  youmal,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  ] 

This  work  is  a  clear,  comprehensive,  and  yet  concise  treatment  of  laws  which  regulate  hu- 
man life,  as  well  as  those  which  pertain  to  the  married  relation.  It  is  an  evidently  candid 
attempt  to  popularize  information  on  one  of  the  most  important  subjects  which  come  within 
the  range  of  human  thought.     The  book  is  worthy  an  extended  sale. 

[From  the  Hartford  Courant.  ] 

This  work  is  very  different  from  the  works  that  are  usually  published  on  this  subject.  It 
is  a  plain  but  chaste  book,  dealing  with  the  physical  problems  which  most  concern  all  hu- 
man beings  in  the  spirit  of  science  and  humanity.  What  we  all  as  society  need  is  a  better 
understanding  of  physiology  and  the  laws  of  health,  so  that  men  and  women,  knowing  these 
laws  and  their  own  constitutions,  can  live  properly,  in  such  physical  estate  as  shall  produce 
the  best  mental  state.    This  book  is  a  very  valuable  contribution  to  that  end. 

'\_From  the  Scottish  American,  New  Vorh.'] 

This  work  is  specially  designed  for  married  persons  and  those  who  contemplate  marriage. 
We  agree  with  the  author  in  beliex'ing  that  •'  no  person  who  exercises  the  unselfish  and  im- 
partial of  his  or  her  nature  can  possibly  read  and  reflect  upon  its  contents  without  being  im- 
pressed, in  a  greater  or  smaller  measure,  with  the  jequirements  so  necessary  in  all  that  goes 

9 


COWAN  &  COMPANY'S  CATALOGUE  OF  NEW  BOOKS. 


to  constitute  life  as  God  first  planned  it. "  The  work  contains  a  large  amount  of  informa- 
tion, apart  from  theory,  of  the  highest  value  to  all  who  prize  the  blessing  of  "  a  sound  mind 
in  a  sound  body."  It  is  a  work  which  may  safely  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  all  married  per- 
sons, and  all  persons  intending  to  marry,  and  their  happiness  would  certainly  be  much  in- 
creased by  observing  the  rules  laid  down  by  the  author.  The  work  is  carefully  printed  firom 
large  type,  on  good  paper,  is  well  bound  and  beautifully  illustrated, 

[From  the  Revolution^  New  York.  ] 

This  is  one  of  the  handsomest  volumes,  as  well  as  most  elaborate  treatises  on  its  subject^ 
that  has  for  a  long  time  appeared.  To  young  families,  or  persons  about  entering  the  family 
relation,  it  will  prove  a  treasure.  To  parents,  teachers,  and  all  who  have  the  training  oi 
children,  it  cannot  be  too  highly  recommended. 

\jFrom  the  Banner  of  Ltgnf,  Boston.  ] 

We  welcome  a  publication  of  this  sort  with  undisguised  sincerity,  thankful  that  the  time 
at  last  has  come  when  fundamental  and  radical  physiological  truths  may  be  told  to  the  peo- 
ple plainly.  Had  such  books  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  younger  men  two  or  three  gener- 
ations ago,  their  effect  would  have  beea  visible  enough  in  the  physical  character  and  habits 
of  the  men  of  to-day. 

\_From  the  Lowell  Daily  Courier.  ] 

This  is  the  only  book  of  this  character  we  have  ever  seen  which  seem  to  be  imbued  with 
a  conscientious  spirit  from  beginning  to  end.  Hundreds  of  books  on  love,  marriage,  and 
the  relations  of  the  sexes,  have  been  written  to  sell.  Many  of  them  have  done  infinite 
harm,  instead  of  remedying  the  evils  they  pretended  to  combat ;  but  nobody  can  practice  on 
the  principles  laid  down  by  Dr.  Cowan  without  being  better  and  wiser. 

[From  the  New  York  Albion.  [ 

"  The  Science  of  a  New  Life,'*  by  John  Cowan,  M.D.,  is  a  hygienic  and  social  guide 
which  many  men,  whether  married  or  single,  will  be  the  better  for  carefully  perusing.  *  *  * 
It  devotes  a  large  space  to  matters  more  or  less  physiological  in  their  character,  and  in  so 
doing  treads  upon  somewhat  delicate  ground ;  yet  we  have  failed  to  detect  anything  which 
might  be  regarded  as  inadmissible  in  a  book  intended  for  the  instruction  and  to  promote  the 
well-being  of  those  into  whose  hands  it  may  fall.  It  discusses  the  subjects  on  which  it 
treats  in  a  refined  and  Christian  spirit  andXwith  much  good  sense. 

[From  the  Farmer,  Bridgeport,  Conn.  ] 

Upon  no  topic  connected  with  our  physical  well-being  does  so  much  ignorance  prevail, 
and  consequently  abuse  or  wrong-doing,  as  upon  those  so  fully  treated  of  in  this  work. 
The  book  snould  have  a  wide  circulation.  The  author  has  dedicated  it  to  "  all  the  married, 
and  particularly  those  who  contemplate  marriage."  He  should  have  dedicated  it  to  '•  all  the 
world,  and  the  rest  of  mankind,"  for  its  expositions  and  teachings  are  important  not  only  to 
the  married  and  those  whocontemplate  marriage,  but  to  all,  both  of  high  degree  and  low 
degree,  civilized  or  savage." 

[From  the  Register,  South  jfackson,  Mich.  J  . 

Books  of  this  character  can  not  be  multiplied  too  rapidly,  nor  can  the  influence  of  such 
works  as  this,  in  releasing  men  and  women  from  the  strong  bonds  of  ignorance,  vice,  and 
Cnme,  be  too  highly  estimated.  The  human  race,  we  know,  needs  something  stronger  and 
more  powerful  than  the  influence  of  a  single  volume,  however  good,  to  remove  the  many 
evils  of  social  and  domestic  life — ^line  upon  line,  precept  upon  precept — a  little  here,  and  a 
great  deal  more  there,  can  alone  accomplish  the  great  work  of  reformation,  and  restore  the 
v/asted,  sin-polluted  lives  of  our  fellow-beings  to  a  condidon  of  moral  purity ;  but  we  must 
admit  that  Dr.  Cowaff  has  done  all  that  any  lover  of  his  race  can  do  to  dieck  the  downward 
course  of  the  ignoraati  thoughtless,  wd  sinful 

10 


WHAT  TO  EAT,  AND  HOW  TO  COOK  IT; 

,     WITH    KULES  FOE 

Preserving,  Canning,  and  Drying  Fruits  and  Vegetables. 


BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF  "  THE  SCIENCE  OF  A  NEW  LIFE." 


There  are  scores  of  Cook-Books  in  the  market,  but  it  is  a  question  if  the  ingredients  and  the  mixtures  and 
combinations  they  offer  as  "  receipes"  do  not,  when  used  as  food,  result  ia  physical  suffering,  rather  than  in 
health  and  vigor. 

This  book  differs  from  that  class  of  Cook-Books  in  that  it  aims  to  give,  in  a  plain  and  understandable  way. 
the  kind  of  food  that  it  is  best  to  eat  in  order  to  regain  and  sustain  health  and  strength,  and  a  mode  of  cooking 
it  that  will  make  it  at  once  palatable,  nutritious  and  wholesome.    Its  contents,  in  part,  are  as  follows : 

Wheat  and  its  Preparations 25  different  methods  of  cooking. 

Corn  and  Rye,  and  their  Preparations 38  different  methods  of  cooking. 

Oats  and  its  Preparations 7  different  methods  of  cooking. 

Buckwheat  and  its  Preparations. 
Barley  and  its  Preparations. 

Rice  and  its  Preparations 10  methods  of  cooking. 

Sago,  Tapioca  and  Arrowroot,  and  their  Preparations. 

Potatoes  and  their  Preparations 16  different  methods  of  cooking. 

Peas  and  Beans,  and  their  Preparations 14  methods  of  cooking. 

Turnips,  Carrots,  Parsnips  and  Artichokes,  and  their  Preparations. 

Onions,  Leeks,  Garlic,  etc.   and  their  Preparations. 

Cabbage,  Cauliflower,  Spinach,  Greens,  etc.,  and  their  Preparations. 

Apples,  Pears,  Quinces,  Grapes,  and  their  Preparations 60  ways  of  preparing  and  cooking.. 

Raisins,  Figs,  Cucumbers,  Melons,  Pumpkins,  Tomatoes,  and  their  Preparations. 

Pies How  to  make  them  healthfully. 

Gravies  and  Sauces 12  different  kinds,  without  grease  or  spices. 

Food  and  Drink  for  the  Sick with  directions  for  making  delicious  Unfermented  Wine. 

Water giving  directions  whereby  every  house  can  have  pure  soft  water. 

Rules  for  Eating A  very  important  chapter. 

Objectionable  Articles  of  Diet equally  as  important,  and  necessary  for  all  to  know. 

Poisons  in  Daily  Use exposing  the  different  methods  of  adulterating  food,  and  how  to  detect  them. 

Preserving,  Canning,  and  Drying  Fruits  and  Vegetables. 

As  will  be  seen,  this  book  differs,  in  mode  of  arrangement  and  method  of  cooking  food  simply  and  health- 
fully, from  any  Cook- Book  heretofore  published. 

It  gives  15  different  recipes  for  making  healthful,  nutritious  and  palatable  Bread,  without  the  aid  of  either 
yeast  or  baking  powder. 

It  gives  16  different  styles  foAealthfuUy  cooking  Potatoes. 

It  gives  25  modes  of  making  Biscuit,  and  30  methods  of  making  and  cooking  Puddings,  without  the  use 
of  soda,  grease,  etc. 

It  gives  12  methods  of  cooking  Apples. 

Very  important  information  is  contained  under  the  head  of  "  Objectionable  Articles  of  Diet,"  and  it  tells 
all  about  Poisons  in  daily  use,  and  how  to  detect  them. 

The  article  on  "  The  Home  Method  of  Preserving,  Canning  and  Drying  Fruits  and  Vegetables,"  is  not 

to  be  found  in  any  other  Cook-Book  published,  and  is  of  itself  well  worth  thrice  the  price  asked  for  the  book. 

Finally,  it  is  so  arranged  that,  if  a  housekeeper  has  only  one  or  two  articles  in  the  house  to  prepare   a 

meal  with,  she  can  find  out  by  this  book  the  best  method  of  cooking  such  articles  in  a  palatable,  inviting  and 

healthful  manner. 

SiJT'If  you  wish  to  avoid  sickness  and  live  healthfully,  by  eating  food  cooked  and  prepared  in  a  simple 
and  inviting  manner,  send  for 

WHAT  TO  EAT,  AND  HOW  TO  COOK  IT. 

lis  pages.    Price — Bound  in  Cloth,  gilt  sidcstamp,  50  cents ;  in  Paper,  30  cents.    Mailed,  on  receipt 
of  price,  by  the  Publishers, 


COWAN  &  COMPANY, 
139  Eighth  Street,  New  York. 


COWAN  &  COMPANY'S  CATALOGUE   OF  NEW  BOOKS. 
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THE  USE  OF  TOBACCO, 

versus 

PURITY,     CHASTITY,     AND     SOUND 
HEALTH. 

TOBACCO, 
How  its  use  causes  Baldness. 
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How  it  decays  the  Teeth. 
How  it  aflfects  Hearing  and  Seeing. 
How  it  results  in  Heart-Disease. 
How  it  causes  a  fondness  for  Alcoholic  Liquors. 
How  it  weakens  the  memory.  y 

How  (in  boys  and  young  men)  it  prevents  a  growth  into 

a  perfect  Manhood— dwarfing  Heart  and  Intellect 

Soul  and  Body. 
Every  young  man  who  aspires  to  be  somebody — 
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INTEMPERANCE: 

ITS    FINANCIAL,    PHYSICAL,    MENTAL, 
SOCIAL  AND  MORAL  EVILS, 

AND 

ITS  CAUSE  AND  REMEDY. 


ALCOHOL, 

How  it  weakens  the  Body. 

How  it  depraves  the  Mind. 

How  it  produces  Poverty. 

How  the  Taste  is  Transmitted.    . 

How  the  Taste  is  Acquired. 

The  effect  of  its  use  on  the  Young.     ; 

Its  use  at  the  Lord's  Table 

Its  use  by  Physicians 

What  Eminent  Men  say  of  it. 

How  it  drags  down  and  degrades  the  body  and  soul  of 

j  all  who  touch,  taste  and  handle  the  accursed  thing. 

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SELF-HELP 

IN  THE  ATTAINMENT  OF   PERFECTION   OF  CHARACTER  AND  SUCCESS 

IN  LIFE  ^ 

By  JOHN  COWAN,  M.  D., 
Author  of  '^The  Science  of  a  New  Life"  etc. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  books  of  the  kind  ever  published.  It  contains  just  the  information  required  by  all 
whose  desire  it  is  to  GROW  UPWARD.  Have  you  qualities  of  character  that  make  your  daily  life  miserable, 
inharmonious,  uncongenial  ?  "Self-Help"  will  suggest  to  you  how  they  may  be  remedied.  Have  you  tendencies 
of  mind  that  lead  or  tempt  you  to  do  wrong  in  any  of  the  many  relations  you  hold  toward  your  fellow-man? 
"Self-Help"  by  its  suggestions  will  aid  you  into  a  purer  morality.  Are  you  at  a  loss  to  know  what  business  it  is 
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gives  excellent  satisfaction. 

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